How To Break Qaq If The Dragon Catches The Wrong Person? Chapter 2

—This area looks like it’s on the outskirts of the Royal City.

After resting sufficiently, Miya led him outside.

The city gate was visible nearby, and the main road was bustling with many humans coming and going.

Most of the houses in this area were no different from Miya’s home. Wives were hanging clothes out to dry by the doors, their skirts patched. Several children were playing on the street, their toys being wooden sticks and foxtail weeds found on the roadside.

Mian looked around as he walked, finding everything novel.

This was his first time in human territory.

The two didn’t walk far. Miya brought him to a spot not far from his house.

There, a large, middle-aged man was busy loading grains, vegetables, and fruits onto a nearby Wagon, directing the helpers beside him as he worked. He looked quite occupied.

Miya went up and spoke a few words with him, then brought Mian over and introduced him: “He is responsible for delivering ingredients to the Palace Kitchen. If you follow him, you can reach the Royal Palace gates.”

The middle-aged man smiled kindly and gestured toward the Wagon pulled by two Donkeys beside him: “Hop on, we’re leaving soon.”

Mian thanked him and climbed aboard. The man finished his final inspection of the goods and then joined him on the Wagon.

Just before they set off, Miya looked at Mian, his still-childish face full of anticipation and seriousness.

“If you get into the Palace, you must help me check on my sister,” he said.

Mian nodded seriously in return.

The man nearby saw this exchange and sighed softly.

A moment later, the wheels began to turn slowly, carrying the people and the prepared goods away from the area.

The atmosphere along the way was quiet, broken only by the sound of the wheels meeting the ground.

As if unaccustomed to the silence, the middle-aged man soon broke it.

He turned to Mian and asked casually, “Child, you look unfamiliar. Are you not from around here?”

Mian was startled and instinctively replied, “I… I am from outsi—”

“Oh, from outside the city, right?” Seeing that Mian couldn’t articulate his answer, the man thoughtfully completed the sentence for him.

Mian could only nod in agreement.

Seeing that he wasn’t talking, the man didn’t mind and continued speaking to himself: “You’re going into the Palace to help Miya find his sister, aren’t you? You must bring back some news…”

The man seemed to have found a topic and wanted to talk.

So Mian remained silent, turning his head slightly, adopting an attitude of serious listening.

“Their family are my neighbors. His mother passed away not long after giving birth to his sister, leaving only his father to raise the two children. They lived a very difficult life.” Seeing Mian interested in the topic, the man continued, “Later, when Miya was a little older, his father heard that the neighboring country was developing well, so he followed a group of people there. We haven’t heard from him since, and we don’t know if he’s alive or dead…”

“After that, the siblings relied on each other.”

“Two years ago, his sister grew a bit older and went to work in the Palace Kitchen—at first, I could often help the siblings relay messages under the guise of delivering goods, but recently, I don’t know where the child went, and I can’t find her anymore.”

The man paused, seemingly lamenting the family’s misfortune, then added and instructed, “He only has his sister left now. If you really can get into the Palace and find her, you must tell him.”

Mian pursed his lips slightly, then nodded.

This was already a very tragic story… especially since the protagonist of the story had recently interacted with him and kindly helped him.

Finding someone was no trouble at all.

His sole purpose for coming this time was to take the Princess away, which wouldn’t take much time, so he could certainly help with this small matter.

Thinking this, he spoke solemnly, as if making a promise: “I will.”

“Why is the city so lively today? Is it a festival?” The surrounding noise of human voices gradually became clearer, different tones mixing together, sounding very festive.

“Yes, so many young ladies are dressed up beautifully.”

“Even the streets feel much brighter.”

“Don’t you know? Prince is returning to the city soon!”

The Wagon wheels rumbled along the main road of the Royal City, occasionally jolting slightly due to small stones. Mian slowly opened his eyes amidst the shaking.

He looked around and realized they were already inside the Royal City.

The architecture inside the Royal City was vastly different from the area where Miya lived, visibly more magnificent and tidy. Sunlight was abundant, coating every corner visible with a bright sheen.

The middle-aged man who had been sitting beside him had left at some point and was now walking at the front of the Wagon.

Probably because he was too tired, Mian had unknowingly leaned over and slept for a good while, and only now did he finally recover some energy.

The Donkey in front was still dutifully pulling the cargo behind it, moving slowly forward. The streets were wide and bright, and the entire city looked prosperous and wealthy. City folk of all ages were walking around, making it exceptionally lively.

