Ch.206205. The Snake’s Head

# 205. The Head of the Snake

“It must have been really tough for you, without your father and Commander Light…”

“Yeah, that’s why things are much better now than they were back then.”

Back then, I never knew when I might die.

Compared to that, the current situation was not just safe but could be described as peaceful.

“It’s peaceful now.”

“But in your previous life, you didn’t approach me the way you did in this life? I think I liked you back then too.”

“Well… I didn’t have the courage then.”

It wasn’t just about courage; there were ethical issues too.

She already had someone.

Of course, that guy wasn’t exactly doing his job properly, but he was there nonetheless.

“It’s still surprising… considering your personality now…”

“What about my personality? You make it sound like I’d pursue you even if you had someone now.”

“Wouldn’t you?”

Thinking about it, she might be right.

If she had a boyfriend during our academy days, I probably would have acted the same way I did.

Her reaction might have been different, but my behavior would have been the same.

“I think you’re right.”

“Yes, you would have done the same thing.”

“But you would have hated me for it, right?”

Beyond hate, she would have thought I was insane.

And she coolly admitted that fact.

“Still, I think things would have worked out in the end… but I definitely would have disliked you at first.”

“That’s a relief.”

“A relief, really?”

She asked with a natural smile.

She was utterly bewitching.

I stared at that smile and said:

“Yeah, when I think about if you had someone, it would have been hopeless.”

“I don’t think it would have been that… bad?”

“You’re not sure?”

“No, my conscience won’t let me say for certain.”

But it didn’t really matter.

It never happened, and it never would, so there was no point in thinking about it.

“But this is a meaningless conversation anyway.”

She seemed to know this too and quickly changed the subject.

She mentioned battles from our previous life.

“In your previous life, the battles you won… how did you usually win them?”

“Even then, Bael rarely participated directly in battles, though more often than now. But in those battles…”

Usually, when we won, it was because she held the front line firmly and bought us time.

“We won when you smashed through the enemy’s front line. Usually… or when I quickly took out their healers.”

“Oh…”

“Otherwise, battles would end indecisively, or we’d wait for reinforcements.”

We fought many battles, and we lost many and won many, but…

My memory is hazy.

I can’t clearly remember battles unless they involved major events.

“Actually, I don’t remember well, except for when we lost badly…”

“How did you lose when it was bad?”

“When Bael and Agareus participated in the same battle. We nearly died then.”

It happened in her last battle and the one before that.

We never won a battle where both Bael and Agareus participated.

Not even once.

“But things are different now. As long as there are no unexpected variables, we’ll be fine.”

“Saying that might jinx us…”

“It’s okay.”

Usually when people say such things, those “unexpected variables” tend to appear, but that’s just in novels and movies.

Applying that to reality would be unreasonable.

“No need to worry about that.”

Of course, despite saying this, I’ll act with extreme caution on the actual battlefield.

A first-class warrior always prepares for the worst-case scenario.

“But more importantly… can I see that diary?”

“What? This?”

She blushed and snatched her diary.

Whatever was written after that seemed too embarrassing to show.

When I nodded, she spoke in a low voice.

“That’s a bit difficult…”

“Why?”

“There’s no particular reason… I’m just embarrassed.”

“But didn’t you say you’d show it to me if I asked?”

“Still, right now is…”

She was still too embarrassed.

So I backed off graciously.

“Alright, I understand.”

“I’ll show you later, later… when the time is right.”

“It’s fine, you don’t have to show me.”

With those words, I climbed back onto the bed.

The sheets were still soft, and as soon as I lay down, I started feeling sleepy.

Just before I fell asleep, she spoke with a disappointed look.

“Are you… going to sleep right away?”

“Yeah, I’m extremely tired.”

Disappointment aside, I was insanely exhausted.

I had slept for a few hours, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

“I see… good night…”

After I said that, she turned away in bed, seemingly upset.

She seemed disappointed that I was going to sleep despite not having seen each other for a while.

‘She must have been looking forward to it.’

She’s so damn cute.

She was disappointed but couldn’t say anything because she knew I was tired, and that was incredibly endearing.

To think such an adorable being was my girlfriend… I was the happiest person in the world.

I slowly approached my incredibly cute girlfriend.

Then I put my lips to her drooping ear.

“I never said I wouldn’t do anything.”

***

At the time when most people were in bed preparing for tomorrow.

In the dead of night, dark forces were swarming to achieve their goals.

A small army of maybe 20 people at most.

The army consisted of people with various appearances.

Those with large horns and thick skin, those resembling various insects, those with animal-like ears and tails, and so on.

There were many races, but among them, some people stood out the most.

One of them was addressed as “Your Majesty” by another.

“Your Majesty, was it necessary to keep this from that woman? At the very least, we could have informed her so she could prepare reinforcements in case something goes wrong.”

“It’s unnecessary. Am I not here?”

“But considering who we’re dealing with, Your Majesty knows better than anyone…”

An anxious voice.

But unlike him, the one who referred to himself as “I” seemed overflowing with confidence.

“This much is enough to catch one old dragon. Besides, that woman can’t be trusted.”

“But she’s served faithfully by Your Majesty’s side for hundreds of years…”

Hearing those words, Agareus looked uneasy.

It was natural, seeing Lilith, who had been no different from him, now treated like yesterday’s news.

He too could be nothing to him, just like Lilith.

Still, Agareus was his loyal servant.

Even if he was considered merely a subordinate, Agareus served him as his lord.

“So what?”

“I apologize. On second thought, it was unnecessary concern… So what should we do here?”

A pitch-black valley.

The magical energy swirling here was enough to make even the Demon King’s castle seem insignificant.

Because of this, even Bael, who was usually full of bluster, had to approach this battle with utmost seriousness.

“I don’t care if one of you dies. When I give the signal, attack that guy.”

“By ‘that guy’… do you mean the Dragon King?”

“Of course.”

The Dragon King, Solomon.

Usually, Bael or Reinhardt are called the world’s strongest only when excluding dragons from the criteria—that is, when excluding Solomon.

Long ago, when the children of heaven still existed in this world, they were almost god-like beings.

They were that powerful. However, Solomon alone did not worship or revere them as gods.

And now, they were trying to bring such a monster to their side.

“If we make him ours, the rest will either bow their heads or flee. Our only target is him.”

“With just this many people… is it possible?”

“Make it possible. We must.”

Bael stepped into that hell and ordered his subordinates.

“This is my command. Carry it out with your lives.”

With that declaration, the army entered their nest.

They entered rather boldly through the main gate, and the gatekeepers of the nest greeted them.

By position, they were mere gatekeepers.

The lowest position among the dragon folk.

But that didn’t mean they could be underestimated.

“What business do you have here? Entering our territory so boldly… Have you no capacity to learn?”

Gatekeeper, just a gatekeeper’s words.

But few people could maintain their composure and speak in this situation.

Fortunately, Bael was one of those people.

“Unlike last time, I’ve come to make a simple request.”

“A simple request?”

“Guide me inside. I didn’t come to make requests to a mere gatekeeper like you.”

From the gatekeeper’s perspective, an uninvited guest had appeared.

And one without a shred of manners at that.

But the gatekeeper didn’t refuse or even say anything else.

“…”

No matter how superior the dragon race was and how inferior these other races were, he was the tail of the dragon, and they were the head of the snake.

Moreover, they were quite numerous.

Realizing this fact, the gatekeepers gritted their teeth.

“Very well…”