Variables

"..."

"..."

The broken table was tossed into a corner, and Kang De brought out a large Round Table, filled with snacks and drinks, while Dairila sat at the table, eating quickly and in small pieces.

Kang De sat beside him and watched.

It is said that many of the rituals and etiquettes popular in the world originated from the elves. After all, this race has lived for so long and considers itself the chosen race. They always want to do things that look high-class to show that they are different from other lowly Mortal World races. This mentality is not hard to understand, and it is also the reason why many wealthy people spend a lot of money to buy luxury goods.

As the Queen of the Elves, she must be the noblest and most elegant among the elves. Rigorous etiquette training has become muscle memory and instinct. Every movement has been taught, calculated, and repeated thousands of times, like the simplest and most beautiful symbol, full of ultimate beauty.

Even when she was guzzling sugary drinks, she still looked as beautiful as a fairy drinking from a forest spring. Just watching her eat was a delightful experience. This reminded Kang De of Valentan's first encounter with her—he too had conquered Dairila, who was disguised as a man, with large amounts of junk food and sugary drinks.

He simply watched quietly, taking a short rest to calm the tension and chaos of the night.

The Phoenix King devoured a small bowl of jelly in a flash, then turned and glared at her, saying, "What are you looking at?"

Kang De rested his chin on his hand. "I'll prepare a few more boxes of good food for you later."

Dairila's expression turned wary. "What, bribing Twilight Moon Monarch?"

The Fire Thief smiled and said, "No, no, no, it's just that His Phoenix King, who is rich in the world, rules the earth, and possesses all kinds of rare treasures, is invited to sample some snacks from a foreign land."

The Phoenix King blushed and snorted, "That's more like it."

Ah, I see, stroke it in the right direction.

Kang De was now 90% certain that it was indeed Dairila.

That sudden movement really startled him, leaving him quite bewildered and uncertain.

But...

He stared intently at the elf's profile, her pointed ears, gleaming like jade, twitching gently from her flowing hair. Her noble, exotic beauty swayed lightly with each strand of hair. Dairila's earlier move, though seemingly a trap, had actually defused the awkwardness and commotion caused by the spanking incident.

At least for now, judging from the outcome, Dairila can be smug and have turned the tables. Kang De is full of doubts and has no mood to reminisce about his feat of having sex with the Phoenix King. The matter is over, the atmosphere has returned to normal, as if nothing happened today... But Kang De always feels that something is not quite right.

--What floor is this guy on now?

He looked at Dairila, whom he hadn't seen for quite some time. This seemingly majestic, domineering, dignified, and elegant, yet actually somewhat clumsy and adorable, Twilight Moon Monarch... seemed to have changed somewhat.

Dairila asked a second time, "What are you looking at?"

She held up a piece of pork jerky and pointed it at Kang De: "Never look directly at the face of a king! Bow your head to show respect!"

After she finished speaking, she laughed out loud.

Kang De laughed too, "What brings you here?"

Dairila's smile vanished immediately, "What, you're not welcome? Do you think I'm interrupting your passionate encounter with that unruly dragon? Impressive, it seems your relationship is progressing quite quickly since signing the Dragon's Covenant."

"..." Kang De sighed, "The situation is actually a bit special..."

His Majesty the Phoenix King was clearly still resentful about this matter.

Long before the Dragon Girl and Santos went to Danfeng Lucerne to secretly discuss matters with Kang De, Dairila had made a special trip to intercept the caravan and intimidate the dragons, lest they come to Kang De in a huff. At that time, Lily, facing the Phoenix King's formidable power, dealt with the situation with a combination of offense and defense, leaving Dairila speechless and embarrassed.

The Phoenix King was extremely displeased whenever he thought about it afterward—and when the gossip about Kang De and the Dragon Lady reached Twilight Moon Island, Dairila had already returned to the court.

When faced with the strange, questioning gazes of her former courtiers, maids, and her brother—"How did you end up with such a human?"—her rage could have burned down the oaks of time.

Upon arriving at the Sound of the Tide Manor, Lily was the first to spot her and confront her. Their eyes met, old grudges resurfaced, and an inexplicable hostility silently grew. What was even more devastating was that Lily's verbal skills were far inferior to Dairila's, a difference akin to a complete dimensional reduction.

After a brief standoff between the dragon and the elf, Lily lightly tossed her pale golden hair, her cool yet alluring charm subtly permeating her eyes and brows, a half-smile playing on her lips.

"I told you, didn't I? I'm beautiful."

Dairila was immediately furious, because this was exactly the conversation she had with Lily after their first meeting. She had asked Lily why this dragon assassin was in the delegation, and the dragon girl had the same expression and the same action, saying, "Because I'm beautiful."

