Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

"cool!"

"What nonsense are you talking about? The dwarf brothers of Mackenport are my good buddies. This is a reward for my hard work!"

Baron Garden's words were met with disapproval from his companions, who looked at him like he was a fool. They were all fire lords; they knew each other perfectly well.

"Let's not talk about that. Is Immelt here?" Ever since the red dragon arrived at the Great Forge to begin her training, Baron Garden had been sharing his experiences raising the child with his lord friends every day. No other reason than she was incredibly bored; dwarves weren't nearly as fun as they are now. And the elemental lords, constantly annoyed by Baron Garden's baby-posting, had also become curious about the little red dragon. They were all fire lords, and had both been beaten up by those idolized Radiant elementals.

"Little Mel has gone to rest. Although the upcoming activities are related to her, we don't need her."

The Fire Lords had recently proposed creating a spiritual leader, primarily due to the collective madness of the Light Elementals caused by their spiritual worship. While the Fire Lords repelled their attack, the Flame Barbarians acknowledged the Light Madman's strength.

"So, is it feasible to promote idol activities within the fire element?"

“Otherwise, where do you think all this equipment came from?” Baron Garden chuckled. “That’s why I called you all here. You’re all here to be operations officers for Immelt. These are the salaries I paid in advance.”

"I'll share what I've learned from the operations guru these past few days with you guys! Brothers, it's time to use our brains!"

After a period of exchanging ideas, the other fire lords, though still somewhat confused about what it meant to be an operations officer, had already experienced the power of the red dragon idol.

"There is also a legion of dwarven undead fighting for the red dragon. To put it bluntly, the Life Overseer Immelt is powerful enough to pose a threat to us elemental lords."

"That's a really nice surprise."

The four fire lords exchanged knowing, wicked laughs.

"And this new set of equipment is enough for us to pull off something big."

That evening, Baron Gardens entered the palace of King Vyselg the Dwarf for a secret meeting.

Although there was no secrecy involved, according to eyewitnesses, the Red Dragon's commander that night was adorned in gold and silver, his entire body ablaze like a blazing sun. At the time, all the dwarves were busy sleeping or squatting in their workshops, choosing to turn a blind eye.

The next day, on the platform directly above the Great Forge, which was also the viewing platform for the red dragon Immelt's idol activities, the four elemental lords delivered their speeches to a group of dwarves.

The specific message is: The Red Dragon's power is great, and we must spread it far and wide. The four operations officers have already selected a world lacking in faith, intending to spread the Red Dragon Queen's fire there. To this end, they need to select the most outstanding and steadfast warriors from the dwarves of Mackenport. After Baron Gardens produced the decree of permission issued by the Firehammer Royal Family, the dwarves' fervor became unstoppable.

The fire element has only one requirement.

He's a fighter, an exceptionally good fighter.

The Red Dragon Missionary Legion was soon established.

Baron Gardens stood on the high platform, gazing at the lava vortex of the Great Furnace, and announced loudly.

"We have been silent for too long."

"Now, the fire and the dwarves have come to provoke you."

Easter Egg Chapter: The Golden Rose in My Dream

"Come this way, Susanna!" Behind the layers of shadows, soft, warm light blurred their outlines, and the sweet scent of nectar, locked in the mist, dampened their thin silk garments. The elf's tone was light and cheerful, the name she uttered sounding more like a song lyric. The lighthearted prelude ended, but the main melody was a somber, disheartening sound. It was the sound of thorns churning in the earth, a towering figure like a moving tower, crushing the sweetness.

The former elven governor stretched out his palm, and the lush, intertwined vegetation, at its mistress's command, retracted its roots and made way. Susanna didn't know how old these plants were; they probably weren't very old. Truly ancient plants would have long since become sentient. At least in the Dream Forest, the ancient trees wouldn't be so uncooperative.

"Ilan, we're not familiar with this place yet, so be careful."

Calling out the nickname of the green dragon priest Irason, Susanna commanded the vines to capture the elf ahead. She was moving too fast; in such complex terrain, this reckless dragon priest had once slipped and fallen on flat ground in her own home.

The elven sisters, whom she saw as nothing more than clumsy and adorable, surprisingly displayed the innate agility and flexibility of the elven race in this situation. Irason took off her usual lichen robes and put on more form-fitting silk clothing. She was like a wisp of wind, leaving only a lingering fragrance.

Compared to that, her Thorn Armor was far too cumbersome; Susanna could only watch as Irason gradually disappeared from her sight. The true master of the Dream Elves recalled the words Irason had spoken when she had been teleported to this unfamiliar dense forest.

