Tale of the Red Dragon Without Dragon’s Might
Chapter 127: Lost Plateau

Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Lost Plateau

Leon didn’t have a particular destination in mind, so he opted to be a hands-off manager, just like when he’s out for dinner without a craving for anything specific, leaving the choice to his companions.

Even if he delegated the choice to his companions, Leon wouldn’t accept something as horrifying as durian hotpot. If Cecilia’s planned itinerary was too terrible, he wouldn’t accept it, insisting on a do-over, but Cecilia was clearly smart enough.

Cecilia didn’t play any tricks; her planned itinerary didn’t go through her favorite Primitive Forest but towards the mountains that interested Leon.

"The Lost Plateau is full of mountains, and with so many mountains, there’s bound to be a volcano. I’ve also heard that lots of Dwarves live there, and where there are Dwarves, there are minerals and plenty of resources," Cecilia introduced her itinerary. "Getting there is simple, just follow a caravan leaving the Red Crown Desert, then through the Dead Sand..."

Red Dragons like to nest in high mountains and hills, dwelling in Snowy Mountain Caves or in the deep halls of abandoned mines and Dwarf strongholds, and the presence of geothermal and volcanic activity would be perfect.

Leon acknowledged that Cecilia had done her homework, but that didn’t stop him from saying, "I just wanted to go out for a change of scenery, I didn’t say anything about scouting new locations."

"A change of scenery and scouting aren’t mutually exclusive, and besides, the sea lies beyond the Lost Plateau," Tassera said. "I remember the master saying he has always wanted to see the sea."

"Did I say that?" Leon questioned.

"The speaker might not intend it, but the listener might take it to heart," Cecilia suddenly became serious, imitating the proper tone, "I remember every word my brother says."

"Let it be then," said Leon. The sea was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

If Cecilia hadn’t insisted strongly, Leon wouldn’t have wanted to bring her along.

If Cecilia’s planned itinerary was impressive, her performance thereafter was pure luck as Leon felt fortunate to have brought her along, simply because Cecilia was truly capable.

It turned out he could entrust not only the itinerary to her but all sorts of complicated matters as well, such as getting permission to join the caravan, purchasing mounts, and generally achieving great results.

The only problem with Cecilia was that she was quite stingy with money; without Leon’s money, she would definitely not front the cash.

In such circumstances, Leon couldn’t help asking Cecilia how she managed it all while riding leisurely on a camel along with the caravan.

"Coquettishly plead, say a few nice words, then just leave it to those people to handle," said Cecilia. "Humans are really easy to understand."

The journey from Oasis City to the Lost Plateau was not too far, but not close either. If everything went smoothly, it would take about a week, otherwise, anything could happen.

The caravan was guarded by formidable-looking Sand Worm Knights, and they didn’t encounter any strong monsters along the way, making for a smooth journey.

Most of Leon’s time was spent reading books, occasionally spectating unfamiliar humanoid creatures, monsters, and ancient ruins, such as the Ammand people with armor-like skin, the Sand Folk who appeared to be emaciated Humans with rust-red skin that glowed and could swim through sand as Merfolk do in the sea, and the Telekinesis Scorpions that wield Spiritual Energy...

Leon truly believed that to progress one must leave the desert; there was no future in such an impoverished place—grueling and unappreciated, barren land, infested with monsters, and full of troublemakers. Especially given the existence of a once powerful Empire, ancient ruins hiding terrifying creatures could emerge at any time, like the tombs of that Ancient Fallen Empire...

Cecilia wasn’t a fan of reading. She enjoyed observing the other people in the caravan, deducing their identities by their attire, eavesdropping on conversations with her excellent Green Dragon hearing, and sharing interesting findings with Leon.

"Brother, let me tell you, I’ve discovered a love triangle," she said.

"How so?" Gossip is in Human nature, and Leon naturally wasn’t above it.

Cecilia began gesticulating as she explained, "The bard likes the Barbarian, then the Barbarian likes the Dancing Girl, and the Dancing Girl likes the bard."

"Indeed, it’s a love triangle..." Leon suddenly realized and then asked, "Wait, the bard is a guy, right?"

"Is there a problem?" Cecilia asked.

"No problem." Leon shook his head, thinking that this is a world based on DND; anything is possible here.

"I have to think of a way to let the Dancing Girl find out that the bard likes the Barbarian. That will be really fun," Cecilia said, laughing uncontrollably.

Leon crossed his arms and watched Cecilia; he seriously suspected that this Green Dragon was someone who found joy in amusing situations, though he was quite intrigued himself.

The story of the Barbarian, the Dancing Girl, and the bard was just a minor interlude during the journey. The main focus was that the caravan had finally arrived at the Lost Plateau, with the destination being a small town at the foot of the mountains.

Leon didn’t bother with anything and left matters such as accommodation to Cecilia, who was acting as a maid. Even worse, he took a nap and had Cecilia go out to gather information about the Lost Plateau.

Dinner was on Leon’s tab, otherwise Cecilia would never spend her own money. She ordered a round of every food that she had never tried before; after all, two Dragons weren’t afraid of not being able to finish.

"This is a town that specializes in trading. Dwarves from the Lost Plateau come here to sell their crafted weaponry, gemstone sculptures, and so on. Then the merchants who joined forces through the desert bring goods from the desert and the Empire. They take the Dwarves’ merchandise and can earn several times the profit in one trip..."

Now Tassera brought the information she had gathered, and she liked sweet orange-baked duck.

Leon had a fondness for pickled beef with Dwarf flatbread and suddenly said, "I have a special space spell that allows me to carry a lot of things effortlessly and fly a great distance in a day. What if I learned from those merchants and ran a transport business? I could definitely make a lot of money."

Cecilia froze with the duck leg in her hand suspended mid-air.

"Just joking." Leon had to save some face; if he really did such a thing, he could never raise his head in front of other Dragons again. It wouldn’t be worth it.

Cecilia breathed a sigh of relief. She could accept some of Leon’s odd behavior, but getting involved in transportation was just too embarrassing for her, especially since she was currently his maid. She didn’t want to be implicated, so she exhaled and said,

"I’ve inquired around. The largest Dwarf Fortress on the Lost Plateau is called Iron Hammer Castle, ruled by a powerful Dwarf who once defeated a formidable Red Dragon all by himself..."

"Really?" Leon asked.

"I’m not sure, but I lean towards it being true," Cecilia said, "which is why we shouldn’t mess with Iron Hammer Castle."

Leon, who was currently struggling with a lamb chop, nodded in understanding.

"However, the Lost Plateau is so vast, and Iron Hammer Castle can only protect the surrounding area. This small town under our feet, acting as a trade center and transportation hub, can’t be touched, but there are still plenty of other areas we can choose from." Cecilia comforted, "Master, you shouldn’t feel disappointed."

"I’m not disappointed." Leon wiped his mouth after finishing the lamb chop, "I mainly wanted to go out for a walk. It’s you who is always obsessed with expanding the territory, thinking about seizing a Dwarf Fortress or something."

Cecilia mumbled for once, "You were the one who promised me, to first become your chief steward, and later on, your Imperial Prime Minister..."

Leon was speechless for a moment; surely not, he thought, I was just painting a pie in the sky, you can’t have taken it seriously, right?