Chapter 576: The Giant King 16

It was spring now, the season of growth.

The Greenwild Kingdom sat amid a luxuriant natural forest, insects chirping and birds calling, new tender leaves on the treetops glowing a pale green in the sunlight. Flowers in the woods bloomed in successive waves, and the air was filled with vibrant life.

Even the usually quiet corners now echoed with the sound of running streams and the cheeping of fledglings.

At the same time, in the crown of the Dream Oak.

Leaves rustled in the spring breeze, and sunlight filtering through the gaps cast mottled light across the dragons’ scales.

A dozen or so Greenwild giant dragons were either coiled on thick branches or lounging lazily on vine-woven platforms. Each sat differently, but all of them occasionally showed odd or amazed expressions, their gazes all fixed in the same direction.

At the center of the crown.

There lay the queen’s lair, shrouded and concealed by countless layers of vines, impenetrably dense.

“Her Majesty Cerora and Aola’s Red Emperor haven’t shown themselves for over a month.”

The black dragon prodded the bark with his claw and lowered his voice.

His name was Gregon, one of the guards responsible for perimeter watch around the lair of the Greenwild Kingdom. His ordinarily lowly duty had made him the source of this information.

“Over a month?”

A nearby green dragon widened his eyes, his voice unintentionally rising a few tones before he hurriedly suppressed it.

“More than a full month? Are you sure? Maybe you miscounted the days, or perhaps Her Majesty did come out once and you didn’t notice?”

“I count every day.”

The black dragon said with certainty, a little displeased at the doubt.

“Her Majesty went in at the start of last month. Today makes thirty-nine days. I saw it with my own eyes, and then I carved one notch into the bark every day, not more, not less. I couldn’t be wrong.”

“Thirty-nine days...”

An older male dragon murmured.

“I remember Her Majesty never stayed in the lair this long before. Even when handling the most troublesome affairs alone, she would come out in at most a dozen days.”

“Can you compare those times?”

A younger green dragon, a little excited, cut in, “Back then she was handling affairs, but now she is...”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but every dragon understood his meaning.

Several of the giants exchanged looks, the air thick with a subtle tension.

They wanted to talk about it, yet felt something improper about discussing it.

After all, that was Her Majesty the Queen, not some passerby dragon to be gossip fodder. They knew the queen’s temper—if she learned dragons were gossiping about her private life, the consequences might not be pleasant.

But curiosity ultimately won out.

“To be honest, I still find it hard to believe.”

White dragon Gregon shook his head as he spoke, “We all know Her Majesty’s temper. Over the years, how many males have tried to court her? Even those from our far reaches who think themselves capable, who among them has succeeded?”

“Her Majesty even met with us and said the Greenwild Kingdom needed political marriages and told us to mind our own business.”

The green dragon took up the thread, “I remember about a hundred years ago a silver dragon from the Dragon Domains came—handsome, competent—and he put on a genteel act before Her Majesty, claiming he’d long admired the Dragon Queen and had come to pay respects.”

A few young dragons gathered closer.

“And then?”

They asked curiously.

The green dragon bared his teeth and said, “Her Majesty didn’t even let him into the Valdo Palace, didn’t meet with him, just sent him away.”

Several giant dragons emitted low laughter.

“That’s why this is incredible.”

The black dragon continued, “Her Majesty has been solitary all these years, blunt with everyone, she shuts them all down. I thought she hated males and never considered courtship. Then suddenly...”

“Suddenly she’s with Aola’s Red Emperor.”

The green dragon said with a conspiratorial tone, “And notice how Her Majesty treats that Red Emperor so differently than other males.”

“Of course it’s different.”

A blue dragon interjected thoughtfully, speaking slowly.

“He’s the Scarlet Emperor Cangxing, the Red Emperor of Atlan.”

“Think about how many rumors about him have circulated these years. Even across the vast sea to Arotala, we hear about him constantly. Pull out any single item from those stories and it’s beyond what an ordinary giant dragon can do.”

“That’s true.”

The black dragon nodded, his expression turning serious.

“Rumor has it he’s close to or even comparable to a Gold Dragon King, even the Mandate of Heaven might kneel before him.”

“There aren’t many beings like that in all of Arotala.”

“So it’s not unreasonable Her Majesty would be drawn to him.”

