Although all four were councilors of the Argland Council State, the Blue Sky Dragon Lord was trusted by the Platinum Dragon Lord far more than the other three.
If anyone in this world was most likely to know how the Platinum Dragon Lord kept the NPCs of the Eight Greed Kings from ever leaving their Guild Base, it was undoubtedly the Blue Sky Dragon Lord.
That was exactly why, after weighing their options, Naohara and the others chose to send the White Dragon Lord.
First, he would steer the conversation, using the Argland Council State's safety as an excuse to probe the Blue Sky Dragon Lord.
If the other dragon knew and spoke up, perfect.
If he truly didn't know, then there was nothing they could do.
But if he knew and chose to hide it… heh.
The White Dragon Lord let out a quiet sigh, looking at the Blue Sky Dragon Lord now covered in shadow.
If he'd been a little dumber, he could have lived.
If he'd known nothing at all, he could have lived.
But the Blue Sky Dragon Lord knew, and still tried to keep it to himself.
Ever since the White Dragon Lord brought up the Platinum Dragon Lord, he had been watching the Blue Sky Dragon Lord's expression closely.
It was only for an instant, but he was absolutely certain: the other dragon hesitated.
The Blue Sky Dragon Lord was hiding something.
That crossed the line.
"Not bad for a dragon who's lived for centuries. You may not be strong, but your memory is certainly impressive."
A thick, tar-like shadow writhed over the Blue Sky Dragon Lord's body, then slowly peeled away and took shape.
Two figures emerged.
Doppelgängers!
"Well? Did you get what you wanted?"
The White Dragon Lord didn't spare a glance for the Blue Sky Dragon Lord, whose life aura had already vanished. He immediately pressed the Doppelgängers for an answer.
After all, that would determine how generous the reward would be later.
Nearby, the Wyrm Dragon Lord raised his head and finally let go of the Obsidian Dragon Lord.
The corpse was mangled beyond recognition, and at some point, he had been beaten to death without anyone even noticing when.
The Wyrm Dragon Lord didn't know the full story, but the White Dragon Lord's sudden surge in strength made one thing clear. The reward had to be something good.
Naturally, he was paying close attention.
Faced with their eager stares, the two Doppelgängers only exchanged a look.
Then, to the two dragons' stunned expressions, they slowly pulled something out from within their bodies.
A wine cup?
"What? How did you know I brought this wine cup!"
"Oh no, this is awful. Looks like we can't keep it secret that the Supreme Ruler toasted us after all~"
White Dragon Lord: …
Watching the Doppelgänger carefully polish the wine cup with a handkerchief, the White Dragon Lord felt a headache coming on.
He remembered the rumors he'd been hearing in the Great Tomb of Nazarick lately.
Now he understood why these two had such an atrocious reputation.
They bragged to everyone they met, and the moment they opened their mouths, it was always lines like that.
No wonder every demon couldn't stand them.
The White Dragon Lord's thoughts raced. If he didn't do something, these two would keep talking for at least half a day.
"Wyrm Dragon Lord, didn't you say you wanted to persuade the Diamond Dragon Lord to surrender? Go on, then."
He turned and shoved the still-bewildered Wyrm Dragon Lord toward a corner.
With that nuisance out of the way, the White Dragon Lord looked back at the Doppelgängers.
Now came the part where they tested each other, trying to outplay the other.
...
The Wyrm Dragon Lord moved to a corner and silently watched the farce unfolding not far away.
His future companions seemed… a little unreliable.
"Ah, how amusing. Don't you think so, old friend?"
The Wyrm Dragon Lord shook his head and sighed.
Beside him, the Diamond Dragon Lord was tied up tightly and struggling to cast [Water Splash], though the effect was negligible.
Seeing this, the Wyrm Dragon Lord thoughtfully removed the restraints.
After all, the other dragon wasn't going anywhere.
"Roar!"
"Wyrm! You traitor to the Dragon Race! You—"
The Diamond Dragon Lord had just opened his mouth to curse when the Wyrm Dragon Lord cut him off with a cold laugh.
"A traitor?"
"Careful with your words, old friend. When exactly did I betray the Dragon Race?"
"Hmph. If it weren't for you, Blue Sky and Obsidian wouldn't be dead."
The Diamond Dragon Lord snorted and began gathering magic power, preparing for the desperate fight ahead.
He knew there was no chance of winning.
Even so, he still intended to resist.
Perhaps it was foolish.
But he didn't care.
In the Diamond Dragon Lord's view, this was the very principle the Dragon Race upheld. Once a dragon abandoned the pride and dignity carved into its bloodline, it would no longer be a dragon.
He would rather die in battle than cling to life in humiliation.
"Old friend, let me ask you something. Why did you choose to follow the Platinum Dragon Lord back then?"
"If I remember correctly, it was because you believed he could revive the Dragon Race."
The Wyrm Dragon Lord suddenly spoke.
"What are you getting at? What's the point of saying this now?"
The Diamond Dragon Lord frowned.
"How could it be pointless? You call me a traitor, but I believe Blue Sky, Obsidian, and even the Platinum Dragon Lord are the real traitors to the Dragon Race!"
Hearing such brazen words, the Diamond Dragon Lord's pupils shrank in shock, disbelief written across his face.
It felt as though he was seeing the Wyrm Dragon Lord for the first time.
Where did he find the nerve to call a True Dragon Lord a traitor to their race?
"Think carefully, old friend. In these past few centuries, what has the Platinum Dragon Lord actually done for the Dragon Race?"
Unite the other True Dragon Lords?
Protect the weaker dragons?
Search for a way to break the limitations of Wild Magic?
"Heh. The answer is nothing."
"In these past centuries, I've seen no hope of the Dragon Race's revival. Dragons are slowly fading into history!"
The Wyrm Dragon Lord roared angrily. Truthfully, he had long been dissatisfied with the Platinum Dragon Lord.
"Wyrm…"
"But even so, you shouldn't have killed Blue Sky and the others. And you have no right to call the Platinum Dragon Lord a traitor."
The Diamond Dragon Lord spoke with a complicated expression.
It was true that the Wyrm Dragon Lord had a point.
But that didn't justify what he had done.
"Heh. If I don't have the right, then fellow True Dragon Lords surely do."
The Wyrm Dragon Lord sneered and pulled out two dragon scales of different colors from between the gaps of his own scales.
"The Brightness Dragon Lord and the Heavenly Dragon Lord. You've heard of these two ancient True Dragon Lords, haven't you?"
"The cycle that repeats every hundred years will soon be broken."
"With the dual identity of both Player and dragon, the new king of our race has already descended. Those two True Dragon Lords have made their choice."
"And I've made mine as well."
"The glory of the Dragon Race is about to return!"
"Old friend, I once asked Blue Sky a question. Now I'll ask you the same."
"In your eyes… which matters more?"
"The Platinum Dragon Lord… or the future of the Dragon Race?"