High above Londinium, two individuals capable of terrifying power were leisurely flying toward the city in a manner that closely resembled a full-scale siege.
Fafnir's grand appearance instantly drove all thoughts of Talulah straight out of the public's mind. After all, how could a Draco who explicitly renounced her claim to the throne ever compare to the breathtaking awe of a massive dragon descending from the heavens?
"Did I promise her we wouldn't make too big of a scene? How could we not?" Jeanne remarked, sitting atop Fafnir's massive scaled back as she chatted with the beast.
Fafnir, currently in her colossal dragon form, couldn't quite grasp the full meaning of Jeanne's words. She simply carried Jeanne on her back, wings beating rhythmically as they soared through the sky.
Looking down at the sprawling, giant capital that now appeared so small beneath them, Jeanne adjusted her course and tuned her radio to listen to the ongoing transmission.
"...The flying creature outside the walls is not a Catastrophe, nor is it an invading force. Everyone can rest easy on that front. I assure this city on her behalf..."
Though the broadcaster's voice sounded calm enough over the airwaves, Jeanne could easily pick up on the suppressed fury beneath it. It was the distinct edge of someone itching to smack somebody—subtle, but definitely there.
"Well, looks like she's definitely going to give me trouble when she gets back..." Jeanne mused aloud, her tone so nonchalant it sounded as if it were no big deal at all. "Whatever, we fly first and worry about the rest later!"
She had completely stopped caring about potential punishment from Talulah. Who knew how many grudges the dragon leader was holding against her by now? One more wouldn't make a difference, and one less certainly wouldn't either.
Back in the hall, Talulah continued her speech into the microphone.
"They are not lunatics," Talulah stated, addressing the official in front of her who kept approaching her for clarification. "So whichever of you are worrying about them destroying the city can put those paranoid thoughts to rest."
The official immediately realized the comment was directed at him. Bowing deeply to Talulah in relief, he hurried off to report to his superiors.
"That idiot... I am definitely not letting her off easy when I get home!" Talulah fumed internally, clenching her fists. Taking a moment to compose herself, she looked around the room and resumed her address.
"My primary reason for coming here today is to accomplish one specific task."
Talulah pointed toward the flag hanging before her. In an instant, the standard representing Victoria burst into bright, roaring flames.
The sudden shift sent a wave of shock through the onlookers. People stared in utter bewilderment as Talulah burned the national flag right in front of them. Was this Draco openly issuing a threat to the nation?
As the fire subsided, the crowd realized the banner hadn't been entirely consumed. Only half of it had burned away—specifically, the portion representing the Draco bloodline!
"Whether you continue using this flag or scrap it entirely is none of my concern," Talulah said, making a dismissive gesture with her hand. "I am merely declaring my stance. I hope you can understand my perspective, even if only a little.
"I may not speak for the Draco monarchs of old, nor can I speak for every Draco alive today. But at the very least, I can speak for myself. As Talulah, I choose this: no matter how glorious or powerful Victoria becomes in the future, I believe I have every right to sever these heavy ties—and to cast off the burdens thrust upon me that do not define who I am."
At that exact moment, far off over the horizon, Fafnir opened her massive maw and unleashed a torrent of scorching fire.
The brilliant red blaze stretched across half the sky above Londinium, causing every single spectator below to feel their heart leap into their throat.
The populace could only stare in horror at the sky engulfed in flames, terrified that the firestorm would rain down upon their heads at any second. Yet they soon noticed the flames remained safely aloft in the upper atmosphere. The user clearly had no intention of unleashing destruction upon the city.
Rather than burning the capital, the display felt like a fiery sign of solidarity—a grand gesture backing Talulah as she severed her ties with the realm.
Once the citizens realized no destruction was coming, fear gradually gave way to sheer curiosity. Most people on Terra had never seen such a legendary beast with their own eyes.
They pointed toward the sky, desperate to burn the image into their minds so they could brag to their grandchildren about it one day.
"No wonder she told us to keep fire suppression teams on standby..." one of the city guards muttered, staring up at the crimson sky. "If that thing ever went out of control, the entire capital would be dragged into a sea of fire."
They felt immensely relieved that the creature wasn't an enemy. Otherwise, no one would be standing around so casually. Still, the beast's complete disregard for their airspace—coming and going as it pleased—left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Victorian officials. What did these people take the greatest city in Victoria for?
Yet such grievances could only be grumbled in secret. Not even the city defense artillery could guarantee doing any real damage to a creature of that scale.
"We have received your message, Lady Talulah, and we fully understand your stance," an official said, stepping forward with a strained smile. "I assure you that no one will disturb your life after today. So... could you please ask your... friend to move a little further away from Londinium?"
Everyone present looked up with a deep sense of powerlessness, desperate for the terrifying entity to leave. Had they not been in their right minds, the nobles would have already pleaded with the grand dukes to deploy their full military might for protection.
"She and I will both be leaving Londinium shortly," Talulah reassured the pale officials with a faint smile. "You don't need to worry.
"Next, I will be organizing the relocation efforts in Hillock County. Convey my words to your superiors: I expect them to honor their promise and assist me in completing these operations. I'll be taking my leave now."
As if by sheer coincidence, shortly after Talulah departed the Western Hall, the massive dragon high in the sky vanished without a trace.
If anything, her sudden disappearance was even more terrifying. Where could a creature that enormous possibly hide? Spectators nearly snapped their necks staring into the clouds, but found not a single clue.
None of them could have imagined that the colossal beast could shrink down into the form of a small child resembling a younger Talulah, moving freely through the crowd. Such a feat defied all logic on Terra.
Back at their quarters, Talulah immediately shifted into full discipline mode the moment she stepped through the door.
"Didn't I tell you not to make such a massive scene?!" Talulah scolded, her eyes practically sparking with fire as she glared at the troublemaker who had driven her up the wall. "What was that display up there?! If that isn't making a scene, what is?!"
Jeanne sat calmly on the bed, offering a bright, innocent smile in the face of the angry Draco.
Her unbothered expression completely deflated Talulah's fury. Finding herself unable to stay mad, Talulah slumped down onto a chair, grumbling under her breath.
"Come on, that spectacle was way smaller than what happened back in Chernobog," Jeanne pointed out cheerfully. "Besides, I just had Fafnir put on a little fireworks show to keep everyone on their toes."
She leaned forward, her tone turning a bit more serious. "You know as well as I do that relying purely on those nobles' promises won't get us far. But now things are different. Those lords will think twice before breaking their word. They'll have to weigh whether honoring their agreement is easier, or if having Fafnir come down for a personal negotiation is more to their liking."
Jeanne grinned, laying out one of her underlying motives. She wanted those arrogant aristocrats to carefully consider their choices.
Of course, getting to tease Talulah along the way was a very nice bonus.