Chapter 681: Inner and Outer Courts, Divine Seat
So, what is the price?
Titania's words fell into the red iron dragon's ears, every syllable dripping with temptation.
But Garoth knew full well in his heart.
This couldn't possibly be free.
For the Joyous Court to offer support at this level meant the Faerie Gods expected at least equivalent returns from Garoth.
Only firm refusal could avoid the potential troubles that might arise from this in the future.
But that was the mindset of the weak!
Risk also meant reward. For an opportunity like this, both outright rejection and complete acceptance were equally foolish choices.
At the very least, he needed to first clarify what the price actually was and what he could gain before he was qualified to make a judgment.
The wind passed through the flower curtains draped with hanging vines, carrying a faint rustling sound.
The red iron dragon slowly exhaled a stream of scorching breath, calming his churning thoughts and pressing the tangled notions deep within one by one.
He shifted his gaze away from the Immortal Spirit Fruit and looked back into Titania's amethyst eyes.
"I believe the Joyous Court can help me take fewer detours, advance swiftly with soaring momentum, and reach heights I previously couldn't even imagine."
"About that, I have no doubt."
His gaze turned serious and focused. "But, what do I need to give in return? This certainly isn't a free gift. I want to know the specific conditions."
Titania didn't avoid the question. She met his stare.
The expression she'd worn earlier, like someone luring a child, gradually faded. Though her smile didn't completely disappear, the playfulness in it was gone, replaced by a far more formal demeanor.
"Simple."
"Formally join the Joyous Court and become one of us. Share the Court's glory and its downfall—bind your fate to ours, like vines and pillars, supporting each other and growing together."
She tilted her head slightly, Garoth's reflection shimmering in her eyes.
"In return, you will no longer be a guest or friend of the Joyous Court, but one of its members."
"You will have access to all of the Joyous Court's resources—every piece of knowledge, every treasure, every secret art will be opened to you."
"Most importantly, you will receive the protection of the Faerie Gods."
"For instance, when Tiamat turns her gaze upon you again, you will no longer stand alone. An entire pantheon will stand behind you."
"What you need to give in return is your loyalty."
"Loyalty to the Joyous Court, loyalty to the Faerie Gods—or, perhaps more accurately, responsibility."
Garoth lowered his gaze.
Beneath his dragon claws, faint golden lines flowed slowly across the stone slabs, radiating a warm, gentle glow.
His thoughts flowed as well, sweeping across countless images.
Facing Tiamat's Apostle, facing the invasion of the Abyss, facing the brink of despair that nearly pushed him to his limit... he had borne it all on his own. There was no divine hand behind him, only his own claws and scales.
Like walking a tightrope over a cliff and an abyss below.
Zero margin for error. No chance to fail. One misstep, and everything would come crashing down.
But last time was different.
When Netal descended to the Material Plane to block Tiamat's avatar for him, it was the first time Garoth had truly experienced what it felt like to have a god's protection.
It felt good.
He wouldn't deny that.
The deliberation didn't take long.
Just a few seconds later, the red iron dragon raised his head again, looking at the petite Faerie Queen before him.
"I won't deny it—I crave the support of a pantheon."
"The stage between the realms isn't something a single individual can dominate alone. Every existence standing tall in the multiverse has a pantheon backing them from above, and countless followers or subjects below."
"That's an undeniable truth."
"But, I cannot accept your request."
Titania's expression didn't change much, but the light in her eyes flickered slightly.
"Why is that?"
She said softly. "The Joyous Court is a loving, united family. Here, you will experience a level of support you've never had before—genuine mutual support from the heart, not transactional cooperation."
"Here, we are each other's family. Family members don't need to calculate gains and losses."
A family...
A family of miniature fey with a dragon like me mixed in—wouldn't that be too jarring?
The styles are completely different!
"When I was young, I once envied the metal dragons."
