Chapter 303: The Gold Dragon's Farewell

"It's over," Farama said, dusting off her hands. She turned and picked up the now-ownerless Purgatory Saddle from the ground. "Looks like all those years finally wore him out."

"This is the first time I've heard of a Death Knight getting 'tired'," Jilannis said, retracting her sword-shaped Force Field as she strolled closer. "So what about you? Do you ever get tired?"

"If I had the choice, I'd have turned to dust long ago," Farama said, sizing up the Moon Elf she had never seen before. "Are you the new consultant our Lord hired? Judging by your skills, you must be in charge of training, right?"

"Jilannis Galanord," the Moon Elf said, offering her hand. But Farama, holding the entire saddle, couldn't return the courtesy. "I'm willing to handle some of the training if necessary, but as per my contract, I'm technically a researcher."

'First time I've seen a "researcher" with Swordsmanship like that,' Farama muttered. She herself was also a Caster and a Warrior, but her choice of primary and secondary skills was the exact opposite of Jilannis's.

But even if Swordsmanship was a secondary skill, an Elf's long lifespan was more than enough time to train it to the point of mastery. During the centuries Farama had been sealed away, Jilannis, after all, had been a completely free woman.

"Congratulations. Looks like you've found all your parts, hmph." Kao Jia's wings folded behind him. As the Desire Demon approached Farama, his eyes blazed with fighting spirit. "I suppose we're colleagues now. Eternal life is a gift. In the years to come, you will understand that."

"But that's for later. I have my orders from the Duke. You are to wait here. After I've collected this share of Abyssal Silver, we will return to Purgatory together."

The Desire Demon's gaze fell to the saddle in Farama's hands. "This saddle no longer has a master. The Duke's orders are to give it directly to you. You'll just need to complete some paperwork once we're back. If you're not skilled in mounted combat, you can hand it over. Let's see... it's probably worth a dozen or so Soul Coins."

"What's the actual purchasing power of a Soul Coin in the Abyss and Purgatory?" Ron couldn't help but ask upon hearing the currency mentioned again. "For example, if I wanted to buy a kilogram of Hell Iron, how many coins would that cost?"

"That's hard to say," Kao Jia said, giving Ron a speculative look. "Soul Coins are created and circulated by Duke Mammon of the Third Layer. He's also the one who regulates their purchasing power."

"But as you know, the value of a Soul Coin is primarily due to the soul inside it. Once the soul is released or depleted, the currency loses its value. Across the many planes, countless Soul Coins are consumed every minute for one reason or another, so Mammon's regulations are always in flux. Therefore, if you actually have Soul Coins on you, my advice is not to buy at 'market price.' You'll end up deep in debt. If you really want Hell Iron, you'd be better off making a deal with me. It'll be a much better bargain."

"In that case, I'd better keep it," Farama said, fiddling with the saddle. "I remember this can be used to summon a Nightmare, right? How do you do it?"

"You have to catch one yourself, of course!" Kao Jia cackled with glee. "Relax, we have no reason to screw you over on this. Catching a Nightmare, capturing it alive, subduing it, and putting on the saddle—this is a necessary trial for every Nightmare Rider Demon who owns a Purgatory Saddle. If you want to earn a truly recognized position in Purgatory, I suggest you do it as soon as possible."

"Otherwise, the other devils will be whispering behind your back: 'Look at that mortal, dreaming of a place in Purgatory? She can't even get her own mount!'"

Farama snorted coldly. "Don't try goading me. I might just end up breaking your record for catching a Nightmare!"

"For the slowest time?" Kao Jia retorted, clearly disliking his new colleague. "The current living record-holder took thirteen hundred years to tame a Nightmare. You've still got a long way to go!"

Just as it looked like the two future colleagues were about to come to blows, the conflict was cut short by the Dwarf, Rurik, waking up on the Gold Dragon's back. Kao Jia's attention immediately shifted to the Dwarf. To Ron's relief, the Dwarf had performed his task admirably, so the Desire Demon's first trip wouldn't be a wasted one.

Just then, however, the Gold Dragon beckoned Ron to its other side, indicating that it had something to say to him.

"In the days to come, I'm afraid I must entrust Aiksuuri to you," the Gold Dragon began, getting straight to the point without any pleasantries. "After observing you for so long, I am convinced you are a trustworthy individual. While he may not be able to continue upholding the ideals of the gold dragons, under your care, he can at least retain a kind heart..."

"Hold on," Ron quickly interrupted. "What are you talking about? This sounds like you're entrusting me with your orphan. That Witch Demon's arrow really did hurt you, didn't it?"

'After all, in most stories told by tavern bards, the Witch Demon was the final mastermind. Even though that one had seemed like a small fry in front of a Demon Lord and a Devil Duke, its actual power was not to be underestimated.'

"The Witch Demon? No, no, this has nothing to do with him," the Gold Dragon blinked, dismissing Ron's assumption. "I have to leave simply because I have other duties to fulfill."

"During my adventures with our Mage friend, I found some very suspicious clues that I must go and verify. Please believe me, it's not that I have anything to hide, it's that I cannot be sure of it myself yet."

The Gold Dragon was still in its true form, and Ron couldn't read the Giant Dragon's expression. "I may need to visit many places and seek verification from many people, so I'll be gone for a very long time. Aiksuuri is still young. And while his heritage as a Colorful Dragon means he's already self-sufficient, we can't risk him reverting to his base instincts, can we?"

"Well... alright. I'll take good care of him, you can be sure of that," Ron said after a moment's hesitation. He felt there was a hidden meaning in the Gold Dragon's words, but since the dragon wasn't elaborating, he couldn't press the issue. "How long do you think you'll be gone?"

"A few years at the minimum. At most... perhaps this will be the last time you see me in your lifetime," the Gold Dragon said, seeming to smile. "But please rest assured, I will most certainly be there to see you off at your funeral."