Westminster Bank

Chapter 283: Chapter 172: First Sight and Dragon Tide

Baron scanned his surroundings. From the valley entrance to this point, there were three distinct paths—though "paths" was a generous term. They were merely piles of rubble that were easier to walk over.

Thanks to what he’d overheard from the Dragon Knights and his own brief analysis, Baron understood why these Dragon Guides had stopped here with their employers.

All three main paths into the mountain had lingering auras of powerful Dragon Species. He estimated they were at least Bronze Tier, possibly Fourth or Fifth Generation Species.

The aura from the middle path was the strongest. The Spiritual Pressure it emanated was so intense that even an ordinary Law Enforcer without special training could feel it, so all the Trial Takers had already written it off.

It was the only path with no one standing at its entrance.

Baron glanced around. The woman with the compass, Taoist Nun Lucy, wasn’t here either. ’She must have picked a path and already headed into the mountains,’ he thought.

A few Dragon Guides—those with keen judgment or simply the guts of a gambler—had already picked one of the two remaining paths and moved on. The rest, however, lingered at the entrance. They were most likely waiting for the arrival of the two other Silver Dragon Guides—not counting Baron, of course.

’And why not me?’ Judging by the whispers he’d heard and the looks he’d received, Baron had a good idea. The Bronze Tiers had likely noticed something different about his mask. As for the Black Iron Tiers, they’d probably written him off completely after he crouched down and covered his head in front of the Cyan Flying Dragon at the altar.

’That raised a question. If even the Black Iron Dragon Guides could tell something was off, how could Isabella—the eldest daughter of a Dragon Slayer Clan, someone who deals with Dragon Guides all the time—possibly fail to notice?’

Baron was no idiot, and he didn’t like treating others like idiots either. ’I’m not sure why Isabella hasn’t exposed me yet, but until I can make my escape, I don’t mind playing along.’

Besides, according to Jack, the interior of the mountain range was unobservable from the outside, except for the disturbance caused by the final Dragon Spear Trial.

Baron’s gaze landed on the newly arrived Roy. ’Perfect,’ he thought. ’I have a little score to settle.’

Roy frowned. For a split second, he thought he’d felt a faint killing intent directed at him.

Then, the two Silver Dragon Guides exchanged a look before choosing two different paths.

The remaining Dragon Guides hesitated.

......

At the banquet, the host and his guests raised their glasses, toasting one another.

The Patriarch of a Dragon Slayer Clan clinked glasses with the Lidton Family Head and asked, "Patriarch Lidton, who do you think will be the first to unlock the Dragon Spear Trial in this year’s Dragon Hunting Ceremony?"

Lidton chuckled. "The heirs of the Beowulf Family are certainly contenders, and the Law Enforcers are no slouches. Of course, the elites from the Old Blood Clans all have great potential as well." A perfectly diplomatic answer.

Meanwhile, James, the editor-in-chief of the *Mercury Times*, who had been invited to cover the ceremony, was typing out a dispatch to his paper. He wrote, "Dragon Hunting Ceremony Begins: Beowulf Patriarch Lidton Suggests the Inner Side Has No Real Contenders," then snapped a photo with his Nikon and sent it off as well.

"The most likely candidates are probably Miss Isabella and Young Master Roy."

The speaker, the Patriarch of the Frank Family, thus complimented both the Beowulf and Hestia Families with a single sentence.

The acting Patriarch of the Constantine Family, Field, added, "But as for who will ultimately pull out the Dragon Spear, I imagine it will be one of the two young masters, Jose or Tune."

The Frank Patriarch glanced at Field, who raised his glass in a toast. The Frank Patriarch returned the gesture with a smile, and their glasses clinked.

"I just heard from Editor-in-Chief James," the Frank Patriarch said, "that your eldest son, Arthur, has been recognized by the London Tower and become one of its Wizards. I was wondering, Patriarch Field, if there’s any truth to this rumor?"

Field’s stern, unsmiling expression, which he’d worn since the banquet began, finally shifted. "It seems I can’t hide anything from you, Patriarch Frank. Yes, it’s true. Arthur has officially become the fourteenth Wizard of the London Tower. He is being personally mentored by the Vice Tower Master, Mr. Swedenborg."

Since its founding, the London Tower had recruited fewer than a hundred Wizards in total. Without exception, every one of them had eventually reached the Silver Tier.