The green dragon next to him nodded, saying, “Her Majesty’s standards have always been high. Those ordinary males don’t measure up because they truly aren’t worthy, but the Red Emperor is different. He’s young, powerful, and his prestige is at its zenith. Besides...”

She paused and grinned.

“From an appearance standpoint, the Scarlet Emperor Cangxing is simply outstanding.”

“When you saw him that day, weren’t you stunned? That body, that presence, the texture of his scales… honestly, it was the first time I’d seen a dragon so majestic and imposing.”

The giant dragons fell silent for several seconds, each recalling the scene of seeing the red iron dragon before them.

“Indeed.”

The black dragon nodded with feeling, praising, “As a male, when I first saw the Red Emperor I couldn’t help but feel awe—wanted to reach out and touch his body, to feel the strength of his muscles and the hardness of his armor.”

As he spoke, the black dragon glanced down at himself.

With scales thin over bone, his own armor clung almost to his skeleton. Compared to the Red Emperor, although both were dragons, they seemed like different species.

“I heard Aolan dragons are all very sturdy.”

“With the relationship between the Red Emperor and our queen... I hope he shares Aola Kingdom’s methods. I want to become stronger. If I could learn their techniques, at least I could thicken my scales.”

He said.

The Greenwild dragons revealed looks of longing.

Most giant dragons venerate a powerful physique.

It was ingrained in their bones—whether Five-colored Dragons or Metal Dragons, no matter which land a dragon dwelt on, their worship of strength was the same.

For instance, among the Five-colored Dragons, putting aside rough stereotypes, red dragons have always been recognized as the most visually impressive.

Even metal dragons or other rival lineages envied a red dragon’s physical strength.

That stout chestplate, that thick neck, that powerful tail—external signs of power, and among dragons, power itself is beauty.

“Who do you all think made the first move between the Red Emperor and our queen?”

A young green dragon suddenly asked with keen interest.

The question immediately captured the attention of every dragon nearby.

“Surely the Red Emperor did.”

The black dragon answered without hesitation, “He’s so powerful and prestigious. If he earnestly pursues a female, I don’t think many could refuse. Think about it—he crossed the sea all the way from Atlan to our Greenwild Kingdom. What else could that be if not a pursuit?”

“Why would anyone want to get close with Arotala being such a mess?”

“That makes sense.”

Several giants agreed.

“The queen didn’t refuse companionship before, she just couldn’t find a suitable mate,” the green dragon said. “Not strong enough, not ambitious enough, not bold enough... our queen’s standards are very high. But someone like the Red Emperor...”

“An alpha among males, a dragon among dragons.”

“During courtship he had overwhelming advantages. If he pursued properly—grand gifts, legendary treasures, and that magnificent physique... the queen accepting him would be natural.”

“Who could realistically refuse?”

The giant dragons nodded, agreeing the analysis made sense.

In dragon society, gender and status were unrelated.

Female dragons could rule—this was common. Courtship rituals, however, often saw males pursue females, like many other species.

The Red Emperor and the Green Queen—one an emperor who founded a kingdom, the other ruler of Greenwild—matched in station.

The Red Emperor pursuing and the queen yielding was the most reasonable script.

At that moment, the sound of wings beating drifted down from above.

The giant dragons all looked up to see a lithe silhouette gliding down through the Dream Oak’s branches.

It was a female green dragon, larger than most present.

Her scales were a deep emerald, her wings broad and graceful in flight, her neck adorned with a silver vine necklace.

She circled once and then settled stably onto a nearby branch among the dragons.

“Princess Amilia.”

Several giant dragons bowed their heads in unison with respect.

Amilia was the queen’s confidante and one of the queen’s nominal sisters.

She was not Cerora’s blood relative, but had followed the queen since early on.

When they first met they were both young, struggling to survive in Atlan’s wilds, sharing life-and-death ordeals and forging a bond deeper than typical blood relations.

In the Greenwild Kingdom, her status was second only to the queen.

In a sense she was like Aola’s Iron Royal Duke—her words carried the queen’s will throughout the Greenwild Kingdom.

Amilia swept her gaze across the dragons present.

She asked slowly, “What are you all discussing here? It looks lively.”

The giant dragons were taken aback and none dared speak for a moment.

Gregon hesitated, then forced himself to answer, “We were... discussing Her Majesty and Aola’s Red Emperor. Just chatting, like who made the first move, how they met, that sort of thing.”

