Chapter 97

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Chapter 97: Naya’s Fan Club Is Established Today!

“Say it out loud, and it won’t come true.”

Upon hearing Iris boast proudly about being invincible again, and this time in front of both Flanna and Bella, Naya reached out to gently push Iris’s head. 

It’s fine to brag in private, but don’t boast in front of others.

“Indeed, having Her Majesty the Queen here to compete with humans for the Sacred Relic of the Earth Veins is practically an overwhelming blow,” Flanna chimed in, flattering Iris.

“That’s right, the dragons don’t even need these Earth Vein relics. Human weapons can only be used in human form, but dragons can unleash their full power by revealing their true form. The Earth Vein relics aren’t of much use to us. This time, it’s mostly a small training session for Illya.”

But the main point was to let Naya absorb more Earth Vein energy, to nourish the two souls in her body.

Naya stared blankly at Iris.

“Are we taking Illya inside?”

“Did you plan on leaving Illya here?”

“Well… I thought maybe we could have Bella or Flanna watch her, and we could take one of them into Bear Forest.”

Naya looked down at Illya, cradled in her arms.

“I want to go, Mama. I don’t want to stay here. I want to train and become the Dragon King.”

“Don’t worry, Naya. Illya will be safer with us. Besides, she needs to face battles on her own. We can’t keep her sheltered forever.”

Naya held Illya tightly, a flicker of worry in her eyes. However, Iris did have a point. Illya wasn’t an ordinary child, she was the Dragon King’s descendant.

“Alright, Illya, listen carefully. When the time comes, you must stick close to us. Don’t wander off, and don’t get curious about your surroundings.”

“I know! I won’t make the same mistake as last time.”

Naya gently patted Illya’s head.

“Good. Flanna, Bella, you two need to be extra careful. If anything happens to Illya, you can go back home and become farmers.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Flanna and Bella, startled by the sudden mention, responded firmly.

Bella no longer dared to call Naya “Miss Naya.” 

Lately, Naya’s queenly demeanor had grown stronger, and sometimes she could even be quite fierce. Bella still remembered vividly the last time Naya scolded her.

“If there’s nothing else to report, you can both go rest.”

“Then, we’ll take our leave. Good night, Your Majesty, Queen Naya, and Princess Illya.”

After leaving Naya’s room, Flanna and Bella entered the room next door. Flanna poured herself a glass of water at the dining table and downed it in one gulp.

“Ah… I’m exhausted. Today has been the most tiring day since we set out.”

Bella rummaged through her luggage by the bed, pulling out clothes to get ready for a bath.

“Flanna, don’t you think the queen has been spoiling Miss Naya a bit too much lately? Her tail’s practically sticking up into the sky.”

“You shouldn’t say things like that, Bella. Miss Naya is different from past queens. It seems like Her Majesty has no intention of marrying other concubines.”

“Such a devoted Dragon King is really rare.”

“Yeah, but it’s also kind of nice, isn’t it? Maybe the royal family dynamics will change because of Her Majesty. Don’t you think the previous queens were quite pitiful? They were mostly just there to bear children, and once they did, they were sent to live in cold palaces.”

Bella nodded and sat on the bed with a sigh.

“True… Miss Naya is lucky to have met this Dragon King.”

“No, Bella, you’ve got it backward. It’s because Miss Naya appeared that Her Majesty changed so much. Don’t you remember how Illya was conceived? There was no pregnancy involved. This means that future issues of childbirth in the Dragon Clan could be greatly improved. Without Miss Naya, Her Majesty might have been like previous Dragon Kings, marrying multiple wives just to pass on a pureblood heir to the throne.”

“Now that you mention it, Miss Naya really does hold a special place in the King’s heart. She’s definitely deserving of Her Majesty’s love.”

Bella smiled, the little bit of envy she had in her heart turning into sincere blessing.

“Alas… Bella,I’ve been working loyally by Her Majesty’s side for so many years. Do you think, in the future, Her Majesty could help me and my wife make a dragon egg?”

Flanna finished a glass of water, holding the glass in her hand, with her upper body lying on the table like a cat or bug, looking extremely lazy.

“Your wife?”

Bella remembered Flanna was still single. Where did this wife come from?

