IMBECILE

Atop a small, stone wall, bordering a currently occupied courtyard and a Disciple Hall, a young girl, no older than fifteen, was currently sitting, reading a book. Her hair short, barely reaching her shoulders, shimmered in bright brown, eyes filled with wonder as words from the book poured into her mind. Occasionally, from the courtyard, many a boy would cast a glance toward that small wall and that girl, but none dared approach her.

Ever since she became a Disciple here, she was never seen talking to anyone and was thus nicknamed ‘Distant Queen’. Yet, despite of it, she was at the top of the class, even defeating some older disciples, a true genius of magic. As the morning practice slowly came to an end, the courtyard emptied in chatter while the girl remained sitting, as though she lived outside this world itself. Occasionally frowning, sometimes chuckling, her expression danced as she flipped the pages of the book.

“Alone again, I see,” a familiar, warm and soft voice jolted her from her world as she looked up. “How is the book?”

“Master,” the girl quickly leapt off the stone wall and bowed lightly. “It’s fun. Thank you for recommending it to me.”

“Hm, good,” the woman nodded, smiling; much like the young girl, she had shimmering brown hair, albeit much longer than girl’s, and skin as pale as snow. “You didn’t participate again?”

“No.” the girl said calmly.

“Aah,” the woman sighed, smiling bitterly. “It does you no good to isolate yourself so, Hylana.” she added. “Friends are rather important.”

“…” Hylana merely remained silent, barely holding herself back from rolling her eyes.

“Nevermind then,” the woman shook her head at last and dropped the subject, moving on. “Have you decided which King to serve after graduating?”

“… no.” Hylana said. “I’ll take Master’s recommendation.”

“You can’t put all burdens on my shoulders,” the woman chuckled. “Did you at least properly take a look at each of them?”

“I have.”

“Did anyone stand out?”

“Not really.” Hylana replied honestly.

“I figured,” the woman said. “It truly takes something else to impress you. So, what kind of a King would you serve?”

“… I’d rather not serve anyone.” Hylana said indifferently. “Sounds like a bother.”

“It is,” the woman chuckled. “But, you are not the leading type, Hylana. Sooner or later, you’ll find yourself following another, whether you want it or not. It’s best you at least know what kind of a person you wish to serve.”

“Someone strong, I guess.” Hylana said.

“Indeed, strength is important. Anything else?”

“Someone who’d let me do whatever I want.” the girl said honestly.

“Ha ha, unfortunately that kind of a King would have no Kingdom to begin with.” the woman chuckled as she sat onto the wall with Hylana joining her immediately after.

“… did you serve anyone, Master?” Hylana asked.

“I have,” the woman nodded. “Rather, I still am. She’s a great leader; strong, smart, courageous, noble and vitreous. I’m truly lucky to serve her.”

“… can’t I just serve her as well, then?”

“Whom to pledge your heart to is one of the most important decisions you can make,” the woman said. “Should you really be so half-hearted about it?”

“… I just don’t understand,” Hylana said, her gaze shifting onto the courtyard. “Servitude, loyalty, leadership… doesn’t it always fall onto the strong in the end? With strength, after all, you don’t have to serve anyone, or bow to anyone or listen to anyone.”

“True, but remember Hylana – there’s always a mountain taller.” the woman said. “That’s why there’s no one ruler of everything.”

“Then… who do you think is a perfect King, Master?” Hylana asked, her gaze shifting back onto the woman sitting in front of her.

“Perfect King? I doubt there’s such a thing,” the woman said, smiling. “But, a proper King on the other hand… they do exist.”

“What are they like?”

“… a King should have three things, Hylana,” the woman said as her expression became serious. “First is arrogance that eclipses the sky. He should be more arrogant than all his vassals combined. When he voices his thoughts, others should listen with reverence, awe bordering godly worship. His arrogance must inspire even the coldest of hearts.”

“Second is desire,” the woman continued. “He should want, need and desire the most. More than everyone else. And that desire that borders insanity… it should inspire his subjects to desire too. For, when a King thirsting for victory charges into war, those who follow him will thirst for it as well. When a King thirsting for power climbs the mountain of flames, those behind him won’t falter.”

“And third… is resolve,” the woman said, looking deeply into Hylana’s eyes. “Resolve that can never be questioned, neither by him nor anyone else. When he says something, he’ll do exactly that. Resolve to sacrifice his own people if necessary. Resolve to sacrifice himself if need be. Resolve to never falter on the path he chose.”

“Those, at least to me, are the three things a King must have.” the woman concluded smiling.

“…”

“You don’t agree?”

“I do,” Hylana said. “But, as I thought, that’s not someone I would want to serve after all.”

“Because it’s a bother?” the woman smiled as she asked.

“Because they sound like someone whose Kingdom will perish after he does,” Hylana said calmly. “He’d cast a shadow onto whoever was to succeed him, and nothing they ever did would be good enough. People would dream of the King long buried while their Kingdom falls apart.”

“… you speak well.” the woman smiled, warmly patting Hylana’s head.

