Chapter 811: Chazat [Monthly Bonus 2]
"Calendar? That’s different, too?"
[Yes, it is.]
Lostvayne elaborated,
[The Gregorian Calendar from Original Earth was spread across the Cosmos during their era of expansion billions of years ago, but some universes kept their own native systems.
Draco Sirus is one of them. They don’t use the General Calendar System either. Instead, they use ’Reigns’.
A new ’Reign’ begins when a new force takes control of the Universe’s pantheon. Last I checked, this was the 78th ’Ember’ Reign.]
"Huh?"
Arthur blinked, a bit puzzled.
"If that’s the case, then calling it the 78th ’Ember’ Reign makes it sound like there were 77 other ’Ember’ Reigns before this one."
He voiced his confusion, and Lostvayne calmly responded.
[That’s just how they name it here.]
"For people who went as far as standardising planetary rotations so years stay in multiples of 30, that feels... sloppy."
[It just reflects their priorities. Most people simply say ’78th Reign’ anyway.]
As they spoke, the spatial channel curved to avoid a drifting galaxy crossing their path. Lostvayne went on with his explanation of Draco Sirus’ calendar customs.
[They don’t bother naming months like in the Gregorian Calendar either. They’re simply referred to by number. First, Second, Third, and so on.]
"Are these guys just lazy or something?"
[Dragons can be lazy when they feel like it. They are known for taking egregiously long slumbers, after all,] Celestia chimed in, and Arthur couldn’t disagree.
Maybe standardising the months and days was simply their way of avoiding the hassle of dealing with the universe’s original setup.
"Why do I feel like that’s actually the case..."
[It probably is. Anyway, like I said, they don’t name the months. If it’s the 15th of the sixth month, they just say ’15th of Sixth.’
Then, their years are called ’Draconic Years.’]
"That last part is the only normal thing about this universe’s calendar system!"
Celestia laughed at Arthur’s remark, then suddenly stopped as something occurred to her.
[Master, you don’t have a birthday anymore.]
"..."
Arthur blinked, momentarily confused, then his eyes widened as it hit him.
"I don’t have a birthday anymore!"
His birthday was on the 31st of December, but here, December, or rather, ’Twelfth’, only had 30 days.
"Well... my age is based less on calendar years and more on how long I’ve actually ’existed.’ After all, even though it was still October in Hell, my status in Valmone already showed me as 32."
Thus spoke the 32-year-old man who still didn’t look a day over 18.
[Wow... Master’s already 32. Oh, how they grow up so fast...] Celestia said in a mock-crying voice.
"The heck? Why are you acting like you’re older than me or something?" Arthur shot back immediately.
Celestia dropped her fake crying voice in an instant. [Come on, Master, let’s face it. Even though I’ve been with you since birth, I’m probably older than you.
After all, Lostvayne here has some idea of what I am... whatever I am. And if I came into existence at the same time you did, he couldn’t possibly know anything about me.
Which means I must have existed before you, but somehow ended up with you when you were born. So... I’m probably much older than even I think. Definitely older than you, Master.]
No sooner had she said this than Lostvayne murmured, [Hmm... so Master is the youngest.]
Arthur’s brow twitched. Twice.
While Arthur reacted, Lorsvane internally added to himself, ’Is that really the case, though?’
The trio continued their banter in such a manner, and after another 72 hours, they arrived on planet Chazat.
◇ ◇ ◇
Unnamed Continent
Apex World Chazat
Mekiria Galaxy
24th of Fifth
9423rd Draconic Year
"24th of Fifth... weird-ass dragons..."
Arthur muttered while flipping through a newspaper, skimming over the text so his Authority of Languages could help him pick up the planet’s native tongue.
’Languages is such a useful Law. Shame there’s a cap on how many I can ’know’ until I rank up the Authority.’
Still, considering how powerful it was, that limitation was hardly worth complaining about.
Thanks to it, Arthur, who hadn’t known a single word of Chazat’s Draconic language a moment ago, was already at a competent second-language level after just one read-through.
As for how he’d paid for the paper? Turned out dragons, much like crows, had a fondness for shiny things.
Who would have known?
Anyway, a few platinum bars from Arthur’s stash were more than enough to secure him an excess of local currency.
And no, don’t ask why Arthur was carrying platinum bars in the first place. He had all sorts of things tucked away in his subspace.
