Chapter 155: Dragon Officers

"Allies," Isolde replied. "I’ll work with the authorities, rise up their ranks, and ensure you have powerful aid from those I will rally along with the Pendragons."

"It will be a full-blown war against the Authorities," Godfrey said with a soft sigh. "Now we’re talking about a war." He looked up, his ocean-blue eyes meeting her golden-orange ones as he rose to his feet.

"It’s been a whole year, Isolde. I wondered if I left enough of an impression to keep you thinking about me. While I fought beasts, I thought about it; in the pit I thought about it; while jogging through the fog in the morning, I thought about it. What was Isolde thinking about? Who is she with?" As he spoke, Godfrey drew near.

Isolde’s eyes slowly widened as she found herself taking steps backward with each forward step Godfrey took.

When her back finally hit the wall, Isolde looked at Godfrey. That solemn look on his face made him pitifully cute. His blue eyes were captivating.

It had always captivated her. With the final step, Godfrey wrapped his arms around her shoulders and drew her close.

Isolde didn’t resist. She gently closed her eyes as he softly caressed her hair. His gentle touch seemed so natural.

She bit her lower lip, her heart pounding hard as her face flushed pink. ’He’s grown taller,’ she whispered in her mind as her soft cheeks squished against his chest.

After a period of silence, Isolde lifted her head and their eyes met. "Sometimes I want to go to where you are. Imagine both of us as Vagabonds. I imagine that place is free and we can do whatever we want?"

Godfrey smiled. "It is. Humanoids, beasts, plants, and even an odd summoner like me have all found our place there."

While he spoke, Isolde’s undivided attention was on his lips.

"Godfrey... have you kissed anyone before?"

Isolde’s sudden question made his heart strike hard.

He didn’t want to sound like a novice; naturally, he wanted to act cool, but in reality... not one single cute girl had been interested in him to the extent of kissing.

He swiftly composed himself as Isolde watched his face closely. Her face was quite close; he got a vivid view of her beautifully sculptured features. Sharp yet soft curves that appealed to him. She had high cheekbones and soft-looking cheeks he would like to pinch.

"W-Well... what about you?!" Godfrey wanted to slap his forehead. He stuttered there, it was too obvious.

Isolde smiled. "None yet. Who knows, you might be my first."

’Might? I aim to be your first and last!’ Godfrey declared inwardly but acted slightly surprised outwardly.

"Well... are you going to kiss or not?"

Both of them froze at that voice and tilted their head to Christine, who leaned against the door. From her attire, it looked like she was here for the pool.

Her cold eyes, however, bore down on the young adults, and cold sweat almost ran down their backs.

Godfrey felt her glare was more on him. "When it comes to families like ours, there are traditions for situations like this. First, you audibly make your claim before the council of—!"

"Mum, what are you talking about?! It’s not marriage!" Isolde blurted out.

"But you’re only to give your virginity to the man you marry. If I didn’t step into this place, who knows what—!"

"Mum!!" Isolde yelled. Christine was so blunt, but she didn’t seem to care in the slightest. "I know our traditions are old-fashioned compared to the current way of the modern world, but it’s how it is."

"I prefer it that way," Godfrey responded, only to hear Christine’s next statement:

"It actually goes both ways. Pendragons are too focused on their summons until eighteen; emotions are allowed to be nurtured after that time. So Isolde might be in the safe zone, but I don’t think a handsome young man like you has not been devoured by a lot of girls."

Godfrey felt embarrassed. "Actually..."

***

A few minutes later, Godfrey lay in star shape on the grass with Isolde beside him. "Your mother is something else."

"She handles the political aspect of the family while my father deals with dungeons, she barely cares about what the person she speaks to feel about how blunt she is." Isolde replied, her face flushed red. She couldn’t even look Godfrey in the eye after that encounter with her mother.

"Let’s stay out of her path."

"Agreed." Godfrey nodded.

"I almost forgot." Isolde turned her face toward him with a more solemn expression. "You’re being hunted, not just by the authorities but by all the top schools. You should watch out for Snow... he’s changed a lot."

Godfrey looked at her. "How strong do you think he is?"

"I don’t know. He’s more withdrawn now, barely uses his abilities, but I could sense his aura has grown much stronger, strong enough to make Grace feel uneasy and..."

