My front door leads to a comic strip

Chapter 223, 222: A Paradise in the Sky, A New Companion—Sera

Meanwhile, deep within the royal palace.

On the magnificent golden throne, Herbert III tapped the armrest, and the sunlight fell upon Reinhard, who stood below with his head bowed in reverence.

Former friends are now separated by a thin veil of the relationship between ruler and subject, and even more so by the growing wariness in his heart.

"Reinhardt." The Emperor's voice echoed in the empty hall, deliberately maintained in its calm, "What has the Hero been up to lately?"

Reinhardt lowered his head even further, his tone as submissive as ever: "Your Majesty, His Excellency Gu Yuan has been keeping a low profile lately, just as he always has."

"Alizee reported that his manor was quite peaceful, and he himself seemed to be—indulging in a life of pleasure."

"A haven of gentle pleasures?" The emperor raised an eyebrow, his tone unreadable, neither believing nor doubting.

"Yes, Your Majesty. It is said that even the daily servants in his residence are mostly women."

Reinhardt carefully crafted his portrayal, attempting to depict Gu Yuan as a hedonist devoid of ambition for power.

Herbert III paused for a moment, then stopped tapping.

After a long silence, he spoke slowly, his voice carrying the weight of thought: "Even so, the royal family should make some gesture."

"Select some suitable women and send them there in the name of admiring the hero's achievements, to demonstrate the empire's goodwill."

Reinhardt feigned just the right amount of embarrassment: "Your Majesty, the Chamber of Commerce has tried this before, but all those we sent were politely declined."

"His Excellency Gu Yuan seems to dislike being disturbed by outsiders, perhaps because he is worried about—"

He didn't finish his sentence, but both the emperor and his minister understood the unspoken meaning—they were worried about spies and surveillance.

A flicker of understanding crossed the emperor's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by deeper contemplation.

Seeing the emperor remain silent, Reinhardt knew his worries and raised his head at the opportune moment, offering a plan he had already prepared: "Your Majesty, if you wish to ensure absolute success, I have a plan."

"explain."

"The statue of the hero will be completed soon," Reinhardt said in a low voice. "Why don't we take this opportunity to spread his story to every corner of the continent?"

May the name of the hero not only resound in this day and age, but also be passed down for thousands of years, until everyone knows him and he becomes an eternal legend.

He paused slightly, letting the meaning in his words settle: "When his image is completely bound to the savior, shining brightly and inviolable, any action that goes against it will provoke public outrage, and the cost will far outweigh the gains."

"At that time, the people will recognize Your Majesty as the only ruler, and the imperial foundation will naturally be as solid as a rock."

Herbert III leaned back slightly, sinking into the shadow of the throne, his eyes flickering uncertainly.

This certainly suited his purposes, elevating a potential threat to a pedestal and isolating him from power.

"Very good." He finally nodded. "You'll handle this matter. Be quick and thorough."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Reinhardt bowed deeply.

Next, he reported on the progress of the spatial magic tool, mentioning that it would be completed in three more days.

The two briefly discussed Gu Yuan's motives for collecting these strange items, but ultimately decided not to delve deeper since they didn't understand the reasons and it seemed to have no impact on the overall situation.

About half an hour later, Reinhard left the palace and, standing in the bright sunshine, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He recalled a spirit who had recently been spontaneously spreading stories of Gu Yuan's deeds among the people, and immediately made a plan in his mind.

Taking advantage of this popular trend, we should take a two-pronged approach to ensure that the image of the "brave warrior" is elevated to a divine status and solidified in the shortest possible time.

Without further delay, he strode back to the Chamber of Commerce and immediately ordered his trusted aides: "Go find that elf and tell him that the royal family and the Chamber of Commerce will fully support his mission to spread the word."

Meanwhile, inside Gu Yuan's manor.

Breakfast had just ended, and Gu Yuan was talking to Milie Alde about magic when suddenly, they both stopped and looked upstairs.

A faint magical fluctuation emanated from the room upstairs.

