Chapter 193: The planned journey 2

"Don’t you also know that if I leave, Lady Cleenah may have to face all of the Qiezhuran’s problems without me at her side?"

Garph looked at Julian seriously.

In truth, the old Dragon had been thinking about that question ever since Julian expressed his agreement with Cleenah’s plan. He didn’t understand why Julian had accepted so easily a journey that even Julian himself seemed to consider too risky.

But something kept Garph from simply deeming that decision a mistake.

’...Lord Julian.’

The man standing before him was no ordinary human.

Garph still remembered his meeting with the Primordial Dragon, the legendary figure he had not dared to treat with even the slightest disrespect.

And that figure had called Julian her Master.

Someone revered by the Primordial Dragon had to possess something that Garph couldn’t grasp just by looking at his Rank or appearance.

That was why, when Julian agreed to Cleenah’s plan, Garph had considered a possibility.

’...Could it be that Lord Julian knows something?’

Perhaps there was a reason behind his decision. Perhaps Julian had seen something Garph didn’t know, or had a way to resolve the problem the Qiezhuran was facing.

Garph didn’t want to hope for too much.

But ever since Clyne’s death, the condition of his Clan had kept worsening. Now even Cleenah’s safety was becoming something he found hard to be sure of.

If Julian truly had a way out, Garph wanted to know it.

"...Lord Julian?"

Hearing that voice, Julian finally opened his mouth.

"Garph, can you trust me?"

"...Of course."

The old Dragon’s answer came without hesitation.

Julian paused a little.

’...That was fast.’

He had actually expected Garph to listen to him. But the old Dragon’s trust sometimes made Julian feel a bit uncomfortable.

After all, he hadn’t even said what he actually wanted to do.

"In that case, I want you to follow the departure plan we’ve agreed on."

"...But, Lord Julian."

"I know you’re worried about Lady Cleenah."

Julian stopped for a moment, then continued.

"And precisely because of that, there’s something you need to know."

Garph looked at Julian more seriously at once.

Seeing that attitude, Julian decided not to beat around the bush. He had learned the real situation from Felicya, and now there was no reason to keep hiding the threat from Garph.

"The Qiezhuran is going to be attacked while the Primordial Legacy Festival is underway."

"...."

Garph froze.

"...What?"

"The attack has already been planned. The Drazhuel aren’t the only Clan involved."

For a few moments, Garph said nothing.

He had already known that relations between the Qiezhuran and the Drazhuel were worsening. But hearing that an attack had been planned was something else entirely.

"...Lord Julian, can that information be trusted?"

"Yes."

Julian nodded.

"I wouldn’t say something like this if it were based only on guesswork."

Garph fell silent.

He wanted to ask where Julian had obtained that information. But considering who was speaking to him, Garph finally chose to listen first.

Unfortunately, Julian’s next words made the situation even worse.

"And there’s one more thing. The other elders around Lady Cleenah have actually already betrayed her."

"...!"

Garph’s body stiffened at once.

"...What did you just say?"

"Those elders don’t truly support Lady Cleenah. They’ve already sided with the party intending to subjugate the Qiezhuran."

Garph felt his breath catch.

The elders?

The ones who had been helping to run the Qiezhuran’s affairs all this time, attending meetings, and declaring their support for the Clan Leader?

’...Impossible.’

Garph wanted to reject that possibility.

He had known most of them for a long time. Some had even spent so many years guarding the Qiezhuran alongside him.

But those words came directly from Julian.

And Garph had no reason to consider them a lie.

"...Bastards."

A low voice escaped his mouth.

Both of Garph’s hands slowly clenched. Veins began to show on his arms, while his jaw hardened as he tried to hold back the anger that had suddenly risen.

How could they do something like that?

The Qiezhuran had given them so much. Even after Clyne died, Cleenah had kept trying to hold the Clan together even though her own body was so frail.

And now, the very people who were supposed to help her had chosen to betray her?

’...How dare they.’

Garph could hardly restrain himself.

If Julian hadn’t been standing before him, he might have gone back to the meeting room right then to demand an explanation from those elders.

But before the old Dragon could say anything, Julian spoke again.

"Garph."

"...Yes, Lord Julian?"

"Don’t do anything to them right now."

Garph fell silent.