The red iron dragon's voice was low as he spoke slowly. "Back then, I was still weak, struggling to survive in the wilderness. Every time I sensed the tight bonds within the metal dragon clans, I felt an indescribable longing."
"I even wanted to blend in, to become one of them."
That past was already distant.
But recalling it, it was still vivid before his eyes.
The red iron dragon continued, his voice steady. "At that time, I craved warmth from the outside. I craved a powerful clan to shield me from the wind and rain. I craved someone who could protect me from behind when danger was greatest."
"But that was the mindset of the weak."
"And I was quite weak back then, which was why I had such thoughts."
"As I grew, step by step, passing through the thresholds I had to face alone, I gradually stopped having those thoughts. Those former longings were replaced by my own scales."
He looked at Titania, his gaze unwavering.
"If I could gain the Joyous Court's support, I would be very happy. Having a high-tier deity behind me, an entire pantheon willing to pave the way for me—this is the dream of countless Legendaries."
"I can't possibly not be tempted. I admit that."
"But if I don't have it, to be honest, I wouldn't regret it either, nor would I feel like I'm missing something."
The dragon's faceplate was firm as iron, his voice calm. "In the past, relying only on myself, I reached where I am now. In the future, relying only on myself, I can also move forward."
"The path might be a bit more winding. The time might be a bit longer. There might be more thorns and obstacles along the way."
"But the final result won't change. I firmly believe that."
Titania listened quietly, her posture attentive.
She asked, "What if you fail?"
"You're being watched by an evil dragon god. Tiamat's patience is limited, but her obsession is never brief. She will reach out her claws to you again and again until she has you in her grasp."
Titania's gaze grew deeper.
"Without another god's protection, you cannot afford a single mistake."
"One error, one wrong judgment, one moment of being overwhelmed, and the entire game could be lost. When that happens, everything you've built, everything you have, will turn to nothing along with your defeat."
"Haven't you considered these consequences?"
She asked, her gaze resting on Garoth's faceplate.
Hearing this, the red iron dragon lowered his head and looked at his own scales.
Due to the effects of Dense Body, his scales now appeared glossy and bright, their surfaces smooth as mirrors, without a single scar.
But he knew in his own heart.
He had once borne countless wounds. They had overlapped and interwoven into rough, complex textures. Though they had healed and vanished now, each one had once been deeply etched into his flesh, telling of battles fought and blood spilled.
The red iron dragon raised his head and met Titania's gaze again.
He grinned, revealing his long, thick fangs, a smile forming on his faceplate.
"To get where I am today, to live and reach farther places, I've paid a lot."
"Blood, pain, loneliness, countless sleepless nights."
"But if death truly comes to my doorstep one day, and it's unavoidable, then after exhausting every effort, I can accept my end with equanimity, without regretting the path I've walked."
"The worst outcome..."
"Is nothing more than turning to ashes, bones ground to dust."
Titania's brows curved, a glimmer lighting up in her violet pupils as a soft radiance flowed within them.
"How unrestrained."
She admired. "Mortal beings face deities—some tremble, some covet, some grovel, some face death without fear... But among these postures, I rarely see true equanimity and neither arrogance nor servility. You've managed to achieve it."
"I just know what I want."
Garoth replied simply.
Titania flew a circle around the dragon's head before returning to face him.
She revealed an intrigued smile, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.
"I'm beginning to understand why Tiamat has set her sights on you so intently."
"If I were her, I'd also try every way to take you under my wing. A powerful lifeform that knows what it wants and has the ability to pursue it is worth more than a thousand or ten thousand obedient servants."
The light in Garoth's pupils condensed slightly, his irises narrowing as he felt a flicker of wariness about the direction this conversation was taking.
He looked at Titania seriously and said, "Please don't joke like that. You're not a malevolent deity who stops at nothing. You have your own principles and bottom lines."
This was the Joyous Court, Titania's domain. If she wanted to do something to Garoth, the current Garoth had no way to resist. Any resistance would be futile.
