【〖Diabolos: Rank Ａ〗】
【Its overwhelming destructive power is unrivaled.】
【Its titan-like claws can kill ten or more men in one swing.】
【Its merciless flames can incinerate entire armies in one breath.】
【It is an evolution open to a dragon who has been graced by the demon king.】

…… I already knew just by seeing his status, if I’m a recovery type, then he’s a power type, leaning towards destruction and domination.
Let me check out a few of his titles that caught my attention.

【Title Skill〖Dragon King〗】
【A title that is given to the strongest dragon in the present world.】
【Lifespan is extended and attack stat is increased upon every level up.】
【Experience points required to level up are reduced greatly and resistances become easy to obtain.】
【The levels of resistances increase upon evolution.】
【It also greatly affects the next evolution.】

So, it’s basically like my〖Son of the Dragon King〗skill…… but better.
Mine doesn’t have increased lifespan or an attack stat increase rate, or any of that resistance bonus and stuff, in fact, my resistances don’t even go up anymore when they reach Lv 5.
Although, since that title is given to the strongest dragon, they’d already be in their final evolution……
It’s like obtaining a treasure you can’t even use.

That Demon King related title he has though……
I remember it being mentioned by the descriptions of other monsters, but this is my first time actually meeting someone who used to serve him.
So then, does that mean there is an actual Demon King out there?

Alo, who caught up to me just now, stood beside me and after seeing the large dragon, Diabolos…… she looks at me worriedly.
Meanwhile, Nightmare is beside Partner, and Treant is behind us, standing by in the stairs.

It'll be fine. Diabolos isn’t showing any hostility…… yet.

Then, Diabolos looks at Alo.
For a moment, he stared at her with open hostility.
I instinctively upped my guard, but my worry was unneeded since the hostile feeling vanished a second later.

【“Oh, she is an undead, not a human”】

That one short hostile instance was enough to frighten Alo into hiding behind me, hugging me tight.
I can feel her shivering in fear.
Even I’m feeling scared just by being in the presence of Diabolos.
I’m sure my fear is multiplied by hundreds in Alo’s case.

【“Why did you come to this island? From your reactions…… you must not have known me before coming here”】

I want to confirm if he’s really my father, but…… is it really okay to ask?
It’s kinda awkward, or rather, it hasn’t really sunk in yet……
No, I definitely feel a connection with him, but we’re kinda too different to be called father and son.
I’m an Ouroboros. Yeah, it’s true that I haven’t even lived here for a year, but I’ve grown into a big dragon now.
But wait, I find it strange that a dragon like him, who’s been staying here on this island, would just drop their egg in the middle of a forest…… but then again, our skills……

【“…… I asked you a question. What are you confused about”】

Diabolos is displeased and slams his tail on the floor.
The floor instantly broke apart and the whole area shook.

“…… Gru~a”
【“…… What’cha mopin’ for. You sick or somethin”】

Even Partner is teasing me.
She looks at me with squinted eyes.

T-That’s because he’s our dad!
This is still hard for me to swallow…… I don’t know how I should feel after suddenly meeting our father like this.
And by ‘our’, I mean, he’s your father too. How do you not have any reaction to this at all.

While I was talking with Partner, Diabolos started to look even more irritated.
He must not like being ignored.
I immediately face him and look him in the eye.

I-I came here looking for a place to stay……
Um, how about you, why are you staying here, Diabolos, sir?

【“Hoh, so you know my species name”】

Eh…… was it bad that I know?
Oh right.
Not everyone with〖God’s Voice〗is going to have〖Status Inspection〗.
Diabolos is as rare as a rare dragon can be.
There are already so few Rank A monsters already. I bet the amount of monsters evolving into a Diabolos is only countable by hand.

I look down and scratch the back of my neck with my claw to try and deceive him.
I have to pretend that I don’t know I can see his status.
I’ll need to be careful what to say from now on.

Diabolos looks at me with suspicion but then says “No matter. Now, as for your question as to why I am here…” with telepathy.
He’ll apparently tell me more about himself.
When he just shrugged off his suspicions of me like that, I got the feeling that he was dying to have someone to talk to.
He does have〖Solitude Resistance: LvMAX〗, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that he’s craving for conversation.

