ã€ŠDragon Knight Mageã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Mira carefully pushed open the tower door.

    Before her lay a vast, pitch-black space, where nothing was visible. But contrary to her expectations, there were no vicious hounds suddenly leaping out, nor the blazing flames of the dragon rushing toward her.

    She sighed in relief, turned around, and waved to the people who had come to escort her: ¡°Go back. There¡¯s nothing happening here.¡±

    From behind a distant boulder, several heads peeked out, watching her.

    When they saw that Mira had not been reduced to ashes by the dragon''s flames, their anxious hearts eased somewhat.

    Then, a shadow dashed out.

    The hearts of the group tightened again, rising to their throats.

    ¡°Princess!¡±

    ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    But the figure paid no heed to their calls, stumbling forward toward the tower.

    One person stopped the attendants who were calling out.

    ¡°Quiet! Do you want to be discovered? We¡¯ll all be burned alive.¡±

    The group exchanged uncertain glances, too afraid to speak or move. Their eyes fixed on the shadow rushing toward the tower.

    ¡°Mira!¡± A young girl ran madly toward the ominous tower. She kept her eyes on Mira, unaware of the protruding bones underfoot.

    Everyone watched in horror as the girl fell to the ground, crying out in pain.

    Mira was stunned by the princess¡¯s actions. She lifted her skirt and quickly ran a few steps, nimbly crossing the ground littered with bones, and scooped the fallen girl up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Princess Maria of the kingdom clung tightly to Mira¡¯s waist, burying her head in her chest, sobbing quietly. It was unclear if she was crying because of the fall or out of genuine concern for Mira.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to do this for me! Mira, you need to run with the money. You¡¯re strong; they won¡¯t be able to catch you.¡±

    Mira, dressed in a gorgeous wedding gown, couldn¡¯t help but laugh despite herself. She called out to the princess, ¡°Maria, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Maria lifted her tear-streaked face, a far cry from her usual dignified appearance as a princess.

    ¡°Really?¡± She didn¡¯t believe it. After all, it was Mira herself who had told the king she would take her place as the bride.

    Maria knew Mira was a witch, but witches were still afraid of pain.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mira smiled faintly. She was the same age as Maria, but it felt as if she were comforting a child.

    ¡°I¡¯m very strong.¡±

    Eventually, Maria was pulled away by her attendants. They were too terrified of provoking the dragon.

    After all, if the dragon discovered the bride had been switched, it would surely bring disaster.

    Mira was left standing alone in the clearing in front of the tower.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll come back to save you.¡± Reflecting on Maria¡¯s last words, Mira smiled and shook her head, dismissing the idea.

    Maria...

    Mira thought, she was a well-loved little princess, meant to marry a handsome prince from a neighboring kingdom. As for her, Mira, she was the infamous evil witch, the one who was supposed to be burned alive.

    The little princess wanted to save her. It was impossible. Those who loved her wouldn¡¯t allow it.

    Mira looked down at her luxurious wedding dress.

    I have to rely on myself, Mira. She told herself. So what if it¡¯s a dragon? You¡¯re a witch, Mira, a powerful witch.

    Mira gave herself a bit of confidence. She straightened her dress and pushed open the broken wooden door to the tower again.

    The tower¡ªan ominous structure in the mountains of the eastern part of Dekano Kingdom¡ªwas the home of the temperamental and bloodthirsty dragon.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.Eighteen years ago, on the night of the princess¡¯s full moon celebration, the terrifying dragon descended from the sky and burned half of the castle with its fiery breath.

    In the end, the wizard from the Magic Nexus intervened, negotiating between the humans and the dragon to stop the massacre. The dragon returned to its tower, but at the cost of yearly tributes of cattle and sheep. Moreover, when the princess turned eighteen, she would become the dragon¡¯s bride.

    Mira had heard this legend when she was very young. Her mentor was the wizard who had mediated between humans and dragons.

    The dragon¡¯s tower had always been a place that wizards refused to speak of.

    Dark, damp, and smelling of mildew¡ªthis was Mira¡¯s first impression of the tower.

    She covered her mouth and nose, snapping her fingers, and a steady, bright flame appeared at her fingertips.

    Mira immediately realized this was a dangerous move. She extinguished the flame. After waiting for a moment with no signs of danger, she snapped her fingers again.

    The crisp sound echoed loudly in the darkness, but the surroundings remained eerily silent.

    Could the dragon have left? Mira wondered, but she hadn¡¯t heard of any recent dragon attacks.

    But that was probably for the best. She still had some time to prepare her magic.

    Mira was a skilled witch with powerful magic. But she didn¡¯t have the right magical tools yet, and there were many complex spells she couldn¡¯t perform on her own. Setting up a magic circle in advance was a common practice for witches in this world.

    After all, suitable magical tools were rare, and finding the right ones was incredibly difficult.

    A steady flame once again appeared at the tips of Mira¡¯s fingers.

    The light filled the space at the base of the tower.

    Contrary to what Mira had imagined, the place was filled with scattered books.

    She bent down and picked up one of them.

    "The Essence of Teleportation Magic"

    Mira blinked. Teleportation magic? That was a legendary magic, one that had been lost for many years.

    The dragon actually studied knowledge? She shook her head, brushing away the thought.

    It was said that dragons had a tendency to collect things. What if the dragon liked to collect books...?

    As if to validate this absurd thought, the further Mira went into the tower, the more books were scattered around, their variety growing wider.

    Mira stopped, raised her hand, and the light source lifted with her.

    A figure was buried under a pile of books. From the figure¡¯s build, it looked like a man.

    Mira furrowed her brow. A thief who broke into the tower?

    But everyone knew the tower belonged to the dragon. Everyone knew it was dangerous. Who would think of sneaking in to steal something here?

    Mira took a few steps forward and stopped by the man¡¯s side. She frowned, muttering a spell under her breath. Then, cautiously, she extended her leg and nudged the man with her toes.

    He didn¡¯t move.

    Mira kicked him again. The man groaned in pain.

    Mira jumped back in surprise.

    He was still alive.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    Mira quickly crouched down, pushing the old books off the man, one by one, until his body was fully revealed.

    She smelled something like burning.

    Had he been burned by dragon fire? Yet he was still alive?

    Mira felt a shock and carefully flipped the man over.

    A pale face greeted her. Even the warm orange glow of the flame couldn¡¯t add any color to his complexion.

    A handsome man, yet he looked like he was on the verge of death.

 Chapter 2

    Mira was a mage.

    Her mentor had said that her talent was extraordinary, and if she could find the right "medium," she might become a Tower Mage.

    A Tower Mage was a title for powerful spellcasters in the world where Mira lived. Over the past thousand years, countless people had walked the path of becoming spellcasters, but only seventeen had ever attained the rank of Tower Mage.

    All seventeen had, without exception, been men. If her mentor¡¯s words were true, she would become the first female Tower Mage in the history of magic.

    But for now, all of this was just a beautiful dream.

    She had taken the place of the kingdom''s princess and entered this notorious tower.

    The original owner of the tower had been a powerful Tower Mage. However, a giant dragon that breathed scorching fire had killed the mage and taken over his tower.

    One afternoon, a month ago, Mira was cleaning her mentor''s study as usual when she accidentally saw a letter from him.

    The letter said that the time was almost right, and it was time to discuss how to use "her."

    "Her" referred to the most perfect magic medium created by the Magic Energy Hub.

    In this world, casting magic required a "medium." A medium could greatly enhance the precision and power of a spell, while also protecting the fragile human body from the violent force of magic. Without a medium, a mage would be torn apart by the chaotic energy of the spell.

    A medium was something like a staff but was not limited to the shape of a staff.

    A suitable and powerful medium was rare and difficult to find. Most human spellcasters used artificial magic crystals created by the Magic Energy Hub.

    Mira still had four crystals. Once they were used up, she would no longer be able to cast high-level magic.

    The Magic Energy Hub had many artificial medium projects, which made it the largest mage association in the world. The magic crystals were tools they used to control mages.

    And she was the latest creation of the Magic Energy Hub, their most perfect creation.

    The letter didn¡¯t specify exactly what "she" was, but upon seeing the word "her," Mira¡¯s instincts told her she had to leave, and leave immediately.

    She didn¡¯t dare to think too much about what "using her" meant.

    She knew she was the medium. And when the letter mentioned the time being ripe, it referred to the fact that she was about to turn eighteen.

    It wasn¡¯t overthinking. It was the result of countless details that piled up. Mira didn¡¯t dare to stay. She quickly packed her bags and left the city she had lived in for years without looking back.

    On the night of her eighteenth birthday, she hid at the bottom of the moat, using floating magic to evade the pursuit of the Magic Energy Hub''s soldiers.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Then, she saw the kingdom¡¯s recruitment notice. The king was offering a large reward for brave souls to slay the dragon. But everyone knew that even the Tower Mages had perished in the flames of the dragon¡¯s breath. How could a mere hero with a broken sword possibly defeat the dragon?

    As the kingdom¡¯s recruiters were at a loss, the fugitive Mira took the bounty notice.

    The gray-haired girl had bright eyes and stared at the recruiter without fear.

    "Only magic can defeat magic," Mira said firmly.

    In truth, she wasn¡¯t sure if she could defeat the dragon. There was still a gap between her and the Tower Mages, and she hadn¡¯t found a suitable medium for herself.

    But the recruiter was pleased with this brave girl. Because she met the king¡¯s alternative plan.

    Over the years, too many heroes had died to the dragon¡¯s flames, and the king no longer expected any hero to truly kill the dragon.

    The recruiter brought Mira to meet the king. As the middle-aged man with a crown appraised her, Mira noticed the princess hiding behind a pillar in the audience hall.

    Maria, who was the same age as Mira, was a straightforward and lively girl.

    The girl who had just turned eighteen was taking down the bounty notice. The king couldn¡¯t bear to watch her walk to her death, but Mira¡¯s decision was firm, and no one could easily change her mind.

    "I can go in place of Princess Maria," Mira said calmly.

    She needed a safe place and some money, and the king could provide both.

    Though the king didn¡¯t want to watch a young girl die, he couldn¡¯t bear to lose his daughter either.

    He gave Mira a magical ring. If she survived, the gold inside would be enough to live comfortably for the rest of her life.

    He also gave her an estate. If she survived, the estate would ensure she lived in wealth.

    In addition, Mira received a pile of dowry. These were originally prepared for the princess.

    Lastly, the king gave Mira the title of princess. She would depart immediately for the dragon¡¯s tower.

    Everything happened so quickly. It wasn¡¯t until she neared the tower and felt its chilling presence piercing into her bones that Mira realized how reckless her actions had been.

    She had originally thought she would have to face the dragon in a deadly battle, or at least there might be a chance for negotiation.

    But the reality was that she didn¡¯t even see the dragon. Instead, she found an unfortunate man on the brink of death in the dragon''s tower.

    Maybe he knew the dragon¡¯s whereabouts.

    Mira sighed. She couldn¡¯t just stand by and let him die.

    The man¡¯s chest barely rose and fell.

    The smell of blood and charred flesh filled the air. Aside from the dragon''s flames, Mira couldn¡¯t think of anything else that could cause such injuries.

    She studied the man on the ground. He was lucky to have survived.

    But as her gaze moved lower and saw his nearly completely carbonized legs, she wasn¡¯t sure whether to call him lucky or unlucky.

    Mira fished out a crystal from her pocket.

    The pebble-sized crystal was emitting a soft glow. Its brightness didn¡¯t compare to the blazing flames, but it gave off a refreshing, comforting feeling.

    Mira recalled the incantation and extended the crystal in front of her.

    The crystal floated in the air.

    The young mage whispered the incantation, and the gem began to glow, lifting the man¡¯s body as the light grew more and more brilliant, consuming the surrounding darkness.

    Then, the light began to compress and rapidly surged toward the man¡¯s body on the ground.

    The crystal floating in front of Mira cracked in increments, until it shattered into dust.

    Magical energy was volatile and difficult to tame. Without the crystal as a medium, it would have been Mira¡¯s own body torn apart by the force of the magic.

    Mira looked down at the powder on the ground. To save this man, she had used up one of the crystals she brought from the Magic Energy Hub, and now only three were left.

    She shifted her gaze back to the man and couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous.

    This was her first time performing a restoration spell. She didn¡¯t know if it would work.

    Mira quietly watched. After a long while, the man showed no reaction.

    Failed? Mira couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated. She needed to think of another plan.

    She turned away, ready to head to a nearby town. She didn¡¯t know if the town¡¯s doctor would be willing to come here.

    This was the dragon¡¯s tower, after all.

    Mira sighed. Buying some medicine should still be possible, right?

    The king had given her so much money.

    Just as Mira was hesitating, the man on the ground suddenly moved, and his eyes slowly opened.

 Chapter 3

    Between half-dream and half-awake, his perception of the surroundings was as vague as smoke.

    Lance sensed someone approaching the tower, someone walking into the tower, but he couldn¡¯t move a muscle, not even able to utter a sound of help.

    There were too many enemies of the dragon. Lance thought that if someone took this opportunity to kill him, he wouldn¡¯t even have the strength to resist.

    He might be dying soon.

    Someone kicked him, seemingly testing if he was dead.

    Why not just kill him directly?

    The dragon¡¯s reputation had always been terrible. Since Lance had lived in this tower, he had dealt with many brave but ignorant adventurers.

    But none of them had made him feel as weak as he did now.

    He didn¡¯t know if it was because his body was immobile while his thoughts remained active, but Lance quickly found a reason why he hadn¡¯t been killed.

    He was probably in human form, right?

    He should be. The top of the tower was narrower than the bottom and filled with various alchemical items, so he usually operated in human form up there.

    "Hey." He heard a crisp sound.

    It wasn¡¯t a man¡ªit was a girl. The blue dragon vaguely thought, The adventurer this time is a girl?

    What kind of sword did she have?

    In his collection room, Lance had hundreds of sharp swords, all trophies he had collected in battle.

    Dragons were collectors by nature. Many dragons liked to collect gems or other shiny things, and Lance was no exception. His collection was even richer than other dragons'', containing not just gems but also swords and books.

    Lance¡¯s thoughts were fragmented, but he could feel her flipping him over.

    The strength of this adventurer was quite weak. Previous adventurers had hurt him, even in his dragon form.

    She took the book that had fallen on top of him.

    Then, the giant dragon heard a low incantation.

    A high-level spell¡ªRebirth. It could restore damage and was a difficult healing spell. Dragons could cast it effortlessly, but for humans, the spell required an extremely high level of skill.

    Of course, human mages used mediums to assist in their casting, and if a caster had an excellent medium, the difficulty of the spell would decrease accordingly.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Lance didn¡¯t know if Rebirth would work on him. Magic cast by humans needed to be pure enough to have an effect on a dragon.

    The gentle energy flowed into his body with the incantation. The energy, in tandem with the incantation, slowly accumulated and fused into his being.

    Warm currents surged through his veins, intertwining with his own magical power.

    Lance¡¯s thoughts gradually became clearer.

    Even as the blue dragon who was most skilled in magic, he had to admit that the perfection of this spell was astounding.

    Waves of pain surged as his consciousness returned, but warm magic wrapped around his dragon body, soothing the pain.

    He couldn¡¯t help but emit a low groan, slowly opening his eyes.

    A black-haired girl was peering at him.

    Lance saw her blink, then display an expression of surprise.

    He blinked as well, his dark blue, almost black lashes casting a small shadow.

    ¡°It actually worked,¡± Mira murmured. This was the first time she had cast Rebirth. Although she had seen the method of casting this high-level healing spell in the Magic Energy Hub¡¯s library, she had never had the opportunity to try it herself.

    The Magic Energy Hub was considered the safest place in the world, gathering the most powerful spellcasters. Even if someone had sustained such a fatal injury, it would never be Mira, an apprentice, who would be tasked with healing them.

    "Do you feel better?" Mira cautiously asked, observing the blue-haired man in front of her with curiosity.

    Lance tilted his head slightly.

    The girl crouching in front of him was dressed in a complicated and luxurious white gown, with black hair adorned with jewelry.

    The jewels emitted a faint glow in the candlelight, and Lance¡¯s mood faltered for a moment.

    Dragons all loved jewels, and even though he was a blue dragon, he was no exception.

    Mira noticed that he didn¡¯t respond and assumed he wasn¡¯t fully awake yet.

    She waved her hand in front of Lance¡¯s face, showing off the pigeon-egg-sized gemstone ring the king had given her.

    The jewel instantly caught the blue dragon¡¯s attention.

    ¡°I feel much better,¡± Lance said, his gaze fixed on the gemstone ring. He had never seen this kind of gem before¡ªit wasn¡¯t something from the tower.

    Lance didn¡¯t think a woman dragging such a complicated gown could have acquired treasures from this tower, and this wasn¡¯t the usual attire of an adventurer. More importantly, she didn¡¯t have a sword but instead used magic.

    He instinctively asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Mira snorted. She was still curious about what was going on with him. After all, she had saved him, and yet he was the one questioning her first.

    ¡°You tell me what¡¯s going on first.¡±

    A snapping sound echoed in the dimly lit tower. One old book after another flew toward Mira, stacking themselves into a shape resembling a chair.

    Mira confidently sat on top, her chin raised slightly, as if she were judging a criminal.

    ¡°Why?¡± Lance asked in confusion.

    ¡°I saved you, so naturally, you tell me what¡¯s going on, and then I¡¯ll decide if I want to tell you about my situation,¡± Mira replied, her voice calm but firm.

    Lance was taken aback by her assertiveness, and for a moment, he couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. But he was indeed curious.

    Humans had always feared the reputation of his black dragon cousin. Apart from adventurers, others avoided the tower. Yet here was a human girl, not an adventurer, but a spellcaster. Why had she suddenly appeared in the tower?

    She was so thin, not very tall, clearly all bones and unappetizing insides¡ªnot enough to fill the dragon¡¯s teeth.

    ¡°My name is Lance.¡± He recalled the reasons adventurers had given, ¡°I¡¯m a mage. I¡¯m here to seek treasure.¡± But he replaced ¡°adventurer¡± with ¡°mage.¡±

    Lance couldn¡¯t use a sword, but he was proficient in magic.

    ¡°But you were burned by dragonfire,¡± Mira observed as she appraised him back and forth.

    Lance looked down at his injuries. From his chest down, there were large patches of burns, and his legs had been charred to a crisp.

    He had been researching a lightning spell when he accidentally fell into a lightning trap and dropped from the top of the tower.

    Fortunately, he was a dragon, or even if he hadn¡¯t been electrocuted, he would have been smashed to pieces from the fall.

    ¡°Burned?¡± He hesitated, recalling the situation at the time. ¡°It was just an accident.¡±

 Chapter 4

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 Chapter 5

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 Chapter 6

    Lance¡¯s current state was quite strange.

    His body was weak and fatigued, but his consciousness remained fully alert. He could feel the Levitation spell lifting his body, carefully moving him onto the soft mattress.

    Lance knew it was the girl who had intruded into the tower who did this. He wanted to open his eyes and look at her, but his eyelids felt too heavy, and he couldn¡¯t lift them.

    This girl wanted to live in the tower. Lance didn¡¯t really want to agree to that.

    He preferred to live alone, to enjoy peace and quiet.

    She was the sacrificial bride of the magic dragon. Strictly speaking, this had nothing to do with him.

    He had already warned her: the magic dragon didn¡¯t like curious young girls. He was rather mundane and preferred the seductive, fiery succubi.

    But it seemed she had no intention of leaving.

    Lance couldn¡¯t kick her out. Mira had saved him, and now he was lying on the mattress she had brought.

    The mattress was soft and gave off a faint scent of incense. After lying in the cold, hard base of the tower for a week, with the persistent damp and musty smell torturing a dragon¡¯s senses, Mira¡¯s presence had dispelled all of that.

    Lance sighed inwardly. He really didn¡¯t want to live with anyone else.

    Dragons were solitary creatures. He had never heard of a dragon willing to share their home with others.

    He heard her mention that she was running out of magical mediums. For human mages, magical mediums were crucial.

    If he could give her some mediums, could he negotiate with her to have her leave?

    There should be plenty of magical items in the tower¡¯s storage room that could serve as mediums.

    Once he recovered a bit more, he could take Mira to pick one. If she felt one wasn¡¯t enough, two or three would also work.

    Right now, though, he was somewhat reluctant to part with the mattress she had brought. And he didn¡¯t have the strength to open his eyes.

    Mira noticed the blue-haired man frown. Her gaze shifted to his legs, and an expression of sympathy appeared on her face.

    Aside from the Rebirth magic, what else did she need to do?

    Magic couldn¡¯t fully replace a doctor, but there was nothing in the tower that could be used for disinfection.

    Mira picked up a beautifully decorated candelabra from the dowry, casting a small spell to light the candles. She placed it on the table, using it as an oil lamp.

    The dowry the king had prepared was magnificent, but very little of it was truly practical.

    Mira needed disinfecting alcohol, gauze, and burn ointment. These items were nowhere to be found in the dowry.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    There were silver platters and silver cutlery, but no cooking utensils, no stove to cook food, and no food itself.

    Fortunately, she had money. The king had given her plenty of gold so she could buy what she needed in the market.

    Before being sent to the tower, Mira had carefully noted the route.

    If she walked east for about three hours after descending the mountain, she would reach a small town.

    The town wasn¡¯t large, but where there were people, there would be a market. Mira wasn¡¯t worried.

    She took out the paper and pen she always carried in the pocket of her gray robe.

    She needed to take stock of the usable items in the dowry and make a list of what else she needed.

    The dry rations she brought would last for two more days. Before that, she needed to solve the food problem.

    The medicines Lance needed were also important.

    Once food and shelter were settled, she would need materials to create magic circles. No one knew when the magic dragon would return, so she had to plan ahead.

    The flame of the candle flickered a few times, and the shadows in the candlelight swayed with it.

    Mira looked up, surveying her surroundings. Apart from the small area illuminated by the light, the base of the tower remained pitch black.

    The candlelight flickered, and the shadows trembled. She was alone, and suddenly she felt a twinge of fear.

    Mira took a deep breath, suppressing the slight fear that arose from the depths of her heart.

    She put down the pen and returned the small notebook to her pocket.

    The best way to deal with fear was to face it head-on.

    She felt around in her pocket for a magical crystal and grasped the metal candelabra.

    She decided to explore the base of the tower. Only by understanding the situation here would she stop feeling afraid. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep well tonight.

    She had other things to do tomorrow, and she needed to rest.

    Gathering her courage, Mira moved toward the parts of the tower shrouded in darkness.

    The more she felt afraid, the more her mind began to wander.

    Rumors said that the magic dragon¡¯s tower housed hellhounds that ate human flesh.

    Mira didn¡¯t believe in such rumors. Studies had shown that dragons were very typical solitary creatures, and they didn¡¯t like sharing their homes. Apart from food reserves, they didn¡¯t keep pets.

    But those rumors were so vivid, and especially at times like these, they kept resurfacing in her mind.

    Besides the hellhounds, there were many other rumors about the magic dragon.

    For example, he liked eating human girls and would snatch newborn babies from their mothers. When he was happy, he would burn houses to celebrate; when angry, he would devour an entire village.

    He would take parts of people¡¯s bodies as souvenirs and keep them in jars to admire.

    In short, there were all kinds of rumors about dragons, and none of them were good.

    Mira looked at the pile of bones in the open space in front of the tower. The gray-white bones were surrounded by swarming mosquitoes, but in reality, those were not human bones.

    There was no solid evidence about the magic dragon eating people.

    Mages were the most rigorous of beings. They valued evidence.

    Mira wasn¡¯t sure if this was psychological comfort, but in this terrifying tower, all alone, she had to give herself some courage.

    Holding the candelabra, she slowly moved forward. As the light gradually illuminated the base of the tower, she discovered that the interior of the tower was still a circular ring. In the center was an empty space, surrounded by one locked room after another.

    Mira came to a door and tried to open it, but her outstretched hand was stopped by a gentle magical force.

    Gentle? Mira frowned. Magic in this world was usually fierce and violent, never so friendly.

    She quickly realized the answer. The original owner of this tower had been a powerful high tower mage, and their control over magic was as natural as humans needing water.

    Mira felt a tinge of envy. She couldn¡¯t yet control magic like that.

    This door wouldn¡¯t open, so Mira shifted her attention to the door next to it.

    Unlike the previous one, the magical fluctuation on this door was much weaker, as though it hadn¡¯t been reinforced for hundreds of years.

    Mira took out a crystal and recited a few incantations.

    The crystal suddenly glowed, and the surrounding magical energy surged toward the crystal like a torrent.

    After passing through the crystal, the energy was harmonized and returned to Mira as a gentler, friendlier force.

    Click¡­

    The door opened.

    Mira exhaled, put the crystal away, and pushed open the door in front of her.

 Chapter 7

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 Chapter 8

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 Chapter 9

    Not strong enough.

    Lance¡¯s words were like a giant stone thrown into a deep pond, creating ripples in Mira¡¯s heart.

    The reason she had to rely on the Dragon¡¯s evil reputation to survive in the tower was because she wasn¡¯t strong enough.

    Mira knew this. She had already realized it herself, but sometimes, it only truly sinks in when spoken by someone else.

    Just as she was about to thank Lance, she saw the blue-haired man slump back onto the cushion.

    Because of the wounds below his chest, every movement was agonizingly difficult.

    The Blue Dragon stared blankly at the surrounding darkness.

    His human form made him incredibly weak.

    Mira chuckled lightly. She pushed herself up from the cushion, but the movement was so swift that everything in her vision momentarily turned black. After a brief pause, she steadied herself and took a few steps toward Lance.

    The Blue Dragon¡¯s gaze shifted toward her.

    "Aren¡¯t you supposed to be sleeping?"

    Mira didn¡¯t answer him right away. She snapped her fingers, and with a crisp sound, a light flickered around her.

    It was a little trick.

    In the world of magic, spells that didn¡¯t require a medium to filter and didn¡¯t harm the caster were referred to as cantrips.

    Lance¡¯s eyes lit up for a moment.

    "Light spell and meditation spell?"

    He was surprised. These were two entirely different levels of magic. The former was a cantrip, something that could be cast without a medium, while the latter was a mid-level spell that required a medium to filter the violent energies.

    "Yes." Mira nodded, smiling. "I modified the incantations of both the light spell and meditation spell, creating a version of meditation that doesn¡¯t require a medium and is at the cantrip level."

    Of course, the power of this spell couldn¡¯t replace sleep like the full meditation spell, but it was quite effective in relieving fatigue for a short period.

    "You¡¯re quite creative." The Blue Dragon didn¡¯t hesitate to compliment her.

    To a dragon, neither the light spell nor the meditation spell was considered powerful. What surprised him was that, in a sense, Mira had created an entirely new form of magic.

    Using magic and creating magic were two completely different concepts. A mage who was skilled in using magic could become a powerful sorcerer, but one who was skilled in creating magic would inevitably become a legendary tower mage.

    Every tower mage had the ability to create their own spells.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Although it was just a low-level spell, Mira had indeed demonstrated extraordinary talent.

    "Thank you." Mira thanked him for the compliment and squatted down beside Lance. "Do you feel any better?"

    After an entire night, he should have absorbed the full restorative power of the healing spell by now.

    The Blue Dragon blinked. "Much better."

    Mira¡¯s gaze dropped to his legs. "I¡¯ll go to a nearby village to find a doctor. Magic can stop the wounds from getting worse, but these burns and charred skin still need treatment¡­" Her voice softened, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel pity as she looked at his badly damaged legs. Wasn¡¯t it cruel to explain this so matter-of-factly to a patient?

    Bring someone else to the tower? Lance instinctively resisted. Agreeing to let Mira stay here was already his limit.

    A human doctor? They would surely notice his differences.

    Lance knew that as a dragon, his ability to absorb and convert magic was far beyond that of any human mage.

    Mira¡¯s healing spell had been quite successful. If the necrotic skin was removed, fresh tissue might already be growing underneath.

    If people discovered that he was the current "Dragon of Magic," things would get complicated.

    "No one would want to come here," Lance said to Mira. "This is the Dragon¡¯s Tower."

    "I know." Mira stared at his injuries. "But we can¡¯t just leave it like this. I don¡¯t have any medicine. If I did, maybe I could help treat it¡­" Her voice trailed off, reluctant to continue.

    "Medicine?" Lance turned his head toward her.

    He recalled his collection. On the upper floors of the tower, he had an entire storage room filled with herbs and a cabinet full of alchemical potions.

    "Yes." Mira said, "The Magic Nexus used to have many magical ointments, enchanted from regular herbs. Their effects are far superior to regular plants."

    It was somewhat like alchemy¡­

    Lance nodded. "No need to get a doctor. I know there are magical ointments in the tower."

    He struggled to lift his arm. "If you can fetch them for me, I can try to prepare the potion."

    "You can make potions?" Mira was a little surprised. In the Magic Nexus, mages, potion masters, and magical tool artisans belonged to different departments.

    Lance chuckled dryly.

    Blue Dragons excelled at everything related to magic.

    "Where are they?" Mira asked. Deep down, she was somewhat reluctant to search for items in the tower.

    How had the Dragon obtained these collections? After seeing those eyeballs, Mira had her answer. He had acquired them through plunder. She truly had no choice but to rely on the Dragon¡¯s name for protection due to her lack of strength, but she could become stronger in the future. However, if she used his plundered resources, she would end up becoming a bandit as well.

    Mira felt a little disheartened. While using the Dragon¡¯s collection was indeed convenient, she didn¡¯t want to be the one benefiting from it.

    "Never mind. Tell me what kind of medicine you need, and I¡¯ll go buy it in the town." She decided to go to a farther town and pick up some everyday supplies as well.

    She wouldn¡¯t use the Dragon¡¯s medicine or his food.

    Mira felt more at ease relying on herself. She had payment from the king.

    Lance sighed in resignation. The herbs were all collected by him, not the Dragon. But after telling Mira all this, would the clever girl pick up on the problem? She already knew that he had secrets.

    "I can take you there." Seeing that Mira was persistent, Lance had no choice but to agree.

    "Mm?" Mira was confused. "It¡¯ll take several hours to get to the town from here. How will you take me?"

    Lance looked at her. "I¡¯ll teleport you there, then pick you up in two hours."

    "You know teleportation?" Mira couldn¡¯t hide her surprise.

    She remembered the book that was pressed down on Lance.

    Teleportation was a long-lost legendary spell!

    "Yes. It¡¯s not a difficult spell." The Blue Dragon coughed lightly. For humans, this spell was indeed very difficult, but he was a Blue Dragon.

    "Wait a moment." Mira immediately perked up. "I¡¯ll go prepare some gold and make a shopping list."

    Mira rushed off. After all, not even the Magic Nexus, which was known for having the world¡¯s most powerful mages, had anyone who could cast teleportation.

    She had randomly met a man who could perform such a powerful spell.

    Lance watched Mira¡¯s figure disappear, exhaling slowly.

    He closed his eyes and felt the energy within his body gradually healing. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would be enough to cast the teleportation spell.

    Mira seemed so happy¡ªhe couldn¡¯t afford to disappoint her.

 Chapter 10

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 Chapter 11

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 Chapter 12

    Following the directions from the street vendor, Mira saw the rice store at the end of the street.

    Rice, flour, corn, and oats. Mira recalled the items on the list, planning to buy a little of each.

    She couldn¡¯t carry too much in one go.

    Mira sighed, thinking how easy it would be with a single cast of Strengthen magic, but without enough magical mediums, she had to be more cautious.

    The young girl, basket in hand, entered the store.

    The grains were stored in large sacks, neatly arranged on the floor.

    A woman wearing an apron hurried in from the backyard.

    ¡°What do you need?¡±

    Mira''s gaze shifted from the various grains to the suddenly appearing woman. ¡°Hello. I¡¯d like to buy some flour and rice, and I also need some oats and corn.¡±

    The shopkeeper asked, ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°Maybe a pound of each?¡± Mira estimated the weight. Besides the grains themselves, she needed many other things. A pound wasn¡¯t much, but with the four types of grains combined, it should last a while.

