Tale of the Red Dragon Without Dragon’s Might
Chapter 217 - 216: Big Brother or Daddy?

Chapter 217: Chapter 216: Big Brother or Daddy?

The middle-aged shopkeeper spoke eloquently, making it sound quite convincing.

Biska essentially believed that in a place called Watchtower Port, there lived a powerful Red Dragon who once killed a fully grown Red Dragon in a conflict.

However, she remained skeptical about the idea that this Red Dragon could wield a sword.

The claws of a Red Dragon were simply not suited to grip objects properly, and neither were the claws of any dragon. While they might be good for seizing prey, skillfully wielding a sword seemed excessively challenging—let alone the story’s claim that the Red Dragon could control a flying sword to attack enemies.

"What did you just say?"

Salovis had an oval-shaped face, slightly chubby with baby fat, and her arms, exposed outside her clothing, were soft and plump. She looked like a cute, girl-next-door type. In reality, however, she was Biska’s partner—a fearsome teenage Red Dragon who had lost track of how many lives she had taken over the years.

She had actually heard what Biska said but suspected she might have misunderstood.

Biska repeated her words without showing any impatience. She knew that displaying even the slightest disrespect toward a Red Dragon could invite destruction. Even though they had formed a bond through years of fighting side by side and their friendship seemed solid, caution in speech was always necessary.

"A sword-wielding Red Dragon? That’s impossible. There’s no such thing as a Red Dragon that uses a sword. I’ve never seen or heard of one..." Salovis said, her voice trailing off as she suddenly seemed lost in thought, recalling something from decades ago.

"I think it’s ridiculous too, which is why I wanted to ask you about it..."

"Rumors, the thing about them is, they can spread and twist into anything."

"Some people even say the Queen’s promise of Eternal Paradise is a lie, that all she does is eat people, and only fools would believe in it."

Biska leaned back in her chair, massaging her temples. She mocked herself for being so naïve as to entertain such an absurd rumor.

Even so, while a sword-wielding Red Dragon might not exist, Biska believed that strong Red Dragons seizing control of Watchtower Port was entirely plausible. She thought rumors could get distorted in the retelling, but they were rarely completely groundless.

"You just asked me if I’ve ever seen a sword-wielding Red Dragon... Well, maybe I actually have." Biska dismissed the rumor as absurd, but Salovis suddenly spoke up, confirming it.

"Did I ever mention..." Salovis bit her lip lightly, "I actually have a twin brother."

"No, you’ve never mentioned that before," Biska replied. "Can your brother use a sword?"

"Where should I even begin?" Salovis said, thinking about her peculiar twin brother. As soon as he hatched, he didn’t stay in the nest like he was supposed to. Instead, he jumped off a cliff. You might think he was born with some kind of cognitive disability—which wasn’t out of the question—but he managed to find food, dig tunnels, and eventually unearthed a broken sword from who knows where..."

As Salovis reminisced, a wave of nostalgia suddenly washed over her as she thought of her brother. She wondered where he might be now. Even Red Dragons weren’t entirely devoid of familial bonds—they simply had very few of them.

"Do you know where he is now?" Biska’s heart began to race. She suspected that the powerful Red Dragon known as Cliff Sword might actually be her partner’s brother. "Is he in Watchtower Port?"

"He was banished from our mother’s territory when he was very young. After that, I never saw him again. He completely disappeared from my life," Salovis said thoughtfully. "But did you say there’s a sword-wielding Red Dragon in Watchtower Port?"

"I mean... No, it’s definitely not your brother," Biska suddenly shook her head and said.

"Why not?" Salovis asked.

"The rumor says that Red Dragon killed a fully grown Red Dragon," Biska reasoned. "If he’s your brother, and you’re a teenage dragon, then he must also be a teenage dragon. Can you imagine a teenage dragon killing a fully grown one?"

"Teenage, young, adult, mature... That’s three whole age stages apart," Salovis counted on her fingers. It occurred to her that each stage required decades, if not centuries, of growth and experience. Battling across age stages was nearly impossible. "The gap is so huge—there’s no way he could’ve won."

"Since we’re twins, his combat ability should be about the same as mine. When I encounter a fully grown Red Dragon, I have no choice but to run. There’s no way he could’ve defeated one. Just being able to escape a fully grown Red Dragon would already be impressive," Salovis said, feeling somewhat disappointed. She resumed eating but found her food tasteless.

"Tell me everything you know about this sword-wielding Red Dragon." Even if it wasn’t her brother, Salovis didn’t hesitate to continue probing.

Red Dragons were always particularly interested in news about other Red Dragons, mainly to assess their own ranking among their kin.

Biska shared all she had heard.

"Uses a sword, likes to stand upright, scales look like rubies... Why does he sound so much like my brother?" Salovis muttered, spearing a piece of steak with her fork and popping it into her mouth. "If only we knew his name instead of just that silly title, Cliff Sword."

"Leon. I still remember his name," Salovis said. "According to our mother, he chose that name for himself. The moment he hatched, he was already shouting it out loud. Ridiculous, isn’t it?"

