The Red Dragon Just Wants To Do As It Pleases-Chapter 546 - 337: I Didn’t Mean To...

"It's over!"

The moment 'Moravi', leveraging AO's status as a God Above Gods, used his Authority on him, David truly felt a sense of utter despair and powerlessness.

Simply put, it was too strong!

This feeling was like everything had been turned upside down; he was reduced to an inconsequential NPC's data on a computer's hard drive.

And his opponent was the player sitting in front of the computer.

What's worse, the player was very ill. He even knocked out the maintenance staff who came to service the machine.

He had seized the highest authority over this mainframe.

The elimination of David's own data, and that of others, was entirely at the player's whim.

However, David didn't know if his previous words had had some effect. Or perhaps 'Moravi' shared a trait common to most individuals with mental illness: an innate desire to be understood by others. Especially understanding from oneself.

So, 'Moravi' used Authority—Despair to strip all the Dragon Gods, including David, of their existing memories, throwing them together into the most desperate failures of his own past. He then removed, one by one, any chances they had of recovery.

All that remained for them was a lifetime of sinking into oblivion.

David vaguely saw Dragon Father Attilicia. After experiencing the 'Dragon Dung War', being stripped of his chastity, robbed of his fortune, and having his reputation completely ruined upon returning to the New Continent, he wandered the continent aimlessly, like a zombie. This time, he didn't even meet the Duke of Silver, Mirillian, who had appreciated his talent.

Squandering

On the other hand, Pafila, the Dragon Mother, was still raised by the Brass Dragon foster mother who had hatched her. But this time, she wasn't discovered by the Chromatic Dragon Queen Tiamat. Consequently, under the ceaseless, fervent outpourings and emotional deluge from that Brass Dragon foster mother, she grew increasingly listless, her heart gradually closing off.

Lament

It wasn't just them. Under the director 'Moravi's' malicious 'editing,' all the other Dragon Gods also fell into the darkest periods of their dragon lives, unable to extricate themselves.

"Eh... but the problem is... why am I able to see all this? Theoretically, shouldn't I also be..."

Just as these absurd questions popped into the somewhat stunned David's mind, he was whipped 'awake'.

He saw a female Elf with a laurel crown, her features handsome and cold. She held a thorny whip and looked at him critically, saying, "Moravi, my child, you must always remember that you are a prince of the Elf Royal Court and the rightful heir to the throne of the Afando Kingdom. And yet, you dare to lose focus during the court politics lesson I personally taught? Look at yourself now, so dejected! Are you worthy of being an Elf prince?"

David instantly jolted.

As expected! Moravi had pulled him into that most failed and desperate stage of *his* life. However, they were essentially one and the same. Plus, although David's second dragon life had seemed pitifully bereft at the start, guided by the Authority of the Seven Deadly Sins, from beginning to end... he was always carefree... Later on, he even found out that the Dragon Mother Pafila, who he initially thought might eat dragons, turned out to be a generous, benevolent, and extremely protective mother, always there to support him in his most critical moments. And Dragon Father Attilicia, whom he met on the New Continent, although seemingly somewhat cowardly, always held his ground and never gave up. Especially on several occasions when he was willing to venture into danger alone for his child. In that silver castle, after noticing David's interest in alchemy, Attilicia unstintingly taught him everything he knew. Besides having parents so reliable it was almost unbelievable, David also had a sister, Tania, who was always there for him, loyal and willing to share. The rest of his dragon life was like a wild stallion king unleashed. Along the way, he encountered such figures as the fated Green Dragon Nifadora and the Shadila sisters; his childhood friend, the Red Dragon Lizrite; the tsundere Black Dragon Viola; the demure Blue Dragon Silvia; the Silver Dragon Princess Alicia; and even the Duke of Silver, Mirillian...

Perhaps David's life had been so exceedingly pleasant and smooth that 'Moravi', the director, distorted by jealousy, struggled to find any bitter moments to 'slice' into it. So, did he decide to just drag David into his own wretched elven life to experience 'his' Despair?

David felt he had guessed most of the truth. But the problem was... the idea was good, only it seemed his memory hadn't been completely erased! How was he supposed to get into character properly? 'Moravi' shouldn't have made such a fundamental error. Then, David's overly active mind hit on another possibility: he had experienced such 'crossings' hundreds of thousands, even millions of times over the years, in various different parallel timelines. So much so that... he'd become somewhat immune... Or rather, it had reached a point where if his memory was severed, it would grow back as quickly as leek roots, almost instinctively.

Sloth

"Well, this is rather awkward..."

'Moravi', watching from behind the scenes, seemed to fall silent at this.

So as not to embarrass 'himself' (Moravi) to the point where 'he' might fly into a rage from shame and resort to cheating methods like a 'physical format' against David, David had no choice but to reluctantly play along.