    Mira had no experience buying grains; it was all the fault of the cafeteria at the Magic Nexus.

    ¡°How many people are you feeding?¡±

    ¡°Two.¡± Mira answered. ¡°Me and Lance.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not enough.¡± The woman gave a professional opinion. ¡°At least two pounds of rice and flour, or you won¡¯t even be able to make two big loaves of bread. Oats and corn are fine¡­¡±

    Mira kept her words in mind.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take two pounds of rice. I¡¯ll get the oats and corn next time,¡± Mira calculated. According to the aunt¡¯s suggestion, a pound of flour wouldn¡¯t be enough for baking bread, so she could buy ready-made bread.

    Her mentor had once said that learning magic requires flexibility, and that applies to everything in life.

    ¡°Not getting the flour?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Mira replied. ¡°I can¡¯t bake bread. Aunt, is there anywhere around here where I can buy pre-baked bread?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°You¡¯re not from this town, are you?¡± The shopkeeper looked Mira up and down.

    ¡°No, I just arrived here yesterday,¡± Mira answered.

    ¡°Touring?¡± The woman seemed confused. This was the town closest to the Magic Dragon Tower, and people didn¡¯t usually come here for leisure. Most strangers were adventurers.

    She carefully studied the young girl in front of her, noting her expensive-looking clothes. She didn¡¯t seem like the kind of person who would shout and fight like an adventurer.

    Unless¡­

    The woman remembered the guard team that had passed through the town a few days ago, escorting the princess to the Magic Dragon Tower.

    Her eyes lit up. ¡°You... you¡¯re... the princess...¡±

    Other customers entered the store, and her voice dropped, trailing off, until Mira gently shook her head.

    Mira mouthed the word: Maid.

    When the woman¡¯s expression changed to ¡°I see,¡± Mira added, ¡°We¡¯ve just arrived and need to buy some essential supplies¡­¡±

    ¡°Magic Dragon?¡± The shopkeeper cut herself off after only half the sentence. Living in the town closest to the tower, she of course knew what the Magic Dragon meant, and she dared not say more.

    ¡°Such a curse, such a curse.¡± She lowered her head, adding another scoop of clean white rice into the cloth sack.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you some extra, eat well.¡±

    Mira nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°By the way, Aunt, I also wanted to ask, where can I buy medicine?¡±

    ¡°Still need medicine?¡± The shopkeeper¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is she alright?¡±

    There were rumors that the Magic Dragon was bloodthirsty, while the princess was the king¡¯s treasured jewel kept in the palace.

    Mira didn¡¯t say anything, but inside, she couldn¡¯t help but mutter.

    The Magic Dragon''s reputation was bad enough, and it would only get worse from here.

    Mira knew that explaining herself might clear up the misunderstanding, but those jars full of eyeballs made her unwilling to defend the Magic Dragon.

    She just wanted to become stronger quickly so she could leave this place as soon as possible.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she answered. ¡°But I do need some medicine, just to be safe.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s on the next street,¡± the shopkeeper replied, her gaze moving to another customer. ¡°It¡¯ll be one silver and four copper.¡±

    Mira took the copper coins from her pocket. While the shopkeeper made change, Mira felt a gaze assessing her.

    Mira touched the medium in her pocket.

    The shopkeeper handed the change to Mira. ¡°The bakery¡¯s on this street, the apothecary¡¯s on the next one, just walk to the end and turn the corner,¡± she repeated.

    Mira noted it down.

    As she left the store, she brushed past a young man. His eyes never left her as she walked by.

    The bakery. The apothecary. Following the shopkeeper¡¯s directions, Mira found what she needed, then bought vegetables, meat, and a pot at the market.

    She only bought small amounts of everything, but it was enough to fill her basket. She had to carry the pot with her other hand.

    It was almost time.

    Mira hurried to the alley where the teleportation circle was located.

    At the corner of the street, a group of young men sat together.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I helped my mom buy flour, I heard it with my own ears. Aunt Mary wouldn¡¯t dare say it, but I¡¯m certain it¡¯s the Magic Dragon.¡±

    ¡°The king just gave his daughter to the Magic Dragon.¡±

    The group discussed animatedly.

    ¡°He¡¯s so stupid. Does he really think giving his daughter to the dragon will bring peace?¡±

    ¡°Silence and compromise only lead to more terrifying oppression.¡±

    ¡°Because of the king¡¯s continuous indulgence and compromise, so many people have died under the Magic Dragon¡¯s flame.¡±

    The leader of the group stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go teach her a lesson.¡±

 Chapter 13

    A tall, burly young man blocked Mira''s path at the alleyway entrance.

    At first, Mira didn¡¯t realize something was wrong. It wasn¡¯t until she started moving around and noticed the young man mirroring her movements that she sensed the shift.

    The young mage quickly realized the situation was unusual.

    She stopped, watching as the young man''s companions emerged from the alley.

    Instinctively, Mira put her hand into her pocket. The smooth, moist sensation of the magical medium crystal gave her confidence.

    However, to the young man blocking her, her actions seemed to carry a different meaning.

    His narrow eyes squinted as he looked at Mira, his expression turning more serious.

    "You''re new here?" The man blocking her spoke up.

    Mira took a step back, but bumped into another tall man behind her. She had no choice but to stay still, her hand tightening around the medium crystal.

    "Why should I tell you?"

    The bustling noise from the nearby market reminded Mira that she had to be cautious with her magic. If someone saw her, it might attract attention from the Magic Nexus.

    She reached into the other side of her pocket and pulled out her coin pouch. "This is all I have."

    It was normal for thugs in an independent small town away from the big cities to rob outsiders like her.

    Mira was reluctant to part with her money, but getting back to the tower safely was her top priority.

    To her surprise, the leader¡¯s gaze only passed over her coin pouch. It was full, so there was clearly a lot of money in it, but they weren¡¯t blocking her for the money.

    Mira immediately became more alert. If they weren¡¯t interested in her money, then they were after something else, which could spell trouble.

    "Are you from the capital?" one of the lackeys asked, stepping forward.

    Mira shifted her gaze from the leader to the young man. She returned the coin pouch to the other pocket and subtly gripped the medium crystal.

    "Just say it. What''s your purpose?" she asked, clearly in a hurry.

    "Of course," the leader responded. "You know about the king''s agreement with the Magic Dragon, right? The princess being given to the dragon."

    Mira frowned. Her current identity was the princess.

    "I think the whole kingdom should know," Mira replied coldly.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    "We won¡¯t harm you."

    "Do you really think I¡¯ll believe you in this situation?" Mira asked, surveying her surroundings. Seven or eight people had surrounded her.

    "I know you¡¯re from the tower," the leader said. "We need you to show us the way..."

    There were many hidden magic circles between the tower and the town, meant to prevent adventurers from ascending the mountain.

    The escorting party had been able to pass through the magical array smoothly because the Magic Dragon had left behind a piece of dragon scale as a token.

    "What if I refuse?" Mira asked, still unsure of why they were making such a request. Right now, only the injured Lance was at the tower. She could never bring potential danger back to the tower.

    Mira didn¡¯t want to waste time with these idle men. If she could use magic freely, she wouldn¡¯t care about the situation at all.

    It was getting close to the time she had agreed upon with Lance. She needed to think quickly to escape.

    "Stop talking nonsense!" A burly man stepped forward, and the pressure intensified. Mira quickly reacted, falling to the ground.

    "I didn¡¯t touch her!" the man said, bewildered. "She fell by herself."

    The leader shot him a glare.

    Although angry about the king¡¯s repeated compromises, he wasn¡¯t the type to vent his frustrations on a frail girl.

    Saying he would teach her a lesson was just an empty threat. What he wanted was the way to ascend the mountain.

    The magical arrays set by the Magic Dragon were terrifying. Unless one had a dragon scale, it was impossible for humans to ascend or descend the mountain safely.

    He looked down at Mira, who was on the ground.

    The fact that she could come down meant she must have a dragon scale hidden on her.

    Earlier, he had noticed that the princess kept her hand hidden in her pocket, obviously protecting something important.

    "Hand over the dragon scale, and we can send you to the nearest post. You should have enough money to hire a carriage back to the capital, right?" he said, slowly squatting down.

    "I''m from the Adventurers'' Guild. My name is Aylin. I¡¯m a swordsman. We won¡¯t hurt you."

    "Adventurers'' Guild?" Mira sized him up, her gaze landing on his chest.

    He wasn¡¯t carrying a sword, nor did he have a guild insignia.

    Aylin understood what Mira was looking for. The princess knew more than he had imagined.

    "Ah. My father is Fran Aylin," he added.

    Mira recognized this name. He was the Dragon Slayer.

    But the Dragon Slayer had already died. He had killed three great dragons in his lifetime and had eventually died in the Magic Dragon¡¯s flames, leaving nothing behind but ashes.

    "You want revenge on the Magic Dragon?" Mira understood his intent. She rubbed her ankle, as if in pain.

    "It will happen one day," the leader of the group said, gritting his teeth.

    "Fine," Mira replied. She took the crystal from her pocket. "I don¡¯t want to marry a monster anyway."

    "Here." She extended her hand, clenched into a fist.

    Aylin reached out.

    This was the chance.

    Without hesitation, Mira extended her hand and took hold of the young man¡¯s hand.

    Paralysis Spell!

    The young man instantly lost all ability to move. This was a spell Mira had modified, combining it with a lightning chain spell. In an instant, several of the young men collapsed, all losing their ability to move.

    Mira grabbed her belongings from the ground and ran towards the deeper part of the alley without looking back, her voice echoing through the air.

    "Save your energy. You¡¯ll be roasted by the Magic Dragon and turned into kebabs."

    A few minutes later, the young men who had been affected by the spell started to rise.

    "She got away."

    "What do we do?"

    "Should we chase her?"

    "What about the boss? Ask him."

    The group turned around, only to find Aylin still lying on the ground, twitching slightly. As the one who had directly come into contact with the medium crystal magic, he was the worst off.

    "Boss," the others gathered around him. "What happened?"

    The leader exhaled, propping himself up to sit. The feeling of electricity still hadn¡¯t fully left his body, and he shook his head as the dizziness began to subside.

    The protective amulet his father had left him was heating up, absorbing some of the lightning.

    This was magic.

    Straightening up, he fixed his gaze on the direction Mira had gone.

    She wasn¡¯t the princess. A true princess couldn¡¯t use magic.

 Chapter 14

    Lance closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. The teleportation array had drained the magical energy from his body, and recovering enough power to activate it again within two hours was no easy feat.

    He remained fully focused, counting the time in his mind.

    Two hours had passed since Mira entered the teleportation array. Lance opened his eyes. He exhaled, and blue magical energy once again surged through him.

    But this time, it was obviously more difficult than before. He involuntarily clenched his hands, beads of sweat slowly forming on his forehead.

    The pain from the lightning damage started to intensify.

    The Blue Dragon had still not stopped channeling magical energy, and finally, a blue teleportation portal appeared before him.

    Lance gave a faint smile, but his face was unusually pale due to the pain.

    The Blue Dragon closed its eyes, steadying its breath. Right now, it was only important to maintain the status quo and wait for Mira to emerge from the array.

    For the Blue Dragon, this was nothing remarkable.

    Lance closed his eyes again, sweat dripping from his forehead.

    The liquid seeping from his skin followed the contours of the human face he had simulated. The sharpness of his jawline carried an unnatural, eerie quality. Had his body not been so weak, his human form would be hard to reconcile with that of a frail mage.

    Even though he wasn¡¯t skilled in combat like a dragon, he was still a dragon compared to humans.

    Lance could feel himself trembling, his energy dispersing.

    Mira had not shown up on time.

    His gaze fixed on the magical array, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Mira had missed the appointment.

    He should have left a detection spell on her. The nearby town, closest to the Dragon¡¯s Tower, had long been a gathering place for many descendants of adventurers. They waited in hiding, hoping for an opportunity to kill a dragon.

    Mira was a stranger, and a young girl at that. It was inherently dangerous for her to venture into the town alone.

    She could use magic.

    Lance reminded himself. Mira wasn¡¯t an ordinary girl. She was a mage capable of casting spells.

    Though she couldn¡¯t directly withstand the violent power of magic like anyone else, Lance knew she had several stones in her pocket that helped filter out some of the destructive magic damage.

    Even with these different reasons in mind, Lance couldn¡¯t convince himself.

    After he had just reclaimed ownership of the tower from the Black Dragon, human adventurers had come to the tower repeatedly.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    They had heard, somehow, that the Magic Dragon had just been through an intense battle and was in a weakened state, and so they came in droves to provoke Lance.

    The Blue Dragon was more composed and rational, unlike the impulsive, angry Black Dragon. The adventurers¡¯ provocations only earned Lance¡¯s indifference.

    But the message was misinterpreted by adventurers outside the tower, who understood it as a signal that the Magic Dragon was grievously wounded and on the verge of death.

    In a short period of time, they swarmed the tower, trying to kill the Magic Dragon while it was weak.

    Lance had witnessed firsthand the greed of humanity. They knew the tower was filled with immeasurable wealth, so they tried every possible way to break into it and seize the treasure.

    They used explosives to try to blow open the tower doors, and they dug tunnels in an attempt to enter through the underground. To obtain the title of dragon slayer and the riches inside, they were even willing to kill each other.

    In reality, magic had been placed on the tower doors: any visitor who did not harbor ill intent towards the dragon could open the door with a gentle push.

    On the other hand, anyone with even a hint of malice towards the tower¡¯s owner¡ªno matter how powerful they were¡ªcould never open the door.

    Lance didn¡¯t like the smell of blood. But he knew that this situation could not continue. He needed a peaceful environment to live in. This tower belonged to him.

    So, he used a mimicry spell to simulate the Black Dragon¡¯s form above the tower.

    In the midst of a violent storm, the giant figure flickered in and out of the thick clouds, the roar of the dragon blending with the thunder to create a deep rumble.

    The brief flashes of its form and the terrifying pressure made everyone shudder involuntarily.

    The giant dragon flew low, its massive body shaking every adventurer who had come here.

    They were all frightened, dropping their helmets and armor, and fled as fast as they could before the dragon¡¯s attention could fall on them.

    Afterward, Lance strengthened the magical barriers on the mountain path.

    He tried to prop up his body. Mira was already late.

    The Blue Dragon trembled. She must have encountered trouble.

    Though they had only spent one brief night together, Lance felt a stronger connection to this strange girl with secrets than to those adventurers who had tried to blow open his tower and kill him for treasure.

    She had told him that she could take care of him when he was injured. She had nowhere else to go, so staying temporarily at the base of the tower wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    He struggled to move, like a stranded mermaid, only able to support his body with his arms, dragging his useless, ornate tail across the land, inching closer to the magical array.

    The familiar blue energy fluctuated. His condition was terrible, and the magical array could disappear at any moment.

    Where was Mira? Lance gritted his teeth.

    If she missed the teleportation array, getting back to the tower wouldn¡¯t be easy.

    Lance supported his body. He rarely felt his human form to be so awkward and fragile. A few lightning spells had robbed him of his freedom of movement.

    His light blue hair hung limply, mingling with the sweat that dripped down, strands sticking to his face.

    He was still filtering the violent energy from the magic, to protect Mira from the magical backlash that could tear her apart when she passed through the array.

    He did his best to maintain the array¡¯s presence. As long as he could hold on for a little longer, Mira would be able to solve her problems.

    After shaking off those annoying thugs, Mira sprinted back down the alley.

    Her two braids bounced up and down with each step, swaying wildly as a cool breeze brushed across her face. Ignoring the earlier interruption, she felt a rare sense of vitality.

    She carried a basket and an iron pot, which made her look somewhat comical, but Mira was still smiling.

    Running was strictly prohibited inside the Magic Nexus. It was a rule made by madmen.

    The wind swept away her worries, leaving only joy behind.

    The light blue teleportation portal at the end of the alley was just ahead. Once she passed through it, she would return to the tower.

    With a smile, Mira jumped into the blue portal. But instead of the dark interior of the tower, she found herself facing something unexpected.

    She paused, looking back in confusion at the alley''s end.

    The magical array had failed.

    Had something happened to Lance?

 Chapter 15

    Has Lance encountered trouble?

    This thought briefly crossed Mira¡¯s mind, but then the blue vortex in front of her began to re-congeal. She felt the fluctuations of magic being reformed. She was puzzled. However, remembering that teleportation magic was an ancient and long-lost high-level spell, and that Lance was in poor condition, a momentary disconnection wasn¡¯t particularly surprising.

    She let out a sigh of relief and didn¡¯t dare to delay even a second. She hurriedly picked up her belongings and stepped into the blue teleportation portal.

    The scenery reappeared before her, hazy as if veiled by a thin layer of gauze. But the grayish tones, the dim yellow candlelight, and the lingering damp smell clearly told Mira that she was at the bottom of the tower.

    The teleportation magic had worked.

    Mira¡¯s anxious heart gradually relaxed, but before the surroundings fully took shape, she saw a blue figure fall.

    Her thoughts momentarily froze, then she realized it was Lance.

    "Lance!" Mira immediately dropped the items she was holding and rushed to the figure that had fallen to the ground.

    In just two or three steps, she had to slow down and eventually stop in front of him, studying the man lying on the floor.

    He hadn¡¯t fallen off a cushion; he had collapsed while trying to get up.

    When this thought crossed her mind, Mira couldn¡¯t help but think that he must have tried to stand up because he was worried about her.

    Her gaze shifted to Lance¡¯s injured legs.

    Clearly, there was no need for him to force himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Lance gasped for breath, and when he saw Mira was safe, his tense nerves relaxed.

    ¡°I thought something had happened to you,¡± the blue dragon said. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡±

    ¡°I ran into some small trouble,¡± Mira explained, though she didn¡¯t go into specifics. ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything serious,¡± she said, ¡°I walked into your teleportation circle but couldn¡¯t come back.¡±

    ¡°There was a little accident,¡± Lance smiled faintly. His face appeared unnaturally pale.

    ¡°Are you okay? Do you need to rest for a bit?¡± Mira asked.

    Lance shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. The magic failed, so I summoned another one.¡± In reality, it was because he had exhausted his energy and could no longer sustain the magic circle for long, but Mira¡¯s entry into the teleportation circle had already sent the signal back.

    He had no choice but to use more magic.

    This time, he was completely drained. He couldn¡¯t even maintain the levitation spell to support his body and collapsed to the floor in a heap.

    Lance felt helpless and frustrated.

    Facing Mira¡¯s concern, he couldn¡¯t let go of the pride of the blue dragon clan. For Lance, it was unimaginable. He could only say that he was fine.

    But the beads of sweat on his forehead and his pale face exposed everything.

    Lance¡¯s consciousness quickly blurred, and he passed out.

    Mira looked at the man lying on the ground, pouting in frustration.

    Wasn¡¯t he saying he was fine? Men were so stubborn.

    But Mira couldn¡¯t just leave him here. She stood up and tried to move Lance back to the bed.

    He was already physically weak, and if he lay on the cold floor, it would only cause more problems.

    Mira tugged at him, but Lance didn¡¯t move.

    He was tall and heavy.

    Mira looked at Lance lying on the ground, estimating his height. Was he 1.8 meters? No, no, he definitely had to be over 1.9 meters.

    For a frail, traditional mage, trying to lift Lance was incredibly difficult.

    ¡°Mages should do more physical training,¡± Mira muttered, hands on her hips, panting. ¡°Annoying magic hubs. Why don¡¯t spellcasters have to train?¡±

    When she was younger, the magic hubs used to give younger apprentices some free time. But as she got older, the workload increased. Forget about free time¡ªher sleep time was being squeezed out.

    They always said that mages didn¡¯t need physical training. They only needed to focus on studying magic, refining their mental power, and improving their control over magic.

    But to Mira, it seemed that physical fitness was just as important for mages.

    Take Lance, for example. He was a mage, but if not for his strong physical constitution, the dragon flames would¡¯ve long since taken his life.

    Mira sighed and cursed the magic hubs again in her mind. Her gaze fell on Lance.

    His exposed arms had clear muscle definition.

    She wondered which magic academy had trained him to develop such muscles.

    For a mage, this was rare.

    Mira crouched down.

    Lance was unconscious, looking like he wasn¡¯t in immediate danger. She took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

    Though her hand was gently wiping the sweat away, Mira couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away from Lance¡¯s arm.

    She really wanted to know which magic academy could cultivate spellcasters with both strong magic abilities and physical strength. They must be incredible to still have long-lost spells like teleportation in their arsenal.

    Mira stared at Lance¡¯s muscles.

    She hadn¡¯t heard of such an academy before.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    As the largest magic academy on land, the Magic Nexus had always been a model for smaller academies. Most mages had frail bodies.

    This was also why the stereotype of mages being weak existed.

    The mages at the Magic Nexus were either thin or pudgy.

    If she had to say, Mira¡¯s mentor was more balanced in physique. She didn¡¯t know if her mentor had a healthy body, as he always wore a pristine white mage robe.

    At the Magic Nexus, mages of her mentor¡¯s level wore white robes to symbolize pure, unblemished magical truth.

    Mira had envied it for a long time, but she finally gathered the courage to stretch out her hand.

    He wouldn¡¯t know, she thought to herself, holding her breath like she was doing something wrong, and poked Lance¡¯s perfectly toned arm.

    Hard. With a gentle push of her fingertip, she left a small dent in his skin.

    She retracted her hand and extended her own arm, bending it forcefully, but there was no muscle.

    Mira pinched her arm.

    Soft. It didn¡¯t seem strong at all.

    In reality, her strength wasn¡¯t impressive.

    Mira pouted. She wanted muscles too.

    After all, she was a spellcaster. Lance¡¯s muscle strength could rival a swordsman¡¯s.

    He was taller than most swordsmen, yet here he was, lying helplessly at the base of the tower.

    It was strange.

    Mira knew Lance had many secrets. And to him, she probably seemed the same.

    However, neither of them had any intention of harming the other. Instead, within the Magic Dragon¡¯s tower, they both had to take care of each other to survive.

    Mira took out a medium crystal from her pocket.

    She muttered the incantation and summoned wind magic to lift Lance¡¯s body, gently placing him back on the cushion.

    After the magic subsided, she put the crystal back in her pocket.

    Lance was back on the cushion.

    Even though he had a strong physique, he was still a frail patient in need of care from the young mage.

    Mira stood up again.

    She walked to the spot where the teleportation circle had vanished and picked up the basket she had set down.

    Inside were the burn salves she had specifically bought and anti-inflammatory creams she had mixed based on advice from the pharmacy owner.

    She had also purchased a few herbs she remembered from her alchemy course, but the town¡¯s pharmacy couldn¡¯t provide all the rare alchemical ingredients.

    Mira sat down on the cushion, recalling what she had learned in her alchemy class. She stared at the herbs and burn salve, unsure of how to begin.

    Her gaze moved between the salve and Lance¡¯s chest and legs, where grotesque wounds marred his skin.

    His clothes had almost been completely burned away by the lightning. Only a few ragged pieces covered his critical areas.

    Mira controlled her mage mind, pushing away intrusive thoughts that wondered why his clothes were completely burned off, yet the key parts of him remained covered.

    What she needed now was clean water.

    And magic. Mira sighed. She took another medium crystal from her pocket.

    She could only thank that the magic she was using was simple enough not to require too much crystal, or she would quickly run out of power.

    Though she hated to waste the crystals, when her gaze fell on Lance, who was still sweating profusely...

    He would dehydrate if he kept sweating like this.

    Mira held the crystal and first created some water to clean the new pot she had bought. Then she filled the beautiful high-necked vase with water.

    The vase was new and clean. There were no flowers here, so Mira used it as a water container.

    The king had prepared extravagant decorations as part of her dowry.

    Luckily, it didn¡¯t leak.

    Mira was satisfied. She tossed the handkerchief she used to wipe Lance¡¯s sweat into the container meant for washing hands before meals. Now, it was being used as a bowl. It worked just as well.

    Mira moved some stones from outside the tower to build a stove and started a fire with some gathered wood. Her modified spell always worked well.

    The flames quickly blazed in the stove.

    Mira placed the washed oats in the pot.

    She had never cooked before. But she had eaten something similar to oatmeal in the dining hall, so she assumed cooking was like this.

    As she worked, she periodically wiped sweat from Lance and gave him water.

    Once the food was done, she finally cleaned her hands and took out the salve.

    The pharmacy owner had said to simply apply it to the wounds.

    She wasn¡¯t sure how well it would work on the damage caused by dragon flames.

    Mira sighed and opened the box of salve.

    A faint herbal scent wafted out, subtle but pleasant.

    Mira gently lifted the blanket covering Lance and dipped the salve.

    But then she hesitated. Should she remove the charred parts before applying the salve?

    That should be the first thing to do! Mira felt a pang of regret and cursed herself for being so dumb.

    She put the salve down.

    From her belongings, she retrieved a set of dissection tools. These were for magic experiments.

    Mira disinfected the tools with magic and returned to Lance¡¯s side.

    ¡°This might hurt a little,¡± she whispered, ¡°try to bear with it.¡±

    She knew Lance couldn¡¯t hear her, but if he were awake, it might be even more painful. It was better to work quickly and remove all the charred layers while he was unconscious.

    Mira took great care, constantly observing Lance¡¯s facial expressions.

    His condition was relatively stable, though he occasionally frowned or let out a groan. There was no sign that he was waking up.

    What surprised Mira was that when she gently removed the surface layer of burned skin, she found that Lance¡¯s legs already had a significant amount of new, healthy flesh, far more than she had expected, with less necrosis than she¡¯d imagined.

    What level of spellcaster was he? Mira¡¯s curiosity deepened. If Lance could develop muscles through physical exercise, the speed at which his body healed couldn¡¯t be due to exercise alone¡ªhe must have used body-enhancing magic.

    The Magic Nexus seemed to have some magical techniques like that, but they were high-level secrets, ones that Mira, as a low-ranking apprentice, couldn¡¯t access.

    A spellcaster capable of single-handedly facing a dragon. Mira¡¯s understanding of Lance deepened. But for now, he was just an unlucky injured person.

    Mira looked away and took the salve, carefully applying it to Lance¡¯s wounds.

    After finishing all of that, she lowered the stove fire and waited for Lance to wake up.

    His condition had stabilized significantly. Mira watched him quietly. Maybe because she hadn¡¯t slept all night, she was now utterly exhausted.

    Meditation spells couldn¡¯t replace sleep, and it wasn¡¯t long before Mira curled up in the corner of the cushion and fell asleep.

    She slept for a long time.

    By the time she woke up, Lance was already awake.

    He propped himself up, using the pillow Mira had found for him as a cushion, leaning against the wall.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Mira rubbed her eyes.

    ¡°You applied the medicine for me,¡± Lance replied.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Mira wasn¡¯t fully awake yet. ¡°Your body is healing quickly.¡±

    After all, he was a dragon. Lance turned his head.

    Thanks to Mira¡¯s care, the dark base of the tower was now lit with the warm glow of candles. A temporary stove had been set up some distance away, and the fire Mira had put out before resting still kept the food warm enough not to cool completely.

    It looked like a place where people lived, not the dark and terrifying high tower.

    Lance opened his mouth slightly.

    He had woken up before Mira. Before she opened her eyes, Lance had already spent some time observing this strange girl.

    Since entering the tower, it seemed like she had never rested quietly like she did earlier.

    The great dragon could feel the state of his legs under the blanket.

    Even in his unconscious state, he hadn¡¯t completely lost awareness. Mira¡¯s soft comforting voice, her gentle breath, and her careful movements¡ªhe had felt all of it.

    What a strange girl.

    The bride of the magic dragon. Lance recalled her excuse.

    The magic dragon¡¯s bride and her simple but practical magic.

    Mira followed Lance¡¯s gaze and saw the stove she had set up.

    Thinking carefully, Lance hadn¡¯t eaten anything since he arrived. And as a patient, he must be quite hungry by now.

    With this thought in mind, Mira stood up from the cushion.

    She took the bowls and dishes she had prepared earlier. Using a silver spoon, she slowly filled a bowl with porridge, placing the pancakes and roasted meat from this morning¡¯s meal on the pot lid.

    After some time, the food had cooled down, so Mira reheated it using the residual warmth from the fire.

    Mira filled two bowls of porridge and took a spoonful to taste.

    The oatmeal was bitter, unlike the one she had eaten in the dining hall.

    Mira realized she had forgotten to buy sugar. If she added some, it would probably taste much better.

    There was no time for that today. She¡¯d go back to the market in a few days.

    She glanced over at Lance, waiting for him to recover a bit more.

    ¡°Eat something,¡± Mira said, handing him the porridge and the pancakes and roasted meat she had packed earlier. ¡°My cooking skills aren¡¯t great, and it probably doesn¡¯t taste very good,¡± she said honestly.

    ¡°However, sick people need to eat something light.¡±

    The dragon silently stared at the oatmeal porridge in front of him, then his gaze moved to the bag in Mira¡¯s hand, which contained the pancakes and roasted meat.

    Lance said, ¡°I want that.¡±

    Mira reluctantly handed it over. Was he really this picky?

    The blue dragon¡¯s expression remained unchanged.

    Dragons were strictly carnivorous.

 Chapter 16

    Mira also filled a bowl with oatmeal for herself and sulkily walked to the other side.

    She should be thankful that dragon fire hadn¡¯t burned Lance''s arm. At least he could still feed himself.

    Mira angrily stirred the oatmeal in her bowl.

    It didn¡¯t taste that bad.

    The faint aroma of wheat was tinged with a slight bitterness. Once the bitterness faded, there was a hint of sweetness.

    But it was only a little sweetness.

    Mira sighed and grabbed the cream bread she had bought in the town.

    At least there was bread.

    The high-temperature, well-fermented bread had a tempting brown color, with thick white cream flecked throughout, making it look incredibly inviting.

    Mira stared at the cream. She loved sweet things.

    Without hesitation, she set the oatmeal aside.

    The sweetness exploded in her mouth, and Mira almost teared up.

    Cream was the best. A hundred times better than bitter oatmeal.

    She glanced at Lance from the corner of her eye.

    He had good foresight.

    Lance had already finished one portion of food. To be precise, he had only eaten the roasted meat and completely ignored the pancakes drenched in maple syrup.

    ¡°Such poor taste.¡± Mira muttered under her breath.

    Suddenly, Lance''s gaze shifted toward her.

    Mira quickly lowered her head, pretending to be completely focused on the food in her hands.

    The blue dragon noticed that Mira wasn¡¯t paying attention to him. He quietly shifted the blanket and stared at his legs.

    He maintained his usual stoic expression, but the area where the ointment had been applied felt cold and itchy.

    It was the new skin.

    Lance thought, even though he was in human form now, he was still a dragon. His recovery was beyond what ordinary humans could compare to.

    The itch was unbearable.

    Lance tightened his face. His eyes carefully shifted to Mira, who was completely absorbed in her bread, not noticing his ungraceful movements.

    He couldn¡¯t do this. Lance felt a twitch between his brows.

    The itch.

    If it were pain, he could endure it, but this itch was unbearable.

    He scratched his leg, but he was afraid Mira would notice, so he didn¡¯t dare make any obvious moves.

    After all, this kind of action was far from graceful.

    Dragons had their pride. In fact, dragons were proud creatures, and they cared about their image.

    Being saved by a human girl was one thing, given the special circumstances, but now, exposing the ungraceful act of scratching an itch? Was he even still a dragon?

    Mira didn¡¯t know he was a dragon yet¡­ As a human, scratching an itch shouldn¡¯t be that strange, right?

    Lance stared at the darkness above.

    Light touches couldn¡¯t relieve the itch that originated from the growing new skin. His delicate movements only intensified the numbing sensation.

    Compared to the new skin, they healed faster.

    Lance closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind. But the more he tried to stay silent, the more he focused on the unbearable itch, the more it surged from the depths of his flesh.

    The heavy clouds gathered above, pressing down as water vapor collided and rubbed together, creating an even more intense sensation, with the clouds descending.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Lance tensed his muscles but couldn¡¯t find any relief.

    It was like the rainstorm that was about to fall¡ª the more it brewed, the stronger the storm.

    Itchiness was far worse than a storm!