Now, times have changed, and the Dragon Girl has swiftly signed the Dragon's Covenant with Kang De, even brazenly appearing beside Kang De. To say this now is utterly ironic.

Fortunately, she still possessed the composure and strategic mind of a monarch, and would never allow outsiders to see her true thoughts and emotions. Dairila managed to control her emotions before launching a counterattack.

Instead of anger, she seemed pleased, scrutinizing Lily as if observing and evaluating her. Finally, she nodded in satisfaction. "Everyone in the Mortal World knows that the elven monarch is called the Phoenix King because the king's bloodline bears the blessing mark of the phoenix. Wherever the king goes, the phoenix follows. I think, since Kang De and I... well, you know, I've always worried that he doesn't have the pomp and style to match his reputation and strength, but now I'm relieved. It's quite respectable for him to have a silver dragon as a mount."

Then she added insult to injury, "How about I introduce you to Fennis?"

The Dragon Might and Phoenix's Power filled the Sound of the Tide Manor, but this standoff did not escalate into an unseemly brawl. Instead, a tacit ceasefire was chosen, as the current situation was not a good time for a fight.

Lily and Dairila wanted to avoid each other, so they avoided meeting whenever possible. The confrontation and clash that had taken place earlier, a scene resembling a horror movie, remained unknown to Kang De.

And he, of course, had no idea that the horror movie had a sequel.

--The confrontation and verbal exchange between Lily and Dairila has been faithfully recorded on the hard drive by the security cameras in the manor, but Horus has not mentioned a word about it and is acting as if nothing happened.

And now, the poor old father is facing Dairila's interrogation.

Her large eyes were filled with accusation—how could you get involved with that dragon!?

Kang De's mind raced. He had been startled by Dairila today, which made his brain work even faster. In a flash, he came up with the optimal solution.

He sighed, "My relationship with Lily was originally just based on some kind of deal and agreement, but the subsequent disappearance of the dragon delegation and the Paradox Element incident truly meant we were fighting side by side, sharing life and death."

"At that time, I was surrounded by enemies: the Dragon Clan, the Council, the Empire, even the Dusk Moon Parliament, and even within Goth's own ranks. I hadn't done anything, yet I incurred hostility from all over the world."

"At that time, you weren't there, and the Parrot had disappeared somewhere. I had to endure interference and hostility from the whole world, pressure and betrayal from within Goth's own ranks, and search for the truth and avert disaster in a subterranean world more than 10,000 meters deep, amidst Space-Time Flashback and the threat of corrupting dragons. I even... sigh, let's not talk about it. In short, that period was really difficult and unbearable."

This isn't just made up; the situation was indeed extremely difficult. Sound of Doomsday, omens of fate, a heavy sense of destiny, and my mind was on the verge of collapse. The enemy was unknown and terrifying. Fortunately, I made it through.

He looked at Dairila and said earnestly, "Lily did give me invaluable help and trust during that time; she was even seriously injured because of it... I am very grateful to her."

The Phoenix King pursed his lips and remained silent.

Kang De's frank explanation left her speechless, and his heavy tone and regretful sighs evoked pity in her heart. But even more so, she felt guilty and ashamed—because she had indeed been absent at the time, allowing the mother dragon to take advantage of the situation.

Damn it, I was here first!

Then she suddenly remembered something, her eyebrows furrowing. "What? Our ancestor wasn't here then?"

Kang De nodded heavily. "I wanted to ask her for help, but she was nowhere to be found. By then, the nations were about to send troops to forcibly intervene, Goth's internal pressure had reached its limit, and the exploration of the underworld had reached its most dangerous point. I didn't know where she had gone, and I even worried that she might have encountered danger..."

Dairila gritted her teeth and said, "A person who breaks their word is unfit to be king! You promised me..."

Kang De asked in confusion, "What did I promise you?"

"N-nothing." Dairila looked earnestly at Kang De. "I knew she couldn't be trusted, so here I am! Don't worry, I won't abandon you... I won't let you fight alone!"

"Thank you," Kang De said sincerely. "You're so kind."

"Snort..."

A smile unconsciously appeared on Dairila's face, but the next moment, the smile vanished, "Is it better than your A Xing and Princess Tina?"

Kang De looked conflicted and was about to speak when Dairila said impatiently, "Fine, forget I said anything."

After she finished speaking, she glanced at Kang De and muttered, "Bad human."

Kang De quickly opened a bag of spicy snacks for her. "Please have some, please have some."

Dairila snorted again, grabbed it, and bit it hard a few times, as if venting her anger. After a moment, she said, "I saw your warning letter... So that place is called the Star Palace."

After defeating the God of the Star Palace and hearing the island lord's confession, Kang De wrote letters to several monarchs.

