Tale of the Red Dragon Without Dragon’s Might
Chapter 351 - 346: Old Stories

Chapter 351: Chapter 346: Old Stories

The task of persuading Betty was entrusted to Tarsithra by Leon.

A country ruled by a Red Dragon isn’t much better than Crossroads City, but knowing the Red Dragon and befriending the Blue Dragon Queen makes all the difference.

Tarsithra promised Betty that if she agreed to go with them, she’d receive a Mage Tower for free.

Betty agreed after only a brief hesitation; besides the generous offer from Tarsithra, even the so-called Zhen Dan Kingdom couldn’t be worse than Crossroads City. Part of the reason was her natural gnome curiosity and impulsiveness, which drove her to adventure and explore new things.

Like Edwin, Betty couldn’t immediately leave with them. She needed time to pack her belongings; if she dawdled, it wouldn’t be done in less than ten days or half a month.

Anyway, Leon planned to enjoy himself in Crossroads City for a few days, so a delay wouldn’t matter.

Unlike his first visit to Crossroads City, when Tarsithra was busy and Leon had to wander alone, even hiring a Tiefling Maid as a guide once, this visit Tarsithra was free to guide Leon. Providing him a tour mattered more than anything else because the young Red Dragon had become a King.

"Crossroads City has five major guilds plus a mess of smaller guilds and gangs..."

"The Simon Senate functions as a government institution in Crossroads City. It’s said to be led by a Sphinx, built on the pillars of legislation, judiciary, and enforcement."

"The Kozan League is a guild of mages and mechanicians responsible for infrastructure construction and maintenance while conducting mad magic experiments... Betty is a member, controlling half of the Mage District and Craftsmen District."

"The Nightfall Guild seems harmless on the surface. Its members’ public jobs are messengers, detectives, etc., but it’s actually comprised of assassins, thieves, and spies, a mixed bag of society’s shady figures, with a Guild Leader who has multiple identities, truly a man of a thousand faces."

...

Tarsithra, as a guide, was unmatched by a Tiefling guide living in the Lower District. She spoke knowledgeably about Crossroads City’s power dynamics, industrial structure, and insider gossip. Of course, she merely relayed hearsay and did not guarantee accuracy.

Crossroads City was quite far from Watchtower Port, with a Talia Alliance in between. Leon had no plans; for now, he was just enjoying the buzz, regardless of truth or falsehood.

Leon had already explored the Lower District, but that was decades ago. It was still worthwhile to explore anew.

Vast warehouses, wide main streets, and uniform workers’ shanties all together made up the profit-driven Commercial District.

However, after scouring the Commercial District—where they said you could easily find anything you wanted, as long as you could afford it—Leon still didn’t find the precious alchemy materials he sought. Forget Heavenly Realm Steel or Cold Iron, even refined gold and mithril were hard to find.

"I thought with you leading the way, you’d have inside information on where to buy some rare materials..." Leon sighed, "No different from when I came here alone before."

Tarsithra pursed her lips and said, "The store I used to stock from whenever I ran my shop closed down at some point."

Leon had nothing to add.

All day exploring the Commercial District, by the time they finished, night had fallen. Upon returning to the Lower District, the ruckus continued unabated, revealing a different allure to the night-time Lower District.

The night-time Lower District starkly contrasted with the daytime, with goblins and kobolds everywhere. These little creatures hid in the sewers or any dark corner by day, emerging at night to scavenge, leading to several brawls within an hour...

"What is that frog with a crocodile head?" Leon, proud of his knowledge, had never seen such a peculiar thing.

Tarsithra glanced over and provided an answer: "That is a Fusion Monster, likely escaped from those mage district labs, a creature melded through magic and scientific methods."

"It even has claws and a shell like a beetle," Leon observed.

"There are stranger things you haven’t seen," Tarsithra remarked dismissively.

"Like what?" Leon asked, his curiosity piqued.

Tarsithra thought for a moment and said, "A crocodile with crab legs that can fly with wings, skin that changes color like a chameleon, and a mouth full of octopus tentacles..."

"That’s too bizarre and disgusting," Leon said, glancing at the sky. "What about that creature that looks like a bat?"

"That’s a Flying Horror Beast," Tarsithra explained, "Visible only at night due to sunlight sensitivity."

"Speaking of which, is that a rat-man?" Leon looked at the hunched, humanoid rat lurking in the corner, armed with a short sword and crossbow, "He’s been tailing us for an hour, surely he doesn’t think we’re easy marks?"

Tarsithra raised her hand, pointing a finger, and said, "Let me kill him."

She donned a scholarly appearance, calm yet in truth an evil Blue Dragon.

"He got away..." Leon said, "Ducking into the sewers, you’re not chasing him down there, are you?"

"Of course not," Tarsithra preferred cleanliness.

They found a tavern, drank a little, had a night-time snack, and after dealing with a few drunken brawlers, Leon and Tarsithra returned to the Mage District. They could stay at any inn, but instinctively returned to Betty’s Mage Tower.

The next day, Leon and Tarsithra went to the Craftsmen District, right next to the Mage District. Ironwork shops and forges lined the streets, with a constant metallic smell in the air and the nonstop clanging sounds.

A sudden idea struck Leon, and he asked, "What do you think about recruiting some craftsmen here?"

"It can be done, but what’s your plan?" Tarsithra replied, "Offer a lot of money?"

Leon thought for a moment and laughed, "First, I’ll transform into Dragon Form, destroy everything here, then invite them to join me; surely, they’ll all want to leave with me."

"Great idea," Tarsithra said.

"I was joking," Leon replied, "I’m not that evil yet."

Tarsithra sneered.

Leon identified the ambush in advance yet walked in bravely.

"That’s him," said a skinny short man with sparse hair and an insecure look, holding a wanted poster. The weapon at his hip proved he was the rat-man Leon and Tarsithra encountered last night, "It’s a perfect match."

A man in fine clothes stepped out from the shadows, looked at Leon, and said, "You dare come back."

"You’ve got the wrong guy, maybe?" Leon was puzzled, "I don’t know you."

"Edith, does that name ring a bell?" the man asked.

"I don’t remember," Leon thought for a moment and shook his head, "Honestly, I don’t."

"Let me refresh your memory," the man said. "Thirty-five years ago, you killed a vampire here."

"Oh... it’s coming back to me," Leon exclaimed in realization, "Are you seeking revenge?"

"No," Leon couldn’t help but quip, "It’s been decades, and you still remember?"

"Anyone who wrongs the Nightfall Guild must die," the man cracked his knuckles, "Revenge may be delayed, but it never fails to arrive."

Leon wanted to retort; wasn’t this revenge way too late? Did you wait for me to grow for decades just to come for revenge?