From a personal standpoint, Gawain considered Melita a friend, and he also held a natural goodwill and admiration for the once-glorious Dragon Civilization. But he could not make decisions based solely on personal feelings— as the ruler of an empire, he had to ensure that every bit of wealth created by his citizens was used in the right place.
Tarlonnd was now in trouble. Though Melita and the other envoys had yet to formally ask for aid, it was only a matter of time. Gawain could certainly provide assistance, but it had to bring commensurate returns—political gains, technological gains, economic or resource gains, or even simply the gains of humanitarian righteousness. All of these had to be taken into account.
It was precisely after weighing all these considerations that Gawain concluded that aiding Tarlonnd now would be an investment with potentially staggering returns.
A centipede did not stop wriggling after it died. Tarlonnd Civilization, once the pinnacle of glory on this planet, remained a treasure trove even after its fall. Even without considering the ancient technology buried in that wasteland, or the wealth accumulated by the dragons over the ages that had survived the war, the dragons themselves were a force no mortal nation on this planet could ignore. And the chance to earn the gratitude of those powerful creatures... was truly once in a millennium.
Gawain sat on the sofa, seriously contemplating the meaning behind this matter and the proper limits of every action they might take. Rebecca watched her ancestor's expression curiously, but after a while, she could not help asking, "What are you thinking about, Ancestor?"
Gawain glanced at the girl and smiled. "I was just thinking about providing aid to Tarlonnd... Making dragons indebted to us is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity."
Heti blinked, her thoughts beginning to