For the sake of secrecy, the letters to the Grand Speaker and the Emperor were vague and made no mention of the Star Palace. After all, this celestial organization's infiltration of the Mortal World might be far deeper than imagined.

However, the letter to the Phoenix King mentioned it directly, and he was absolutely not afraid of leaks.

Because that section was written in Chinese, only the Parrot knew how to read it.

When Kang De heard that Dairila knew the term "Star Palace," he was relieved, because it meant that the Parrot was also on Twilight Moon Island —he hadn't dared to ask before, because Dairila was clearly very jealous.

The Fire Thief asked cautiously, "So you've come to help?"

Dairila glanced at him sideways. "It was me who came. Are you disappointed?"

"No, I'm very happy." Kang De looked at her and smiled, "We can finally fight side by side."

Looking at that smile, the Empress felt a slight tremor in her heart.

Yes, we fought side by side.

This is also why she came to Valentan and met Kang De.

Realizing that Kang De had become a variable and uncertain factor on the continent, inevitably attracting attacks from extraterrestrial enemies, she was willing to set aside the grudges from the Goth-Moon War and come to warn Kang De, because she knew where the greater threat came from—that was the true enemy of the entire world.

Unfortunately, fate is fickle. After she and Kang De had established initial trust and friendship, the situation suddenly changed. The expeditionary force went its own way and launched a second war. Kang De rushed to the aid of Danfeng Lucerne in the dead of night and wrote the legend of breaking through seven armies and Dragon Break the enemy. This unexpected change also created a rift of suspicion between the two.

Now, many things have happened, and the relationship between Kang De and the Dusk Moon Dynasty is undergoing subtle changes. These days, though she is far away at the royal court, she often hears about him—about his increasingly tense relationship with the Goth nobles, and about his great victory in the economic war...

She felt both worry and joy. She even understood why Kang De was so enraged by the plight of the commoners and insisted on executing the nobles, and she was proud of him. She approved of Kang De's actions and understood his feelings. She was even happy because Kang De's relationship with the Taidariel Family was becoming increasingly strained...

But now, none of that matters anymore.

Importantly, just as Kang De said, she stood on the same side as Kang De.

To confront the enemy we should have faced in the first place.

"Yes, that's exactly why I came here."

She smiled in response, "I saw it all, everything you did—the giant flying machines descending from the sky, the people sweating for others, the orderly operation of the city..."

"I've heard many exclamations, and I've also heard the frowns of the Council and the Royal Military Science Center. They are astonished by your alchemical skills and worried about these enormous flying machines, but they are too superficial. What they see is merely the insignificant surface. The truly remarkable feats are not in magnificent, powerful magical and mechanical creations, but in those seemingly insignificant little things..."

"The long lines at the resettlement sites, the hope and smiles on the faces of the ragged people at the construction camps, the souls of those moved by the same voice, and..."

Dairila picked up a small piece of plastic wrapping paper with her fingers. "This."

Kang De scratched his head and said, "Alright, stop praising me."

The Phoenix King smiled, "Why not praise it? This is something to be proud of, so accept this unprecedented praise, the recognition of the most powerful monarch in this world."

Kang De was still somewhat embarrassed; he was too innocent and too shy. Faced with the praise from a woman of stunning beauty, he was truly at a loss. "How much do I agree?"

Dairila thought for a moment, then said seriously, "If it weren't for the Star Palace, if I didn't know you, I would have killed you at all costs after seeing what happened in Distant Harbor tonight."

"... That's quite an acclaimed recognition," Kang De said again. "And now?"

Upon hearing this, Dairila's expression immediately changed. She struck with lightning speed, punching Kang De in the ribs. "Don't you dare mock me with such words! This is the Queen's order!"

Kang De cried out and clutched his stomach, "It hurts so much!"

--And where did I tease you?

"Serves you right! Besides, I calculated it, it won't hurt much! Stop pretending!"

In short, let's get back to the main topic.

"Our ancestor said that she had met the enemy of the Star Palace, and if she were recognized, there would be great trouble. So this time, only I can help you, and she will guard the royal court in my stead."

At this point, Dairila revealed a smug look. "As revenge, I took her... well, her game console. No, I can't say that. I did it for her and the country's good. If something so evil distracts her, she won't be able to handle state affairs accurately and wisely!"

Tsk tsk.

Kang De couldn't help but feel happy at the thought of the Parrot losing its game console and its life losing its luster—that wretched bird had its share of days.

He then asked, "Aren't you afraid she'll seize the opportunity to overthrow your throne?"

Dairila remained unperturbed. "I'm not afraid."

"Why?"

There's no reason why.

She answered in this way, but the noisy, maniacal laughter of an ancestor echoed in the Queen's mind.

