Chapter 139: Founded on Dragon Slaying

Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Founded on Dragon Slaying

These official agents were like a pack of mad dogs, specializing in secretly hunting down Sub-human Species with special Talents and using their bodies for all sorts of inhumane bloodline experiments.

Rein stood in the shadows, his face devoid of expression as he watched the furious little wolf cub suspended in mid-air.

His severe injuries had caused his Basic Attributes to drop below ten, making him weaker than even an ordinary Apprentice Swordsman.

But as he stood there silently, the terrifying aura he exuded—one forged in a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood—still weighed down on the girl in mid-air, making her feel oppressed.

It was likely the same feeling a fattened, penned-up pig would have when it looked up at a seasoned butcher.

’So it really is Cyan Moon royalty.’

Rein looked at the girl’s amber eyes, which glowed faintly in the darkness, and made a silent appraisal.

The next second, the terrifying aura radiating from the old soldier vanished completely.

He gave a helpless, bitter smile.

He reverted to the guise of a short-tempered, down-on-his-luck retired old man.

"Your kind never learns, do you?"

"This recklessness of yours... rushing headfirst into a deathtrap for a little bait. You’re exactly like Celeste was."

Shaking his head and sighing, Rein hobbled over to the old desk.

He reached out with calloused fingers and casually pinched out the smoldering Lure in the Brass Incense Burner.

But upon hearing the name "Celeste,"

The girl, who had been struggling wildly in mid-air, suddenly went rigid.

Her amber eyes filled with utter disbelief.

Because Celeste was the name of her aunt!

"You... How... How do you know that name?"

The ferocity in the girl’s voice vanished, replaced by a stammer.

"Looks like my intelligence network wasn’t wrong."

Rein turned around and let out a long sigh.

He looked up, his gaze complex, at the Wolf Girl hanging from the beam.

"I know that Dark River, the underground slave-trading organization, recently lost a high-priced shipment of Sub-human cargo during transport."

"And now, the Hyenas working for Dark River are scouring the world for you."

Rein rubbed the ash from his fingers.

"I deliberately concocted this scent today, one that specifically targets your royal bloodline, because I wanted to find you before that pack of mad dogs did."

"I wanted to see if I could intercept a big fish like you."

With that, Rein slowly raised his right hand.

He snapped his fingers.

SNAP!

With a faint flicker of Magic Power, the Secret Silver Threads binding the girl’s limbs instantly came loose. They transformed into several streaks of silver light that flew back to Rein’s wrist, reforming into an inconspicuous cord.

Freed from her suspension, the girl’s body plummeted, crashing heavily onto the dusty wooden floorboards of the attic.

"Just who are you?"

"Why are you going to all this trouble to help me?"

Ignoring the pain, the girl clutched her red and swollen wrists. She curled up in a corner like a frightened kitten, watching Rein with wary eyes.

"I was once with the Black Iron Command Bureau, it’s true."

Rein admitted to his unsavory past without hesitation.

But then he reached down and slapped his stiff left leg.

"But look at the wreck I am now. I’ve been retired for over a decade."

"The commanders at the Command Bureau can’t very well have a cripple who can’t even walk straight keep doing their dirty work for them, can they?"

Rein gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Years ago, while on a mission in the Royal Capital, your aunt Celeste did me a huge favor."

"The one thing I hate most is being in debt to someone. I owe your Cyan Moon Royal Family a favor."

"Now that I’ve found you in trouble, I can finally repay that debt."

Rein turned, rummaged through a dilapidated drawer, and pulled out a bottle of brown salve for external wounds. He casually tossed it to the Wolf Girl in the corner.

"For the time being, you’ll stay put in this room. Don’t go anywhere."

"I’ll go out and see what the situation is. Once things have blown over, I’ll find a chance to get you out of Gray Rock Town."

"What’s your name?"

The girl caught the small porcelain bottle, uncorked it, and sniffed it carefully.

After confirming it was only the strong scent of herbs, she glanced up at Rein.

She knew full well that if this old soldier truly meant her harm or wanted to turn her in for a bounty, he would have had no reason to release her. He could have just left her tied to the beam and waited for the Black Market contacts to arrive.

"Ella Lunaris."

The girl stated her name in a low voice as she carefully applied the salve to the bloody marks on her wrists.

Just as the tension in the air began to ease,

Rein’s tone suddenly shifted.

"A moment ago... you were following Lance, weren’t you?"

"Give me a good reason."

"It will determine the nature of our relationship from here on out."

Startled, Ella stopped applying the salve.

She quickly began to explain.

"He’s an incredibly rare Dragon Descendant! I just wanted to ask for his help!"

"According to the ancient Azure Moon and Golden Covenant, those of the Dragon Race bloodline are required to provide unconditional safe harbor to any member of the Cyan Moon Wolf Royal Family they find in distress!"

Upon hearing her answer,

Rein was stunned silent for a good half a minute.

"Dragon Descendant? What the hell are you talking about?"

The veteran stared at the earnest Wolf Girl as if she were a complete idiot.

"In the Iris Kingdom, the people they call Dragon Descendants are all Great Nobles who control the very lifeblood of the Empire. You could even say they’re all Grand Dukes!"

"That kid, Lance? His father was nothing more than a poor soldier. Where would he get a Dragon Race bloodline?"

Rein decided the girl wasn’t just crazy; her eyesight was shot, too.

"And another thing!"

The veteran’s voice rose, his tone dripping with exasperation.

"Didn’t Celeste ever teach you to read a history book? Or has the Cyan Moon Werewolf clan fallen so far that you’re all this ignorant now?"

"Don’t you know that in the Iris Kingdom today, the Dragon Race blood flowing through the veins of those so-called Dragon Descendant nobles was mostly Plundered by their ancestors centuries ago through the brutal slaughter of dragons?!"

"And you actually expect a bunch of human butchers, whose families rose to power by slaughtering dragons, to honor some ancient covenant that time has long since forgotten?"

Rein’s barrage of questions left Ella, huddled in the corner, utterly dumbfounded.

She stared blankly, mouth agape, the small bottle of salve in her hand, her mind a complete blank.

Looking at the girl’s expression of pure, innocent stupidity,

Rein sighed and rubbed his throbbing temples.

He shook his head to himself.

’What a naive, stupid pup.’