"This is—" A hint of surprise flashed in Milield's eyes.

Gu Yuan felt something and exchanged a glance with her. Without saying a word, the two immediately got up, quickly went upstairs, and pushed open the door to the quiet room.

In the center of the room, in the glass jar filled with magic potions, the eggshell was completely shattered.

A small dragon, about the length of an arm and covered in fine gray scales, was hovering in the air, nibbling at floating eggshell fragments.

Its body is elegant and smooth, and although it looks young, it already reveals its extraordinary nature.

Hearing the door open, it turned its head to look at Gu Yuan. The dragon and the man stared at each other; the dragon's silvery-white vertical pupils were clear and pure, and Gu Yuan felt a slight tremor in his heart.

"Chirp—" The Heavenly Vein Dragon let out a soft, tentative chirp.

Gu Yuan immediately came to his senses.

Finally—it hatched!

Suppressing his excitement, Gu Yuan stepped forward without hesitation, extended his palm, and slowly cast a soul contract spell around the young dragon in the air.

It seemed to sense no malice in the aura, but rather a reassuring sense of closeness—

The young dragon hesitated for a moment, tilted its head to look at Gu Yuan, and then did not resist, allowing the invisible soul bond to be quietly established.

The light of the contract flickered a few times before completely disappearing between their brows.

call.

With the connection clearly established, Gu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

The contract is now in effect.

After a while, Gu Yuan appeared in the living room on the first floor with the obedient little Heavenly Vein Dragon floating on his shoulder.

The little guy curiously looked around at his new surroundings, the tip of his silver-gray tail swaying gently.

"This is... a Celestial Dragon?"

Wilmae, who had just walked in from the courtyard, narrowed his eyes slightly when he saw the small, silver-gray figure.

She examined it carefully for a moment, and finally recognized it. She was astonished, her eyes filled with disbelief.

This is because it is the only known dragon species with a near-eternal lifespan. There are only two known dragons in the world, and now—it is the third.

Later, upon learning that the dragon would become a member of the family, Wilmae recovered from her shock.

-

She exhaled, quickly composed herself, and a gentle smile appeared on her face as she softly asked Gu Yuan, "Have you thought of a name for it yet?"

Gu Yuan looked at the little dragon on his shoulder, pondered for a moment, and an ancient Elvish word came to mind: "Let's call her Sera," he said. In Elvish, this name symbolizes freedom and protection under the high heavens.

"Sera—a being that soars high in the sky, beautiful, and fitting for it," Wilmae exclaimed with a smile.

Frillie, standing to the side, didn't seem to be fully awake yet; her little head bobbed up and down, showing little interest in the new member.

Wilmae gently tugged at her hand.

Frillie then mustered her strength and, mimicking her mother, mumbled in a sleepy, soft voice, "Welcome, Sera—"

Gu Yuan watched this scene unfold and couldn't help but smile.

With her mother by her side, and having never experienced loss or a thousand years of loneliness, Frilian was indeed much easier to get along with than the aloof and distant elf she remembered.

After a simple welcoming ceremony, Gu Yuan took out a specially prepared potion and carefully fed it to Sera.

The little Celestial Dragon seemed to love the scent of the potion. Its silvery-white vertical pupils immediately lit up, and it lowered its head, emitting a pleasant chirp as it began to drink it happily.

Watching Sera drink heartily, a deep sense of anticipation flashed in Gu Yuan's eyes.

With the dragon egg hatched, the second crucial element has been acquired, and the core piece of the plan is now in place.

His plan became increasingly clear:

As long as Sierra exists, once it grows up and soars through the skies, no matter how turbulent the human world may be in the future—regime changes, internal purges, or national collapses—it will be unable to touch it in the slightest.

He wanted to build a paradise in the sky on the back of this dragon, a place that belonged only to him and the elves, a place that was otherworldly and undisturbed.

Grow up quickly, Sera.

Gu Yuan gazed at the young dragon, his heart filled with anticipation for the future.