【“My being here, is because I received a divine message from the will of the world”】

The will of the world……?
…… Is it like the pseudo-god of God’s Voice?
Wait, doesn’t he have〖God’s Voice〗skill too? It’s only at level 1 though.

【“I was once…… one of the many monsters serving under the Demon King. After the Demon King was defeated by the Hero, many monsters began to perish as well. Monsters who ravaged villages only to be hunted down and killed…… monsters who flew to the edge of the world, never to be seen or heard of again…… and many others. I was about to do the same”】

Wow, talk about a heavy exposition dump right off the bat.
By ‘Hero’, is he talking about the blonde bastard?
But, Mr. Dragon King here is strong enough to kill three of those Heroes with ease.

【“I do not know what you are thinking, but this story took place 500 years ago”】

Oh, well, nevermind then.
Wait, he’s been alive for 500 years?

【“However, when I was waiting for my own death to come, a voice came to me. He told me that the Demon King will reappear again in this world. And that I, as the Dragon King, have the lifespan to live that long. When that time comes, I am to serve the new Demon King and put an end to the age of humans. That was when I knew. The voice was what my master, the Demon King, occasionally spoke about; the will of the world”】

…… Eh?
The story is slowly taking a rather unsettling turn……

【“I was told to hide myself…… and wait until that time comes. And then, a long time passed. I would hide on this island, sometimes going out, only to watch the sun rise and set every day for 500 years. There were times when I doubted the voice. But, I knew. That time will certainly come. Before…… I had evolved that time and could not fight side by side with the Demon King. But, this time is different. No Hero can best me now. One day, a herald will come and give me a sign that the new Demon King has arrived. And, I shall recreate the world that my Demon King envisioned and offer my soul to his successor”】

Diabolos looked like he was in a trance as he looked up at the ceiling.
His eyes must be seeing something beyond the ceiling and past the skies.

A-All of this sounds foreboding……
My dad’s head is clearly stuck in the clouds.

【“You, who dismissed my Adams, you are a promising young dragon. Join me. Become my subordinate. And together, let us serve the new Demon King in his ascension to the throne”】

Seeing me in a daze, Diabolos lowers his face near mine and looks at me with dissatisfaction.

【“Why are you hesitant? Are you telling me that you dislike serving under me?”】

T-That’s not really what I was thinking…… it’s just that, all this information is still processing in my head……
Like what is happening, and what is about to happen.
The Demon King is returning? The will of the world?

Although, it doesn’t seem like I’ll get an answer to that anytime soon.
Diabolos thinks that it’s natural for a dragon to blindly serve the Demon King.
If I say something that lets him assume for even a second that I’m on the humans’ side, then he might view us as an enemy and attack us.

I’ll tread this tightrope carefully……!

I bow my head, lower my posture, and respond.

Not at all, I would be honored to be your subordinate.
I swear upon my entire being as an Ouroboros that I will serve the Demon King under you, Lord Diabolos.

【“Are u being serious……?”】

Partner asks me privately in my mind.

I-It should be fine.
He’s waited 500 years and it hasn’t happened yet.
Let’s just let him hear what he wants to hear from us, but we won’t actually mean it.

【“…… But, he must’ve killed lots of humans already, and ur fine with dat”】

…… I-I know that…… but, he’s our father, isn’t he?
In the short time I’ve known him, I haven’t seen him do any of that yet, and he’s not all that hostile to us…… and besides, I still don’t know how I should act in front of him as his son……

【“Hm, Diabolos, Diabolos…… you lack courtesy”】

Diabolos shakes his head in disappointment, accompanied with a deep sigh.
C-Courtesy……? There’s courtesy between dragons……?

【“I have a cherished name given to me by my master, the Demon King, and it is Eldia. Consider it my courtesy to you, I shall allow you to call me by my name. Diabolos is merely my outward appearance and I prefer not to be labelled as such”】

He shares his name to me in a proud manner.
…… He must really love his name a lot.

What’s with this old man, is he a tsundere or what…… every time I’m about to relax, Diabolos…… I mean, Eldia’s interrupting remarks would always put me on edge.
I like that he’s welcoming us and all…… but, I'm not really keen on the idea of having to spend hundreds of years on an island lying in wait for something that may never come.