Chapter 197: Culture

As she walked across the grassy field, Lily felt a gentle yet energetic tug on her arm.

“Lily, our baby is so beautiful!” With two crimson eyes shining brightly like precious gems, Nia spoke excitedly.

With such graceful steps that she seemed to be skipping, the beautiful purple-haired girl wore a smile from ear to ear as she held a little girl in her arms with the utmost care.

“If Rose wants some water or a blanket, let me know.” Whispering into the ear of the little girl sleeping peacefully in her arms, Nia held her a little tighter against her body.

Their lovely daughter felt so safe in her presence that she was sleeping without a care in the world. She was so unbearably cute that Nia couldn't stop smiling. She couldn't believe something so adorable could actually exist.

“Yes, Nia, our baby is the cutest in the world~” Pulling the girl hiding beneath her cloak a little closer, Lily couldn't help relaxing despite the situation around them.

Even high above the sea of clouds, a thin haze of dust hung over the surroundings, reflecting the sunlight. Rubble from destroyed buildings and numerous holes in the ground could be seen everywhere.

During the Wing Clan's transformation into their draconic forms, numerous houses had been destroyed throughout the city, even damaging the Fang Clan's district.

Because of this, and since the guest quarters were isolated from the city and had suffered little damage, many dragon families were now living there temporarily.

Running and flying in every direction, Athamas's residents were working together to rebuild the city without distinction between clans.

Lily wondered whether Tiamat had issued some kind of order that had allowed the situation to unfold so harmoniously. Since the destruction had only occurred because of Ignis's recklessness, she had expected the Fang Clan to protest, but that didn't seem to be the case.

As she walked, whenever she met the gaze of dragons with four wings on their backs, they immediately bowed their heads, as if greeting their leader despite their apprehension. However, when she looked at dragons wearing golden masks and sporting white hair, their reactions were completely different.

Blushing so intensely that even their masks couldn't conceal their flushed faces, every member of the Fang Clan within her field of vision trembled slightly before hiding away.

They had heard it.

Her passionate lovemaking session to make sure her wife would have babies had been heard by everyone.

“After Lily showed everyone how amazing she is, I thought I'd need to do something to scare off all those opportunists. But now that everyone knows Lily is my wife, no one will dare approach her!”

Unlike Lily, whose face was now crimson with embarrassment at having been overheard, the girl walking beside her seemed strangely proud of what had happened.

With neither the courage nor the resolve to bring up the subject again, given how mortified she was, Lily pulled the hood of her cloak even farther over her head. Hiding her face and quickening her pace, she crossed the ruined grounds with Nia by her side, avoiding the curious stares.

Upon reaching a familiar multi-story building that she had broken into in the past, Lily was surprised to find that the structure hadn't suffered even a single scratch. She approached the double doors, intending to knock rather than sneak inside as she had last time, but her action proved unnecessary, as someone was already waiting for her.

“Good morning, Suzerain Lily. I have been expecting you.” Her voice was monotonous, yet incredibly respectful.

The woman was short in stature. She stood perfectly still, her hands clasped in front of her body over the immaculate fabric of her white robes, her feet firmly aligned on the floor like a soldier standing at attention. Like the other members of her clan, she had lustrous white hair cascading down her head, but every strand appeared perfectly groomed, as though the very existence of split ends would be unforgivable under her personal dress code.

Her slender chin was raised just enough to observe the three girls without moving her head. Even though she wore a mask, Lily could feel the woman carefully assessing them, missing not a single detail.

“We haven't been formally introduced yet, but you're Oriana, aren't you?”

During the trial and the ceremony Lily had interrupted, this woman had been responsible for representing the Fang Clan while Tiamat was ill. At first glance, she seemed like a secretary, but given all the situations she had been involved in, she was probably much more than that.

Initially, Lily had believed Cicuta was Tiamat's right-hand woman, but considering how she had concealed her true strength and intentions, it shouldn't have been surprising that someone else had been entrusted with that role.

“Yes, I am Oriana. It is an honor that the esteemed Suzerain remembers my name.” Forming delicate pinches with her fingers, Oriana grasped the edges of her white robes, stepped forward with her right foot, and bowed at the waist. “I would like to thank you for saving my Suzerain. Truly, thank you very much.”

Watching the dragon woman bow before her, Lily couldn't help thinking how astonishing the situation was.