She turned to him. "The night before tonight, I saw you face him and Leander Ouroboros."

"Leander? Who’s that?"

"A member of the Ouroboros family. He’ll surely loathe Percival after his sister’s death." Isolde replied. She knew Odette was killed by the flood.

"I’ll face them then," Godfrey said with a firm tone.

"I won’t be leaving until noon tomorrow. Do you think Percival and I can meet Isaac and Lucy before we leave?"

***

The next day, Godfrey and Percival descended from a car, facing a gym. They were dressed like Dragon City’s dragon officials. Clad in black military attire with a gun in its holder at their thigh, full metal masks with the insignia of a dragon and a Roman numeral carved onto the helm.

Their attire was to make them look more imposing. Isolde admitted that when the boys were given the clothes. That was the only way to step out without putting the entire city on lockdown and the Pendragons in trouble.

"Wow? It’s Isolde."

"Well, I heard she’s close to the spider boy representing this gym against Coldstone Gym," a young man heading for the same gym replied to his friend.

"She actually came with two dragon officers. Man! They’re quite tall and imposing."

"We’re already late," Isolde said as they walked into the gym. The equipment had been moved and reorganized for people to watch the ring, which was usually just for sparring. Isaac stood on one end of the ring facing a hulking man with dreadlocks.

The ring was a fortified floor with ropes made from the silk of Isaac’s summon around the square platform.

Ancient Martial Arts were famous because they were one of the ways summoners could harness their enhanced capabilities to the fullest apart from using summon’s skills. A master of any ancient art had greater advantage when summons were locked in combat and the summoner was left open.

"What’s going on here?" Godfrey asked as Isolde was led upstairs. Isolde chuckled. "I wanted it to be a surprise. Isaac is quite popular in this gym, and he’s been learning boxing for a year now. He’s proven to be quite the talent at it, and with his enhanced physique, he’s the right combatant to represent the gym."

One year wasn’t much, but that was when it came to someone who didn’t have mana. With mana, the muscles could pick up the techniques at a much faster rate.

"He’s still itching for a fight everywhere he goes," Percival chuckled. After being told the Pendragons would pull some strings to make sure his mother and sister were safe from attacks from the public and forceful questioning from the agents, Percival was able to have a good night’s sleep.

His mind was much lighter now.

As they got to the next floor, Godfrey saw Lucy sitting on one of the two executive chairs. "Isolde!" She waved one hand with excitement.

Isolde sat down while Lucy looked at the two dragon officers standing at their sides. Isolde did not usually move with security, was it because she faced a cousin?

Lucy’s eyes went to the Pendragon youth sitting on the opposite side, who had been watching Isolde from the moment she entered the gym.

He was quite the martial arts enthusiast.

"You’re just in time. Any moment longer and the fight would have begun," Lucy said as the referee finally started the match.

Isaac moved in immediately, same for Duncan, the heavily muscular man with dreadlocks. Both sides threw a straight punch, but Isaac’s turned out to be a feint as he clenched his other fist hard, throwing a punch straight at Duncan’s abdomen.

The sound of the blow was like a hammer striking a bag of solidified cement. Duncan tilted inwardly, giving Isaac the opportunity to launch an uppercut.

Duncan’s head flung backward, almost sending him to the ground, but the man only took two steps, regaining himself on the third. He spun that foot, launching a fast, powerful kick into Isaac’s defense.

Isaac was quick to enter defense mode with his forearms raised, but he did not expect that kick.

It caused the air to ripple as his defense broke. Duncan spun, planting the foot he launched on the floor, hard enough to open little cracks, as he lashed out with the other foot, striking Isaac’s chin.

Isaac was swiftly sent to one of the corner posts.

"I don’t think that’s a boxer," Lucy slowly said as Duncan followed up with a series of lightning-fast kicks while Isaac blocked.

"That’s Taekwondo. Duncan is like 2.1 meters tall. He takes full advantage of that with his legs, and that puts Isaac at a huge disadvantage," Percival said, attracting Lucy’s eyes to him.

’That voice...’

"He can hit all he wants. Isaac won’t fall."

The moment the other dragon officer with the Roman numeral I spoke, Lucy’s eyes widened.

’It can’t be!’