The Red Dragon Just Wants To Do As It Pleases

Barto Hell was where the Primal Dawn Gods and Asmodeus had established the 'Primal Covenant.'

The Abyssal Depths, similarly, harbored a presence dreaded even by the gods: the Will of the Abyss, known as the 'Adversary of All Living.'

Even deities had extremely limited influence in these two places.

"Sorry, I haven't given that question much thought yet," David replied. To be more precise, he hadn't even considered leaving the material plane at this point.

"Let me know once you've decided, and quickly. However, I suggest you head to Barto Hell. Your mother has a safe way to get there, but she's sure to demand a dragon-sized ransom. Damn it, that's another huge sum of money, and I've only just barely managed to pay off my debts!" Attilicia said, clearly pained by the thought.

"...I can handle my own travel costs," David interjected.

"And I'll have to cover my own travel expenses, of course," Attilicia added.

David was suddenly startled. "What have you done now? Why do you need to flee too?"

Attilicia, too embarrassed to admit he was worried about his son, a lone Dragon, going to Barto Hell, quickly came up with an excuse.

"Uh, it's because I'm worried Shalaina's father will find out about her living with me, you see? I'm afraid he'll hunt me down all over the world."

David was shocked. "What did you do to her?"

"How could I? I'm not the least bit interested in her."

"Then what the hell are you afraid of!" David was exasperated.

"But her dad isn't the kind of Dragon who listens to reason! If he hears his daughter has been living with me for so many years, and I tell him we're innocent—if you were him, would you believe me?"

David actually took a moment to consider it, putting himself in Shalaina's father's shoes. Suddenly, in a mock display of [Wrath], he declared, "Hmm, I'd definitely break all seven of your limbs and then snap my daughter's wings off."

"Right?" Attilicia first nodded in agreement, then, startled, he exclaimed, "Wait, aren't you being a bit too cruel?"

Who would dare marry your daughter after that!

"Hmph! I'd be even harsher!" David declared, lost in his furious fantasy and unable to pull himself out of it.

Attilicia steered the conversation away from the nonsensical topic, speaking with gravity. "Well, if we get through this crisis, you should learn from your mother and strive to become one of the Legendary Ones soon. The lower planes are not so easy to get by... MMPH!?"

But Drow Hiatt, who had been acting as Attilicia's 'mouthpiece,' hadn't finished speaking when David suddenly silenced her with a finger to her lips, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.

At the same time, she felt her Dragon Lord's grip on her hand suddenly tighten. It was a good thing she was a Drow who meticulously maintained her physique; otherwise, he might have crushed her!

David's sudden 'silence' also made Attilicia, back in Saeolus City on the New Continent, instantly nervous. He shook the equally bewildered Yevgeny and demanded, "What's going on?"

"They've seen a ship—a human sailing ship headed toward the New Continent," Yevgeny replied, likely relaying information from his own link.

"A ship?" Attilicia was equally perplexed.

Indeed, at that very moment, David, flying high above, had spotted a ship sailing towards him from the opposite direction.

A figure standing at the ship's bow was watching him with keen interest.

This instantly made David feel as though he were facing a formidable enemy.

Only his mother, years ago, had ever made him feel this way.

Fortunately, the other party made no further moves and slowly averted their gaze. David, in turn, did not show any weakness by abruptly changing course or increasing his altitude.

When encountering such dangerous entities, any unnecessary action could spell disaster.

Thankfully, the most dreaded scenario did not come to pass.

The Red Dragon and the sailing ship thus passed each other, suspended between sea and sky.

David slowly relaxed his grip on the [Protection of Tiamat] clutched in his claw.

If a Legendary One had attacked him, this artifact was likely the only thing that could have saved his life.

It wasn't coming for me? David wondered.

After a long moment, David's voice came through again via the two Elves acting as his remote mouthpieces: "That ship just now… there might have been Legendary Ones aboard. It felt like more than one, even."

"Dad, are you suggesting that based on that worshipper's prayer, the War God might send a Legendary One or a Godchosen to cause trouble for Mom?"

Attilicia let out a long breath and considered it seriously. Lacking any similar precedents, however, he replied with some uncertainty, "Wouldn't it be simpler for the War God to just have a Barbarian avatar descend? There's no need… for such a complicated plan, right? Besides, your mom is also a follower of the Chromatic Dragon Queen, isn't she?"

David recalled the example Attilicia had previously cited regarding Samast.

"Yeah… there's no need… right?" he mused.

After a pause, David's tail suddenly stiffened as a thought struck him with disbelief.

"Mom actually believes in a god?" he exclaimed. "Is it Tiam…?"

A follower of Tiamat?

Is she so rich she doesn't know what to do with her money?