“Oh?”

Amilia folded her wings, teasingly squinted, the corner of her mouth lifting into a small arc.

“You idle dragons—neglecting your duties but keen to discuss Her Majesty’s private life.”

“Gregon, aren’t you supposed to be on duty at the east passage? How did you end up here? And you—didn’t you say yesterday you were going to patrol the northern woods? Did you finish that?”

The giant dragons immediately fell silent, shrinking their necks and not daring to answer.

But just when they expected to be scolded, Amilia suddenly shifted tone.

“So what result did your discussion reach?”

She tilted her head slightly and adopted a listening posture.

The dragons froze and exchanged looks.

Gregon tentatively said, “We think... it must have been the Red Emperor who courted Her Majesty. He’s so powerful, he came from Atlan—surely he was the one pursuing.”

Amilia first displayed a brief acknowledgement, then the corner of her mouth faintly twitched, as if suppressing a smile.

“So you all think the Red Emperor pursued Her Majesty?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

The green dragon cocked his head, puzzled. “Princess, that expression on your face... did we guess wrong?”

“Do you know something?”

Gregon noticed Amilia’s expression shift and his tone immediately grew eager. “You are Her Majesty’s most trusted dragon, you must know how they met, right?”

With that request, every dragon’s gaze locked on Amilia.

Amilia blinked, glanced around, then lowered her voice.

“I do know some inside details.”

“Really? Tell us!”

The dragons asked impatiently.

“Princess, tell us! How did the queen and emperor meet? From across two continents, how did they get close so suddenly? What courting tricks did the Red Emperor use? Did he send especially lavish gifts?”

“Yeah, what did the Red Emperor do?”

Amilia’s head inclined slightly, and then she slowly shook it.

“You’ve all gone the wrong way with your guesses.”

“In fact, it was our queen who courted the Red Emperor.”

Her words shocked the dragons.

“What?!”

Gregon almost slid off the branch, eyes bulging, mouth agape, stunned for a long time. “You really mean it? Her Majesty courted the Red Emperor?”

“That... can’t be.”

The other dragons showed doubt. In their impression, the Green Queen was always cold and aloof.

From her highest perch in the crown, when she looked down at visitors her eyes showed no warmth. Ordinary males didn’t even dare meet her gaze, let alone approach.

Such a queen would never proactively court another dragon.

“Knew you wouldn’t easily believe it.”

Amilia toyed with a strand of vine with her claw and said, “Remember when we raided the rage beast territory to seize meteor fragments? Back then you were all puzzled—why did the queen suddenly take an interest in meteor fragments and send so many elite warriors at such risk?”

“Now I can tell you—those meteor fragments were gifts prepared for the Red Emperor.”

The giant dragons’ eyes widened further.

“Decades ago our queen had already set her eyes on the Red Emperor.”

Amilia continued, “But the Aolan Red Emperor at first wasn’t that interested, even somewhat resistant.”

“And then?”

“And then? Our queen is not the kind to give up easily. If she decides to do something, she won’t fail.”

“You know Her Majesty—once she sets her mind on something, she will achieve it.”

“She collected many love stories: elven epics, human legends, even dwarf ballads. She studied them all. She buried herself in learning courtship techniques, researching how the tales moved the beloved, and then applied those methods to the Red Emperor.”

Amilia smiled as she spoke.

“Despite the Red Emperor’s initial coldness, his heart was ultimately captured by our queen.”

Hearing this inside story, the dragons gaped in astonishment.

Regaining their composure, they wanted to ask for more details.

The dragons were not usually interested in gossip, but when it involved the queen and Aola’s Red Emperor, they could not resist.

At that moment, a usually silent red male dragon spoke.

His name was Helum, one of the few red dragons in the Greenwild Kingdom, and he spoke rarely.

“Remember Haldurn?”

At the mention, the atmosphere stiffened.

That name wasn’t casually spoken in the Greenwild Kingdom, yet no one truly forgot him.

Amilia barely inclined her head and said, “If he knew about this, he would probably burn with jealousy.”

Haldurn—the Fire Giant.

He was not native to Arotala.

Centuries ago the Orc Empire Kantum swept across the Thalassian Continent like an unstoppable tide.

It was a war that devoured Thalassia; orc legions surged over every inch of land, crushing all who stood in their way.

Before that, giants had mostly inhabited Thalassia and were the second-strongest race after the orcs.