Hearing this, Titania let out an extremely light laugh.
She raised one hand and lightly tapped the tip of the red iron dragon's nose with her fingertip—the touch was almost imperceptible—and said, "Oh? Using honorifics again, are we?"
"Are you afraid that I'll truly stop at nothing? Afraid that I'll use coercion and threats to chain you to the Joyous Court's
war chariot, like Tiamat?"
ReadHistory
It wasn't impossible.
Titania belonged to the order-side, but she was unmistakably Chaotic Good, not Lawful. Her methods had never been bound by rules or regulations.
"Though it's a bit regrettable, a forced melon isn't necessarily unsweet."
The Faerie Queen's voice gradually grew dangerous, her tone rising slightly as she stared straight at the red iron dragon. "Since you've come here, you're destined to be my dragon, whether you like it or not."
Intense malice erupted in an instant, surging over him.
The red iron dragon instinctively tensed his entire body, lowering his limbs and arching his back slightly, entering a combat stance.
But the next second, Titania laughed again. The malice and oppressive pressure vanished completely, and the air returned to being relaxed and warm.
"I'm just messing with you."
She patted the fine scales on the dragon's snout. "As much as I'd like to emulate Tiamat a little, I'm ultimately not a Chaotic Evil god. I have my own principles. I can't bring myself to do what she does."
"Her methods? I wouldn't stoop so low."
Garoth:...
His muscles slowly relaxed, his taut limbs stretching out again, but after that rollercoaster of emotional highs and lows, his nerves were still somewhat tense, and his heartbeat was a few beats faster than usual.
At the same time, he deeply realized.
The being before him, though she looked perfectly normal on the surface, was unequivocally a Chaotic Good deity at her core.
Similar to Netal, her thoughts couldn't be predicted by common sense. She did everything based solely on her own mood and principles.
Titania flapped her wings, pulling back some distance from the great dragon and hovering in midair.
At the same time, she extended her hand, palm facing up.
The Immortal Spirit Fruit leaped from her palm, tracing a gentle parabola as it flew toward Garoth.
"This is a welcome gift. It doesn't require any price from you."
"Take it."
"Whether you join the Joyous Court or not, this Immortal Spirit Fruit is yours."
Garoth extended his front claw and caught the fruit.
To the claw of a great dragon, it was like a speck of dust, so light it was almost weightless, yet its presence was extraordinarily strong, emitting a rich fragrance that made the dragon's mouth water.
Garoth didn't stand on ceremony and accepted it.
"Thank you for the gift, Your Majesty. I like this present very much."
He didn't want to be deeply bound to the Joyous Court, tying his own fate and will to a pantheon.
But if he could gain the friendship of the Faerie Gods, that would certainly be a good thing. Having one powerful friend among the realms is always better than having one more enemy.
Titania stared at the red iron dragon, smiling casually. "Though it's free, now that you've accepted my gift, you're not going to just leave without some expression, are you?"
Garoth was slightly stunned.
Didn't she just say no price was needed? That it was just a welcome gift?
How quickly she changed her tune.
Still, he wasn't too surprised. Dealing with a Chaotic Good deity was like this—it was unavoidable. Their thinking was always leaps and bounds, random and unpredictable.
The red iron dragon lowered his gaze, looking at the Immortal Spirit Fruit in his claw, then raised his head to look at the beaming Faerie Queen.
Her expression was completely unabashed, not a shred of shame for going back on her word. She smiled as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"I can give it back to you."
Garoth extended his front claw, holding the Immortal Spirit Fruit out to Titania.
Titania showed no sign of taking it. She crossed her arms over her chest, tilted her head, and a glint of mischief flashed in her eyes.
"That won't do."
"What's given is given. There's no taking it back. Do you think I, as the Faerie Goddess, am so narrow-minded that I'd take back a gift I've already given?"
Looking at her sparkling eyes, Garoth fell silent.
