Chapter 184: Two is Enough

Nathan, wearing a look of curiosity, inquired, “A new mount? But this… a dragon, right? Is it one of those dragons whose tails, arms, legs, and wings have been severed, leaving only its tail?”

The mercenaries beside him turned pale at his words.

No, even if a dragon lost its limbs and wings, it would still be a problem!

The thought was that if one were to receive such punishment, dragons might gather and raze this place to the ground.

However, Ian nonchalantly responded, “Yes, it’s a dragon.”

“That dragon? The one that’s called the greatest among all mythical beings on that continent?”

“Indeed, that would be the one.”

“!”

This time, Nathan’s face turned pale.

The thought of treating a dragon, which was said to be wiser and more revered than even a wise sage, as a mount was utterly incomprehensible.

Ian had even thrown the dragon to the ground at one point.

It made no sense.

Just as Nathan was about to stop Ian’s reckless behavior,

Roar!

The fallen black dragon lunged toward Nathan.

No, to be precise, it was opening its mouth wide as if to swallow both Nathan and Ian whole.

The mercenaries shouted in alarm.

“D-Danger! Move away!”

Nathan hastily raised his sword to defend himself. However, the mouth was too huge to block.

‘Oh no… it’s too late.’

No matter what happened, it seemed inevitable that he would be devoured.

But then, in that moment—

Thunk!

Ian calmly took out an object from his cloak.

It was a black crystal orb.

Nathan flinched.

Upon seeing the object, the black dragon froze in its tracks. Ian smirked at it.

“What’s wrong? Thinking of challenging me again?”

With a deep rumble, the resonant growl of the dragon started to fill the air, infused with malice. Yet, it didn’t dare to attack.

Nathan, bewildered, asked,

“What on earth… is that? How is it that this ferocious creature can’t even move?”

The dragons he knew of were mythical beings.

They were creatures that upheld universal harmony by wielding immense power, capable of causing various natural calamities.

While he had never encountered a black dragon before, he was certain that it wasn’t the type to be intimidated by a mere crystal orb.

At that moment, a realization struck him.

“Could it be… is that a Dragon Ball?”

The Dragon Ball was said to be as essential to dragons as the Dragon Heart was to mana.

It was the source of their abilities, the core that defined them as dragons.

Ian lifted the corners of his mouth in a grin.

“Well… it’s something similar.”

“!”

Nathan’s eyes widened in shock.

That was only natural.

Dragon Ball?

If that were true, just how valuable was that?

If he presented it, it could be worth more than an entire kingdom’s treasury, treated with the respect of royalty.

It was an object of immense rarity that couldn’t even be bought with an exorbitant amount of wealth.

Even bringing hundreds of the finest potions wouldn’t be enough to trade for it.

At that moment, the black dragon emitted a menacing growl.

Roar!

The dragon’s roar served as a warning not to tamper with or move its possessions, yet Ian merely scoffed.

“If you don’t keep quiet, I’ll shatter it.”

Thud.

At Ian’s words, the surroundings fell completely silent in an instant.

Nathan and the mercenaries stared wide-eyed in astonishment.

“Not only did he ride that dragon, but he also silenced it with just a word.”

“Yes.. Indeed. He is Prince Ian after all.”

“There’s a reason he’s called the hero of Bahara.”

However, the truth differed. What Ian held was not merely a Dragon Ball.

‘If this shatters, that black dragon will perish.’

No matter how powerful one of the Seven Sins was, it wouldn’t matter.

This was its core, its heart.

It was an item obtained the moment Ian acquired the Seven Sins in the dungeon.

‘The reason it didn’t listen at first was due to the aftermath of its long imprisonment.’

Perhaps due to years of confinement, the awakened black dragon rampaged through everything, soaring into the skies like a mad beast.

Despite holding its core, Ian could only barely subdue it.

But that no longer mattered.

‘What I can control is not just its core.’

Woong!

In that moment, a gentle light enveloped Ian’s body.

It was one of the newly obtained Seven Virtues, obtained through the king’s clone technique.

It began to glow softly, as if to protect him.

Krrr…

As the light illuminated, the black dragon appeared to shrink slightly, as if weakened. Ian signaled to the dragon.

