In Higashino Makoto's view, among the kings of the surrounding countries, apart from the Bloody Emperor, it should be this Dragon King Princess who is most likely to gain his approval.
Draudillon stared at him for a long time.
Then she smiled.
"You're really good at comforting people."
"You're the first person to say that; most people say I'm annoying."
The two remained silent for a moment, moonlight streaming between them. The black cat, "Zafkiel," yawned, shifted its position, and continued to squat.
Higashino Makoto.
Suddenly, Draudillon spoke, calling out his name.
Higashino Makoto raised an eyebrow slightly.
How do you know my name?
"Just a guess."
Draudillon's lips curled up slightly.
"That 'Silver Paladin' from the Holy Kingdom, and that mysterious person from the Elf Kingdom who killed the Elf King, were you both?"
Higashino Makoto did not deny it.
"The intelligence network is quite efficient."
"Although the Dragon Kingdom is remote, it is not isolated from the world."
Draudillon leaned against the window frame, her dark eyes gazing at the starry sky.
"Your name has spread throughout the northwest corner of the continent in recent months."
She paused.
"The savior of the Holy Kingdom, the terminator of the Elf King, and now the guardian deity of the Dragon Kingdom."
She turned her head and looked at Higashino Makoto.
What exactly do you want?
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment.
"A beautiful Garden."
Draudillon paused for a moment.
"Garden?"
"Right."
Higashino Makoto nodded.
"Garden no one is eaten, no madmen sit on thrones, and no wars never end."
He paused.
"Humans are like flowers in Garden. I love beautiful flowers. So, I don't want them to be bitten to death by insects, crushed by weeds, or suffocated by overgrown branches."
Draudillon looked at him for a long time.
"You're a really strange person."
"I know."
Higashino Makoto interrupted her.
"By the way, there's something I wanted to ask you."
"What?"
"I've heard your title is Black-Scaled Dragon Lord? If the information I received from the Slane Theocracy is correct, you should be able to use Wild Magic. Why didn't you use it when facing the Orc?"
Draudillon's lips trembled, and she suddenly raised her voice.
"Wild Magic requires millions of souls as fuel! I can't possibly kill people! The bloodline of the True Dragon Lords— "
She paused, then lowered her voice.
"Besides allowing me to live longer than humans and possessing a useless shapeshifting ability, I'm utterly useless. I'm merely a failure in the eyes of my grandfather, the Rainbow Dragon Lord— "
Draudillon lowered her head, looked at the red wine in her glass, and remained silent for a moment.
Then she looked up, a certain light gleaming in her dark eyes.
Higashino Makoto.
"Um."
"Stay."
Higashino Makoto raised his eyebrows slightly.
"What?"
"Stay in the Dragon Kingdom."
Draudillon's voice was calm, but carried a suppressed, almost pleading tone.
"Even if it's not forever, just for a while, help me protect this country."
She paused.
"I know I have no right to ask you for anything. I know you have no obligation to help anyone. But—"
She took a deep breath.
"The Dragon Kingdom needs you, I need you."
Higashino Makoto looked at her without saying a word.
"I'm willing to give everything."
Draudillon continued, her voice growing softer, but each word was as clear as if etched into stone.
"My wealth, my throne, my body, my soul."
She raised her head, her dark eyes staring directly at Higashino Makoto.
"As long as you're willing to stay."
The moonlight shone on the two of them, casting their shadows onto the wall, where they overlapped.
The black cat "Zafkiel" perched on the windowsill, its golden eyes watching the two of them, its tail swaying gently.
Higashino Makoto remained silent for a long time.
So long that Draudillon thought he wouldn't answer.
So long that the wine in her hand went cold.
It was so long that the moon outside the window had moved across half the sky.
I don't need your wealth.
Higashino Makoto finally spoke, his voice calm.
"I don't need your throne either. However..."
Looking at the Dragon King Princess's voluptuous figure and her exquisite yet dignified face, and then recalling the adorable loli image she had seen during the day.
This is an extreme contrast.
Higashino Makoto couldn't deny that he was deeply moved.
But--
"It's impossible for me to stay, but there will be a price to pay."
Higashino Makoto paused.
"You should know, I use it to clean up things that Orc have used."
Draudillon was stunned, quickly recalling the information she had received.
Three pairs of winged angels, as if harvesting rice, cleaned up the Orc in the city.
"--Angel."
"That's right."
Higashino Makoto nodded.
"Although the Dominion Authority used in that battle couldn't exist for long, I can give you a few of the next level, the 'Principality.'"
Feeling that the Dragon King Princess might not understand the hierarchy of Principality, she pondered for a moment and then offered an explanation.
"Well, according to the Adventurers' Guild's monster danger rating, the Principality's capture level is between 108 and 126."
Draudillon was stunned by the answer, and it took her a long time to react. Her eyes widened, and she spoke in disbelief.
"Wait... the minimum level for raiding is 108?!"
It's important to know that adventurers who can defeat monsters of level 70 or higher, as long as they don't perish halfway through, will almost certainly earn the "Fine Steel" rank of adventurer.
As for levels 108 to 126, those are the legendary "Death Knight" who can easily destroy a country—they're only at that level!
"Isn't that enough? If it's an angel of a higher level, it'll be more complicated to keep them around for a long time. If you refuse, then forget it."
As he spoke, Higashino Makoto placed his wine glass on the table and turned to leave.
Of course, it was merely a ploy to lure him in.
He believed it was unlikely that Draudillon would refuse.
A king who would go to such lengths to transform himself into a cute little girl for a tiny bit of power would be unlikely to refuse an opportunity to easily gain immense combat strength.
Sure enough, as soon as Higashino Makoto turned around, he was tightly embraced by Draudillon, whose soft and voluptuous body pressed against his, and even through his clothes, he could feel its beauty.
Please don't leave! I accept!
Higashino Makoto turned around, and in the moonlight, he saw a voluptuous woman with curvaceous figure. Her long black hair fluttered in the night wind, and her white dress clung tightly to her body.
"No regrets? Let me make this clear first, I'm actually quite possessive."
"No regrets, absolutely not!"
Higashino Makoto nodded in satisfaction, reaching out to stroke Draudillon's face, feeling the blush rising on her skin from nervousness.
"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony."