The dragon's harem

179 A Twisted Truth

BAM! BAM! BAM! Arad ran forward, his eyes focused on the city. The wall is getting closer. ^Should I ask the guard to open the gate? No, it will take time^

The guards on the walls clenched their eyes in the dark, ”Someone is coming...” One of them mumbled.

[Void Walk] Arad teleported directly behind the gate since he knew it will be empty.

”I was wrong. There is nothing out there.” The guard returned to his post. Oblivious to the dragon that snuck in.

CRACK! Each of Aradʼs steps left an imprint on the road as he accelerated. Increasing his weight slowly to get more traction.

CLANG! CLANG! Aradʼs ears tingled as he heard steel clashing. A fight is ensuing on Lylaʼs street.

^I was right. Lyla knew someone will target her and Mira since they took Chuzukeʼs side. She sent her daughter to me to keep her safe while she remained as a decoy.^

BAM! Aradʼs nose started tingling, blood. He can smell it in the air. [Void Walk] He teleported forward to cut the distance.

***

A man rushed down the stairs of Lylaʼs house, scared as two other men followed him. They jumped down and crashed onto Lylaʼs stashed goods and causing a mess. CLAP! A lightning bolt zapped across the room, killing one of the men as the other two rushed outside.

”Weʼre safe! Damn it!” The two men smiled as they tried to run across the street.

Thud! Arad rushed past them. His hands shifted into claws as he ripped across their necks. SPLASH! Blood splashed in the air. But it was absorbed into Aradʼs stomach with the corpses before they could hit the ground.

Arad stared at the shop door, seeing Lyla walk out with a spiked steel rod in her hand. Abel standing behind her covered in blood. ”Arad? What brought you here?” Lyla gasped.

”I felt that you might get attacked.” Arad looked at Lyla and Abel. ”Was it her?” He glared at the lordʼs mansion with veins popping on his forehead. ”I will burn it to the ground.”

Lyla gasped, feeling the immense pressure coming off Arad. She knew he was a dragon, and that wasnʼt an empty threat. He was merely stating a fact.

”Wait!” Abel caught Arad by the shoulder. ”Listen to me for a while, will you?”

Arad glared at Abel. ”What is it?”

”It wasnʼt stepmom. I was investigating her and something seemed off. Those arenʼt even her men.” Abel glared at the mansion. ”I check on her intentions, the latest contacts and it only got weirder.”

Arad looked at Abel. ”Are you saying someone is setting her up?”

Abel and Arad walked back inside the shop where they sat on the rubble. ”Three days before a diviner discovered the elder wood. A woman came to the mansion and talked with Stepmom about a deal. She said the royal family was looking for rare furniture for the princessʼs wedding. And they will pay handsomely.”

Lyla looked at Arad. ”I also heard of that. I know one of the maids in the lordʼs mansion and she told me. So I can get anything rare I have to sell.”

Abel scratched his head. ”The problem is that woman disappeared after one day without a trace after the slap incident. I bet stepmom wanted to make furniture from the elder wood to sell to the royal family.”

Lyla sighed, ”That would have changed everything. The city will get a favor with the king, and a crap ton of money. I would say it would be a better financial decision than that kid Chuzuke.”

Arad looked at them. ”That doesnʼt change the fact you were attacked.”

”Listen to me,” Abel started at Arad. ”I got enough dirt on stepmom to bury her alive, but those werenʼt her soldiers.” He sighed.

”They even went to the trouble of stealing her menʼs armor to look like them. Someone is trying to set her up.”

Abel approached one of the corpses and removed the helmet. ”Look! It barely fit him.” The manʼs head almost didnʼt fit in the helmet.

Arad approached the corpse and looked closely. He noticed a bite mark on the neck. ”Look,” He pointed at them and Abel and Lyla took a close look.

”Vampire?” Abel gasped.

”For real? But how could it be?” Lyla gasped.

Arad stood. ”Lyla. I will take you to my house now.” He then looked at Abel. ”Go inform Alcott about this first, and then the guild.”

”Alcott is out on a mission. He left two days ago with Ginger.”

”Then inform the guild, and make sure Nina is the one to know first.” Arad walked toward Lyla weʼre heading out.

”Wait! Let me lock the place down first.” Lyla ran back inside to bring the keys as Abel left.

Arad looked at the road. ”Loci,”

~Sorry, I canʼt conjure anything besides you now. The street is blocking me.~ Loci was the nature the city is built on. She might control the dirt beneath the stone roads, but those manmade stuff arenʼt a part of her.

^Fine, did you know where those men came from?^

~I didnʼt see any of them enter or exit the city. But keep in mind I wasnʼt paying that much attention in the last few months. And that looking inside the city is harder than the forest.~

^Then keep an eye on the city skirts for anything strange.^

~I will do that. And I will try to grow plants between the street stones and buildings. But it will take some time since Iʼm still recovering.~

”Iʼm done.” Lyla approached Arad with a massive bag on her back.

^Donʼt push yourself too much.^

Arad touched Lylaʼs back, absorbing it into his stomach. ”You can store all that?”

Arad stared at her. ”You can carry it?” He smiled carrying her in his hands. Hold tight.

”Put me down! I can walk.” Lyla gasped.

”If they are watching us, they will know where did we go if we walked.” Arad smiled.

[Void Walk] [Void Walk] [Void Walk]

Each time Lyla blinked, the scenery would change. From the inside of her locked shop, to behind the gates, to the fields, and to the forest.

Almost immediately, Arad and Lyla appeared on the forest edge. ”What happened?” She gasped.

Arad stared at a flower with Lyla in his hands. ”Loci, I know Iʼm giving you a lot of work. But can you jumble the way after me?”

The flower grew a mouth. ”Iʼm already doing that. Itʼs almost impossible for the average person to reach your house without me guiding them.”

”Thanks,” Arad rushed forward running with Lyla in his hands.