Although she couldn't say so with absolute certainty, out of all the dragons in the Fang Clan, this woman seemed to be the strongest, second only to Tiamat.

If Tiamat were to pass away, Oriana would probably become the clan's new leader. Considering that she came from a society where siblings fought one another for the throne, it would be reasonable to expect members of other species to covet power above all else, too. Even so, she seemed genuinely happy that the former leader was still alive, so Lily didn't think she was a bad person.

“We only helped transport the antidote. If you want to thank someone, ask Thelira to pass your regards to Elarielle.”

Although Lily had discovered the herb responsible for Tiamat's poisoning, it was still true that Elarielle and Rhei had worked tirelessly to create the antidote. Lily didn't want to take credit for their efforts.

“You are truly a modest person, my lady.” Although almost imperceptible, a small smile of relief formed on her lips. “In that case, I will be sure to write a letter of gratitude to Queen Elarielle. Please, follow me. I will take you to Suzerain Tiamat.”

Just as she had said, Oriana walked into the building, and Lily followed close behind with Nia. As on her previous visit, the place looked like an enormous white palace.

The high ceiling was luxurious, ornamental curtains complemented the interior pillars, and the glow of the suspended lights created a pleasant atmosphere.

“By the way, there is something I would like to discuss.” As she climbed a staircase and led the way, Oriana spoke in her usual monotonous tone without turning around.

“Hmm? What is it?” Lily asked curiously.

“I have no objection to you engaging in copulation in your private quarters, but I would appreciate it if you could do so at a more convenient time.”

Lily's mind froze.

“Contrary to what many people believe, dragons also sleep to conserve energy, so many of us are still asleep in the early hours of the morning, and we value our silence.”

Lily was speechless.

With her face burning like flames, all she could do was hug her wife for support before stammering, “W-W-We apologize!”

“Don't worry about it,” Oriana replied bluntly. “Newlywed couples often leave the city to spend their wedding night. Our species can only copulate in our draconic forms, so the noise is so loud that it often reaches the city. We're used to it, and we respect this intimate moment.”

Dragons? Wait, was Oriana telling her that she and Nia made love just as loudly as dragons in their colossal forms?

“Anyway, thank you for understanding. We've arrived.” Suddenly opening a luxurious door, Oriana disappeared from sight to attend to other matters.

Still panicking over what she had just heard, Lily took several seconds to notice the gaze fixed on her.

Before her stood a beautiful woman who looked as though she had been painted by the heavens.

Her silky white hair adorned her body, cascading down her back like a waterfall. Light white garments draped over her arms and waist, accentuating a generous bust that did little to remain discreet. Her rosy skin, unmarred by even a single blemish or wrinkle, was dazzling. Two feathered wings on her back swayed with chaste grace, while her tail, covered in golden scales, followed her movements. Finally, her eyes had pale gray pupils.

“Lady Tiamat...”

“Good heavens, just call me Tiamat, Lily. We now hold positions with equal responsibilities.”

Clapping her hands to ease the tension, the leader of the Fang Clan pointed toward two chairs beside her bed.

Following her kind invitation, Lily sat down in one of the chairs. However, unlike what the dragon woman had expected, Nia sat on her wife's lap, holding their daughter in her arms with even greater care.

Seeing her wife acting so adorably helped Lily relax. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the woman lying in bed.

It was the first time Lily had seen Tiamat's face without her golden mask. The woman was undeniably beautiful, beautiful enough to attract attention wherever she went. If Lily hadn't known she had been poisoned, nothing in her actions or expressions would have suggested that she had been on the verge of death just the day before.

“This is the first time we've actually spoken to each other, isn't it? It feels a little strange, even to me.” Bringing a hand to her lips, Tiamat let out a soft laugh.

She wasn't wrong. While accompanying Thelira as an escort, Lily had never spoken directly to Tiamat. The closest she had come to the dragon woman was when she had broken into her room to collect a sample of her blood.

“And this must be Lady Gardenia, whom I've heard so much about.”

Tilting her head, Tiamat looked at the beautiful purple-haired woman. The simple gesture made her body sway slightly, and considering that she was wearing light clothing with no undergarments beneath, her large breasts bounced in a naturally erotic manner.

That act alone would have been enough to awaken lust in anyone, regardless of gender. Even so, upon witnessing it, Nia puffed out her cheeks.

