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“W-What… do you mean by that…?”

Taylor stared at Fenice with wide, bewildered eyes, taken aback by her smug expression.

“You really don’t know anything,huh?”
“K-Know what…?”

Taylor felt like a character in an adventure novel, unaware of the ominous signs looming above his head. It was like being part of a team where everyone else had vital information, and he was the lone clueless member, headed for a disastrous pitfall.

The author had already made him raise many death flags, and it was only a matter of time before he was killed.

“Do you know why we are here, dear Aurora?”
“Sightseeing to relieve boredom?” Taylor scratched his face, his voice filled with uncertainty.

Fenice looked at him like she was looking at an idiot. She was even convinced that Taylor was beyond hope. She reached for a candied fruit skewer, and with a flick of her long, lizard-like tongue, she took the fruit, roughly the size of a human head, into her mouth out of frustration.

Her cheeks puffed up like a squirrel’s, bouncing with each bite. After savoring the sweets, Fenice finally found the mood to enlighten an idiot.

She pointed toward a fortune teller nearby who had stopped two young girls on the street and was telling them things like “I see that your forehead is dark, you’re in for some trouble with your love life. How about I help you out? You’re asking me why? Allow me to explain to you in detail.”

“You see that guy? Do you know him?”
“Oh s̲h̲i̲t̲, it’s Garett!”

Fenice then gestured to another side of the street.

A shirtless, muscular man was lying on the ground, holding a massive metal lock. A second muscular man swung a sledgehammer, attempting to break the lock. With each strike, the man on the ground winced in pain.

“How about those two?”
“Oh s̲h̲i̲t̲, it’s Kurt and Easton!”

Taylor was left dumbfounded. He had initially assumed he was one of the few dragons in Jeorgetown City, along with Fenice and Green Emperor.

While the dragon population was sparse, their nomadic tendencies led to occasional encounters every few years. However, running into so many at once was indeed unusual.

Since Taylor had become the guardian of the Holy Dragon Empire nearly ten thousand years ago, this was the first time he had experienced the feeling of being surrounded by his own kind.

He now understood why some of the street vendors he had seen earlier appeared familiar.

Taylor’s throat went dry as he looked at Fenice, and his voice turned hoarse. “Tell me honestly, how many people… no, how many dragons have infiltrated Jeorgetown City?”

Fenice held up one hand, fingers spread, then did the same with the other hand.

“Ten?”

Taylor involuntarily raised his voice.

Ten dragons? That sounds like a recipe for chaos if they get even slightly riled up!

Besides, he would not be able to control them if they caused trouble. He had been a recluse in Jeorgetown City for nearly ten thousand years. There was no way he could possibly compete with those dragons who had been tormented by the Queen day in and day out!

He could not even take on Green Emperor, let alone dealing with ten of them at once!

Fenice shook her head, “No, not ten, silly!”
“Phew! Good to know.” Taylor breathed a sigh of relief.

“I meant all of them!” Fenice exclaimed, holding her hands high in the air and playfully spreading and closing her fingers, “Except for the Queen, who’s away to attend to something, and Earth who’s been out of touch, all the dragons are here!”

“HUH?”

A…All of them? Taylor was utterly petrified… What did she mean by all of them? Does that mean there were potentially thousands of dragons hidden in this small city right now?

The terrifying image of Jeorgetown City being reduced to rubble with hundreds of dragons celebrating on the ruins flashed across Taylor’s mind.

“Are you all insane?!” Taylor grabbed Fenice by the collar and shook her. “All of you coming to the human nation is trouble! Aren’t you afraid the Queen will be furious?”

Fenice rolled her eyes. “Are you daft? If I dare to show up here, that means the Queen has already approved it.”

“Approved it…? B-But why? You can’t come as you please! That’s a rule set by the Queen herself!”

“I can’t believe you still don’t get it!” Fenice and Green Emperor looked at Taylor as if he were the most embarrassing dragon in their clan.

Fenice pulled out the exquisite Princess Lilith’s Fan Club card and held it high like it was a sacred relic.

“The only person who can make the Queen grant an exception is none other than the world’s most adorable princess!”

“Her Highness…?”

A spark of realization struck Taylor.

Her Highness… I heard she’s traveling in the human realm. The Great Celestial Rite… The Martial God Tournament… Anyone below the Saint Realm is allowed to take part… The young princess must have not reached the Saint Realm yet…

“It doesn’t take a genius to know that our pure-blooded princess will attend such a lively event. This is a golden opportunity to witness the results of her travels among human nations!” Fenice said with excitement.

“As loyal fans of Her Highness, we all came prepared. We bought the best seats, prepared cheering banners, and even memorized the cheering shout!” Green Emperor puffed out his chest, proud of being the person who came up with the cheering shout.

“We’re definitely going to give Her Highness a wonderful surprise!”
“Is that so…?”

Taylor slumped to the ground, overwhelmed by the revelation. It turned out that these guys came here with the enthusiasm of adults attending a kindergarten play, cheering for their favorite kids among the performers.

Fenice crouched down like a caring big sister to pat Taylor on the shoulder and said, “This is the only way you can survive.”

“Survive…?” A spark of realization struck Taylor again!

He understood now!
He was enlightened!

Taylor lifted his head, his eyes shining with the light of wisdom.

It doesn’t matter what will happen to Jeorgetown City! It doesn’t matter what will happen to the Holy Dragon Empire!

All that was beyond his control. If this group of dragons really wreaked havoc in the Holy Dragon Empire, he would just return to the founding Emperor’s tomb and offer incense as a plea for forgiveness.

His first priority now was to… please Her Highness, the Princess!

When the Queen, who was known for her daughter complex, flew into a rage, no one’s words would be of any use. Any attempt to intervene would result in them being drawn into her wrath and subjected to a torture.

Yet, Her Highness was the exception! She was the Queen’s most beloved Princess! If he could make Her Highness happy and earn her kind words in front of the Queen, his life would be spared.

However, there was a problem… Taylor had never even met her yet, so he had no idea what she liked.

Just as Taylor was about to seek advice from his more experienced companions…

“Hey, you! What are you all doing?” An authoritative figure in uniform ran over angrily.

“Not good! The city guards are coming!”

The two dragons quickly packed up their things and disappeared faster than rabbits. The fortune teller, lock seller, pancake vendor, and those pretending to be hooligans to flirt with the ladies on the street also fled.

In an instant, Taylor was left alone on the street.

Taylor pounded the ground in frustration, gritting his teeth.