"Who cares about your pathetic position? All you do is scheme against a bunch of idiotic, scrawny elves, the offspring of a bunch of traitors. What's so fun about being the Phoenix King? Do you know how I've been these past year or two? Do you think I'm happy without being the Phoenix King?"

"Wrong! You can't even imagine how happy I am! I sleep with Kang De all day! I play on his computer, look at his phone, eat his snacks, and I spend all day cursing, mocking, criticizing, and being sarcastic towards him! You can't even imagine this kind of happiness! Do you know how fun games are?!"

... I don't know about the rest, but the game is definitely a lot of fun.

She recalled the "happy life of a couch potato" described by her ancestors and longed for it. Living in the palace year after year, wearing a mask, responding to the expectations of the people, and becoming the most competent empress, she had long been tired of such a life. At this moment, Dairila was like a bird flying out of the forest, yearning for new things and a way of life she had never imagined. In addition to fighting against the Star Palace alongside Kang De, she also had other plans that she could not tell others.

After all, such opportunities are rare.

But right now, business is more important.

She inquired about the situation on the Broken Isles, Kang De Kang De recounted it to her in detail, from the beginning to the present, explaining that everything was under control.

After listening, Dairila showed a look of satisfaction and surprise. "I thought it would be a tough battle, but I didn't expect you to be so close to victory... That's truly remarkable. Even with the strength of the Elven nation, completing this great evacuation in just one or two days would be quite difficult."

Kang De shook his head. "Everyone has their own expertise, and now is far from the time to relax. That deep-sea monster might still break free. Even if it doesn't, we should still take the initiative to eliminate it."

"That's how it should be."

Dairila nodded and said, "The main fleet that was urgently mobilized should arrive around tomorrow afternoon. I will personally command it and coordinate with you to launch the attack..."

"... ah?"

"How?"

Kang De was taken aback at first, then looked surprised. "What fleet?"

Dairila replied, "The Endless Sea Fleet, drawn from the Royal Navy, was ordered to be stationed on Tokasaqi Island by the resolution passed by the Silver Moon Council some time ago..."

"--Wait!" Kang De nearly jumped up. "Who gave you permission to mobilize the fleet?"

The Empress retorted, "How can we fight without mobilizing the fleet?"

"But mobilizing the fleet is just suicide!"

"... The elven navy isn't that weak; this time it's their main fleet."

"But the enemy is stronger than you think!" Kang De roared. "I've emphasized this many times: those sea monsters pose a tremendous threat to warships. A mere swarm of small fish and shrimp wiped out the entire Coastal Defense Fleet of the Broken Sea. How long can your fleet hold out? Not to mention there might be a huge one among them!"

Dairila frowned. She had never been criticized like this before. It made her extremely uncomfortable.

But since the other party was Kang De, she forced herself to swallow her anger and said, "The magical devices and mage corps deployed by the main fleet are specifically designed for naval warfare, used to attack underwater enemies. Based on the intelligence you provided, we have also made specialized enhancements."

"In addition, I have strictly ordered the fleet to remain vigilant and proceed with caution. Air force roving sentries and naval roving sentries will patrol the entire route, and will react immediately to any unusual activity."

"--Perhaps you have some complaints, but the elven army also has its own position. Protecting the sea borders of the Dusk Moon Dynasty is the Royal Navy's duty, and dispatching the fleet was a decision made by the council. Even I can hardly change the outcome."

She paused, then scoffed, "They even considered sending a special operations force to quickly deploy via teleportation, secretly heading to the Broken Isles to collect sea monster specimens and confirm the enemy's situation, but I suppressed that..."

"What?" Kang De was even more shocked and furious. "Are they crazy? What time is it now, and they still want to sneak in and cause trouble?"

"... Kang De, you must understand, this is a normal choice based on national interests. I suppressed their proposal because I knew the nature of this matter and who the real enemy was. The congressmen's thinking was simple: they wanted to control those sea monsters, and they wanted to profit from this."

Dairila sighed. "That's politics. It's normal."

"Normal my foot!" Kang De cursed. "Luckily you suppressed it. That deep-sea monster has been cut off from its food supply. Without flesh and blood, it can't fully recover. At this point, regardless of whether it's an action team or a fleet, if we hand it over, death is a minor matter compared to aiding the enemy... Anyway, Dairila, I need you to immediately order that fleet to suspend its operations and await further orders—we need more intelligence!"

The Phoenix King looked at Kang De, hesitated for a moment, and nodded, saying, "Alright."

She chose to believe in Kang De.

But two seconds later, she remembered something else and suddenly looked up at Kang De.

Kang De asked, "What?"

The Empress paused for a moment, then said, "The Empire and the Council..."

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: Ugh, writer's block is so annoying... I need to speed up and finish this part of the story, then write the Earth story. I need to vent my nationalist sentiments.