"Yes, Mother! No problem, Mother! As the Prince of Afando, I will certainly remember your teach...ings..."

As David spoke and rose, his gaze was involuntarily drawn to Arlosh's overwhelmingly impressive figure...

It had to be said, putting aside all her other messy affairs, before her fall, Rose's... bosom was truly majestic...

Lust

...Sorry, I didn't mean to. I really didn't have any improper thoughts about 'your' mother...

Greed

David: "..."

'Moravi': "..."

David, betrayed by his Authority, was utterly dumbfounded.

After all, lust—no, seeking and appreciating beauty—is a dragon's instinct. It's just that the thought of Arlosh being, in a sense, his mother, instantly made his face turn green. He couldn't help but feel relieved that he hadn't reached adolescence back when he crossed over as 'Ximor'. Otherwise, what if he had unintentionally developed feelings for his then-maid, Iryst, after living closely together for a long time and something had happened... Wouldn't that count as some sort of trans-temporal forbidden love... If Dragon Mother found out, wouldn't she break his legs...

Lust

'...Sorry, sometimes my mind just races too fast, I can't control myself...' David confessed truthfully.

Honesty, faintly emerged.

'Huh...' David seemed to have realized something crucial.

'Moravi': "..."

Realizing something, David tried even harder to play his part in the elven script. However, having inherited too many Red Dragon instincts, far from being subdued, his presence among a group of Elves was like a blatant curb-stomp battle. In the face of Arlosh's daily manipulative suppression and control, David outwardly showed compliance. In reality, however, it all went in one ear and out the other; he continued to do as he pleased daily, highlighting his utter obstinacy.

On the other hand, David was happy to accept his father, Corellon, the Elf King, who was typically absent and irresponsible.

One less person managing him, and still having money to spend—how delightful!

Only when it came to *this* sister, Iryst, did David show immense patience and tenderness, just as he did with his own sister, Tania.

Kindness

Even though he knew she wasn't entirely real. Yet gradually, even this reserved and melancholic elven sister's face began to bloom with long-absent smiles...

Meanwhile, David did not waste his time as an Elf. During this destined-to-be-long elven life, David seemed to possess boundless energy and passion. He would readily help any Elves in need.

Generosity

He also tried everything new to him: Elven Martial Techniques, arts, and even the Magic Enigma Lock—the most fundamental elven magic that dragons had yet to fully decipher.

Diligence

All of these were things he could genuinely learn. For David, learning was gaining. This held true even though, in his current predicament, he likely wouldn't be able to use any of it.

Ironically, this roguish, thoroughly unrestrained elven prince gradually became the most popular figure in the Afando Kingdom.

Faced with David's consistent feigned compliance, Arlosh pitied his perceived misfortune and fumed at his lack of ambition, yet was utterly helpless against him.

Meanwhile, seeing David completely abandon the facade of an elven prince, instead pursuing ethereal things and showing no desire for royal succession, the Elf King Corellon acted out of character. He no longer maintained a constantly stern expression towards David and would even occasionally grant some of his less outrageous requests.

All of this unfolded before 'Moravi' like an optimal game strategy guide.

David demonstrated through facts and his own actions: sometimes, suffering and Despair stem more from one's own perception. As long as one can adapt to circumstances as they arise, not rush to meet the future, remain undistracted in the present, and not cling to the past, then all adversity becomes like a gentle spring breeze or a soft rain brushing past, unable to disturb one's true self.

"...This isn't fair." 'Moravi' finally couldn't bear to watch David's masterful performance any longer.

"You're right, it isn't fair. I must admit, without the accumulation of these experiences and points of reference, I too might have fallen into the same kind of Despair as 'you'."

David paused, glanced back at the endless waves of dragons following him, and continued, "But in places 'you' haven't seen, 'I' have experienced such Despair countless times.

"Ultimately, 'I' have crossed the vast chasm it represents a million times to stand before 'you'.

"And such 'me's will only continue to emerge, endlessly.

"Give up, 'Moravi'. A 'me' like this is already invincible.

"'You' alone don't stand a chance."

'Moravi' finally broke his silence. The visage of Corellon before David gradually morphed into the form of AO, whom 'Moravi' controlled. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

With a wave of his hand, a figure appeared before David, causing his pupils to contract:

Tania.

Tania was crying silently.

Outside a nesting cave on Dragon Island, Tania looked out at a world in ruins.

She still hadn't completed the grand unification calculation her brother had entrusted to her. This, she believed, had plunged her brother and the others into a situation beyond redemption.

It's all my fault...

If only I weren't so useless...

If only I could have helped Brother...

All of this caused Tania, already burdened as if by a mountain on her shoulders, to sink into boundless...

Regret