Chapter 393: Deal
Luke was happy. It felt almost like holding Monica close against his chest while surrounded by nothing but warmth, peace, and comfort. This was similar, though not quite the same. There was something deeper about the sensation, something that seemed to settle into his very bones.
Yet a part of him knew this was unnatural.
His body felt lighter, stronger, almost impossibly alive. His senses seemed sharper, his muscles carried a strange readiness, and somewhere deep within him, he was certain this transformation had something to do with the two moons.
He raised his hand and watched the pale radiance shimmering across his skin. A grin slowly spread across his face.
This felt empowering.
Luke had never been a battle maniac. He did not crave fighting simply for the sake of proving his strength. But right now, with this unfamiliar power coursing through him, he suddenly wanted to do something with it. Anything.
It was as though someone had injected a concentrated dose of energy directly into his veins, leaving him with so much vitality that remaining still felt almost like a sin.
But before he could indulge that feeling, the owl-faced man spoke.
"Don’t move unnecessarily. Don’t speak unless you’re asked to. Dragons have dangerous temperaments and whimsical personalities. They might say something specifically to provoke your pride, but remember why you’re here. You need to swallow your pride and honor for the sake of that reason."
The warning came with such thorough seriousness that Luke almost felt like he was being escorted into the lair of some ancient demon.
They continued through the wide corridors, each one spacious enough to accommodate a dragon in its true form. Then again, Luke thought, this was a fortress belonging to a dragon. Perhaps building corridors this large was simply considered practical.
A grin formed beneath his mask.
"What if she challenges me to a duel?" Luke asked. "I might not be able to resist."
He had yet to check his stats, but judging by the sensation coursing through his body, he felt as though there wasn’t a single existence in the universe capable of taking him down without paying a considerable price.
The owl-faced man’s expression tightened.
"Don’t. If you were strong enough to challenge a dragon, you wouldn’t have come here looking for a negotiation."
Luke smirked.
That was true.
But ever since arriving here, something about his mindset had changed.
"Halt."
The inner entrance leading toward the throne room was guarded, much like the main gate. Unlike the guards outside, however, these ones immediately stepped forward and blocked their path.
The guard on the left was an eight-foot-tall mountain of muscle. He lowered his gaze toward the owl-faced man and spoke in a deep voice.
"Your presence is expected. But the one beside you?"
The old man remained composed.
"I apologize to Her Majesty for bringing an unannounced guest. I will accept whatever punishment she deems appropriate for my impudence, but I would be grateful if you allowed us to enter."
He had no time to go through the proper procedure and request the Dragon Empress’s permission to bring a human into her presence. Whatever happened afterward, he would deal with it.
The guards exchanged a brief glance.
Security had never been a concern for them. Anyone who could reach this inner entrance without permission had already crossed enough barriers to make an additional inspection almost meaningless.
They stepped aside and pushed open the enormous doors.
Luke moved forward before the messenger could even thank them.
He walked casually into the throne room.
Then he stopped.
The chamber was larger than any interior he had ever seen. It was enormous, almost comparable to a football field, with a vast open floor stretching toward the far end. Several long steps rose before the opposite wall, leading toward a throne that dominated the entire chamber.
And upon that throne sat a woman.
Clad in black armor, she watched Luke in silence.
Luke stopped at the foot of the stairs and slowly raised his head.
His gaze lingered.
She had thick thighs encased in fitted black armor, the design accentuating the powerful curves of her figure rather than concealing them. She was tall, broad-hipped, and carried herself with the kind of imposing presence that made it difficult to look anywhere else.
Her fiery red hair cascaded over her shoulders and framed the generous contours of her chest, while her face possessed a delicate beauty that seemed almost at odds with the overwhelming presence surrounding her.
Luke stared.
For a full minute.
Then he finally muttered, "An ugly fort doesn’t justify the beauty it encloses..."
The owl-faced man, who had teleported to his side, immediately clamped a hand over Luke’s mask.
At the same time, he bowed his head and forcibly pushed Luke’s head down with it.