’I’ll never understand why more people don’t hoard stuff in their subspaces. They’re ridiculously convenient. If you can create a pocket in the seams of space itself, why not use it as much as possible?’
With that idle thought, Arthur tossed the newspaper into his subspace and made his way to a nearby restaurant, eager to put his newly learned language skills to the test.
As they walked, Lostvayne suddenly spoke up.
[Master, once we’re done searching for Lady Celestia’s fragment, I’d like to go speak to Mofil.]
Arthur blinked in confusion.
’Mofil?’
[Yes. The dwarf I mentioned before,] Lostvayne clarified.
’Ah, right. The dwarf. You sure he’s still on this planet? It’s been tens of thousands of years, after all.’
[Very likely. Mofil isn’t one to move around much. The last time I spoke with him, he said things that made me estimate he’s been on this planet for at least 500 million years.]
’Five hundred million?!’
[Of course, he hasn’t spent every moment here,] Lostvayne clarified. [He’s gone off to do other things, visited other places... but he always returns.]
’I don’t get it. Why keep coming back? Is there something special about this planet?’
[Honestly, I have no clue. He’s never once explained it, even when Lucifer himself tried dragging him away more than once.]
Lostvayne didn’t sound particularly curious about Mofil’s reasons.
[Last time I was here, he lived at the top of a certain mountain.]
’You sure that mountain’s still around? Like I said, it’s been tens of thousands of years.’
[Yes, Master. I’m certain it’s still here. In fact... you’re looking right at it.]
Arthur froze at Lostvayne’s words, then slowly lifted his gaze to the towering mountain standing at the far edge of the city.
Or perhaps it could be called the city’s centre, since the entire city was built encircling the mountain.
’Oh... Well, you can meet your dwarf after we’re done.’
Arthur resumed walking, taking in the city’s sights.
’Looks like a normal city,’ he mused. ’Aside from a few full-form dragons lounging on rooftops and the oversized buildings, it’s nothing unusual. Plenty of humans and elves here too, though it’s obvious the dragons outrank them, considering how the other races step aside whenever one passes.’
[Dragons are supreme in this universe,] Lostvayne noted. [So it’s only natural to see things like that.]
As Lostvayne spoke, Arthur’s eyes drifted up toward the mountain in the city centre, noting the numerous full-formed dragons circling its heights.
The city encircled its base, climbing partway up its slopes, with the higher reaches clearly serving as the dragons’ primary domain.
Meanwhile, the city below belonged mostly to humanoids, a place most of the dragons descended to only when they took on their humanoid forms.
Taking his gaze off the mountain, Arthur reached the outdoor seating area of his chosen restaurant and slid into the chair opposite a young woman absorbed in what looked like a smartphone.
"Hello, there."
"?"
She glanced up with a frown, one eyebrow arching as if to ask why this stranger was suddenly speaking to her.
Ignoring the clear suspicion in her eyes, Arthur continued.
"So, I’m new here, and I don’t really know the city’s rules. For example, is that mountain over there off-limits to all races except dragons? If not, what’s the procedure to get up there, if any?
I’m curious, and you’re the only dragon here not speaking with anyone, so I thought I’d ask you."
At those words, her initially suspicious gaze deepened, a bit of hostility seeping out of her.
For context, this woman bore no visible signs of being a dragon. She had completely concealed not just her features, but even her race.
Arthur, however, could see through it effortlessly thanks to his Progenitor nature. Since this was second nature to him, he often forgot that it wasn’t normal for others. In fact, there were times he didn’t even realise someone was actively concealing their race.
With that in mind, one could only imagine the thoughts running through the woman’s head as Arthur so casually exposed her as a dragon while she was deliberately hiding it.
One could just as easily picture Arthur’s own confusion at the woman’s sudden hostility, after all, as far as he was concerned, he had merely asked a simple question.
’Maybe that place is sacred to dragons or something’, he mused inwardly, to which Lostvayne replied, [Maybe it is now.]
While the two of them puzzled over it, the woman seemed to reach some sort of conclusion on her own and opened her mouth to speak, only to be loudly and rudely interrupted.
"HOW DARE YOU INFERIOR THING?!"
The sudden bellow made both Arthur and the woman turn toward the source, a man standing across the street. Her eyes widened in surprise and recognition, while Arthur just frowned in confusion.
’Why the hell is this guy shouting in the middle of the street?’
[Master,] Lostvayne chimed in, [I think he’s talking to you.]
Arthur blinked. "Huh? Wait, he was talking to me?"