“That’s enough; return.”

Then, silver rings emanated from his body towards the black dragon.

Swish!

Chains encircled the dragon, pulling it closer to Ian.

Roar!

The dragon struggled fiercely, but it was useless.

Drawn in by overwhelming force, the dragon began to vanish into Ian’s body.

He smiled.

‘I’ll bind it with the new Seven Virtues using Patience and Faith.’

The chains of Patience were reinforced by the strength of Faith.

No matter how powerful one of the Seven Sins was, it simply could not resist when weakened by the power of two, or rather, three of the Seven Virtues.

Thus, the black dragon left behind a tattoo of a black dragon on Ian’s back before fading away.

‘Now I’ve got a fine mount that I can ride whenever I want.’

With its remarkable abilities, it could undoubtedly aid him in evading sudden ground collapses and other urgent predicaments.

However, what he had gained was not solely the Seven Sins.

‘I didn’t expect it to come out without a scratch. Impressive.’

He also possessed the power of the new Seven Virtues.

Unlike the black dragon, the entity had quietly seeped into Ian’s body.

What was astonishing was that it was still effectively suppressing the black dragon at the same time.

‘It makes sense that the two of them were together.’

There was just one regret.

It was the fact that he wouldn’t be able to use the powers of both for the time being.

‘The Seven Sins must have depleted its energy when it surfaced after such a long dormancy. And the Seven Virtues likely expended much of their power to contain the Seven Sins.’

For now, he would have to wait until a certain amount of power was restored.

Of course, Ian had no intention of simply waiting around.

There were matters he needed to attend to first.

“Alright. Shall we address the important matters?”

“Important matters?” Nathan asked, dumbfounded.

He was wondering if there was anything more important right now than the black dragon and Ian who had absorbed it.

But Ian replied calmly, “If I were them, I would strike right now.”

“You mean… the First Prince?”

“Exactly. At this very moment, they likely believe I am unaware of their true intentions.”

From his meeting with the Third Prince, Ian knew that Duke Garcia and the First Prince had teamed up.

No, it was almost a certainty.

‘If it’s Duke Garcia, he’ll move even faster. He’s the kind of person who doesn’t give his enemies a chance to think.’

They would try to tie Ian’s hands and feet however they could.

Nathan nodded at Ian’s sharp gaze.

“Then I will contact the king or Duke Lavaltor immediately. We should request reinforcements…”

“No. We don’t need soldiers.”

“But… you just said the enemy would strike.”

“They will strike, but it won’t be a matter of sheer numbers.”

“What?”

Ian raised his eyebrows.

‘The opponent is Duke Garcia. He’s not someone who would be easily dealt with by merely sending soldiers.’

Rather, he would undoubtedly crush Ian so that he could never rise again.

Ian knew Duke Garcia perfectly well from his past life.

“Sir Nathan, do you know what’s more terrifying than swords and spears poised against you?”

“Well, I can’t imagine anything more frightening than violence.”

“It’s hunger. If I were Garcia, I would cut off all the distribution of goods to Helgaia.”

“Pardon? That would be a huge issue, wouldn’t it?”

Helgaia was a small territory located in the north.

No matter how developed it had become, if logistics were cut off, it would quickly become isolated.

In fact, they were currently reliant on imports for most of their food.

“If that happens, the image of glorious growth will become a thing of the past.”

“It will collapse like a hastily built sandcastle.”

“But the biggest issue isn’t just the city.”

Nathan cautiously looked around. He was looking at the mercenaries.

“They might turn their backs on us.”

No matter how much Ian had given them a new family and home, it was the same.

No one would want to lose the new family and home they had gained.

Some of them might go over to Garcia’s side.

Ian agreed with his words.

“That’s why we need to move quickly.”

“What precisely do you intend to do, Your Highness?”

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, right? If the enemy retaliates economically, we must retaliate in the same way.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Yes?”

Ignoring Nathan’s confusion, Ian called the mercenaries.

“Where are the items I entrusted to you?”

“Here they are, Your Highness.”

The mercenary handed Ian a messenger bird.

Ian smiled and tied a note to the bird’s leg.

