The silence in the room thickened, and I did my best to blend into the background.
Honestly, it's not my problem.
Northern Forest? Dragon king? None of that concerns me, and nothing good ever comes from anything that starts with "dragon king." Nothing.
So it's best to let the elders handle it. I'm the youngest here, right? Youth has its privileges, like staying out of the really serious stuff.
But my plan for perfect discretion fails miserably when the first man slams his hand violently on the table. I jump, completely startled.
"Explain yourself, Barten!" his face red with anger. "Your guild should have exterminated dragons generations ago! How can any still exist?"
All eyes turn to Barten, a man with an unflappable demeanor. He doesn't flinch and responds in a calm, almost bored voice.
"Tsk… Dragons disappeared over a hundred years ago. If a new dragon king has appeared, it came from somewhere else. Perhaps a neighboring region, perhaps another magical plane. But in any case, it's not my guild's fault." He locks eyes with the other man. "And I won't allow you to imply otherwise."
The tension is palpable. But the second woman intervenes.
"That's enough! Now is not the time for petty quarrels. We have a far more serious problem to address."
Her intervention cools things down slightly, and the two men look away, muttering under their breaths.
The first woman speaks next. "A dragon king… This will complicate things." Her fingers glide over the shiny surface of the table. "The Northern Forest was already an unstable area."
I stifle a yawn.
Honestly, they don't need me to discuss this. There are plenty of them, and anyway, I have nothing to contribute.
My mind begins to wander, and my eyelids grow heavy. A micro-nap wouldn't hurt anyone, right? After all, they're all too focused to notice.
I rest my head gently on my hand, my thoughts drifting toward calmer places. But before I can fully succumb, a violent jolt to my back snaps me back to reality.
I nearly fall out of my chair, my nap ended in the most abrupt way possible.
Turning around, I see the first man staring at me with a mocking grin. Of course—it's him. Who else would dare shake me like that?
"Magister Roskales, what do you think?"
Huh? Me? My brain, still foggy, scrambles in panic.
Why me? Why now? I look around, but all eyes are on me. Even old Barten, usually so nonchalant, seems to be waiting for my answer with genuine curiosity. As for the first woman, she just observes me, a barely perceptible smile on her lips.
She knows. She knows I'm completely lost.
"Uh…" I clear my throat, trying to buy time. "Well… it's just that…"
They keep waiting, their piercing gazes pressuring me in ways I didn't ask for. My brain churns uselessly, desperately hunting for something intelligent to say. But let's be honest: a dragon king? That's way out of my league.
So finally, I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind:
"…I think it might be a good idea… not to provoke a dragon. You know, because of the fire."
Silence falls over the room. I feel my face heat up, certain I've just said the most ridiculous thing possible.
Then, unexpectedly, Barten bursts out laughing. "You're not wrong, kid. Not wrong at all."
I straighten up, feigning confidence. Maybe I'll get through this after all. But inside, only one thought runs through my mind: This is the last time I ever attend one of these meetings.
The silence stretches after my response, almost tangible in the enormous meeting room. My heart pounds so hard I feel like everyone can hear it. Yet I force a calm expression, pretending I'm perfectly in control. Maybe, with some luck, everyone will forget this awkward moment quickly.
Of course, life isn't that kind.
"Interesting, Magister Roskales," the first woman suddenly says, her voice clear and controlled. Her smile widens just slightly, and I don't like the mischievous glint in her eyes. "You seem to have a certain… philosophy regarding dragons. Perhaps you could enlighten us further?"
Why is it always her trying to embarrass me? Of course, I have no "philosophy" on dragons. My comment about fire and caution was a desperate attempt to fill the silence, not some brilliant strategy.
"Well, uh…" I stammer, frantically searching for words, but she interrupts before I can dig myself deeper.
"Actually, I have an idea." Her eyes gleam in a way I do not appreciate. She crosses her arms and tilts her head slightly, as if to scrutinize me better. "You say we shouldn't provoke a dragon. Interesting observation. So perhaps you, with your… refreshing wisdom, should take charge of this crisis."
"Me?" I nearly fall out of my chair, still shocked by her absurd suggestion.
"Why not?" she continues, as casually as a breeze. "After all, you seem to think all of this is simple."
The silence in the room becomes even more oppressive. I look around, hoping for support, but every council member's gaze is fixed on me with an almost cruel curiosity. Even Barten, who laughed moments ago, now waits for my answer with genuine interest.
"That's not my role. I'm here to represent my guild, not to dive into reckless adventures."
But she doesn't relent. She taps the table with her fingertips, her smile still fixed. "Then let's make a bet."
A bet? The very word makes me want to run.
"If you can handle this crisis alone, without the Association's help, we'll allow you to never attend our meetings again."
A shiver runs down my spine. Tempting, almost too good to be true. No more endless, fruitless discussions, no more condescending looks… But of course, there's a catch. There's always a catch.
"And if I fail?"
"Then,you'll be responsible for organizing all the meetings for the next ten years."
I swallow hard. Organizing meetings? That sounds worse than attending them.
I find myself replying, almost as if it weren't me speaking: "Alright."
A murmur runs through the room. The woman seems almost surprised, but her smile widens further. "Perfect. We have an agreement."
And just like that, I've condemned myself to a monumental headache.
The first man, the one who teased me earlier, bursts out laughing. "Magister Roskales, you just signed up for the worst mission possible. But who knows, maybe you'll surprise us?"
I roll my eyes, but inside, I feel on the brink of despair. Handling a crisis involving a dragon king? Me? The guy who struggles just to be on time for a meeting?
The meeting continues, but I can't focus on anything. My mind is too busy imagining all the ways this could go horribly wrong. One thing's for sure: I'm doomed.