Moonlight Ball - Chapter 80

He was one of the main subjugates of Sidrain, the man who was only the second child of a viscount became a count due to the huge contribution he had after subjugating the dragon.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I heard that Iris Elaine was manifested in Surah Rones, I need to know what kind of a child Iris Elaine was when she was alive. Find out as quickly as possible.”

“If it’s through guild, I will be able to find out in about a week.”

“Quickly, and in secret. Everything you can.”

Iris Elaine? Retendon En Mutarion thought it was a pretty random name but still bowed politely and left the King’s office. While he was walking down the hallway, he thought of a subjugate of his own whom he could send to the guild. But isn’t she already dead?

Was the Magic Tower still holding her responsible?

The Magic Tower thought that the Queen killed Iris Elaine, which was probably true. The Queen nowadays has become too kind, but the actual Queen wasn’t like that. Retendon saw the Queen’s slyness through and through and also believed that a person doesn’t change. Humans don’t change. Underneath everything their base remains the same. The Queen was probably the same.

It was probably because of the shock of almost drowning but that would disappear soon. Poor common people, he thought. When will they know that the Queen they know is just a product of whim.

Well, it’s not something I care about.

His master wasn’t the Magic Tower nor the Queen, but the King. The leader of the dragon subjugation team. The dragon slayer. The person who allowed him to return alive. He doesn’t believe nor follow other than him.

Retendon marched down the hallway. Count Portwall was passing by him and then called him.

“Count Mutarion?”

“Count Portwall.”

They were both counts and now they were in similar positions in the palace, but their actual position was very different. One started as the second child of a viscount and then became a count due to his contribution in slaying the dragon, and the other got his position of being the crown prince’s close friend, which was a guaranteed position. But two of them were fairly close as they were comrades that had to face the dragon together.

“How about tonight?”

Mutarion dragged Portwall to a corner. They were so close that it looked like they were going to kiss while whispering.

“I’m good after I finish what His Majesty assigned me.”

Mutarion laughed challengingly.

“Good, my condition is great today. I’m going to break your body so clean up before you come. Ok?”

“Break it, I’m honoured. Wasn’t it you who were underneath me crying?”

“We’ll see today.”

Such conversation sparked rumours of the two of them being homos*xuals but the truth was that they were the partner for battle boxing that the Empire had banned. Two of them went to a corner and pretended to be a low class to participate in the battle boxing and beat each other up. Then, they use the money from the bets to drink a lot of cheap drinks. It was their way of getting away from their job. But it was a pretty lowly activity for someone from the palace to enjoy it, but they chose to be misunderstood as homos*xuals. They knew it was a harmless rumor.

When a servant was passing by, Portwall pulled Mutarion and Mutarion didn’t refuse. They shared a light kiss to add fuel to the gossip. As the maid left, the two of them belched immediately and uttered profanities at each other.

“Every time I touch your lips with mine, I give praise to all the women who you had a relationship with,” Mutarion mumbled. Both of them knew that a french kiss would bring more substance to the rumour and protect their hobby, but they couldn’t bring themselves to engage in a passionate kiss, as they were both men.

“Whenever I touch your dry and thin lips,” Portwall hissed, “I wonder why your mother was so mean to her second child. Didn’t she give too much to her first child? The feeling of your lips, it’s trash.”

The worst, worst, worst. Portwall repeated three times and Mutarion’s face became contorted.

“Don’t you usually not say something like that to someone who was born as a second child and lived a rough life?”

“But you’re doing  ten better than your brother now. And you said your life was rough but half of it was similar to mine. I was born as the first child of Count Portwall, but I grew up soft.”

Mutarion smiled. He was born as the second child of a lowly viscount family and was recruited as a member of the dragon subjugation group that was basically a suicide mission. At the time, his face showed that his life was over. Then he met Portwall who was laughing and saying that he stole a bunch of booze from his father.

Portwall was a true nutcase. The closest friend to this nutcase was Sidrain. The man who was bearing the most came assimilated with a magic sword and then took the most expensive drink that this nutcase stole.

The dragon subjugation was honestly a pretty fun experience. Until they met the dragon, there were only humorous conversations along the way. Portwall was really funny and the Crown Prince Sidrain was a cunning man.

It was fun, Mutarion thought. Until we met the dragon. Until we were massacred by the ancient beast.