Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1599 - 552: Hidden Divine Artifact (2)

"Anna murmured in a gentle whisper, 'Aunt Delana's overseeing the plans for the rest to head back. She mentioned she'll come by herself to express her thanks soon.'"

"Understood. Kindly inform Ms. Delana that her graciousness is excessive. This was merely my duty to perform."

"Hmm, Rein, Ms. Olena mentioned to me that you've formed a contract with a massive dragon?" Anna's curiosity got the better of her as she posed the question.

During their journey on the airship, Olena had shared this detail with her. Yet, even after scanning the area, Anna hadn't spotted any sign of the enormous dragon.

"Indeed, right there." A faint smile crossed Rein's face as he pointed toward the sky.

Anna traced Rein's direction with her eyes and noticed a thick cluster of dark clouds racing in from the far horizon.

As the 'Mad Wings' Metheus drew nearer, Anna, Lady Daryn, and Elder Nasha all opened their lovely eyes wide in shock, with Anna's mouth hanging slightly open in awe.

"Wow~ it's enormous!" Anna gawked at the gigantic shape of Metheus as it descended, struggling to wrap her mind around its size. "Re... Rein, why is your dragon companion this huge?"

"Rein, Your Crown, unless I'm wrong, that dragon of yours appears to be a Black Dragon at the Extremely Old Dragon stage?" Elder Nasha, shaking off her initial astonishment, stepped in to address Anna's question on Rein's behalf.

"Elder Nasha, your perception remains as keen as ever; yes, that's correct." Rein chuckled while giving a nod.

"Anna, you won't have to shift into a golden eagle for the trip this time. Here, my lady." With a courteous bow like a true gentleman, Rein grinned and clasped Anna's delicate hand.

"Oh, but... but I've heard that dragons often won't allow anyone aboard except their own Dragon Knight, not even family members," Anna replied hesitantly, her free hand rising to cover her mouth in a mix of surprise and doubt.

"That applies to other dragons, but Metheus is different." Rein gave the back of Anna's hand a reassuring pat.

Naturally, since his bond with Metheus stemmed from a system contract, such concerns didn't arise at all.

True to his words, right after Rein spoke, the mountain-sized black dragon gently descended its vast frame, positioning itself to let Anna mount its back more easily, which filled her with even greater joy.

Witnessing how this Black Dragon of the Extremely Old Dragon level showed such compliance to Rein, Elder Nasha let out an impressed sigh.

She'd interacted with the Dragan Imperial Dragon Knights on multiple occasions, and even long-term contracted dragons didn't always display this level of obedience like the one now before them.

On top of that, the might of this particular black dragon was exceptionally powerful.

Before long, Metheus the black dragon lifted off into the heavens, bearing Rein and Anna on its back.

Elder Nasha shared a look with Anna's mother, Daryn Yueling, and the two of them broke into smiles.

"Rein, Your Crown possesses immense power, but he's still essentially a young lad at heart, full of kindness."

"Look at the delight they share."

"You can finally relax now, Daryn," Elder Nasha remarked to the woman beside her. Having been her mentor in the past, she knew her student's thoughts intimately.

"Yes, I feel at ease. Rein, Your Crown is wonderful and cares for Anna deeply," Daryn agreed with a nod.

Her journey here served not just to thank Rein but also to observe the dynamic between him and Anna.

Rein had rescued her, yet if he couldn't offer Anna true happiness, she'd never approve of their union, drawing from her own history of sorrowful experiences.

Observing them up close now, though, Daryn recognized the real warmth and happiness between them, impossible to fabricate.

Pretending under the watchful eyes of her and Elder Nasha would be nearly unattainable.

Following that, Olena guided them onto the Sword Holder Airship, setting course for Ferdinand Forest too.

Thanks to his dragon companion Metheus, Rein covered the distance from Shirendil Plateau to Ferdinand Forest in a little more than three hours.

Though his sudden arrival caught them off guard, the Elf Clan's leaders, headed by Great Elder Auburn, received him with open arms.

After graciously turning down the elaborate and fervent welcome ritual, and explaining his reason for coming, Rein quickly gained access to the Elf Clan's library.

Within the Elf Clan's library, records of the Fiend Demons were scarce, given how ancient those happenings were. Beyond a few passing references in other works, just four or five volumes offered substantial details.

In a matter of hours, Rein flipped through them swiftly and deepened his knowledge of the Fiend Demons.

In essence, he verified two key aspects.

First, back in the Middle Ages, races under Celestial guidance waged a fierce, drawn-out battle against the Evil Gods, Giant Beasts, and Fiend Demons.

Victory came at a steep price in lives lost. It was then that the remnant Elf Clan branch started their move to Ferdinand Forest.

At the same time, almost every Human Celestial fell, save for a few like the Seasonal Wind and Ocean Goddess, bearer of that mysterious divine artifact.

Second, the ties between Fiend Demons and Evil Gods matched the murals' portrayal; they weren't partners but clashed with one another.

This second detail was exactly what Rein had come to investigate.

"With this, my prospects for advancing in the Floating City Ruins feel somewhat more assured," Rein mused while studying the text, a subtle thrill rising in his chest.