Dinner with Sult-Z

Arching windows were plastered on the walls, wide and long. There, you got a better view of the mountains, the sea, and the houses built into it. All rich villas.

Sultan and I sat on opposite ends, each maid stood there behind us. I had to rack what left I knew of table etiquette I had. 

Sometimes, I mistook my tail for an arm, so I had to cover up the embarrassing moments that almost made me look barbaric eating with a tail.

The other thing was…thanks to my paranoia, being poisoned. I have natural resistances against necrotic or poison anyways, and not to mention that with these Dragonoid taste buds, I could tell it apart anyway. 

"…and so, that began a long political run. My family had dwelled here for generations. Centuries, and centuries ago. Some family members were farmers, or fishers. But me? Me…?" He repeated himself. 

"I wanted something…different. And that's when I realized this was all for me. The position, the place of power. Everything. I wouldn't have it any other way." Sultan explains. Telling me a bit about his life. 

I would nod, say, "Woah…", or "Nice to know". Just empty word filler to respond to him with. He's old, not senile. Engaging in this conversation lets me know more about him. 

And hopefully destroys the claims I had built of him in my head.

"I've always grown to have…or be around people who wouldn't go the extra mile as I would have. I struggled to find that balance in life. That…my overwhelming ambition outmatched others quite easily." He says.

"Did I want it to be like that? No. But as I've come to go by each decade, I realized that was the best trait I could have. Ambition gives success, and that, breeds confidence."

It took every muscle fiber of my being to not skip this cutscene. But, this was real life. Nothing to skip over here. 

Instead, I used every utensil to cut into what looked like to be shrimp. Yes, cutting shrimp. Could've done it to the steak, but no. That's what I decided on.

"At the same…my power and position has changed Aurea Islands for the better. The nation and collective has never looked better!"

I wish I could scoff. Has he seen Bortabelle himself? It looks nothing like this place. The argument that it's a "high-income" instantly falls when Royalia is filled with…guess what?

The usual suspects. 

Nobles, political figureheads, and whatever nepo-baby that can live there. There's no true citizens. You know, Sultan. 

The ones I assume are paying all of your taxes.

"…but, enough about me. What about you Ryuuzen?" He asks, I could only slightly chuckle, and shove more shrimp down my throat.

"Tell me, how do you Dragons get used to the weather over here?"

My eyes instantly widened.

I froze, then tried to play it off. My eyes slowly look up to him, but he only smiled and ate. 

That…

That was the first time anyone ever acknowledged I was a dragon. How did he know? No, what kind of stupid question is that?

Well, that's a stupid question everyone in Bortabelle including Vaniti couldn't answer, so who's the stupid one now?

"I—uh," I couldn't find the words to answer Sultan this time around. I cleared my throat after.

"Heat-resistant scales? I suppose. Am I right?" He laughed afterwards, I could only nod and go with that answer instead.

No, I don't have heat-resistant scales…but that tells me more than what he's letting on. Others confused me for a beasthuman, but he could at least see I was some variatioa n of Dragon. 

That's better than anything. Or…is this simply an educational problem down at Bortabelle?

No, can't be. 

I forget that the general knowledge of dragons existing is rare, now. Almost like seeing a rare ethnic group. You just wouldn't believe it existed until you saw it in a history textbook or right in front of you. 

And fortunately, it seems like the rich nobles of Royalia have a lot of that.

We continued to eat. Much more of the same cycle. So much for getting to know about me, he somehow switched the topic of the conversation back to him. 

How and what he went through his multiple campaigns, how he shaped the islands and whatnot. 

My tail stabbed a napkin and pressed it against my lips. The maids came and cleaned the plates, I objected, however.

Still had more of my fill, and would continue. Is a Dragonoid's body always this hungry? It feels like since I've started eating I haven't put the fork down since.

Sultan looked at me directly, and didn't waste anytime to fill the air with even more words. Political figureheads do talk a lot.

"A ascendant ranked quest, wasn't it? Surely, you must be strong." He asks, but not asking, really. He could sense my mana signature. I wouldn't be surprised if he has multiple times already. 

I could only humbly nod, "Barely. I'm more so a low-level one."

