Dragon King's Harem Chapter 438. Generous

Dragon King's Harem Chapter 438. Generous

Curtis glanced at Maria, who remained silent, her eyes fixed on the gauntlet. Then he looked back at me. "Is it truly necessary to test it now?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Why not? Would you prefer waiting until battle to discover if it works?"

Maria’s gaze flicked briefly toward me, amusement briefly glinting in her eyes before vanishing again behind her queenly mask. "Perhaps you should test it," she suggested gently. "It would reassure everyone."

Curtis’s jaw twitched again, clearly sensing he’d lost this argument already. With a quiet sigh, he nodded reluctantly. "Very well."

Carefully, he slipped the gauntlet onto his right hand. Instantly, magic surged, blue tendrils of mana briefly swirling up his arm, before settling into a soft, steady glow around the gauntlet itself. Curtis’s eyes widened, startled by the sudden rush of power.

Sela took a polite step back, smiling softly. "It suits you."

Curtis clenched and unclenched his fist, clearly feeling the magic enhance his grip, his muscles tensing visibly beneath his armor. He flexed carefully, testing the gauntlet. "Impressive," he muttered, almost reluctantly.

I gestured casually toward a massive, ancient pine standing just outside the city walls—thick, towering, and clearly hundreds of years old. "Why not test its power fully? Strike that tree."

Curtis hesitated, casting a wary look toward the queen. Maria nodded slightly, encouraging him. "Go ahead. It seems the Dragon King is eager to see your strength."

Curtis stepped forward slowly, eyeing the ancient tree carefully before taking a deep breath, squaring his stance, and lifting his gauntlet-covered hand. He clenched his fist, pulling back before driving it forward.

The strike hit with a thunderous crack, echoing sharply through the silent air. A powerful blast of mana erupted from the gauntlet, splitting the frozen bark and sending splinters flying like arrows through the air. Snow cascaded from its branches, the tree groaning ominously under the strain.

Curtis stood frozen, stunned. He flexed his fingers, eyes wide, clearly impressed despite himself. "Incredible," he muttered softly.

I smirked, crossing my arms. "Satisfied?"

Curtis turned back toward me, suspicion replaced momentarily by awe. "This enchantment is impressive. It seems I've underestimated your generosity."

I shrugged lightly. "Consider it my way of wishing you good luck. You'll need it."

Curtis narrowed his eyes slightly, clearly unsure if that was a blessing or threat.

Maria stepped forward, her voice steady. "You've honored us greatly, Dragon King. These gifts—especially the return of the Ice Drake—will never be forgotten."

I inclined my head slightly. "It’s my pleasure."

Maria hesitated briefly, her gaze meeting mine. There was something deeper there, something that went beyond gratitude. Trust, maybe, or the cautious beginnings of something more complicated.

I held her stare for a moment, silently communicating my intentions. A subtle understanding flickered between us, and I broke it with a faint smirk.

In truth, the gauntlet I'd given Curtis wasn't as generous as he thought. Sure, it looked flashy, and it hit like a dragon on steroids—but it was limited. The enchantment could only be activated three times, and I'd just had him use one to show off. With only two charges left, he wouldn’t get far if he ever thought of turning it against me or Maria.

Call it insurance.

While Maria’s toe ring was a protection ring that could protect her from the gauntlet. I decided to give her a toe ring rather than anything else, since it would make it less obvious.

"Shall we go now?" I asked casually, finally turning away from Curtis, who was still admiring the gauntlet like a child with a new toy.

"Yes," Maria responded quietly, a faint but genuine smile touching her lips. She turned back toward the Ice Drake, placing her palm gently on its massive snout. Leaning in, she whispered something softly, so softly that even my enhanced senses barely caught a word. But the drake heard it clearly.

The creature’s heavy eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes as clear and sharp as polished ice. Frosty—that’s what she'd called him—released a low rumble of affection, a sound surprisingly gentle for such a massive beast. His expression softened instantly upon recognizing Maria.

"Let's go home, Frosty," Maria said warmly, patting his shimmering scales. The Ice Drake stretched slightly, shaking its enormous body and sending tiny shards of ice flying into the cold wind. He moved carefully, slowly—like a creature waking from a long and heavy dream.

Curtis watched carefully, unable to hide the wary suspicion flickering across his face. "Are you certain this creature is safe?" he murmured cautiously, obviously uncomfortable with Frosty's enormous size.

Maria turned calmly, giving Curtis an even look. "Of course. He's perfectly safe," she said, her voice steady and firm. "He’s more loyal than most creatures or people I've known."

Curtis twitched slightly at the pointed remark, his jaw tightening briefly, but he quickly masked it again. "Very well," he replied stiffly. "As long as you're certain."

Al nudged me subtly. He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows as if he said ‘Nice job rattling his cage. I thought his eyes were going to pop out when he felt that mana surge.’

I chuckled quietly and gave him a dry smile. ‘Curtis is a warrior. Showing him something flashy was the fastest way to win a bit of trust. Though, if he ever turns on us, he'll find out quickly how limited his new toy actually is.’

Al grinned mischievously. ‘Devious. I approve.’

"Of course you do," I replied dryly, glancing toward Sela, who caught my eye and smiled softly in silent approval. She knew my intentions without needing to hear them explicitly.

Maria climbed elegantly onto a grand white-and-silver carriage provided by the Snow Elves, its sides decorated intricately with symbols of their ancient lineage. The vehicle radiated subtle magic, clearly designed to withstand even the harshest blizzards. Curtis followed closely, still inspecting the gauntlet on his hand, lost in his own cautious thoughts.

We joined them, settling comfortably within the plush interior. Despite its lavishness, I still felt uncomfortable. The cold seeped through everything here—furs, seats, even through the subtle enchantments of the carriage itself. The air tasted faintly of frost, crisp and bitter, tingling on my tongue.

"I really hate the cold," I muttered under my breath, rubbing my hands together irritably.