He curled his claws, retracting the Immortal Spirit Fruit, then asked bluntly, "Then, Your Majesty, what expression do you want from me?"
Titania crossed her legs, placing her hands on her knees, and the earlier casualness and playfulness faded away.
It seemed she was about to discuss serious business.
"Simple."
She said, "I have a general idea of what you're thinking."
"You don't want to be deeply bound to the Joyous Court. You don't want to intertwine your fate with that of others. That's your bottom line, and I respect it. I won't try to shake it."
"So, I can give you another option. A more flexible arrangement."
Garoth's gaze focused on her as he asked, "What option?"
Titania raised her finger and gently drew in the air.
A pair of concentric circles—one large, one small—appeared before her, hovering in midair. The inner and outer rings had clear boundaries, each emitting a different luster.
"You may not know this, but the gods of the Joyous Court are divided into two types, belonging to the Inner Court and the Outer Court."
Inner Court? Outer Court?
Garoth looked thoughtful, the light in his pupils flickering slightly.
He really hadn't heard about this before. There was no record of it in the Dragon Legacy either. In his understanding, the Joyous Court was simply the Joyous Court—a unified whole.
But he didn't interrupt. He just quietly waited for her to continue, his gaze attentive.
Titania tapped the inner ring.
"Inner Court gods fully belong to the Joyous Court, sharing its honor and disgrace, life and death. They receive more of my protection and the Court's support."
"But at the same time, Inner Court members bear more responsibilities and obligations."
"For instance, participating in the Court's major decisions, stepping forward when the interests of the Faerie Gods are threatened, and firmly binding their fate to the Joyous Court without reservation or room for retreat."
"Just like I said before—share the Court's glory and its downfall. No matter the situation, you can't stand aloof."
Saying this, Titania lightly tapped the larger outer ring, her fingertip bringing up another halo of light.
"Outer Court gods are different."
"The Outer Court can receive part of the Court's support and, under certain circumstances, the Court's protection. But they don't need to bear the obligations of Inner Court members. They don't need to report everything to the Court, and certainly don't need to place their will under the Court's decisions."
"In a sense, the Outer Court has more of a friendly cooperative relationship with the Joyous Court."
"Closer than allies, freer than members, able to maintain their own completely independent will."
"Both sides benefit each other, but remain independent."
Outer Court gods...
From Titania's description, it sounded more like an honorary position, a loose form of affiliation?
Or, a mutually beneficial cooperation where both sides get what they want.
The promotion path on the Path of Immortality was brutal, and the struggle for faith among gods was equally fierce. This kind of relationship probably didn't exist only within the Joyous Court—there might be similar arrangements in other pantheons.
Garoth pondered, incorporating this information into his considerations.
The Legacy was vast and boundless, but it contained too little knowledge about gods. After all, his ancestors probably hadn't had many who could reach this level.
Titania said, "For instance, Netal is an Outer Court god."
"Even though he runs all over the Serene Spirit Wilderness all day, busy playing tricks on fey and pulling pranks, he never has to attend Inner Court meetings or bear Inner Court obligations."
"He lives a very carefree life."
Inner Court and Outer Court, core and periphery—two different positions corresponded to two different sets of obligations and rights...
Garoth steadied his mind and asked, "Your Majesty means you want me to join the Outer Court?"
"Yes."
Titania nodded decisively.
"The Inner Court isn't for you. I can see that clearly."
"Your personality and will determine that you can never accept the constraints of the Inner Court."
"You don't like your will being overridden by anything. That's not a flaw, but the problem is, without some formal relationship, there's only so much the Joyous Court can do for you."
"The Outer Court happens to be a compromise."
She said, "In the Outer Court, you don't have to bear too many obligations to the Joyous Court, but you can legitimately receive our support. When facing malevolent gods, you won't be isolated. When encountering difficulties, you'll have a reliable backing."
"The Joyous Court won't interfere in your decisions either. You remain your own master."
"You can continue to develop in your own way. And if you wish, you can even formally join another pantheon. I won't be displeased by that."