    Lance exhaled quietly and carefully moved his hand. He kept his gaze fixed on the ceiling.

    Now was the time. Mira wasn¡¯t paying attention to him. He could scratch to his heart¡¯s content.

    She didn¡¯t know he was a dragon.

    That was the key point. Lance convinced himself of his reasoning. Finally, he stopped resisting this natural instinct and began scratching under the blanket, desperately trying to relieve the unbearable sensation.

    Mira hadn¡¯t noticed yet.

    She was focused on eating. After finishing the cream bread, she drank half a bowl of the bitter oatmeal. Then she stood up, preparing to clean up.

    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something odd. Mira blinked and looked toward the movement under the blanket, realizing that something suspicious was shifting beneath it.

    She quickly turned her head, and a strange thought flashed in her mind.

    Why was it that the dragon flames had burned all of his clothes, but the fabric covering his important parts was left intact?

    That was a complicated question. Mira nodded heavily.

    Could it be that the magic dragon was afraid of getting a pimple?

    That couldn¡¯t be, could it? Magic dragons were known to like young, beautiful girls. He was male, so why would he be afraid of seeing the body of the same sex?

    Could it be that dragons were actually girls?

    This bizarre, strange thought lingered in Mira¡¯s mind for just a moment.

    She didn¡¯t want to know what dragons really thought. The eyeballs kept in jars were the real mystery.

    Mira lowered her eyes, focusing on the bowl in her hands.

    She couldn¡¯t think about such strange things.

    Mira walked toward Lance and quickly tidied up.

    Lance had been staring at the darkness above, his eyes never blinking.

    He looked very guilty.

    Mira didn¡¯t mind. Although they were now living under the same roof, they were still complete strangers.

    She couldn¡¯t meddle too much in Lance¡¯s matters, as that would be very rude.

    Mira packed the bowls and dishes away. But she wouldn¡¯t take care of Lance for nothing. It would be best to learn teleportation magic from him. If she could master this long-lost magic, even if she had to leave the tower, she could easily avoid the pursuit of the magic energy hubs.

    This wasn¡¯t the first time she had entertained such a thought.

    Why not take this opportunity to ask Lance? It might be somewhat unethical, but one couldn¡¯t survive just by relying on ethics.

    She had bought medicine, cooked meals, and would now have to care for a patient.

    Learning a teleportation spell should not be too much to ask, right?

    Once this possibility appeared in Mira¡¯s mind, it quickly took root and began to grow. It even lay in wait, ready to sink deeper, and like a sudden sprout, it broke through and shot out from Mira¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Lance, can you teach me the teleportation spell?¡± Her eyes were shining, as if she had already envisioned herself learning the lost magic.

    ¡°I saved you and will take care of you. You see, this¡­¡± Mira¡¯s voice suddenly paused.

    She smelled a faint scent of blood.

    But she hadn¡¯t been injured.

    The girl¡¯s gaze fixed on Lance.

    ¡°You saved me, so you want me to teach you the teleportation spell?¡± Lance¡¯s gaze swept over Mira, taking her in from head to toe. ¡°Humans can¡¯t learn such complex magic directly.¡±

    ¡°Humans can¡¯t learn it?¡± Mira¡¯s attention was drawn to his words. ¡°But you can.¡±

    Lance instantly realized he had made a mistake. He quickly corrected himself: ¡°Without a powerful medium, such magic can¡¯t be cast.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a medium either¡­¡±

    Of course, he didn¡¯t. He was a dragon, not a fragile human. His body could filter out the violent energies from magic that would harm humans.

    To be more precise, he wouldn¡¯t be harmed by these energies at all.

    Falling into the lightning trap had been an accident¡­

    The blue dragon coughed awkwardly a few times to cover his embarrassment. ¡°Have you ever seen a powerful mage expose their medium in front of others?¡±

    ¡°My mentor?¡± Mira recalled. ¡°His medium was the brooch on his magic robe. That brooch, called the Oath of Galagar, was a gift from a high tower mage to his wife.¡±

    Lance immediately fell silent. He had seen a description in the handbook left by the mage who created this tower. Human mages were very particular about their mediums, especially high-level ones, and they would never easily expose them to others.

    ¡°Your mentor might be an exception¡­¡± Who knew, maybe it was a special case.

    ¡°He¡¯s a great mentor.¡± Mira frowned. ¡°Alright, enough about him. Do you agree?¡± She slowly squatted in front of Lance and set the dishes aside.

    ¡°The teleportation spell would be a huge help. Once I leave here, I won¡¯t have to worry about¡­¡± Mira stopped herself from finishing her sentence. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s very important. Lance, I will take care of you until you¡¯re fully recovered.¡±

    Mira softened her tone, imitating the way Princess Maria spoke to the king.

    To convince the magic dragon that she was indeed the princess, Mira had lived briefly with Maria.

    When Maria wanted something, she would speak to her father in exactly this way. Every time Maria drew out her words and said, ¡°Please, father,¡± the king would smile helplessly and grant her every wish.

    Mira felt she couldn¡¯t perfectly mimic Maria¡¯s essence. She felt embarrassed to say words like ¡°please.¡±

    She could only relax her expression, trying to make her tone as soft as possible.

    But Lance didn¡¯t react.

    No, he furrowed his brow, and then the frown deepened.

    Mira squinted her eyes.

    She saw the blanket move a few times, and the faint smell of blood grew stronger again.

    He was scratching his wound!

    Mira¡¯s mind instantly understood¡ªthis was the source of the blood smell!

    She immediately stopped pretending to be Maria. Her face turned stern, her tone dropped, and she sounded more like one of the angry tutors at the Magic Energy Hub.

    ¡°Show me your hand!¡±

    The blue dragon stiffened. He should have endured it, but it was just too uncomfortable. The itching from the growing skin was impossible to ignore.

    ¡°Hurry up! I¡¯ll pull the blanket off!¡± Mira threatened.

    The blue dragon reluctantly stretched out his hand.

    Looking down at the blood on his fingertips, Mira finally found the source of the blood smell. Lance had been scratching his wound, even reopening it.

    Lance silently turned his head, afraid to meet Mira¡¯s eyes.

    He could feel that the human girl in front of him was angry.

    Suddenly, very angry.

    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you,¡± he turned his head, avoiding Mira¡¯s gaze, trying to appease her.

    ¡°But, to cast teleportation magic, you need a powerful medium.¡±

 Chapter 17

    A Powerful Medium.

    This had stumped many people.

    Mira¡¯s smile stiffened on her face, then completely disappeared.

    If he didn¡¯t want to teach her, he could have just said so. Even though it seemed like she wanted to learn teleportation magic, she wasn¡¯t the type to let someone die just because they refused her.

    Why make things difficult for her?

    If she had a powerful medium, why would she fear being chased? She could just blast them with one energy missile after another and destroy those pursuers, right?

    Mira sighed and waved her hand.

    Her gaze settled on Lance¡¯s fingers. The blood on his fingertips made the dissatisfaction growing in her heart gradually dissipate.

    Lance was a patient. She couldn¡¯t argue with a patient over these things.

    Mira put on a serious expression.

    ¡°Lance, you can¡¯t scratch your wound with your hand.¡± She crouched down and reopened the medical box she had placed earlier. ¡°You¡¯ll get an infection.¡±

    Mira tried to pull the blanket off to uncover his wound, but the blue dragon held the thin blanket tightly.

    ¡°I know,¡± Lance said, avoiding Mira¡¯s direct gaze. ¡°Teleportation¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about magic later,¡± Mira said, adopting an air of magnanimity.

    Lance stared at her, confused.

    For a dragon, understanding complex magical theories wasn¡¯t difficult, but a human girl¡¯s thoughts were much more complicated than magic.

    Just moments ago, she was bargaining with him to learn teleportation magic, and yet, in the span of a few breaths, she changed her mind.

    He couldn¡¯t understand it.

    Lance decided to remain silent. He obediently offered his hands, letting Mira inspect them as she held them up.

    The difference between a human girl¡¯s body and a giant dragon¡¯s was enormous. Lance thought to himself that his hands felt as hard as a decayed rock in a riverbed, while Mira¡¯s hands were soft and delicate like cushions.

    ¡°Your nails are so long,¡± Mira made a face of distaste, glancing at Lance. ¡°Mages are usually very particular about personal hygiene.¡±

    Lance didn¡¯t know this.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    He glanced at Mira. When she arrived, she had been very neat, with her hair styled beautifully and wearing a large, fluffy gown. Now, though she had changed into more ordinary clothes, they were still neat and clean. Despite doing a lot of work, her hands were pristine, with short, well-maintained nails.

    He lowered his gaze, embarrassed, and retracted his fingers.

    Mira didn¡¯t excessively scold Lance. After all, he had fallen on the ground earlier and probably hadn¡¯t been lying there for long before getting dirty.

    She hadn¡¯t been considerate. She was so focused on the magical circle to deal with the dragon that she had forgotten to clean him up first.

    Mira sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll go boil some water. You clean yourself up, and remember, you mustn¡¯t scratch the wound again.¡±

    Lance looked up at her. His amber-colored, light blue eyes showed a trace of seriousness.

    Mira was right. He had lived alone in the tower, and turning into a human form was purely for convenience. He wasn¡¯t a human, and many human behaviors were difficult for him to understand. He didn¡¯t eat bread because he couldn¡¯t digest it, and he didn¡¯t pay much attention to personal hygiene because no one had ever taught him.

    However, from now on, he would live in human form with Mira for a long time, so he still needed to learn many things from her.

    Lance retracted his fingers and lowered his head. Dirt was indeed impolite. Dragons only cared about cleaning their scales before mating; otherwise, they were just carefree. All dragons liked rolling around in volcanic ash!

    Mira grasped the medium crystal, and clean water appeared from an unknown source, flowing into the large iron pot.

    The fire reignited, lighting up a large area.

    Mira¡¯s shadow was cast on the wall, and Lance stared at the reflection of the large dragon head on the wall.

    That was his own shadow.

    In the world of shadows, all magical disguises were ineffective. He almost forgot this critical detail.

    Lance¡¯s gaze moved back and forth between Mira¡¯s back and the shadow on the wall.

    The giant dragon¡¯s head moved comically with his every movement.

    Mira caught a glimpse of something dark moving in her peripheral vision. Instinctively, she turned around, but she saw Lance collapsed on the mat.

    ¡°Uh¡ª¡± the blue dragon gasped.

    Mira quickly ran over. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I-I couldn¡¯t hold on,¡± Lance said expressionlessly. He glanced at the wall out of the corner of his eye, because when he lay back down, the giant dragon¡¯s shadow and the mat blended together, and it wasn¡¯t as odd anymore.

    Lance only dared to sneak a glance.

    ¡°You scared me.¡± Mira mumbled, her gaze shifting from Lance¡¯s arm.

    It was all solid muscle, yet it lacked even the slightest strength.

    Mira couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had misjudged. Was Lance¡¯s body actually weak, like the other mages?

    It must have been because the magic dragon¡¯s flames had injured him too deeply.

    Mira walked back to the fire, swiftly extinguishing the flames and transferring the hot water into a clean wooden barrel.

    She used magic to create cold water and mixed it to the perfect temperature.

    ¡°Can you do it yourself?¡± Mira stared at Lance, who was lying on the mat.

    The blue dragon nodded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let the exposed wounds touch the water. Just wipe your upper body.¡± Mira reminded him.

    Lance agreed. He watched the girl bend down, soaking a clean cloth in the water and wringing it out.

    ¡°Here.¡± Mira handed him the clean cloth. ¡°I won¡¯t help you. You do it yourself. If you need help, just call me. I¡¯ll be over there.¡±

    Lance looked in the direction Mira pointed to. She had pulled another mat to the other side.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay over there from now on,¡± Mira said.

    Lance narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Mira noticed his expression. ¡°If you need care, just call me. It¡¯s not far, and it¡¯s more convenient for both of us.¡±

    She felt this was the best arrangement since it would be awkward to change clothes in the same space. She planned to move her mat further away and use curtains to separate herself. The princess¡¯s dowry had plenty of silk, after all, and it was high-quality material.

    Lance was still a patient, but he was also a man. Mira nodded firmly. Her plan was reasonable.

 Chapter 18

    Clothing, Food, Shelter, and Transportation.

    Mira wrote a few words on her memo pad. After silently thinking for a moment, she crossed out several of them.

    She wasn¡¯t short on clothes, nor did she need to travel. Before the magic dragon returned to this tower, the only thing she needed to focus on was food.

    Lance seemed to be a picky eater. Food had become the most pressing issue for her now.

    Mira propped her chin up with one hand, thinking deeply, then added the word ¡°medium¡± to the memo. In addition to food, mediums were also important.

    To have the capital to negotiate with the magic dragon before it returned to the tower, she needed to prepare a powerful magic circle in advance.

    What she was lacking now were the materials needed to draw the magic circle and the mediums required to cast spells. These were the things she needed most.

    Mira stroked her chin, but couldn¡¯t think of how to acquire these necessities.

    She wasn¡¯t lacking in money¡ªthe king had given her plenty of gold. But the current problem wasn¡¯t funding; it was the items needed for casting magic and drawing magic circles. These were vital to the magic energy hubs, and each magical item in circulation had a unique identification number. Purchasing these items required a certification recognized by the magic energy hubs.

    Mira knew that the black market sold magical items at high prices, but she didn¡¯t have the connections.

    It was so frustrating.

    Mira leaned on her hand, unable to come up with a good idea. Annoyed, she ruffled her hair and lay down on the soft mat.

    She felt a bit lost. The only ideas she could come up with still had something to do with this tower. There were so many rooms in the tower; she was sure she could find some inspiration from them.

    Or perhaps, she could ask Lance.

    He was also a spellcaster, so he must also need to acquire magical scrolls and other items through the magic energy hubs or organizations cooperating with them.

    Thinking of Lance, Mira¡¯s gaze paused on the curtain.

    She propped herself up, extended her hand, and lifted a corner of the curtain.

    Just a quick glance, and Mira lowered the curtain again.

    Lance was carefully wiping his body.

    His legs couldn¡¯t move, and there were large blood clots on his lower abdomen and the corner of his stomach, making his movements appear awkward.

    Mira¡¯s gaze lingered on his flowing muscle lines for a moment, and her face flushed. She hurriedly dropped the curtain.

    She¡¯d ask him tomorrow morning. Mira flopped back down, lying on the mat again, her eyes wide open, staring into the endless darkness.

    The days ahead were long. She would find a solution.

    Mira remained optimistic about her future life.

    ¡°Black market?¡± Lance¡¯s eyes flashed with a moment of confusion when he heard the word.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°What do you need that for?¡± he asked as he propped himself up, trying to get up.

    Mira quickly placed a cushion behind him.

    ¡°I need some items related to magic. Scrolls and medium crystals, that kind of thing,¡± Mira answered truthfully.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where the black market is,¡± Lance replied honestly.

    Mira¡¯s eyes flickered with a hint of disappointment.

    ¡°If you need scrolls or mediums, why don¡¯t you go to the tower¡¯s library or the treasure room?¡± Lance noticed the disappointment in Mira¡¯s eyes and became more puzzled.

    Why did Mira need to find the black market? This was the tower¡ªthe place that every spellcaster dreamed of.

    As a product of the tower¡¯s mages, this place contained countless treasures. For dragons, scrolls and mediums didn¡¯t matter much.

    But human spellcasters needed mediums to cast spells, didn¡¯t they?

    There were enough items in this tower to serve as spellcasting mediums for Mira to use a different one every day for ten years.

    As for scrolls used to store spells, the previous tower mages had a hoarding habit. They had filled an entire room with blank scrolls.

    For Lance, those things were useless¡ªthey were just waste paper.

    If Mira wanted them, she could take as many as she liked.

    Mira was stunned at first, then slowly frowned, her speech becoming hesitant.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not use the magic dragon¡¯s things¡­¡± Until now, she had remembered that there was a room in the tower filled with eyes, and the thought made her feel deeply uncomfortable.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the magic dragon¡¯s bride?¡± Lance didn¡¯t pick up on Mira¡¯s subtle thoughts.

    ¡°What about being the magic dragon¡¯s bride?¡± Mira glared at him.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Lance fell silent for a moment, then added, ¡°Actually, you can use them. The scrolls and mediums aren¡¯t the magic dragon¡¯s. They belong to the last master of the tower.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± Mira showed an expression of surprise.

    Lance looked at her, hesitated for a moment, then revealed some information about the tower¡¯s former owner.

    ¡°The last master of the tower was my mother¡¯s partner. Many of the things in this tower actually belong to my mother, strictly speaking.¡±

    His words paused at this point.

    Mira could sense many emotions from his expression.

    Lance tilted his head slightly. ¡°The scrolls are in the storage room at the bottom of the tower, but the mediums are on the upper levels. To access them, you need to unlock an identification magic circle. It¡¯s a bit difficult for now.¡±

    ¡°As for the black market, I don¡¯t know about it. But if you want to find a magic trading post¡­¡± Lance paused for a moment, ¡°I know that the dwarves and goblins hold meetings every month... When I recover, I can use a teleportation spell to take you there.¡±

    ¡°Goblins?¡± Mira was surprised.

    The magical mediums created by the magic energy hubs were originally designed based on goblin technology, which many referred to as ¡°goblin tech.¡±

    Before the magic energy hubs expanded to their current scale, goblins were the most adept at casting spells among surface-dwelling races.

    Their magic was different from the magic humans cast now. Goblins were skilled at combining regular machines with magic, creating unique magical machines.

    If it weren¡¯t for these greedy goblins being unable to resist the temptation of money and selling the core blueprints for the medium crystals to humans, the magic energy hubs might not have the power they do now.

    Lance was surprised that Mira even knew about goblins.

    He continued, ¡°Human magic energy hubs once sent mages to bombard the goblins¡¯ main base. Now, the surviving goblins have mostly moved to the mountains, living with their old friends, the dwarves.¡±

    ¡°Human magic energy hubs sent mages to bombard the goblins¡¯ base?¡± Mira¡¯s face showed astonishment. She couldn¡¯t believe that the magic energy hubs would do something like that.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know about this?¡±

    ¡°How old are you?¡± Lance asked Mira.

    ¡°I just turned eighteen last month,¡± Mira replied truthfully.

    Lance showed a faint look of recollection. He silently calculated the years in his mind. ¡°Human mages launched dozens of attacks on the goblin race over the past hundred years. The last one was about a year before you were born. It happened less than twenty years ago. Since then, goblins have disappeared from the world.¡±

    Mira¡¯s face was filled with shock. According to Lance, the magic energy hubs had nearly wiped out an entire race, and yet, as a child raised in the magic energy hubs, she had never heard anyone talk about it.

    ¡°How do you know this?¡± Mira asked Lance.

    Lance didn¡¯t seem much older than her, so if the magic energy hubs wanted to conceal this information, how did he come to know about it?

    Lance tilted his head. ¡°I thought every spellcaster knew. It was Grandmaster Karl himself who led ten high-level spellcasters to do it.¡±

    ¡°Who did you say?¡± The familiar name caused Mira¡¯s hand to tremble involuntarily.

    Lance, oblivious to Mira¡¯s reaction, didn¡¯t notice her unease and instead assumed she hadn¡¯t heard him clearly.

    ¡°Grandmaster Karl,¡± he repeated very seriously.

 Chapter 19

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 Chapter 20

    Mira''s gaze fell on the crystal in Lance''s hand. For a moment, she wished Lance was lying to her. If he were, she wouldn¡¯t have to force herself to believe that her mentor was not what she had thought him to be.

    But the truth was right before her. She had ruined dozens of such crystals, and as Lance had said, every one of them eventually turned to dust.

    It wasn¡¯t a natural property of the crystals. The crystals were destroyed because the energy they could filter reached its limit, triggering the built-in self-destruct mechanism.

    Had she not known about the goblins, Mira might have thought this was a protective measure designed for the creations of the Magic Energy Nexus. But after hearing Lance¡¯s explanation, she suddenly realized that it was a measure to prevent the true nature of the Nexus from being discovered.

    The core technology of the medium crystals came from another intelligent race. And that race, which created the core technology, faced extinction because of the mages of the Magic Energy Nexus.

    Mira didn¡¯t need to think about the details of this. This alone was enough.

    Her mentor...

    Mira took a deep breath and took the medium crystal back from Lance¡¯s hand.

    "When the black market you mentioned begins, you can teleport me there," Mira said as she stood up.

    "Lance, I have other things to do." She lowered her eyes, suppressing the flood of memories of being with her mentor, which kept surging up. "I still have some things to organize here. The dowry isn¡¯t fully packed yet."

    Lance tilted his head in confusion.

    Mira¡¯s words seemed like weak excuses.

    She clearly needed some time to calm down.

    After a moment of thought, Lance spoke again.

    "Mira, if you want the scrolls, you can go to the right. Count to one hundred in your mind, then use a light spell. You¡¯ll be able to see a rotating staircase that leads upward. Follow the stairs until you see the bookshelves, then step forward, and you¡¯ll enter the library."

    Mira listened to Lance¡¯s voice. If her mind had been clearer, she would have been curious why the library didn¡¯t have any guardians. But right now, she had no energy for such thoughts.

    Her mentor¡¯s situation made her feel sad.

    Mira responded softly to Lance, grabbed her basket, and left the tower.

    <hr>

    In front of the tower was an open expanse of land. Bones from various parts of bodies lay scattered across the ground. Combined with the dark tower and the barren mountaintop, it felt like a hell on earth.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Mira found a relatively clean spot and sat down, placing the basket at her feet.

    Before her lay the dowry delivered by the escorting guards.

    Smaller items had been brought inside the tower in batches, while the larger ones¡ªthose with no clear purpose or difficult to move¡ªwere left outside.

    A four-poster bed made of solid gold, a two-meter-long carved wardrobe, a long banquet table like the ones in castles, and various decorative items. In short, every piece of the dowry was more expensive and extravagant than the last, all to please the magic dragons. The king had spared no expense.

    Mira looked at these things and sighed.

    She had many things to do, but her mind was a mess. She couldn¡¯t organize her thoughts at all.

    She told herself that she had left the Magic Energy Nexus and no longer needed to think about these things. Yet, they kept crawling into her mind like the eyes in the tower¡¯s storage room, always escaping her control.

    Perhaps she should sleep for a while. But she had just woken up.

    Eat something? She had already eaten breakfast¡ªbitter oatmeal from last night.

    Mira stood up. She was going to see the library Lance had mentioned.

    It was the same as when she was at the Magic Energy Nexus. Apart from her small room, the only place apprentices were not restricted from entering was the library of the Nexus.

    Mira quickly turned her thoughts into action.

    She returned to the tower and, following Lance¡¯s instructions, walked toward the right, counting silently in her mind as she went.

    Whether it was due to the tower sensing her intent, after a certain number, the surroundings truly began to change.

    Mira couldn¡¯t describe what it felt like, but she knew that she had left the bottom of the tower, where the furniture was stored, and entered another place¡ªone filled with darkness but not so ordinary.

    If Lance were here, he would explain it to her.

    The tower was actually a complex structure with overlapping sections, built by magic. Inside, the space was far larger than the exterior. This was because magic twisted the space, creating many small, independent areas within the tower.

    The storage room Mira had opened earlier was one such small room. Now, she had entered another corridor, and at the end of this corridor, hidden from view, was a staircase that led to the upper levels.

    This was why the tower¡¯s mages didn¡¯t need to set up complex magical defenses outside the tower to prevent enemy intrusion.

    The bottom of the tower was a magical labyrinth created by magic.

    The master of the tower could sense the movements of life within the tower.

    But as soon as Mira reentered the tower and headed toward the library, Lance had sensed her position.

    He opened his eyes for a moment, then closed them again.

    The library did have a secret passage to the top of the tower, but Mira didn¡¯t know this secret.

    With a crisp snap of his fingers, a bright flame appeared at the tip of Mira¡¯s fingers.

    She extended her hand, and under the light, the rotating staircase indeed appeared before her.

    Mira gently touched the handrail, and the sharp sensation made her quickly retract her finger. She brought the light closer and noticed the exquisite carvings on the handrail.

    She had just happened to rest her finger on the head of a giant dragon.

    Mira bent down, examining the dragon sculpture up close.

    Contrary to what she had imagined, this wasn¡¯t an evil black dragon but a type of dragon she had never seen before. As the light drew nearer, the surface of the carving gleamed with a bluish-purple glow, as though magical energy was pulsing within it.

    Mira couldn¡¯t help but shiver. She stood upright, the flame moving horizontally, and as she did, she realized that the entire handrail of the staircase was covered in countless dragon sculptures¡ªsome standing, some lying, some curled.

    Mira¡¯s expression shifted from surprise to solemnity. She stepped onto the staircase and began to ascend.

 Chapter 21

    Staircase, next step.

    Mira experienced the process of climbing the stairs with a unique sensation. It was a simple, ordinary action, but when she saw the exquisitely carved dragons on the banister, she instinctively felt something was off.

    The original owner of the tower was human. Observing the design of the stairs, it seemed like the decor was meant for human use, so why were there so many dragons carved on the railing?

    Was the original tower owner involved in some kind of dragon worship?

    A strange thought flickered through Mira¡¯s mind, and she quickly shook her head to dismiss it.

    In truth, dragon worship wasn¡¯t so unusual. Mira had once seen a book in the Magic Hub¡¯s library about an evil necromantic magic, created by a group of demon worshipers who formed a wicked magical cube. She had stumbled upon that book by chance, drawn in by the demonic symbols on its cover, and it was filled with restricted content.

    However, the next time she went looking for the book, it was gone.

    Mira speculated that it had been misplaced. Judging by its contents, it was certainly a forbidden book. The magic described within was brutal, both in terms of its effects and its casting methods.

    No one in the Magic Hub would use such magic, Mira thought. But even as she considered this, a wave of melancholy washed over her. She was no longer certain that this was true.

    Mira shook her head, patting her cheek as if to clear the thoughts from her mind, and continued up the spiral staircase.

    She was very curious about the magical structure of the tower. She wanted to know how such a structure was constructed.

    Space-folding magic was a very advanced technique, and because folding space caused damage to dimensions, the magic involved was far more intense than most other spells. Only a skilled magician, with precise control over their magic and the use of appropriate media, could minimize the chaotic energy caused by tearing through space.

    That was the most difficult part of building a tower.

    Mira ascended the spiral stairs, completely absorbed in the smoothness of her movement. She didn¡¯t even notice the awkward sensation that would usually arise from the forced merging of spaces.

    It was truly impressive. The control over magic here was remarkable.

    Mira was becoming increasingly certain¡ªshe, too, wanted to become a magician capable of building a tower of this caliber.

    When she reached the three-hundredth step, Mira was beginning to breathe heavily, but still hadn¡¯t seen the books that Lance had mentioned. She was starting to feel a bit tired, so she leaned against the banister for a quick rest.

    The dragon carvings on the railing remained vivid and lifelike, not at all losing their detail as she climbed higher.

    Mira reached out to touch the head of one of the dragons.

    The metal didn¡¯t respond to her touch, but Mira looked up at the top of the stairs. She didn¡¯t know how much further she had to go, but the thought didn¡¯t dull her anticipation.

    After a brief rest, she resumed her climb.

    When her internal count reached five hundred, a faint light appeared ahead, much brighter than the previous dimness, as though someone had opened a small window on the tower¡¯s outer wall.

    The light rushed in, gradually dispelling the darkness.

    Mira felt a renewed sense of hope. Her weary legs regained some strength, and she quickened her pace, running up a few more steps. Soon enough, a wooden bookshelf appeared before her.

    She exhaled gently and looked up, a new space revealed before her eyes.

    The spiral staircase continued upward, but a new path also led forward to the library.

    Without hesitation, Mira stepped forward, and as her feet left the staircase, the steps behind her vanished.

    Such incredible magic.

    Her attention turned back to the library before her.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Everything related to magic seemed inseparable from books. Whether in the tower or the Magic Hub, the quantity of books appeared to determine whether a magician had truly powerful magic abilities.

    Almost every mage boasted an impressive library, even if they hadn¡¯t read all the books. The shelves were always packed to the brim¡ªthis was what it meant to have substance. It was as if a magician¡¯s strength was measured not by their own magical abilities but by the number of books they possessed.

    However, this was just Mira¡¯s strange thought. She actually liked this atmosphere¡ªwhere books filled every shelf, and shelves filled every room. Especially when she walked alone into a library, it felt almost like stepping into the chambers of the gods.

    The feeling of quietly immersing herself in her own world, hidden from the eyes of others, was simply wonderful.

    Unfortunately, the Magic Hub¡¯s library was huge, and there were many people borrowing books every day.

    It wasn¡¯t a place meant to be hers alone.

    But now, it felt different. Here, she was the only one.

    Mira wove between the narrow aisles of bookshelves. There was no musty smell from old books here, but rather a faint, pleasant fragrance in the air¡ªsomething like ink, but also like blooming water lilies.

    It seemed to be the work of magic.

    Mira¡¯s gaze moved from one bookshelf to another. The library appeared to have been untouched for a long time, yet neither the higher nor the lower shelves had any dust on them.

    It was magic at work. A cleaning spell, one with an unusually long duration.

    Cleaning spells weren¡¯t particularly difficult, but to maintain their effect for more than half a year required great skill in spell control.

    The tower was full of surprises.

    Mira¡¯s fingers skimmed the spines of the books, reading their titles.

    She paused on one, blinking in surprise, then took the book from the shelf.

    Magical Cooking.

    It was just the kind of magic she needed. Mira flipped through the pages.

    The book¡¯s author had been a traveling and food-loving mage centuries ago. On his journeys, he had always struggled to find freshly cooked meals, and in a fit of anger, he created more than a dozen culinary magic spells. From then on, he dedicated his life to researching magical cooking.

    This was so convenient, Mira thought. She definitely didn¡¯t want to eat that bitter oatmeal again, like she had this morning.

    Her cooking skills were too poor to make anything delicious. But the clever predecessors always solved these real-life problems with magic.

    Mira closed the book, planning to go back to the tower¡¯s bottom later to examine it more closely. She didn¡¯t stop, instead continuing to wander deeper into the library.

    She was looking for the room with the scrolls that Lance had mentioned.

    As she moved through the library, Mira spotted a closed door on one side. There was a small nameplate next to it, with something written on it. She leaned in to read it, but suddenly, an energy force pushed her away.

    It was a magical pulse.

    Mira quickly reached for her medium crystal in her pocket, but the magic didn¡¯t seem to be harmful.

    ¡°W-who are you?¡±

    Mira jumped in surprise, scanning the area, searching for the source of the voice.

    ¡°Down here!¡±

    The voice came from below.

    Mira looked down and saw, standing on the floor, a white humanoid figure. The voice had come from it.

    She blinked in confusion. It was a paper golem.

    It was a creation brought to life through magic¡ªAnimation Magic, a very high-level spell.

    The tower continued to surprise her.

    The origami spirit stood with its hands on its hips, blocking Mira¡¯s way.

    It didn¡¯t speak for a while, and when it did, its voice was dry and hoarse. But after a few sentences, it started speaking more fluidly.

    ¡°This is the master¡¯s study. Who are you?¡±

    The small creature, no bigger than the palm of her hand, looked fierce, but even if it was aggressive, it was just made of paper.

    Mira stretched out a finger, and a gust of wind, seemingly created from nowhere, began to swirl around her. She controlled it to gently push the origami spirit¡¯s body.

    "Y-you... you reckless intruder, put me down!¡± the origami spirit protested, floating in the air in front of Mira.

    ¡°Your master?¡± Mira observed it carefully.

    ¡°You¡¯re just a blank piece of paper. You don¡¯t look very old.¡±

    Old paper golems would turn yellow with age.

    The origami spirit remained floating, its hands still on its hips.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± It didn¡¯t want to discuss itself, but instead focused on questioning the girl in front of it. Why did she get to interrogate him?

    Mira watched him.

    ¡°Is your master a dragon?¡± she asked.

    The golem tilted its head, about to respond, but then a familiar voice rang out.

    Fortunately, its paper face didn¡¯t show any change in expression, or Mira would have noticed the surprise and excitement that flashed across its features.

