Chapter 342: How Many Dragons Are Too Many?

Then again, it was probably better that Riley didn’t personally witness everything that happened during that little exhibition.

Because if he had seen it live, in full clarity, with no water splashes and no merciful delay, he might’ve immediately scrapped their entire plan.

As it turned out, one particular dragon lord and his two short and noisy carry-ons had taken the phrase “distract everyone” far too seriously.

In the days that would inevitably follow, three allegedly innocent individuals would repeatedly deny any responsibility for the bizarre spectacle that unfolded at the Dolphin Pavilion.

They would insist it was a coincidence.

A misunderstanding.

A completely natural aquatic response.

Meanwhile, unsuspecting humans would continue whispering about the strange incident where a group of dolphins seemed to collectively lose their minds over a tall, black-haired man and the two children clinging to him.

Because right there, in front of a packed amphitheater of watchful eyes, the dozen or so dolphins had decided to demonstrate what could only be described as unwavering loyalty to their new master.

The moment Kael stepped onto the edge of the pool, something shifted.

The water, which had been lively but orderly, suddenly stilled.

Then, as if responding to a silent summons, the dolphins surfaced all at once.

“…”

“…”

They didn’t splash wildly.

They didn’t begin the usual routine.

They lined up.

Neatly.

Facing him.

Uh-huh.

Riley may not have seriously factored in the fact that his mate, Dragon Lord Kael Dravaryn, the most powerful being in Eryndra and lord of beasts and magical creatures alike, was also, apparently, Kael the dolphin whisperer.

The dolphins held position in a straight row across the water, snouts lifted just enough above the surface, tails steady beneath them. It was not part of the choreography. It was not prompted by any cue.

It looked suspiciously like a salute.

One dolphin dipped its head once.

The others followed.

In perfect synchronization.

Only after that show of what could only be described as proper decorum did one glide forward slightly, lowering its head toward him without actually breaching the invisible boundary of the pool’s edge.

Another surfaced half a body length behind the first, as if waiting for its turn.

Two more launched themselves into synchronized arcs that were far too precise and far too eager to be part of the scheduled program, splashing in deliberate rhythm before returning to formation.

Kael and the children hadn’t even entered the water.

They were still standing at the edge.

And yet the dolphins were performing like their careers depended on it.

The confused handlers blinked.

Then blinked again.

One gave a subtle whistle command.

Nothing.

Another gestured with a hand signal.

The dolphins ignored it completely.

Instead, they adjusted their line to stay directly in front of the dragon lord, chattering in high clicks and whistles that sounded suspiciously enthusiastic. A few tails slapped the surface in rapid succession, sending spray toward the first two rows as if emphasizing their devotion.

Orien gasped in delight.

Liam laughed, pointing at the way one dolphin rolled halfway onto its side before correcting itself, as if remembering it was still supposed to maintain formation.

Kael stood there, composed, though there was the faintest crease between his brows as if he was willing for all of it to be over soon.

From the stands, humans leaned forward in confusion.

“Is this part of the show?”

“They’re not supposed to do that, right?”

“Why are they all lining up for him?”

“So are dolphins actually face-cons?”

The staff exchanged glances, searching for someone with an explanation. But no one really knew what to do when something like this had never happened before.

Perhaps they should have considered taking notes.

Because from that point on, the handlers had effectively lost control of their charges.

The dolphins began swimming in tight, organized circles directly in front of Kael, leaping higher than necessary, splashing louder than scheduled, and performing increasingly elaborate spins without a single cue.

All of it, and the dragon lord still hadn’t stepped into the water.

Somewhere away from the stands, blissfully unaware of just how intense the distraction had become, Riley was focusing very hard on something else.

__

Life had been good for the dolphins of HydroWorld.

They had long escaped the clutches of the magical beings that once reigned over the seas they came from. No more hiding from monstrous shadows beneath the waves. No more praying that the Kraken’s fiftieth distant cousins weren’t in a particularly foul mood.

Now their days consisted of play.

Food.

Applause.

Being lavished with praise and affection instead of terror.

It was, by all accounts, a very pleasant arrangement.

So imagine their absolute surprise when today’s hopeful volunteers, who were supposed to pet them gently and squeal in admiration, turned out to be beings that should never, under any circumstance, be offended.

The tall one didn’t even have to step forward.

And yet, as if understanding the gravity of the situation, even the water trembled.

He didn’t do anything particularly dramatic. He merely stood there with two smaller but equally terrifying beings clinging to him.

At that point, every aquatic being that valued its life watched for even the tiniest signal.

The great ancient arched a brow to the right.

Every dolphin jumped.

He arched it to the left.

They jumped left. Higher.

At that crucial moment, focusing on the dumbfounded audience and staff was impossible. The dolphins had far more important priorities.

Survival.

Appeasement.

Absolute peak performance.

The two smaller beings rushed toward the water’s edge, clearly attempting tricks they had just watched earlier. They flapped their arms in imitation, shouted encouragement, and splashed with reckless enthusiasm.

The dolphins responded with flawless synchronization.

Spin.

Leap.

Dive.

Tail slap.

Another leap, higher this time, because clearly that brow had twitched again.

That day, the dolphins were certain they had delivered the best performance of their entire careers.

A performance so moving and so aggressively impressive that when the man who absolutely should not be trifled with stepped into the water and didn’t surface right away, no one really noticed that he had been replaced by another golden dragon.

And yet, to the shaking hearts of the dolphins, just how many dragons were in the water?

And what, exactly, had they done to warrant such a visit?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep