Dragon King's Harem Chapter 433. Ice Fortress

Dragon King's Harem Chapter 433. Ice Fortress

My soldiers followed suit, releasing low, rumbling growls, a display of strength without hostility.

I waited for a response.

Moments later, movement.

The snow shifted below, and from the trees, figures began to emerge—dozens of them, their long cloaks blending seamlessly into the icy backdrop. Snow Elves, warriors clad in silver and white, their bows strapped to their backs, their hands resting on the hilts of their thin, enchanted blades. They weren’t attacking, but they were watching.

Above, several winged beasts—frost gryphons—rose from the city, their riders guiding them into position to flank us from a distance.

The response was clear.

They weren’t stupid. They knew exactly who we were.

Now we’d see if their welcome would be as warm as their damn weather.

One of the Snow Elf warriors raised a large horn to his lips. It was a strange thing—crafted from what looked like a blend of crystal and ice, its jagged edges catching the pale light, its surface covered in intricate, swirling carvings. It looked cold. Even from where I was, I could feel the faint pulse of magic radiating from it, humming with ancient energy.

Then he blew into it.

The sound that followed was… unusual.

Not the harsh, brash blast of a war horn. Not a warning call or an alarm. It was deeper, softer, yet it carried through the air effortlessly, vibrating in my bones.

It wasn’t aggressive. If anything, it was… welcoming.

An invitation.

A message that needed no words.

I flicked my tail once, considering. Then, in response, I let out another low, rumbling roar. Not one of threat, but of acknowledgment.

‘We understand. We accept.’

Did they actually understand my roar? Probably not.

Did I care? Not really.

The gryphon riders that had been keeping their distance finally moved ahead, leading the way. We followed.

The Snow Elf territory was massive—endless rolling white landscapes stretching as far as the eye could see, broken only by the occasional cluster of ice-covered trees and jagged cliffs.

And it was cold.

Once again, I hated cold.

But at least I wasn’t alone in my suffering. My soldiers, flying behind me in their dragon forms, were noticeably irritated as well. Every now and then, I’d catch the flicker of a tail twitching or a wing adjusting just a little too aggressively. They didn’t complain—we were dragons, after all. The cold didn’t weaken us.

But damn, it was annoying.

The Snow Elves below moved at a much slower pace than us. Their gryphon riders were faster, but even then, we had to adjust our speed to let them guide us properly. I could have easily surged ahead, landed at the palace, and demanded an audience right now.

But… politics.

So we waited. We followed. We tolerated the slow pace, the endless frost, and the ever-dropping temperature.

Three long hours later, the capital finally came into view.

And I’ll give them credit—it was a sight to behold.

The city was carved directly into the side of a mountain, sprawling and vast, its buildings sculpted from shimmering ice and enchanted stone. Towering spires of pure crystal reached toward the sky, glowing faintly with imbued magic. Bridges of translucent ice connected various sections of the city, arching elegantly over frozen rivers that pulsed with an eerie blue light.

The entire capital was built in harmony with its environment—no metal, no wood, just ice, snow, and ancient elven craftsmanship.

It looked fragile, but I knew better.

This city had stood for thousands of years, weathering wars and time itself. Its walls weren’t just walls—they were layers of enchanted ice, reinforced by magic older than most living creatures.

It wasn’t just a city.

It was a fortress.

The gates ahead—massive, reinforced, carved with intricate symbols—began to open, revealing the heart of the capital. The palace, a towering structure of glacial blue, sat at the highest point, overlooking everything below.

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

A place like this wasn’t just built to live in.

It was built to withstand.

Built to defend.

And if things went south, I had no doubt that these elves would use every ounce of their magic to keep us out.

Or worse… trap us inside.

I snorted, a puff of heat escaping my nostrils as we began our descent.

Al followed, his wyvern gliding down effortlessly, barely making a sound as it landed beside me. The sky carriage descended as well, the wyverns guiding it toward the designated landing area just outside the capital gates.

The moment my claws touched the frozen ground, I let out another low growl—not a threat, but a reminder. A reminder of who had arrived. I saw the way the elves tensed slightly, their hands twitching toward their weapons. Some clutched their hilts tighter, eyes flickering with unease.

I smirked. ‘Good.’

I wanted them to remember.

A moment later, I shifted back into my humanoid form, my dark cloak flaring slightly as I straightened. My soldiers followed, their powerful dragon forms shrinking down into their armored human shapes, their expressions calm but ever-watchful.

The Snow Elf warriors moved forward cautiously, their leader stepping ahead.

He was tall and lean, his silver hair shimmering like ice under the dim light, his pale blue eyes cold and unreadable. He carried himself like a man who had spent a lifetime balancing between duty and danger. Someone who wasn’t easily rattled.

"Dragon King," he greeted, his voice as cool as the air around us. "Your arrival is noted."

I raised an eyebrow. "Not welcomed?"

He didn’t flinch. "That remains to be seen."

I smirked. "Charming."

A flicker of irritation crossed his face, but he didn’t rise to the bait. "I am Captain Vaelis of the Snow Elf Royal Guard. I will escort you to the palace."

I didn’t move. "I demand the queen meet me now. Here."

His eyes snapped to me, his jaw tightening slightly. "My apologies, but Her Majesty is currently preparing for her wedding. No guests are allowed to meet with her until after the ceremony is finished. I hope you understand."