And Swedenborg... He was the founder of the Soul School, known as the "Silver" closest to Gold.

’Someone from the Constantine Family actually got into the London Tower and became Swedenborg’s student?’

At these words, the expressions of several nearby Patriarchs changed. The Frank Patriarch’s smile grew stiff.

Elder Pence of the Hestia Family had a similar reaction. Just a moment ago, he had been discreetly broaching the subject of partitioning the Constantine Clan’s territory in the Plains with Patriarch Lidton. He never expected Field to pull a move like this.

’The plan for the Plains will have to be changed,’ Elder Pence thought. ’It must be more airtight, more enticing to the other families...’ He beckoned to his attendant and had him carry a message.

Patriarch Lidton immediately stepped forward to offer his congratulations. "Why didn’t you mention this earlier, that Young Master Arthur had entered the London Tower? If I recall, Arthur is only twenty-seven... By entering the Tower, couldn’t he become a Silver Mage by his early thirties?"

"This is wonderful news!" chided a Patriarch who had been speaking ill of the Constantine Clan just moments before. "Patriarch Field, why didn’t you bring Young Master Arthur with you? As it happens, my eldest daughter is also twenty-seven..."

Field cleared his throat. "I only received confirmation myself a short while ago. Arthur says he will be bringing Grand Mage Swedenborg to the Dragon Hunting Ceremony in the near future..."

"Excellent." Upon hearing this, the tense expression that had settled on Patriarch Lidton’s face—ever since the Priest mentioned a sub-species in the mountains—finally eased.

’Golden Wizard Newton isn’t coming,’ he thought, ’but having Swedenborg, the founder of the Soul School and a Silver Grand Mage, is just as good.’

"Even though the Constantine Family has a Lawbreaker like Baron Constantin, producing a figure like Arthur has certainly restored some honor to their name," said the Frank Patriarch—the same man who had once vowed to make the Constantine Clan pay—his tone laced with envy.

Field merely replied, his voice flat. "Baron Constantin? A Demon who murdered his own brother. I will make him understand the price for tarnishing the Constantine name."

The hatred in his voice made the Frank Patriarch, who had also lost a son, and the Lancelot Patriarch, a former in-law, exchange glances.

.........

"So, do you think our dear Mr. Baron is here? Elvin, give me something."

Elsewhere, a Battle Nun named Camilla was nonchalantly pinching the cheeks of Lian, another Battle Nun with long, straight black hair.

Lian remained expressionless, like a rag doll being played with. Her hands, however, were still silently polishing her incredibly long and slender great tachi with a cloth.

Bronze Saint Elvin watched the scene, shifted in his seat, and adjusted his junk. "Who knows? The higher-ups just pointed us here. I’m just following orders, Sister."

"If it weren’t for those two who popped up out of nowhere last time, we would’ve already nabbed Baron Constantin and been done with it. Have the higher-ups found anything on that group of Lawbreakers yet?"

Elvin shrugged in response to Camilla’s question. "The official reply is ’still under investigation,’ which most likely means they have no clue who they are."

Camilla sighed. "I really can’t figure out how our dear Bloodless Mr. Baron suddenly became a rising star in the criminal underworld."

"Judging by the Spiritual Power he displayed back then, he was definitely no rookie Law Enforcer. Perhaps his collusion with the Dragon Witch started long before he turned."

"They say he escaped from Roy’s subordinates last time by using the power of the Dragon Eater Association... It sounds like he’s a high-ranking member. Can we really catch someone like that? I heard he has a sister. Why don’t we use her as bait?"

Camilla’s eyes lit up at the suggestion, but Lian shook her head and said earnestly, "Camilla, that would be wrong."

At which point her face was buried in Camilla’s 36D chest. "Lian, you’re so cute when you say that! Can you say it again?"

Lian struggled against the smothering for a moment before giving up. Bronze Saint Elvin and the other lechers secretly watching nearby all gulped before he spoke:

"Baron’s sister, Yelena, and his brother, Edward, vanished from their home long ago. They would have prepared for something like that... Hm? Something’s wrong with the Barrier!?"

Elvin shot to his feet, his gaze—along with every other guest’s—snapping in the same direction.

There, a vast cloud of dust billowed from the distance, carrying with it the enraged roars of a horde of Dragons!

It was a Dragon Tide!