“Let’s go on vacation, Susanna!” The slacking priestess interrupted herself as she was instructing the green dragon Claudia on how to manipulate dreams, saying something befitting her persona.

Susanna gritted her teeth; there shouldn't be any danger here.

"Stop right there, you troublemaker!"

The hardened armor crumbled in the mist, and broken, purplish-black wooden spikes opened like blooming flowers, revealing a vibrant, delicate stamen at its center. A petite, emerald-green figure ran barefoot through the forest, her hair, almost as long as her height, dancing in the dense woods. The moisture clung to her real skin, creating a tingling sensation. As she ran, she climbed the rough-textured tree trunks, manipulating her hair to swing among the branches, closing in on the green dragon priest with even greater speed.

"You can't catch me, Susanna!" The elf's laughter grew closer. The fool probably didn't realize the distance between them was shrinking. Susanna couldn't wait to imagine what it would be like to catch her. Grab her, tickle her sides and the soles of her feet, listen to her pleas for mercy, and watch her roll around.

They were very close; Susanna could already smell the floral scent of the Green Dragon Priest's hair in the salty, warm, and humid air.

"That's enough!" Susanna stepped on the tree trunk, jumped with all her might, and her hair, flying in the air like a net, rushed towards Irason.

Susanna's eyes were suddenly brightened; with nothing obstructing them, the intense light instantly entered her still-unaccustomed eyes.

Susanna embraced Irason, and the two fell onto a cushion of hair, but she did not carry out her punishment. The extraordinary sight before her had captivated her.

The azure sky is like a canvas hanging from the end of the world. Crushed stars are thrown into the water, dancing on the surface as the waves surge towards them. But the white sand stage has already drawn its dividing line, and those outstanding actors can only bow and leave, waiting for the next wave.

The warmth of the sun seeped from the sand beneath them, and Susanna then noticed the sunburn-like flush on Irason's face.

Susanna blocked the sunlight from above her head, and their two exquisite faces faced each other. The green dragon priest's eyes were glistening with tears; she was very beautiful, and so was Susanna.

"Did you prepare this, Ilan?"

“It’s the sea, and the sunshine and beach are just right.” Irason covered her cheek, peeking at her sister so close to her through her fingers. “I created this based on the scene in your dream. Do you like it?”

"I like you, just like I like you." Susanna's head slowly drooped.

"There's more! There's someone else here!!" The scream drowned out the sound of the waves. Taking advantage of Susanna's inattention, Irason moved out on all fours.

Just twenty meters away from the two, a scantily clad woman was smiling and looking in their direction.

The white dragon priestess, Priscilla, dressed in a blood-and-flesh disguise, was tall and slender, her soft curves wrapped in cool silk. The Frost Lady, with a smile as if melting the first snowflakes, innocently raised her hands.

"I was here first, no offense intended."

The elven governor reverted to his dignified mode in front of outsiders, though his small stature made him look like a cute little adult.

"I am Priscilla, the White Dragon Priestess. Welcome to the White Dragon's artificial beach."

"Susanna, Dream Druid, Irason's sister. Thank you so much for your preparation."

"No need to be so polite. We're all here on vacation. Ah, perhaps we should part ways? I won't bother you any longer." The White Dragon Priest covered his mouth and chuckled, taking a small step back as a gesture of respect.

"No, please stay. I would feel guilty if I drove my master away. Besides, I can better control myself with you here."

And so, the three women's vacation began.

Because of someone, Susanna and Principes had a lot in common and got along very well. They lay on deck chairs woven from branches and vines, enjoying the sunlight and chatting happily.

"So Susanna was Claudia's godmother? I remember she was quite resistant to Irason when she was little, and I was worried about what would happen to her in the future. Would she be very tired? I remember that little guy was very individualistic, while Boldris just lacked a bit of assertiveness."

"It's not too tiring. I also taught Tiffany before. She is Irason's child and now the Elf Queen."

Irason interrupted with great pride.

"Prince, Susanna is the best godmother, although the children she raised aren't very close to me..."

“Because to me you are also a child, and Tiffany may still be confused about whether you are her biological mother or her daughter.”

"Susanna! You bad woman! I'm ignoring you!" The green dragon priest, cheeks puffed out, turned away, leaving the two with an angry back view. Priscilla and Susanna exchanged a knowing smile, [a little coaxing will do the trick], and the two exchanged a tacit understanding.

“Claudia is very smart. Perhaps because she is not related to Ira Songn by blood, she does not have Tiffany’s occasional silly behavior.”

"Isn't that great? She can understand you very quickly."

