The Dragon-Horned Girl sat atop a tree branch, her face full of contentment as she enjoyed the gentle breeze brushing against her skin.
Her fair, round, bare feet dangled from the tip of the branch, swaying back and forth, seemingly even more tempting and luscious than the plump fruits growing on the tree.
Her crimson dragon tail tapped the trunk, curling in the air to catch a falling apple and sending it straight to her lips for a big bite. “The fruit is tasty, but I’m about sick of it by now.”
She gave a soft sigh.
“I really miss those delicious cattle and sheep from before. If I’d known, I would’ve eaten less back then instead of being so greedy.”
Regretfully, the Dragon-Horned Girl tossed the bare apple core down toward the ground.
But before it hit, the core suddenly froze in midair, defying gravity as it reversed course and hit the unsuspecting Dragon-Horned Girl squarely on the head.
“Who!? Who ambushed me!?”
Startled by the sudden attack, the Dragon-Horned Girl jumped up, but her footing slipped, and she almost fell from the branch.
Thankfully, she quickly wrapped her strong, powerful tail around the branch, leaving her hanging upside down like a bat. In her new, topsy-turvy view of the world, she saw the Morning Star that had fallen to earth.
So close, she could see every detail, the girl before her, her hair like silver wrapped in mithril, sparkling with rainbow points of light under the dappled sun, gleaming with the luster of gems that drew the Dragon-Horned Girl’s gaze irresistibly.
Her exquisite features were as if carved from flawless jade, a masterpiece no collector could possibly resist.
Ailaira Green folded her arms across her chest, staring strangely at this clearly not-human being. The external traits made it easy to guess that this was a dragon in human form.
But didn’t all dragons on the continent live secluded in Dragon Valley? How did one end up wandering into her Ranch?
Given the way the other party had trespassed, it was obvious who had been stealing her cattle and sheep. If this really was a Dragonborn, it was indeed a matter beyond Jody’s capability to handle.
Abandoning her earlier thoughts of docking Jody’s pay, Ailaira narrowed her eyes, fixing the dazed Dragonborn with a keen gaze.
Now, how much compensation should she demand from this mischievous little dragon?
But before Ailaira could settle her calculations, the Dragon-Horned Girl finally snapped out of her shock. Her tail, relaxing unconsciously, let go and she crashed headfirst to the ground.
With a resounding thud, she shook her muddled head to recover.
Spotting Ailaira, she immediately locked onto her target again. In a flash, she sprang up right in front of her, eyes sparkling as if she’d discovered a treasure:
“I’m going to take you back to my lair!”
Ailaira was stunned for a moment, her right hand behind her back as Magic patterns slowly traced themselves into form.
She kept her expression calm and asked coolly, “Are you going to eat me? Nonhumans who feed on humans wouldn’t dare enter the Kingdom’s borders. Aren’t you afraid of the Cathedral Inquisition Army?”
The Dragon-Horned Girl pouted, clearly displeased with Ailaira’s harsh accusation.
She waved her arms for emphasis: “Who wants to eat you! I’m already doing my best to avoid you humans!”
“Then why aren’t you afraid of me?”
“Because you’re too pretty! I can’t help wanting to keep you as a collectible!”
It was as if Ailaira’s beauty had entranced her.
The Dragon-Horned Girl, utterly smitten, reached out to touch her cheek.
But in the next instant, her expression shifted her lips curled into a mischievous smile, and her figure began to swell and transform. Suddenly, a crimson Dragon appeared before Ailaira’s eyes.
She was not like the other Dragons Ailaira had seen, those whose vast forms blotted out the sky and whose presence inspired awe and dread.
Instead, this one was more like a living work of art. Her draconic snout was not long or menacing, but almost feline in its delicate charm, with just a touch of juvenile innocence behind her alertness.
Her dense crimson scales seemed woven from rubies, a regal cloak for her elegantly lifted chin.
A rare Red Dragon. Her emerald eyes glimmered with curiosity and pride as she looked down on Ailaira, inwardly congratulating herself on her vigilance.
Observing the woman before her with a Dragonborn’s unique perspective, she sensed little Magic within her.
Still, better safe than sorry.
She immediately adopted her magic-resistant Dragon form, just in case Ailaira tried to attack her with Magic. At this distance, there was no way to complete a full spell so victory was hers!
Brimming with confidence, the Dragonborn opened her jaws and bit down on the back of Ailaira’s collar, scooping her up and bounding away into the depths of the woods.
As the Red Dragon trampled mercilessly over the fruit trees, Ailaira glanced down at the intricate ten-layer spell she’d been about to unleash, letting it dissipate as she allowed herself to be carried along, making a silent note in her mind to settle this score later.
At least the Red Dragon didn’t have bad breath the scent from her mouth was a fragrant mix of fruit and wildflowers. Otherwise, Ailaira feared she really would have blasted her half to death with Magic.
The Red Dragon, delighted as a puppy with a stolen bone, ran gleefully through the woods, knocking over several innocent trees.
The forest rang with the cries of startled animals; Ailaira couldn’t understand their language, but she could guess their words weren’t polite.
Amid birdsong and blooms, the Red Dragon finally left the forest, arriving at the foot of a sprawling range of mountains.
Suddenly, she leapt up, her claws clutching the rock face as she began scaling the wall at high speed. But this lizard-like way of travel hardly suited the prestige of a Dragonborn.
Ailaira began to doubt was there something wrong with the system? Was this truly a Dragon? Or just an oversized gecko?
Where were the wings? What about the tradition of the kings of the sky, disdainful of setting foot on the ground?
As Ailaira wondered if this Red Dragon was even pureblooded, they reached the center of a massive rift in the mountains, where a cavern lay at the heart of the valley.
The dragon’s lair was deep within this hollow. Looking out from here, Ailaira could no longer make out the outlines of her Ranch in the distance.
She couldn’t even be bothered to question why this crazy dragon would go so far out of her way to steal from her Ranch.
The Red Dragon, too large to fit through the entrance, gently put Ailaira down and nudged her into the cave with her snout.
Ailaira had only gone a few steps before she sensed her Magic falter, feeling blocked within her body. Surveying the area, she spotted a Sealing Magic Stone, set atop a woolen blanket and used as a bed.
The closer one got to such a stone, the more it slowed the flow of Magic—a true nemesis for any magician.
Even the Church had only a few of them, yet this Red Dragon had one in her collection. Ailaira studied the Dragonborn’s dwelling with interest, then lay herself down atop the Sealing Magic Stone.
It was indeed a bane for ordinary magicians, but for her, it was merely a mild annoyance, hardly enough to leave her helpless.
“So, that’s the Red Dragon’s trump card—a Sealing Magic Stone. Well, I’d best play along and lower her guard.”
Ailaira thought to herself.
As expected, the Dragon-Horned Girl, her figure disguised with leafy branches, strutted into the cave. Seeing Ailaira lying helplessly on the Sealing Magic Stone, weakly flailing her arms, her face split into a wicked grin:
“Keh keh keh, you can’t move, can you!”
In reality, Ailaira was simply swiping through an information panel only she could see, calmly browsing details about the Red Dragon.