Chapter 9: Romance in Lake Ribra

The Dunamis Mansion’s war room was bigger than many throne rooms, and also deadlier. Dragon skulls and the preserved bones of slaughtered dragon lined the walls.

There was a man seated on the jagged silver throne at the far end of the war room. He was an adult man with grey hair, a missing eye, and a face like a ferocious wolf. There were three faded diagonal claw-mark scars across his face.

Fangfather Darius Dunamis.

"You’ve verified the intelligence?"

He was speaking to the lady before him.

Prussia, his daughter.

She nodded boldly with her rigid face.

"Three separate spies confirmed it. A guild pulled the [Immortal Dragon Egg] from a hidden dungeon six months ago. They sold it to a merchant who had more gold than brains. He didn’t have the resources to hatch it, so he dumped it on the Halcuon Auction House."

Darius finally looked up with eyes the color of dried blood.

"And the Golden Fairy Soil?"

"It’s also in Gilishon, Father. House Dunamis has the [Dragon Crucible]. We have everything we need to hatch an immortal dragon. According to my sources, we could get the egg for cheap. The auction house knows what they’re sitting on but not how to use it."

"Good. We leave for Falsbane tomorrow."

Darius leaned back in his throne.

Prussia turned to leave, then paused at the door when her she heard her father call her name.

"The Falsbane princes will try to charm you."

"Do I kill them if they do?"

Darius chuckled at his daughter’s lack of hesitation then waved his scarred hand dismissively.

...

King Aldrius Falsbane was not a man who handled humiliation well.

The royal chambers looked like a tornado had ripped through them. Broken vases, slashed curtains, and shattered mirrors littered the usually palatial place. The King was tearing the chambers apart in blind rage.

"LAKE RIBRA!"

He hurled a golden candlestick at the wall.

"He took her to LAKE RIBRA!"

Grand Chamberlain Hershant stood near the door as his portly body trembled.

"Your Majesty, please you must calm yourself. It might not be what you think—"

"IT IS EXACTLY WHAT I THINK!"

Aldrius kicked over his study chair.

"That ungrateful little bastard! After everything I gave him! The tutors! The training! The BEST of everything! And this is how he repays me? By stealing my WIFE?!"

Hershant wrung his hands nervously.

"Ah, ahh, you must calm down. I really don’t think the Fifth Prince is that kind of man. Your Majesty, didn’t you once say you wanted the family to be closer?"

Aldrius whipped around and wailed like a madman.

"Are you SIDING with him?! With that—that TRASH?! Against your KING?!"

The grand chamberlain panicked as he dropped to his knees and bowed his head to the floor.

"NO! Never, Your Majesty! I only meant—I spoke out of turn! Forgive me, I beg for your mercy!"

Aldrius heaved furiously as he wiped sweat off his brows.

"Get up. You’re not wrong to question me."

Hershant rose shakily.

Aldrius slumped into a chair, suddenly looking every one of his fifty-nine years.

"Maybe... maybe I am overreacting. It’s just... I haven’t touched Minerva since Bradley was born. Two nights ago, I ordered her to my chambers. She ignored me and sent back a note saying she had a headache."

The fact his own wife couldn’t reject his offer in person made him feel like less of a man.

Hershant wisely said nothing.

Aldrius decided to change the subject.

"Focus on the auction. This is the first time House Dunamis has ever attended. Why?"

"The Immortal Dragon Egg is in the inventory, Your Majesty."

A pale-faced Hershant replied.

Aldrius closed his eyes.

"Of course it is. Those Dunamis barbarians are obsessed with dragons. They’ll want it."

"Sire, we must give them what they want to avoid—"

"I KNOW THAT! Don’t you think I know that?! Provoking House Dunamis means death. For all of us. I’m the King. I have to protect my people. And yet... I am without an answer."

Out of nowhere, he slammed a fist on his armrest.

The royal chambers went silent.

...

Outside the city limits, a private carriage rattled along the cobblestone road toward Lake Ribra. Up on the driver’s bench sat the coachman alongside a tall, light-brown-haired maid.

Inside the luxurious cabin, Adonis sat across from Queen Minerva as their knees almost touched.

Bradley sat beside his mother, his arm wrapped possessively around her shoulders.

