Evolution begins with an ant colony-Chapter 335 Wining His Favor

Sir Cedric, the knight captain, cautiously approached the stage, his hand still hovering near his sword's hilt. "Reports indicated a man with golden hair causing chaos," he declared, his voice gruff with authority.

Reaching Kaldarix, who still knelt bewildered on the stage, Sir Cedric drew his sword a fraction further. "Did you, sir, willingly choose to endanger His Majesty?" he demanded, his gaze narrowed.

Professor Eldrin, witnessing the captain's aggressive stance, erupted from his seat in the VIP section. "Captain Ironheart! Stand down!" he bellowed, his voice laced with urgency. "Do you wish to doom this entire nation in your ignorance?"

Lila, his apprentice, had her jaw dropped agape. She whirled towards him, her eyes wide with surprise. This was not the calm and collected professor she knew. His usually measured tone had been replaced by raw urgency. "P-professor? Are you being serious?" she stammered.

Eldrin, his face grim, turned towards Lila. "Deadly serious, my dear. Look at the young man kneeling there. Do you see the confusion in his eyes? He is no villain. According to historical accounts, dragons were the very beings who birthed magic in this world.

They taught it to our ancestors, allowing us to reach the heights we have today. Witness the power he wielded a moment ago. Wiping out this entire nation would be child's play for him, even if I and all the Grand Mages of the Magic Tower combined our might. It would be a pointless battle." Stay updated via novelbuddy

He paused, his voice grim. "Our focus should be on appeasing him, not provoking him further."

His words hung heavy in the air, causing a ripple of shocked murmurs through the crowd. Prince Alexander, seated beside Lyra, leaned in and whispered, "Did I just hear the Professor say we should appease a dragon?"

Lyra, her brow furrowed in concern, nodded silently.

From the royal box, King Nevi's booming laughter shattered the tense silence. "Professor Eldrin, surely you jest! Doing away with an entire nation? Wiping us off the map? How… humorous!" he exclaimed, wiping a tear from his eye.

The King's amusement, however, did little to dispel the growing unease that gripped the arena. Professor Eldrin, however, remained undeterred. He fixed the King with a steely gaze. "Your Majesty," he countered, his voice firm, "history is riddled with accounts of humanity's arrogance in the face of superior power. This is not the time for pride, but for diplomacy.

We must find a way to understand this dragon, not antagonize him."

A hush fell over the arena as King Nevi's laughter abruptly died down. While his words about a single dragon conquering the nation seemed laced with disbelief, there was a very small flicker of unease in his eyes.

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His eyes, suddenly gleaming with amusement, shifted to Professor Eldrin. "Even if negotiation is the path forward," he conceded, "wouldn't it be best to talk to the one who clearly appears to be in charge?"

As the King spoke, a wave of realization rippled through the crowd and a select few, including Professor Eldrin, turned their gazes towards Akun, who remained seated but seemed to hold an air of authority.

Tatilia, sensing the weight of a thousand eyes upon them, leaned closer to Akun, her voice barely a whisper. "Master," she hissed, "They're all looking at us. What do we do?"

Akun, seemingly unfazed by the sudden attention, let out a slow, deliberate sigh that sent a shiver down the spines of his companions. The tension in that single breath spoke volumes. He then rose from his seat, his voice calm yet firm as he addressed the arena. "I believe the current match is over," he declared. "And with that in mind, I believe it is now my turn to step into the arena.

May I ask my opponent to do the same?"

A slow smile spread across King Nevi's face as he watched Akun take charge. "I like him," the king muttered, a hint of amusement twinkling in his eyes.

Then, addressing Professor Eldrin, he barked out a question that startled the entire VIP section. "Professor! I was always under the impression dragons were nothing more than creatures of myth and legend. Where on earth did these… individuals crawl out from?"

The Professor, visibly flustered, stammered a reply. "Your Majesty, I'm afraid I cannot be certain. Historical accounts, while valuable, are not always accurate. What we do know is that these two men are undeniably dragons. And based on the events we've just witnessed, it appears our focus should shift towards… winning their favor."

A slow, calculating smile spread across King Nevi's face as Professor Eldrin finished his sentence. "Win their favor, you say? Then win their favor we shall!" he declared, his voice booming through the arena.

Suddenly, the King threw his arm out, pointing towards a bewildered Prince Alexander. "First Prince Alexander!" he bellowed, his booming voice catching the young prince off guard.

"Y-yes, Father?" Alexander stammered, rising clumsily from his seat.

"It seems your turn has arrived at long last," the King announced, a playful glint in his eyes. "Get down there, boy! These esteemed… guests… wouldn't want to be kept waiting, would they?"

Alexander's face flushed crimson. Though eager to please his father, the prospect of entering the arena after the spectacle just witnessed filled him with a healthy dose of fear. He opened his mouth to protest, but King Nevi's booming laughter cut him short.

"Move it, son! Can't let ancient beings wait on the whims of a prince, now can we?" the King jested, his booming voice echoing through the arena.

With a resigned sigh, Alexander began to make his way towards the exit, his steps stedy and uncertain. Before he could disappear through the doorway, a hand grasped his wrist. He turned to find Lyra, her blue eyes filled with concern.

"Alexander, wait," she whispered urgently. "Don't be hasty. From what we've seen, Akun seems much stronger than Kaldarix. Even if he doesn't unleash his full power, you must be cautious."

Alexander couldn't help but chuckle, the tension momentarily easing. "Look at your face, Lyra," he teased gently. "You look like you're about to send your husband off to the frontlines, not on a simple duel."

Lyra's cheeks flushed deeper. Exasperated, she swatted him playfully on the arm. "That's what I get for worrying about you, isn't it?" she retorted, a touch of annoyance in her voice. "Fine, go get yourself sliced in half then."

Despite her feigned indifference, a flicker of worry remained in her eyes. Alexander squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Relax," he murmured. "I'll be fine. Besides, who knows, it might even be a fair fight."

With a final, lingering glance at Lyra, Alexander straightened his posture and marched towards the arena, a forced smile plastered on his face.