Dragon King's Harem Chapter 377. Safest Bet
I kept my arms crossed, my gaze steady on Al. "And I understand that. But you need to learn when to draw the line. You can't let your grudge cloud your judgment. There's too much at stake."
Al nodded, though the flicker of defiance in his eyes told me he wasn't entirely convinced. I knew him too well—his thirst for revenge was a fire that had been burning for years, and it wasn't going to be extinguished easily. But I also knew the reality of the situation.
As much as he wanted to, Al couldn't kill Viperax—not alone, not with the resources at his disposal. Viperax was the king of the Lizard Tribe, and his power extended far beyond that of an ordinary warrior. Viperax might be an asshole, but he was a powerful asshole. No matter how many monsters Al lured into battle, Viperax would still survive.
On the other side, this might be Al's best chance to strike back at Viperax, to finally get the revenge he had been yearning for. But it was also a dangerous gamble, one that could easily end in disaster.
I couldn't deny that there was a part of me that wanted to let him try, to see if he could at least weaken Viperax's forces, maybe even kill some of his key men. But I couldn't risk it.
The maximum damage Al could inflict, according to my calculations, was to eliminate Viperax's convoy, but even that was contingent on him staying out of direct combat.
And that was something I couldn't allow. Al's involvement would leave traces—residue of his magic power, evidence that could be traced back to him and, ultimately, to me. It was a risk I wasn't willing to take, not when our entire operation depended on staying in the shadows, manipulating events from behind the scenes without leaving any traceable fingerprints or magic.
That was why I'd insisted he stick to using his potions—those strange, alchemical concoctions he'd spent years perfecting. They were effective, yes, and left no traceable magic signature, but relying solely on them was a calculated move. It was the only way I could ensure that our involvement remained hidden.
"It's not that I don't understand your need for revenge, Al," I said, my tone softer but still firm. "But you have to realize that this isn't just about you. Your actions have consequences that go beyond your personal vendetta. If Viperax gets even a hint that we're behind this, it could trigger another war."
Well, I bet Viperax might know about it. He had a knack for blaming me or another tribe for literally everything. But he didn't have evidence. As long as he didn't have it, it should be okay.
Al sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as my words sank in.
"I know, Your Majesty. I really do. But it's hard to just stand back and do nothing when the opportunity is right there."
I could see the frustration in his eyes, the internal struggle between his desire for revenge and his understanding of the bigger picture. It wasn't easy for him to hold back, especially when he'd been waiting so long for a chance like this.
I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my frustration. "I understand your need for revenge, I really do. But you have to think about the bigger picture," I stated once more, just to remind him. "Those potions of yours—they're brilliant, and they worked perfectly to lure the monsters to Viperax's camp. But you know as well as I do that relying on them alone was our safest bet. It's the only reason I agreed to this in the first place."
Al nodded again, this time with a bit more conviction. "The potions worked better than I expected, to be honest. I didn't think they'd have such a strong effect on the Nightshade Ravagers and Dreadswarm Reavers. I mean, I knew they'd be attracted to it, but the way they went after Viperax's convoy… it was more than I hoped for."
I raised an eyebrow, curious despite myself. "What exactly did you put in those potions? I've seen you work your alchemy before, but this… this was different."
Al grinned, a hint of pride creeping into his expression. "It's a new formula I've been working on for a while. A blend of pheromones and some rare herbs that I managed to get my hands on. It's designed to trigger a kind of frenzy in these creatures—heightened aggression, a need to hunt and kill anything in their path. I wasn't sure how well it would work in practice, but I guess we found out."
I couldn't help but be impressed. Al's talents in alchemy were undeniable, and this latest creation had certainly proved its worth.
Due to my mention of his alchemy, Al grinned innocently again and looked at me, his gaze practically begging the question, "You're not mad at me anymore, are you?"
I could see it in the way his eyes sparkled, the subtle shift in his posture. It was hard to stay angry at him for long, especially after the night we'd just been through.
He had put everything on the line, and while I was still frustrated with his recklessness, I couldn't deny that his plan had worked better than either of us expected.
I replied with a dry smile, knowing that he'd see it as a sign of forgiveness. He had been through a lot tonight. But the truth was, we couldn't afford to let our guard down. We still had a lot of preparations to make, just in case Viperax decided to send spies our way. It was a precaution, but a necessary one. The game we were playing was dangerous, and every move had to be calculated.
I took a deep breath. "Fine. Now back to your tent and take a rest," I ordered, though there was no real bite in my tone.
Al's grin widened, the innocence of it almost childlike. "You mean, dress up and pretend to take care of the patients?" His voice was light, playful, but I could tell he was already shifting back into his role, ready to follow through with the next phase of our plan.
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