"On the contrary, Claudia was very smart, so she quickly entered her rebellious phase, and neither stern reprimands nor gentle coaxing worked."

“I thought you would be a stern person. Although you have a somewhat…soft appearance, I can tell what kind of person you are from your tone of voice.”

"Perhaps, as you say, I might have been a bit too harsh on that child, perhaps... because she doesn't look like Irason. And what about yours, the white dragon you're with, the child named Bolderis?"

Principal nodded slowly, looking at the distant horizon.

“Very good, very good. Poldris’s personality is like the ocean, tolerant and gentle. He is so obedient that I often worry that he might develop some psychological problems. After all, based on my usual conversations with other dragon priests, everyone else has encountered obstacles. Poldris seems to be the kind of child that everyone else is looking for.”

"...Let's change the subject." Susanna felt tired. After decades of diligently running the Elf Kingdom, the governor felt she really needed to rest and put some of her worries behind her.

“Alright then, this beach was created by me and the White Dragon based on the dream information provided by Irason. It's the most beautiful place deep within your heart, Susanna. Irason told me you've never seen the sea. Now that you've seen it, would you like to do some leisure activities?”

"In addition to sunbathing, I also want to build sandcastles, go diving, and take a long voyage!" Ira Songn was full of energy again, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the two of them expectantly.

Susanna wore the same smile as Ira Songn.

"Just as I thought."

The White Dragon Priest rose from his seat. “These all seem like very ordinary activities… I thought you would choose some more exciting ones, but well, ladies, today, you are the stars.”

"Let's build sandcastles!"

To enjoy the fun of the sand, none of the three used magic. Instead, they used their hands and various seashell tools, along with seawater, to shape their respective castles in an orderly manner.

Twenty seconds later, Irason's castle, due to the lord's inaction, was merged into Susanna's castle complex and became part of the tower.

"Ilan, go fetch some water, lest you get washed away!" As was his habit, the elven governor assigned small tasks to the green dragon priest to increase her sense of participation, and began carving reliefs on his life-sized sand sculpture. Due to his unfamiliarity with the sea, this process took a considerable amount of time. Meanwhile, the white dragon priest, already finished, leaned against her tower sculpture, finally covering it with a snowflake-shaped dome of frost.

Susanna noticed a striking spot of light in the sand where Irason had walked. It wasn't the reflection of the sun on the sand; the small patch, about the size of a grain of sand, revealed the glint of gold.

Susanna walked over. It was a small piece of metal buried in the sand. The sand had covered its light, and it was only revealed after Irason stepped on it.

Turning over the sand, Susanna saw the gold in its entirety.

A golden rose hidden in the sand.

This couldn't be Irason's; Susanna knew every piece of her jewelry. Irason didn't own any precious metal or gemstone ornaments smaller than a baby's fist, because those little trinkets that once belonged to her would soon be lost.

Touching the edges of the golden rose petals reveals a rough, grainy texture.

“Crude human craftsmanship, a young blacksmith.” Susanna quickly understood the origin of the Golden Rose; it was a human ornament that had been lost.

Irason was drawn to the golden light and peered out to count its petals.

"Most of it fell into the sea. This beach is sand that Poldris rolled up from the seabed, and it may have mixed with some gifts brought by the tide, such as pirate treasure or something like that."

"Pirate's treasure!" Irason cheered like a child, her expectant eyes fixed on Principal, which made the White Dragon Priest somewhat troubled.

"Don't be silly, darling. Even the pirate's safe was smashed long ago by the white dragon's breath that stirred up the sand. There are probably still many treasures mixed in on this beach. If you want souvenirs, you can look for them yourself, just like lucky Susanna."

“Hmph, we are druids who communicate with nature. Susanna could easily overturn a small beach like this, right, Susanna…?” Irason turned his head and saw Susanna still staring blankly at the poorly made gold rose. This level of gold jewelry should not have captivated the elven governor so much.

“Its petals hold something very precious.” Susanna closed her eyes, clasped her hands together holding the golden rose, and made the golden light disappear from the three of them’s sight.

"what?"

"Humanity, the sediment left behind by a strong spirit."

"Ah, isn't that something bad like resentment? Susanna, get rid of it quickly."

After picking up the Golden Rose, Susanna seemed like a different person, even more fragile. She leaned on Irason's shoulder, resting her petite body against the somewhat bewildered green dragon priest.

"This isn't something intensely bad; these human traits only allow the person who comes into contact with it to experience the lingering emotions. If it had the power to influence the wearer, it wouldn't leave behind these regretful feelings."