Dragon's Tale 110 (Patreon)

I said nothing for a moment, just examining their expressions for a while as I tried to understand the reason for their shocked expression. I didn’t treat the news that I might be somewhat linked to the Egyptian Pharaohs as completely ordinary… but also, even if that was true, I wouldn’t put that on the list of top three about me. 

My ability to somehow absorb Dragon Hearts, my unique relationship with the elements, my transformation. These features were much more shocking in my opinion. 

And even when counting the importance of Ancestry, I would have assumed the name of Scipio was much more important. After all, Scipio Africanus was the man who had transformed Rome from a little kingdom in Italy to a proper sea-faring power that dominated the world. 

In comparison, the link to an old, dusty kingdom shouldn’t count for much — even if it came with the connection with a nifty weapon that I lacked the ability to use properly. 

“Is this really a big deal—“ I asked, or at least, started to ask before I was stopped by a gasp. 

“How could you even ask that?” Xia said, interrupting me with an uncharacteristically loud tone, scandalized. I looked and saw Theodora wearing a similar expression. 

I shrugged. “What, I was a bastard. History was not a comprehensive topic for me. Why don’t you explain if that’s very important? What’s the big deal with carrying their blood?” 

“Not blood, at least not only that. You have the bestowment,” Theodora corrected me, like she was explaining to a five-year-old. 

“Fair,” I said. That part was similar to my spear. “And what’s the deal with the bestowment, then?” I followed. They looked at each other, waiting for the other to go, but several seconds passed, and neither said anything. “I’m waiting,” I followed up.

Xia spoke first. “Well … I don’t know,” she muttered, shy. 

“You don’t know? After making all that fuss?” 

Xia blushed. “Hey, the Mandate of Heaven is one of the biggest secrets of the Middle Kingdom, and I was just a healer, unimportant enough to be discarded. Do you think I would be able to learn about the most important secret of the Emperor? Why don’t you ask the princess here? She’s the one that actually has actual royal blood … even if it comes from an upstart usurper….”  

Theodora looked at Xia angrily, clearly not appreciating the last comment, but her anger was quick to be buried in her shame. “You don’t know as well, do you?” I asked. 

She paused for a moment, but I didn’t push her for an answer, not when it was clear. “No,” she whispered. “All I know is that it’s the biggest secret of my family, one that was only known by the Emperor and the direct heir?” 

“Weren’t you the heir?” I asked. It might be a sensitive question, but considering the importance of the situation, I decided to push it regardless.

“Yes, but my father …” she said, pausing slightly. “He still hoped for a male heir, and didn’t want to pass the secrets to me. And even if he failed that, he was planning to pass the crown and secret by marrying me off and passing it to my son directly.” 

“Silly move, you would have made an excellent Empress,” I said, enjoying her blush as she explained that. 

“Thanks,” she muttered as she walked to me, and hugged me tenderly. I chuckled at her reaction — as well as Xia’s jealous gaze — but my mind was already on what to think. 

I waited until she recovered. “Now, let’s walk, we still need to find a shelter before we start moving.” 

“Where are we going?” Theodora asked, once again showing that her royal blood didn’t mean she was intent on taking the initiative.

“First, we need to find a shelter, preferably away from the shore just in case one of the ships drifts toward the shore after the battle. Then, we’ll talk about our destination.” With that, I started walking, and they followed. 

African coast, especially a random spot we embarked, was reputed to be a dangerous place — but it was certainly not as dangerous as the mountain I had used as a home before my Rome visit. 

Not to mention, even with my magical abilities impaired, I was confident enough not to fear anything weaker than a full legion. Sea had been rather stressful — as one could never really know what was hidden in the depths — but the land had no scares for me. 

As we walked, I was thinking about our destination. 

I was tempted to abandon everything and go back to my temporary home, to meet with Astrid and Lillian once more. It was tempting, and it would provide a safe haven for both Lillian and Astrid. 

Too bad that it was not possible. Mount Pyrenaean was a beautiful location, surrounded by a protective chaotic magic field that made it very difficult to traverse, and made it extremely easy to ambush. 

There was a reason Caesar dared to establish a secret city there, and somehow managed to maintain the secrecy around that even with everything going on. 

Unfortunately, even at the height of his infamy, Caesar never angered an Archmagus — at least to the best of my very spotty knowledge, and even if he did, he probably had some on his side as well. 

Yet, not only I had managed to anger one enough to probably make myself a mortal enemy, but I was also accompanied by the escapee princess of the Eastern Roman Empire, a target that the current Emperor treated as the utmost priority, enough to start another bout of war with the Republic. 

No, Mount Pyrenaean was a beautiful hiding spot, but not when everyone chasing me. And reliability was not even the only issue. There was no guarantee that I could reach there in the first place, not by passing through the lands under the control of the Empire or Republic.  

“Tell me about the situation in Egypt?” I asked. 

Theodora didn’t ask the reason before starting to explain. “For almost six hundred years, Egypt had been a part of Rome. Things had gotten complicated a few times, especially during the reign of Caesar, but they stayed in the fold ever since.” 

“Which Rome, the Republic, or the Empire,” I said, looking at her, starting to find it slightly inconvenient that both parts used the name Rome by default, to signal that they were the legitimate successor. I didn’t care about it before, because I never expected myself to somehow exist in the gap between the two sides. 

I was just a bastard noble of a colony… 

“That’s a bit complicated,” she admitted. 

“Make it simple, then,” I said with a chuckle as I slapped her ass, earning a giggle from her —  and another jealous glance from Xia. It was a good way to distract both from the mortal danger we had just faced. 

“The simple answer is, that it depends on the year. Even under Rome, officially, Egypt had never been a province, and instead, it’s an allied kingdom, which means neither rules Egypt, but all the external decisions, from trade to military, are made by Rome. Which part has the sway changes, but there are some aspects that are pretty much set in stone. The Republic always has the first right to purchase the grain Egypt produces and has the sway over the navy, and the Empire has the overwhelming control over the land trade, magical materials, and the army.” 

“A convenient split,” I said. “What would happen now that another war is about to explode?” I asked. 

“Probably nothing. It’s one of the unofficial rules that both sides try to follow.  Egypt stays neutral, and continues to trade.” 

“A weird preference,” I commented. 

“Not really,” Theodora answered. “The wars between the two sides of Rome are pretty common,  and at this point, neither side is willing to push so hard that they weaken themselves against enemy invasion. After all, Germanic tribes were still a problem for the Republic, and for the Empire, Parthians had always been a dangerous enemy.” 

”Not the weirdest detail about the nobility,” I admitted. “How would you feel about a trip to Egypt?”