“Yeah, my future wife. Ever since I’ve been with Her Majesty, I’ve realized that dating girls is pretty great. It’s just too bad we can’t have children.”

Not hearing a reply from Bella for a while, Flanana lifted her head to look at her. The blue-and-white dragon girl sat on the bed, lost in thought.

“Bella, what do you think?”

“Huh? Oh… if you’re brave enough to ask her Majesty, I’ll support you.”

“Ugh… I’m not that brave,” Flanna deflated, “Maybe after another ten years of hard work, if not for merit, then at least for effort.”

“Good luck.”

“And what about you, Bella? Do you have any plans?”

Bella scratched her cheek awkwardly and laughed.

“I don’t know. I’ve always thought staying by Miss Naya’s side was good enough. I’ve never really thought about the future.”

Flanna sat bolt upright, a sudden realization dawning on her.

No wonder Bella seemed a little resentful about Naya being so favored—she still called her “Miss Naya” and couldn’t break the habit.

“Wait a minute… Bella, you don’t by any chance… like her Majesty, do you?”

“I-I don’t!” Bella shot Flanna a glare.

Flanna, looking relieved, patted her chest.

“Good, good. You really shouldn’t have such thoughts, Bella. Not even your entire family could bail you out of that mess.”

“I said it’s not like that!” Bella threw her clothes at Flanna’s face, her embarrassment showing.

“Go take your bath already!”

“Heh, alright then.” Flanna pulled the clothes off her face with a grin. She didn’t want her close friend to stray down the wrong path.

“But Miss Naya really is kind, isn’t she? The motherly warmth she used to radiate was like the sun, bright and comforting. Lately, though, her changes have been making me feel a bit down.”

“Hmm… you’re right. Maybe she’s pregnant and has prenatal anxiety. She’ll probably go back to normal after laying her egg.”

Bella’s eyes lit up. They both knew the purpose of this journey was to let Miss Naya absorb Earth Vein energy to protect the soul of her child.

She reached out her hand toward Flanna.

“So, Flanna, let’s fight together to protect our beloved Miss Naya!”

“Yes! To protect our beloved Miss Naya, we must seize the Sacred Relic of the Earth Veins.”

Flanna placed her hand over Bella’s.

And thus, the Naya Fan Club was officially formed!

———

Three days passed quickly.

As soon as Naya got out of bed, she heard the system’s voice.

[Host, the Earth Vein energy density has reached its peak. Time is of the essence, act quickly.]

[Is it always this punctual?]

Naya yawned.

The person beside her greeted her as usual.

“Good morning, my queen.”

Illya was still sound asleep.

“Morning, Iris. Today, isn’t it about time we head to Bear Forest?”

“Yes.”

Naya and Iris got out of bed, opened the curtains, and pushed the window open, letting the sunlight shine on Illya, who was still in bed. This helped the child transition from sleep to wakefulness.

However, the sky outside was covered with dark clouds.

A storm was coming, and the world seemed to change color.

Naya stood by the window for quite a while.

[System, if no one ever retrieves the Earth Vein Sacred Relic, will it stay cloudy like this forever?]

[Yes, Host. The density of the Earth Vein energy is unprecedentedly large this time. If no one retrieves the Sacred Relic for an extended period, the entire area within a hundred miles will be shrouded in mist. Even Rex City will be folded into the Earth Vein space, and the residents here will fall into the memory illusions of the Earth Vein.]

[So, in the end, it’s still safer to keep Illya with us.]

[Keep going, Host. With the Dragon King by your side, you’ll surely return victorious.]

After getting up, brushing her teeth, and washing her face, Naya woke Illya.

The family of three dressed, then called over Flanna and Bella from next door.

The five-member dragon squad was about to set off and compete with the humans for their “meal.”

As they walked toward Rex City’s gate, they looked toward Bear Forest, now shrouded in thick mist.

Many adventurers were already heading toward the fog.

Flanna and Bella had only counted the ultra-ranked and high-ranked adventurers, leaving out the weaker ones.

Most of these adventurers were practically cannon fodder.

They didn’t have a system and had no idea how dangerous things were inside.

[Host, be extra careful. Hold onto Illya tightly, and don’t let go of Iris’s hand. It’s not just by entering the mist that you enter the Earth Vein space. You must be cautious at every moment.]

