Ancient Dragon in Arknights

Unfortunately, the Cumberland family was hindering Lentinium at every turn, and their intelligence system was practically paralyzed.

The other powerful dukes knew Vina's location, but they naturally wouldn't tell the Cumberland family.

It's ironic that two people whose fates are intertwined live in the same city yet don't know each other's names.

Are you looking for him?

Elsie was unaware of the dangers of these political struggles; she only hoped that her mistress could get some rest.

"Yes, at least I need to know what he wants to do."

"Miss, may I help?"

"No, Elsie, you just need to stay in the manor. Londinium... is dangerous."

Allardy had to admit that she lacked the confidence to protect those around her outside of Cumberland. That was the reality of Cumberland.

"I will handle everything myself. You don't need to worry about me."

How could Allarde possibly find a tiny Draco in such a vast place as Londinium?

"Elsie, bring me a piece of paper. I need to invite an assistant over."

"Okay, miss."

House Cumberland was treated with contempt in every way. They never enjoyed the power that a duke should have, and their orders were always ignored. They were even exploited when purchasing goods from merchants.

But she was not entirely alone. Allardy knew very well that the nobles were no longer her friends, so she had previously sponsored many commoners, and now they would all become Cumberland's allies.

“A distinctive ‘Vaivan’ should be easy to find.”

......

"Has Scholar Meow's research result come out yet?"

"It stayed up all night and finally figured out who the scales belonged to, meow."

The voice of the companion cat came through the communicator, indicating that they had fully adapted to the convenience of the scientific gadgets.

In the Palicoes' previous world, the technology tree seemed as strange as Terra's; they had weapons capable of piercing mountains, but lacked simple electronic devices.

Palico was quite shocked when it first demonstrated how to use the communicator in Neltharion, and Artisan Palico even set a goal to "crack the communicator box".

"So, what kind of monster is it?"

"King of the Sky, Flying Dragon, Fire Dragon. Judging from its color, shape, and size, it is a male Fire Dragon Meow in its prime."

"...Is it that amazing?"

Nesario was already frightened when he heard the title "King of the Sky," as this seemed to be someone he couldn't possibly handle.

"Much weaker than the Dragon Slayer."

"That's okay."

"...Nesario, this is reality. There will be no second chance."

The stern voice of the companion cat came through, saying that pride and arrogance are the most dangerous flaws of a hunter, especially when facing unknown enemies.

"Precisely because it's reality—I'm not going to be foolish enough to go hunting with swords. All sorts of Originium explosives and weapons are more than enough to give it a hard time."

"You have no idea what hunting spirit means, meow!"

"A hunter needs to be proficient in many techniques, even using traps. That's what you taught me."

The man and the cat started arguing, but it was just a joke; in reality, the cat knew better than anyone that hunting required agility and couldn't rely solely on weapons, since there were many monsters that weapons couldn't handle.

"So, Neltharion, do you know where this scale came from?"

"...Can't the guideworm be tracked?"

"..."

This was probably what the deafening silence was all about, and Nesario knew perfectly well how unrealistic his delusion was.

"Well, it's definitely a difficult situation for them to live in a city."

"Maybe it's an entire continent, meow."

"I'll figure something out. You can continue your research without worry. Oh, by the way—let Craftsman Meow think of a way to hide my tail. I'll have to avoid the limelight when I go out in the future."

"I'll tell them, meow."

After hanging up the phone, Nesario turned his attention to his body, his sharp claws instantly extending and his blade-like tail bringing up in front of him.

'I haven't been able to drift all day, it's so frustrating!'

Neltharion seems to be experiencing withdrawal symptoms when his desire to slay dragons and the joy of spinning around are no longer satisfied.

"Damn politics, damn aristocracy."

Nesario, who once enjoyed the most glamorous school life, is now completely dominated by the shadow of oppression from the nobility.

Chapter Sixty-Four: The Origins of the Glasgow Gang

"The Glasgow Gang has taken over all of the Fang Gang's territory, and with my previous investment... how come your terms are still like this?"

Nesario didn't understand business or operations, but he knew a basic principle: money earned always has to be spent.

Where did all that money go? The gang's facilities weren't upgraded, and the Glasgow gang members' attire remained unchanged. The only notable improvement was in the food. But compared to what Nesario ate at the Royal Guard School, it was incomparable.

“We used some of the profits for compensation. Didn’t the Fang Gang vandalize a lot before? Those residents also need to make a living. Their entire livelihood might just be that small stall.”

Morgan waved her hand, and judging from her slightly regretful expression, the idea probably wasn't hers.

It's no surprise that such a kind and compassionate idea must have come from Vina.