“I think I’d rather serve someone to whom the throne is just a chair,” Hylana said, looking sideways. “The crown is just a poor man’s helmet, the Kingdom is just a land, and the people are just the people. Someone who shoulders rather than inspires. Someone who doesn’t need others to revere him, but they do nonetheless. But, then again, I suppose a man like that would never become a King in the first place.”

“… the World is vast, Hylana,” the woman said, looking up toward the clear sky. “You can never truly know. In the end, nothing but the Nature’s Laws is absolute.”

* * *

As Grath observed the ongoing battle and the rise of the Dragon, preparing to descend and begin forming the Spacial Lock, he spotted a gigantic shadow approaching them from the distance. Startled, he looked sideways toward Hylama who had a shocked expression on her face.

“What is it?!” Grath asked immediately.

“It’s… a… another Dragon…” Hylama mumbled in a weak voice.

“A-a-another w-what?!” Sorth exclaimed as his face immediately turned deathly pale.

“That’s impossible!!” Grath exclaimed. “We haven’t received any information about this!!”

“Dude, it’s right there!!” Hylama exclaimed in annoyance. “How can you say it’s impossible?!”

“C-calm down, e-everyone,” even Ruela, who usually remained composed no matter what, stuttered as she spoke. “I-it’s gonna be fine!!”

“H-ha ha, n-no worries!!” Stork exclaimed as cold sweat poured down his forehead. “I-I’ll deal with it!! Ha ha!!”

“Your false bravado isn’t helping!” Hylama exclaimed, biting her lower lip as her face grew serious.

From the distance, through he clouds, a giant, scarlet beast burst through in magnificent glory. Spanning the sky itself, its wings shook the space as they moved up and down, while its eyes burned ablaze in gold. In contrast to darkness beneath them, light in the distance seemed even more frightening.

“Proceed with the plan,” a familiar voice suddenly echoed inside Grath’s mind, calming him down. “I’ll deal with the newcomer.”

“… proceed with the original plan,” Grath said to others. “High Father Luo will be here shortly.”

“… that’s probably the best news I’ve received in my life.” Hylama said, sighing in relief. Just then, though, her eyes – which could see through distances unrivaled – spotted something atop the Dragon’s head; no, rather than something, it was someone. A man with fluttering, brown hair and a flock of black and white mixed within, with a medallion wrapped around his neck, white coat fluttering in the rhythm of the wind, and piercing eyes that seemed to have spotted her as well. His arms were crossed, posture straight, everything about him seemingly poised. “Who the fuck…” she mumbled in low breath, unable to look away.

On the other side, Lynne stood calmly atop the Dragon’s head, calmly observing the scenery before him. Devastated land beneath covered in deep, black shadows and two familiar, sun-like eyes sent shivers down his spine. His eyes then veered upward and met another pair; it was a woman roughly his age, her hair long and tied back behind, eyes focused onto his, figure slender and skin pale. Hm? Have I met her before? Lynne thought for a moment but quickly cast the thought away as he was unable to recall her.

“There’s someone incoming,” Y’se’s voice shook him away from the distant woman’s gaze. “Two, to be precise. Most-likely sent to dealt with me and you. Well, Ely and me.”

“… hah, your meek attempts to harm my pride are futile! I’m riding a fucking Dragon!! Nothing can sour my mood!!” Lynne laughed into the sky.

“… uh, good for you,” Y’se said, chuckling lightly. “Anyway, I’ll go and meet the one aiming for me. Good luck you two.”

“Leave it to me!” Lynne said firmly as his gaze shifted back onto the battlefield and a woman still staring at him. He then took a deep breath and focused Mana onto his throat. “People of… uh, something,” his voice echoed into the world, reaching every ear present. “And other something, heed! Ah, King Lynne is here! Up, up you idiots! See this Dragon?! I’m riding it, ha ha ha!! I bet no one saw that coming!!”

Hymala, on the other side, listened to the voice and words, and her heart sank more and more the more she heard. Not because of fear, or even disappointment, but something much more fundamental: sheer desire to punch him in the face.

“Uh, anyway, there’s some big baddy coming to fight me, so I can’t join you right at this very moment,” Lynne continued in the same, overbearing tone. “But, be patient! Once the walking corpse has been dealt with, I’ll be joining you! Until then, that thing down below will keep you company!! Anyway, I know you’re in awe and everything, but don’t go dreaming you can ride a Dragon too! The things, the tortures, the pains I had to suffer are far beyond what ordinary folk like you could ever imagine! So be afraid, ha ha! Be very afraid!!”

As his voice continued to drill people’s eardrums, there was one universal thought reigning supreme through minds of everyone present: this guy’s an imbecile. Grath, who had carefully laid plans to deal with the ‘legendary boy King’, felt his heart break at that moment. Hylama, who somewhat looked forward to meeting someone who managed to found his own Kingdom so quickly, felt disappointment akin to nothing she ever felt before. Sorth, who was supposed to keep the boy busy, covered his face in embarrassment. Ruela couldn’t help but feel pity for the boy as her heart hurt somewhat. The exception to all of this was Stork whose eyes shimmered with awe and respect, akin to nothing he ever felt before. His entire body trembled with desire, and words escaped his lips, words that caused his companions to lose all respect they had for him.

“… so fucking cool…”