Chapter 227: Pritani
"Esteemed Patriarch, Custodians, and respected in-laws, the Dragon's Pavilion and the Governors of Termina welcome you to the Intertwining Dragon's Palace..." expressed Vahn, cupping his right hand and beaming at the head of a large procession with Grayfia, Venelana, Misla, Yasaka, Serafall, and Tiamat standing side-by-side behind him, Rias, Sona, Ravel, Seekvaira, Akeno, Tsubaki, Koneko, Xenovia, and Asia behind them, and Gabriel, Azazel, and Serafall's Queen, a petite, bespectacled, incredibly serious-looking Devil of Japanese origin named Nakano Takeko, standing before their respective delegations.
"Well, now...this is quite the line-up..." remarked the leader of the Pritani delegation, a tall, wisened-looking man with long, straight, age-streaked black hair, shimmering blue eyes that gave the impression they could see through anything, slightly pointed ears, and fair skin. His body was garbed in muted grey robes with a flowing, black, gold-trimmed cloak, black and gold-trimmed boots, and an ornate black belt carved with pale runes that faintly pulsed with the rhythm of a beating heart.
Scanning Vahn and his procession, the man, Aileen's grandfather, Kaiser Pritani, slowly clenched his scale-covered, Draconic hands, hidden within the long flowing sleeves of his Mage-like robes. He knew from observing Grayfia, Gabriel, the Angels, and, most recently, Tiamat that the Dragon's Pavilion had a significant military backing, but in his nearly 100,000 years of existence, he had never encountered a situation where he felt distinctly at a disadvantage...
'To think such powerful beings could exist outside Dragonkind...' thought Kaiser, his smiling gaze focused on Vahn but his senses probing Grayfia, Serafall, Azazel, Gabriel, Yasaka, Sairaorg, and, for a very brief moment, Lupheria, seated atop Jack-O's lap at the edge of the spacious ballroom everyone was gathered in. Inexplicably, the latter didn't have a powerful aura, but Kaiser's instincts told him she was the most significant threat to his being...as if she were his natural enemy or a predator that specialized in hunting Dragons...
"By allowing us to cultivate crops within the Black Tower, the Pritani Clan has done many of those gathered here a tremendous service," explained Vahn. "As such, the Representatives of the core factions of the Tripartite Alliance have gathered to express their gratitude along with the Dragon's Pavilion. Please accept these gifts, along with the heartfelt desire that the friendship between our realities will endure for as long as possible..."
As if in response to Vahn's words, several massive treasure chests filled with gold, jewels, and equipment harvested from the Corridor or acquired from his Shop appeared between him and the Pritani delegation. Beings at the level of the Great Black Dragons had little use for armaments, as their bodies, claws, and teeth were the most powerful weapons and armor, but those were mostly filler items they could regift to others. The centerpiece of the tribute was an elaborately carved wooden container separated into thirty-six compartments, each housing a crystalline vial of glistening, pale gold, rainbow-hued liquid.
"Hmm? What's this...?" asked Kaiser, sensing a peculiar energy from the crystalline vials, compelling him to pick one up and inspect it.
"It's—" started Vahn, barely getting the word out before Aileen, standing between her parents, Elizabeth, and a strikingly handsome man with short black hair and bright blue eyes, Anton Pritani, groaned, "How much longer are we going to stand around? Let's eat...!"
"By all means..." responded Vahn, offering a curt nod and half-turning his body, gesturing to the far side of the ballroom, where many circular tables for seating and several long tables full of food awaited.
"This girl..." sighed Elizabeth, cupping and massaging her forehead as her daughter, having never attended a formal event in her life, bypassed the treasures, grabbed Vahn's arm, and exclaimed, "Let's go, go, go~!" before pulling him along. Vahn was equally amused and taken aback by this, but thankfully, a quick exchange of glances with Venelana ensured that Kaiser and Aileen's parents would be properly attended in his absence...
...