The Red Dragon Just Wants To Do As It Pleases

After learning all this, David understood the ’value’ of the gift Nifadora had brought. These were potential followers! And it would be best to subjugate them as soon as possible.

It wasn’t that he was concerned about his poor Chromatic Dragon kin, who might be harassed by the Barbarians at any moment. As a Red Dragon, not reveling in their misfortune already demonstrated a sense of ’racial honor.’

Just as Nifadora had said, if he allowed the situation to develop, the troubles plaguing the Chromatic Dragons of the Old Continent could very well become his own.

The reason was simple. Although the High Elves had cracked the follower ritual countless years ago, it had been of little use to them. Coupled with their Pride, they had simply shelved it.

But if this ’backdoor’ to the follower ritual were to spread among the Highland Barbarians, or even the humans of Central Earth... Or, to exaggerate slightly, if some legendary wanderers with too much time on their hands and a penchant for chronicling their observations took it to other planes and disseminated it...

Then, whether he, David, admitted to it or not, the Chromatic Dragons would most likely pin the blame on his draconic head.

After all, he was the first unfortunate Dragon whose blood had been used by Barbarians in such a manner.

If he didn’t resolve the issue at its source before it spread, it was possible that in a few hundred years, his ’glorious record’ might earn him a special mention with the Chromatic Dragon Queen Tiamat herself.

If his reputation soured, his future path would likely become much more difficult.

Even the Githyanki Red Dragon Knights, who sometimes acted as Astral Mercenaries, might refuse his paid requests to hire their services. If his reputation among Chromatic Dragons became too terrible, they could easily decline, perhaps claiming, ’We’ve just accepted a contract to annihilate a Heart Snatchers’ city-state.’