    Its master had been missing for almost half a month.

    Following the voice in its mind, it answered weakly.

    ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± It replied, its tone lacking energy.

    Mira narrowed her eyes slightly.

    ¡°Alright, I see.¡± She held the origami spirit up, closely inspecting it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more question. Do you keep scrolls in here?¡±

    The golem hesitated, then answered, ¡°The scrolls are in another room.¡±

    ¡°Can you take me there?¡± Mira asked.

    ¡°Answer me first¡ªwho are you?¡± The origami spirit insisted on this point. Otherwise, hearing its master''s voice, it would have used magic to obliterate this rude woman.

    ¡°Me?¡± Mira stepped closer.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never seen me before. I¡¯m new here.¡±

    The origami spirit floated, avoiding Mira¡¯s approach.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste time with useless talk. I know you¡¯re new here.¡±

    Having lived here for six months, it had never seen this woman before.

    The fact that she managed to reach the upper floors of the tower meant she was no ordinary person. And somehow, her master was on her side.

    ¡°The king sent me here. He said I should marry the master of the tower.¡± Mira smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Mira, and I might become the new bride of the magical dragon.¡±

    ¡°The master of the tower...¡± The origami spirit murmured, repeating her words. ¡°The bride of the magical dragon.¡±

    There was only one dragon in the tower.

    The little golem¡¯s body trembled slightly.

    ¡°Take me to the scroll room,¡± Mira said.

    Given its master''s permission, the origami spirit could only reluctantly float before Mira.

    Mira observed the tiny paper golem floating ahead of her, her expression turning serious.

    Dragons couldn''t create such exquisite works of paper with their terrifying claws.

 Chapter 22

    Mira followed the origami spirit deeper into the library. Her gaze remained fixed on the creature in front of her.

    A freshly made paper creation, imbued with a powerful magic.

    She began to wonder¡ªbefore she entered the tower, aside from the dragon, were there others here? Other powerful spellcasters?

    But this thought only lingered briefly in Mira¡¯s mind. It was too vast. Strictly speaking, the spellcasters who had entered the tower before her¡ªLance could be considered one of them.

    But the origami spirit had said ¡°the master¡¯s study.¡±

    It didn¡¯t specify who the master was¡ªwas it the one who created him, the one he referred to as ¡°master,¡± or was it the tower¡¯s owner?

    Mira knew that the tower belonged to the dragon. Before the dragon, it had belonged to a powerful, unnamed spellcaster.

    No, there must have been more than just these two. Lance had mentioned that the tower¡¯s previous owner was his mother¡¯s partner.

    That was strange. His mother¡¯s partner, but not his father?

    Maybe Lance¡¯s mother had several partners¡ªthis could make sense. Such a personal question, however, she couldn¡¯t directly ask Lance.

    Her curiosity was overwhelming.

    Mira squeezed her fingers together. She was really very curious.

    Spellcasters were always curious, and that curiosity was what allowed them to solve all kinds of strange problems.

    Thinking about it, Mira realized her personality really did seem to be suited to becoming a mage.

    She gave herself a mental pat on the back, her mood brightening.

    ¡°This is it,¡± the origami spirit said, looking at the closed door of a room. ¡°This is where the scrolls are kept.¡±

    Mira stepped past the spirit, standing before the closed door. She reached out, trying to push the large door open.

    But just as she had expected, there was a magical seal on the door. It would take special means to open it.

    Mira frowned. Lance knew there were scrolls here, but he hadn¡¯t told her about the magical barrier on the door.

    She turned to the origami spirit. ¡°Can you open it?¡±

    The little figure, with its lifeless eyes, surveyed Mira.

    ¡°No,¡± it said bluntly. It was merely a product of the master¡¯s boredom. Being able to float and speak a few words was already impressive.

    Though imbued with magic, it was still fundamentally just a piece of paper. It could at most manipulate a tiny amount of the energy it had been given to perform simple tricks, like floating.

    Mira wasn¡¯t surprised. She took a medium crystal out of her pocket.

    The magic crystal lay quietly in her palm. As her gaze fell on it, she recalled Lance¡¯s words.

    The core technology of the medium crystal came from the goblin tribe, which had been wiped out by the Human Magic Hub.

    She held her breath for a moment, hesitating, before putting the crystal away.

    This action clearly meant that she had abandoned the idea of opening the door.

    The origami spirit watched her, not understanding her actions. Unfortunately, as a paper creation, it couldn¡¯t express confusion.

    With a stiff face, the little figure, the only expression it could maintain, continued to stare at Mira.

    Mira didn¡¯t rush to open the door. Instead, she quietly studied the magic on it. This spell was different from the one she had seen in the tower¡¯s storage room¡ªit was new and powerful. She could open the door with a simple opening spell, but the energy consumption from the medium crystal would be too much.

    A freshly empowered little paper man. And a powerful spell.

    It was clear that the same person who had created the origami spirit had also cast this spell. Was this the master who had imbued the spirit with life?

    In the brief time she had spent in the library, questions piled up one after another. Mira wanted answers, and all of them pointed toward Lance, who had entered the tower before her.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    A mage full of secrets.

    Mira didn¡¯t need to ask. She knew the disappearance of the dragon was related to him.

    She felt a twinge of worry. Though her intuition told her that Lance wasn¡¯t a bad person, just today, she had confirmed that her kind mentor also had a side to him that she didn¡¯t know about.

    She had too many questions. The curiosity that once explained them to herself no longer seemed enough.

    Where had the dragon gone? Was it still alive, or had it died?

    Who was the current master of the tower?

    Lance might be able to provide answers, but how should she ask? Should she just ask directly?

    Mira lowered her gaze, holding the medium crystal in her hand. It was the only thing that gave her a sense of security in that moment.

    But even magic wasn¡¯t certain.

    Mira exhaled, realizing her anxiety.

    It was the questions, the uncertainty, the fear that magic could disappear at any moment.

    She knew she had changed, but she couldn¡¯t relieve that feeling in such a short time. She needed to leave here first.

    ¡°How do I get back to the bottom of the tower?¡± Mira turned and asked the floating paper spirit. ¡°Should I go back the same way?¡±

    The spirit didn¡¯t understand her strange behavior and couldn¡¯t keep up with the rapid shifts in her thoughts. It studied Mira quietly for a while.

    She was just an ordinary, unremarkable human girl¡ªwearing a beige long dress, with two eyes, a nose, and a mouth, and black hair tied into braids.

    The origami spirit didn¡¯t have a sense of aesthetics. It was merely a paper being, its consciousness attached to the soul the master had given it.

    Complex thinking was too difficult for it.

    It didn¡¯t understand Mira, so it simply followed her lead and asked, ¡°You came up the spiral staircase, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mira nodded.

    ¡°Then follow me,¡± the origami spirit floated ahead. ¡°Only visitors need the stairs.¡± It said, leading Mira toward the center of the library.

    Only visitors needed to use the stairs. Since she reached the library through the stairs, it must have been the master who guided her there, otherwise, Mira would have gotten lost in the tower¡¯s complex spatial folds.

    The origami spirit thought back to Mira¡¯s earlier words.

    She said she was the dragon¡¯s bride.

    There was only one dragon in this tower.

    Its creator. Its master. The current Blue Dragon King, Lance.

    The dragon¡¯s bride. Though the origami spirit didn¡¯t understand when its master had acquired a bride, it had already spoken. So it understood that she was not a visitor, but would become the master of the tower. Therefore, telling her the tower¡¯s secrets was acceptable.

    Mira, holding the book in her arms, followed the floating paper spirit.

    It moved quickly, light as a feather, floating easily under the influence of magic.

    As the guardian of the library, the origami spirit was very familiar with its layout. It guided Mira through the aisles between bookshelves, and soon, they reached an open space.

    Mira stepped out of the corridor and looked up. This seemed to be the center of the library.

    Surrounding it were corridors leading to different sections containing various books. She had entered through one such corridor, which was labeled ¡°Practical Magic.¡±

    The origami spirit stopped by a pool of sky-blue water. It turned and asked Mira, who was inspecting everything around her, ¡°Are you afraid of heights?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mira reacted, following its gaze to the pool.

    ¡°Jump down from here,¡± the origami spirit said, staring at the sky-blue pool.

    In reality, it wasn¡¯t water, but a magical creation derived from a spatial spell, something called spatial essence.

    The origami spirit couldn¡¯t remember many complex magical terms.

    The master had said it worked like a portal, connecting all the folded spaces within the tower.

    ¡°This is a Moon Gate. If you jump in, you¡¯ll reach the bottom of the tower.¡±

    ¡°Jump in?¡± Mira looked at the pool, feeling the energy fluctuation. It was different from the chaotic turbulence she usually sensed with magic. The blue water exuded a calm, soothing aura.

    The origami spirit floated above the Moon Gate.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡±

    Mira turned toward it. ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡±

    The origami spirit didn¡¯t understand her curiosity. It continued, ¡°If you¡¯re scared, you can still return the same way and see the spiral staircase.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Mira stepped onto the high platform, with the sky-blue pool beneath her.

    The origami spirit floated up and reminded her, ¡°I know you can use magic, but whatever happens, don¡¯t use magic to resist. The master said using magic against it would destabilize the tower and might harm you.¡±

    Mira noted the reminder, then turned her head and asked, ¡°Do you have a name?¡±

    The origami spirit stiffened, raising its arm made of folded paper, and truthfully answered, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then how should I call you?¡± Mira looked at it. ¡°Didn¡¯t your master give you a name?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the origami spirit replied, puzzled.

    ¡°Next time you see your master, make sure to ask them to give you a name.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®he,¡¯¡± the origami spirit corrected Mira, ¡°he.¡±

    Mira raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    Mira thought to herself, It¡¯s a man.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Mira said, her gaze returning to the ¡°water.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    With that, the girl jumped into the air.

    She fell, as if plunging into a cold, refreshing spring. There was no sensation of drowning, but the sound of the wind rushing by as she plummeted at high speed.

    Mira had kept her eyes closed at first, listening to the wind scream in her ears, but then she tried opening them, hoping to observe her surroundings.

    It was nothing like the darkness she had imagined. Instead, she plunged into a vast expanse of blue, as if she were leaping from thousands of meters in the air. The wind whipped her skirt around, and her hair flew wildly.

    Mira watched as she fell rapidly, heading toward a dim area.

    She knew that was the bottom of the tower.

    The anxiety she had felt earlier was swept away by the wind. The exhilarating experience was impossible to imagine. She and the pure energy merged as one, and in the embrace of energy, she landed smoothly.

    Lance looked at Mira, who had suddenly appeared, and immediately realized she had used the magical passage in the tower to return.

    The lightning pool had once been a Moon Gate, but due to some magical anomaly, it had changed.

    He looked at Mira, but didn¡¯t see the scroll she had retrieved.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t find the scroll?¡± If she had come back through the Moon Gate, it meant she must have seen the magical creation.

    ¡°No,¡± Mira said, walking closer and answering Lance¡¯s question.

    ¡°That¡¯s strange. The door was sealed with very strong energy. Was that done by the tower¡¯s master?¡±

    Lance was about to respond, but before he could speak, he realized the trap in Mira¡¯s words.

    He raised his gaze to Mira, whose eyes were smiling, waiting for him to speak.

    Lance realized that the human girl in front of him was very shrewd.

 Chapter 23

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

 Chapter 24

    The girl¡¯s strange thoughts sometimes exceeded the expectations of the blue dragon.

    He fell silent for a moment, bypassing a question he couldn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°Want to try it out?¡± he asked.

    Mira stared at the scale in her palm.

    ¡°If you give me the medium, won¡¯t it cause you any problems?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I have plenty more,¡± Lance replied honestly.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Mira was reassured and put it away, though she didn¡¯t intend to use it just yet.

    ¡°The medium is too valuable,¡± she said, showing a stingy expression. ¡°I¡¯ll wait until the crucial moment to use it.¡±

    ¡°My life is more valuable,¡± Lance said, watching Mira tuck the scale into her pocket. ¡°Aren¡¯t you planning to subdue the magical dragon? It¡¯d be better to use it for that.¡±

    ¡°Do you think the magical dragon will come back?¡± Mira turned to look at Lance, her uncertainty apparent.

    There were too many strange secrets inside the tower.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lance nodded firmly. ¡°He will definitely come back.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so sure,¡± Mira said, a new question rising in her mind.

    Lance sighed inwardly. Mira¡¯s thoughts were too erratic, and perhaps from now on, he¡¯d have to think carefully before speaking to avoid being caught by this girl with a bizarre way of thinking.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lance said, looking at her. ¡°What did you see in the library?¡±

    ¡°Books piled up like mountains.¡±

    ¡°What about the other storage rooms?¡±

    ¡°Grain, wood, stones¡­¡± As each word slipped from her lips, Mira¡¯s eyes gradually brightened.

    She had only explored a few rooms in the tower? There were so many more rooms, and it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that a tower was like a world in itself.

    Seeing the sudden realization on Mira¡¯s face, Lance nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°There are too many treasures in this tower. The magical dragon won¡¯t give it up,¡± he added. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m still here.¡±

    The magical dragon wouldn¡¯t miss any opportunity to humiliate him. After all, how could the high-and-mighty black dragon allow himself to be defeated by a weak blue dragon?

    For the black dragon, it wasn¡¯t even about obtaining the tower. What he wanted was to crush the blue dragon clan and make him admit, with unwillingness on his face, that he was a freak.

    Lance turned his head.

    Only he viewed the tower as something of extraordinary significance.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand,¡± Mira said, tilting her head at Lance. ¡°Why would the magical dragon want to marry a princess? The tower doesn¡¯t seem suitable for a delicate princess life.¡±

    Mira couldn¡¯t help but think of Princess Maria. She was a kind-hearted girl, filled with curiosity just like Mira. But the king had always spoiled her, which meant the princess had never left the kingdom and didn¡¯t possess the strength to protect herself.

    Mira was somewhat glad that it was she who came to the tower instead of Maria. If Maria had been sent to the tower, they would have starved to death together with Lance.

    There was no food here, nor any water.

    Maria would certainly stay optimistic, but optimism couldn¡¯t replace strength.

    Mira had magic.

    She sighed. The days spent with Maria in the kingdom were really fun. I wonder how she¡¯s doing now?

    Human girls were truly the most mysterious and frightening things in the world.

    After hearing the sigh, Lance¡¯s mind was left with only one thought.

    A minute ago, Mira was happily discussing whether the magical dragon would return to the tower. In just one minute, she had started sighing.

    The giant dragon observed her expression, but she didn¡¯t seem unhappy.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you adapt well?¡± Lance asked her. ¡°Although, you might not be a princess.¡±

    Mira tilted her head. She wasn¡¯t surprised that Lance knew her identity because she didn¡¯t seem like a princess.

    ¡°You can say that to me,¡± she said, ¡°but I must be a princess. Understand?¡±

    If the magical dragon knew the king had lied to him, it could bring even more trouble. Right now, the magical dragon wasn¡¯t here, but Lance said he would definitely return.

    She had acted overly curious about magic, revealing her identity in front of Lance. Good mages were always clever, and Mira knew she had been too hasty.

    ¡°Why do you insist on staying here?¡± Lance asked. If she wasn¡¯t a princess, then she wouldn¡¯t be the magical dragon¡¯s bride.

    ¡°The scale is a permanent medium,¡± Lance said seriously. ¡°If you take it and leave, you can use the scale to filter and cast magic for the rest of your life.¡±

    ¡°I have nowhere else to go.¡± Mira stared at him. ¡°You seem to not want me to stay here, Lance. Are you having second thoughts about teaching me magic?¡±

    ¡°Mages are interested in many things. Mira, you¡¯ve been asking me a lot of questions. We need to be fair.¡±

    ¡°You already know why I¡¯m here in the tower, and I only know you¡¯re a fake¡­ no, a real princess,¡± Mira pouted, hesitating whether to reveal something to Lance. He was a powerful mage, and he had traveled across most cities of the continent. He must have more knowledge than she did.

    Could he help her? Mira still remembered the description of ¡°her¡± in the letter.

    The strongest casting medium created by the Magic Nexus in this world.

    ¡°She¡± could be shared.

    A medium was a unique existence. Shared mediums¡ªthis was a new and unfamiliar concept.

    Even more frightening was that Mira realized she was the medium. Was she going to be shared, torn apart, and consumed?

    She moved around, pacing a circle before stopping back in front of Lance.

    ¡°What do you know about the Magic Nexus?¡±

    Lance smiled.

    ¡°You want to trick me for information without telling me anything?¡±

    Her little scheme was exposed, but Mira wasn¡¯t discouraged.

    ¡°I lived in the Magic Nexus for eighteen years,¡± she looked at Lance. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious why I suddenly left?¡±

    Lance squinted slightly, not speaking, waiting for Mira to answer.

    ¡°I saw a letter on my mentor¡¯s desk. To this day, I believe he purposely let me see it.¡± Mira gazed at him. ¡°The letter said they were going to use the best medium humans had ever created. It said, ¡®she.¡¯ ¡®She¡¯ is the medium.¡± Mira¡¯s voice trembled.

    ¡°I was just scared, an indescribable fear.¡± Mira¡¯s hands shook as she recalled her instinctive shivering at that time. She could still feel the palpitations.

    It was just an ordinary letter. Letters exchanged between mentors and old friends were never just one or two. But only this time did Mira feel an indescribable fear.

    And Lance¡¯s earlier words had provided a reason to explain where this fear was coming from.

    The Magic Nexus had stolen parts of the goblin technology related to creating casting mediums, and twenty years ago, they had made their last move on the goblins.

    The goblins who survived never mentioned this catastrophe. Though they hated the Magic Nexus, they never tried to retaliate.

    Perhaps the ¡°she¡± in Mira¡¯s words was¡­ Lance¡¯s gaze fixed on the girl in front of him. She was just a gifted spellcaster, a girl with a natural sensitivity, and apart from that, the Dragon¡¯s Eye could not see anything unusual about her.

    ¡°You think she is you,¡± Lance gently nodded, looking at Mira, whose eyes held confusion and worry.

    ¡°I ran away because of this guess. I left the Magic Nexus in a hurry, but your words confirmed it. Ever since I left, the pursuers behind me have never stopped.¡± Mira recalled the days and nights spent in fear of being chased.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the king¡¯s recruitment order, she truly wouldn¡¯t know where to go next.

    In the palace, Mira spent the most peaceful time during her flight, meeting the frank and fragile Maria. Just like her, the princess also had her troubles.

    However, her troubles seemed a little childish in Mira¡¯s eyes.

    Mira wasn¡¯t afraid of being sacrificed to the magical dragon because she really had nowhere else to go.

    And coming to the tower was completely different from her imagination. Lance was a strange guy, but Mira didn¡¯t deny his vast knowledge.

    Although Lance had appeared extremely weak since she arrived in the tower, Mira¡¯s mage intuition told her he was hiding a lot more.

    In her pocket, Mira carried a piece of dragon scale. The blue-glowing dragon scale¡ªif Lance¡¯s story was true, it came from a blue dragon.

    A spellcaster who survived dragon flames, a lost spell, and using dragon scales as a casting medium. From his words, one could tell he had deep connections with the tower¡¯s previous master.

    Lance was also considering whether the ¡°she¡± Mira mentioned referred to a person. During his travels, he had indeed heard about goblins creating a more powerful medium, but before this news could be verified, the goblin settlement was attacked.

    The goblins who were lucky enough to survive never spoke of the catastrophe. They hated the Magic Nexus, but never sought revenge.

    Maybe the ¡°she¡± in Mira¡¯s words was¡­ Lance watched the girl in front of him. She was just a gifted spellcaster, an exceptionally perceptive girl, and aside from that, his Dragon¡¯s Eye didn¡¯t notice anything strange about her.

    ¡°Does this question make you troubled?¡± Mira looked at Lance, who hadn¡¯t answered yet, and wondered if she had made it difficult for him.

    Lance wasn¡¯t a mage from the Magic Nexus; how could he possibly know how they planned things?

    ¡°The clues are too few,¡± Lance shook his head.

    ¡°I know humans have been trying to create powerful mediums. But, as I told you before, mediums come from nature. Every strong mage is strong because of their own power. Although I don¡¯t know what ¡®she¡¯ represents in your words, the only thing I can say is that their direction is wrong.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve already said that once¡­¡± Mira felt a little annoyed. Was she wasting Lance¡¯s time by being so fixated on it?

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Lance still maintained patience. ¡°It¡¯s normal to feel scared when something concerns you personally. After all, this isn¡¯t an ordinary matter.¡±

    ¡°Do you really not think I¡¯m troublesome?¡± Mira looked at him. ¡°Sometimes, I even think I¡¯m strange. The other people at the Magic Nexus thought so too¡­ They said I asked too many questions. But isn¡¯t it a mage¡¯s job to maintain curiosity? Can everything really be figured out by following the usual steps?¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m strange?¡± Lance didn¡¯t answer directly but asked her back.

    Mira shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re very patient, Lance. If others heard my questions, they would show signs of disgust soon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve always been called a freak, Mira.¡±

    Mira blinked. How could this be? Lance had such a good personality. He was mysterious, but he was truly patient in answering her questions.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to comfort me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯ve always been called a freak,¡± Lance¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of recollection. ¡°They always liked to bully me.¡±

 Chapter 25

    ¡°Why?¡± Mira simply couldn¡¯t understand.

    Lance was a good person. Although they hadn¡¯t known each other for long, he had already shared a lot of knowledge about magic.

    What was most important was not the medium, but the self. His words, though simple, offered Mira an entirely different perspective, one that broke the constraints she had grown up with in the rigid system of the Magic Nexus.

    He helped her break free from the limitations imposed by her previous environment.

    So why would Lance be called a freak as well?

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I was born different?¡± Lance replied with a smile, clearly unconcerned about being unwelcome.

    ¡°Many times, being different does make us the ones who are ostracized,¡± Mira lowered her head, recalling some of the unpleasant events from her own life. She hadn¡¯t expected someone like Lance, a mage, to face the same problems she did.

    Seeing the flash of sadness on Mira¡¯s face, Lance didn¡¯t want to continue the topic, knowing it might make her uncomfortable.

    His gaze wandered, landing on the heavy books placed on the low table.

    The great dragon squinted slightly. With the power of his extraordinary race, he easily read the small text on the spine of the book.

    ¡°Mira, didn¡¯t you pick out some books from the library?¡± Lance diverted her attention away from the previous conversation, focusing her attention on what was happening right now.

    ¡°Do you want to give it a try?¡±

    Mira remembered the book she had ignored, The Art of Magical Cooking. She turned to look at the book on the table.

    She blinked. ¡°Right.¡±

    Mira walked over and picked up the book on magical cooking. As she saw the title, her mind was involuntarily reminded of a joke among traveling mages.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always known that mages in the traveling school could bake their own bread, but since I¡¯ve been at the Magic Nexus, I¡¯ve never used that kind of spell. With this, I can cook on my own,¡± she said thoughtfully. ¡°Magical cooking should taste better than what I could make myself.¡±

    Lance¡¯s gaze moved from the cover of the book to her, acknowledging her little moment of excitement.

    ¡°We can try it tonight.¡±

    Mira thought about the supplies she still had. ¡°I have two pounds of beef and two loaves of bread left. I¡¯d like to try using magic to bake the bread.¡± She added with a spark in her eyes, ¡°This spell is very famous.¡±

    Lance tilted his head. He wasn¡¯t particularly interested unless the spell involved making meat patties by hand. Dragons were carnivorous, and other foods were indigestible to them.

    The amount of food Mira had prepared would be enough for a grown man but would not even fill the gap in the jaws of an adult dragon.

    Though Lance appeared human at the moment, he was definitely not one.

    Mira, of course, had no idea what Lance was thinking from a few meters away. She sat in the chair and began flipping through the book on magical cooking.

    This book didn¡¯t just explain the specific spellcasting process for turning magic into food, but also included some enticing food illustrations.

    Mira couldn¡¯t help but think, if she could master all the cooking magic in this book, she could open a small restaurant in a city by the dock once she left the tower.

    She could serve customers with these magical dishes every day. If someone from the Magic Nexus came by, she could sneak out the back door and take the earliest ship to leave.

    Anyway, the dimensional ring the king had given her was filled with money¡ªenough for her to open any small shop in any city in the world. Thinking of the bright future ahead, Mira felt more motivated than ever.

    But what she wanted most was to become a mage in the tower. If that didn¡¯t work out, she could always run a restaurant.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The restaurant was her backup plan. Mira nodded to herself and forced her overly active thoughts to focus back on the book in front of her.

    As she flipped through the pages, the dazzling illustrations almost made her drool.

    She wasn¡¯t really drooling, right? Mira pretended to prop her head up with one hand and quickly wiped her mouth with the other.

    No, it was just an illusion. She sighed and continued reading the cooking book.

    Mira thought this was probably the most practical magic book she had ever seen. What could be more tempting than delicious food?

    She was starting to feel hungry, and the strange emotions she¡¯d had earlier seemed to have vanished. The girl was eager to try the new magic and couldn¡¯t wait to begin.

    She turned to the first page of the book. The first spell recorded was Handmade Bread.

    Mira took out the blue dragon scale from her pocket. Holding the gift from the mage, she glanced at the man who had given it to her.

    Lance was resting with his eyes closed.

    His injuries were still healing, so it was perfectly normal for him to need a long rest.

    Mira felt a strange, indescribable feeling. In just a few days, this mysterious mage had provided her with so much help. While she had saved him, it was she who felt more grateful to him.

    Mira pulled her gaze away and spread her palm. The shiny dragon scale rested in her hand.

    Today, she was determined to show her skills and prepare a magical feast for Lance as a thank you.

    She recalled the steps from the book, gathering the surrounding magical energy as instructed.

    In simple terms, the spellcasting process involved the mage¡¯s own mental energy influencing the surrounding magic, filtering out harmful parts through the medium, and then using the remaining energy to cast the spell.

    As she followed the prescribed method, it was as though some reckless person had thrown a lit firecracker into a bear¡¯s hibernating den.

    Boom¡ªBoom¡ª

    The chaotic magic was awakened. It gathered together in disarray, like a bunch of noisy children shouting and screeching, their cries echoing one after another.

    This was only a simple spell, but the different medium made the experience entirely different.

    The dragon scale given to her by Lance acted like a guiding light in the dark, leading the noisy children in the right direction. They really did become gentle, transforming from bothersome children into winged spirits. Following the guiding light, they were arranged and organized by Mira¡¯s will.

    A soft blue glow spilled out from the dragon scale in her palm, enveloping Mira¡¯s body.

    For a brief moment, she felt as if she were soaring through the clouds on the back of a giant dragon. The dragon¡¯s form was vague, rolling through thick and light clouds, its wings unfurled, shaking, with light escaping from the path it flew.

    Mira had the strange feeling that she wasn¡¯t standing in the tower anymore. Instead, she was in an open wilderness, with endless green fields beneath her feet, and the sky above filled with dark clouds and sunlight, hiding a gigantic creature.

    She didn¡¯t feel like she was making magical bread; it was as though she was creating her own tower.

    The heavy clouds parted as the giant dragon swept through them, and the ground beneath her feet trembled.

    Suddenly, Mira realized that the ground beneath her wasn¡¯t land at all¡ªit was the back of a real dragon. The wind whistled past her ears, and the icy cold of the clouds clung to her face.

    Her awareness remained clear. She knew she was just practicing a simple spell, but these overwhelming and impossible illusions were still emanating from the blue scale in her hand.

    Mira was riding a giant dragon, flying through the clouds, and the world beneath her seemed so far away.

    When she finally opened her eyes, the sensation of solid ground beneath her feet came as a sudden shock.

    Mira blinked. This was the first time she had felt that spellcasting could be such a complex process, yet it felt as natural as eating or sleeping.

    The girl looked at the magic bread in her palm and then at the blue scale in her hand.

    Such a grand scene, and all for the sake of a small loaf of bread.

    How strange. It felt like a daydream, like a legendary story she had imagined in her mind before falling asleep.

    So embarrassing. Mira lowered her head, sneaking a glance at Lance to see if he had noticed anything suspicious in her expression.

    ¡°Lance,¡± she asked, her gaze flickering back and forth. Had she given away some strange look?

    ¡°Did it work?¡± Lance pressed his hands against the blanket.

    He bit his lip. When Mira had invoked the magic through the scale, it was as if the magic had passed through him.

    Underneath the thin blanket, his legs were covered by newly grown dragon scales, as if they had been summoned, growing wildly in response to Mira¡¯s magic.

    Lance had never experienced anything like this before. He pressed down on the blanket, trying to hide the abnormality as best as he could.

    But Mira walked over, carefully holding the magic bread in her hands, her bright eyes fixed on him as she approached.

    It was as if she was trying to figure something out.

    Lance pressed the blanket down.

    ¡°It looks good,¡± he said, forcing his gaze to stay on the bread in Mira¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Yes¡­ yes,¡± Mira stammered. The bread looked good, but the process of casting the spell had been so strange.

    ¡°How¡¯s the new medium?¡± Lance asked, probing to see if she felt the anomaly too.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s very good.¡± Mira stammered again, trying to find the right words to describe her experience.

    Thinking of Lance¡¯s words, she blurted out, ¡°It feels like nature.¡±

    Lance froze for a moment. Her words seemed to act as a soothing balm. Suddenly, the new dragon scales growing on his legs ceased their restless movements and seemed to display the natural comfort Mira had described.

    Lance squinted his eyes, and his Dragon¡¯s Eye moved over Mira again. But he still couldn¡¯t sense anything out of the ordinary¡ªMira was just a girl with good talent.

    Mira hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke.

    ¡°Would you like to try the magic bread?¡± She thought that for such a simple spell to cause such a disturbance, the bread must taste pretty good.

    Lance, being a dragon, couldn¡¯t digest anything except meat, so he should refuse.

    But seeing Mira¡¯s expectant expression, the refusal that was about to leave his mouth turned into agreement.

    ¡°A little bit,¡± the blue dragon muttered, somewhat annoyed, but it was too late to change his mind.

 Chapter 26

    Mira''s eyes lit up.

    She looked at the magical bread in her hands. The bread''s shape was based on the large loaves she had seen in the bakery. The advantage of this type of bread was its large size and ease of storage. However, its obvious drawback was that it was too big¡ªeating it elegantly was clearly a difficult task.

    Mira glanced at Lance, and for a brief moment, her mind conjured up an image of him holding the huge loaf of bread with both hands, gnawing at it.

    No! That¡¯s too strange. Mira quickly interrupted her thoughts.

    She took a step back and clearly saw the confusion in Lance''s eyes.

    "Wait a moment."

    The girl¡¯s tone rose slightly, betraying her current joy. "I''ll go cut it." Mira smiled, turned around, humming a nameless tune, and walked toward the cabinet on the other side.

    As she cut the bread, Mira thought to herself that now she had a magic cookbook; she should have a proper kitchen.

    There was a stove for starting fires to cook. There were cabinets to store all kinds of beautiful tableware.

    Mira recalled the trays in the Magic Energy Nexus cafeteria. They were so stiff and ugly.

    She remembered the magnificent plates and crystal glasses in the royal palace.

    They were simply beautiful.

    Mira couldn¡¯t help but think¡ªshe now had a lot of money, and if the opportunity arose, she wanted a lot of beautiful tableware too.

    After cutting the bread, Mira wrapped it in a brown paper bag and handed it to Lance.

    Her gaze landed on him, filled with anticipation.

    Lance tried hard to control his perception, attempting to ignore the look of expectation in her eyes. But the dragon¡¯s perception was innate.

    Lance stiffly turned his neck, forcing himself to focus on the bread. He reached out, took a small piece, and swallowed with a slight movement of his throat.

    He was somewhat afraid of disappointing Mira¡¯s expectations. After all, he was a dragon, and this bread, he couldn¡¯t digest it at all.

    Once he swallowed it, he would have to secretly spit it out when Mira wasn¡¯t looking.

    She might be very upset.

    Lance raised his head and looked at Mira. The expectation in her eyes flickered like fireworks.

