There was no way around it. Dealing with the Drow was easy; just fight and be done with them. As for Rose, who was following Tiamat and his mother Pafila while coveting the benefits of Warrior's Rest, she probably wouldn't care much about the Drow's survival. But it was a different story with the surface Elves. Just recently, the chief Elven god Corellon had performed a world-saving miracle. Attacking them now would be like blatantly slapping Corellon in the face! If the Elven pantheon really started trouble for Christoph, the Chromatic Dragon Queen, caught up in the raging divine war, might not even have the time to bail him out.

At a time like this, his personal relationship with the Duke of Silver was a key factor... More importantly, he had secured the title of Pioneer Knight before Elf King Ailiando stepped down. Wouldn't attacking the Gloomy Region be entirely justified then? This kind of thing was like debt restructuring. Elf Queen Arasya had taken over the entire mess of the Elven Kingdom of Elariya. Even if Toriel's Elves and Dragons were on bad terms, they would most likely have to hold their noses and acknowledge David as a Pioneer Knight. The High Elves might even be eager to suddenly gain this 'Dragon mercenary force' to help contain the Drow, who were also busy restoring and consolidating their power. Of course, with Christoph's outdated intelligence system, he probably hadn't figured out all of David's aliases yet.

"Old coot, so the day has finally come when you need me, hehehe."

Feeling inexplicably pleased with himself, David walked out of his lair holding a revenue report and munching on roasted legs served by the Nifadora Green Dragon sisters. However, as soon as he stepped outside, he was stunned. The number of young Dragons in the valley camp had more than doubled from what he remembered. A closer look at various figures, such as Dragon Food production and consumption, as well as the camp's liquid assets, also revealed some discrepancies.

Nifadora, who had clearly anticipated this, smiled at him and said, "Half a year ago, the divine ascension of the Crimson Calamity shook all of Elariya. And Your Highness, the tale of you 'wielding a sword' to drive back a legendary Red Dragon and its Vassal descendants has spread across most of the Skanis Old Continent. Consequently, your previous 'contract' to shelter and train young Dragons has also circulated among the Chromatic Dragons. Shortly after Your Highness fell asleep, Chromatic Dragons from nearby territories began bringing their young to join your Dragon legion and claim the promised twenty pounds of Gold. As a result, the camp, relying solely on Hiatt and her overseas trade, is beginning to experience some financial strain."

Sometimes, reality was like that. When you were unknown, no matter what grand plan you proposed, people just thought you were crazy or after their money. But if you gained some fame, they would eagerly flock to you, praising even your farts as a sign of a good and balanced diet.

"Tch, I get it," David thought, his spirits dampening somewhat. Still, I have to go all out to earn money. Indeed, no matter the world, money is indispensable! Especially when you want to achieve something, you can never earn enough money; the deficit only ever gets bigger. He could only hope his father, Attilicia, would clear his debts quickly, especially those related to Dragon Island. That way, he could reinvest in the development of his territory sooner. With all these worldly ties, fulfilling his mother's expectations still seemed a long way off.

Mulling over these thoughts, David spread his wings and flew towards what had once been the Drowze Wetlands, now the Drowze Melt Valley.

This area, once a marshland stretching for thousands of miles, had completely evaporated under the influence of the ancient Dragon's Mana Energy radiation, leaving behind a sunken valley. Only the cave in the center, its entrance concealed by towering rock walls and still exuding a sulfuric scent, remained.

The new master of this land seemed to have anticipated the arrival of David, this 'little one.' He had his Dragonkin and Vassals arrayed outside his lair, waiting. Leading them was Yolanda, the youngest yet most favored Mixed-Blood Succubus. As David landed on the flattened 'Dragon Landing' before the valley, she approached respectfully and said, "Prince David Uthos, my father has prepared a banquet and awaits your arrival."

After landing, David tilted his head back, gazing at the clouds for a long moment before suddenly bursting into loud laughter. "I must say, your father certainly knows how to pick a spot."

All Dragonkin present with intelligence surpassing that of an adult White Dragon glared at him indignantly, clearly sensing the Taunt in his words.

Before Yolanda could ask, "Your Highness, why do you laugh?" two dark-red eyes, like molten lava, lit up in the depths of the Dragon's den. Their appearance was accompanied by the distinctive, guttural rumble of a Dragon: "You little brat, if you have something to say, just spit it out. I know your father is a Silver Dragon, but you don't need to be as tactful as they are."

David didn't even bother to enter, stating directly, "Lord Christoph, I wonder if you've spent so much time in the Gloomy Region and Hell that you've forgotten it actually rains in the material realm?"

"So what?" Christoph didn't think a little rain could do any harm to his lair. Besides, the area was spacious and even had a hint of that Gloomy Region atmosphere...

"I think I might have forgotten to remind you. The Drowze Wetlands area originally received most of its precipitation during the rainy season, just before the summer solstice, because The Dark Mountains act as a barrier to moisture. Calculating the days and observing the weather, the rainy season is almost upon us. Are you certain... you plan to spend the entire rainy season in this low-lying valley?"