Chapter 152
As Draco contemplated his options, he decided to activate his ‘Dragon Aura’ skill in an attempt to subdue Ais.
“Stand down,” he commanded, his voice infused with the same intimidating power he had used moments before.
However, Ais appeared unfazed; if anything, her fury intensified, she appeared ready to charge forward and strike again.
Draco’s familia members wanted to help, but after seeing that Draco was taking it too easy on his attacker, they stood down, believing that there was more to things.
Just as Ais was about to attempt another attack, two figures emerged from behind her.
Riveria swiftly reached out and seized Ais's arm, forcibly pulling her back, while Gareth, the stout man, quickly positioned himself as a barrier between the furious girl and Draco.
“Ais! Stop this at once!” Riveria ordered, her tone stern but laced with concern.
Ais struggled against Riveria’s grip, her eyes locked onto Draco with a burning intensity.
“Let me go!” Ais screamed, her fury only escalating as she fought to break free.
Draco's gaze narrowed at her words.
He could sense the depth of hatred radiating from her, a feeling so powerful it almost matched his own aura.
Intrigued yet cautious, he maintained his defensive posture, not willing to let his guard down.
“My apologies for this disturbance,” Gareth addressed Draco, his voice gruff yet diplomatic.
“It seems there's been a misunderstanding. Our companion appears... sensitive for some unknown reason,” he explained, trying to defuse the situation.
Draco’s eyes darted between the three figures before him—the enraged girl, the elegant woman restraining her, and the sturdy man acting as a shield.
He straightened his posture, allowing some tension to dissipate, though he remained alert.
‘Great, they don’t seem hostile,’ he thought, surprised to have encountered both Gareth and Riveria so soon.
“I see. And what exactly is this... sensitivity that prompts such a violent reaction?” he inquired, probing for information even though he had a strong suspicion about the answer.
Riveria - spoke up, still struggling to hold back the furious Ais, she was way stronger but being careful not to hurt the little girl.
“That’s not something we can discuss here in public. Perhaps we could arrange a more private meeting to address this... misunderstanding.” she said.
Her gesture toward the curious onlookers made it clear that they needed to remove themselves from the scene.
In truth, she had no idea why Ais was attacking Draco, but admitting ignorance in front of the public could potentially damage the Loki Familia's reputation.
Riveria wanted to understand Ais’s reaction better, which was why she sought a meeting with Draco—someone Ais had responded to so vehemently.
Additionally, it served as a valid opportunity for her to study Draco, a person she found intriguing.
Draco considered her words carefully, his eyes never leaving the young girl who seemed intent on running him through with her sword.
He could sense the raw power of the wind element emanating from her, despite her small stature.
It seemed to increase with each second he remained present.
“Very well,” he finally replied after a brief moment of contemplation.
“I’m willing to discuss this further, but not today. My familia and I have matters in the dungeon that require our immediate attention.” he replied.
He recognized the potential for forming a connection with the Loki Familia, despite his instinctive understanding that there might be ulterior motives.
“Understood. We’ll be in touch through official channels to arrange a meeting,” Riveria affirmed, relieved that a path forward had been established.
Draco inclined his head in acknowledgment, then turned to lead his familia away.
As the Bahamut Familia disappeared into the distance, Riveria swiftly knocked Ais unconscious before they both vacated the scene.
The crowd, having witnessed the commotion, quickly dispersed, and rumours began to spread like wildfire about what had transpired.
……………………………………………
Once Draco had led his familia away from the tumultuous scene, an uncomfortable silence settled among the group.
Expecting questions or comments, he found the lack of conversation disconcerting, especially with the weight of their stares pressing against his back.
“Alright, everyone. Out with it,” Draco finally said, unable to endure their intense gazes any longer.
“Draco nii,” Vasiliki began, her tone serious.
“What?” Draco replied, sensing the gravity in her voice.
“What did you do to that young girl to provoke such hatred? She seemed ready to kill you right there,” Vasiliki inquired, her curiosity evident.
‘Of course they would notice,’ Draco thought, mentally preparing for the questions to come.
“Honestly, I did nothing, nor have I ever met her. If I had to guess, it likely stems from her prejudices against dragons,” Draco explained.
“Hmm, that makes sense. I would have known if you were up to anything inappropriate with young girls behind our backs,” Vasiliki said, nodding sagely.
“And what the hell does that mean?” Draco asked, feeling a spark of irritation flare in his chest.
“Why are you getting angry? Is there something we don’t know?” Vasiliki pressed, raising an eyebrow.
‘Don’t let her get under your skin Draco, your bigger than this’ Draco thought.
“Alright, that’s enough Vasiliki. Stop picking on Draco nii,” Dimitra interjected, coming to his defence.
“By the way Draco nii, can you clarify what the agreement you made with the Loki Familia means for us?” Nikolaos asked, shifting the focus of the conversation.
“Hmm, it’s nothing complicated,” Draco replied.
“The Loki Familia likely wants to arrange some form of settlement for the incident. They probably also seek information about the reason for the girls attack on me, since it happened without any apparent justification, which isn’t good for their public image.” he explained.
He contemplated the situation further. ‘Well, they could use my dragon aura skill as an excuse to nullify any compensation claims, but Ais’s reaction was excessive, and it clearly appeared more like a hate crime with barely any tangible proof to back it up,’ he thought.
“So don’t worry; we won’t find ourselves in any serious conflict with them, at least not for now. So focus on the task today; we’re about to enter the dungeon,” Draco added, attempting to ease their anxieties.
“If you say so,” Nikolaos replied, still looking skeptical.
“By the way, what about the group that attacked us earlier? What were they after? I suspect someone put them up to it; they didn’t seem very intelligent,” Eleni grumbled, her brow furrowing in thought.
“True, I’ve been pondering that as well. Did the Loki Familia perhaps orchestrate all this?” Clair speculated, her eyes narrowing as she considered the possibilities.
“No, it seemed too chaotic for it to be a planned event,” Vasileios countered, shaking his head.
“Hmm, then another familia is targeting us,” Eleni concluded, her expression serious.
“Yeah, that’s probably why Draco nii used such an intimidation tactic,” Nikolaos agreed, glancing at Draco.
“While I commend you all for your deep thinking, this is neither the time nor the place for it. Just because you’ve all become level 2 doesn’t mean you should underestimate the upper floors. The dungeon is not your ally; it will seize any opportunity to kill you,” Draco warned, effortlessly swatting aside a goblin attack with his tail.
With his warning, the group renewed their focus as they delved deeper into the dungeon.