Chapter 560: 38. The Moment of Confession
“What do you plan to do about the close relationship between you and our priestess Jasmine?”
As soon as Aria’s words fell, the ancestral home of the two became exceptionally quiet, as if even the laughter of the children outside the Dragon Court was gradually fading away, leaving only the echo of Raphael’s mother’s words in front of them.
Fisher was taken aback for a moment, the guard he had let down in the gentle atmosphere was gradually being picked up again at this moment.
It seemed that he was not too naive; as the mother of the Dragon Queen and the wife of the former leader of the Southern Branch Tribe, Aria was far from being as easy to talk to as she had seemed. Perhaps she had already formed a preliminary understanding of him since he had followed Raphael to the Dragon Court.
Facing Fisher’s temporary silence, Aria’s previously motherly smile became increasingly subtle. She stared at her cup of tea, which she had hardly touched, where faintly flickering was the light representing the countless ancestors of the Dragon Court behind her.
Prompted by the gently swaying candlelight, she spoke again,
“Though as you can see, Raphael has already grown up, and I am gradually aging, I have never participated in the affairs of the Dragon Court, and her decisions are no longer my concern. However, as her mother, I cannot be kept in the dark about such private matters.
“Yesterday, when Raphael brought you back from outside, I had already realized that Jasmine, who has helped the Dragon Court immensely over the years, also has a significant relationship with you. Raphael even had a falling out with her because of this; since yesterday, they haven’t seen each other, Mr. Fisher. I hope I am mistaken and that your connection with Priestess Jasmine is not as profound as I imagine.”
In response to Aria’s words, Fisher also looked at the once full cup in front of him, and after a moment of silence, he candidly admitted,
“Aunt Aria, you are right, Jasmine and I indeed have a close relationship.”
With the answer, Aria looked calmly at Fisher in front of her; she had anticipated this answer, so she continued to ask,
“So, what do you plan to do, Mr. Fisher?”
“.”
In fact, the greedy Fisher had already prepared a standard answer in his heart long ago; he didn’t want to give up anyone. Therefore, what lay before him was never a multiple-choice question. From the beginning, he had been trying to stabilize the situation as much as possible and lead each other to accept one another.
Although, as previously mentioned, the ladies familiar with Fisher all had relatively simple family situations just like him, Jasmine and Raphael from the Southern Continent were exactly the ones who needed to consider this issue.
Thus, the goal of “stabilizing the situation” and “helping each other to accept one another” would certainly extend to each other’s families, with Aria being the first hurdle he had to face.
Fisher took a deep breath, lifted his gaze to Aria, and after thinking for a second, he continued,
“Aunt Aria, you might already know about my background?”
“. I know a bit. Keshil and the others said you are a local from the Western Continent, a Nali person. In that land, you are a person of great renown, and even on the Southern Continent thousands of miles away, there are juniors who admire you and long to communicate with you. They say you are very friendly, knowledgeable, and that you not only saved my daughter’s life but also returned her freedom to them. If it weren’t for you, I might never have a chance to reunite with her, and of course, there would be no today.”
“Too much praise, Aunt. If I must say, I am just an ordinary scholar teaching in Nali, and that was before I became a wanted fugitive in Nali.”
“Wanted?”
“Ah, yes. During my time as a professor, I had an irreparable conflict with the current Queen of Nali, Elizabeth, due to one of my students. Although I eventually saved her, I was left with a tarnished reputation and became a fugitive wanted by the entire nation of Nali.”
Aria examined the human man in front of her again, but soon her gaze returned. She unconsciously touched the tea cup on the table, feeling the residual warmth,
“Was that student very important to you?”
“. Indeed, Aunt Aria. While it is not entirely for that student, it is without a doubt that many of my decisions were influenced by her.”
Fisher tapped the table and lifted his gaze once more to Aria, quickly adding,
“That student’s name is Jasmine, a member of the Whale Folk who infiltrated Nali to find her aunt.”
“.”
Aria stopped speaking, simply gazing silently at Fisher in front of her.
Of course, she recognized Fisher’s insinuation. If he had directly stated “I want it all,” it would have seemed too presumptuous. Just stating his relationship with Jasmine was already a response.
After a long silence, as she lifted the cup to take a shallow sip of tea, she changed the subject,
“Mr. Fisher, do you know about the Dragon Race?”
“What aspect do you mean?”
“About Suitable Tail Partners.”
“. I know a bit, but not much.”
