Chapter 29: Former Enemy!
Indeed, the Evil Dragon's earlier declaration about offering her the role of [Trainee Death God] was genuine.
She had initially dismissed the evil dragon's words as jest, considering [Apprentice Death] to sound far too whimsical to be anything of substance.
Perhaps her skepticism stemmed from her limited excursions beyond the imperial capital, or her lack of encounters with the more bizarre and formidable denizens of the world.
Moreover, a significant hindrance lay in her mortal lifespan, she couldn't live for millennia, which greatly limited her opportunities for growth and strength.
Without gaining strength, she wouldn't have the chance to mingle with the more powerful beings of the world.
And without such interactions, she would never stumble upon the more obscure vocations that dotted their world.
Suddenly, Lucia found herself intrigued by the prospect of being an eternal, mischief-loving dragon who roamed freely, collecting accolades and adventures.
Perhaps it was time to seriously reflect on her childhood fantasy discussed just the day before.
To become a formidable evil dragon, akin to the notorious Black Dragon, Lance.
No sooner had this thought crossed her mind than she playfully smacked herself on the forehead with her claw, chuckling at her own foolish envy. How could she, a mere human, aspire to transform into an evil dragon?
In a century, she might vanish just as she dared to dream of draconic transformation.
Not all dragons could achieve the legendary status of Lance.
Historically, the continent had seen its share of malevolent evil dragons, yet none bore the playful, carefree demeanor of Lance. The dragons of lore were the quintessential embodiments of terror, whereas dragons like Lance were anomalies among their kind.
It wasn't that the earlier evil dragons were odd; rather, Lance was the exception to the rule.
A typical evil dragon bore no resemblance to Lance.
Yet, if posed the question of whether she preferred the company of conventional dragons or eccentric ones like Lance, she would unhesitatingly choose the latter.
Following an unconventional dragon like Lance could teach her unimaginable things, while aligning with a typical dragon might bring unexpected consequences. Should Lance's influence lead her astray, at least he would wait until she was fully grown.
Or perhaps, until any resultant hatchling reached maturity, right?
Lucia felt a tinge of uncertainty wash over her.
Suddenly, she noticed the dragon's gaze shifting her way.
Startled, the young dragon quickly turned her attention to a portrait hanging in a dim corner of the room. She had been eavesdropping on the recent exchange between the evil dragon and the underworld's death deity and had completely overlooked the visage of Lance's formidable adversary.
Why, though, did the character depicted on the portrait look so distorted, with a crooked mouth and slanted eyes? Surely this couldn't be the true likeness of Lance's powerful enemy.
Was this the result of poor artistic skills on the part of Lance? That seemed unlikely, considering the skillfully rendered portrait of the lovely draconian sister just moments before.
Perhaps Lance had intentionally portrayed his former rival in a less flattering light out of spite?
This seemed all the more probable given Lance's reputation for pettiness and holding grudges. It was entirely within his character to demean a strong adversary through such petty artistic sabotage.
As Lucia's eyes scanned the portrait, they landed on a name inscribed in the bottom right corner: Bruder Donahue.
The name resonated with her, stirring memories of a figure she'd encountered recently, was it in a book? A scroll? The name suggested a legendary hero or perhaps a valiant warrior whose deeds had been etched into the annals of history.
Lucia racked her brain, trying to place where she had seen or heard the name before. It was maddening that she couldn't recall the context immediately, especially since she was certain the name had surfaced in her recent readings or discussions.
"Why can't I remember it all of a sudden?" she murmured, frustration mounting. The inability to connect the dots nagged at her, as if an important revelation hovered just out of reach.
"Could it be because the stinky emperor hit me on the head with an iron basin when you were little?" Lucia teased with a laugh.
"Insufferable royal sister!" she exclaimed, her mind suddenly making the connection.
She recalled stumbling upon the name Bruder Donahue in her notorious sister's study, the one they mockingly called the 'Stinky Emperor'. Her sister had spoken fervently about this historical figure, declaring him her ultimate benchmark, the person she aspired to eclipse.
Later, back in her own quarters, Lucia had tasked her confidant Eva with digging up information on this enigmatic figure. They unearthed that he was a towering figure from over 2,500 years ago, a man who had ignited a war between gods and founded a new temple and empire.
Lucia found herself grappling with how to perceive such a formidable character. Her sister Athena, labeled as the 'stinky emperor', seemed almost unhinged in her ambition.
It was well-known that Bruder Donahue was the first revolutionary who dared defy the temple's tax demands.
To evade these levies, he audaciously established his own temple within the nation. He aligned himself with a god among the pantheon, fostering belief in him, and used this deity's name to challenge the then-dominant War Temple of the Light God Court.
This temple initiated by Bruder Donahue was christened the Temple of War.
He pledged allegiance to the God of War.
The creed of the Temple of War was founded on principles of self-reliance, resilience, fairness, justice, passion, and bravery. It encouraged the oppressed to rise against the mighty, advocating for the weak to boldly confront and retaliate against their oppressors.
Interestingly, the God of War, whom Bruder ardently championed, was rumored to have considered launching a divine arrow from the celestial realms to strike down Donahue himself.
This was particularly ironic given that during that era, the God of War was also revered within the Light Divine Court.
Indeed, the God of War epitomized the virtues of self-reliance, indefatigability, courage, passion, fairness, and justice, all values that Bruder Donahue held in high esteem and fought for.
Lucia mused on the audacious deeds of the ancient Bruder Donahue. "To employ the God of War as a shield against the Court of Light's gods... Well, that's bold."
She couldn't help but admire his flair. Not only did Bruder know how to make a statement, but he also managed to pull it off successfully. "This ancient man knew not only how to play the game but also how to flaunt his victories spectacularly. And the most crucial part? He actually succeeded."
She pondered whether the God of War was ever at a loss about how to deal with such a rebellious follower. "Perhaps that's why my stinky imperial sister, Asina, has set her sights on surpassing him. Wait, does she also harbor ambitions of inciting a divine conflict?"
Reflecting on the present, the major temples in the imperial capital didn't seem quite as oppressive, yet the empire had been subjected to heavy tributes to several powerful temples in recent decades. Thinking about this, Lucia grew concerned for her audacious sister. "Facing off against these temples is no small feat. Even becoming a princess, let alone the emperor, would be a challenge if she made them her adversaries. Even the mighty evil dragon Lance hasn't dared to provoke the temple directly."
"How can Sister Smelly even entertain such thoughts? She truly believes she is the fierce ancient, Bruder Donahue!"
"Wait, do you actually know him?" she jokingly asked a nearby listener.
"Yes, no, well, I don't personally know him. The man in the portrait is a bit off-putting."
Lucia laughed softly, knowing well that the young dragon had only a vague understanding of the ancient man's earth-shattering actions. His name was far less celebrated among humans than those of historical heroes and warriors.
"If not for my curiosity about why Sister Stinky aspired to outdo such a character, I wouldn't have looked him up," Lucia admitted. "I just stumbled upon a rough sketch of this ancient figure by chance."
Curious about another legend, she asked about Lance. "Is he strong?"
"Very strong. If he wasn't, he wouldn't be considered a formidable enemy by me," replied a voice, brimming with pride.
"You couldn't defeat him?"
"Not then."
"And now?"
"Beating him would be as easy as steeling a child's candy," the voice boasted confidently.
Lucia chuckled inwardly. Bruder, the ancient man daring enough to manipulate the God of War, surely wouldn't fear a contemporary like the evil dragon Lance. It seemed everyone loved their own version of bravado.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone