Naval Gacha System: It's Time To Monopolize The Seven Seas! - Chapter 303

Chapter 303: | 303 | The Youngest Apprentice, Tiamat Shepherd
Little Tiamat observed the restaurant with a tinge of coldness alongside a narrowed gaze. Her eyes scrutinized every nook and cranny of the establishment before finding her mentor and her fellow peers. She visibly relaxed as she calmly waved at them and headed towards their direction. Althea merely smiled while Isabelle lightly chuckled. On other hand, Arden was busy tackling a nonexistent problem.

Navigating through the crowd of customers and waiters, Tiamat arrived in front of the group of three. Without a tinge of hesitation or delay, the little dragon sat beside the elven mage and picked up a menu of her own. “I hope that I wasn’t too late.” She muttered under her distant breath, which made Isabelle chuckle further. Her little junior wholly reminded her of Althea.

“We just arrived, so you weren’t too late.” Althea responded with indifference and finally picked an order. Ringing a bell on the table, the waitress finally stood beside them holding a note. She smiled at them and asked. “How may I help you? Have you picked your orders in the menu?” The elven mage nodded and began stating her order. Isabelle did the same, while Arden only ordered a drink.

Tiamat picked the same orders as her mentor since the elven mage appeared to be a glutton than expected. Although, Althea didn’t have the stomach of a dragon. It was as though food disappeared in her stomach, perhaps it was to be expected from the Mythical Mage who had lived for thousands of years within the primordial world. The sole reason why Tiamat accepted her mentor’s invitation.

The waitress noted their orders and lightly bowed at them before returning to the counter. Afterward, Althea turned her attention towards the youngest of her apprentices. It was the first she had accepted an apprentice that was merely over a year old. Dragons really were strange entities. It was no wonder the Gods had hunted them in extinction during the Era of Myths.

“So, Tiamat… For someone of your capabilities to be late, something must have occurred?” Althea questioned the little dragon, curious about her reasons. Isabelle was also somewhat interested about it. After all, Tiamat was a dragon despite being only a new born. She had already demonstrated her discipline and never showed up even a moment late.

While the two wondered about the reasons of the little dragon, Arden was still busy about whatever strange thoughts were being conjured inside his mind. He seemed more interested about his fantasies than the reality in front of him. Though, none of them cared and simply ignored his rambles as though he didn’t exist before their eyes.

Tiamat raised her eyebrows as her little legs dangled from the seat. Pulling a strand over her ear, she answered with a straightforward tone. “Hmm… I guess I was late because of my aunties taking their time with me when I was about to leave the house. I heard from my mom that they will be living with us. It seems to be her suggestion, after all, I could see the horror from my father’s face.”

“I see… It seems that Abraham is tackling a significant and troublesome problem called handling women. I must say. I have heard those with authority complain about the intricacies of tackling a group of women.” Althea nodded in understanding as though it was natural, which wasn’t wrong. Throughout the thousand years she have wandered along the continent, rulers tend to bend knee to their wives. It was a peculiar phenomena.

There was one philosopher who tacked the problem, but stopped the researched after marrying. His answer to the question, Why? It was fairly simple. The answer was two words. Love and Marriage. According to him, it brought about a realization of the world’s truth. Such thing occurred over a thousand years ago. Perhaps, it hasn’t change no matter how much eras went by.

“We can only hope for the better as Abraham must tackle this challenge alone.” Althea sighed to herself while Isabelle tilted her head in confusion. The words of Tiamat confused her, but her mentor’s response threw her off. However, before she could question it, the elven mage gazed at the little lizard again and asked an important question. “How far are you in your studies, Tiamat?”

Tiamat was a bit perplex about why her mentor asked such a question, but it wasn’t something that was difficult to answer. Without a tinge of hesitance, the little dragon answered the elven mage with a somewhat tilted head. She placed her hand beneath her lips and smiled. “I have completed the basics of magicraft, and I’m delving the second-class theory of elements.”

