NOVEL WEB Chapter 73: Might As Well Be OP (1)
The carriage of Arthur's family moved through the snowy fields of the North as they made their way to the grand castle of the demonic dragons.
Arthur had just realized it, but aside from his family's castle, the rest of the buildings in their territory looked vastly different.
Arthur, who had been gazing out the window, turned to his mother who sat opposite him. "Mom, are you thinking of reclaiming the territory?"
Thyra, who also sat opposite him with Selena and their mother, nodded. "I've been telling both her and Selena, but they won't listen."
Alicia hesitated. "I thought I should pursue the path of peace this time." She narrowed her eyes, her voice tinged with sorrow. "I didn't feel right killing everyone in my clan."
Arthur didn't know what it felt like to kill family, but he did know what it felt like to never have one to begin with.
He offered a gentle smile. "Then I'll support whatever decision you make."
Alicia's eyes widened at his words, then she felt an unexpected wave of emotion well up.
"My baby…" she muttered teary-eyed.
Thyra snapped. "Hey, you traitor—how dare you betray your big sister!"
Arthur grinned, then his expression darkened as he let out a tired sigh. "You're such a selfish daughter." He glanced at her with one eye. "…I'm disappointed."
Thyra's face flushed crimson as she felt the impulse to either punch Arthur or drop a massive spell on his head.
But then Sylvia, who was resting her head on Arthur's shoulder, chimed in. "Mother-in-law, I agree with Thyra on this."
"Huh?"
Sylvia elaborated. "As you may know, many things have changed from our original course. If we want to end the inevitable war quickly, we need to win over as many forces as possible."
The carriage fell silent, but Sylvia continued. "Don't get me wrong, I don't want you to kill anyone…" Her tone shifted, suddenly very serious. "But you have to reclaim your land, Queen Alicia."
Alicia nodded. "I understand."
Just as she spoke, the carriage came to a halt as the rider called out.
"My lady, we've arrived."
The door of the carriage opened, and as Arthur stepped out, he couldn't help but marvel at what lay before him.
Not beautiful, but grandiose.
A few meters away was a massive crater, and inside, over a hundred demonic dragons soared around a nest.
At the edge of the cliff was a long, narrow crystalline stairway that led to a colossal ice castle suspended in the sky, with a majestic white demonic dragon perched atop it.
Arthur swallowed hard, then turned briefly to his mother. "Mom, why exactly did we never build something like this?"
His mother, though it wasn't her first time seeing it, also swallowed. "Well, I've never been great with aesthetics."
Arthur, Alicia, Selena, Thyra, and Sylvia all exhaled in unison, cold vapor forming with each breath.
Four maids and three bodyguards stood behind them.
Arthur glanced at the stairway and immediately understood why Arthur Arcain had never awakened, or even attempted awakening.
The staircase was designed in a way that made it impossible for demonic dragons to ascend.
That meant the unawakened dragon would either have to grow wings out of thin air—or be flown up by their mothers.
And considering Alicia was now an outcast, Arthur knew which option they expected him to take.
Arthur's gaze lifted to the sky as seven large dragons and ten smaller ones flew toward them with smug expressions.
"If it isn't Alicia and her band of miserable wretches," said a dark-haired man who led the group.
Before Alicia could respond, Arthur winced, shivering ever so slightly. "Ugh, brain freeze."
The man turned to him with a disgusted look. "What is this unawakened fool babbling about?"
Arthur turned to his mother. "Mother, I feel cold," he said softly. "Can we go inside already?"
One of the younger dragons, black-haired and about Arthur's age, grabbed his shoulder. "Hey, you…"
The boy tried to force Arthur to his knees, but it didn't work.
Arthur turned his head slightly, casting a sidelong glance at the boy.
It was subtle, meant not to alert those inside the castle, but everyone nearby felt it.
Bloodlust.
The dark-haired man stumbled backward. "How the hell do you have bloodlust? Isn't that a royal skill? How do you possess something even the matriarch doesn't have?"
Arthur didn't turn his head. He simply smiled faintly. "Take a guess."
The man immediately took off—more with his wings than his legs, and the rest of his followers quickly followed.
Thyra nodded in approval. "That was really smooth, youngest."
Arthur understood how the world worked.
The only way to suppress fools was through strength—it was an unspoken law.
As if testing them further, the voice of the castle's owner rang out:
"You may enter, Alicia…" The voice added smugly, "But no one should carry another."
Arthur smirked and channeled mana and force through his skin. Two icy white horns with golden streaks emerged from either side of his forehead, and scales of the same hue coated his skin.
Arthur could feel the burning gaze of whoever was watching him as a pair of wings, golden and icy white in a royal checkered pattern, unfurled from his back.
He bowed respectfully, as his eyes glowed moonlight grey. "This should be enough, right?"
"…"
Crack! Break! Crack!
"…Come in."
Ding!
『 First scenario in a new reality has been generated 』
『 #Scenario 1: Might As Well Be OP 』
Arthur grinned from his bowing posture. "I think not."
"What?"
The voice muttered, confused.
Arthur lifted his gaze, eyes narrowing. "Don't you think you should come out and welcome your family, dear aunt?"
There was only one thought running through Arthur's mind at that moment:
"I don't know what this scenario means, but I'm going to make things as fucking awkward as possible for you all."
Yes, this was payback time.
And he always paid his dues in full.
"So, Aunt…" he concluded. "Are you coming out or not?"
A/N: That's all six chapters for today, as promised! Thanks for sticking with me... arigato gozaimasu! 💙 See you tomorrow then!
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