Chapter 199: Mercer Cravel 3

A tall, well-built man stepped into the hall.

His black hair was neatly combed back, revealing a pair of dark horns that curved gracefully. His face looked quite mature, with a firm jawline and a pair of golden eyes that seemed so calm.

He wore black clothes with a few gold ornaments. Not too conspicuous, but enough to make him look different from the Clan leaders who had already arrived.

And what was most striking was that the man showed no arrogance at all.

He walked casually, now and then nodding to a few Dragons who greeted him. Even when many people began to turn their attention to him, his expression changed very little.

The leader of the Drazhuel Clan, and one of the Dragons at Rank-SS.

"Lord Mercer!"

A Clan leader approached him at once with a broad smile.

"It’s been so long! I almost thought you wouldn’t attend the Primordial Legacy Festival this time."

"It has been quite a while," Mercer answered calmly. "I’ve had a great deal of work to finish lately."

"Hahaha! Of course. Leading the Drazhuel must be no easy job."

Mercer smiled slightly.

"Not really. I still have enough time to attend a party like this."

That conversation didn’t last long. Several other Clan leaders soon came to greet him, forcing Mercer to stop for a moment before he could continue on.

But there was not the slightest impatience in his manner.

He simply received each greeting calmly, sometimes giving a short reply, or asking about the state of the Clan speaking to him.

And from a distance, Cleenah kept watching the man.

’...Lord Mercer.’

Honestly, Cleenah didn’t know Mercer very well.

It was true that the man had been someone very close to Clyne. But that didn’t mean Cleenah had had many chances to spend time with him.

In the past, Clyne had always had different times for the people she cherished.

Sometimes, the woman would spend her time with her lover. At other times, she would go to meet Garph, her old friend, or spend time with Cleenah herself.

Cleenah naturally hadn’t minded that.

She liked Clyne very much, and as long as the woman still had time to keep her company, there was no reason for her to feel dissatisfied.

It was only that, as a result, Cleenah didn’t see Mercer very often.

Even when they did meet, their conversations usually didn’t last very long. Mercer mostly spoke with Clyne or Garph, while Cleenah only occasionally listened in.

’...It’s been so long.’

After Clyne’s death, the chances to meet Mercer became even fewer.

The man had hardly attended the Primordial Legacy Festival in recent years. As the leader of the Drazhuel, he had a great deal of work to finish, especially since his Clan was one of the main supporters of the plan to invade other worlds.

And every time Mercer appeared, the result almost always ended in something unpleasant.

Cleenah still remembered how the relationship between Garph and Mercer had steadily worsened over time.

Once, those two Dragons had been such close friends. But after Clyne’s death, something seemed to have changed between them.

Garph disliked how Mercer had begun to act. What’s more, the man seemed increasingly indifferent to the Qiezhuran, even though that Clan had been so important to Clyne.

And what angered Garph most was Mercer’s attitude whenever they spoke of that woman.

Mercer always chose to keep his mouth shut.

No matter how many questions were asked, the man almost never gave a satisfying answer.

Cleenah herself had once tried asking.

She still wanted to learn more about what had really happened to Clyne, especially since Mercer was one of the people closest to that woman.

But the result was not very different.

Mercer always avoided that topic.

Sometimes he simply fell silent. At other times, he would steer the conversation toward something completely different.

And as time passed, Garph finally stopped trying to understand him.

Their relationship kept worsening until Garph no longer even tried to hide his hatred of Mercer.

’...I wonder.’

Cleenah tightened her grip a little on her cane.

What would Mercer say to her today?

Would he speak as he always did, as if nothing had happened between the Drazhuel and the Qiezhuran?

Or would the man finally bring up the matter he had been avoiding all this time?

’...Lord Mercer.’

Cleenah still found it hard to understand what that man was really thinking.

After all, Mercer had once been someone so important to Clyne.

And now, that same man was on the side that might destroy the Qiezhuran.

A Clan that had stood for so long, that had even once been the leader of all the other Dragon Clans.

’...Why does everything have to turn out like this?’

Cleenah actually wanted to ask him that directly.

But she also knew that a party like this was not the right place to do so.

What’s more, there were so many Clan leaders watching.

So Cleenah only adjusted her bearing again and prepared the smile she normally used to welcome guests.

But before she could approach, Mercer turned his attention first.

The man’s gaze stopped directly on Cleenah.

"..."

For a moment, the two of them only looked at each other from a distance.

Then Mercer finished his conversation with a Clan leader and began walking toward Cleenah.

’...Ah.’

Cleenah straightened her back a little.

She made sure the white cloth covering her eyes was still properly in place, then waited for the man to approach.

Before long, Mercer was standing in front of her.

"Lady Cleenah."

Mercer bowed his head slightly, offering a greeting in a fairly courteous manner.

"Thank you for inviting me. It has been a long time since we last met."