"More than enough for the islands. Tell me, Ryuuzen. I have a proposition for you…" He trails off. His voice, suddenly carrying with a usual charismatic and gentle tone, fell. 

He leaned over the table. Both hands folded over as his chin rested atop of it. My hands were under my cloak, held together. I leaned forward to match his posture and demeanor.

"This is not…a regular Voyage quest. One that wouldn't be posted on those boards anyways. I wouldn't have asked you otherwise, but I need someone of your caliber."

I stuff my mouth with more food, it doesn't taste like shrimp, but it'll do. I don't look down to my plate, I chew, and then swallow.

Sultan looks at me instead, "…I know. I know. Dealing with a politician. How shady can it get? You must already be feeling paranoid."

"That's why my offers always come pre-buffed. State your price. Anything. Just. Anything."

Really? Just anything?

He looks at me straight, unwavering, focused. Determined. It's clear that he has no poker face, but even I could tell that he needs me more than I need him. 

But I don't want to directly show that the moment I have an advantage and use it directly against him.

"Save it for later. I've done one thing, what could be so hard about this?" I tell him. 

His demeanor shifts, but he's a little uneasy. He laughs it off and claps his hands. "Great! It's settled then!"

He gets up from his chair and grabs his staff. Moves on and pasts me.

"Be here at this estate tomorrow morning, and we'll get started."

He delivered it in quiet, almost hushed tone. Sultan heads to the main hallway. Leaving. Leaving me, to be there and sit to finish my plate.

I was going to let him leave, until this question popped up in my head.

"Chancellor Sultan!" My voice called out, he stopped, and turned his head.

"Why me? Of all people."

He stood there, questioned the question, and answered. 

"It's fairly simple, Ryuuzen."

"I like treating my political promises, with care and delicacy."

He turned, and walked off. Didn't necessarily answer my question, but alright. 

I was going to finish my food until I realized the maid carrying his plate, leftover with greens. He must be some vegetarian or vegan, right?

Well, then my plate would have some too? The food already looked ready when we got there…didn't it?

I look down at my plate. 

Not a single green in sight. 

As a matter of fact—

"Hold on…" The two words escaped my lips. Ham. Steak. Shrimp. Venison. Slivers of chicken. Lamb. 

Meat. Meat. Meat. Meat. Meat. Meat.

No grains. No greens. Not even a traditional slide of mashed potatoes like he had or anything. 

A carnivore's favorite plate, nobody could properly eat this. My form stabbed into the steak slightly. Slight blood oozed out. 

That means the thing was barely cooked? Why didn't I notice it earlier? I didn't feel any metal sensation in my mouth—

Wait. 

Wait, no, he couldn't have. 

Did he…

Then that would imply that Chancellor Sultan knows.

He knows exactly what a Dragon is supposed to eat. 

Well, not entirely supposedly we can eat anything. It's just more beneficial for us since we are natural carnivores in lore. Treat it much more of a…of a…delicacy.

Wow. 

That's why I must've never noticed what I was eating. The food was just too good for my body to think otherwise. I must've felt at home, because even the raw shrimp. 

I ate something raw, and my body didn't think otherwise. Not because of my tough tastebuds, but because being a damn near mythical creature gives you the ability to eat things raw in case. In theory we are literally no different from wild animals just with peak magic power.

Because unlike being a regular human, my body treats raw and cooked food the same. So I was physically unable to tell the difference, even when I looked at it. That's…that's insane. 

My instincts didn't trigger an alarm, because for my species, that's what we like. That's comfort food. 

Damn it. I was too focused on the politics and manners that I never even took the time to look at the food properly!

Wait, then…does that explain why his sudden laughs?

He didn't know I was a dragon outright, he only knew I was because being confused with a beasthuman, they can't eat what I just ate.

I just…I just exposed myself. I didn't even need to say word—all I did was act naturally. Like a natural dragon. 

I didn't get outplayed, I let him figure me out what I was.

And when I thought I had the advantage, I never did. Sultan had it all along.

I drop my fork onto the plate, it clangs and clatters. The maids still don't look at me. 

Chancellor Sultan. 

You're more frightening than I thought you were.