Adonis ignored him and pulled up his system interface.

[Rewards from Taming First Losing Heroine:]

- Gold-class Enchanter Experience Card x1

- Mana Capacity +15%

- New Skill Unlocked: Silver Tongue (Passive) — Increases persuasion effectiveness by 20%

- Relationship Status: Queen Minerva — Deep Love (70%) Host has now awakened her ’bonkers trait’ which all Losing Heroines reveal after their affection level hits 70%

Adonis lifted a brow at the last line and shrugged.

’Meh. I doubt it’s anything I should worry about...’

Adonis skimmed the narrative text for the upcoming arc.

In the original webnovel plot, House Dunamis was destined to secure the dragon egg, triggering a continental war that would destroy most of Falsbane. King Aldrius and all his consorts would perish in the flames. Even though Adonis had already changed the narrative by making the Third Prince look incompetent, he is still a protagonist.

Adonis is just a [Trash Extra] doomed to die in the war.

Ultimately, Third Prince Leander awakens a dormant bloodline power to win the war and usurp the throne, forcing Minerva, who remained loyal to Adonis, into a forced marriage that would drive her to depression and suicide.

’Isn’t this a romance novel... why so serious?’ (⇀‸↼‶)

But what could he do? His narrative role was still [Trash Extra]. How was he supposed to stop House Dunamis when an entire kingdom feared them?

A pair of burning eyes interrupted his thoughts.

Bradley was glaring, hugging his mother tighter.

"Stop looking at her like that."

Minerva sighed, visibly annoyed. But whenever her son looked at her she’d smile. She’d been so excited when Adonis invited her to Lake Ribra. A romantic date. Just the two of them.

Then Bradley invited himself.

’This boy desperately needs a girlfriend, preferably one who lives far, far away.’

Minerva cursed silently inside her head, though she kept a gentle smile on her face.

"Don’t worry, Mother. You know I’ll do anything to protect you from this shameless bastard."

Bradley declared sweetly, shooting Adonis another glare.

"Thank you, dear..."

Minerva replied softly, while inwardly fuming.

The carriage slowed as they reached the edge of Gilishon’s eastern district. Across the sparkling waters lay the trade hub of Zantkurt, famous for its grand markets. Lake Ribra had once been feared by locals due to rumors that a Fairy King had died there, but once travelers realized the moonlight turned the water into a shimmering golden sea at night, it became the most popular lover’s spot in the capital.

They set up their picnic on the grassy shore.

As Adonis unpacked the baskets, Bradley kept frustrating him like he wasn’t the older one.

"Adonis, you shameless swine!"

"Mom must love shameless swines then." Adonis yawned.

"Why you—!" Bradley’s face flushed red with anger.

Queen Minerva, who was sitting gracefully on a covered rock nearby, spoke up.

"Adonis, be a good boy and come sit next to me."

Adonis didn’t hesitate. He walked over and slid right onto the rock beside her, their thighs brushed. Minerva leaned slightly into his side, exuding a radiant, mature smile.

Leaning close to her ear, Adonis whispered.

"Can that tall maid be trusted? Our thing... isn’t public yet."

"She’s fully loyal to me," Minerva assured him softly.

To be safe, Adonis subtly activated [Eye of the Critic].

[Target: Maid Clara]

[Background: Born to a poor commoner family with strong moral values. Utterly devoted to Queen Minerva.]

[Narrative Role: Extra / Dies during the war in Volume 2.]

Adonis closed the panel.

As the sun began to set, the trio poured tea and shared delicate biscuits. Adonis made subtle moves like reaching behind Minerva to adjust her shawl or offering her a strawberry, only for Bradley to jump in between them.

"Hands off, you shameless bastard!" Bradley snapped.

When Minerva tried to feed Adonis a biscuit herself, Bradley grabbed her wrist, looking at her with wide, panicked eyes.

"Mother, please! He must’ve brainwashed you!"

"Oh, so when it’s her, it’s brainwash!" ‎(ﾉಥ益ಥ）ﾉ

Adonis grumbled with his fancy teacup in hand.

[Ding! Bradley’s presence has forced Minerva to suppress her urges which has triggered her bonkers trait. She has a strong desire to feed the Host her vital energy through the blood milk of her breasts.]