[Got it.]

Today, the system was unusually active.

Hmph, the system was such a tsundere.

When it came to critical moments, it really did care about her.

“Iris, carry Illya. We need to start being careful from here on.”

Iris glanced toward the mist-shrouded Bear Forest and asked, somewhat puzzled, “It’s about two kilometers away, right?”

“Yes, but the influence of the Earth Vein energy extends over hundreds of kilometers. What’s two kilometers in comparison? Just carry Illya already.”

“Alright, alright.”

Iris bent down and scooped Illya into her arms.

Naya then held Iris’s hand, their fingers interlaced.

“Don’t let go of me. Hold my hand tight. If you get lost, I won’t be able to save you.”

Naya had the system’s guidance, so she wouldn’t get lost in the secret realm.

The system was extremely sensitive to Earth Vein energy.

Following the direction the system indicated would lead them near the densest energy.

“Alright, alright.”

“Take this seriously. This isn’t a joke. I’m entrusting Illya to you because I trust you. If you lose her again, like last time, I’ll never forgive you.”

“Understood, my queen,” Iris chuckled softly.

Naya rolled her eyes helplessly at Iris, then turned to look at Flanna and Bella behind her.

“You two, stick close to me. When we get inside, don’t look around. Just keep your eyes on my back.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Illya, no matter what happens, you have to stick to me like glue. Don’t let go for even a second, understand?”

“I understand.”

Illya nodded obediently, her expression serious.

After giving everyone their instructions, Naya quickened her pace, leading Iris and the two maids into the mist.

The moment they stepped into the mist, Naya turned around to look back. Behind them was nothing but an endless fog, the outside world was completely obscured.

[Host, don’t worry. Just follow my directions.]

[Alright.]

The system guided Naya forward in her mind, paying no attention to the repeating scenery around them.

After walking for about ten minutes, they began to hear other voices.

“Dammit! Why is this mist getting thicker? The Earth Vein space didn’t have this issue before.”

A group of people emerged from the fog ahead, and upon seeing Naya’s group, they were startled. Leading them was a shirtless, muscular man with black hair. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed in relief.

“Phew, I thought it was an Earth Vein Guardian. Turns out it’s just a few women.”

Naya gripped Elise’s left hand tightly, ready for battle.

“Hello.”

“You all accidentally wandered in here, didn’t you? Don’t move around aimlessly, or you’ll get lost.”

The leader glanced at Naya’s group, noting their clean, high-quality dresses and flawless makeup. He immediately pegged them as nobles who had been passing through Rex City and got swept into the Earth Vein secret realm by mistake.

“Uh… we…” Naya stammered, not immediately revealing her true intentions.

“Sigh, I don’t know why, but everything was fine yesterday during the day. Then, suddenly last night, this mist rolled in, and now we can’t even recognize the path. We’ve been in and out a few times; if we walk a bit more, we should find the way out. If you don’t mind, stick with us. As for the fee… Five of you, one gold coin each, a total of five coins. How about it?”

Before Naya could say much, the black-haired muscleman had already laid out his entire plan.

Seeing Naya hesitate, the man smiled and added, “Don’t worry, we’re a legitimate group of adventurers. We won’t harm you.”

He was confident in his assumption that these women were nobles who had accidentally wandered into the secret realm. After all, what kind of adventurer would bring such a young child on a treasure hunt?

Five gold coins were probably just pocket change for nobles dressed like this. His request was perfectly reasonable.

[Host, agree to their offer for now. We can use this group as cannon fodder to scout the path ahead. The Earth Vein Guardians tend to ambush, and having more people around will reduce the chance of them targeting us first.]

“Alright, then.”

Naya nodded, pretending to be pitiful.

“We don’t know how we ended up here. One moment we stepped into the mist, and the next, we turned around and couldn’t find our way back to the main road.”

“That’s how it is. The space here is very chaotic, and this area is probably still expanding. Time is tight, so let’s not chat too much. Follow us, and we’ll get out of here before the mist spreads too far for us to recognize the way.”

Naya glanced at Iris to get her opinion.

After Iris nodded, Naya followed the adventurers’ lead.