“Trying to seduce me is pointless. I only have eyes for Lily.” Looking at her wife's breasts and giving a faint smile, Nia turned confidently toward the dragon woman. “And Lily's are much bigger.”

Like someone who had won a battle, Nia puffed out her chest proudly.

“Then I suppose I've truly been defeated.” Letting out a sigh, Tiamat covered her face with one hand and shook her head.

“Train for another thousand years before you try to have breasts as beautiful as Lily's—”

Before Nia could continue, Lily desperately wrapped her arms around her head, burying her face against her chest.

“T-T-Tiamat, I'm glad you're feeling better!” Deciding that ignoring their recent exchange of words was best for her own survival, Lily spoke with a stammer.

Since this seemed like a political visit, Lily had wanted to bring Thelira along so the high elf could speak on her behalf. However, after being told that it would be better for the elf not to accompany her in this case, the silver-haired girl found herself having to handle things somehow.

“Thank you very much for asking. Yes, I'm feeling better...” Turning toward Lily, Tiamat's voice gradually grew quieter. “Actually, that's what I would have liked to say.”

“Did something happen? Was the medicine not enough?”

“That's not it.” Tiamat shook her head. “An issue came up in the early hours of this morning.”

Taking a deep breath, Tiamat clenched her fists, her expression completely blank.

“Cicuta was found dead in her cell.”

A chill ran through Lily's body.

“… What?” Lily murmured.

“As a precaution, Oriana had kept Cicuta in a cell outside the city ever since the trial, inside one of the mountain caves. She had appointed competent guards to watch over her, so escape should have been impossible. However, in the early hours of this morning, the guards noticed a strong green glow inside the cave. When they rushed to investigate, they found her body almost completely charred.”

Cicuta was dead.

The dragon woman with whom Lily had fought a battle of magic.

Tiamat's words continued to echo in her mind, but Lily couldn't believe them.

“Could it have been... some kind of trick?”

Although she had only spoken with that woman for a few days, Lily felt she understood her well enough to conclude that she would never take her own life like this.

Her specialty was fire magic, but there might have been other spells they knew nothing about.

“No. Despite my weakened condition, I went there myself to investigate. I know you might doubt me, considering how blind I was to recent events, but you can trust me on this. It truly was my sister.”

Tiamat's words felt like a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over Lily.

Regardless of what had happened between them, Cicuta was still Tiamat's own flesh and blood. If Tiamat herself had confirmed it, speculating about other possibilities would only cause them more pain.

At that moment, the sound of grinding teeth echoed through the room.

“Cicuta chose suicide rather than face her crimes and me...” With a pained yet lonely expression, Tiamat spoke in a low voice.

She had killed her older brother. She had poisoned Tiamat and plotted the downfall of the dragons.

She wasn't a good person, even by the most generous standards. And yet, one thing remained true.

Cicuta was her sister.

With her death, Tiamat had lost her last living relative.

Dragons believed that dying in battle was honorable. There was glory in their falls and splendor in their battles, but it was obvious that not everyone shared that belief.

Although words might be of little use at a moment like this, Lily knew the pain Tiamat was feeling because she had experienced it herself.

“She was quite a troublesome opponent. Her lack of presence helped her conceal her ability to use magic, and she really fought with everything she had.”

Would saying this help at all? Lily couldn't tell. However, as one of the last people to witness the true face of the woman's sister while she was still alive, she thought it might be good to tell Tiamat a little about it.

“Magic, you say? I wonder how Cicuta fought.”

“You haven't watched the recording of my fight with her yet, Tiamat?”

Lily asked, but Tiamat shook her head.

“I was going to watch it today. However, a few hours ago, I was informed that Elder Ipomoea had discovered that the recording artifact had been destroyed during the night. The footage can no longer be recovered, not even by a craftsman of his caliber.”

“What!?”

Once again that day, Lily felt so confused that she couldn't keep herself from raising her voice.

Cicuta had killed herself, and the footage showing that woman using magic had been destroyed.

Was it just a coincidence? Lily couldn't tell.

The dwarves took great pride in their creations, so it was unlikely they would make a mistake that resulted in something being destroyed like this. Lily could only conclude that someone had deliberately destroyed it. However, that raised another problem.

Given Cicuta's behavior, it seemed unlikely that she had an accomplice who would destroy the recording. And if she did, that person would have gone to rescue her before she took her own life rather than worrying about a mere recording.