    Human girls¡¯ expectations were really troublesome.

    Lance thought to himself, then took a small bite of the bread.

    Mira watched his expression carefully, trying to judge the taste of the bread from his face.

    In fact, she had some strange thoughts. After all, this bread wasn¡¯t made with the flour and water she was used to.

    Would the taste be strange...?

    Mira carefully observed every expression on Lance¡¯s face. When she saw his furrowed brows relax, she secretly let out a breath.

    Lance was surprised.

    Perhaps because the bread was made purely from magic, as he chewed, it gradually transformed into pure energy, the same kind of energy that mages use when casting spells. However, the magical energy¡¯s violent factors were filtered by the medium, making the energy entering his body gentle. This wasn¡¯t a bad thing for mages.

    Because the magic consumed to create this magical bread was far less than the magic it brought.

    Although, for the blue dragon, this amount of magic was nothing, if Mira ate this pure magical bread for an extended period of time, her magic might be enhanced.

    Gaining magic by eating food. This was a shortcut the blue dragon had never discovered before.

    ¡°How is it?¡± Mira softly asked Lance.

    The blue dragon nodded, directly expressing his approval.

    ¡°Very good, Mira.¡±

    It was a compliment, and Mira rarely received compliments. Her smile grew even brighter. The girl took another piece of bread from the paper bag and handed it to Lance.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°Then you eat this one first, and I¡¯ll see if I can make other dishes.¡±

    ¡°Mira.¡± Lance stopped her, also taking a piece of bread from the bag and handing it back to Mira.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let yourself go hungry.¡± He looked at her, trying to gently remind her of the bread¡¯s effect.

    She nodded and took a bite of the bread.

    Lance quickly noticed Mira¡¯s surprised expression. Her gaze shifted between the man in front of her and the bread, her face full of disbelief.

    ¡°How is it?¡± Lance asked her the same question.

    ¡°Did you notice?¡± Mira asked, astonished, looking at the bread in her hand. ¡°The book didn¡¯t mention this effect.¡±

    The magic cookbook only explained that this was a spell that could convert energy into bread, providing nourishment for mages during their travels.

    ¡°Really?¡± Lance was also surprised.

    Mira quickly ran over to grab the magic book, not forgetting to swallow the bread in her mouth.

    The sensation of magic passing through her throat and into her stomach felt so strange. Mira wondered, if she just kept eating that much bread, would she end up becoming a Tower Mage?

    No, that¡¯s too scary.

    She handed the spellbook to Lance.

    The blue dragon flipped through the pages and read the text. Indeed, there was no mention of gaining magic from eating this magical bread.

    So, it seemed that Mira¡¯s magic had changed.

    Lance continued to browse the book¡¯s description. This was a very ordinary spell, not particularly difficult. As long as there was a suitable medium, an ordinary mage could channel energy and filter out its violent factors to create an edible loaf of bread.

    The medium.

    Mira¡¯s medium had changed.

    Lance closed his eyes, recalling the relevant knowledge.

    Perhaps it was because Mira had a high degree of compatibility with her new medium. And her new medium was the freshly formed scales of this generation¡¯s Blue Dragon King.

    Lance exhaled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the cause.¡± He chose to conceal the truth. After all, he couldn¡¯t explain anything related to dragons.

    ¡°But this is a good thing.¡± Lance told Mira, ¡°You can use this method to replenish your spent magic, but you can¡¯t use it to practice.¡±

    Although shortcuts are convenient, there is always a trade-off. Pursuing progress too quickly may lead to neglecting the foundation.

    Lance was naturally gifted with powerful spellcasting abilities, but it was only through repeated trials after leaving home that he fully mastered the innate power within his body.

    Mira would be a good mage. A good mage wouldn¡¯t sacrifice quality for speed.

    The girl understood his words. The thought of eating enough bread to fill the Tower again popped into her mind...

    She quickly shook her head to dispel the absurd thought.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that,¡± Mira said, realizing her actions had caused a misunderstanding.

    ¡°I definitely won¡¯t do that.¡± The magical bread wasn¡¯t exactly unpleasant, but it could only be considered ordinary. It provided a sense of fullness. Mira still preferred eating her own food.

    She took the book from Lance.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go study other magic.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± The blue dragon quietly agreed, still wondering why Mira had such a deep bond with him.

    Late at night.

    The origami spirit entered its dormant state.

    Suddenly, a pale blue halo condensed into a humanoid shape.

    The origami spirit, resting on the long table, suddenly floated up and flew toward the pale blue light.

    ¡°Master!¡± The spirit was ecstatic. However, it didn¡¯t have an expression, and this emotion couldn¡¯t be conveyed through facial expressions; it could only be expressed by flapping its arms and legs in joy.

    Lance glanced at it.

    ¡°Where are the books about dragonkind?¡± Lance still hadn¡¯t come up with an answer.

    Why did Mira have such a high compatibility with his scales?

    Was it because he was a blue dragon? But Mira was human.

    ¡°Magical creatures.¡± The origami spirit pointed in a direction. ¡°Master, let me lead you.¡± It observed Lance''s expression, trying hard to be attentive.

    Lance knew he couldn¡¯t maintain the posture of supporting his legs with magic for too long. He didn¡¯t dare delay and quickly walked into one of the twelve corridors. With the origami spirit¡¯s help, he soon found the books containing knowledge about dragons.

    He flipped through the chapters about blue dragons. Unfortunately, blue dragons were a very rare breed of dragons. To this day, there was probably only one blue dragon still active in the world.

    Blue Dragon King? He remembered the sarcastic look on the black dragon¡¯s face when it mentioned this title.

    Lance also called himself that, just so he would never forget the shame he bore.

    The blue dragon breed was known for its peaceful and kind nature, but because of this peace and kindness, they became the most vulnerable to harm.

    The blue dragons grew fewer and fewer, until only his mother and himself, as a dragon egg, remained.

    The lonely Blue Dragon King, hiding in the last glimmer of light in the tower.

    Lance¡¯s expression was serious, but a sense of anticipation grew in his heart.

    In this world, aside from magic, nothing else should have any connection to him.

    But Mira... what was going on with her?

    The books didn¡¯t give him an answer. Lance felt a bit disappointed.

    He turned to the origami spirit and said, ¡°These books need to be hidden. Don¡¯t let Mira see them.¡±

    There were some details about the blue dragon in them, and he was afraid Mira might see them.

    The origami spirit nodded repeatedly.

    After finishing the task, Lance was about to leave, but the little spirit suddenly floated in front of him.

    ¡°Can you give me a name, Master?¡±

    ¡°What did Mira say to you?¡± Lance knew that origami spirits didn¡¯t suddenly want names, so someone who had entered here must have said something to it.

    ¡°Nothing...¡± Although it still didn¡¯t have an expression, its voice and movements were livelier now.

    Lance smiled. She really was an energetic girl, easily infecting those around her¡ªeven magical creations were no exception.

    The blue dragon extended his finger and touched the origami spirit¡¯s forehead. A faint blue magical glow spilled from his fingertip, and with a light tap, the magic surged into the origami spirit¡¯s body.

    The origami spirit¡¯s entire body trembled rapidly, and after several moments, Lance¡¯s magic was fully absorbed.

    He cast the blessing spell again, strengthening the energy within the origami spirit.

    If it had a name, it would probably last longer.

    The spirit realized the change within itself and joyfully waved its hands and feet.

    ¡°Master, Master, my name?¡±

    Lance tilted his head and thought for a moment. He didn¡¯t have a talent for naming, and his mind went blank for a moment. Suddenly, Mira¡¯s eyes appeared in a vast empty sea, sparkling like stars in the sky.

    ¡°Let¡¯s call you Xingxing (Star).¡±

 Chapter 27

    The origami spirit, now with its own name, happily fluttered around Lance. It still couldn¡¯t express itself through facial expressions, but with limbs filled with magic, it wobbled and twisted, using this movement to express its joy.

    ¡°But¡ª¡± Lance¡¯s suddenly elongated tone caused Star to freeze mid-air.

    ¡°Master?¡± The spirit noticed the change, and even its voice became soft.

    ¡°You cannot tell Mira that you have a name,¡± Lance instructed.

    Star suddenly drooped. The joy from moments ago was gone, and the paper-folded legs and feet hung limply, weak and pitiful.

    It had been planning to tell Mira the next time she came, that it now had a name.

    But the master said not to tell her.

    Lance withdrew his gaze from the origami spirit. It was good that he had remembered to specifically remind Star. If it told Mira it had a name, the clever and quick-witted girl would immediately realize that Lance had been back here.

    In this tower, there were only him and Mira.

    ¡°Did you remember?¡± Lance reminded again. ¡°You absolutely cannot tell Mira.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Star replied weakly, still floating in the air with a limp posture.

    Lance felt the magic supporting his legs was about to dissipate. He nodded in satisfaction, taking a few quick steps toward the Moon Gate. As he gazed at the azure ¡°pool,¡± he remembered something.

    He turned to Star: ¡°I¡¯ve given you new energy, enough to support you to move freely in the tower. Star, go to the top of the tower and see the status of the lightning chamber in the living room.¡±

    Star took note of Lance¡¯s words.

    ¡°Be careful,¡± Lance added. ¡°These magical corridors connect different planes in the tower. If you fall into one by mistake, it could be troublesome.¡±

    ¡­

    When Mira lifted the curtain, she saw Lance struggling to dress.

    The clothes were made by him using magic. It was a loose robe that covered his body but didn¡¯t completely conceal the wound.

    He lowered his head and, with his hands behind his back, tried to tie the straps at the back.

    Due to his lack of mobility, his movements were quite clumsy.

    Mira watched for a while but couldn¡¯t stand it any longer.

    She walked over: ¡°Let me help you.¡±

    Lance didn¡¯t refuse. He turned around, and Mira quickly tied the straps for him. Since she only knew how to tie a bow, Lance¡¯s back was soon covered with several butterfly knots.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the foot of the mountain today,¡± Mira said while tying the bow.

    ¡°You want me to use teleportation?¡± Lance immediately understood her intention.

    Mira grinned: ¡°If it¡¯s too much trouble, you can leave it to me.¡± With her newfound powerful medium, she no longer needed to worry about being unable to cast spells.

    The blue dragon sighed silently.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°Take out the medium.¡±

    Mira obediently took out a scale.

    ¡°Teleportation is a spatial magic, and it¡¯s one of the more difficult high-level spells,¡± Lance began explaining this long-forgotten spell to Mira.

    ¡°The result of this spell is to transport the caster from one place to another. It looks simple, right?¡±

    Mira nodded. She had walked through the teleportation gate herself, and honestly, it felt just like walking through one door and coming out the other.

    ¡°Teleportation is a spell where the caster connects a straight line in space with energy,¡± Mira said, trying to describe the feeling. ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a line segment,¡± Lance corrected.

    ¡°The two teleportation gates at the start and end points are the endpoints of the line segment?¡± Mira quickly understood. ¡°So first, we determine the two endpoints, and then connect them.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Correct.¡± Lance placed the medium in Mira¡¯s palm. ¡°This is a composite spell. Mira, tell me, what spells do you think make it up? You can guess freely, but give me your reasoning.¡±

    Mira closed her eyes, imagining it in her mind.

    ¡°Observation spell? Since it¡¯s a line segment, we definitely need to know the position of the endpoint. The observation spell can help us determine the distant location, which can prevent us from landing in a cliff or a river.¡±

    Lance was very satisfied with Mira¡¯s answer; that was indeed one of the components. ¡°That¡¯s one.¡±

    Mira opened her eyes. ¡°There should also be a spell for connecting the line, but I can¡¯t think of which one. The part of this spell that¡¯s been lost is probably why we can¡¯t cast teleportation, right?¡±

    ¡°Spatial Composition Magic,¡± Lance answered, clearing her confusion. He continued, ¡°This spell itself has three tiers of composition magic and is used for creating small items like storage bags.¡± His gaze fell on the ring on Mira¡¯s finger.

    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°This spell is still in use,¡± Mira said, somewhat puzzled. ¡°The middle and high-level ones are the key, right?¡±

    ¡°Middle-level magic is usually used to construct teleportation gates, while high-level spatial connection magic is the core magic used to create towers.¡±

    As Lance explained, Mira suddenly understood why her mentor, Karl, had failed to challenge the Tower Mage.

    He probably didn¡¯t know teleportation magic.

    ¡°Determine the endpoints, connect the line segments, and that¡¯s it, right?¡± Mira asked, eager to try.

    ¡°No,¡± Lance shook his head calmly. ¡°There¡¯s one more important point, the key to this spell.¡±

    Mira froze. No wonder Lance had said this was a complex composite spell. In her understanding, even double-spell combinations were already very difficult. And now, Lance was saying there was an even more crucial element.

    She fell silent, pondering his words.

    ¡°Is it another lost spell?¡± If it was a lost spell, she probably wouldn¡¯t know about it, right?

    ¡°It¡¯s a very common spell,¡± Lance hinted.

    Common, yet crucial. Mira recalled her experiences traveling through space.

    She entered the teleportation gate, stepped in, and stepped out in a very short time. Because space was compressed, the energy within must have been under extremely high pressure.

    ¡°It¡¯s a protective spell,¡± Mira thought of the answer. ¡°Very common. But its level is high, or perhaps the powerful medium filters out any potentially harmful compressed energy.¡±

    Lance smiled in satisfaction.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you said I needed a powerful medium.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s suitable, I¡¯d prefer your protective spell, created by your magic, to be strong enough.¡± Lance extended his hand.

    ¡°Give me your hand.¡±

    Mira looked at his palm. For a brief moment, she noticed that his palm lines were faint, but his life line was unusually long.

    But this wasn¡¯t the time for such thoughts.

    She gently placed her hand on Lance¡¯s.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you feel it,¡± he said. ¡°Afterward, you¡¯ll need to try it on your own, but don¡¯t step into the teleportation gate you create.¡±

    Mira nodded repeatedly. She understood. After all, she was still a beginner. If something went wrong, she might be squeezed into a pulp by space.

    Mira¡¯s hand felt soft. There were thin calluses on her knuckles, a mark left by her life as a magic apprentice.

    Lance was different. His human form resembled a pampered nobleman. His skin was soft, like it could be pinched and water would come out, but his body was full of strong muscles.

    Mira¡¯s confusion didn¡¯t last long, as she was soon distracted by the magical fluctuations emanating from his body.

    ¡°Try to control the energy and keep up with me,¡± the blue dragon said. ¡°Remember to filter with the medium.¡±

    Mira nodded and quickly focused, moving in sync with the changes in Lance¡¯s magic.

    She held his hand, feeling the magic they were both channeling as their simple movements merged together.

    Joint casting.

    Mira recalled a term she had seen in her books. This was probably it, right? Only casters with a very high energy compatibility could maintain this kind of casting state with their partner.

    Though, it was also possible that Lance¡¯s energy was guiding hers. After all, he was stronger.

    ¡°Concentrate,¡± Lance reminded her.

    Mira had no choice but to put more attention into controlling the magic.

    She felt the spell¡¯s combination, and Lance¡¯s chosen endpoint was the same alley as last time, though the process of connecting the endpoints was now more led by Mira.

    This was magic she had never cast before. Lance patiently guided her as Mira controlled the energy through the medium, matching his pace, blending together slowly, weaving a passage that connected the start and end points.

    ¡°Protective spell.¡± Once the passage was constructed, Mira quickly focused her attention on herself and recited the incantation for the protective spell. She had cast this spell many times, and it was impossible for her to make a mistake.

    Just as the soft energy wrapped around both of their bodies, for a brief moment, Mira saw the great dragon soaring through the clouds.

    ¡°Mira, stop!¡± Lance immediately sensed something was wrong.

    The energy was changing, like the transformation of magical bread. This spell, only usable with scales, had also undergone a change.

    Suddenly, everything went dark.

    Shouts, cries, and the sound of running footsteps.

    Mira opened her eyes again. She was now in the small town at the foot of the mountain, with Lance collapsed beside her.

    His legs were injured, and he couldn¡¯t stand up.

    ¡°Lance?¡± Mira called his name and saw the blue dragon slowly open his eyes.

    He furrowed his brow, surveying his surroundings.

    They had been transported to the other side.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Mira realized the unexpected situation, and now the more important thing was Lance¡¯s condition.

    He was hurt.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Lance propped himself up, trying to stand, but Mira hurried to help him.

    ¡°Wait, there¡¯s another one.¡± The shouting and footsteps approached them.

    Mira felt Lance¡¯s muscles suddenly tense.

    He narrowed his eyes, sizing up the two soldiers who ran in.

    ¡°There¡¯s a stray here. Grab him!¡± one soldier shouted.

    ¡°Wait,¡± the other one stopped his comrade, his gaze falling on Lance¡¯s legs. ¡°It¡¯s a cripple,¡± he said. ¡°They don¡¯t keep cripples.¡±

    The two soldiers looked him over, confirming that Lance¡¯s legs were indeed injured.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re done here. Looks like he¡¯s strong, but he¡¯s a cripple.¡±

    Mira heard their words and felt something was wrong.

    She quietly cast a detection spell and followed behind the soldiers.

    A plundering was happening in the streets, but they weren¡¯t stealing money or food. They were capturing the young and able-bodied men from the town.

    Many young men were tied up, their mouths covered, and thrown onto carts.

    Mira saw Elin.

    The one she had shocked before. The descendant of a hero.

 Chapter 28

    The mage¡¯s intuition told Mira that something was definitely wrong.

    She turned her head to look at Lance, and the young mage wore the same expression.

    Mira instantly understood that Lance shared the same thought as her¡ª as a mage, controlling the thirst for knowledge was nearly impossible.

    ¡°Should we follow them?¡± Mira asked Lance. If she were alone at this moment, the answer would be certain.

    But now she had to consider Lance.

    Mira¡¯s gaze fell on his legs. He was injured and unable to move easily.

    No one could have anticipated this accident.

    ¡°Let¡¯s first go into the village and understand the situation,¡± Lance turned to Mira. While he was just as curious, he was more rational than the eager young girl.

    Although mages didn¡¯t require weapons like swordsmen or knights, they were generally weaker. And between the two of them, the weaker one referred specifically to Mira.

    He was a dragon. Although injured, he was certainly not someone that ordinary humans could harm.

    He was right. Mira realized her rashness. While curiosity was a good thing, curiosity that ignored one¡¯s safety could become a dangerous stepping stone.

    Lance stretched out his hand, and a ball of blue magical energy appeared in his palm, transforming into a fluffy, soft little ball.

    ¡°Go.¡± Lance commanded the blue ball, which immediately made a series of squelching sounds before rolling toward the direction where the soldiers had gone.

    Mira stared at Lance in surprise.

    She knew that was a scouting spell. She had cast a similar one herself. Ordinary scouting magic usually produced something resembling an eyeball, a physical manifestation of the magic.

    But this deep blue fuzzy ball was something she had never seen before. This magical form was based on the caster¡¯s preference.

    ¡°You like fluffy things?¡± Mira asked, surprised.

    Lance, who stood at nearly 1.9 meters tall with powerful muscles and strikingly handsome features, had just conjured a fluffy little ball.

    He liked fluffy balls.

    ¡°My mother liked these little things,¡± Lance turned his head awkwardly.

    When he lived alone before, he never cared about such things. Fluffy, small, how cute. The fluffy ball was like that, and so were the stars.

    Mira shook her head. Didn¡¯t human girls like cute, small things?

    ¡°Oh,¡± Mira nodded, understanding.

    The fluffy ball sent a signal, saying that the group had already left the village.

    Mira helped Lance as they walked into the town.

    Wailing, growling, and soft sobs filled the air.

    Mira and Lance walked slowly. The last time she walked out of the alley, she had stumbled upon a lively morning market.

    Now, it was the same. With Lance beside her, the streets were no longer bustling. There were no fragrant smells, no stalls.

    Things were scattered on the ground: goods, baskets.

    The elderly and women were silently crying, while the children thought this was a new game. They played near their grandmothers and mothers, kicking the baskets scattered on the ground, watching them roll far away.

    They even began to compete to see who could kick the baskets the furthest.

    Mira frowned as she observed the scene.

    She turned to Lance, and the blue dragon understood her silent question. He leaned against the wall to support his body, releasing Mira¡¯s hand so she could approach and inquire about the situation.

    Mira bent down and gathered the scattered tools, picking them up one by one and handing them to the elderly woman who was hunched over.

    She was the only woman here who wasn¡¯t crying. Behind her, under the eaves of the house, sat a middle-aged man who had lost a leg, so he hadn¡¯t been taken.

    The elderly woman took the things Mira handed her and looked her up and down. Seeing a face she had never seen before, she immediately grew cautious, thinking that the robbers from earlier had not yet left.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    However...

    The elderly woman kept her gaze on Mira for a moment longer. The girl didn¡¯t seem like a bandit.

    ¡°We¡¯re outsiders,¡± Mira noticed the old woman¡¯s change in expression. ¡°We got separated from a caravan. My husband was injured, and we finally made it here, just in time to see a group of people leaving the village... so we wanted to ask what happened.¡±

    Mira observed the elderly woman and spoke quietly.

    ¡°Or... do you happen to know where the inn is? We¡¯ll stay there for now.¡±

    ¡°The innkeeper was taken,¡± the middle-aged man behind the elderly woman spoke up. His gaze moved between Mira and Lance. ¡°Did you come here with the caravan?¡±

    Mira turned to look at him.

    He was a man with a fierce look in his eyes. He appeared to be in his forties, with somewhat long hair, dark eyes, a high and straight nose, but his face was wrinkled, and he had a large beard around his mouth.

    Lance¡¯s gaze fixed on the middle-aged man.

    When the dragon¡¯s eyes focused on him, Lance immediately realized that the man was a warrior. However, he was already old and had been injured in battles with monsters.

    The town beneath the tower was a gathering place for the descendants of warriors. Occasionally, two or three active warriors could be found here, along with retired warriors who had been wounded.

    Mira nodded. The mage¡¯s intuition told her that this middle-aged man had killed before, more than once.

    She was a little frightened but knew she couldn¡¯t show fear. That would reveal her identity.

    The warrior saw through her lie but didn¡¯t expose it.

    The girl was still too young, but the injured man gave him a feeling that he couldn¡¯t quite grasp.

    The middle-aged man had once been a famous warrior. Although he didn¡¯t have the title of dragon slayer, he had killed many monsters and completed countless adventures over nearly thirty years.

    The pairing of a girl and a mysterious man was rare among adventurers.

    They didn¡¯t carry swords; they seemed more like spellcasters.

    The man tilted his head and looked toward the mountain.

    At the top of the mountain tower lived the terrifying black dragon, a tale of terror known by every child in the kingdom.

    ¡°Grandma,¡± the middle-aged man said to the elderly woman, ¡°Let them come inside. Make some hot tea.¡±

    The elderly woman glanced at him.

    Making tea was their secret signal. It meant the person in front of them was someone to be wary of.

    The elderly woman slowly left to boil water at the stove behind the house.

    The middle-aged man stood with the aid of a cane, lifted the curtain, and invited Lance and Mira inside.

    ¡°Travelers who have come from afar, come in and sit. I will answer your questions.¡±

    Mira glanced at Lance, and the blue dragon nodded at her. The girl quickly walked over to support Lance and helped him into the house.

    The house was dimly lit, with only a single candle burning quietly.

    The middle-aged man put down his cane and sat on the floor, raising his chin and gesturing for Lance and Mira to sit on the relatively clean straw mat opposite him.

    Mira observed the room.

    The furnishings were simple: an old wooden bed, an old cabinet, an old table. On the raised platform was a square table. The man sat on the inner side, and the clean straw mat was on the outer side.

    If there was anything special about the room, it was the distinct herbal scent that filled the air as soon as Mira entered.

    She clearly remembered the innkeeper mentioning that the herbal shop was on another street, and she had visited that shop.

    Mira helped Lance sit down and then sat next to him.

    The middle-aged man waited until they were settled before speaking. ¡°Your leg is injured.¡± His gaze moved from Lance¡¯s legs to his own missing leg. ¡°I¡¯m the same.¡±

    The middle-aged man¡¯s injury looked like it had been there for a long time. His pants were tied up at the empty leg, casually hanging on the floor.

    Mira clenched her hands. She could sense that this middle-aged man was not simple.

    ¡°A warrior,¡± Lance spoke up, his dragon¡¯s eyes detecting that the man knew swordsmanship. Lance had a collection of many swords, but none of them seemed to match this man¡¯s style.

    He hadn¡¯t challenged the dragon yet, and his injury had come from other adventures.

    ¡°Are you here to challenge the dragon?¡± the middle-aged man looked at Lance. ¡°Not a good time. The king just sent the princess to the dragon. I think he¡¯s busy being the groom and has no time to deal with your challenge.¡±

    Mira turned her head, a little embarrassed.

    The dragon probably wasn¡¯t busy being a groom¡ªshe, the dragon¡¯s bride, was sitting right in front of him.

    The middle-aged man didn¡¯t notice the girl¡¯s actions. He knew the real threat was the injured, mysterious man.

    Lance didn¡¯t want to bring up anything related to dragons. He looked at the middle-aged man. ¡°Only warriors like to challenge dragons.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± the middle-aged man sneered. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re out of luck. The town is in chaos right now, as you can see. Just earlier, they took the young people from here.¡±

    ¡°Why are they taking young people?¡± Mira quickly asked. ¡°I saw soldiers earlier. Is it a kingdom draft?¡± She pretended to be ignorant, since local drafts didn¡¯t work like kidnapping people.

    ¡°Of course not, little girl. Those people are just wearing soldier uniforms,¡± the middle-aged man glanced back at her.

    The girl¡¯s appearance was very deceptive, and Mira showed a puzzled expression. ¡°Then why are they wearing soldier uniforms?¡±

    ¡°They killed the soldiers nearby,¡± the middle-aged man said with some impatience, as if it were an obvious answer.

    ¡°They killed the soldiers, stripped them of their uniforms, took their weapons and orders, and came into the town pretending to be recruits, but in reality, they¡¯re taking the young adults from the town. Who knows where those poor kids will end up?¡± he said.

    He had once been a warrior, and if he hadn¡¯t been injured, he might have gotten involved. But, like they said, crippled and useless.

    He was just another useless person, trying to live out his years among the descendants of warriors, and he ran into this situation.

    People pretending to be soldiers, kidnapping people in the town beneath the dragon tower.

    ¡°They claim the dragon told them to do this, that the dragon wants to build a crystal palace for its bride,¡± the middle-aged man stared at Mira. ¡°You girls, don¡¯t you like things like that?¡±

    Mira¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°The dragon is so evil! Is this the first time it¡¯s taken people from the town?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± the middle-aged man didn¡¯t want to answer the girl¡¯s question. He was more interested in hearing the blue-haired man speak.

    ¡°Enough questions, Mira,¡± Lance turned his head and called her name. The dragon¡¯s reputation was bad enough, and much of it came from the black dragon¡¯s actions, but this dragon was not the same as the black dragon.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Mira turned her head.

    ¡°He clearly doesn¡¯t want to answer our questions.¡±

    Lance looked at the middle-aged man, his eyes cold as he spoke with a polite tone, but there was no trace of gratitude.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Warrior. Spellcasters don¡¯t like to slay dragons, but now I¡¯m suddenly a little interested.¡±

 Chapter 29

    No wonder the Magic Dragon''s reputation was getting worse and worse. Lance''s expression darkened.

    The previous owner of the tower, the infamous Black Dragon, had at least been understandable. He had recaptured the tower ten years ago, and since then, aside from the regular livestock offered by the king as daily food, he hadn''t been stirring up trouble like the Black Dragon had.

    Of course, the brave adventurers who sought to challenge him were an exception.

    The reason these adventurers continued to challenge him after the Black Dragon disappeared was probably due to those who had been using the name of the Magic Dragon to commit evil deeds all this time.

    Anyway, since he had unexpectedly ended up at the foot of the mountain, Lance wanted to find out exactly who was using his name to cause trouble.

    Lance didn¡¯t care much if his name became more tarnished, but a tyrannical Magic Dragon would attract even more adventurers to challenge him.

    While Lance did enjoy collecting adventurers¡¯ swords, it was merely a leisure activity when he was bored. For the Blue Dragon, studying magic was the only true path.

    Moreover, Mira was still living in the tower. If adventurers came during this time, it could cause unnecessary trouble.

    Lance felt his reasons were ample¡ªat least more rational than his fiery-tempered cousin, the Black Dragon.

    "You want to handle things here?" The middle-aged man was somewhat surprised. Mages didn¡¯t leave a good impression on adventurers. They were often seen as a bunch of bookish nerds who couldn''t wield a sword or carry a shield. Even if they could cast fireballs and water waves with a wand, it didn¡¯t change the fact that they were generally disliked.

    However, adventurers had to admit their strength. When they used to accept missions, having a real spellcaster in their party was often a sign of their strength.

    Lance looked at him.

    "Can you provide useful information?"

    "Information always requires payment," the middle-aged man said flatly. As a retired adventurer due to injury, he no longer took on adventure missions, but he ran a small business in this town near the Magic Dragon¡¯s tower.

    He collected and sold information, most of it related to the Magic Dragon. He sold this information to adventurers who came to challenge the dragon. Though he didn¡¯t make much money, it gave him some pocket change and a chance to interact with other information brokers from surrounding towns.

    They exchanged information, slowly building a fairly large intelligence network in the eastern kingdom.

    Lance knew the man was referring to money. He didn¡¯t have any, though there were plenty of treasures in the tower, but they clearly wouldn¡¯t solve the current problem.

    "Payment?" Mira tilted her head. She thought of the gold in her ring, the large gold ingot the king had given her.

    "What price?" Mira asked.

    Lance glanced at her, his eyes stopping on the flashy large ring on her finger. Just earlier, he had told Mira that the magic used to create this ring was elementary space composition magic.

    The middle-aged man spread his fingers wide. "This much."

    Mira made an ''oh'' sound, rubbing her right hand over the finger with the ring on it, and a heavy gold ingot appeared in her hand.

    It was really heavy, and Mira was startled by the sudden weight. Her wrist sank, and she had to place the ingot on the ground.

    She looked at the ingot, clearly more than what the middle-aged man had asked for, and asked him, "Can you divide it?"

    The middle-aged man''s eyes widened. He had been an adventurer for decades, so of course, he recognized that Mira''s ring was a storage magic item. But when she took out an ingot larger than a fist from it, he was still shocked.

    He couldn¡¯t ignore the girl following the mage anymore. She seemed ordinary, yet she could casually pull out so much money.

    Everyone on the road knew: never display your wealth, or it would invite endless trouble. Didn''t this girl know such a simple rule?

    Was she a poor mage deceiving the daughter of a wealthy family?

    His gaze moved between Mira and Lance, recalling the girl''s clumsy lie earlier.

    She had referred to the injured blue-haired man as "Sir." She claimed they were part of a merchant caravan, but in reality, caravans rarely passed through here due to the presence of the Magic Dragon¡¯s tower.

    The town was mostly self-sustained, and occasionally, information brokers disguised as traveling merchants would arrive. But the primary goods they traded were information, and the items they carried in their carts were just secondary.

    "This might be impossible, miss," the middle-aged man turned to Mira, his tone now different.

    Lance didn¡¯t want to hear any more of this nonsense. Humans always liked unnecessary formalities, and the middle-aged man''s gaze kept lingering greedily on the gold ingot¡ªsomething a Blue Dragon couldn''t miss.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Lance picked up the ingot, channeling his magic into a sharp blade, cutting off a corner and tossing it to the middle-aged man.

    The gold ingot rolled on the ground with a dull sound.

    The middle-aged man followed the line the gold ingot traced with his eyes until it stopped. He reached down to grab it and pinched it with his nail.

    It was real.

    Lance, as though not noticing the small motion, said coldly, "Now you can tell us what you know, right?"

    The middle-aged man smiled faintly and tapped the table in front of him with his cane.

    Soon after, the elderly woman who had been sent to fetch water earlier came in.

    She placed a stack of papers in front of Lance and Mira, then retreated.

    "This is the first time they¡¯ve kidnapped people in this small town," the middle-aged man¡¯s gaze fell on the papers. "But this kind of thing happens frequently in other towns."

