The Corruption Dragon God: Lust System Chapter 477 - A man who doesn't seem to be from this world.
Previously on The Corruption Dragon God: Lust System...
"Hm..." Qingyi mused, scratching his chin as he stroked the young girl's hair, earning an annoyed squeal from her. "Is it your dream to become a dragon rider one day?"
"Oh? Of course I do! Just like my big brother!" she cried out, hopping up and down with excitement.
With a simple nod, Qingyi accessed the system store and purchased a single pill.
"Consider this payment for the info. Once you eat it, you'll eventually become the greatest dragon rider these lands have ever known."
"Deal!" Without a moment of doubt, the little girl snatched the pill from Qingyi’s palm and gulped it down.
No immediate changes were felt, and by the time she turned to ask him about it, the opportunity had passed.
"Sofia! What are you doing out here? I told you to stay inside the shop!" A middle-aged woman appeared suddenly, offering Qingyi an apology before pulling her daughter away.
"I’m going to make sure you keep that promise!" the girl shouted from her mother's arms until her mouth was covered.
[What did you hand her?] Ruxue questioned, her mature and sultry voice laced with intrigue.
"Just a gift," Qingyi answered while standing up. Since the item wasn't particularly costly for him, he didn't give it much thought.
Lately, he had been acting rather charitable.
Was it perhaps due to his upbeat mood?
He wasn't sure; he simply shook his head and continued on his way.
His objective was to reach Elize's sister, who he was certain was currently located within one of the many strongholds on the floating island.
However... how was he supposed to secure an escort up there?
Qingyi triggered his draconic eyes, scanning the flows of mana that coursed through the air in complex and distinct arrays.
Everything was visible: from the mana feeding the floating island to the detection arrays that monitored any movement above a specific altitude, not to mention the offensive and defensive arrays.
They were woven together so tightly and functioned with such power that Qingyi found it difficult to differentiate between them.
"She really should have given me a signal to let her know I’d arrived..." With a weary sigh, Qingyi walked on.
He decided to find a drink to quench his thirst and listen for local gossip first. After that, he would figure out a way to reach his destination.
***
High above Qingyi, a woman stood looking down at the sprawling city below.
"Hm..." A soft hum escaped her lips while two servants meticulously brushed her long purple hair, which flowed down to her perfectly shaped rear.
"Is something bothering you, Young Lady Seraphine?" A voice spoke from her side, though it didn't belong to the maids.
It was a woman clad in heavy steel armor that concealed her entire form, her face hidden behind a helmet.
Only her lips and the black horns emerging from her head could be seen.
She was the personal guard of Seraphine, having protected her since birth.
"It’s nothing, just a strange itch in my ear... Someone must be thinking about me." Seraphine shook her head, her voice sounding sweet, soft, and mature.
"Given your beauty, Young Lady, what man wouldn't be?" the guard remarked, causing Seraphine to let out an elegant, enchanting laugh.
"Do you really think so?" Seraphine asked, shielding her pink lips. "Has Father made an announcement regarding a new selection for the riders of the eggs that are nearing their hatching time?"
"He has, Young Lady," the guard confirmed with a nod. "The Patriarch has settled on selecting fifty young humans and ten young purebloods from any background. Talent is the only requirement."
"Hm..." Seraphine leaned back and stretched, her heavy, rounded breasts straining against the fabric of her neckline.
"How remarkably fair and inclusive." Her voice carried a distinct edge of sarcasm and disdain as her lips curled into a smile.
"Indeed, Young Lady." The armored guard nodded, choosing to ignore the disrespectful tone directed at the Patriarch.
She had grown accustomed to hearing such remarks from her charge.
"The riders will be chosen prior to RedDeath's ascension, though the bond with their mounts won't be finalized until afterward," the guard added, noting the change in Seraphine's expression.
She placed a hand on the windowpane and swung it open, letting the soft wind ruffle her long purple locks. Her transcendentally beautiful face was masked by an unreadable look.
"Do you require anything, Young Lady?" the guard inquired.
She recognized that look well; Seraphine was brewing a plan.
"I believe I shall select a champion for myself this time," Seraphine declared. She turned around, watching the guard’s face twist in shock. Although Seraphine was young by the standards of a draconic elf, she was still roughly fifty years old.
While that was but a blink in her nearly eternal lifespan, it was a lifetime for a mortal.
In all those years, she had never shown any desire to pick a champion, nor had she chosen a dragon for herself, even though she was frequently seen with Khaedryss.
Ever since the Patriarch announced that Khaedryss would enter isolation, the pressure for her to find a mount had only intensified.
Nevertheless, Seraphine had ignored the demands, isolating herself and often barring even her servants from contacting her.
It was only in the last few months that she had begun to step out of her shell.
Why had this sudden shift occurred?
Seraphine remained in the tenth ring, still a long way from the eleventh.
She hadn't made a breakthrough in her comprehension, had she?
"Will you be heading down to the city?" the guard asked.
"No," Seraphine replied, shaking her head. "I want you to go down there and find a champion for me."
"But... Young Lady, what sort of champion am I supposed to look for?"
"Hm..." Seraphine paused for a moment, a smile forming as she recalled a face from her memories—one she had seen beside her younger sister.
"A man," she answered shortly. "A man who looks as if he doesn't belong to this world."
"A man who doesn't seem to be from this world?" the guard echoed, her expression one of pure confusion.
"Precisely." Seraphine nodded, offering no further clarification, as she felt it wasn't needed.
Her heart felt light, and the tingling in her right ear grew more pronounced.
She wasn't typically one for superstition, but did it even matter? Her only true desire was to return to her little sister's side.