"It’s an honor to stand before Her Majesty. We..."
"Wait."
The woman’s voice cut through the chamber.
The owl-faced man’s entire body stiffened.
Even Luke went quiet.
The woman leaned slightly against her throne, her gaze fixed on the masked stranger.
"Let the man speak."
The older man’s head snapped upward.
That gleam in her eyes...
’I shouldn’t have brought him here at all.’
Cursing himself internally, he slowly removed his hand from Luke’s mouth.
Luke immediately took over.
"Eager to hear what a human has to say?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. "You don’t follow the customs of this world very well, do you?"
The owl-faced man felt his soul leave his body.
At this point, he was practically counting down the final moments of his life. He had gone to considerable lengths to keep the masked man’s true race a secret, and somehow, they had managed to ruin that perfect opportunity within the first few seconds of entering the throne room.
The woman remained seated upright, watching the human as he slowly climbed the stairs toward her.
She raised a single finger when the guards stationed in the shadows reacted, silently ordering them to stay where they were.
As long as she remained amused, there was no reason to interfere.
Luke, meanwhile, slowly removed his mask and tossed it aside, finally allowing the cool air to brush against his face. He continued upward until he reached the second-to-last step, then stopped and looked up at the woman lounging upon the throne.
"Must be boring sitting there all day. Want me to take you somewhere?"
The woman hummed softly.
"Would you carry me, human?"
Luke finally climbed the last step and extended his hand toward her.
With a handsome smile on his face, he leaned forward and delicately kissed the back of her hand.
"I’ll take care of the rest, as long as I have the permission of this beautiful lady."
The owl-faced man felt dizzy.
Humanity was doomed.
At this rate, they might face extinction sooner than he had expected, all because of this foolish human who seemed determined to provoke a dragon in her own throne room.
Agatha, meanwhile, stared at Luke in silence for several moments.
Then she finally spoke.
"The Moon Goddess favors you. That is the only reason you are still alive after touching me."
Luke hummed, his smile never fading.
"I intend to do more than that."
For the first time, Agatha’s expression shifted.
Her amusement faded slightly, replaced by something harder to read.
"I know why you’re here, human. So I will make this easier for you."
She snapped her fingers.
The sound echoed through the enormous chamber.
A moment later, a man appeared in the middle of the hall. He immediately dropped to his knees, his head lowered as he remained completely still.
The owl-faced man knew exactly where this was going.
And somehow, despite the circumstances, he felt fortunate.
Considering how badly this encounter could have unfolded because of that idiot human, this was almost merciful.
Agatha looked toward Luke.
"Face him. Kill him, and I will grant your wish."
Her voice remained calm.
"But if you cannot, you will surely die."
She paused, her gaze shifting toward the other visitor.
"And I will take your life too, Jorma."
The owl-faced man’s body shivered.
His eyes shifted as he stared at the man kneeling in the center of the hall. Tall, broad-shouldered, and radiating unrestrained fury, the man looked like the sort of opponent who could crush an ordinary human with the flick of his fingers. In a direct confrontation, the outcome seemed obvious.
Luke, however, had barely spared him a glance.
His entire attention remained fixed on the woman before him as he lowered his voice, speaking only loud enough for her to hear.
"Don’t assume the wish I’m going to win has anything to do with the war that’s about to descend upon humanity."
Agatha’s brows lifted slightly.
"Were you not here for that?"
"Oh, I was..." Luke paused, his gaze lingering on her. "Until my eyes landed on you."
Agatha narrowed her eyes.
For several moments, the two simply stared at each other. The tension in the air was unmistakable, but it lacked the hostility one would expect between two enemies. There was something else beneath it, something closer to curiosity and amusement, with neither willing to be the first to look away.
Then Agatha suddenly grinned.
"Defeat the man, and I will fulfill whatever you desire."
Her voice carried absolute confidence.
"I don’t go back on my word, so you can be assured of that."
Luke didn’t need to be told twice.
His lips curled into a smile as he finally turned his attention toward the man waiting below.