Fisher looked at Aria with a thirst for knowledge, not expecting that upon seeing Fisher’s expression, her faint smile would become more profound. Amidst Fisher’s confusion, she said with a smile,
“Said Suitable Tail Partner can probably be guessed even by those outside the Dragon Race. It is closely related to marriage, union, and procreation, not to mention the little dragon hatchlings. In the settlements of Dragon People, unions are sacred, and Suitable Tail Partners are also sacred. This is something every Dragon Race member must learn and understand, especially as romantic tales of love always attract attention and curiosity.
“When I was still in the Southern Branch Tribe, during rest times, my children would gather around me, eager to hear legends left by a pair of lovebirds from years ago. They would rejoice at good endings, feeling envious and delighted; they would be saddened and infuriated by the imperfections of lovers.
“However, that child Raphael, that only girl, is not like that. She is the most special of my children, not merely because she shares the same crimson scales as the legendary dragon god nor because her physique is stronger than the other children and her soul more fervent. She has never shown interest in these concepts and stories; she does not wish to believe in the beauty others create, so self-confident and proud that she thinks she doesn’t need the support and help of a partner.”
An affectionate, warm nostalgia spread across Aria’s face, as if the little dragon girl who might breathe fire was about to jump out of her memories,
“Perhaps it is this pride that allowed her to confidently leave her hometown, thinking she could see the world beyond the tribe; or maybe it is the scarcity of those love stories that makes her seem so naive and clumsy in relationships.
“A Suitable Tail Partner is not a selection in life. For us, procreation is not the purpose of a Suitable Tail; it is merely the outer manifestation. This is also why if a Dragon does not find a Suitable Tail throughout their life, they will not have the need to procreate. The Suitable Tail is a choice of the soul, Fisher. Raphael’s soul chose you because you helped her when her pride was shattered, because you provided her with steadfast support when she doubted herself, and because you granted her freedom when she needed respect.
“In that moment, her isolated soul found a purpose, just as I thought when I married her father. She believed she had grasped a beauty that belonged exclusively to her, and for that, she would go to great lengths to stand by your side, to stand next to you, a noble Nali upper-class man. But who could blame her for being so indifferent in her childhood? So she overlooked that you are a human and that you cannot find a Suitable Tail; your soul will not generate the same fervency and certainty as hers.
“Therefore, she must endure the cost, experiencing pain that no Dragon Race member has ever tasted. For a Dragon, sharing a partner with others is akin to tearing apart their soul; it’s a suffering she feels at all times but never speaks of. You lack dragon horns; even if your body is strong enough, you cannot decipher the thoughts contained in her horns, nor the burning jealousy that threatens to pull her into a chasm.
“Tell me, Mr. Fisher, if you have a daughter in the future, would you be willing to entrust her to someone like yourself?”
The words culminated in a simple yet resonant display of empathy.
Above all, how simple, straightforward, deadly, and vicious this phrase was!
It was so straightforward and simple that Fisher could easily conjure up corresponding scenarios in his mind; it was so deadly and vicious that even someone like Fisher could not make any affirmative answer.
Fortunately, Aria herself did not hope for Fisher to offer a specific answer; at this moment, whatever Fisher said would no longer change her thoughts or views.
Then she continued,
“As Raphael’s mother, to be frank, I oppose your union. I do not wish for the originally sacred and sweet Suitable Tail to become an endless torment for the Dragon Race. At the same time, I hold a pessimistic view towards your feelings for Raphael, Mr. Fisher. Forgive my boldness, but I have to say I am against your marriage.”
“.”
Fisher stared directly at Aria, listening as this mother of Raphael spoke at length until she finally voiced her opinion. He remained silent, attentively absorbing her words without interruption.
After several seconds had passed and Aria ceased speaking, only raising her trembling fingers to lift her tea cup, drinking more than half of its contents, Fisher finally chuckled and said,
“Aunt Aria’s acting is too good; I almost got fooled by your kindness when I first came in with Raphael.”
Aria shook her head as she looked at him, and then said,
“Honestly, it takes courage to say these things in front of you, Mr. Fisher.”
“Courage?”
“Yes, courage. I still want to confirm your identity: are you really a human?”
“I—”
Fisher looked down at his own palm, perhaps even he did not expect that while immersed in Aria’s narrative, the terrifying rank he had was slowly blooming forth, as if along with the fluctuations of his emotions, it created a horrifying pressure.
At that moment, Aria’s words reminded him once again of a fact he was all too aware of: he was now a chaotic monster with the rank of a mythical being draped in human skin.
Aria quietly watched Fisher, who was momentarily taken aback, and then said,
“Honestly, you give me a very terrifying feeling. Just coming in made my scales tremble in fear. I could hardly sit still, rising to pour tea to ease the pressure. I even worried that while I was speaking with you, you might become enraged and kill me; that would surely be a disaster, wouldn’t it?