Strange. The whole situation was strange.

It was as though someone wanted to erase Cicuta's very existence without leaving a trace.

“Culture can often be painful, can't it?”

As Lily lost herself in thought, she heard Tiamat's voice, drawing her full attention back to the dragon woman.

Still wearing a pained expression, Tiamat interlaced her fingers, rubbing her thumbs against each other.

“Ever since I was born, I've always tried to do what was expected of me. I acted according to what I believed was best for my people, and I learned to become strong to protect our traditions, even when I disagreed with them. That was the duty of a member of the Fang Clan.”

Tiamat let out a short sigh.

“Our culture oppressed us to the point that my sister committed fratricide once. No, she would have even succeeded in killing me if it weren't for your help.”

The woman's voice was painful to listen to. Her words carried such weight, as though she were speaking while submerged in a river of melancholy.

“I know there's no real justification for what Cicuta did. Even so, I can't stop thinking that this might have been prevented if I'd paid more attention to her from the beginning.”

Was she simply shifting the blame out of guilt? No, she was trying to find someone to hold responsible, even if that someone had to be herself.

“Cicuta wasn't strong, so they never allowed her to go to the front lines during the war. To tell you the truth, I envied her for that. Not having to be responsible for other people's lives. Being able to do whatever she wanted without anyone judging her. To me... that seemed wonderful.”

Tiamat closed her eyes for a moment, as if turning her gaze inward toward her memories.

“My parents died in battle, and everyone simply told us that they had died with honor. My brother was appointed the new leader of the Fang Clan, but he soon disappeared without a trace. Had he abandoned me and left all the responsibility to me because he couldn't bear the burden of leading the clan? I asked myself that every day.”

Lowering her head, Tiamat pulled a small golden mask from beneath her pillow.

“This culture was destroying my family, but since it was so important to everyone else, I clung to it. I decided that the sacrifice my clan would have to make because of my older brother's actions would be to wear the Masks of Shame, an ancient tradition of our species. I suffered in silence, and in the end, that very same culture took my sister from me.”

“Tiamat...” Lily murmured, unsure whether her voice had even reached the dragon woman.

It was painful, lonely, and infuriating.

No one should have judged her for wanting to cry or grieve, but her people would. Because they saw such things as signs of weakness.

She was opening up to them about something she couldn't allow anyone else to hear.

Was it because they came from outside her race, or because of the situation involving Cicuta? Whatever the reason, it was undeniable that Tiamat simply wanted someone to listen to her for once. She wanted to let out everything she had kept bottled up inside.

Having listened to everything from beginning to end, Lily wasn't sure she could say anything to ease the woman's loneliness.

Even so, as she pondered what to say, Tiamat turned toward her—or rather, toward the little girl in her wife's arms.

“In all these years, the only one who noticed what was happening in my heart was this little girl.” With a smile so radiant it seemed to shine, Tiamat lowered her head. “From the bottom of my heart, I want to apologize for your daughter being blamed for what happened.”

Several people had bowed their heads to Lily that day. Whether out of obedience or gratitude, each had their own reason. Even so, there was something so pure and indescribable about Tiamat's words that the silver-haired girl couldn't help being deeply moved.

Lily couldn't simply say that everything was all right, but no matter how much Tiamat blamed herself, what had happened hadn't been her fault in the first place. Because of that, Lily could never hold a grudge against her over this.

“I hope we can get along from now on,” Lily said, watching Tiamat's smile grow even wider.

“Indeed. Who would have thought that an escort accompanying a delegation would become the leader of a clan?”

Something Lily had forgotten suddenly came back to her.

“I-If what happened turned out to be a problem...”

“You don't need to worry about the outcome. In fact, after hearing what happened, I'd say we should be thanking Lady Gardenia for sparing the Wing Clan.”

Turning her gaze toward Nia, Tiamat seemed lost in thought.

“Eight years ago, the Third Twilight was killed in the elven forest. Honestly, it was difficult to believe that Elarielle could have defeated him alone. I don't doubt her strength, but that man was far too powerful for her to face by herself. I didn't believe Thelira could have been responsible for it, either, but now I have an idea of what happened.”

The dragon woman let out a sigh.