    "At first, they didn¡¯t openly kidnap people like this," the middle-aged man raised his chin, gesturing for Mira and Lance to look at the information on the table. "The nearest town, three years ago, started seeing people disappear. Children who went to play by the water, young men sent on deliveries, men returning home after markets, and hunters living alone by the forest. The age range varied, but they all shared one thing: they were men."

    Mira recalled the scene from the scouting spell. Indeed, the carts had been filled with young, strong men.

    "Do you know where they were taken?" Mira shifted her gaze from the information on the table to listen carefully to the middle-aged man¡¯s words.

    "Miss, that¡¯s a separate piece of information," the middle-aged man replied. Having spent so long as an information broker, he had lost some of the heroic spirit that adventurers were supposed to have.

    Mira slightly tilted her head, and Lance understood his meaning. He sliced another piece of gold from the ingot and tossed it to the information broker.

    He returned the remaining gold to Mira and said, "Put it back." Lance¡¯s cold gaze swept over the information broker. The meaning was clear: don¡¯t be greedy.

    Being warned by a mage was clearly dangerous.

    The information broker straightened up, and only after putting the new gold away did he continue, "This contains all the information you want. It¡¯s the most complete up to this point."

    Lance furrowed his brow.

    The elderly woman had already placed the information on the table in advance, and the middle-aged man had asked for money twice.

    Lance narrowed his eyes.

    Mira reached out to stop his hand on his arm.

    "We should leave," she said to Lance.

    Lance lifted his head slightly, and Mira gently shook her head.

    They shouldn¡¯t argue with an information broker. The important thing was to complete the transaction, to quickly investigate where these young men were being taken, and what all this had to do with the Magic Dragon.

    Had they been scammed? If it were any other time, Mira would have taught the scammer a lesson. But now wasn¡¯t the time. There were more pressing matters.

    Mira gathered the information and helped Lance stand.

    "Thank you," she said to the middle-aged man, then, with Lance, left the house.

    After walking a short distance, Lance suddenly spoke.

    "He no longer has the soul of a hero."

    "The soul of a hero?" This was another term Mira hadn¡¯t heard before.

    "For an adventurer, hatred of evil and selfless bravery are the most important qualities. But greed for money destroys those virtues."

    "But the heroes who hated evil and were selfless¡­ all died at the hands of the Magic Dragon." Mira looked at Lance, giving him an answer that surprised the Blue Dragon.

    The girl with a sharp mind and an unexpected response.

    Lance realized that this was indeed true. Those adventurers who sought to protect justice, who made it their mission, were always poor. And their endings were rarely the traditional good ones.

    Many adventurers had challenged Lance. He didn¡¯t take their lives, but he kept their swords as trophies.

    It was a dragon''s hobby¡ªa collecting obsession. But what he truly treasured was the adventurer¡¯s hope for justice.

    Lance didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment.

    Although he had traveled the world, he had walked through desolate, uninhabited places.

    He suddenly had the feeling that the Blue Dragon was trapped in the tower. And the girl who had entered the tower had, while walking into that prison, freed the Blue Dragon who had been trapped there.

    "Let¡¯s do something good," Lance said to Mira. "Let¡¯s do something good with magic." He took the information from her.

    "Learning magic requires practice. If we stay in the tower all the time, we won¡¯t create a second tower."

    Mira was drawn to his suggestion and nodded repeatedly.

    "Shall we go back and study this? Or should we stay here for a while?"

    Lance smiled, "Didn¡¯t I just say? We shouldn¡¯t always stay in the tower."

    Mira understood what he meant. "Then let¡¯s find a place to stay first. I have plenty of gold." She touched the ring, lowering her voice. "A lot."

    There was only one inn in the town, and it was used to accommodate dragon-slaying heroes.

    Lance and Mira made their way towards the inn. Lance''s legs were not functioning well, and he couldn''t walk fast. Mira supported him as they slowly walked past a street in disarray.

    The wailing cries continued incessantly, and some people had begun trying to pick up the scattered items.

    Conscription. This was the reason given by the bandits. They wore soldier uniforms and carried the king''s orders, arriving in the town like a storm, sweeping away the husbands and children from the townspeople.

    From what the information dealer had said, Mira knew these people were not soldiers. But the townsfolk were unaware of this information.

    The two entered the only inn in the town, which was also in chaos. A girl, about seven or eight years old, was moving the tables and chairs that had fallen to the ground.

    Mira let go of Lance and went up to help her lift the heavy table.

    The girl tilted her head and looked at her.

    "Are you here to stay?" she asked, her face full of worry. She seriously told Mira, "My dad''s not here. He said he went out to get supplies and won''t be back for a few days."

    Mira immediately understood the meaning behind her words. After a moment of thought, she decided not to expose this kind lie.

    "Can we stay for now? And when your dad comes back, we can talk about the rest?"

    The girl showed a confused expression, clearly not having been told by her father to let anyone stay other than sword-wielding customers.

    Mira glanced at the disorganized environment around them.

    "I can help you clean up these tables and chairs," she offered.

    The girl still seemed a little cautious. Before her father left, he had told her to close the shop unless someone with a sword came. She wasn''t supposed to serve anyone else.

    While the girl hesitated, a woman walked in from outside.

    "Karo, what happened?"

    Mira turned around and was surprised to see a familiar face.

    It was the kind-hearted owner of the rice shop, the woman who had patiently answered all of her questions. Mira remembered the sad look on her face the last time they met.

    Now, as the woman appeared here, after a brief shock and surprise, her expression quickly turned to one of anger and resentment.

    The woman screamed hysterically, and her voice drew the attention of the nearby neighbors. They gathered around, asking each other what had happened.

    The rice shop owner pointed at Mira, her finger trembling. Her face turned bright red, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

    "It¡¯s her! It¡¯s her!" she gritted her teeth, accusing Mira of the crime. "I know her. She¡¯s the princess¡¯s maid. It¡¯s her master who caused us to lose our families!"

    "It¡¯s because the king wanted to conscript soldiers that we lost our families!"

 Chapter 30

    Mira felt a deep sense of sadness.

    For a brief moment, when she saw the woman who had been so gentle just moments ago suddenly wear an expression of resentment, Mira felt an ache in her heart.

    She wasn''t sure if she should tell them that this wasn''t the king''s conscription. She didn''t even know who had taken the townspeople. She was afraid that speaking carelessly might lead to false hope.

    When expectations are shattered, it only brings more despair.

    She clenched her fist, and the medium in her pocket warmed slightly, responding to her emotions.

    Lance, standing beside her, furrowed his brows. His heartbeat quickened, likely due to the connection between his scales and Mira.

    He raised his head and looked at Mira.

    She appeared somewhat lost.

    Lance had never seen Mira so uncertain. Although their time together hadn''t been long, the blue dragon knew she was an unusual girl with many thoughts. Back in the tower, she had been agile and full of life.

    Even the King of the Blue Dragons had to be careful in his words and actions, fearing that even a tiny slip might expose his identity in front of the girl standing before him.

    Her eyes always sparkled with a joyful light, like bright stars.

    But in this moment, the starlight seemed dimmed, clouded by a mist. She stood still, unsure of what to do.

    Lance slightly nodded. He wanted to help Mira, because he didn''t like seeing the hesitation and uncertainty on her face.

    "It''s not the king who took your husbands or sons, nor is it the magic dragon," a sudden voice echoed through the first floor of the inn, amplified by magic.

    The sound reverberated, making it difficult for the women to immediately determine its source. They turned, searching the room, and finally saw the blue-haired man standing in the corner.

    He leaned against the wall, tall and muscular.

    There were many young men like him in the village, but they had all been taken just recently. Those who resisted were struck with large clubs, the size of a bowl, on their backs, waists, and the backs of their knees. These rebels were forced to kneel, unable to move, and then bound up and thrown onto a cart.

    This man was clearly an outsider. His build resembled that of a hero, but he carried no longsword.

    Lance struggled to take a step, his body swaying. Mira quickly rushed to his side and supported him.

    "The people who took them are not soldiers," the blue dragon said, scanning the women around him. "The clothes they wear were stolen."

    "Do you have any proof?" one woman asked. She clearly saw that Mira was with him, and if Mira was a princess¡¯s maid, then anyone standing with her could be assumed to be aligned with the king.

    Lance met her gaze, and the pressure of the dragon''s presence made the woman feel an unnamed fear. She was brave, however, and despite the fear, she had no intention of backing down.

    "I have no proof."

    Mira thought Lance would reveal to the women the information they had bought, but instead, he simply gave a blatantly frustrating answer.

    She sighed and tugged on Lance¡¯s arm, softly reminding him, "You can¡¯t say it like that." For the women who had just endured a catastrophe, his words seemed too rude.

    Lance hadn''t thought there was anything wrong, but Mira¡¯s cautious gesture made him feel a twinge of guilt.

    The blue dragon expressionlessly extended his other hand, palm open, and a ball of crimson flame appeared in his hand.

    "Can this be considered proof?"

    The appearance of the magic drew gasps from the women.

    The women lived in a remote village far from the center of the world, but that didn¡¯t mean they were ignorant.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Magic, spellcasters¡ªsuch an identity was enough to confirm the truth of the man¡¯s words.

    A spellcaster had no need to deceive them. They couldn''t offer any rewards, nor would they be worth lying to.

    A knowledgeable woman stepped forward from the crowd. She placed a hand on the shoulder of the sobbing rice shop owner, her long eyes scanning Mira and Lance up and down.

    "Where are you two from? The Magic Hub? Or the Blade of Truth?"

    Mira was surprised by the mention of these organizations¡ªthe most prestigious mage associations in the world today. There were many other smaller associations, but these were the most well-known.

    "No," Lance calmly denied. "I am a free mage, not affiliated with any school or organization."

    "Without a mage association''s guarantee, how can we trust you?" The woman seemed to be the most respected person in the room. As soon as she spoke, the other women took heart.

    "I know that almost all the people living in this town are descendants of heroes. If you have a true sword used by a hero, you should be able to tell if I''m lying." Lance calmly gave his suggestion to the women.

    He had fought against heroes before and knew some secrets about them.

    Mortal bodies couldn''t resist the magical forces of nature. To avoid more unnecessary casualties, the ancestors of the heroes had once sought the help of the dragon clan.

    From the blue dragons, spellcasters learned how to harness magic from nature and how to protect themselves using mediums. Meanwhile, the heroes learned how to transform pure human willpower into external strength.

    Just like spellcasters need mediums, the heroes'' power was also embodied in their swords. However, the weapon''s design was not strictly uniform. Lance had seen long swords, bows, and even grappling hooks. Similar to magic mediums, the weapons weren''t the deciding factor in becoming a powerful hero, but they were an important part of their strength.

    The soul of a hero was composed of all the good virtues that humans could imagine: kindness, humility, bravery, integrity, and so on. The most important of these virtues was their steadfast belief in justice and their hatred for evil.

    Heroes always stepped forward in the face of danger, and their repeated courage was absorbed by their weapons, making them stronger each time.

    There were rumors that somewhere in the world was a sacred land where many true heroes¡¯ swords were buried. Heroes called this place the Sword Burial Mound.

    A true hero''s sword.

    After hearing this, many of the women in the room shifted their gazes to the woman facing Lance.

    This woman was the widow of Fran Ellin, a famous dragon slayer. Before marrying the renowned dragon slayer, she had run a tavern in a southern city, where, on the surface, she served drinks and simple meals, but in reality, it was a black-market intermediary for mercenaries and bounty hunters.

    Logically, honest and rigid heroes would never step into such a place, but she had met heroes, married one, and had two sons and a daughter with him before Fran Ellin was burned to death by dragon fire.

    Her eldest son had also been a hero, but he died in an adventure. Her second son, now seventeen, was clamoring to join the Hero Association and become a true hero. Her young daughter, only thirteen, also enjoyed swordplay like her father and brothers, often chasing older boys around town with a stick.

    Mira quietly observed the woman confronting Lance. She wore simple homespun clothes, and her brown curly hair was tied up at the back of her head. Although wrinkles had inevitably appeared on her face, it was still evident that she had been a beauty in her youth.

    She met Lance¡¯s gaze without fear, remaining calm.

    But Mira knew that her children had also been taken. She had seen the young man claiming to be a hero¡ªEllin.

    As a mother, she must be heartbroken.

    "Lady Ellin," someone couldn''t help but speak up. They knew there was a true hero''s sword in the town that hadn''t been sent to the Sword Burial Mound yet. "Try using your husband¡¯s sword."

    As the first voice spoke, more voices joined in.

    The woman pursed her lips. She knew this was the only trustworthy option available.

    Not just her¡ªthese women had all lost their husbands and children. Though there was still a group of adventurers out there who hadn''t returned, she knew no one could say when they would come back, and there was no guarantee that those taken would survive until their return.

    "Follow me," Lady Ellin said, glancing at Lance and Mira. As a former black-market intermediary, she had a sharp eye for people. She could immediately tell that the man and woman before her lacked experience in completing missions, but their strength was undeniable.

    They seemed more like students of an academy on an adventure than seasoned adventurers who fought for their lives. The girl, she guessed, wasn¡¯t just a maid.

    Ellin hoped that her actions would bring some comfort to the other women. Before her youngest son was taken, she had secretly applied a tracking scent to his clothes, and with the right bees trained in the scent, she could learn where he had been taken.

    She had originally planned to ask some mercenaries she knew for help, but now someone had gotten there first, and she wanted to see what would happen.

    Lady Ellin knew what it meant to be a spellcaster. A spellcaster who wasn¡¯t controlled by an association was strong and free. If he could lend a hand, it would be a huge help.

    Lady Ellin led the way, followed by a crowd of women.

    Mira supported Lance, bringing up the rear.

    "Are you sure about this?" she asked, a little concerned. While she wanted to help the townspeople with this issue, Lance''s legs hadn''t fully healed.

    He was putting most of his weight on her, and if something unexpected happened, Lance wouldn¡¯t be able to run.

    "Don¡¯t worry," the blue dragon wanted to tell Mira that his legs were nearly healed. They had just healed so quickly that it didn¡¯t match his human appearance, so he had to pretend to limp.

    With that, the blue dragon shifted his arm off Mira¡¯s shoulder to ease the weight on her.

    Mira thought for a moment and said, "I still have two magic crystals left. I can cast healing again." She didn¡¯t dare use the scales to perform this magic, as dragon scales were useful but often led to unintended consequences beyond the magic itself.

    "Don¡¯t waste them on me. Save them for emergencies."

    "It¡¯s not a waste..." Mira whispered. "I¡¯m willing to."

 Chapter 31

    Because there was a large crowd in front of her, Mira dared not speak too loudly.

    Her words trailed off softly into the air. Lance understood the intent she wished to convey, but he couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    He seemed to be in a good mood.

    Mira, from her vantage point, could just catch sight of the corners of Lance¡¯s lips curving upward.

    She lowered her head, a strange feeling bubbling up within her.

    However, this emotion did not linger for long.

    Lady Ellin led the group into her home, which had been ransacked by bandits. Her youngest son, who always called himself a hero, was the one who resisted most fiercely, and as a result, he had been subjected to the harshest beatings.

    The ¡°soldiers¡± seemed to have mastered many ways of tormenting people. Lady Ellin could tell they didn¡¯t know any martial arts; at most, they had a little more strength than the average person. Yet, even so, a few of them could overpower her son.

    "Mom!" A girl, upon seeing Lady Ellin return, swiftly jumped down from the roof. "I saw them heading southwest," she said. "There are three towns in that direction, maybe..."

    "Ina," Lady Ellin interrupted her, "go and entertain our guests." She walked past her youngest daughter and into the house.

    Ina reluctantly closed her mouth. She was puzzled, not understanding why so many people had come to their home. The girl keenly noticed the strangers in the crowd and curiously studied Mira and Lance. When her gaze landed on Lance, she let out a small sound of surprise.

    Lance''s eyes also shifted, and upon seeing the young girl, he raised an eyebrow.

    Mira noticed the slight change and, following Lance¡¯s example, observed the little girl named Ina.

    The girl looked to be about twelve or thirteen years old, wearing a rough cloth dress in the same color as her mother¡¯s. However, unlike her mother¡¯s clean attire, the girl¡¯s dress was dusty, as if she had rolled in the mud. From the way she had jumped down from the roof, Mira could easily imagine that the freckled girl with bright, sparkling eyes was a mischievous one.

    But even then, Mira couldn¡¯t understand why Lance had shown a surprised expression.

    Lance¡¯s gaze caught the thoughtfulness on Mira¡¯s face.

    The smile on his lips grew wider. The young mage shifted his position, leaning closer to Mira. The warm air he exhaled as he spoke brushed against her ear, making her instinctively shrink her neck.

    ¡°She inherited part of the soul of a warrior.¡± It was because of this power that the little girl had a unique sensitivity toward the dragon kin.

    "Sounds amazing," Mira said, trying to evade the strange sensation, but as she shifted her weight, Lance¡¯s body followed her movement.

    Mira froze. She was afraid he might fall.

    Just at that moment, Lady Ellin walked out of the storage room, carrying a wooden box.

    Her expression grew solemn, with a tinge of sadness.

    Mira immediately knew what the box contained: her late husband¡¯s sword, the very blade that had slain a dragon.

    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the sword that had killed a dragon might look like. Perhaps it was adorned with beautiful jewels, its blade etched with intricate runes crafted by a master smith. It must carry the spirit of a dragon slayer.

    Lady Ellin opened the wooden box.

    Inside, quietly resting, was a sword ¡ª an extremely plain longsword. It had no decorations, no runes, just an ordinary steel blade. The handle¡¯s pattern had been worn down, and the scabbard was made of worn leather hastily sewn together. It didn¡¯t look like the kind of sword a hero would possess in the stories.

    Mira felt a bit disappointed.

    However, in the next instant, the longsword, which had been quietly resting in the box, suddenly floated up and stopped in front of Lance and Mira.

    It emitted a blinding light, so intense that it was impossible to open one¡¯s eyes. Mira suddenly realized how laughable her previous thoughts were. This was a true weapon meant for slaying evil. It didn¡¯t need the extra adornment like a noble¡¯s sword.

    Sharpness was its only trait. Even though its master had passed away, the sword still followed its owner¡¯s will, guarding everything and everyone worth protecting.

    Lance suddenly felt his breath catch, as if someone had a hand around his neck.

    He squinted his eyes, facing off against the floating sword as though confronting a dragon slayer.

    The sword, stained with the blood of dragons, had the ability to pierce through dragon scales. If a strong enough hero held this sword at that moment, killing a wounded blue dragon wouldn¡¯t be too difficult.

    Lance wasn¡¯t afraid. He lifted his chin, for even when facing a hero, the dragon kin wouldn¡¯t flinch. Let alone a sword that had lost its master.

    A dragon and a sword faced off, and the crowd around them fell into long silence.

    The pale blue glow of the sword didn¡¯t seem strong in comparison to its blinding white light, but it didn¡¯t retreat in the slightest.

    Until the light gradually faded, and the sword returned to the wooden box.

    Lady Ellin closed the box and said to those around her, "He hasn¡¯t lied, and he means no harm to us. If he tried to deceive us, Fran¡¯s sword would have taken his head."

    Her words sparked quiet murmurs.

    It wasn¡¯t the king, nor a dragon. Who could it be that took their husbands and children in the king¡¯s name? The women had no answers. The dazzling light seemed to have a soothing power, and they emerged from their anger and sorrow, beginning to think more rationally about the strange circumstances of the situation.

    Lady Ellin stepped forward.

    "Strangers, though I don¡¯t know where you come from or what your intentions are in coming to this town, you are the only ones who can help us." Her gaze shifted from Lance to Mira.

    She could sense that it was this girl who was the one making decisions among them.

    "Will you accept our commission? We can offer you a reward."

    "Accept a commission?" Mira was surprised by Lady Ellin¡¯s words. It sounded like something a hero would do.

    Accept a commission to eliminate evil. She bit her lip and glanced at Lance.

    "We weren¡¯t planning to stand by and do nothing," Mira replied honestly. "As for the reward, she has plenty of money, all stored in a ring. It¡¯s enough for her to live comfortably for a lifetime."

    "I don¡¯t need a reward," Mira said to Lady Ellin.

    "The princess is a good person. I only hope you don¡¯t misunderstand her."

    Lady Ellin froze for a moment, then turned her head away.

    "Sorry, this wasn¡¯t my decision."

    On the way back to the tower, Mira kept pondering the meaning of Lady Ellin¡¯s words, ¡°This isn¡¯t something I can decide.¡±

    Originally, they hadn¡¯t planned on returning to the tower immediately, but Lance had said there were some things that needed to be prepared in advance.

    Mira asked him what needed to be prepared.

    He only mysteriously replied, ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±

    Mira didn¡¯t like the word ¡°secret.¡± She hated the way it stirred up curiosity without satisfying it.

    Lance and Mira walked southwest for a while. When the time was right, the blue dragon took Mira¡¯s hand and cast a teleportation spell.

    The unique smell of the library filled the air, and the surroundings gradually became clearer. Mira realized they hadn¡¯t returned to the bottom of the tower, but had instead entered the library directly.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    The origami spirit sensed the magical fluctuation and floated over toward them.

    Blue was its master¡¯s color. As it eagerly wanted to call out ¡°Master,¡± it saw another figure hiding behind Lance.

    It was Mira.

    The origami spirit quickly shut its mouth.

    It remembered its master¡¯s warning ¡ª never let anything slip in front of Mira. It had no name. It wasn¡¯t called ¡°Star.¡± Who was Star? It didn¡¯t know.

    The origami spirit emphasized this thought and floated toward Mira and Lance.

    At that moment, it silently thanked its lack of human expressions; it couldn¡¯t show any detailed emotions.

    The spirit wore a blank expression and controlled its gaze, avoiding looking at Lance.

    ¡°Good day, Mira,¡± it greeted politely.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Mira responded to the origami spirit.

    She looked around, and when her eyes landed on a locked door, she instantly understood Lance¡¯s purpose.

    The magical wards on the room where the scrolls were kept ¡ª Lance wanted to open it and retrieve a few scrolls.

    And that¡¯s exactly what he did.

    The blue dragon told Mira to wait where she was, then limped toward the room where the scrolls were stored.

    Mira sat on a pedestal, flipping through the information she had bought from the information dealer.

    Recalling the words of Lady Ellin¡¯s youngest daughter, Ina, she focused on the southwest direction of the small town while sifting through the information.

    Another important clue was the crystal.

    The information dealer had always been active in this area, receiving and processing all kinds of information. His judgment must have some merit.

    The words of the dragon king and the princess must also be based on something.

    "Come here," Mira called out to the origami spirit.

    It floated toward her.

    ¡°Can you read?¡± Mira asked it.

    The origami spirit nodded.

    ¡°Then help me read these,¡± Mira said, setting aside a small portion of the documents on the table.

    The papers were even larger than the origami spirit¡¯s body, and spreading them out on the table made it easier for it to read.

    ¡°Southwest, small town, crystal, dragon king, and princess,¡± Mira gave it the keywords to focus on.

    The origami spirit nodded, taking note. Although it didn¡¯t know what the purpose of this was, it obediently began working.

    With the origami spirit¡¯s help, Mira quickly identified the useful information from the stack of papers.

    ¡°About 400 miles southwest of the town, there¡¯s a place called Ghillian, a small town with two large mines in the nearby mountains. The records say that the town¡¯s people have always lived off mining.

    ¡°However, two years ago, there was an earthquake in the nearby mountains, and Ghillian, with its underground mines, was the most severely damaged town in the area. Despite the significant damage from the earthquake, the records say that the town¡¯s mining industry returned to normal in just three months.¡±

    Mira shared the summarized information with Lance.

    ¡°It matches with the reconnaissance report,¡± Lance said, leaning over with the drawn scroll in hand.

    ¡°Keep this safe, Mira,¡± he added. He was concerned that the spell cast through the scale as a medium might produce some strange side effects.

    Usually, these issues could be resolved, but if something went wrong during a more critical situation, it could endanger Mira.

    Lance had intended the scale to help Mira learn and cast spells without being affected by an external medium. He hadn¡¯t expected the high compatibility with the medium would actually affect the magic itself.

    Mira knew scroll magic, but this was the first time she encountered a spell written on parchment.

    She was about to open one of the scrolls, but Lance stopped her.

    ¡°You¡¯ll open them when you need to,¡± he said, looking at her. ¡°One is an offensive spell, one is a defensive spell, and the one with the purple appearance is an escape spell. Mira, if you encounter a situation you can¡¯t handle, use that one. Don¡¯t force yourself.¡±

    Mira nodded, storing the scrolls in her ring.

    The teleportation spell successfully transported the two of them to their previous location. Following the map in the information, Mira and Lance continued to head southwest.

    Thanks to their previous experience, this time Mira and Lance¡¯s disguise was more convincing. They chose not to directly teleport near the town, but instead walked along a small mountain path together.

    Because Lance had trouble with his legs, their pace wasn¡¯t fast. They spent the night in a cave, and with the help of magic, everything went relatively smoothly.

    Camping out caused the two of them to pick up the right kind of weariness, making them look like tired travelers.

    By afternoon, Mira and Lance arrived at Ghillian Town.

    From the moment they set foot in the town, they could feel the strange looks of the townspeople.

    Suspicion, wariness, and even blatant malice.

    Mira frowned, pretending not to notice the odd atmosphere. But she couldn¡¯t ignore the oppressive tension in the air.

    According to the records, Ghillian Town, with its two massive natural mining caves, had been one of the wealthiest towns in the eastern part of the kingdom.

    Though the great earthquake two years ago had destroyed most of the buildings and caused heavy casualties, the town should have returned to prosperity with the recovery of its mining industry.

    But Mira didn¡¯t feel any prosperity.

    The town felt shrouded in a grayish fog, everywhere coated in grime that couldn¡¯t be washed away. This wasn¡¯t the accumulation of dirt over a few days or weeks; it was the decay of years and years of neglect.

    Mira scratched the ground with her shoe, revealing a patch of the blue stone slab beneath.

    Ghillian used to be a prosperous town, and the roads were paved with the finest blue stone. But now, it was all buried beneath a thick layer of dirt.

    Lance also frowned, but not because of the filth. From the moment they entered the town, he had sensed a strange magical fluctuation.

    The blue dragon glanced toward the mountain ridge behind the town.

    The mines were in the mountains, and this strange energy was emanating from that direction.

    There was clearly something wrong here. Lance was sure of it, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint the source of the problem.

    Mira noticed an old woman hunched over, drawing water from a well by the side of the street.

    Her movements were very slow, like rusted machinery, with unnatural pauses between each action.

    Mira frowned, but quickly adjusted her expression and walked toward the old woman.

    She cheerfully helped the elderly woman draw water.

    The woman watched Mira¡¯s movements coldly, until Mira managed to pull the bucket from the deep well, nearly vomiting from the sight.

    The water was thicker than mud soup! There were countless wriggling things floating on the surface. Maybe it was bugs, or something worse.

    It was grotesque. But the old woman acted as if she didn¡¯t notice anything unusual. She picked up the bucket and nodded toward Mira.

    It might have been meant as a thank you. Mira gave a dry smile, doing her best to sound natural.

    ¡°Hello, Grandma. I was wondering if there¡¯s an inn around here? We¡¯re¡­¡±

    Before Mira could finish her sentence, the old woman stretched out her withered hand and pointed vaguely in a direction.

    ¡°That way,¡± her voice rasped, as though it had been forced out of her throat.

    The strangeness here was palpable, but nothing in the records had mentioned anything about it. Mira returned to where Lance was standing, not saying a word, but her eyes conveyed everything she was feeling.

    Lance had also noticed the bucket of water. But, more than that, with his dragon¡¯s eyes, he saw even more.

    The old woman had been dead for a while. Her limbs had completely stiffened, which explained her mechanical movements. The well water was obviously undrinkable, and the wriggling things floating on the surface were maggots.

    Lance averted his gaze and looked in the direction the old woman had pointed.

    ¡°Mira, stay close to me,¡± he said, reaching for her hand. The warmth of his palm was unmistakable as it passed to her.

    Mira was surprised but quickly realized that the danger of the surroundings was the reason for Lance¡¯s action.

    She quietly observed him; he was looking in the direction the old woman had pointed, as though contemplating whether to investigate further.

    They continued toward the direction of the inn. All along the way, the stares that lingered on them didn¡¯t lessen in the slightest.

    Mira also kept a sharp eye on the surroundings. There were quite a few other people who, like the old woman, seemed stiff and slow. At a glance, they didn¡¯t seem normal.

    Mira wondered if they were already dead. She knew that some dark magic could turn a corpse into a puppet, but such forbidden magic had long been lost.

    As soon as that thought crossed her mind, another idea negated it. Since Lance had mastered the ancient teleportation spell, wasn¡¯t it also possible that someone else had mastered the lost dark magic?

    The world of magic was much bigger than she had imagined.

    Lance and Mira arrived at a house with a sign for an inn hanging outside.

    They were about to enter when someone called out to them.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Lance turned his head to look at the man approaching them.

    He was human, alive.

    ¡°We heard there¡¯s an inn here,¡± Mira said in a low voice.

    The man sized up Lance and Mira, raising an eyebrow as if he had discovered something.

    ¡°There¡¯s no place left in town that can be called an inn. Adventurers?¡± The man¡¯s gaze slid over Mira¡¯s form, revealing a disturbing greed.

    Mira knew what he was looking at. Even though she had disguised herself to look like a small, frail boy, standing beside the tall Lance, her real gender couldn¡¯t be hidden by the disguise.

    Alright¡­ Mira admitted, she had intended for it to look that way.

    When she was running alone, she made herself look as tough and fierce as possible, but now, with Lance by her side, she made herself appear softer. In contrast to the tall young man, it made her look more delicate.

    And when people misjudged her based on her appearance, that¡¯s when Mira found her best opportunity.

    Magic didn¡¯t change based on the caster¡¯s appearance, whether weak or strong. Whether it was fireballs or lightning, it would still kill a normal person.

    ¡°If you keep staring, I¡¯ll gouge your eyes out,¡± Lance said, turning his head. A long sword with a faint blue glow appeared in his hand.

    It was a sword formed with magic.

    Mira instantly understood his intent¡ªhe was pretending to be a hero. If the rumors about the disappearance of the town¡¯s heroes¡¯ descendants were related to this eerie town, then the appearance of a true hero would certainly draw the attention of the people behind it.

    Lance¡¯s move had another purpose too. Like Mira, who pretended to be weak, he was pretending to be a hero, but he could use magic when the moment called for it.

    She quietly chuckled, appreciating their perfect coordination¡ªboth of them thinking the same thing.

    The yellow-toothed man furrowed his brow, his gaze sliding away from the blue sword. He snorted heavily and muttered a sentence as he turned to walk away.

    ¡°The innkeeper¡¯s already run off. There¡¯s no inn in town, but there are plenty of rooms upstairs. If you¡¯re brave enough, go ahead and stay. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, this town¡¯s not safe, and heroes should stay out of it.¡±

    Lance and Mira exchanged a glance, ignoring his words.

    Lance sheathed his sword, and Mira helped him toward the second floor of the inn.

    The yellow-toothed man looked at Lance¡¯s limp, amused for a moment, then quickly hid his expression and went into his room on the first floor.

    Lance and Mira chose a room at the end of the hallway. It had originally been a storage room, piled with miscellaneous items. Mira and Lance just needed a place where they could speak freely, so they weren¡¯t picky about the environment.

    In fact, the room closer to the stairs would have been the most ideal, but it seemed that all the rooms near the stairs were occupied.

    The innkeeper had run off, and the vacant rooms provided a place for those with nowhere else to go.

    Through the slightly ajar door, Mira could see tools scattered on the floor, with some people sleeping soundly.

    They looked like miners, judging by their clothes.

    They worked in the mines at night, and returned to their temporary lodging to sleep during the day. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything odd about it.

    But the town was full of strange things. Why had the innkeeper run away, abandoning business? Even renting out the empty rooms to these workers would have provided some income.