“Yet I must still express my thoughts, Mr. Fisher. Even if you are such a powerful being, for Raphael’s sake, I must candidly present my views as a mother. To be honest, I possess no capability; I am just an ordinary member of the Dragon Race. I believe you can see that point; otherwise, I wouldn’t be of no assistance to Raphael and only remain in the Wanhua Garden, doing this simple work for the Dragon Court.
“When I was young, her father took care of me too well and was overly tolerant. Even though I am such a fragile Dragon, he became my Suitable Tail and married me. Perhaps it is precisely because of this that I cannot help but doubt you.”
Listening to Aria’s concerns, Fisher inevitably fell into deep thought.
Indeed, Aria’s words held truth; at present, many rules were mere formalities for Fisher. He had already entered the mythical rank, and many restrictions that constrained others could be effortlessly surpassed by him.
If one were to tally, most of the ladies he knew were actually lower in rank compared to him, including the Aria before him. He could completely disregard her opinions; she had no way to counter him. In fact, he could even use his power to force Raphael to accept other women.
He could even indiscriminately make Raphael feel guilty, make her feel inferior. She didn’t even know how terrifying the demon enemies she faced were, nor did she know about the Apocalypse Prophecy—after all, it was all on him to worry about.
He could even neglect the Dragon Court entirely; he could directly kill back to Nali. Why should he still be concerned about Elizabeth’s excessive possessiveness?
But could Fisher really do it in such a manner?
Or rather, did Fisher truly want to act in that way?
Could every problem be solved simply by relying on such a high rank?
Like how he was now, he could easily threaten Aria, using Raphael’s safety and that of the Dragon Court as leverage to say: if she does not accept him, if she does not accept his relationship with Jasmine, then the Dragon Court should be prepared for destruction; her daughter could just wait for death! What will it be? Choose for yourself!
Furthermore, the facts were already as such; he was not lying. If he needed examples and evidence, he could readily produce a plethora of things that Raphael had hidden and lay them before Aria, making her understand the current situation of the Dragon Court.
That would be splendid! She would definitely be so frightened by this terrifying gap in ranks that she would be left speechless. Her love and worry for Raphael would lead her to deceive herself, allowing her memories to linger on the harmonious and friendly times before Raphael left.
It would be a win-win situation where every problem could be resolved!
Moreover, he was currently only at the fifteenth rank; if he could read more completion manuals, such as those concerning souls, death, life, fate, mechanisms… or even magic completion manuals?
If he were to gradually elevate his rank, and eventually reach the same level as Renee, what if he became a True God?
Would he not be able to discard the so-called identity of a human long ago? Why should he maintain a body entirely incapable of unleashing the abilities of a mythical being?
But merely contemplating these matters filled Fisher with an overwhelming sense of guilt, so intense it felt as if tears would fall, as if he had endured some extreme painful torture.
It was as though the moment these thoughts were born, his existence suddenly lost all meaning, as if the name “Fisher Benavides” were to be insulted, tainting its origins with shame.
His name came from the gift of a devout nun; his life was born from her unthinking compassion toward a stranger orphan; his present was founded on her warm and enduring teachings; his independence originated from the moment he delivered that nun’s ashes to the church.
Therefore, from beginning to end, even as he climbed to his current state and became unrecognizable, he still regarded himself as “Fisher Benavides,” as a human.
At this moment, facing the somewhat worried yet brave Aria, who had honestly expressed her thoughts, Fisher took a deep breath, retracting the unease and agitation within himself, and gradually calming his aura, transforming into the likeness of a human.
He looked at Aria, first apologizing,
“I am truly sorry, Aunt Aria. I frightened you; I did not mean to; I hope you can forgive me.”
The dragon horn on Aria’s head flickered slightly, and the scales that trembled beneath her elegant robe seemed to quiet slightly at Fisher’s words. However, he was not done speaking; he had more to confess.
“Back to the main topic, Aunt Aria. In fact, it is not just Jasmine; I have many other women with whom I share significant relationships. The number is probably more than there are fingers on one hand.”
Just as Aria began to ease, her eyes blinked, and she froze, staring blankly at Fisher.
On the table, the half-full tea cup wobbled slightly, reflecting the candlelight on the wall behind them, which had become exceedingly quiet, as if even it was frightened by Fisher’s words, remaining still.
Aria opened her mouth; her gaze landed on her own claws, as if trying to sort out how many fingers there actually were on one hand today.
Then, she incredulously said,
“How many did you say?”
(The End of This Chapter)
