The Red Dragon Just Wants To Do As It Pleases-Chapter 488 - 291: Bro, Could You Stop Grinding So Hard?

Chapter 488: Chapter 291: Bro, Could You Stop Grinding So Hard?

Viola, who was in charge of planning and arrangements at the Montero Dragon Nest foundry, saw her foolish older brother wandering out with a dazed look on his face, much like Luthiel after a romantic rejection, and couldn’t help but taunt him, "What’s wrong with you this time? Don’t tell me you’ve been at this for so long and still can’t even handle a Drow that Dragon Mother Kraidian introduced?"

Indeed, Mofei’s once fanciful plan to solve his... lower-body issues had actually been taken seriously by Dragon Mother Kraidian, who was responsible for their well-being and the physical and mental development of the young dragons. Relying on her past acquaintance with the half-Drow Alianna, she had introduced some Drow ’sisters’ who sailed the seas with Alianna.

The results, for various reasons, were predictable.

It turned out that an ordinary dragon trying to befriend a Drow, unless bound by a master-servant contract, wasn’t necessarily capable of handling Drow ladies. This was especially true for those in Alianna’s entourage, a group of Drow matrons whose worldly experience made them a match for a Black Dragon Mother of three hundred years. Some of them had even toyed with the old Red Dragon, Christoph. It was common for such encounters to end in the loss of both a dragon’s treasure and their dignity. Developing psychological trauma due to some Drow’s more intense preferences wasn’t without precedent either. Of course, dragons like Christoph, who developed a counter-preference, were rare exceptions—a case of survivor bias, really.

Normally, Alfonse would have been infuriated by such a painful jab. But the Black Dragon merely shook his head, looking at his nest-sister with an expression of pity. It wasn’t until his silence almost made Viola’s scales bristle that he finally, leisurely, said, "It’s much worse than that... Let me be. I’m thinking..."

Thinking about the complex web of relationships his ’family’ would have to navigate in the future, and where he, in this absurd relational matrix, would fit.

Then, as Viola watched in bewilderment, as if he were under the influence of "Feeber’s Spell of Stupefaction," he dragged his drooping tail and left in a daze, mumbling to himself disdainfully, "I’ve always said not to get entangled with that idiot Mofei; it dulls a dragon’s mind."

What was it that David used to say again? ’He who touches pitch shall be defiled’? Or perhaps, ’You are known by the company you keep’? By that logic, proximity to white makes one foolish!

She vaguely remembered her brother Alfonse being a quite clever and witty Black Dragon when he first left their nest; even Mother had high hopes for him. But ever since he made that White Dragon Mofei a rival for career advancement in the camp and for Dragon Mother Kraidian’s favor, his intelligence began a swift descent into the Abyssal Depths, becoming unbearable to witness!

Viola withdrew her gaze from her brother’s dejected figure, her face a mixture of pity for his misfortune and exasperation at his lack of ambition. Having completed all her arrangements, she swished her tail, ready to report to David and hopefully receive his affirmation and praise.

She hadn’t taken more than a few steps when she saw David, and her mother, the Black Dragon, who was accompanying him on a tour. Her initially cheerful steps faltered, and she decided to wait until her mother left.

She had truly had enough of her mother’s constant prodding to breed... She wasn’t even fertile yet! If her mother brought it up again in front of David, she suspected she might just spew acidic Dragon Breath onto the ground and dig a hole to bury herself on the spot!

However, after eavesdropping for a while, she realized their conversation was surprisingly normal, with no mention of her. This was a relief to Viola, who had been about to leave. But the more she watched, the more Viola felt that her Dragon Mother was getting too close to David, sometimes even brushing against him, seemingly intentionally. This made Viola’s scales bristle like a sheepdog spotting poachers.

"Absolutely shameless!" The little Black Dragon immediately rushed forward, forcibly squeezing herself between the two larger dragons.

"Ah! Viola! You’re such a big dragon now, why are you still darting about like a Wanderer?" her mother, the Black Dragon, exclaimed.

The cry also made Alfonse, who hadn’t gone far, glance back suddenly. He saw the harmonious sight of two large dragons and one small one walking together. If one ignored the color of their scales, he would have believed they were Metal Dragons from Dragon Island.

In that instant, Alfonse’s mind, which had just begun to clear, once again plunged into explosive chaos. He reared up, clutching his head with both claws. Think, Alfonse, think... think again.

And that thought unexpectedly led him to the image of Sebriz, that roguish Silver Dragon, equally capable in attack and defense, and his seemingly ’harmonious’ relationship with his own ’Red Dragon foster father,’ David... A lightning bolt seemed to sear his mind, leaving him feeling scorched on the outside and raw on the inside...

Meanwhile, as David was leading Felicia and her daughter on a tour of the factory, the White Dragon Mofei, temporarily conscripted to the assembly line, suddenly became invigorated, as if injected with adrenaline, and sped up the expulsion of his Dragon Breath.

There’s a saying: big factories freeze, small factories burn, and roadside workshops rely purely on clanging. This assembly line, tasked with forging Thunder Guard staffs for the Dragon Nest, might not compare in scale to the major industries of neighboring Blue Star nations like Barto, nor to Multiverse-level mega-factories like those in Barto Hell. But in Elariya, it definitely surpassed the typical alchemical workshops run by a few Mages and a few dozen apprentices. So, having White Dragons—a ’highly skilled workforce’ naturally capable of cooling sand-cast parts for the Dragon Nest guards to achieve an interference fit for assembly—there was no reason not to utilize them.