They had grand cities, long traditions, and tremendous martial power.

The Giant King’s Court once ruled wide swathes of Thalassia from peaks above the mainland, but in the face of the orc onslaught all collapsed.

Giant strongholds were burned, people slaughtered.

The surviving giants dispersed to other continents, scattered and struggling to survive.

Haldurn was one of those displaced giant survivors who came to Arotala.

But unlike many of his broken kin, Haldurn’s story was almost legendary.

When Thalassia fell he was still a young giant, not yet at his peak.

During the orc invasion he witnessed his people’s deaths and the kingdom’s fall.

Most giants either died or were utterly broken in that catastrophe.

But Haldurn chose another path—he fought his way out of the desperate situation.

It was said that before he became legendary, to break the orc blockade he even fought and killed legendary orcs in unfair matches.

There was a chasm between mundane and legendary beings.

No one knew how he did it. After the battles, the head of a legendary orc was hung on a cliff, and Haldurn was bloodied but victorious.

He then crossed the orc-controlled north of Thalassia alone.

That region was heavily garrisoned with patrols and outposts. Orcs sent specialized teams to hunt him, but each time they were slain by him.

As he fled, more giants gathered around him, and later they took ships to Arotala.

The dangers he encountered on the run forged his strength and decisiveness.

Once he established a foothold in Arotala, Haldurn began his campaigns.

The scattered giant survivors had been fragmented—some allied with the elves and eked out survival under Nausil’s protection; some hid in forests living as brigands, preying on caravans; others surrendered to despair and awaited the Fury Curse.

Haldurn tracked them one by one.

He killed those who resisted and won over those who submitted.

He forcibly reassembled the giants scattered across regions.

During this period his rank steadily rose, and now he stood at crowned-level Giant with his most famous feat decades ago matched against a destiny-level orc in a titanic battle.

That fight lasted three days and nights.

They fought from plains to mountains to river valleys, and ultimately both sides were badly wounded and withdrew.

This battle made his name explode.

The exiled giants began to see him as hope and the banner for restoring the Giant King’s Court.

Giants from all directions converged under him; those surviving in different places began to gather around Haldurn.

At the same time he drew Nausil’s attention.

The elves recognized his value: a leader who could unify giant remnants and stand against orcs was an important ally in Arotala.

They began to support him with arms, food, and lands.

Nausil’s elven council passed a resolution formally recognizing Haldurn as the legitimate successor of the Giant King’s Court.

Now he had become a crowned-level pinnacle existence, one step away from Mandate of Heaven. He rebuilt the Giant King’s Court in Arotala and was allied with Nausil.

All existing giants called him the Giant King, and rightfully so.

But what left a deep impression of Haldurn among the dragons was another matter.

“Speaking of which...”

The green dragon hesitated, asking, “Doesn’t this Giant King supposedly have dragon blood? Is that true? I’ve heard the rumor but never knew if it was real. Giants and dragons haven’t had good relations.”

The black dragon nodded.

“My version is this: his father was a Fire Giant lord, a significant local power in Thalassia with considerable influence in the Giant King’s Court.

“As for his mother...”

“His mother was a red dragon, reportedly imprisoned by that Fire Giant lord.”

“However, I don’t know whether the rumor is true.”

Amilia flicked her tail and slowly said, “It’s probably true. I once collected detailed information on the Giant King.”

“His giant father imprisoned a female red dragon deep in lava, chaining through her wings, burning her scales until she yielded and bore him children.”

“Haldurn is one of those offspring.”

“From birth he was unacknowledged. Giants despised the dragon blood in him, saying he was not a pure giant and unfit to stand among them. Dragons regarded him as a shame, seeing his existence as a stain on dragon lineage.”

“Yet who could have imagined this despised hybrid would become the Giant King?”

“Moreover, because he carries some dragon blood, he inherited a dragon aesthetic—an appreciation for dragon might and beauty.”

“That’s right.”

The black dragon nodded and said:

“Ever since Haldurn first saw Her Majesty at a banquet organized by Nausil, he... how to put it—by his own words, it was love at first sight.”

“Love at first sight?”

Amilia showed her fangs and mocked, “He sure knows how to phrase things. I think he was just taken by our Greenwild Kingdom.”

The blue dragon said, “Whatever he was taken by, he was persistent.”

