C313: The Dragon Emperor’s Visit

“Geyser Dragon?!”

It’s the title of the highest-ranking dragon who rules the other dragons.
And one dragon initially claimed such a title.

However, when he was defeated, Ardheg was to succeed him.
Then, this child, who claims he’s the Geyser Dragon, appeared out of nowhere!

“Father, you’re alive?” asks Alexander. “But I heard Ardheg defeated you. I didn’t feel your presence at all either, so I assumed you were gone!”
“You are a fool, son,” says the child with contempt. “The Dragon Archon doesn’t simply disappear. As you can see, I am alive and well.”
“But you did lose.”
“Ngh!”

The child’s expression distorts at Veil’s statement.

“Shut it! They cheated and had a mythical relic like an angel as their ally! The merfolk used the blessings of the sea gods, too!”

He starts spouting shameful excuses.

So, he really is the Geyser Dragon Prince Arowana’s group defeated during their journey?!
Which also means he’s Veil, Ardheg, and Alexander’s father.

“Yes, I’m Al Gor the Geyser Dragon,” he introduces again.

Geyser Dragon is just his title, and Al Gor is his real name, huh?

“Indeed, Ardheg and his cohorts almost beat me with their foul play…”
“You’re just butthurt you lost.”

You tell him, Veil!

“My body once shattered and vanished. It took a long time to reconstitute my body and revive myself.”
“No less expected from our father, I guess…”

Even though he said it took a long time, no more than a year had passed since their battle.
The title of the strongest dragon rightfully belongs to Alexander, but the title-holder of the emperor is impressive himself.

“But Father, haven’t you lost most of your strength due to your defeat? You’re too weak to be called a dragon now.”
“Tsk, I’m not surprised you saw through me, my eldest son… That’s right, I’m no longer a Geyser Dragon. Now that I’ve lost, so has my title as emperor,” vexingly says the (Former?) Geyser Dragon in the form of a child. “That cursed Ardheg! I took my foolish children’s power and tried to make myself as powerful as Alexander! Yet his small fry of a group dares pull the carpet under me like that!!!”
“Um, but Father… We’re right here…”

Must be hard for Ardheg to be treated like a ‘small fry’ by his father.

“I’ve been defeated, my Geyser Dragon powers have been taken away, and I’ve used up most of my dragon power to revive myself. Even if I want to sink my fangs into these loathsome pests for revenge…!”

His eyes glare sharply at Ardheg.

“Eek!”

It’s not just at Ardheg but also at his companions, like Prince Arowana.

“I no longer have the power to do so. To challenge you to a rematch, here is… Hyah!”

The Geyser Dragon tries to revert to his dragon form and lets out a “fierce” roar.

“Hyah! Oh! Nghyaaaaaaaah!!!”

However, the ferociousness is only the atmosphere he’s creating.
He transformed into a petite, round dragon, almost like a stuffed animal.

“Look! Now that I’ve lost my power, I can only take on this diminutive form!”

He really is just a live stuffed animal now.
His adorableness attracted the girls on our farm.

“Help, he’s so cute!” “Cute!” “Cute!” “Shoooooo kyuut!!!” “Let’s pat him!” “Wah, he’s so fluffy!” “Pat, pat!” “AHHHHHHHH, SO CUTE!” “I’m going to sleep with this darling beside me tonight!!!”

This tiny dragon has charmed their hearts.

“Gah! Stop! What insulting behavior toward the Dragon Emperor! Have you no shame?! Huh? Oh, okay, sure, I’ll sleep with you…?”

He was passed around like a puppy that wandered into an elementary school but somehow managed to come out in one piece.
He reverts to his human form.

“Did you see how miserable I am now as a loser?”
“You seemed pretty popular back there, though.”

Ah.
Is that why his human form is a child?

“Is your human child form supposed to be you in energy conservation mode?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. This is what I’ve always looked like in my human form.”

Huh?

“Isn’t it common sense to choose the most youthful form? It is Alexander who’s the weird one for choosing such an old and crippled form,” he says, glaring at his eldest son.

“…You know nothing about humankind, Father. Youth is important, but the dignity that comes with age is just as important.”
“Don’t you see why I removed you from the candidate list? You’ve lost your senses by favoring those lot.”

I know the Dragon Emperor and the Crown Prince Dragon don’t get along…
But as an outsider watching from the sides, I can’t help but be confused when the parent is a child and the child is an elder!

“I understand you’re weakened and can no longer harm Ardheg or me. But what bewilders me even more is your purpose for coming here.”

Oh, yeah.
He doesn’t seem to have a good relationship with his children, so the only reason I can think of for him to come here is to fight.
But if he’s too weak to fight, why did he come here?

“Hmph…” he snorts snobbishly. “It seems you’re going to replace me with Ardheg as the new Geyser Dragon.”
“Yes, he defeated you, after all. I believe he is qualified enough to take your place.”
“But you don’t know how to turn him into a Geyser Dragon, do you?”

The Geyser Dragon brings up the matter Veil pointed out earlier.

“You know how, Father?”
“Of course I do, for I am the original and only Geyser Dragon,” he says, holding his petite hand.

In it is a transparent jewel as clear as crystal and red like a ruby with a flickering glow like a flame inside.

“What’s this?!”
“The Dragon Ball. The dragon that ingests this becomes the Geyser Dragon.”

So, this red jewel is the regalia that guarantees a dragon’s authority?

“For hundreds of years, this ball has remained inside my body. But it came out after my recent defeat.”

As in the battle with Prince Arowana and his group?

“I told you, defeat is unacceptable for a Geyser Dragon. He who falls from the throne of victory is immediately forsaken by the Dragon Ball.”

Various feelings cover the eyes of the Geyser Dragon, staring at the red jewel.

“The Dragon Ball will never return inside me. I can only keep it in my possession till I hand it over to the next dragon. That is the final duty of the dragon chosen by it.”
“Is that why you’re here, Father?”
“Yes. If you want to become the new Geyser Dragon, you must accept the Dragon Ball. It could be you, Ardheg, or even you, Alexander. And you haven’t really completely given up on your dream either, have you, Veil?”

As if to incite the desires of his children, the (Former) Dragon Emperor in his child form shows off the red jewel.

“Come and get it! The one who gets this jewel will be the next Geyser Dragon!!!”
“No, thank you.”
“Why not just give it to Ardheg? That should solve things.”

Neither Alexander nor Veil seemed interested in the jewel at all.
Seeing this, the Geyser Dragon, too, lost interest.

“What an unavaricious lot. But can you still keep a nonchalant air after hearing this?”
“Hm?”

The dragon-turned-human has a wicked smile on his face that a human child would never have.

“When the Dragon Ball is ingested, and the new Geyser Dragon is born, other dragons’ power will be sucked out of them. They will cease to exist.”