“My mana reserves are still intact, since the poison merely prevented me from accessing them to heal myself. Even so, I'm not certain I could defeat this young woman even if I used every last bit of my mana. You even defeated Bahamut in direct combat. I know I have no chance of beating you.”

Her reptilian pupils focused on Nia.

Suddenly, a silent pressure filled the luxurious room.

“The appearance of a human, the eyes of a demon, mana reserves even greater than a dragon's, and... the scent of a monster.”

Tiamat narrowed her eyes, sending an icy shiver down Lily's spine.

“Ignis was a fool to challenge you based solely on her feelings. The survival of her clan was the greatest stroke of luck she could have had in her life. Thanks to that, you don't need to worry. They won't have any trouble obeying you.”

Resting her palm against her face, Tiamat shook her head.

“I never expected the elven queen to have such powerful allies hidden away. It makes sense that she wasn't afraid to send her sister here.”

Her words were casual, as though she didn't care about the statements she had just made. Even so, Lily couldn't help hugging Nia and Rose more tightly as she studied Tiamat.

“Do you intend to do anything against us?”

From the way Tiamat spoke, it didn't seem that Bahamut had told her Nia was a metamorph. Although the dragon hero didn't seem interested in doing anything about that fact, Lily knew all too well how other people would react if they learned about the Book of Truth and Nia's ability to use dark mana.

If the dragons marked her wife and daughter as threats, Lily would use everything at her disposal to protect them.

How would Tiamat act? In the worst-case scenario, they would have to fight here and now.

“Oh?”

However, noticing Lily's worried expression, Tiamat tilted her head with a smile.

“I can't say I won't interfere, depending on what you plan to do with the position you now hold, but you can rest assured that I won't question your right to hold it. Nor will I ask any questions about who exactly this young woman is, if that's what concerns you.”

Lily immediately understood what the dragon woman meant. Although she wasn't a dragon, she now had the same rights as one. As long as her decisions didn't affect the future of the race as a whole, Tiamat wouldn't interfere.

However, believing that she wouldn't try anything against Nia seemed like too much to ask of Lily. As if she had noticed this, Tiamat, who still had her legs stretched out on the bed, sat up and faced the girls.

“Although I hate my clan's traditions, I understand that there is something about them that makes sense.”

A smile that never reached her eyes formed on her beautiful face. Placing a hand over her chest, she felt her own heartbeat for a long moment before smiling even more broadly.

“Culture is what separates us from beasts.”

It was a macabre smile.

“If you can think, you can talk. If you can engage in dialogue, you can negotiate. Only mindless beasts resort to barbaric violence instead of using words.”

Narrowing her eyes, Tiamat stared at the purple-haired girl.

“Then, judging by your behavior, can I conclude that you have no intention of directing hatred toward us without a reason? Am I correct?”

Realizing they were talking to her, Nia simply shrugged.

“I have no interest in fighting any of you. However, if you dare even think about hurting Lily or Rose, I won't show mercy a second time.”

“Then everything is perfectly fine!” Tiamat clapped her hands and beamed. “I appreciate that, young lady. I hope we get along from now on.”

Lily swallowed nervously.

As long as Nia wasn't her enemy, Tiamat didn't seem interested in pressing her with any further questions about anything involving her. Like a mutually beneficial non-aggression pact, everything could be settled through dialogue.

Was this the logic of a leader who cared about her people's survival, or was it simply her desire to avoid her own death? Lily couldn't say—or rather, she preferred not to know.

From the beginning, the silver-haired girl had harbored no hostility toward Tiamat. Her only goal was to search for any labyrinths within dragon territory, and she hadn't even planned to contact the dragon woman in the first place. Thus, if they could establish a neutral relationship, that would be more than enough for her.

“Lady Suzerain Tiamat, I've come to bring you your lunch.”

Suddenly, a gentle voice came with a light knock on the door. It was Oriana.

“My goodness, how quickly time flies.” Clapping her hands and resting one against her cheek, Tiamat turned toward the silver-haired girl. “Would you like to have lunch with me, Lily?”

“It's all right. I believe you need to rest.” Helping Nia to her feet before standing herself, Lily bowed slightly and prepared to leave the room.

Before she could leave, however, she heard Tiamat call out to her one last time.

“We'll resume the council this afternoon. I hope I can count on your presence, Lily.”

Without even having the chance to refuse, she had gotten herself involved in even more troublesome affairs.