This young woman from Aslan showed none of the mannerisms of a male lion. It's important to understand that in a pride, all resources are prioritized for the leader. Although Vina is female, she is definitely not a submissive lioness.

"..."

Nesario also felt sorry for this; compared to Vina, this guy was much more of a scoundrel. In his opinion, compensation only needed to be enough to sustain them for a period of time—what was known as disaster relief money. After all, without the Glasgow Gang, these guys would have returned to being exploited by the Fang Gang.

The Dogtooth Gang used to collect protection money from the neighborhood every week, and their daily expenses were mostly on credit. There was no hope for the future, so the Glasgow Gang even helped the vendors with their work during the day, and the whole neighborhood prospered because of their help.

“I’m not stupid. The value of the Dogtooth Gang’s manor is more than that. Tell me—where exactly did you spend your money?”

Nesario's unexpected assertiveness today is surprising. Logically, he has no right to interfere with the Glasgow Gang, but a few days ago—after the battle with the Fang Gang and his theft in the Altercrig district with Vina—Nesario's status as an unofficial member of the Glasgow Gang was almost confirmed.

Vina and the Glasgow Gang need his power, while Nesario needs a group of helpers to do his bidding.

Both sides made trade-offs, which ultimately led to this awkward situation.

It's worth mentioning that to join the Glasgow gang, there's one thing you have to go through—fighting Indra.

Those who lack the skills or whose personalities don't suit them can't join this unique gang; of course, the latter is more important.

Before Vina appeared, this was the rule Glasgow had set for Indra, the leader; Vina defeated Indra in battle, and thus she became the leader.

What was the outcome of the battle between Nesario and Indra?

The answer is an absolute victory for Nesario, who didn't even use his tail, but instead fought Indra with his fists.

This straightforward and strong-willed tiger girl is right up Neltharion's alley, and in turn, Indra also approves of Neltharion. This kind of mutual brawl is so much fun.

The two even had a drinking contest afterward, and Nesario won it. In short, the Glasgow gang will be an asset in the days to come.

Neltharion will also offer corresponding assistance, such as—some investment, trial pieces forged by the Artisan Meow, and lunches packed from the Royal Guard Academy?

"Okay...we spent the money in the Norbert district."

When this place was mentioned, both Morgan and Indra showed expressions of nostalgia and reluctance.

"I remember that was the old location of the Glasgow Gang..."

Nesario needs an explanation. As an investor, he has the right to know what Glasgow has done.

"Let me explain."

Vina repaired her hammer and then began to explain to Nesario.

“The Norbert district is where we grew up. The Glasgow gang used to operate there, but due to the abandonment of the railroad, Norbert's development is coming to a standstill. We can't develop further there, and there's also... my reason.”

Netsario probably guessed that Vina's current situation did not arise immediately, but rather after a series of confrontations and power struggles.

She had likely gotten into trouble before, and that trouble had hurt the Glasgow gang.

"Why don't you move here together? The Glasgow Gang has already established itself in the Sadion district. There's no need for you to live apart, is there?"

While it's true that you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket, developing two separate areas simultaneously is not a wise choice; it would be a huge hindrance.

“That’s our home. Some people can’t bear to leave, and... not everyone in the Glasgow Gang is a fighter. They need a place to live quietly.”

"..."

The business hasn't even grown big yet, but the pension system is already in place. The job prospects for Glasgow Gang members are really good.

If Nesario were to forcefully demand that Vina abandon those people, it would inevitably provoke fierce resistance, and the alliance that had been painstakingly built would certainly crack. This would not work.

"Stability in the Sadien district must be the top priority."

......

The next day, Sunday, Nesario bought a ticket to the Norbert district, a journey that took an hour.

When he got out of the car, he finally understood why the Glasgow gang had left Norbert.

"There is a serious outflow of population and a sluggish economy."

Most streets in the Sadion district are bustling, with some of the most vibrant areas even boasting clusters of high-end luxury goods; while in the Norbert district, although the streets are not exactly sparsely populated, most people lack vitality, and their eyes seem devoid of light.

The streetscape on both sides was also very desolate, with closed shops appearing every short distance, and graffiti and spray paint covering the streets and alleys. The content was mostly protests against the railway closure and dissatisfaction with the government.

"What's so memorable about a place like this?"

Nesario didn't understand.

His hometown is Tecalondo, a remote small town in Colombia.

He naturally missed that place, missed the days he grew up there with Celia, missed his peers who were corrupted by the Colombian atmosphere, and missed the sleazy gangsters.

If one day Ticalendo begins to fall into ruin, and Nesario is unable to save it, then he will have no choice but to abandon it.

The feeling of watching your most cherished place crumble little by little while being powerless to stop it is extremely painful.