Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 16] Ch.3 Cultivating Fascination

            [Sebas]

"Jekyll, who is that?" Amanda asked when we returned to the wagon that would be transporting the hired Adventurers. She was blushing intensely at the sight of the beautiful people behind me.

I sighed, I had spent a lot of effort not only trying to convince the bastard that I wasn't a hidden master, but also to leave me alone. I introduced the newest pest to Amanda and the rest of our party. "This is Zhang Rostimou Huanlong, his consort Velice Summiallen Fangwu, and their entourage."

"Alpha!" Amanda cried.

He stepped forward as if out of a mirage. Which spooked both Amanda and the dragons... except for the golden Immortal who smiled as if it was natural.

"Alpha what happened! You are supposed to be in charge of them." Amanda pleaded.

"I can't stop them from making friends, nor would I have the ability to stop a dragon. They are safe are they not?" Alpha said.

"Salutations and greetings. It is a pleasure for this great one to make your acquaintance. This great Highness is now friends with the Doctor Jekyll, so please treat this one with the casual greetings that dirt crawlers of your lowly station use." The prince of dragons said a little too innocently.

"Dirt Crawlers?" Amanda asked.

"It is the name for you beings who are too inadequate to fly and live your lowly lives on the floors of the valleys. Like some kind of mangy beast who relishes in the dirt they gather as they roll around with their meaningless lives." Velice hissed with obvious displeasure while following around her husband.

I sighed, "your highness, it is rude to refer to people as dirt crawlers or lowly." I tried to explain.

"But it is true, as a lofty golden dragon it is paramount that this great one is honest and fair in all their dealings." Zhang said.

"Where did you learn the common tongue and common sense from?" I shook my head.

"From Velice, my noble consort must shine as bright as this great one after all." He answered proudly.

"That figures..." I sighed. Velice had all the bearing of an overconfident and prideful noble.

Zhang scratched his chin ponderfully. "Should This great and illustrious lower the great standing of our impeccable etiquette to imitate the lowly dirt crawlers?"

"NO! Your majesty, how could you ever lower yourself!" Velice looked scandalized. Although it may seem like an act to keep up her own appearance as a lofty noble, but there was a pained tone of sincerity in her voice. One in which she truly believed that Zhang really was a godly noble to the point of worship. "You are the sun, beautiful, strong, courageous, and able to light and enlighten all around you with just the presence of your holy demeanor. They should be thanking you for just existing."

It was hard to tell if she was a fangirl or his wife. What is with their relationship?

"Although, this one normally takes heed of your counsel due to your fascination, we must never forget that one can be blinded by it. Such happened to cousin Guarice when he crossed the great hero Dragonslayer William." Zhang nodded and I just about lost my mind. Fascination? Guarice? Master William? What kind of bombs did he just casually drop? "Even This great one can be blinded by fascination." he said while looking at me.