    She was lost in thought for a moment, when suddenly, Lance turned sharply, startling Mira. She quickly put a hand to her mouth, holding back a scream.

    Lance¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise. Realizing he had startled her with his sudden movement, he smiled.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lance asked with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s safe here with me.¡±

    Mira glared at him, but then realized that Lance must have sensed something, which was why he had reacted suddenly.

    ¡°What did you find?¡± she asked him quickly.

    The blue-haired young man paused and then answered, ¡°The fluffy ball was squashed to death.¡±

 Chapter 32

    Lance¡¯s detection spell manifested as a fluffy ball of fur, the same color as his hair.

    "Crushed to death?" Mira was slightly taken aback by the phrasing. She paused for a moment, then slowly furrowed her brows.

    The only thing capable of destroying a spell was another spell. Moreover, for a mage like Lance, even the simplest detection spell would have a much greater effect than a lower-ranked mage''s due to his superior control over magic.

    The fact that someone could destroy his spell meant that their power must be on par with his own.

    Mira didn¡¯t know exactly what rank Lance was, but she knew he was strong.

    Her gaze lingered on him for a while, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, she decided to ask the somewhat intrusive question.

    "Lance, what rank mage are you?"

    A mage''s rank is a classification of their magical abilities. With the growing strength of magical nexuses, this ranking system had become the primary means of recognizing spellcasters. Typically, mages could use spells that were one rank higher than their own, though a legendary mage like Mira¡¯s mentor, Karl, could use a spell as powerful as the ninth-ring Legendary spells. The higher-level spells, known as forbidden spells, could only be cast by a ninth-ring mage.

    To distinguish these ninth-ring mages, they were often called High Tower Mages.

    Lance turned his head. This ranking system was specific to humans. The dragon race didn¡¯t classify spells according to the magical nexus. For Lance, casting spells of different ranks was simply a matter of the energy expended. At his peak, he could cast any spell below the seventh ring instantly. The dragon breath in his dragon form could rival even a ninth-ring legendary spell.

    Though the lightning storm had caused old injuries to flare up, preventing him from returning to his peak condition anytime soon, his control over magic still remained. Given a little time, Lance would still be able to cast ninth-ring spells.

    He paused for a moment, then answered, ¡°Eighth ring.¡±

    Mira¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She knew Lance was strong, but he was even more powerful than she had imagined.

    ¡°Then, does that mean you¡¯ll have your own tower soon?¡± Mira couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    It had been a long time since humans had seen a High Tower Mage. Originally, Mira¡¯s mentor was the one most likely to achieve this, but clearly, he had failed.

    Lance looked at her. In truth, he already had his own tower.

    The blue dragon turned his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy.¡±

    His reaction was mistaken by Mira as shyness or discomfort. She leaned closer to him. ¡°Come on, Lance, an eighth-ring mage? There might not even be five eighth-ring mages in the world!¡± She whispered in his ear, ¡°Eighth-ring mages can cast legendary spells!¡±

    Lance smiled, the corner of his lips quirking up. So that¡¯s what excited her¡ªhis ability to cast legendary spells. In reality, he could even cast forbidden spells.

    However, those spells were often dangerous and could have huge negative consequences, so the blue dragon typically didn¡¯t use them just for fun.

    Mira sometimes hated how active her imagination was.

    Just as she had realized that Lance could cast powerful legendary spells, another strange thought appeared in her mind.

    He must be really old.

    She hadn¡¯t asked him his age last time, and it seemed like this time would be no different.

    Sigh. Mira mentally groaned. She just wanted to forget about this odd thought, so that she wouldn¡¯t keep picturing him with white hair.

    It was a strange thought.

    Fortunately, there were enough other questions and mysteries around her to distract her mind.

    Lance was an eighth-ring mage, and the one who crushed his fluffy ball of fur must also be an eighth-ring mage. This town had secretly hidden such a powerful spellcaster?

    Mira ticked off on her fingers. There were no more than five eighth-ring mages in the world.

    Was there something she had missed?

    But the information she had was too little. Even the mage¡¯s intuition couldn¡¯t make up for this gap in knowledge.

    One thing was certain: there was a spellcaster involved in all of this. Without magical intervention, the bizarre coexistence of the living and the dead in this town would be impossible.

    If that was the case, the people pretending to be the king¡¯s soldiers must have been acting on the instructions of this spellcaster, which gave them the courage to do something that could cost them their lives.

    But what could a spellcaster want with young people who have the bloodline of a hero?

    All of this pointed in one direction, a direction that was now urging Mira forward.

    ¡°We must go see the mines,¡± she turned to Lance and said.

    The data clearly stated that the frequent disappearances of young, strong men in nearby towns began after the earthquake.

    For a mining town like Geqiu, which relied heavily on mining for wealth, it had recovered far too quickly after the earthquake.

    Mira remembered reading in the materials that the earthquake had triggered a landslide, burying a village at the foot of a mountain.

    The mountain road that connected various towns was blocked by the disaster, and it took the army and residents two whole months to clear the road.

    And yet, Geqiu had not only cleared the road in that time, but also resettled refugees and resumed mining operations?

    Indeed, it was a very wealthy town. It could afford to hire a large workforce to complete these tasks. But when the mountain road was blocked and there were many casualties, even with money, it would have been impossible to hire enough labor.

    ¡°The mines are in the mountains,¡± Mira was very focused on this matter. After careful thought, she shared her idea with Lance.

    ¡°We need to follow the miners who head into the mountains.¡± Many miners were also staying at their temporary accommodations, which gave Mira plenty of opportunity.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already used the detection spell. The situation in the mountains is complicated, and due to years of mining, there have been many changes to the terrain. After the earthquake two years ago, only those familiar with the area will be able to move around freely.¡± Mira said all of this in one breath, then her gaze rested on Lance, waiting for his opinion.

    Her eyes were full of expectation. Lance shifted his gaze and quietly observed Mira under the light spell''s glow.

    Since the last time he had praised her, she had often looked at him with such expectant eyes.

    This made Lance realize that Mira was someone who lacked affirmation. During her twelve years in the magical nexus, although she had studied under the best mentor, she had always been the least noticeable and the easiest to overlook.

    She was eager for someone to notice her ideas and give her positive feedback.

    Lance wasn¡¯t particularly good at reading people¡¯s hearts, but Mira¡¯s longing was so obvious that he couldn¡¯t ignore it or refuse it.

    He reached out and ruffled Mira¡¯s soft, long hair.

    ¡°I think what you said makes sense.¡± He spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    The weight pressing down on her head wasn¡¯t heavy at all, but this gesture still made Mira feel a surge of happiness from the heart.

    Of course, Mira wasn¡¯t going to let anyone notice her joy.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a puppy. Don¡¯t ruffle my hair like that.¡± Mira pretended to protest, her gaze darting around, but it was clear that her true thoughts had been exposed.

    Mira needed to be recognized. Though the impact of being overlooked for twelve years couldn¡¯t be changed overnight, Lance still believed that positive affirmation and encouragement would bring about a change in her.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    And for Lance, this was a completely new experience. Just like what he had said to Mira, magic wasn¡¯t about rigid theoretical knowledge; it was more about reasonable extensions of natural perception.

    Lance could have directly used magic to teleport both of them to the mines, but doing so would have only trained him, not Mira.

    He would give Mira many opportunities to grow into a stronger mage. This was his way of thanking her for bringing so many new things into his life.

    Had it not been for Mira¡¯s involvement with the hero who used the longsword, Lance might not have realized the significance of his own collection.

    Many feelings could only resonate when applied to one¡¯s own experiences. Losing a longsword was just as cruel as losing magic for a blue dragon.

    ¡°Should we leave now?¡± Mira asked Lance.

    Lance turned back to look at her. ¡°What did you just say to me?¡±

    Mira froze. Right, they needed to wait for the miners to start their work.

    She pouted. It was all Lance¡¯s fault. His earlier actions had made her forget all the ideas that had been swirling in her mind.

    ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a bit,¡± Mira suggested.

    Her gaze was still lingering on Lance¡¯s legs. He still had injuries, after all.

    The spell that Mira left behind sent a message at dusk. Hearing the rustling sound, Lance opened his eyes.

    The night shift miners were about to depart.

    He turned around and saw Mira curled up sleeping on the mat she had spread. She hadn''t rested well during their journey these past couple of days, and tonight, she would likely need to stay up all night again. Mira could only seize any free moment to rest.

    She was sleeping deeply.

    Lance had initially planned to wake her up, but halfway through extending his hand, he withdrew it. He waited for a moment longer until he heard the people outside preparing to leave.

    The blue dragon extended its hand and drew a symbol in the air. A magical, plush ball formed and burrowed into Mira¡¯s forehead.

    Not long after, she opened her eyes.

    Still groggy from just waking up, Mira recalled the dream she had¡ªa cute but suffocating one. She wondered if it was because Lance had mentioned his plush ball earlier. In her dream, there were so many fluffy little balls.

    She was resting like she was now, and one ball, two balls, three balls¡ªthese fluffy little creatures seemed to come from nowhere, rubbing against her cheeks, arms, and fingers. They were soft and ticklish, as though they were trying to surround her, almost making it hard to breathe.

    Cute, but suffocating.

    ¡°You woke up at the right time.¡± Lance didn¡¯t mention the trick he used to wake her.

    He turned his head to look at the door to the storage room. ¡°They¡¯re about to leave.¡±

    Mira¡¯s gaze fixed on his side profile, raising an eyebrow. She decided to forget about the strange blue balls and pretend not to know that it was Lance¡¯s trick.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Mira rubbed her cheek.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The slanted sun left only a faint afterglow in the sky. The miners were probably leaving at this time to take advantage of the little light, saving on lamp oil.

    Mira and Lance followed behind them. As outsiders, they stood out too much, so Mira cast an invisibility spell.

    The medium triggered a magical change, greatly extending the duration of the spell.

    They followed the miners out of the town and headed toward the back mountains.

    The path beneath their feet twisted and turned, with various plants growing on either side. Compared to the gray-white town, these colors were far more pleasing.

    The path was worn by the miners who traveled in and out of the mountain every day. Mira squatted down and pressed her hand to the earth beneath her feet.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if it was just an illusion, but she could feel a vibration coming up from the ground.

    There were almost no tall plants nearby. Lance noticed another detail, which was a common trait in most mining areas.

    Tall trees need to have roots, but the hollow layers beneath the ground clearly couldn¡¯t provide the conditions for that.

    As they went deeper into the mountains, abandoned open-pit mines were scattered everywhere. These mines varied in size, but the one thing they all had in common was that they had all been abandoned.

    The miners moved freely among the abandoned sites, and Mira and Lance stayed close behind. Larger mining areas had tunnels and shafts, but no one separated from the main group at this time.

    They continued deeper, until the moon had risen halfway into the sky.

    Mira estimated their distance. Climbing up the mountain was slower than walking on flat ground, but after a few hours, they had already gone deep into the mines.

    Yet, they still hadn¡¯t seen any active mining tunnels.

    ¡°This mountain is almost mined out.¡± Mira whispered to Lance.

    Lance agreed with her. Through the Dragon¡¯s Eye, he saw the brokenness and decay of the land. When this decay fully enveloped the mountain range, it would be nearly impossible for natural life to thrive here. When a place became barren, with not even the most tenacious rats and cockroaches trying to escape, it would turn into a land devoid of magic.

    The blue dragon, guardian of magic, was reluctant to see such a result happen.

    They walked for about another hour, and one by one, miners left the main group, though the vast majority continued along the winding path.

    Mira cast a scouting spell to follow a few of the miners who had separated from the group, but she quickly lost control of the spell.

    Mira didn¡¯t understand why this happened.

    She looked at Lance in confusion, and the young man slowly spoke. ¡°My magic has also been swallowed by this mountain.¡±

    His words answered Mira¡¯s earlier doubts.

    It was nearly impossible for two eighth-circle mages to gather in a mountain hollow, but if the magic was being absorbed by something else, it made more sense.

    Lance wasn¡¯t entirely sure, but it was true that magic weakened after entering the mountain.

    Even invisibility, enhanced by dragon scales, didn¡¯t last as long here as it had back in the town. Moreover, as they ventured deeper, this effect became more and more pronounced.

    Mira had already had to recast several spells in a short amount of time.

    A miner, who had been solving his personal issues in some low shrubs, caught up with the group. He stood at the back, whispering something to another miner.

    The man¡¯s expression changed, and a lewd grin spread across his face as he replied.

    Lance furrowed his brow and glanced back at the discovery.

    Using the full extent of Dragon¡¯s Eye, he quickly noticed something unusual amid the grayness and desolation.

    The Soul of the Hero.

    The girl from last time?

    Mira noticed Lance¡¯s sudden change in expression and instinctively knew it had to do with the conversation between the two miners.

    Mira couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying, but Lance, being a high-circle mage, should have been able to hear them clearly. His expression confirmed Mira¡¯s guess.

    Lance crouched down and whispered to Mira, ¡°They found a little girl. She¡¯s the daughter of that hero.¡±

    The daughter of the hero? Ina, Lady Ellin¡¯s youngest daughter!

    Mira immediately realized why the two miners had that expression, and she had seen something similar on the face of the yellow-toothed man earlier.

    Greedy, lecherous, and ugly desire.

    Mira clenched her fists.

    ¡°Where is she?¡± Without bothering to continue following the miners, Mira now had more important things to do.

    Although she didn¡¯t understand why the little girl was here, she knew she wasn¡¯t capable of protecting herself yet.

    Before Lance could answer, Mira had already reacted. She noticed the two lagging miners deliberately slowing their pace and then slipping into a low shrub.

    Mira chanted a spell, and magic gathered at her fingertips. She pinched her earlobes, amplifying her hearing several times.

    The miners¡¯ dialect mixed with a few low, sinister laughs. The words between them were filled with nauseating, vulgar expressions.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°My nose can smell the gas from the mine. Can¡¯t I smell a woman¡¯s scent?¡±

    ¡°Bullshit. The mine reeks of sweat.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely a woman. That fragrance, faint but discernible, I could smell it from far away.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see her?¡±

    ¡°I saw a little leg, wearing a skirt. I can already imagine that pale skin below the tights, the delicate feel of her hands¡­¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a woman in over two years. Damn it, all the women in the town are dead. Not only dead, but turned into corpses. Who would have thought that out here, in the middle of nowhere, we¡¯d run into such a good thing.¡±

    ¡°Damn, what luck.¡±

    ¡°Just thinking about it makes me hard. Hurry up and go, before she runs away.¡±

    Mira clenched her fists, but she also picked up some useful information from their lewd remarks.

    Two years¡ªaround the same time as the earthquake.

    Perhaps no one survived in the small town at the foot of this mountain during that earthquake!

    But this bold thought was overshadowed by the situation at hand.

    Mira sprinted through the low shrubs, quickly leaving Lance, who had difficulty moving, behind.

    She saw her¡ªthe little girl.

    Ina.

    She was holding a sword and struggling through the bushes.

    At twelve years old, the girl was still quite small, and the uneven bushes reached as high as her chest or as low as her calves.

    Even though it was difficult to move forward, Ina didn¡¯t consider using her father¡¯s sword to clear a path.

    She had taken a different route up the mountain. Originally, Ina had planned to follow the two mages leaving the town to head toward the foothills.

    But not long after leaving the town, she lost sight of them.

    Mira and Lance had used teleportation to return to the tower, and since the girl couldn¡¯t find them, she kept going in the direction indicated on the map, arriving here half a day earlier than them.

    She saw a bustling little town at the foot of the mountain and, fearing that she might lose her father¡¯s sword, Ina chose to bypass the town and ascend the mountain from the other side.

    During the day, she could use the sun to navigate, but when night fell, Ina quickly became lost in the eerie bushes.

    She had inherited half of her father¡¯s hero soul.

    Heroes, occasionally reckless, often boastful, gaining experience through courage and learning to be sensitive and vigilant through their scars.

    Like the stereotype about mages being weak, there was also the stereotype about heroes being not too bright.

    Clever children would recognize danger and avoid it, but heroes didn¡¯t know how to evade risk. They kept throwing themselves into danger, honing their skills, and gaining the courage to face it.

    And perhaps Ina was facing her first real challenge as a hero.

    When she saw the two ill-intentioned men ahead, her first instinct was to open the wooden case containing her mother¡¯s sword.

    But she was still too young. Often playing with sticks chasing after her brother and his friends, Ina didn¡¯t realize that the sword she held was a real one¡ªa heavy dragon-slaying blade. And her opponents were not just boys like her brother, but two strong men who worked in the mines.

    The sword clattered to the ground with a mournful sound. Ina¡¯s face showed surprise¡ªshe was clearly good with swords.

    Her brothers had...

    Her thoughts were interrupted by the pain from the sword falling. As rough hands grabbed her stockings, Ina instinctively tried to kick and crawl toward her sword.

    The scales almost sank into her palms.

    A long, cryptic incantation appeared in Mira¡¯s mind, but she had no time to recall the name of the spell. The deep and hoarse chanting surged beyond reason.

    Magic flowed into the scales, and it sounded like thunder.

    The next moment, lightning followed Mira¡¯s will, ruthlessly piercing the fragile human bodies.

    Mira pulled Ina up from the ground, her eyes scanning the brave girl.

    She blinked, and when she saw Mira, her panic disappeared, and a smile appeared on her face.

    Lightning flashed, and the magic continued. The screams were drowned out by the noise, and Mira returned the sword that had fallen to the ground to Ina.

    She turned to look at the aftermath of the magic.

    Two blackened corpses lay on the ground, emitting the smell of charred meat.

    She instinctively covered Ina¡¯s curious eyes but forgot to close her own.

    This was Mira¡¯s first time using magic to kill. And she killed two people at once.

    She opened her mouth and slowly looked at the approaching Lance.

    She did want to kill them, but she never imagined she would actually do it.

    Lance met her gaze. Finally catching up to Mira, despite his injured legs, he saw two charred corpses, struck by lightning magic.

    The blue dragon¡¯s gaze moved between Mira and the bodies, without hesitation. He raised his hand, and magic surged from his palm, swirling into rolling clouds.

    The next moment, torrential rain began to pour.

    It was as if the earlier lightning storm was just the prelude to the downpour.

 Chapter 33

    The rain came down quickly and heavily. Mira stood still, turning her head to look at Lance, who had conjured the heavy rain with his magic.

    Mira moved her lips, unsure of what to say.

    Lance didn¡¯t speak either.

    He stepped closer, disregarding his disguised limp.

    He stopped in front of Mira, and whether intentionally or not, his tall frame blocked her view of the bodies.

    She lifted her head, and the cold raindrops avoided the small space around them. It was clearly the effect of Lance¡¯s magic.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head back,¡± Lance decided to abandon the mission. He briefly hated himself for not following Mira more closely. He should have been faster, not worrying about his limp.

    Thinking back to the two corpses they had seen earlier, Lance¡¯s expression grew serious. If anyone had to kill them, it should have been him.

    Mira was too young. Many mages who were older and had more experience with life often went through a period of struggle after taking a life for the first time.

    Mira hadn¡¯t even reacted yet, still driven by anger. But as this anger faded, what would stay in her mind was the terrifying sensation of her body being pierced by lightning.

    The way mages and warriors fought their enemies was different, but some emotions were shared. Whether using swords or natural magic, she would realize that this moment was a new, unfamiliar feeling.

    The ability to decide the life or death of others.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Mira responded flatly. She also felt that it wasn¡¯t the right time to continue, even though she didn¡¯t know what had happened to the people they had taken away. But she couldn¡¯t focus on them now; she couldn¡¯t think about them at this moment.

    Her mind was in chaos. She tightly covered Ina¡¯s eyes with her hand, not knowing why she was doing this. It was just an instinct telling her not to let go.

    She couldn¡¯t let Ina see the two bodies. She couldn¡¯t let anyone know she had killed people.

    Lance looked back at the two bodies on the ground. Flames appeared with his will and ignited the bodies. The magical flames didn¡¯t extinguish in the rain; they didn¡¯t make a sound.

    After doing this, the blue dragon used teleportation magic to bring the three of them back to their temporary shelter.

    The oblivious descendant of the hero seemed to have already recovered from the earlier shock. Or perhaps, being so young, she didn¡¯t even realize what had happened.

    Ina, holding the wooden box with her father¡¯s sword inside, looked around with curious eyes. When her gaze landed on Lance, there was a faint trace of contemplation in her eyes.

    Magic was truly as powerful as the legends said. Swordsmanship, however, didn¡¯t seem to have the expected effect.

    Mira sat opposite her, drying her hair. Her clothes had already been dried by magic.

    But the rain outside showed no sign of stopping. How long could Lance¡¯s magic last? Would it wash away the bodies in the mountains? She didn¡¯t know.

    She saw that Lance had set fire to their bodies. The flames created by magic burned in the rain, and the two bodies, struck by lightning, would soon turn to ash. Then the rain would wash everything away, and no one would know that she had casually used magic to kill two people.

    No one would know...

    The rain poured down louder, almost as if to confirm Mira¡¯s thoughts.

    She wiped her hair with a clean cloth. In reality, Lance had already cast other spells to protect her and Ina from the rain. The dampness on her clothes was from the raindrops splashing on her, but her head had remained dry.

    She wasn¡¯t wiping her hair because she had to, but because she needed to do something to force her mind onto something else.

    But it seemed useless.

    Mira couldn¡¯t bear the silence any longer. She had to do something, say something, to push away the flashbacks in her mind.

    She turned to Ina. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Mira¡¯s gaze fixed on the wooden box on her leg.

    ¡°You stole this sword too?¡± Her tone wasn¡¯t kind. However, it wasn¡¯t entirely because of Ina. Mira knew that these emotional fluctuations were all stemming from her own chaotic thoughts at that moment.

    Because she had just taken a life.

    Ina, however, thought this was a complaint against her.

    She only wanted to help¡ªwhat was wrong with that? Her brother¡¯s fate was unknown, and she was a descendant of the hero. Why couldn¡¯t she protect her brother?

    Ina stood her ground, refusing to back down. Even though she still didn¡¯t have the ability to protect herself, if Mira hadn¡¯t appeared in time, the consequences would have been disastrous.

    ¡°This is my father¡¯s sword. Why are you accusing me of stealing it?¡± Ina responded without hesitation.

    How ungrateful.

    ¡°Your swordsmanship can¡¯t even protect yourself!¡± The harsh words slipped out in anger, like a sharp blade.

    Mira was hurt, deeply pained.

    She had just killed people to protect this girl. Killed people...

    Even a simple thank you would have made her feel like what she did was right.

    She was twelve. She was still a little girl.

    And she was only eighteen, with so much left to experience.

    Anger and sadness twisted into strange thoughts, and she reached out, magic appearing at her fingertips.

    It would be easy to silence her, to force a thank you out of her. A girl who couldn¡¯t even hold a sword steady... her magic...

    Mira! Reason halted her fury.

    Mira dispelled her magic and lowered her head in frustration.

    Lance witnessed everything unfold in a flash. Mira¡¯s magic gathered and then dissipated.

    He breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have to step in to stop her.

    Mira was a smart and brave girl. Sudden changes would make her falter, but they would never break her.

    Lance reacted quickly, standing up and walking over to Mira, taking her hand.

    Mira froze, staring at him. Lance¡¯s profile was blurred, as tears were about to fall from her eyes.

    Tears for killing two bad people?

    Mira followed Lance out of the storage room. After leaving a protective magic, she walked with him up to the rooftop.

    The rain was still falling, splashing onto the ground and forming puddles.

    Mira deliberately stepped into the puddles, making splashing sounds.

    The sound helped her feel a little bit better.

    ¡°Should I not have gotten angry with a little girl?¡± Mira looked up at Lance¡¯s back. ¡°She¡¯s just a little girl, and I¡¯m already grown. When I was young, I thought I could save the world.¡±

    Lance chuckled. He looked around at the empty rooftop, with only some junk piled up in the corners, and the rest of the area damp from the rain, unsuitable for sitting.

    He came up with a good idea. The blue dragon, always spontaneous, raised his hand, and light blue magic formed a beautiful swing on the rooftop.

    After completing this, Lance confirmed Mira¡¯s actions.

    ¡°You can definitely be angry with her,¡± Lance said, not stopping the rain. He used magic to protect the swing. ¡°Even children must face the consequences of their choices. But right now, Mira, you¡¯re the one taking on the consequences for her.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m much older than her.¡± Mira lowered her head, pulling her hand away from Lance¡¯s and avoiding his gaze.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a child anymore. Why am I getting angry with a little girl? And it¡¯s not just about that¡­ those two guys wanted¡­¡±

    Mira lowered her head, unsure of how to continue.

    ¡°Does the grown-up Mira like swings?¡± Lance asked, throwing in a random question as he walked a few steps ahead. His gait was steady, without a limp.

    Mira pressed her lips together, stepping into the puddles and sitting down on the swing.

    ¡°Adults can like swings in the rain, right?¡± Mira sat on the swing.

    The swing was wide enough for two people. She hoped Lance would sit next to her.

    ¡°Here.¡± Mira patted the empty space beside her.

    Lance obediently sat down.

    He used magic to push the swing, making it sway back and forth.

    Back and forth, it felt as though magic wrapped around them, and the swinging motion helped clear Mira¡¯s cluttered thoughts. They no longer felt like a tangled mess in her chest but instead became a melody, each swing telling the story of her frustrations.

    Lance was truly a powerful mage. Besides his immense magic power, he had a kind of strength that made people feel encouraged and at peace when they were close to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± Mira whispered, her gaze fixed on her shoes.

    ¡°Mira.¡± He turned his body to face her.

    Her soft black hair fell on her shoulders, and through the strands, Lance could see her lips pressed together.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡±

    His words surprised Mira. She looked up at him in astonishment.

    ¡°Many mages fall into self-doubt when they realize the magic they¡¯ve been learning can take away others¡¯ lives. This usually happens after their first kill,¡± Lance said, releasing Mira¡¯s hand.

    Mira understood his meaning.

    She hadn¡¯t wanted to argue with Ina earlier. She could have used magic to silence her.

    ¡°You¡¯re worried about me?¡± Mira hadn¡¯t done so. She was confused and scared, but if she attacked Ina with magic, it would complicate things further.

    ¡°Yes. I was thinking about how to talk to you earlier,¡± Lance said. ¡°I even thought it would have been more fitting for me to deal with those two scoundrels instead.¡±

    ¡°At the time, I wasn¡¯t thinking about anything.¡± Mira recalled the situation. ¡°I was just so angry. She¡¯s just a little girl¡­¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Lance reached out, gently running his hand through Mira¡¯s smooth hair from top to bottom.

    His touch triggered something. Mira¡¯s fear, worries, anxiety, struggles, and guilt were all released in that instant.

    Hurting lives like one¡¯s own... even though Mira repeatedly told herself those two scoundrels deserved to die, it still troubled her.

    Kindness and morality made her struggle. Lance was willing to be her outlet.

    Mira had called Ina a little girl. But in reality, she was one too.

    ¡°I¡¯m so scared. I thought they were bad people. Using magic to kill bad people should be the right thing, right? I don¡¯t know... was I wrong? I didn¡¯t think at all. I just said the incantation, and they died. I didn¡¯t even think that magic would kill them. I just wanted to stop them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I was wrong. But I killed them. I think they deserved it, but my magic turned them to ash. I think I did the right thing. But if I¡¯m making judgments using magic, calling it justice... then can anyone with this power use it as they see fit? Can anyone, with the title of justice, take others¡¯ lives at will? Am I the one who should judge?¡±

    Mira was a thoughtful girl who always questioned things.

    Lance knew this. He understood she would think too much. Her active mind made her a great mage, but it also brought her unnecessary pain.

    He gently stroked Mira¡¯s hair.

    There would be many people who thought Mira¡¯s concerns were unnecessary. They might say she thought too much, and she would suffer¡ªnot because she killed two bad people, but because of all the complex thoughts swirling in her mind.

    But these thoughts were part of who Mira was. If she lost her ability to think, lost her quirky ideas, it would be like destroying Mira.

    Lance didn¡¯t want Mira to lose her thoughts or to abandon magic because she saw its darker side.

    Kindness was never a sign of weakness, but a painful choice.

    He quietly listened to her thoughts, to her strange ideas and peculiar reasoning.

    No answers were needed. Mira didn¡¯t need answers. She just needed someone to listen, to let her voice her sudden thoughts.

    If someone was willing to listen, it would make her strong.

    Eventually, Mira felt dry in her throat. She had said too much, but it seemed like finally, the chaotic thoughts in her head had found their answers.

    She didn¡¯t enjoy killing. She would never casually take someone¡¯s life. She had only been protecting Ina and herself at the time, but the consequences were beyond what she imagined.

    Lance saw her slow down, and reached into the air to pull out a water pouch.

    He handed it to Mira, who drank half of it before returning it to him.

    Lance put the pouch away and said, ¡°You¡¯re still a little girl. It¡¯s completely normal to have all these emotions. You can tell me about them, or just whisper them to yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a little girl anymore¡­¡± Mira softly rebutted.

    Lance looked at her.

    ¡°If you say you¡¯re not, then you¡¯re not.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°Should the rain stop?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s getting a bit cold. Make it stop.¡±

    With a wave of his magic, the swing swayed higher and higher.

    Mira had another nightmare.

    She dreamt of two charred corpses bouncing after her, shouting, ¡°Give me back my life, give me back my life!¡±

    When she woke up, she sat on the mat, calming herself for a long time.

    She knew that this shadow would take a long time to overcome. Emotional fluctuations like the ones she experienced last night would likely happen many more times, but for now, she no longer felt afraid.

    Ina was sleeping beside her. Although she was somewhat dissatisfied with Mira, the fact that she had inherited the soul of the hero meant she still fit the ¡°stereotype¡± of a hero in many ways.

    Heroes didn¡¯t hold grudges overnight.

    Lance walked back in from outside. It seemed that his leg injury had healed, as there was no limp when he walked now.

    Mira thought this was good; after all, there was nothing more important than good health.

    She still remembered the way Lance looked when they first found him¡ªlying in a pile of moldy books, looking as though he could die at any moment.

    He recovered quickly. Not just because of magic, but also because he was strong in his own right.

    So, he would be leaving soon, wouldn¡¯t he?

    If he was already better, Mira couldn¡¯t think of a reason for him to stay in the tower.

    She reached out and patted her cheek, trying to clear her thoughts.

    At least, he wouldn¡¯t leave right now.

    ¡°Time for breakfast,¡± Lance said to Mira.

    He had also read magic cookbooks, and using a few simple spells to make food wasn¡¯t difficult for the Blue Dragon.

    Last night, after Mira and Ina had fallen asleep, Lance took a walk around the village.

    This land was suffocating, shrouded in a gloomy mist.

    Although it hadn¡¯t yet become a place devoid of magic, if the death energy continued to spread, it wouldn¡¯t be long before this place lost all its life.

    On the other side of the city, Lance found the ruins left by the earthquake. Among the splintered wood, rocks, and white bones, he knew that the true Gegu Hill Town had been destroyed in the earthquake.

    ¡°Right, it was a prosperous town,¡± Ina said, eating the magic bread while telling Lance and Mira about what she had seen.

    She had arrived here earlier than both Lance and Mira, and in Ina¡¯s eyes, this decaying city was another sight altogether.

    ¡°I was afraid of too many people. Some might recognize my sword, so I didn¡¯t dare go into the town. I went around it and up the mountain,¡± Ina shared her observations.

    To Lance and Mira, this was undoubtedly an important clue.

    Perhaps, this town appeared completely different depending on whether one had magic or not.

    So, even though two years had passed since the earthquake, no one had discovered anything wrong here.

    Because ordinary people still saw the bustling little town.

    However, with Lance¡¯s Dragon Eyes and Mira¡¯s magic enhanced by her blue dragon scales, they were able to see through the town¡¯s fa?ade.

    The reason they felt puzzled was that they had initially stepped into the secret of this town.

    They would need to go to the mine again. Lance and Mira read the same message in each other¡¯s eyes.

    Their gaze shifted simultaneously and fell on Ina, who was eating.

    Before that, they needed to send this girl back to the small town.