Julian looked at the old Dragon’s hands, which were still clenched.

"If they learn that we’ve already noticed the betrayal, things might change before we can do anything."

"...."

"And I don’t want Lady Cleenah to face additional trouble because we acted too hastily."

Garph gritted his teeth.

But after a few moments, he finally drew a long breath and slowly loosened his fists.

"...I understand."

Julian felt a little relieved.

At least Garph could still control himself.

Truthfully, Julian had been quite angry too when he first heard Felicya’s explanation. But now was not the right time to go hunting down traitors and beating them up one by one.

What’s more, some of them were Dragons whose Ranks were far higher than his.

’...If possible, I don’t want to deal with them directly, either.’

Unfortunately, things had already become complicated.

And now, Julian had to make sure the plan he had in mind could go well.

"Garph, I already have a plan of my own for dealing with this problem."

The old Dragon lifted his head at once.

"...A plan?"

"Yes. So I want you to keep following the decision we made in the study just now."

Garph frowned slightly.

"...So, we will truly leave the Qiezhuran tonight?"

"For now, yes."

Julian nodded.

He had no intention of explaining every step he had thought through. At least, not now, when Garph still had to prepare for the departure and Cleenah might be watching to see whether they were really following her request.

"Just leave this matter to me. I’ll take care of it."

Garph looked at Julian for quite a long time.

Before him, the man still stood with a face so calm, as if an attack by several Dragon Clans were nothing to worry about.

’...So it’s true.’

Garph felt a little hope stir within him.

Julian had already known about the threat, and even knew of the betrayal that Garph himself had never managed to notice.

And now he said that he already had a plan.

’...The Master of the Primordial Dragon.’

Garph recalled how that legendary figure had once asked him to help Julian.

Perhaps this was why the Primordial Dragon trusted that man so much.

Garph himself didn’t know what Julian was planning. But if there was anyone who might be able to change the Qiezhuran’s fate, he wanted to believe that person was Julian.

"...Lord Julian."

Garph slowly lowered his head.

Then, keeping his back straight, the old Dragon bowed even deeper before Julian.

"...Garph?"

Julian was a little puzzled at his action.

But before he could ask, Garph had already opened his mouth.

"I beg you."

His voice sounded low.

"Save the Qiezhuran."

Garph held his position, then continued in a voice that trembled slightly.

"...No."

The old Dragon gritted his teeth.

"If saving the Qiezhuran is too difficult, I will not force that request on you."

"...."

"Just save Lady Cleenah."

Garph lowered his head even further.

"I beg you, Lord Julian."

For a few moments, Julian said nothing.

He actually hadn’t expected to see Garph plead in this way.

That old Dragon was a Rank-S, someone with immense strength and standing in the Qiezhuran. Yet now he was bowing his head to a Rank-B human and begging for Cleenah’s safety to be guaranteed.

’...Honestly.’

Julian felt a little cornered.

Truthfully, he himself didn’t yet know whether his plan would work. Even with the information Felicya had given him, there were still so many things he couldn’t be sure of.

And if everything went badly, Julian might also face a problem far greater than his current abilities.

But seeing Garph still bowing his head, he couldn’t bring himself to say that he would simply give up.

What’s more, Julian didn’t want to let Cleenah carry out her insane plan alone either.

After a few moments, Julian finally nodded.

"...Alright."

Garph lifted his head slightly.

And Julian spoke again.

"Leave it to me."

"...."

"I’ll do my best to make sure Lady Cleenah is safe."

Garph was silent for quite a while.

Then he bowed his head again with deep respect.

"...Thank you, Lord Julian."

Julian gave a small nod.

He didn’t want to prolong the conversation. There were still a few things to be prepared before tonight’s departure, and Julian also had to return to his group.

"Then, Garph, we’ll meet again tonight."

"Understood, Lord Julian."

After parting from the old Dragon, Julian began walking toward the room where Monk and Lumi were.

’...Alright. Now for the next part.’

Julian still had a few things to do.

And when he finally arrived in front of the room and opened the door, something immediately caught his attention.

"...Hm?"

Inside the room, Lumi seemed to have been waiting for him.

The little nine-tailed fox lifted its head the moment it saw Julian arrive. Even before Julian could say anything, its nine tails were already swishing about eagerly.