This condition was surprisingly lenient.
Garoth was somewhat astonished, his pupils widening slightly as he asked, "The Joyous Court doesn't mind an Outer Court god joining another pantheon? Wouldn't that cause conflicts?"
Titania nodded slightly, her expression calm.
"Of course, the prerequisite is that the other pantheon maintains friendly relations with the Joyous Court. We only associate with friendly neighbors."
"For example, our Outer Court's Centaur God and the Tree King."
"They have very close ties with the Elven Gods of Avando, and as a whole, the Joyous Court and the Kingdom of Avando are friendly neighbors."
"If you want to join the Elven pantheon, I won't stop you. I'd even be willing to make introductions for you."
Garoth noted this information, then suddenly thought of something.
"What about Netal, then?"
He asked, "You said he's an Outer Court god, but he only belongs to the Joyous Court, and he seems to bear many of the responsibilities of the Faerie Gods. For instance, he was the one who fought Tiamat's avatar last time."
Hearing this, Titania revealed an expression of helpless amusement.
"Ah, Netal."
"He used to be an Inner Court god. But he always managed to mess things up. All his plans would take strange, unexpected turns. Eventually, I expelled him from the Inner Court."
She shook her head, recalling some less-than-pleasant memories.
"Netal's greatest joy now is running around the Serene Spirit Wilderness, playing pranks, and coming back every so often to ask me when he can rejoin the Inner Court."
"His last descent to the Material Plane was his own request."
"Consider it adding some leverage to get back into the Inner Court."
That did sound like something Netal would do.
Garoth didn't doubt it. He spoke slowly, "I think I roughly understand the difference between Inner and Outer Court. But I have one more question—one concerning myself."
"Feel free to ask anything. There are no taboo topics here."
Titania nodded, her gaze encouraging him.
"I am not a deity."
The red iron dragon said, "I am more inclined toward the Path of Immortality. Lighting the divine fire, accepting faith, establishing a divine realm... these things, at least for now, are not in my plans."
"Would the Joyous Court accept an Immortal as an Outer Court member?"
"From what I know, the Joyous Court's roster seems to consist entirely of gods. I've never heard of an Immortal joining."
Titania blinked, then laughed.
"Deity and Immortal aren't contradictory paths."
"In fact, across the realms, many beings walk both paths simultaneously—bearing the divine fire with an immortal body, using divinity to strengthen immortality. They complement each other on certain levels rather than being mutually exclusive."
"Many high-tier beings see them as two sides of the same coin."
She shifted her tone, becoming more serious.
"But, you know very well what you want."
"Since you're not ready to take this path yet, I won't force it. Placing an unprepared soul on a divine throne would only create a twisted existence."
"That would do no good for you, for the Court, or for any life connected to you."
She stood up from her floral chair, gave her wings a gentle flap, and rose to Garoth's eye level, her amethyst eyes meeting his squarely.
"If you want to walk purely on the Path of Immortality, that's fine."
"I can help you forge a Divine Seat—one belonging to the Lord of Victory and Glory."
She knew that Garoth had briefly ascended to godhood and was also aware of his divine title and domain from that ascension.
This was also why Titania valued him so highly.
A divine domain, to some extent, represented the essence of a god. It couldn't be faked.
The Lord of Victory and Glory...
In any pantheon, such a title would never belong to a weak deity. Within the Joyous Court itself, not a single Faerie God held authority over this type of domain. It was a massive vacancy for the Faerie Gods.
"A Divine Seat?"
The red iron dragon glanced sideways. "I don't know what it is, or what effect it would have on me."
The term existed in the Legacy, but only as a name, without detailed explanation. Garoth wasn't certain of its exact meaning, only that it was related to gods.
It sounded similar to a divine spark, yet seemed completely different.
"A Divine Seat, simply put, is a position."
Titania said lightly. "It's like a chair, engraved with your name, belonging exclusively to you, placed in the hall of the Joyous Court."
