Published at 22nd of June 2024 8:34 am

Chapter 1735 Race [5]

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Iridia replied with a shrug.

"It would be a shame if either of us was knocked out before we even found out where the crown was. Since you're one of my strongest competitors, it isn't worth fighting you yet."

It was sound reasoning, but incredibly strange coming from someone like her.

"I'm one of your strongest competitors? Since when?" August reiterated, sarcasm oozing from his tone.

However, Iridia responded seriously.

"Since the moment you tied with Eris Noct."

That battle changed the way all of the Holy Clan geniuses saw him. "Wait, but none of you saw that happen."

"We didn't need to. Eris herself told everyone that you tied, and she definitely isn't one to lie for other people's sake."

"Eris did that?"

"She's more honest than you'd expect. She just has a shitty personality that makes it irrelevant."

"I see…"

August nodded his head, somewhat accepting the situation.

Eris was stronger than most of the other geniuses who had participated in the heir wars. If he was able to fight her to a tie and force her to unveil her dragon form, then the rest of them couldn't carelessly fight him.

Still, calling it a tie was a bit much.

'If we kept going, I'd probably have lost.'

After all, Eris had an advantage in experience due to her age. Unlike the rest, she had a decent amount of practical experience to back up her strength, which was what made her scary.

Even after Bastille, August didn't improve much in the sense of personal battles. War situations were completely different from duels.

Still, since Iridia seemed in a friendly mood, August wanted to take the chance to ask her the question that had been bugging him. "Why are you even chasing the crown?"

It couldn't have been as simple as what he expected, right?

Iridia responded to his question with another. "Are you asking because you know, or because you don't?" "The former."

"Then, for the most part, it's just that. People want to gain more influence, and even if the Dragon Emperor doesn't have real power, the position is still respected by the common people. If it's the Dragon Emperor's will, they won't raise a fuss no matter what."

August frowned.

"But you guys don't care about commoners at all, do you? Their actions don't affect theirs, and theirs don't affect yours. In my understanding, as long as they stay oppressed, you don't need to interfere, right?"

"Wrong."

Iridia shook her head.

"I don't know much about it since it isn't discussed as often as you'd expect, but it's something about fate. There's a cycle that affects both commoners and noble dragons that can't be interrupted. If you want more information, then you'll have to find one of the elders from our clans to tell you, because it's not information you get access to until you reach that stage." She continued to casually answer his questions as if she wasn't spilling the secrets of the Holy Clans like a leaky faucet.

Her attitude was confusing.

"Why do you think I'm chasing the crown?" August didn't know why he asked, but he felt the need to.

He was too curious about the other side's perspective. "Idealism, probably."

Iridia answered just as simply as ever. "If you think that you can change something because you're a commoner with some power, then you're wrong. If you think you can change something because of your lineage, then you're double wrong. From what I understand, you're the last living Azure Dragon. You won't be able to make an impact on the deeply rooted system that exists already."

She genuinely believed that there was nothing to be done. As she benefited from the system, she didn't speak about it negatively. Rather, she looked at it from his point of view and countered his possible beliefs with the facts she had the privilege to know because of her unique standing.

It was as August thought. There was something more to the throne of the Dragon Emperor than the Holy Clans wanted others to know.

Its importance was likely crushed by them so that nobody else would expect that taking hold of that crown meant so much.

Iridia didn't know everything, but that wasn't a problem. August could infer what he needed to from her statements, and he could find the rest out for himself when the time came. August responded to her with determination.

"It's not idealism." That was one thing he'd never act upon without reason.

"I'm confident that I'll change this kingdom if I get my hands on that crown. I'm going to follow in the footsteps of my ancestor and bring Arulion back to its former beauty, no matter who stands in my way. It isn't a claim I'm making based on childish ambition or unsupported arrogance. It's something I can say confidently based on the tangible advantages I possess and the cards I have hidden."

He did have a sufficient number of cards in his pocket, but if they were brought into the light by his enemies, then his advantage would disappear. Iridia could see the hatred for Holy Clans and the desire to stand against them in August's eyes.

Frankly, it was extremely stupid for August to be explaining something like that to Iridia. If she went back and told her clan, then he would face even more suppression.

He did have a sufficient number of cards in his pocket, but if they were brought into the light by his enemies, then his advantage would disappear. Iridia could see the hatred for Holy Clans and the desire to stand against them in August's eyes.

If it was a few months ago, she might've shown him a more unruly response. She might have taken offense to his sentiments and started a battle here.

But she wasn't the same person anymore. What she experienced in the heir wars, and more importantly, what she experienced after they were cut short completely changed her perspective on things. She could understand his feelings. "After everything that happened last time, I went home and asked about it," she said. "Your ancestor…it seems my clan didn't have any grudges with him. It is true that my ancestors participated in his downfall, however, it wasn't a personal matter. Our Ignis Clan functions on the property of strength over everything. He was not strong enough, so he fell. If we find ourselves in the same situation, then we will also accept our defeat with grace."

Her meaning was clear.

Suppose August believed that he had the proper means to take down the Ignis Clan. If he challenged them and won, then they would accept defeat and bend to his will until the moment he was not strong enough anymore.

That was the way of the world in their eyes.

This was a moment when August could also take offense if he wanted to. The fact that his ancestor meant nothing to them, their choice to participate in his death merely because of such a narrow-minded ideology was definitely an affront to his existence. But, since Iridia let his words go before, he decided to do the same.

"I hope you're prepared for that day to come," August said after a slight silence.

"I can be, but I'm sure my seniors are different."

"Is now really the time for jokes?"

"If not now, then when?"

Her changing tone was even more confusing than her nonchalance.

What happened to Iridia since the last time they'd met? 'Whatever it was, she's basically turned into a different person. Is it maturity…or something else?'

August wondered if she was still the same in her core or if something forced her to become something she was not.

Nevertheless, it wasn't something for him to concern himself with.

Since there was nothing left to talk about in this strange chance encounter, he could take his leave.

That was what he thought.

He assumed that it'd end with that.

But, as he moved through the mountains to regroup with his people, he was forced to voice his thoughts.

Once again, they cumulated into a single question.

"Why are you still here?"

He stopped on a random mountain and turned around to face the woman who had decided that she wanted to tag along.

August felt a headache rolling in. Was this going to be a bigger problem than he thought?

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