I’ll Eat This Mountain!

This is a nameless island 3,000 kilometers away from the Empire.

The sun rose, sunlight bathed the land, a gentle breeze brushed by, carrying the fragrance of flowers.

Such a scene was like poetry and painting, making one linger and forget to leave, even wishing to merge with nature itself.

However, a woman in a black dress appeared in the sky above the island.

Her outward appearance was about 20 years old, with short dark-brown hair and dim crimson pupils.

She wore an ornate black gown, mature and composed, noble and elegant, with every gesture exuding the air of a ruler.

She looked coldly at everything on the island, and at once frowned.

“Not here either…?”

Although her expression was calm, her heart was filled with rage.

“Ledea, where on earth have you gone?!”

Karina shouted angrily, her voice resounding through the sky, killing intent pouring out of her body.

In an instant, dark clouds covered the heavens, small animals hid trembling in their nests, birds flew up from the forest, instinctively fleeing the impending calamity.

Karina’s eyes turned vicious, she lifted her hands and began chanting magic.

“O Shadow King who rules the world, appear within the flow of time!”

“I swear in the darkness, in Your great name, gather the power of You and I, and bring equal destruction to all that is pure standing before us—”

“Perish! Dragon Emperor’s Explosive Flame Slash!”

Magic converged into a black energy sphere, which flashed with violent lightning, sparks crackling, the scent of gunpowder filling the air.

Karina struck like lightning, the sphere whistling downward toward the island’s mountain.

Boom!—

The explosion resounded through the skies, like being amidst a raging sea.

The six-hundred-meter-high mountain was blasted open with a huge hole.

The Dragon Emperor’s Explosive Flame Slash triggered earthquakes and tsunamis, seawater rushing onto the island, the creatures there facing an unprecedented catastrophe.

“Hah… hah…”

Karina kept panting—not from exhaustion after unleashing a powerful spell, but because she couldn’t swallow her anger.

She had searched so long, nearly all the human cities, yet could not find a trace of Ledea, so she couldn’t help but vent.

The result of her venting was a massive typhoon forming in the nearby seas.

Within this sea lived the Water Dragon clan.

Karina’s storm disturbed the slumber of the Water Dragon Empress—Teresa.

Teresa opened her eyes, glanced upward at the sea’s surface, her face full of anger.

Finally taking a nap, only to be disturbed by some stranger? Unbearable! And what of dragon pride?

Teresa drew out the heirloom weapon of her royal line, the “Sea Emperor’s Trident.”

Kicking her legs, she swam swiftly from the ocean depths to the surface, surging forth like a dragon to confront the culprit.

The perpetrator’s aura was easy to find—Karina was still radiating killing intent.

“Who dares?!” Teresa shouted.

Karina turned her head, glaring fiercely at Teresa.

Teresa froze, her face quickly showing dread.

“Th-this… isn’t this Lady Karina…” Teresa forced a smile, “I didn’t know you would grace us with your presence, forgive me for not welcoming you properly!”

“Teresa, it’s been over ten years, and it seems your temper has grown.”

“Eh, please don’t say that…”

Noticing she still held the trident, Teresa sheepishly put it away into subspace.

She then cautiously studied Karina’s expression, and glanced at the mountain Karina had blasted apart.

Of course, Teresa knew Karina’s nature.

In short—“a sharp tongue, but soft-hearted.”

Her words were harsh, but her heart was kind. She never abused her power, and Teresa hadn’t meant any offense anyway.

So Teresa knew she wouldn’t be punished.

Even so, she didn’t dare relax, because Karina was still furious—if reason snapped, Teresa could become a target.

“Wh-who has provoked you this time, Lady Karina?”

“Who else? Of course it’s that foolish girl Ledea!”

“Eh… Miss Ledea… isn’t she in the Dragon God homeland?”

“She left long ago—ran away from home 500 years ago!”

“Eh… and she still hasn’t returned?”

“I never went searching seriously. I thought she’d come back after enough time fooling around. But who knew she’d vanish for 500 years! Tell me, isn’t that infuriating?”

Karina said indignantly, “How could I have such a daughter!”

Teresa was embarrassed. As the saying goes, “Even a fair judge struggles with family quarrels.”

And her own status was beneath Karina’s, so she couldn’t offer advice.

As for Ledea running away, Teresa had heard of it.

At the time, Karina had arranged a marriage for Ledea—with an elf, specifically the youngest daughter of the ancient Elven royal family.

Beautiful, with a sweet laugh—so charming that even Teresa thought no better wife could be found.

Yet Ledea didn’t even glance at her, and simply ran away from home!

Karina had to apologize endlessly to the elves.

Though the Dragon clan Karina led could easily crush the elves in strength, that wasn’t the point—Karina was sensible, she wouldn’t misuse force.

Karina wanted to bring Ledea back quickly, but more urgent matters arose: the seal guarded by the Dragons had weakened, and she had to devote herself fully to maintaining it.

A hundred years passed before Karina remembered Ledea still hadn’t returned.

She thought, her daughter was in her rebellious phase—let her stay away for centuries, and when she was done rebelling, she’d come back, and marriage arrangements could be made then.

But now, after 500 years, still no trace of Ledea!

“Teresa…” Karina sighed helplessly, “do you realize? 500 years! Countless good families’ daughters have long since married, even become grandmothers—great-grandmothers! And I haven’t even seen Ledea’s shadow!”

“Uh, yes… Lady Karina, you’ve endured much…”

“If only Ledea could understand my hardships!”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure she will one day,” Teresa said awkwardly, “Perhaps… Ledea has even found someone precious out there?”

“Hah?” Karina stared at her blankly.

“You know, after all these years… maybe not just someone, but even a child—who knows, maybe Lady Karina could meet a granddaughter soon?”

“Hah? Her?” Karina sneered, “If Ledea really managed that, then… then I’ll eat that mountain!”

Teresa glanced at the ruined mountain, thinking: which part would you eat, exactly?

“You can’t say that. Five hundred years may be nothing to us, but for humans it’s generations. How many are born, grow, and thrive? By probability alone, the more samples, the greater the chances, right?”

“Please… spare me,” Karina said dismissively.

“Ledea is proud, aloof, always arrogant, and values Dragon pride above all. Even if a pretty girl appeared, she’d scoff: ‘Hmph, a mere human dares dream of us Dragons!’—and drive her away!”

“Uh…” Teresa was dumbfounded, unable to reply.

“She can’t even communicate normally with others! If she weren’t so obstinate, her marriage partner would’ve long been settled!”

“Uh… yes…”

“This time I rushed back because of another proposed marriage…” Karina said more calmly now.

“Teresa, if you find Ledea, don’t forget to drag her back to the Dragon homeland.”

“Eh… but Ledea has the Shadow God’s blessing—can I really defeat her?”

“Don’t you have the Sea Emperor’s Trident?”

“But if I go all-out—will it really be fine?”

“No problem. I permit it,” Karina said harshly.

“It’s time she got some discipline, otherwise she’ll never learn responsibility!”

“Uh… yes… I shall obey, Lady Karina…”

Karina took a deep breath.

She had long wanted to vent these frustrations to someone—now that Teresa had listened, she felt much lighter.

Karina took out a map from another dimension.

Many places were marked with red crosses—already searched.

What remained were only the mountains near the Empire.

She remembered there was a beautiful cave there, full of colorful magical ores.

Ledea had always loved colorful things—perhaps she really was staying there.

“Hmph, Ledea!” Karina said fiercely, “This time, I’ll definitely bring you back—no matter what!”