"It will gather the faith that flows toward you."
"Your believers—every prayer, every praise they offer to you—will form the power of faith. Those formless beliefs will naturally converge into the Divine Seat."
"Right now, since you haven't lit the divine fire, your faith can at most remain at the level of a demigod. Any more than that will simply be wasted."
She extended her hand, spreading her five fingers slightly, making a gesture of lifting.
"But if you have a Divine Seat, this faith will be collected by it, not a single drop wasted."
"All the faith, offerings, praises, and supplications that should flow to you will slowly settle, condense, and grow within the Divine Seat. Accumulated over time, they will become the firmest foundation for when you ascend to godhood."
"The key point is—you don't have to sit on it directly."
"Only when you yourself are willing—for example, when you feel the time is right and truly want to step onto the path of apotheosis—can you directly ascend to the throne. By then, everything will already be prepared."
She withdrew her hand, folding both hands on her knees again, tilting her head as she looked at Garoth.
"If you encounter misfortune and die unexpectedly..."
"You won't end up like other Immortals, turning into an Authority Fate Form after death, becoming a trophy fought over and picked up by later comers."
"Instead, the Divine Seat will give you a choice."
"You can choose to rest in peace completely, or you can choose to be reborn on the Divine Seat and become a true god. Of course, compared to active apotheosis, this path has many issues and will bring plenty of trouble later. But at least you won't be completely annihilated."
The red iron dragon's eyes reflected a contemplative look.
A Divine Seat...
It was like a vessel, used to contain faith, but its effects went beyond that. So it was more like a special position.
Regardless, it was an incredibly powerful safeguard.
Without a Divine Seat, any faith he accumulated in the future would simply be wasted. If he fell in battle, he wouldn't have the chance to be reborn through faith. Everything would end with his death.
But with a Divine Seat, everything would be completely different.
"How about it?"
"As long as you're willing to join the Joyous Court, even just the Outer Court, I can forge a Divine Seat for you. This is a condition few other pantheons can offer."
"Forging a Divine Seat for you isn't a simple matter. Even I will need to expend considerable effort."
Titania put away all traces of her smile, speaking seriously.
On the other side, Garoth's thoughts churned rapidly.
Even joining only the Outer Court would still mean a certain degree of binding with the Joyous Court. He would need to do things for the Court, and at certain times, he couldn't stand aloof.
Garoth had initially wanted to refuse. That was his first instinctive reaction.
He wasn't used to joining any organization.
But... the Joyous Court was offering far too much. Their sincerity was overwhelming, far exceeding his expectations, making it hard for him to say no.
In all honesty, the Faerie Gods didn't really need him that much.
He was, after all, only a Legendary. On the cosmic chessboard, he was still far from being a pivotal piece.
Titania favored him because she saw his potential, his future. So she was willing to invest in him—not based on equal exchange, but on betting on his growth.
Finally, after a period of deliberation, the red iron dragon raised his head and looked at Titania.
"To receive Your Majesty's favor is my honor."
"I, Garoth Ignas, am happy to join the Joyous Outer Court and become a member of the Outer Court."
Titania's eyes lit up, a joyful gleam flashing within them.
She didn't hide her happiness at all. She flapped her wings sharply, landing on the right side of his massive head, and extended her small hand to slap his scales with force.
"The right choice."
She laughed without reservation. "Stick with me, and I won't treat you badly."
"From now on, you're under my protection. Just drop my name—Titania—and at least half your troubles will automatically steer clear. If Tiamat comes for you again, I swear I'll snap her dragon horns off!"
She paused, her small hand slapping the dragon's scales again with brisk, light force.
"But then, when the time comes, you'll have to have my back too."
"The Joyous Court isn't very good at fighting in the Material Plane, as you probably know. We're just a bunch of pitiful, weak fey. We need a powerful, mighty dragon to protect us... So don't you dare refuse when the time comes."