Chapter 1269: Chapter 1269:- "The Feeling is Mutual"

Furthermore, if Aditya had eventually inherited the throne, Andris would have become the teacher of the Emperor himself. The influence and benefits that came with such a position were simply enormous.

Andris had clearly understood this opportunity. Unfortunately for him, Alen and Elena had also understood his intentions. They had recognised that his desire to become Aditya’s teacher was not entirely motivated by kindness or a genuine wish to help their son. His personal ambitions were also an important part of his decision.

And because of that, they had refused to allow him to become Aditya’s teacher. Thinking about these things, Aditya could not help but feel that his parents had made the correct decision.

Although Andris had never treated him badly during his childhood, that did not mean his intentions had been completely innocent.

"I assume the reason you decided to join my cousin’s side is that he promised you something." Aditya suddenly said while looking directly at Andris.

Hearing this, Andris did not immediately answer. Instead, he simply smiled softly before turning his head and looking at the battlefield below.

Even now, the Emperor Faction’s soldiers were desperately trying to retreat. The ground was covered with the bodies of fallen soldiers, and the enormous destruction caused by Aditya’s earlier attacks could be seen everywhere.

"Your Royal Highness, I must say that you have killed quite a lot of our soldiers." Andris said calmly.

He then turned his attention back toward Aditya.

"You have grown into a splendid young man. When I think about the little boy who couldn’t even awaken his Dragon Bloodline, I find it difficult to believe that the same person is now standing before me." Andris continued with a faint smile.

"Back then, nobody expected you to accomplish anything extraordinary. Yet look at you now. You have become the supreme leader of the faction opposing His Majesty, established your own powerful Empire, and earned the title of Dragon Monarch."

"And what surprises me even more is your ability to transform others into Dragons. You can even help ordinary Dragons evolve into higher forms of their race. Such an ability is something that countless Dragons would dream of possessing."

"If someone had told me all those years ago that the Crown Prince who failed to awaken his Dragon Bloodline would one day possess such abilities, I would never have believed them."

"Stop with the flattery." Aditya interrupted him with a calm expression.

Hearing this, Andris laughed softly. "Hahaha! I’m not flattering you, Your Royal Highness. I’m simply expressing my surprise." Andris replied.

He looked at Aditya for a few more seconds before adding, "After all, I had once prepared myself to become your teacher. I had even thought about how I would guide you through your cultivation journey and help you become stronger."

A faint smile appeared on his face. "So, in a way, you could say that I was almost your unofficial teacher, even though we never officially became master and disciple."

Aditya did not respond to those words. He simply continued looking at Andris. Although Andris was speaking in a friendly manner, Aditya understood that the man had not come here to discuss their shared past.

The reason for his appearance was obvious. Andris had been sent to stop him. And if the opportunity presented itself, he would certainly try to kill him. As if confirming Aditya’s thoughts, Andris slowly began releasing his mana.

A powerful aura erupted from his body, causing the surrounding air to tremble. His black cloak moved violently as an enormous amount of mana began gathering around him.

Unlike before, the atmosphere surrounding Andris had completely changed. The friendly man who had been speaking about Aditya’s childhood was gradually disappearing, and in his place stood one of the Thirteen National Treasures of the Celestial Dragon Empire.

"Your Royal Highness, I hope you understand that what I am about to do next is not because I hate you." Andris said in a serious tone.

He continued releasing more mana while maintaining eye contact with Aditya. "To be honest, I would have preferred it if things had turned out differently. I never imagined that the little boy I once considered accepting as my disciple would one day stand before me as an enemy."

"Unfortunately, we have chosen different sides in this war. I have decided to support His Majesty Ren, and I have no intention of abandoning him."

"I have always remained loyal to the throne of the Celestial Dragon Empire. That loyalty has never changed, and it will not change today."

"Even if remaining loyal to His Majesty costs me my life, I will not betray him."

Hearing those words, Aditya was not particularly surprised. After all, Andris was known for two things.

The first was his enormous greed for power and status. The second was his absolute loyalty to the throne of the Celestial Dragon Empire. At first glance, these two qualities seemed to completely contradict each other.

A person who was extremely greedy for power would usually place his own interests above everything else. Such people were often willing to betray their allies, abandon their promises, or even turn against their rulers if doing so allowed them to gain greater benefits.

In other words, greed and absolute loyalty rarely existed together. After all, what would happen if remaining loyal meant losing everything? Would a person who valued power above all else really be willing to sacrifice his ambitions for someone else?

For most people, the answer would be no. However, Andris was different. His greed for power was real, but so was his loyalty to the throne.

Andris wanted to increase his influence and improve his position within the Empire. He wanted others to respect him, and he wanted to stand above the other National Treasures whenever possible.

But at the same time, he had always remained loyal to the authority of the Emperor. The important difference was that Andris did not necessarily see these two desires as separate things.

For him, serving the throne was also the foundation of his power. His position as a National Treasure, the respect he received from the nobles, and the influence he possessed within the Empire were all connected to the Imperial Throne.

The stronger his relationship with the Emperor became, the greater his opportunities for gaining influence. In that sense, his loyalty and greed often supported each other rather than working against each other.

However, that explanation alone was not enough. If Andris had only remained loyal because of the benefits he received, then his loyalty would have disappeared the moment those benefits were threatened.

Yet that had never happened. Throughout his many years of service, Andris had remained loyal to the throne even when doing so did not directly benefit him. This was why his loyalty had never been seriously questioned.

He might be greedy, ambitious, and constantly searching for opportunities to increase his status, but once he had decided to serve the Emperor, he would not easily abandon that decision.

It was a strange combination of qualities. Andris was willing to do almost anything to gain more power, but betraying the throne was one of the few things he refused to do.

Aditya understood this very well. He also understood that Ren had most likely promised Andris something valuable in exchange for his participation in the civil war. Perhaps it was greater authority within the Empire, a higher position among the National Treasures, or some other reward that Andris deeply desired.

Whatever it was, Aditya had no intention of asking further. The answer would not change anything. Andris was not going to just switch sides and suddenly become extremely friendly with Aditya.

They were already standing on opposite sides of the war. And only one of them could walk away victorious.

"I understand your position." Aditya finally replied.

He looked directly into Andris’s eyes before continuing. "And I also understand that if you manage to kill me today, you will probably receive exactly the kind of rewards and recognition you have always wanted."

"After all, killing the Dragon Monarch would certainly be a great achievement. Your position among the National Treasures would rise, and Ren would have every reason to reward you generously."

Andris remained silent, but the faint smile on his face showed that he did not disagree. "So, I have no reason to complain about your decision." Aditya continued calmly.

He then tightened his grip around Raiketsu. "However, the feeling is mutual." As he spoke those words, Aditya began pouring more mana into his body. His powerful aura gradually spread outward, pushing against the pressure being released by Andris.

"If I end up killing you today, just know that it was nothing personal."

Aditya’s smirk widened slightly. "After all, we are enemies now." With those words, Aditya released even more mana, preparing himself for the battle against Andris, the Dragon.

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