Thus, Mofei and his White Dragon brethren were joyfully appointed ’senior engineers’ in the Thunder Guard staff forging workshop, with an extra roasted turkey leg added to their daily Dragon Food. Mofei and his White Dragon brothers were very satisfied with this.

Mofei’s adrenaline rush was contagious; his White Dragon brethren, whose average intelligence didn’t exceed 5, all followed suit. Although their IQs were a bit low, they knew they needed to perform well under the watchful eyes of their Dragon Lord and adoptive father. Maybe if His Highness David Uthos was pleased, he might add another extra roast turkey leg to their Dragon Food ration?

With the White Dragons upstream accelerating their ’liquid nitrogen-like’ Dragon Breath, the cast components for the guards began to multiply at a visible rate. Not wanting to drop the ball while their Dragon Lord was touring with ’guest dragons,’ the Blue Dragons downstream, responsible for welding rune tracks onto the castings, also had to speed up. In a short time, Brule and his fellow Blue Dragons had tongues practically smoking.

As a result, when David, accompanied by Felicia and the visiting Dragon Lords, arrived to inspect the site, they witnessed a ’dragon-powered production line, spitting sparks and lightning’—a bustling and spectacular scene. All who saw it couldn’t help but admire David’s effective management of his territory and subjects. Their doubts about David’s seemingly fantastical claim to mass-produce Dragon Nest guardians capable of evading the Dragon Rage were also greatly reduced. It seemed he was serious. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

But, aren’t these Chromatic Dragons a bit too obedient?

So much so that Felicia, Lord of Doze, her eyes gleaming with interest, couldn’t help but ask for advice, "May I ask how His Highness David Uthos trains these Chromatic Dragon subjects? I have never seen such diligent dragons."

"Indeed, His Highness David Uthos is truly an example for all of us Chromatic Dragons to learn from," a host of Dragon Lords chimed in, eagerly currying favor.

David had no idea why these guys had suddenly gotten so fired up. But that didn’t stop him from capitalizing on this ’great leap forward’ to puff out his chest and boast before the assembled Dragon Lords, "To be honest, I’m not sure why they’re willing to work so hard. Perhaps it’s just my draconic charisma as the Lord of Katjana, HA HA HA HA HA."

Arrogance.

These words certainly made the group of lords intending to purchase Dragon Nest guardians curse him internally. Though their faces were practically contorted with hidden resentment, they still had to outdo each other in openly praising David’s unparalleled charm, proclaiming him a paragon among dragons. After all, David had already announced that the arcane knowledge of the [Thunder Guard], a legendary magic, would be shared for free. But the problem was, it *was* legendary magic. In just two or three short years, who the hell could learn it, apart from those research-obsessed Old Dragons, or even Ancient Dragons, on Dragon Island? With the Dragon Rage imminent, it was simpler and quicker to spend some resources and purchase Dragon Nest guardians. If they could procure a few extra to bring back to Skanis, or even smuggle them to the Toriel Plane, the profits would be astronomical. This consensus created the current comical tableau of dragon society.

However, as soon as David left the factory with the group of Dragon Lords from Skanis, on the Thunder Guard staff production line, Brule, the Blue Dragon, immediately led the charge in denouncing a group of what he called ’rate-busters,’ headed by the White Dragon Mofei, "Come on, guys, can you stop trying to outdo everyone? It’s only the second day after the Midwinter Feast! If Lord David sets production targets for the next three years based on today’s output, how are the rest of us supposed to survive!?"

"Exactly! It’s these foolish White Dragons always mucking things up!" The other Blue Dragons, and indeed workers from various races along the line, joined the condemnation.

If everyone just took it easy together, given their production standards and craftsmanship—unmatched in Elariya—there wouldn’t be so many damn problems! And if what Brule the Blue Dragon predicted came true, it would be an absolute nightmare for them. Would there be any real difference then from the legendary sweatshops of Dis, the second layer of Barto Hell, infamous for their ’007’ work culture?

Faced with the collective fury of his fellow workers, Mofei felt a bit intimidated, but, too proud to back down, he retorted, "But we White Dragons *are* fast! You’re all just jealous!"

Brule threw his head back and laughed boisterously. Then, as all the dragon workers watched eagerly, he spread his wings, bared his fangs, and roared, "For easier days and holidays, let’s deal with these foolish White Dragons!"

"Break their tails!"

"ROAR!!!!"

No sooner had David stepped out of the factory with a group of Dragon Lords than a conflict erupted at the Kutaro Thunder Guard casting workshop, leaving the Dragon Lords exchanging puzzled looks. "His Highness David Uthos, what is this...?"

David, however, merely twitched his tail and nonchalantly fabricated an excuse, "Don’t mind it. This is their scheduled break time, a chance for them to relax their bodies and unwind their tense nerves. Otherwise, if they work for too long, some dragons might develop depression. That, then, would be a counterproductive loss."

The group of Dragon Lords ’oohed’ in response. As if enlightened.

Only the cries for help from the White Dragons within the factory, gradually muffled as the great doors swung shut, could be heard:

"AH!!! Stop hitting me!"

"His Highness David Uthos! Look at these lazybones!"

"Ouch, stop it..."

"I’ve earned merits for the camp!"

"I’ve bled for Your Highness!!!"