Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1599 - 552: Hidden Divine Artifact (2)

"Aunt Delana handles the task of sending the others back home. She mentioned that she'll visit you personally to show her thanks soon," Anna murmured in a gentle tone.

"Understood. Kindly inform Ms. Delana that her generosity overwhelms me. It's merely my responsibility to help."

"Hmm, Rein, I learned from Ms. Olena that you've formed a contract with a giant dragon?" Anna asked, her curiosity bubbling over.

Olena had shared this detail with her during their journey on the airship. Yet, after scanning the area, Anna hadn't spotted the giant dragon anywhere.

"Indeed, right there." A faint smile crossed Rein's face as he pointed toward the sky.

Anna's eyes followed Rein's direction, where she noticed a thick cluster of dark clouds racing in from the far horizon.

As the 'Mad Wings' Metheus drew nearer, Anna, Lady Daryn, and Elder Nasha all opened their lovely eyes wide in shock, with Anna's lips parting slightly in awe.

"Wow~ it's enormous!" Anna gawked at the huge shape of Metheus as it descended, struggling to accept the sight. "Re... Rein, why is your giant dragon this gigantic?"

"Rein, Your Crown, unless I'm wrong, that dragon partner of yours appears to be a Black Dragon at the Extremely Old Dragon stage?" Elder Nasha, shaking off her astonishment, responded to Anna's question on Rein's behalf.

"Elder Nasha, your perception remains as keen as ever; that's correct." Rein chuckled while giving a nod.

"Anna, this journey means you can skip turning into a golden eagle. Join me, my lady." Rein grinned, executing a courteous bow like a true gentleman, and clasped Anna's delicate hand.

"Oh, however... however, I've heard that dragons, aside from their own Dragon Knight, often won't even bear the knight's family members," Anna faltered, shielding her mouth with her free hand, caught between excitement and doubt.

"True for most dragons, but Metheus is different." Rein gently squeezed the back of Anna's hand.

Naturally, since his bond with Metheus stemmed from a system contract, carrying others posed no problem at all.

True to his words, right after Rein spoke, the enormous black dragon resembling a mountain gradually descended its vast frame, positioning itself to let Anna mount its back more easily, which filled Anna with even greater joy.

Witnessing a Black Dragon of the Extremely Old Dragon level showing such compliance to Rein left Elder Nasha sighing in deep respect.

She had interacted with the Dragan Imperial Dragon Knights on several occasions, and even dragons bonded for decades might not display the same level of obedience as this black dragon did.

Besides, the strength emanating from this black dragon was exceptionally powerful.

In short order, Metheus the black dragon lifted Rein and Anna into the heavens.

Elder Nasha and Anna's mother, Daryn Yueling, shared a knowing look before breaking into smiles.

"Rein, Your Crown possesses immense power, but he's still essentially a young lad with a compassionate soul."

"Observe their delight in each other's company."

"You can finally relax now, Daryn," Elder Nasha remarked to the woman beside her. As her old mentor, she knew her student's thoughts intimately.

"Yes, I feel at ease. Rein, Your Crown is wonderful and cares for Anna deeply," Daryn agreed with a nod.

On this trip, her goal wasn't just to thank Rein but also to observe the dynamic between him and Anna.

Rein had rescued her, yet if he couldn't offer Anna true happiness, she would never support their union, drawing from her own history of sorrow and hardship.

However, after seeing them interact up close this time, Daryn recognized the real warmth and bliss between them—emotions impossible to fabricate.

Should they be acting, fooling both her and Elder Nasha, her former teacher, would prove nearly unattainable.

Later, they joined Olena on the Sword Holder Airship, setting course for Ferdinand Forest too.

Relying on his dragon companion Metheus, Rein covered the distance from Shirendil Plateau to Ferdinand Forest in a little more than three hours.

Though his sudden appearance caught them off guard, Rein received a hearty welcome from the Elf Clan's top leaders, headed by Great Elder Auburn.

Once he courteously turned down the elaborate and fervent welcome ritual and explained his intentions, Rein quickly gained access to the Elf Clan's library.

Within the Elf Clan's library, records of the ancient Fiend Demons were scarce, given how distant those happenings were. Beyond a few passing references in other works, just four or five volumes offered substantial details.

In merely a handful of hours, Rein browsed through them swiftly and acquired a richer grasp of the Fiend Demons.

At its core, he verified two key aspects.

First, in the Middle Ages, races under the guidance of Celestial beings waged a fierce, drawn-out battle against the Evil Gods, Giant Beasts, and Fiend Demons.

Victory came at last, but only after tremendous sacrifices. It was then that the remnant Elf Clan branch started their relocation to Ferdinand Forest.

At the same time, almost every Human Celestial entity fell in the conflict, save for a few like the Seasonal Wind and Ocean Goddess, bearer of that mysterious divine artifact.

Second, the ties between Fiend Demons and Evil Gods matched the mural depictions exactly; far from partners, they clashed frequently among their own ranks.

This very second detail had drawn Rein to make the trip.

"With this knowledge, my prospects for advancing in the Floating City Ruins feel somewhat more secure," Rein mused while studying the text, a subtle thrill rising in his chest.