"It couldn’t be him. He couldn’t possibly be that strong," Salovis said, chewing on her fork and frowning. "If it’s not him, though, then who could it be?"

"Do you know who your father is?" Biska suddenly asked.

Compared to Blue Dragons, who were typically meticulous and competent parents, or Green Dragons, who intentionally taught manipulation and double-dealing, Red Dragon offspring were often left unattended. Younger Red Dragons were usually tasked to look after the eggs, resulting in many Red Dragon hatchlings growing up without parents.

Out of sensitivity toward Salovis, Biska had never directly inquired about her family. All she knew was what Salovis had shared about her mother. Today was the first time the topic had ever come up.

Hearing Biska’s question, Salovis suddenly felt her throat go dry. She said, "If, if that Cliff Sword is my father... my brother’s sword skills, his upright posture, scales like ruby, and I resemble my mother—then everything makes sense."

The more Salovis thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. By the end, she was utterly convinced.

"You said he’s ruling Watchtower Port... Do you think I could go and seek him out?"

Young Red Dragons often served the Githyanki, though they consistently viewed such duties as burdensome. The only reason they participated in raids was the lure of spoils.

Since age progression was halted in the Star Realm, their growth in size and power also stagnated. Red Dragons were eager to engage more with the Material Plane, where not only could they amass treasure as compensation, but they could also grow during their period of service. Serving as guardians for Githyanki nurseries on the Material Plane was considered an ideal posting, allowing them to amass wealth and grow naturally.

In any case, given the choice, no Red Dragon wanted to remain in the Star Realm. They preferred lounging atop treasure vaults, intimidating hapless villagers.

"That way, I wouldn’t have to try so hard anymore," Salovis said, genuinely tempted by the idea.

"You mentioned earlier that he has a Blue Dragon, a Green Dragon, and even a Bronze Dragon under his command, right? He must be trying to become the Lord of Giant Dragons—the Dragon Lord," Salovis said. "If he can accept a Blue Dragon, a Green Dragon, and a Bronze Dragon, there’s no reason he wouldn’t accept his own daughter."

Biska remained silent.

She was deep in thought, realizing that Salovis might be planning to abandon her.

Although she had always known a Red Dragon wouldn’t remain her partner forever—typically leaving once they’d amassed enough wealth, or by their young adult phase—it had never occurred to her that this moment would arrive so soon. But if an alliance with the powerful Red Dragon could be secured through Salovis, it would all be worth it.

"Let’s go right now," Salovis said eagerly, "to Watchtower Port."

...

...

At the same time.

This was Volcanic Island, inside a villa located beneath the Volcano.

Leon had no idea that a Githyanki Knight, mounted on a Red Dragon, was departing from Crossroads City and might arrive at Watchtower Port within hours. Right now, he was busy playing cards with Tassera and Cecilia, engaging in a little harmless betting.

Tassera preferred a technical approach, carefully tracking the cards.

"No cheating."

"Let me remind you again—if you’re caught swapping cards, it’ll cost you ten Gold Coins."

Cecilia, on the other hand, loved pulling little tricks. Leon had to remind her every time.

"I only have five cards left."

"Master, we’re on the same team."

"Guess how many cards I have left."

"Let me off this time. Next time, I’ll let you off too. Show some love, not war."

"Three of a kind with one kicker—play that if you dare, I swear I don’t have a bomb."

When tricks were out of the question, Cecilia resorted to stirring things up, goading others, bluffing, or intimidating them into playing or holding back.

"It’s my turn as the landlord."

"If you don’t want it, I will."

"Who’s afraid? I’ll play."

Leon didn’t care about winning or losing—he just wanted to have fun.

Tassera was skilled at tracking cards, her technique was excellent, and Cecilia wasn’t far behind. As a result, Leon usually ended up losing the most money. Fortunately, he didn’t mind the loss of a few Gold Coins. As long as he didn’t invest in Watchtower Port, his wealth was practically inexhaustible.

One match stretched from morning until midday.

"Master, there’s a visitor," a Tiefling maid suddenly interrupted the card game. She had recently replaced the Efreeti as the villa’s receptionist—after all, the Efreeti had far too foul a temper for such a job.

Visits were frequent, and Leon was already somewhat numb to them. This time, however, mid-game, he responded with irritation, "Let them wait. I’ll meet them when I’m free..."

"Is it someone important?" Leon noticed the Tiefling maid hadn’t moved. "Who is it?"

"A Githyanki and a Red Dragon," the Tiefling maid replied.

"What business do they have with me?" Leon crossed his arms. A single Red Dragon showing up alone might indicate one seeking refuge, which he would take seriously. But if a Githyanki and a Red Dragon arrived together, they were likely collaborators. Perhaps they came to form an alliance or request aid.

The Tiefling maid hesitated, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn’t.

"Speak your mind," Leon said, unbothered by trouble.

"The Red Dragon... seems a bit lacking mentally," the Tiefling maid whispered. "She calls herself Salovis and claims to be your daughter."