"Ah, welcome, Lord Mercer!"

Cleenah answered at once with a cheerful smile.

"I’m glad you could finally attend the festival this time."

"I am as well. Unfortunately, the past few years have been quite busy."

"Umm, I can imagine. How are things with the Drazhuel?"

"Quite well. Nothing that needs too much worry."

Mercer answered casually, then looked at Cleenah for a moment.

"And you? I heard your health still hasn’t improved much."

"Ah, about that...."

Cleenah raised her cane slightly.

"As you can see, I still need help to walk. But I’m much more used to it now!"

"Is that so? That’s good."

Mercer nodded.

"Don’t push yourself too hard. Leading a Clan certainly takes a lot of work, but your health still needs attention."

"Fufu, thank you for worrying about me."

Cleenah smiled a little.

Their conversation was going rather well.

Mercer didn’t bring up the Qiezhuran’s problems right away or show any unpleasant attitude. He even seemed fairly considerate of Cleenah’s condition.

But precisely because of that, Cleenah grew even more curious.

The man before her seemed not much different from the Mercer she had known long ago.

Calm, not very expressive, but also not someone who was cold to everyone.

’...What exactly are you thinking?’

Cleenah lowered her head slightly.

Meanwhile, Mercer looked around the hall again.

"The party is rather pleasant. I’d almost forgotten when I last attended an event like this in the Qiezhuran."

"Really? Then I’m glad you like it."

"Yes, it seems you’ve prepared well."

Cleenah nodded happily.

"Umm! We’ve been preparing since a few days ago. I hope all the guests can enjoy it."

"I’m sure they are."

Mercer smiled a little.

But a moment later, the man turned his attention back to Cleenah.

"By the way, Lady Cleenah...."

"Yes?"

"There’s something that has caught my attention lately."

Cleenah tilted her head slightly.

"...Something?"

"Yes, about a Voidborn."

"..."

Cleenah’s smile almost vanished.

But she quickly held it.

Mercer kept watching the girl in a calm manner, as if he were only speaking of something ordinary.

"I heard that a Voidborn that was previously in Drazhuel territory has been taken away by a human."

"...Ah."

Cleenah nodded slightly.

"I think I did hear that news."

"Did you?"

Mercer looked a little interested.

"Then perhaps you’ve also heard the other news."

"...The other news?"

"That human is said to be receiving the protection of the Qiezhuran."

"..."

Cleenah fell silent.

And this time, she wasn’t the only one.

A few Clan leaders near them slowly stopped their own conversations. Although some still pretended to enjoy the food, their attention was clearly turning to Mercer and Cleenah.

The matter of the Voidborn was no stranger to the Clan leaders present.

All the more so when that news was directly tied to the Drazhuel and the Qiezhuran.

Cleenah gripped her cane a little tighter.

’...He brought it up right away.’

The girl had actually considered that Mercer might touch on that matter.

But she hadn’t expected him to do it in the middle of the party, with so many Clan leaders gathered around them.

"...Lord Mercer."

Cleenah tried to keep her tone gentle.

"Is there something you’d like to ask?"

"Not much."

Mercer answered casually.

"I’m only a little curious. After all, news of a human who brought a Voidborn and then came to live in the Qiezhuran isn’t something we hear every day."

"...Umm."

Cleenah nodded slightly.

"That’s true."

She didn’t offer an explanation right away.

Cleenah knew that every word she spoke now might be heard by the other Clan leaders.

And honestly, she didn’t want to make things more complicated.

Meanwhile, Mercer only watched the girl without pressing her.

There was no threat in his tone. He even maintained a fairly friendly manner, as if the entire conversation sprang purely from curiosity.

But precisely because of that, Cleenah found it even harder to understand his wishes.

’...What does he want to do?’

For a moment, the girl considered how she should answer.

But before Cleenah could say anything, Mercer closed his eyes.

A small smile appeared on the man’s face.

"Ah, of course. We needn’t discuss that matter right now."

"...Eh?"

"This is a party, isn’t it?"

Mercer chuckled softly.

"I wouldn’t want to spoil the mood over a few matters we can still talk about another time."

Cleenah was silent for a moment.

"...I see."

"Thank you for the welcome, Lady Cleenah. I’ll enjoy the party first."

"Ah, of course! Please, Lord Mercer."

Cleenah answered at once with a smile.

Mercer nodded, then turned and walked away from her.

A few Clan leaders quickly invited him to talk again. Before long, the sound of conversation around them began to be heard as before, as if nothing had just happened.

But Cleenah was still standing where she was.

Her fingers gripped the cane a little more tightly, while the smile she had held all this time didn’t fade right away.

’...Goodness.’

She truly didn’t know what Mercer was planning.

But for now, Cleenah could only try to keep her bearing the way it always was.

At least until the party was over.