“I don’t know how many numbers they will mobilize on the other side. But I only need two people.”

“Only two people?”

“Two people will suffice.”

Ian smiled once more.

With a gesture, the messenger bird took off energetically into the sky.

Flap!

***

Duke Garcia was sitting with several people around a long table. Soon, he asked in a cold voice,

“What is the status of the army surrounding our territory?”

“They have all been repelled. Most fled, but some have been captured as prisoners.”

“Tell them not to treat them carelessly. There are some who could fetch a decent price as slaves.”

“Understood.”

It was truly amazing.

To defeat not just the troops of a hostile territory but an army sent by the king.

And to even think of selling the king’s soldiers into slavery.

Yet Duke Garcia remained calm, simply turning to another person and asking,

“Has the news come from those sent to the north?”

“We’ve received confirmation that all trade routes passing through the Seventh Prince’s Helgaia territory have been secured. Currently, they are monitoring the area to ensure no one can slip through.”

This wasn’t just about control.

Duke Garcia had positioned soldiers near the Seventh Prince to block access completely, preventing not just trade but any person from entering.

A force of fifty thousand had been deployed for surveillance, and there was more.

“We’ve also received replies from the lords. They all stated that they will follow your wishes, my lord.”

It was a letter with Duke Garcia’s seal on it.

Upon receiving the letter, the lords rushed to send letters of surrender to the Duke. They had no choice.

Despite Duke Garcia’s conflict with the royal family, most of Kaistein’s trade was linked to his house.

A direct confrontation could result in the severance of their supplies, akin to what happened in Helgaia.

Nevertheless, some of his subordinates opposed this strategy.

“However, the losses we are incurring are substantial.”

“Indeed. Most trade from the north flows through Helgaia. The expenses and delays from navigating around the mountains are accumulating.”

“The expenses incurred to appease the lords cannot be ignored either. No matter how you look at it, we’re at a disadvantage.”

They proposed a straightforward solution: crush Helgaia by force.

They believed the funds spent on inducing economic collapse were wasteful.

Yet Duke Garcia dismissed their suggestions.

“What the boy needs right now is justification. I have no intention of giving him any excuse.”

“But…”

“If we resort to a show of force, the entire nation will mobilize. Isn’t he currently Bahara’s hero?”

However, economic assaults were a different matter.

Even if Ian complained of injustice, it would only expose his inadequacy.

“Don’t let yourselves be shaken by mere pennies. Such sums are trifles to Garcia.”

Duke Garcia’s words were indeed correct.

The annual income of the Garcia family exceeded that of an entire kingdom.

Hence, the cost of isolating a single territory was a mere triviality.

As time passed, it was Ian who found himself in greater trouble.

Only one thing troubled him now.

“What about Lavaltor?”

“Strangely, he hasn’t moved at all. He must be aware of the situation in Helgaia.”

“He’s simply… sitting back and doing nothing? That Lavaltor?”

“Yes.”

Despite Lavaltor’s inactivity, there was no indication of any imminent threat.

Duke Garcia simply ordered a few additional precautions.

His primary goal remained the downfall of the Seventh Prince, Ian.

‘No matter how much the Seventh Prince is the king of Bahara. He cannot recklessly abandon Kaistein’s territories.’

The power of a lord or a royal family came from their territory.

No matter how great the Seventh Prince was, he wouldn’t be able to let his own territory go to ruin.

While they focused on the territories, the situation shifted.

“Inform the First Prince. It’s time for him to make his way to the royal palace.”

“I will convey the message immediately.”

Garcia and the First Prince were preparing to seize the royal palace.

The title of Crown Prince rightfully belonged to the First Prince, making the task of reclaiming it an easy one.

However, a problem arose.

“C-Crisis! My lord!”

One of his subordinates burst into the meeting room.

How dare he enter the most important meeting of the Duke’s family without proper etiquette. Before the Duke could respond, the subordinate pressed on,

“It’s urgent!”

“There’s a problem!”

“It’s a big crisis, my lord!”

More and more people rushed into the meeting room in a state of panic.

And it wasn’t just them.

Buzz!

Light emanated continuously from the crystal balls on the desk.

Duke Garcia’s eyebrows twitched at the sight.