“It is interesting that elements interact the mana that surrounds us. Most importantly, these elements are even conceptualize such as emotions or intelligence. This bring about change that may be deem as natural for those who cannot see the inner workings of nature.” Tiamat continued her answer, giving her opinion about what she had learned from her mentor.

“Good, it seems that you are progressing well in your studies. It seems that it is time to introduce you to your first elemental spells. Are you ready?” Althea nodded in satisfaction and aloofly stated. Although Tiamat was a bit baffled, she wasn’t someone to back down from a challenge no matter how peculiar it may be. “I’m good to go, Miss Althea.”

“Alright, do you still remember the elements you have discovered?” The elven mage questioned, to which the little girl confidently answered. “Yes, it was the Sun, the Authority, and the Twilight. What kind of spell will you give me, Miss Althea? I hope it would be an interesting one.” Even though she had contained herself, there was a bit of excitement emanating from the little dragon’s eyes.

Just from the sight alone, no one would want to disappoint the little dragon. At any rate, the elven mage blankly snickered and raised her hand into a thumbs up. “You’ll be given an interesting spell. The perfect one for someone like you, and it should be the easiest to learn compared to the others.” Althea was confident about her gift.

Tiamat calmly nodded with a blaze of excitement surging to her heart. Though, outwardly, she remained calm. Isabelle who observed the youngest apprentice felt a bit proud. After all, she remembered the time when she was about to receive her first spell from Althea. She was excited during that time and couldn’t contain herself. Because of that, she couldn’t sleep and had to delay the study of the spell.

After a moment of silence, Tiamat finally opened her supple lips and unveiled the spell that she would be teaching towards her youngest apprentice. “I have been observing you this past few months, Tiamat. I understand that you desire the effectiveness of an action instead of desiring for something flashy and beautiful. So, I’ll give you the spell you wish to obtain.”

“The spell is called Hegemony. It is an engraved spell that could be activated but deactivated. It wouldn’t reveal a domineering magic circle, but those who have lesser mana than you would be force to kneel without being able to lift their heads up. Unless they retain a will greater than yourself. Authority is the easiest to learn amongst your elements.”

“It isn’t highly unstable and can be controlled through various activation that doesn’t blow up an entire area in mere seconds. Are you interested?” The elven mage gazed at the eyes of the little dragon, whose pupils flickered with calculations and thoughts. There was no doubt that she was deeply thinking about it, which was a trait that Althea craved from her apprentices.

To Tiamat, it was a powerful spell that didn’t bring about explosions or burnt bodies. As long as she could crush anyone and anything that was considered to be an adversary, it was enough. But for her, it would be better of it didn’t result in a mangled corpse that none would be able to recognize. This didn’t come from morality, but her inherent thirst for spotless solutions.

It didn’t take long for her to received the response she wanted. Tiamat gazed at Althea and responded with a tinge of calm determination. “I am honored to learn the spell, Miss Althea.” Her words resounded, making Althea smirked and nod at her. The elven mage patted her head and muttered. “I will start teaching you tomorrow.”

“You really are amazing, Tiamat. I sometimes forgot that you are only over a year old. You remind me of a 10-year-old girl.” Althea ruffled the hair of the little dragon, who could only sigh in surrender. Isabelle lightly clapped and remarked. “Congratulations, Tiamat. I will be looking forward to you conjuring that spell.”

“I will do my best, Senior.” Tiamat nodded and had long resolved herself to learn the spell with utmost of her capability. It was time to grow and perhaps later, she would be able to stand beside her father and mother, protecting the United World Government together. A dream she wished to accomplish no matter what. An aspiration for the future.

Before the three could continue their conversation, their meal finally arrived on their table. The plates that belonged to Althea and Tiamat outnumbered Isabelle’s and Arden’s plates by 4-to-1. Although Isabelle could understand her mentor’s bottomless stomach, it was difficult to get used to an even small girl such as Tiamat devouring the meals with remarkable ease.

‘A dragon and an elf… What even are their stomachs made of?’ While sipping her drink, Isabelle couldn’t help but think to herself while observing the two in front of her.