Mian braced himself against the sacks in front of him during a bump and rose slightly. His gaze swept over the large pile of goods ahead, and he saw that the Castle was now close at hand.

His eyes brightened.

It was a magnificent and beautiful structure.

The Castle was surrounded by a Moat. At the entrance of the only large bridge leading inside, many City Guards stood, and some were divided into small teams patrolling the area—just as Miya had said, the defenses were strict.

It made one involuntarily imagine what the inside must look like, and what kind of people lived there.

Just as he was thinking, the Wagon beneath him stopped without warning.

A moment later, the middle-aged man walked up to him: “I’m going into the Palace to deliver goods now. I can only take you this far.”

Mian quickly got off the Wagon and thanked him.

The cart slowly drove away from him. Mian stood up straight, looking at the building in front of him, and sighed softly.

Were the Dragons who came to find the Princess before as disheveled as he was?

But he had finally arrived at the Castle gates. Surely they must know he was coming.

His mother said that many people would come to greet him once he arrived.

…Although, due to some unavoidable circumstances, he was a little late.

Thinking this, Mian patted his hair and picked off some small twigs and leaves clinging to his clothes, tidying up his precarious appearance slightly. Then, he walked up to the Palace Guards guarding the bridge.

The two Palace Guards standing directly in front of the Royal Palace Moat bridge were both wearing swords. Seeing him approach, they sized him up.

“Unauthorized entry into the Royal Palace is forbidden,” one of the Palace Guards finally spoke, his tone very serious.

Mian hadn’t anticipated this situation. He was stunned and explained, “I am from the Dragon Race, I came to—”

“Dragon Race?” The Palace Guard interrupted him without hesitation, his tone full of exasperation and disapproval: “Enough, kid. This is no place for you to play. Go home quickly.”

Mian: “?”

The current situation was completely unexpected.

Didn’t they say that everyone in this kingdom recognized the Dragon Race?

Thinking this, he frowned slightly and asked uncertainly, “Are you from another country?”

Palace Guard: “…”

This child must not have paid attention in general studies class, or else he wouldn’t ask such a question.

Velen has a rule that Royal Guards must be native citizens.

However, chatting with a child was not the most important thing right now.

“That’s enough,” he interrupted whatever Mian was about to say next, his attitude carrying a subtle sense of urgency. His gaze shifted away from Mian, looking toward a certain direction not far away: “Prince is returning to the Palace soon. You need to leave quickly, lest you cause a disturbance.”

Mian was startled and subconsciously followed his gaze behind him.

Only then did he realize that both sides of the main road were already crowded with people, chattering loudly.

Women, elders, and children watching the excitement—but mostly young maidens dressed gorgeously, and even some young men.

In the distance, a troop of people was approaching them.

The person leading the group was wearing armor, but his helmet was removed and placed aside. His features were sharp and handsome, his hair a light gold. The strands on his forehead were all slicked back, making him look even more defined.

That person looked calm, seemingly oblivious to the excited gasps of the enthusiastic populace on both sides of the road. In contrast, a young man riding a horse slightly behind him was smiling and greeting the crowds in all directions, looking quite accustomed to the situation.

Mian, however, couldn’t focus much attention on anything else.

He stared blankly at the person leading the white horse, watching him get closer and clearer.

The Palace Guards at the city gate were used to this sight. After a brief moment of surprise, they quickly reacted and hurried to shoo Mian away.

Mian was prompted back to his senses by the Palace Guard’s urging. Looking at the guard, whose tone was a little harsh due to his haste, Mian was silent for a moment, a rare feeling of grievance rising from the bottom of his heart.

The journey to find the place had been difficult enough—he was hungry, tired, and lost. He finally made it into the Royal City, only to find that everything was different from his mother’s description.

Shouldn’t there be many people waiting to welcome him at the Castle gates? Shouldn’t the Princess be waiting for him at the entrance right now?

But the reality was that after all his troubles finding the place, he was being strictly blocked by the Palace Guards and not allowed entry.

The more Mian thought about it, the more wronged he felt. He looked at his current appearance, which was utterly wretched compared to the people around him.

His eyes involuntarily reddened slightly.

“What’s going on?” Just as he was about to compose himself and leave to figure out another plan, a deep male voice suddenly sounded behind him.

The voice was too close.

He instinctively turned his head, only to meet a pair of dark purple eyes.