Chapter 23

It seemed as if time had stopped, and Sigma and Licos stood in a daze, facing each other.

After a long while, Licos broke the silence: "Prince Sigma, what a coincidence."

Sigma replied foolishly: "Ah, I was worried something might happen to you, so I followed you all the way here..."

Licos's lips trembled a bit: "Well, even if I jumped into the Maurau River, I couldn't wash away the rumors..."

Sigma nodded blankly: "Pretty much, congratulations on the new addition to your family..."

Licos had a look of long-expected sorrow and anger, and said sadly: "If I say things aren't as you think, would you listen to my explanation?"

"What explanation? We're not related, just met once, and I shouldn't have disturbed you!" Sigma slowly backed away, covering his mouth with his left hand and waving his right hand like a busybody, laughing and scolding, "You didn't even tell me you had a son, I didn't even prepare a gift. Alright, I won't disturb you anymore, I'll take my leave..."

With that, he started to walk away.

"Wait!" Licos shouted. As soon as he spoke, the dog-headed men standing nearby took a few steps forward, surrounding Sigma, and at the entrance behind them, a few tiger-headed men appeared!

"Damn, cat people!?" Sigma turned and glared at Licos: "Do you have any humanity left! Even tigers you can't leave alone!"

"Nonsense! I didn't do anything!" Licos shouted, "That's not what you think!"

"Think my grandmother's chicken thigh!" In his excitement, Sigma swore again, pointing at the small life in Licos's hands, "Your son is right there, with all the evidence, what else can you say! **! Heavy taste! Beast-fetishist!"

"That's not my son!" Licos quickly handed the dog-headed infant to his mother and said, "I just came to relax! Then I heard that Blotched Longfeather was about to give birth. The infant mortality rate for half-breeds is over eighty percent, all because of lack of birthing experience, so I came to help!"

"Blotched Longfeather?"

"Her name! Is there a problem!?"

"Of course not, since you did it, you can name it however you want!" Sigma said, then suddenly realized and pointed at Licos, shouting, "You actually had a grandson with your own daughter! You monster! Incest freak! You should just change your name to Shugetsu Kousan!"

"Who's Shugetsu Kousan!?"

"No, I have to go!" Sigma turned and shouted at the two tiger-headed men, "Get out of the way!"

"No, you can't leave now!" Licos took a few steps forward, blocking Sigma's path.

"Why can't I leave?" Sigma raised an eyebrow and said coolly, "Are you afraid your dirty deeds will be exposed? Don't worry, I won't do something so trivial. Or do you want to silence me?"

The necromancer's eyes suddenly turned cold, and a bone-chilling aura of death enveloped the cave: "Just you few? Looking for death!"

He was ready to fight. In a confined space, a necromancer was the most difficult opponent. He would shield himself and kill the dog-headed men first, then use the Corpse Explosion spell to collapse the cave, no matter what. With his bone prison and affinity to earth, he could either dig his way out or finish off his enemies.

"How could that be..." Licos smiled bitterly, "You are a world-renowned genius, on par with Princess Aya. Even if the entire tribe tried to stop you, you might still escape. Besides, if we let you go, the half-breeds might be fine, but if we kill you here, the entire tribe would face destruction."

Sigma rolled his eyes: "If you know that, why don't you let me go? What do you want?"

"They want to be friends with Your Highness. Half-breeds don't base their safety on a stranger's promise, but they trust a friend's word." Licos took a few steps forward, very sincerely, "Please believe me, Your Highness. They may look strange, like monsters beyond human understanding, but they are essentially simple, kind, and strong. You will like them..."

"…No, absolutely not, I won't be like you." Sigma took a step back warily, "Trying to brainwash me into being your kind? Forget it, I have a beautiful fiancée and a whole harem of concubines. Do you think I'm as desperate as you?"

"That's why! They are just my friends!" Licos, who seemed to have questionable tastes and hobbies, tried to explain desperately.

Sigma picked his nose: "I think they are just bed buddies."

"Listen carefully! No interruptions! Or I'll lose my temper! I'll lose my temper!" Licos's expression finally broke into a fierce roar, "How can humans and animals have children! Do you understand reproductive isolation! Do you understand! Different species have reproductive barriers set by the Father God!"

"…Are you boasting that you broke the Father God's rules and became the man who created a new race?" Sigma clapped sarcastically, "Wow, that's impressive, really impressive!"

"Far traveler, don't mock the Extremely Evil Dragon anymore." A deep, resonant voice came from another exit of the cave. With each step that shook the ground, a robust minotaur emerged from the shadows, "He is very simple."

"Extremely Evil Dragon?" Sigma looked at Licos suspiciously, who laughed nervously and turned his eyes away, "You mean him?"

"Yes, he got lost here when he was eight and met our half-breed tribe. According to our customs, he took a name within the tribe. He proudly said, 'My name is Extremely Evil Dragon,' and he was very lively back then." The old, steady minotaur elder chuckled, "Twelve years have passed."

...He entered his mid-life crisis at eight.

Licos, a bit embarrassed, suddenly jumped up: "Great Elder! Prince Sigma said he wants to be friends with the half-breeds. According to tribal customs, we should give him a name!"

He grinned mischievously: "I heard that deep in the Maya Great Forest, there is a monkey-made wine called 'Monkey Burn,' which is sweet and refreshing, but has a strong aftertaste, very passionate. I think it fits Your Highness..."

The robust minotaur, who seemed to have a terrible taste in names, nodded repeatedly, looking at Sigma and considering whether names like "Li's Dog Egg" or "Monkey Burn" would be more suitable for him.

Sigma reacted quickly and immediately said: "I'll be called Dancing with Wolves!"

"Dancing with Wolves?" The minotaur was stunned for a moment, then praised, "Good name!"

"Rather, Licos..." Sigma pointed at the dazed druid and said disdainfully, "A sissy who can be knocked out with one hit, calling himself the Extremely Evil Dragon? That's not fitting."

"I also think it's not fitting. Such a mighty name doesn't suit him. I'm about to have a grandson, and only a brave and strong minotaur deserves such a name!" The minotaur elder ignored Licos's protests and turned to Sigma, "So, Dancing with Wolves, you seem good at naming. Why don't you give him a new name?"

Sigma happily agreed, ignoring Licos's pitiful pleading eyes, thought for a moment, and then pointed at him: "Look, when he's sad, it seems like the wind around him is crying in sorrow. I think we should call him Wind of Sorrow."

***

PS: New book, please recommend, click, and collect!