Leveling Up by Seducing Milfs-Chapter 46. Inside The Dragon’s Citadel

She pushed the doors open, and the inside of the citadel was visible. Rick’s breath got stuck in his throat.

The inside of the mountain palace was even more beautiful than the outside. There were giant halls that went in many directions, and the ceilings were so high that they disappeared into the shadows.

Carved stone pillars held up archways that seemed ready to collapse. Rick discovered treasures at every turn.

He can see many golden statues, gemstone mosaics, ancient weapons on walls, and tapestries showing famous battles. The riches on display would make whole kingdoms cry with envy.

But the temperature was what really got Rick’s attention, even though it was inside a mountain and surrounded by ice and snow, the inside was nice and warm. He could see why because of the veins of what looked like melted gold running through the walls, pulsing with soft light and heat.

"Dragon fire," Sylvia said, noticing that he was looking at her. "We’ve sent it through the heart of the mountain."

"It makes the citadel livable and reminds us of who we really are. Rick, we are creatures of fire and rage. Don’t ever forget that."

She took him through a maze of hallways, each one more beautiful than the last. They walked by training halls where young dragons practiced fighting in their human forms, libraries full of books and scrolls that looked older than civilization itself, and throne rooms that could have held thousands of people comfortably.

Finally, they came to a set of smaller doors that were beautifully carved but not as scary as the others they had seen. Sylvia opened the doors and said, "These will be your quarters while you’re here."

"By dragon standards, they’re small, but I think you’ll find them comfortable."

In dragon culture, "modest" was probably a relative term. The room on the other side was at least three times bigger than Rick’s whole apartment in the capital.

One corner had a giant bed covered in furs and silks that looked like they would be very soft. A black stone fireplace had red flames that crackled and gave off heat without smoke.

There were weapons racks on one wall, and they were full of practice swords and armor. A balcony opened up to a view of the mountains that went on for miles in every direction.

"Is this modest?" Rick asked, looking a little confused.

"Yes, by dragon standards." Sylvia walked out onto the balcony and looked out over her kingdom. "My own rooms are five times this size, and I have pretty simple tastes."

"Some of the older dragons live in halls that could fit whole villages."

Rick went out on the balcony with her, and even though it was cold and high up, he had to admit the view was wonderful. He could see mountain peaks stretching as far as his eyes could reach.

The white caps of the mountains shone in the light of the aurora. He could see other buildings in the valleys between the peaks, like smaller citadels and keeps where dragons probably lived.

Rick said honestly, "It’s beautiful."

"Yes, it is," Sylvia said. "Rick, this is what I want you to be a part of."

"Being a dragon involves not only passing tests but also understanding what it truly means to be one." We are not kind beings, and we don’t let things go easily."

"We hold grudges for hundreds of years and fight wars that last for hundreds of years, but we are also very loyal to the people we say are ours. We do everything possible to keep safe what we love and make things that will last for thousands of years, not just decades."

Her amber eyes were serious as she turned to face him. "The trials you’ll face starting tomorrow are meant to see if you can live in our world."

"If you have the strength, intelligence, and will to stand by a Dragon Queen. Rick, I can’t make them any easier for you. If you did that, it would undermine the entire purpose and reflect poorly on both of us."

Rick looked her in the eye. "I’m not asking you to make them easier."

"I knew what I was getting into when I said I would come here. And of course, I’ll face any problems you throw at me and do my best to get through them."

"That’s a good answer." Sylvia’s lips curled up into a small smile. "Now, let me tell you what you will have to deal with."

"There are three phases to the trials, and each one lasts a week. The first part checks how strong you are physically. You’ll have to fight dragon warriors, survive in hostile environments, and prove that you can live through things that would kill most people."

Rick had a hard time swallowing. "Sounds like a good opening for the first phase (yeah, I’m fucked)."

"The second phase is to test your mind," Sylvia said next. "Problems that have baffled scholars for hundreds of years, strategic games where one wrong move means failure, and negotiations with dragons who will try to trick you into signing contracts that will bind you for life."

"Oh my god..."

"The third phase tests your character."

"You will have to deal with moral problems that don’t have clear answers, times when you have to choose between your own benefit and the greater good, and tests that show what kind of person you really are when you’re under pressure."

"This is often the stage where candidates fail, even if they made it through the first two. Dragons value strength and cleverness, but we don’t like people who don’t have honor and integrity."

Rick thought about all of this, and his mind was already racing with worries and ideas. "What if I fail any part?"

"Then you leave the Northern Peaks right away, and I give up my claim on you under dragon law. You can go back to your other partners without having to do anything else for me or my people." Sylvia’s face softened a little. "And Rick, don’t worry about failing, I won’t hurt you for it."

"Some people might think I’m a monster, but I’m not. And I won’t put the trials’ integrity at risk either. Finding a partner who can really stand by me is essential."

Rick nodded slowly. "I get it." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Do you?" Sylvia moved closer, and her presence was suddenly too much for the small space of the balcony. "Do you know what it would mean to be successful?"

"To be known as the consort of a Dragon Queen? Yes, you would get more power than most people could ever dream of, but you would also have to deal with more problems and risks."

"Dragons who don’t like my rule would see you as a target. Enemies from long ago would always be testing you."

"And you would have to live for hundreds or even thousands of years through magic and dragon bonds, watching your mortal friends and loved ones grow old and die while you stayed the same."

Rick hadn’t thought about that last part. The thought of outliving everyone he knew and watching Carmilla, Natasha, and Liora grow old and die while he stayed young sent a chill through him that had nothing to do with the cold of the mountain.

"I didn’t ask for any of this," Rick said in a low voice. "A month ago, I was a shut-in who was dying in a gaming chair."

"I’m now on a mountain with a Dragon Queen, getting ready for tests that could kill me."

"This is all because a cosmic system decided I was the Hero of Mature Hearts, but you know what?"

"At least I’ve learned something since I got here."