Supreme Magus

Chapter 4419: The Quickest Way to the Heart (Part 1)

"Living in a clan means that their members can take turns in the kitchen and prepare proper meals instead of gobbling whole trees and live cattle like Emperor Beasts do.

"I’ve gotten so used to good food that I dread the moment I’ll have to go back to my old life."

"You know what they say. The quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach." Lith nodded. "Do you have any interesting suitors?"

"I got plenty, but no egg in the nest, if that’s what you’re asking." Ajatar replied. "I’m not that stupid. Right now, everyone is making a fuss about me because I’m the only Sapphire Dragon on Mogar.

"If I had a Hatchling with a member of a powerful clan like the Fire Dragons, however, they’d claim the egg, and there would be nothing I could do about it unless I became part of the clan.

"I won’t let any child of mine become a bargaining chip in a petty political play or be used to put a leash on my neck, Lith. Only an idiot would let his newfound powers go to his head and set up a harem.

"You draw all the wrong people, and once you’ve spread your seed you can’t take it back. In less than two decades I’d become expendable." Thousands of kilometers away, Orpal felt his ears burning for no apparent reason.

"I need to choose my future partner well, and the Fire Dragons are no candidates. They already have a wide territory, influence, and the Ears of Menadion. I’m just an Awakened regional Lord and have nothing they’re interested in aside from my own bloodline.

"I would be in no position to dictate my terms of our relationship. The Fire Dragons would get to set the rules, and I could only take it or leave it."

Ajatar also possessed the notes regarding his technique for awakening a Lesser Divine Beast’s Guardian bloodline. Still, he had already promised to share them and had no intention of going back on his word.

After the meal ended, Ajatar asked Jirni and Orion for a minute of their time. They moved to the tea room in the Ernas’ living quarters to have some privacy.

"I didn’t come here only to see Orikan and Jirya." He said after Jirni served everyone tea and oven-fresh biscuits. "I want to ask your help for a project of mine."

"What can we possibly do that the Fire Dragon clan can’t do better?" Jirni frowned.

The Ernas barely knew the Sapphire Dragon, but according to his background check, he was rich, and the Drake bloodline was ancient enough to have access to any resource Ajatar might need.

’Even a founding pillar of the Kingdom doesn’t amount to much when compared to Leegaain’s original bloodline. Drakes exist for almost as long as he does, whereas the Ernas house was founded a little less than a thousand years ago.’ She thought.

"You can form a bond of mutual trust with me that goes beyond our shared interests." The Sapphire Dragon replied. "The weapon I Forgemastered for Morok, Grimnir, has become too small after he achieved the violet core.

"Even worse, it can’t tap into his powers as efficiently as Faluel’s Baby Teeth did. I decided it’s time to fix my mistake and Forgemaster him a bigger, better Davross weapon, and I want to give you the opportunity to contribute."

"And why should we do that?" Orion snorted. "You don’t need our help, and I can’t risk you stealing the Ernas’ secret techniques with your Dragon Eyes."

"You don’t know how to cloak your spells?" Ajatar said in surprise. "I can teach you how to do that, but first let me answer your question. You should help me to ensure the safety of your son-in-law, Morok Ernas."

Hearing their family name attached to the Tyrant still made the Ernas couple flinch.

"To ensure that no matter what happens to you or me, your daughter won’t become a widow and her children grow without their father. I’m as stingy as any other Dragon, yet I’m willing to part with some of my most prized possessions because I care about Morok and I want to ensure his safety.

"Moreover, in the unfortunate event something happens to him, and I have to fulfil my role as godfather, I want to be able to look Quylla and the twins in the eyes when I tell them that I did everything I could to protect Morok.

"I know you don’t like him or me much, but this isn’t about us. This is about the kind of life you want for your daughter and grandchildren." Ajatar leaned back in his padded chair and waited for an answer.

His words struck Jirni and Orion like a punch, squeezing the air out of their lungs. The Sapphire Dragon was calm and composed, seeming to have put much more thought into the matter than they ever had.

’The lizard is right.’ Orion thought. ’I’ve been so caught up in my grief for my Little Flower’s death and the Gernoffs’ threat looming over Jirni’s life that I let my dislike for Morok blind me.

’It’s no wonder that my Little One didn’t trust Jirni or me with her babies. I can’t stand Morok, but he’s been nothing but a good husband to my daughter. It’s time I stop whining like a child and start acting like an adult.’

"We’ll do everything we can to support you, but you have to promise us that whatever you might learn about the Ernas techniques while working with my husband won’t leave your personal notes and that you won’t pass them down to anyone, not even your offspring." Jirni said without hesitation.

"It shouldn’t happen, but even if it does, we have a deal." Ajatar offered his hand to Orion, and he promptly shook it. "I already have the materials I need. Morok is big for a human, but he’s as small as a baby for an Emperor Beast.

"Four Davross ingots should be more than enough." His desire to give his apprentice the best weapons possible was sincere, but his Dragon Greed cried invisible tears of sadness at the thought of giving away so much enchanted metal.

"I want to do my part, Ajatar." Orion replied. "Whatever you are going to use, please allow me to contribute half the materials. Nothing is worth more than my daughter’s smile."

"As you wish." The Sapphire Dragon inwardly sighed with relief. "The main reason I need your help, however, is that I have no idea how humans fight and I want to keep the secret of the evolved humans’ powers in the family.

"I don’t trust any outsider with such knowledge. It could be used not only against Morok, but also his children, Lith, and even the people of Zelex."

"You’re damn right." Orion snorted.

"Here is the list of the enchantments I want to put in Morok’s weapons, the shape of their pseudo cores, and the order with which I intend to merge them into a power core." Ajatar took a detailed blueprint out of his dimensional amulet.

It contained every detail of the weapons and their abilities, but no mention of the crafting method necessary to assemble the various parts or the Forgemastering technique to combine the pseudo cores.