After Ilena's projection left, the Lord of Osterburg, along with a group of high-ranking officials, tremblingly approached Fafnir. Outwardly respectful, their hearts were filled with vigilance and fear.
A True Dragon descending upon the city was not a good omen.
Fafnir was currently seriously injured. Losing the resonance stone had made the power within his body extremely unstable.
He clearly understood that in this unfamiliar human city, relying on himself alone, it would be difficult to effectively investigate the Plasma Cult and retrieve the resonance stone.
Although the other party had only stolen the resonance stone, preventing him from performing the Origin Resonance Transform, conversely, that resonance stone was useless to anyone else.
He had to get it back!
Three hours later, inside the Lord's Mansion.
As the current nominal highest supervisor of Osterburg, all intelligence regarding the Plasma Cult was compiled on Fafnir's desk.
For example, the Plasma Cult had indeed shown signs of activity in Osterburg recently.
For example, the abandoned munitions factory was destroyed half a month ago.
"Lord Fafnir."
A guard's announcement came from the doorway, "The Knight Commander of the Sacred Patrol Team requests an audience. He says... the Saintess they were escorting was also attacked by cultists."
Fafnir raised an eyebrow.
Saintess?
"Let them in."
The door opened.
The High Paladin in shining silver armor entered with several knights. In their midst, they protected a young girl draped in a holy white robe, with dazzling silver hair.
It was Cecilia, forced into this role.
Cecilia was currently panicking internally.
She had originally thought that after that bastard Caesar caused a huge commotion, she could take advantage of the chaos to escape.
But as it turned out!
That guy actually blew up the church!
Then these paladins protected her like madmen, and Cecilia found no chance to escape at all.
Having no idea how to reunite with Caesar, Cecilia simply hid in her room, gnawing on the table in despair. Suddenly, the Knight Commander dragged her out, saying they were going to pay respects to some 'Dragon Clan envoy.'
Our Cecilia still maintained her disguise as the silver-haired Saintess, tightly gripping her staff, with that signature 'aloof' expression on her face.
But only she knew how weak her legs felt right now.
After all, she had been present during the previous battle. Although she hid in the church and didn't see the actual scene, she still sensed the imposing aura of the True Dragon. Cecilia had been wondering which Dragon Clan member was so idle as to come to this backwater place.
But as soon as she entered the room.
That familiar sulfur smell hit her.
Red Dragon?
And a familiar one at that?
Although Fafnir had taken human form, that familiar sulfur scent almost made Cecilia instantly transform into her Spinosaurus form. Wasn't this the same Red Dragon that had offended her twice before!
This was the 'envoy'?
"Ha...!"
Your breath may be powerful, but my huff is no less formidable!
"Hmm?" The red-haired youth suddenly looked up, his sharp gaze making Cecilia shut up out of fear.
"..."
She quickly lowered her head, wishing she could bury her face in her chest, and incidentally tucked her tail even tighter.
"Greetings, Your Excellency Fafnir."
The High Paladin bowed respectfully, "Thank you for the assistance from the True Dragon Imperial Court."
Fafnir waved his hand, his gaze falling on the trembling girl in the middle.
"This is the Saintess?"
"Yes." The Knight Commander hurriedly explained, "Her Highness the Saintess was attacked by that cult in a cave earlier, suffered a shock, and hasn't recovered yet."
Fafnir nodded, a flicker of understanding in his eyes.
No wonder she seemed a bit neurotic.
"Tell me, what were the characteristics of the people who attacked you?" Fafnir asked.
The Knight Commander quickly repeated the nonsense Cecilia had previously concocted: "The other party called themselves the Plasma Cult, aiming to steal the sacred artifact 'tear of light.' Their methods were cruel, their movements mysterious..."
Listening to the High Paladin respectfully recounting the Saintess's attack, Fafnir immediately connected the two incidents.
The Saintess was attacked, he was attacked.
The targets were respectively the tear of light and the blasphemous tablet.
The perpetrators were both the Plasma Cult!
All of this perfectly confirmed his current judgment—the Plasma Cult was plotting a huge conspiracy within the Lordaeron Empire! Their targets were valuable items like the blasphemous tablet and the tear of light!
His teacher Ilena had thought of the Legendary Great Dragon behind the scenes, and as her student, how could Fafnir not have thought of it as well?
"Where were you originally planning to escort the Saintess?" Fafnir looked directly at the man before him.
"Back to the capital, the headquarters of the Lordaeron Church."
"Good." Fafnir straightened his newly changed clothes, adopting a dignified posture, "It seems our goals align."
Hearing this, the High Paladin immediately understood the social niceties and earnestly requested of Fafnir:
"Your Excellency Fafnir, the threat of the Plasma Cult has escalated to the point of being able to attack True Dragons and the Saintess. To ensure the absolute safety of Her Highness the Saintess, I humbly request that you accompany us back to the capital's Main Church. We can also share intelligence about the Cult with you."
This suited Fafnir's intentions perfectly.
First, it aligned with his teacher's order to investigate the Cult.
Second, the capital's intelligence network was far more developed than this border city's.
Third, escorting the Saintess would be a favor to the Church. His original plan was to return to the capital anyway.
"Agreed."
Fafnir nodded in agreement.
Hearing this result, Cecilia almost transformed back into her Spinosaurus form on the spot.
Huh?
Let this Red Dragon escort her to the capital?
Wasn't that walking right into the trap!
She had originally planned to wait for the heat to die down, then escape with Caesar. Who knew Caesar not only ran off himself but also put her on this pirate ship!
Although both were True Dragons, she didn't want her identity exposed under these circumstances.
...
Now, it's all over...?