“How many times has he sent marriage offers to the Greenwild Kingdom over the years? At least seven or eight times. Each proposal more costly than the last. He seemed to think that if his price was high enough, Her Majesty would eventually yield.”

Amilia nodded faintly.

“Our queen’s response has always been clear—each time a direct rejection with no room for negotiation.”

“But Haldurn seemed unable to comprehend refusal.”

“He seemed to believe that given his strength and position, Her Majesty would eventually respect him. That fits a giant’s mindset.”

“But he forgot one thing.”

“Our queen is not merchandise. She will not follow whoever offers the highest price. Even if he became Immortal, he could not win her favor.”

The black dragon’s eyes flickered as he suddenly said:

“Have you noticed since Haldurn began pursuing Her Majesty, her other suitors have dwindled? I recall males used to occasionally come to the Greenwild Kingdom to try their luck, but in recent decades it’s nearly none.”

“Not just fewer—almost none,” the blue dragon corrected. “Haldurn killed at least three males who tried to court Her Majesty, one even a Metal Dragon. The Dragon Domains nearly went to war with the Giant King’s Court, but it dissipated for various reasons.”

Amilia’s dragon pupils narrowed slightly. “Haldurn publicly declared that the Dragon Queen belonged to him. Whoever dared oppose him would be an enemy of the Giant King’s Court.”

“He spoke as if Her Majesty were already his prize.”

“What does he take the queen for? Spoils? A city waiting to be conquered?”

“How arrogant and foolish.”

“However...”

The black dragon pondered a moment and slowly said, “Now the situation is different. Our queen has given her heart to the Red Emperor. If Haldurn knew, he would not tolerate it.”

On hearing this the green dragon grinned.

“Let him do anything. What could he do? Attack our Greenwild Kingdom? If he dares, we are no pushovers.”

“And if Her Majesty calls, the Red Emperor will surely fight for her. Have you seen the Red Emperor’s physique and dragon might? Haldurn might not gain any advantage against him.”

At that remark Amilia suddenly turned and fixed the green dragon with a gaze like a blade.

“Listen carefully.”

“Matters between Her Majesty and the Red Emperor are Her Majesty’s own choice. Whom she chooses or does not choose is her own will.”

“But one thing you must understand.”

Amilia’s gaze swept across every giant dragon present.

“Her Majesty is not the sort of female who hides behind a mate in danger. She is not dependent—she is a queen who fought her way out of chaos, who established her realm with her own claws and teeth.”

“Our queen does not need someone to protect her, nor does she need someone to solve her problems.”

“So...”

Amilia’s voice sank, “If one day Haldurn comes to cause trouble, Her Majesty will absolutely not beg the Red Emperor to handle it. She will deal with it herself—not because there’s an issue between her and the Red Emperor, but because... she is our sovereign.”

“The Greenwild throne was not given to her by charity; she will resolve her problems in her own way.”

“Princess Amilia is right.”

The blue dragon spoke first, “Her Majesty needs no one to stand before her. If Haldurn dares come, Her Majesty herself will show him the wrath of dragons.”

Amilia slowly nodded, her expression softening somewhat.

“The Haldurn problem will be resolved eventually, but not now.”

Her tone settled, “When Her Majesty emerges, she will decide herself.”

“Until then, don’t spread rumors about the Red Emperor everywhere. Haldurn may have informants in the Greenwild Kingdom. He’s been operating in Arotala for years; he must have an intelligence network. If he discovers this prematurely, it could cause complications.”

“Her Majesty needs to handle this on her own timing and in her chosen place, not be forced into a rushed response.”

“Understood.”

The dragons answered together.

“Then disperse.”

Amilia spread her wings; the broad membranes faintly shimmered green in the sunlight. “Do what you should. Stop gathering and gnawing at each other’s tongues about Her Majesty’s private life. If she finds out, none of you will get away.”

She finished, beat her wings, and rose into the higher branches of the Dream Oak, soon disappearing among the upper leaves.

You were just enthusiastically gossiping about Her Majesty’s private life yourself.

The dragons inwardly grumbled but none voiced it. They broke into small groups and drifted away.

The crown of the Dream Oak returned to its usual calm.

Spring breezes stroked the leaves, sunlight cast dappled patterns on scales, and the great queen’s lair remained sealed by countless magical vines. Whatever occurred inside, the outside showed no ripple.