    Naturally, this task fell to Mira.

    Lance sent the two of them out of the town, casting several protective spells. He watched as Mira led the little girl away.

    Lance turned around.

    He coldly stared at the city in front of him. The loss of magic power made the Blue Dragon King feel an unprecedented anger.

    An earthquake might be an unavoidable natural disaster. But those spellcasters who used natural disasters to fulfill their own selfish desires would not be let off easily.

    Lance¡¯s figure gradually blurred.

    In the place where he disappeared, large patches of plants were crushed. His massive dragon claws pressed against the ground, and the dragon wings covered in scales spread wide. A shadow shot into the sky, soaring above the ruined city.

    He flew toward the mountains, until he saw figures working in the open-air mining fields.

    The giant dragon¡¯s eyes scanned the area, searching for the spellcasters, then, after locking onto his target, he dove swiftly toward the depths of the mine.

    ¡°Can I learn magic?¡±

    Ina looked at Mira, asking whether she was suited to learn magic.

    Mira studied her, and the girl¡¯s face showed an expression of eager anticipation.

    ¡°As long as you have enough talent and a good teacher, I think it¡¯s possible,¡± Mira replied.

    ¡°How can I know if I have talent?¡± Ina¡¯s eyes sparkled. She realized that her swordsmanship wasn¡¯t powerful enough, and sword training could never compare to the dazzling magic.

    Mira didn¡¯t know what she was thinking, so she extended her hand.

    ¡°Whoosh.¡± With a brief sound, a ball of light appeared in her hand.

    ¡°Try it. As long as you can make a little light in your palm within ten attempts¡ª it doesn¡¯t have to be as big as mine, just a fluctuation of energy¡ª that means you have talent.¡±

    This was a simple test. The light spell, which provided illumination, was one of the simplest tricks.

    It only required a brief incantation, and casting the spell didn¡¯t need any mediation or filters. The casting process was so simple that Mira couldn¡¯t even describe it precisely. Therefore, this spell was the most suitable for testing whether someone had the potential to cast magic.

    Because it couldn¡¯t be taught, it had to be felt.

    It sounded easy enough. Ina stretched out her hand and tried to imitate Mira.

    ¡°Whoosh.¡± She eagerly looked at her palm, but instead of the radiant light like the sun that shone from Mira¡¯s hand, there was nothing in her palm.

    ¡°Whoosh.¡± Ina stubbornly tried again.

    Still, there was no reaction.

    ¡°Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.¡± She showed a frustrated expression and tried many more times, but there was still no response.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just about reciting the spell,¡± Mira reminded her. ¡°You need to sense the fluctuations of magical energy. The process is complex, but also simple. I can¡¯t describe the feeling to you, but it¡¯s like an inspiration that comes and goes in an instant. As long as you can grasp that fleeting moment of inspiration, casting the spell won¡¯t be difficult.¡±

    ¡°Whoosh.¡± Mira demonstrated again. The sun-like light reappeared in her palm.

    But Ina still couldn¡¯t do it.

    ¡°Does this mean I don¡¯t have any talent?¡± She had tried more than twenty times, but there was still no sign of magical energy.

    ¡°Maybe magic isn¡¯t your strength,¡± Mira said frankly.

    She remembered that Lance had said she carried the soul of a warrior, and perhaps she was more suited for swordsmanship than magic.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you good with a sword?¡± Mira asked.

    ¡°But I can¡¯t defeat the bad guys with a sword.¡± Ina said, a little angry. ¡°My brother and the others are just messing with me, doing it to make me happy. I can¡¯t use a sword to fight enemies.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still very young,¡± Mira thought for a moment. ¡°When I was your age, I could only cast simple spells. I was very small back then, much shorter than you are now.¡± Mira gestured, ¡°I was probably about the height of your shoulders, and I was also very weak.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Ina looked up at Mira, not quite believing her.

    ¡°We all have things we¡¯re good at and things we¡¯re not. Just like how I¡¯m better at magic, but can¡¯t wield a sword. You¡¯re not good with magic, but you¡¯re skilled with a sword. Isn¡¯t that great?¡±

    ¡°Comparing ourselves to others makes us overlook our own strengths. In fact, you should just focus on your own advantages. Your swordsmanship is really impressive, and don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re still very young.¡± Mira thought for a moment¡ª Ina lacked recognition, just like herself.

    Lance had given her encouragement, maybe she could do the same.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be a great warrior,¡± she said, looking at Ina. ¡°And I will become a powerful mage.¡±

 Chapter 34

    Mira and Ina walked toward the town. On their way, they happened to meet a group of women coming from the town.

    One woman had sharp eyes and spotted Mira and Ina from afar. She let out a sharp scream, excitedly pointing at the two shadows and shouting, "Ina? Is that you, Ina?"

    Ina heard the sound and looked in the direction it came from. Her eyes instantly lit up, and she waved her hands toward them.

    "Yes, it''s me!"

    The women sighed in relief and hurriedly ran toward them. Ina, holding her father''s longsword, ran to meet them.

    Lady Ellin was among the women. When she heard the familiar name, she immediately relaxed, and all the tension she had been holding onto for the past few days seemed to vanish. Her body, however, lost all its strength, and she collapsed onto the ground.

    "Ina! You little brat, where have you been?!"

    Ina greeted the women cheerfully, smiling, "I went on an adventure." She felt a little proud of this special trip, "I went to Geshouling. Aunties, that town is really strange."

    "Stop talking about it. Your mother¡¯s back there." One of the women interrupted Ina, gesturing to the direction where Lady Ellin was. She turned around just in time to see a woman stumbling and falling.

    "Hey, hey, hey. Ina, your mother fell!" The women quickly ran toward Lady Ellin.

    Ina, however, stayed where she was, looking hesitant.

    She glanced at Mira, her expression oddly conflicted.

    Mira thought she hadn¡¯t fully processed the sudden change. She gently nudged Ina, ¡°Ina? What¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t you going?¡±

    "My mom is going to beat me," Ina said, her face turning into one of almost crying. "Really, Mira, do you know? She uses a board that thick to hit me!" She gestured with her hand, showing that the board was at least as wide as half her palm.

    Mira furrowed her brows.

    ¡°She won¡¯t do that. You¡¯ve finally come home.¡± Mira said.

    It would normally take two days and one night to travel from Geshouling back to the town at the foot of the mountain. Mira had used a high-speed spell to help Ina walk the entire morning and they were only halfway through their journey.

    Thankfully, they met the women searching for Ina halfway. If they hadn¡¯t, Mira would¡¯ve had to take Ina back to the town first, then go back to Geshouling.

    Ina pulled her head in. "It¡¯s because I ran off that I¡¯m going to get beaten. My brother and I, we¡¯ve been getting beaten since we were little."

    Mira was stunned for a moment.

    She didn¡¯t understand. Shouldn¡¯t Lady Ellin be happy that Ina came back home safely?

    Why would she hit Ina?

    Mira had no parents. Since she could remember, she had always lived in the Magic Core Hub. There were mentors, apprentices, grand mages, sages, and various elders, but there were no parents.

    Mira didn¡¯t know how to interact with parents. Her understanding of them was limited to what she read in books.

    She smiled a little awkwardly, then fell silent.

    "Ina!" After a moment, Lady Ellin¡¯s voice finally broke through, calmer than before.

    Ever since Ina had gone missing, Lady Ellin had been in a constant state of tension. When she had just calmed down, she nearly fainted from the relief.

    As her energy slowly returned and she saw her daughter unharmed, still full of life, Lady Ellin suddenly felt anger rising within her.

    Everyone living in the Hero Town beneath the Tower had lost close loved ones. Lady Ellin had lost her dear ones twice.

    She had three children in total: two sons and one daughter, but none of her children had been easy. Her eldest son cut off ties with her and ran away to become a hero. In the end, his body was sent back to the town in a box, leaving behind only a finely crafted longbow and a few feathered arrows.

    Her second son wasn¡¯t great with a sword, but had an unknown courage. He took his father and elder brother as his role models. His greatest dream was either to kill a dragon or to be reduced to ashes under the dragon¡¯s flame.

    Finally, she had a daughter, but this daughter¡¯s character was even wilder than her sons. Her talent in swordsmanship surpassed her brothers, and she had her own unique understanding of the sword. She was also very daring, having hunted birds on the mountain with her brothers since she was little.

    That mountain''s peak was where the magic dragon¡¯s tower stood. The road leading to the top was full of bizarre magic, and if she wasn¡¯t careful, she might lose her third loved one.

    But no matter how much she said, or even if she hit them, her children never listened. Every time, they tried to escape home, their heads full of unrealistic fantasies.

    And this town was full of stories about heroes.

    When Lady Ellin¡¯s voice appeared, Mira felt Ina trembling next to her.

    Children were actually afraid of their own mothers?

    Mira¡¯s gaze moved between them. She didn¡¯t have a mother. No, if she didn¡¯t have a mother, she wouldn¡¯t even exist. She did have a mother, but she had never met her.

    She didn¡¯t know where her parents lived or why they had separated from her.

    Mira forced a nonchalant smile, then said to Ina, "Nothing¡¯s going to happen."

    "I hope so." Ina muttered. Though she was a little afraid of being hit with the board, she clearly understood that with her brother away, she was the only one who could protect her mother.

    Her mother didn¡¯t have the talent to become a hero. She was just an ordinary mom.

    Ina, holding her sword, walked toward her mother.

    She turned back several times, looking at Mira standing alone in the background. Mira stood in the road, waving at her and gesturing for her to hurry to her mother. Ina felt uneasy.

    It was as if Mira existed in this world, but she was a drifting reed, just existing without any connection to anyone.

    If that blue-haired mage was here with her, Ina thought, when they stood together, Mira¡¯s loneliness wasn¡¯t as strong.

    If they were apart, it would feel very lonely. But when they stood together, it felt much better.

    It would be best if they could always stand together. Ina paused, turning around to look at Mira.

    She smiled, looking happy, but still felt sad.

    As the inheritor of the hero¡¯s soul, Ina, like many heroes, was more skilled in action than in words.

    She stopped in her tracks. She could wait a little while before going to her mother. Now, she had to do something else.

    Ina made a decision and immediately took action.

    She put her sword on the ground and ran back toward Mira. In her surprised gaze, the girl hugged Mira¡¯s waist.

    "Thank you, Mira." Ina said, a little embarrassed to say this, but now, with her arms around Mira, she couldn¡¯t see her expression.

    Without the pressure of expectations, words came more easily. She repeated, this time more firmly, "Thank you, Mira. Thank you for protecting me."

    She knew what Mira had done. Even though Mira had covered her eyes, Ina knew that she had killed those two bad people.

    She wasn¡¯t much older than Ina. She must have been scared too.

    But she still protected her, using magic.

    Just like Mira said, everyone has something they are good at. She would practice swordsmanship and become a powerful hero. She didn¡¯t know magic, but she would use the sword in her hand to protect the people she wanted to protect.

    Her brother, and her mother. If one day Mira needed her, she would protect Mira too.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Mira was stunned. This hug made her feel awkward, and she gently patted Ina¡¯s back, saying nothing.

    A lot of words don¡¯t need to be spoken to be felt.

    Mira walked alone on the way back. She cast two acceleration spells and several speed-enhancing spells on herself to greatly increase her pace. She needed to get back to Geshouling before nightfall and then head to the mine with Lance.

    He had gone ahead to investigate, and Mira wasn¡¯t sure if he had gathered any useful information.

    Mira wasn¡¯t worried about Lance¡¯s safety. He was the strongest mage she had ever met. If it were before, she might have wondered if his leg injury would cause any trouble, but since she knew his wound was almost healed, her concern faded.

    She could sense that Lance¡¯s healing speed was incredibly fast. Books did mention that a perfectly cast healing spell could have such an effect.

    Once Lance¡¯s magic power recovered, he had likely healed himself with magic as well.

    She hoped he had some useful news. It would be certain, Lance was a powerful mage.

    The journey was dull. Mira had grown familiar with the road to Geshouling, her thoughts drifting. She remembered Ina¡¯s relationship with her mother.

    Actually, they still loved each other, Mira thought. It was just a bit different from what she had read in books.

    Emotions were complicated things. She couldn¡¯t fully trust the way they were portrayed in books. Those were just examples.

    She rarely thought about matters related to her own background. Most children who ended up in the Magic Core Hub at a young age were orphans, without fathers or mothers.

    Mira had always thought she was the same as them. This belief hadn¡¯t changed until now, when she met Ina¡¯s mother. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder: What was her own mother like? Why were they separated?

    But thinking about these things didn¡¯t really help. Mira knew very well that even if she weren¡¯t an orphan, she¡¯d never been with her parents and had no idea what they looked like. Even if they crossed paths someday, she probably wouldn¡¯t recognize her own parents.

    Mira let out a long sigh. She only needed to believe in her own orphanhood. Her father and mother hadn¡¯t abandoned her; they had to leave for some reason.

    That way, she wouldn¡¯t feel so sad. She could genuinely hope that they were living happily somewhere far away, even though she didn¡¯t know where.

    Without parents to protect her, she needed to protect herself better.

    Mira tightened her grip on the medium in her hand. She had to protect herself well.

    The dragon soared through the sky, its massive wings cutting through the thick clouds, which served as its natural camouflage.

    Lance¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the ground. He was currently at an altitude of over a thousand feet from the landmark below, yet even from such a height, the blue dragon¡¯s vision was completely unaffected.

    He circled around the edge of Geshouling Town, flying around the town and the two nearby mines twice, scanning them thoroughly.

    The mountain range was concealed by a powerful illusion spell, but even that couldn¡¯t hide the fact that it was rapidly degenerating into a land devoid of magic.

    What surprised Lance was how fast the degeneration was occurring. A typical example of such degeneration could be seen in a barren desert slowly replacing a once-fertile plateau. Even then, such a process would usually take decades, if not centuries.

    Even if a massive earthquake wiped out an entire town, the land would not degrade this quickly. Humans were only a small part of nature.

    Geshouling was a town nestled between mountains. In addition to being a human settlement, it was home to countless animals. But strangely, when Lance looked down from the sky, he couldn¡¯t find any signs of animal life at all.

    There weren¡¯t even any rats...

    This was absurd.

    Aside from the miners in the quarry, the only signs of life Lance could feel were the plants on the mountain and the mushrooms growing after the rain.

    He was curious. What kind of ore was being mined in Geshouling that could cause the mountain to be so heavily damaged? But after circling the mountain twice, he hadn¡¯t discovered a single clue related to the minerals.

    They were buried underground.

    This made things even more mysterious.

    Lance flew toward the mine deep in the mountains once more, looking for traces of any spellcasters among the crowd, and then swooped down to land.

    The massive body landed without a sound, and a blue silhouette slowly began to materialize.

    In the deep mountain quarry, the sound of clanging echoed across the air.

    Two carts full of materials were being hauled out of the mine. The overseer gave a cursory glance at the contents, then waved his hand dismissively, signaling for the workers to take the carts to their designated locations.

    The miners shakily pushed the carts toward a particular direction.

    None of the big, burly men noticed the strange creature with blue scales following them closely behind.

    It was a magical projection of Lance''s will, a miniature blue dragon.

    Influenced by the former Blue Dragon Queen, most of Lance''s magic took the form of cute little creatures. He had gotten used to it and no longer bothered to change it, especially since the smaller version of his magical consciousness, in the form of the blue dragon, wasn¡¯t actually him but his long-deceased mother.

    Lance had kept this ability as a tribute to his mother, who had sacrificed herself to protect the magic of nature.

    The small blue dragon followed the miners as they walked through the brush-covered path, heading toward a recently abandoned quarry.

    The two carts were filled with what could barely be called food. In the abandoned mine, large groups of descendants of heroes were being held prisoner. These people had been brought from the town at the foot of the mountain, and the miners were instructed to ensure their safety until their fate was decided.

    Lance counted the prisoners. There were fourteen young people in total. According to information from the women in the town, a total of thirty-two men had been taken, fifteen of them under the age of eighteen, and the remaining seventeen were middle-aged men, some of whom were retired heroes, while others were the descendants of past heroes.

    Food was placed in front of the cages. The two miners took turns distributing dry bread from one cart and mushy stew from the other to the surrounding youths.

    None of them spoke. Despite the insults and curses from the young people, the miners remained silent and, after distributing all the food, pushed the carts back the way they had come.

    The blue dragon followed closely behind, its amber eyes flashing with magical gleam. One of the miners, who was trailing behind, staggered as though about to collapse. Lance''s form flashed by and dragged the miner into the nearby brush. He then used a shape-shifting spell to assume the appearance of a miner and began pushing the cart, following the other miner.

    Fortunately, they were all very quiet. As long as Lance remained silent, it was easy for him to blend in.

    Bent over, Lance moved cautiously through the quarry, constantly observing his surroundings.

    The ore being mined seemed to be just ordinary stone?

    He saw them using pickaxes to dig into the mountain rock, loading the material onto the track carts to be taken into the mine.

    Fortunately, the destination of the carts was also the mine, which spared Lance from needing to change his identity again.

    After the carts were placed in a temporary mess hall-like area, the lead miner instructed Lance, "Go chop the wood."

    Lance looked around and spotted a neatly stacked pile of logs in the corner of the mine.

    The few trees left on the mountain were likely all gathered here.

    He walked over to the corner with a stoic expression, and as several magic spells took effect at once, the small blue dragon flew deeper into the mine, while Lance¡¯s form stayed behind, mechanically repeating the action of chopping wood.

    Lance encountered a team of workers descending into the mine. They were all expressionless, like puppets with no will of their own. The blue dragon version of Lance followed behind them, riding the lift down to the lower mine levels.

    The mine''s depths were like a man-made labyrinth. Due to excessive mining, the roads here were incredibly complicated.

    The mine was dimly lit, and the air was difficult to breathe, filled with a strange mix of sweat and dust.

    Lance was surprised to find that the mine¡¯s lighting came from Insource Crystals.

    These were magical ore. In dark places, the crystals emitted a soft light that could replace torches.

    Other than that, the crystals had no other special properties. But because they were so rare, they were quite expensive, typically favored by noble humans who collected shiny objects¡ªexcept for the dragons, who also liked such luxurious treasures.

    But here they were, using Insource Crystals for lighting. The miners seemed completely unfazed by this.

    Lance began to have a hunch.

    Insource Crystals were a companion ore. Wherever these crystals were found, there would be another even rarer ore beneath the surface.

    Lance¡¯s expression grew more serious.

    He followed the lift to the deepest level of the mine. The blue dragon hid in the corner, watching the miners head toward their workstations.

    Lance stepped forward, switching his consciousness into the body of a tall young man who now stood in the darkened mine tunnel.

    He stretched out his hand and pressed it against a nearby stone wall.

    No wonder ever since he entered this town, he had felt a strange force gradually consuming his magic.

    The furry scouting companion he had summoned had grown weaker and weaker, and finally, it had disappeared altogether.

    For a town like Geshouling, nestled in the mountains, it had become so rich from its mines all because of this.

    Lance leaned against the wall, feeling the stones around him absorb his magic.

    This was a mine for Magic-Nullifying Stones.

    Magic-Nullifying Stones were the key material for crafting artificial medium crystals.

    Mira arrived in the town just before dark. As with yesterday, the town at dusk was surrounded by an eerie atmosphere. She kept her head down, trying to avoid the stiff, rigid figures of people as much as possible, and hurried toward the location of the inn from her memory.

    The old woman from yesterday was still by the well, preparing to fetch water, her movements as stiff and unnatural as they had been when Mira first saw her. Mira stopped in her tracks and observed the woman''s actions carefully. A suspicion began to form in her mind.

    She decided to test her theory.

    Mira approached and, as before, enthusiastically helped the old woman with the water. Throughout the entire process, the old woman simply stared at her with cold eyes, her expression exactly the same as it had been the day before¡ªno change whatsoever.

    Mira hauled the water bucket up from the deep well. With the experience from yesterday, she was fully prepared this time. She glanced at the bucket, and just like the day before, the water remained murky, looking like muddy soup.

    Of course, it looked like muddy soup. This was the water source polluted by the landslide, with microorganisms still wriggling in the murky water. Mira quickly shifted her gaze away.

    The old woman lifted the water bucket and nodded slightly at Mira.

    "Hello." Mira recalled the question she had asked yesterday and once again asked the same question to the old woman, who, just like the day before, reacted as if she had never seen Mira before, offering the exact same response.

    The old woman stretched out her withered finger and pointed toward the direction of the inn.

    That¡¯s it. Mira confirmed her suspicion.

    The people of the town, those stiff and lifeless figures¡ªthey were repeatedly performing the same actions they had made just before the earthquake struck. The real Ghillian town had already become a dead town after experiencing the earthquakes and the landslides caused by them.

    Mira recalled a strange book she had once seen in the Mana Nexus library.

    It was the effect of the forbidden magic "Illusory Mirror."

    The Illusory Realm could select a single moment in the flow of history and bring it into the present.

    Mira was now certain¡ªit was this magic. When she had first read about it, she had been confused about its purpose, but now she understood.

    She needed to tell Lance about this discovery as soon as possible.

    With this thought in mind, Mira quickened her pace toward the inn.

    But even the unexpected was the same as yesterday. Just as Mira was about to enter the inn, a figure appeared in front of her, blocking her way.

    "Well, well, if it isn¡¯t the little lady again," the yellow-toothed man appeared, holding a poleaxe, swaying slightly as he blocked her path. "Where¡¯s your brave hero boyfriend?"

    Mira furrowed her brows and took a step back, eyeing the yellow-toothed man warily. Her gaze lingered for a moment on the poleaxe in his hands.

    "What¡¯s it to you?" Mira replied curtly, her tone sharp.

    His gaze made her feel repulsed.

    "He should be by your side, shouldn''t he? It¡¯s dangerous for a girl to wander around town like this," the yellow-toothed man said. "Just like that girl last night."

 Chapter 35

    The yellow-toothed man was talking about Ina!

    He had seen Ina.

    Mira immediately became alert, and a torrent of questions raced through her mind. When had he seen Ina? Was it before or after they encountered that girl?

    Ina hadn¡¯t mentioned any strange individuals. It¡¯s possible that he had been observing her from the shadows without ever showing himself to her.

    The yellow-toothed man noticed the change in Mira¡¯s expression. His lecherous grin grew even wider, and he took a step closer to her. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, little sister. This might be the safest place in town,¡± he said, his voice dripping with malice.

    As he got closer, Mira could smell the sour stench emanating from his body. She hadn¡¯t seen any clean water sources in town, and the miners, who worked in the mines daily, carried the sour stench of sweat and dirt, which had fermented into a pungent odor on their bodies and clothes.

    She couldn¡¯t fight with the media crystal Lance had given her. Mira reached into her pocket to find the media crystal she had brought from the Mana Nexus, as well as the scroll Lance had written.

    Mira feigned fear, glancing around nervously. The act seemed to excite the yellow-toothed man even more, his eyes gleaming with a predatory look as he scanned her up and down.

    Since the earthquake and the landslide, there had been no living women left in the town. Most of the men left here were not the town¡¯s original residents. Many were outsiders hired by former mine owners or people who had been brought here, drawn by the rumors of the town¡¯s wealth and stayed out of greed.

    There were drunks, gamblers, and all kinds of perverts, all of them seeking riches from the mines.

    It was still shift change, with the day workers not yet back, and the night shift miners were resting upstairs.

    Meanwhile, that blue-haired man had sneaked into the mine for an investigation. If he really encountered the monsters inside, it was likely that he wouldn¡¯t return alive.

    The yellow-toothed man let out a crude laugh and slowly inched closer to Mira.

    Suddenly, a flash of light streaked across, like a blade slicing into his forehead. It didn¡¯t hurt, but all the evil thoughts in the yellow-toothed man¡¯s mind vanished instantly. Not only did his thoughts disappear, but he even lost control of his own body.

    ¡°Are you a mage?¡± His pupils dilated uncontrollably. He couldn¡¯t move his eyelids, but his pupils reacted instinctively.

    Mira gripped the crystal tightly. She looked around. They were standing in front of the inn.

    Most of the movements in the town now were from the deceased, but Mira couldn¡¯t be sure if someone might suddenly return or wake up.

    ¡°Go,¡± she commanded, her voice stern as she directed the stiff yellow-toothed man. ¡°Head to the kitchen.¡±

    Unable to resist due to the magic, the man¡¯s stiff body leaped up and hopped towards the long-abandoned kitchen.

    Dust was kicked up with each hop. Mira waved her hand to disperse the dust in the air, then ordered the yellow-toothed man to stop.

    ¡°What exactly happened in this town?¡±

    From the information Mira had gathered, Ghillian town had once been a wealthy town, but now it lay in ruins.

    The yellow-toothed man could not resist the effects of the magic, so he began to tell Mira everything he knew.

    He had arrived in the town before the earthquake. He had worked odd jobs in the mines, first at an open-air stone quarry.

    He had always heard that Ghillian town was a wealthy town because their mines supposedly contained endless amounts of gold. As long as people worked in the mines, gold would continuously be brought up from the ground.

    It was this rumor that had drawn the yellow-toothed man here, but after working for a year and a half, all he had done was dig stone.

    Although the work was tedious and physically draining, the mine owner was fairly generous. The mine never delayed wages, and the food provided daily was prepared by women hired by the mine owner, brought up from the town. The food wasn¡¯t exactly tasty, but it was clean enough.

    With no gold to be found, he had simply continued digging stone for three years.

    Then, things began to change.

    Because he had worked there for a long time and had performed adequately (though not outstandingly), the overseers had recommended him for promotion, and he was made a group leader, gaining the right to enter the mine.

    It was then that he learned the truth. The mine didn¡¯t just have an open-air stone quarry¡ªthose were just a distraction.

    The real money came from the underground mines.

    He should have figured it out earlier.

    The first time he entered the underground mine, he discovered that there was no gold in Ghillian¡¯s mountains. The material they extracted was just ordinary stone to most people, but for mages, it was a priceless treasure.

    Mages were very wealthy, and the Mage Guild, a gathering of powerful mages, was the mine¡¯s only customer.

    Mana Nexus. The yellow-toothed man remembered that name.

    Afterward, he continued to work in the underground mines, where the environment was harsher and the pay better.

    He kept digging, but the deeper mines were different from the open-air quarries. There was an unusual rule¡ªwhenever they reached a certain depth, the overseers would order them to stop mining, even though there were still many Magic-Nullifying stones. The mining crew would abandon the site without hesitation and search for new locations.

    This explained why they had frequently switched mining locations before. The reason for moving around so much was to cover up the real work happening deep underground.

    The yellow-toothed man had always been puzzled. Why stop when they reached a certain depth? Aren¡¯t these Magic-Nullifying Stones?

    It was time-consuming and laborious to start new mining shafts, digging through several meters of dirt¡ªit seemed like a foolish thing to do.

    But the local miners were extremely cautious. They had an absurd reason: it was an ancient rule passed down from their ancestors that no mine should be dug deeper than four layers, or disaster would strike.

    The yellow-toothed man remembered what an old overseer had said: ¡°You greedy outsiders will bring disaster to the town.¡±

    Whether the disaster was caused by the outsiders was unknown. But one thing was clear: the town had indeed fallen into crisis.

    The local miners were quite comfortable with their work. They worked fewer hours, and every day they returned home to rest.

    But the yellow-toothed man and the other outsiders had to live in crude shelters near the mine.

    There were no rivers on the mountain. They had to carry water from the base of the mountain.

    One evening, after finishing work, they were about to head down to fetch water when the earthquake struck.

    The yellow-toothed man had barely managed to crawl into an open area of the mine to avoid the worst of it.

    However, after that, rain and aftershocks came one after another. The mountain was barren, and frequent mining activities had caused massive landslides.

    The landslides occurred repeatedly over two days, eventually burying the town below.

    From Mira¡¯s earlier judgment, the town¡¯s people had perished in the landslides caused by the earthquake. But from the yellow-toothed man¡¯s account, she began to piece together the fuller story of the town¡¯s downfall.

    The town had not died from a single earthquake, but from the terrible weather caused by the earthquake. With the mountain roads blocked and no way to escape, the people were trapped in their town, dying from fear, despair, and helplessness.

    Despair, fear, and death¡ªthese were the key ingredients for the formation of dark magic.

    Like other forms of magic, dark magic was born from nature, and these forces were harnessed, forming a terrifying area-of-effect spell that enveloped the ruins of the town through the natural conduit of the Magic-Nullifying stones.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    This was the real, shattered Ghillian town that Mira and Lance had witnessed.

    But who had created the illusion of the prosperous town?

    Mira asked the yellow-toothed man, but this time, he didn¡¯t answer immediately. He struggled for a long time before finally whispering one word.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Mira narrowed her eyes. ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Tru¡ªtrue, false¡ªfalse¡­¡± The yellow-toothed man¡¯s body suddenly trembled, and his expression twisted in agony.

    He had previously been unable to move because of Mira¡¯s spell, but now it was as if he had broken free from its control. He grabbed his face in madness.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know!¡± he screamed frantically, his tears and snot mingling with the blood as his fingernails dug into his face, tearing at the flesh in an obscene and horrifying manner.

    Mira was worried that his screaming would wake the miners upstairs. She took out a media crystal, recited a spell, and cast a Silence spell at the yellow-toothed man.

    But unexpectedly, the crazed man suddenly turned, his blood-streaked face twisting into an eerie smile.

    The direction of the spell shifted. The Silence spell flew toward Mira.

    Mira¡¯s eyes widened, instinctively trying to dodge, but mages weren¡¯t as physically strong as heroes.

    Mira¡¯s attempt to dodge was in vain, and she was struck by her own Silence spell.

    The girl could no longer speak, and most magic required incantations.

    She watched in horror as the yellow-toothed man rushed toward her. In a panic, Mira pulled out a magic scroll from her pocket.

    She didn¡¯t even know which scroll she had grabbed in her frantic state, but she hastily unfurled it and threw it.

    A silent freezing rain howled out from the thin scroll, much like the rainstorm from the night before, but this time, the raindrops carried magical energy.

    It was an immensely powerful area-of-effect spell.

    The raindrops hit the yellow-toothed man like hot oil splashing on skin.

    The sizzling sound was deafening as Mira continued to dodge.

    She recognized this as the Freezing Rain spell, a seventh-ring area-of-effect magic. It could freeze those caught in the rain, rendering them immobile for a short time.

    But she had never heard of someone suffering the intense pain of being submerged in boiling oil from this spell.

    Who was this yellow-toothed man?

    Back in the mine, Lance felt the energy pulse as the scroll was activated. He quickly transformed into a small blue dragon and sped toward the mine entrance.

    A blue portal appeared next to Mira, and Lance¡¯s towering figure emerged from the doorway.

    He looked at Mira to make sure she was unharmed, then reached out to grab the scroll she had released.

    He whispered a few words, and the Freezing Rain spell stopped.

    But the yellow-toothed man¡¯s body lay crumpled on the ground, twitching occasionally.

    Sobbing.

    Lance turned back to Mira.

    He immediately noticed she had been silenced and couldn¡¯t speak.

    He chuckled lightly. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait an hour.¡± The Silence spell wasn¡¯t a high-level magic, but there was no way to undo it.

    It originated from a casual act of discipline by his mentor when dealing with unruly students. It was a type of magic that came into being naturally, through intuition.

    Mira lowered her head in dejection, making a gesture to indicate that she was fine.

    Lance settled her to one side, then moved closer to the yellow-toothed man on the ground.

    He wasn¡¯t dead yet. The first target of the Freezing Rain spell wasn¡¯t the yellow-toothed man, but something inside his body.

    A type of magic born from the dark side of the world.

    That¡¯s why he had large burn-like marks on his body. The cold rain falling on him felt like hot oil.

    Lance didn¡¯t hesitate for long. He reached out and traced a series of patterns in the air toward the yellow-toothed man.

    A blue magic circle formed, and Lance extended his hand through the circle. He grabbed something gray-black and clump-like from the man¡¯s body.

    Turning to Mira, he said, ¡°Come, Mira, we¡¯ll know the answer soon.¡±

    Mira couldn¡¯t speak, so she expressed her confusion with her expression. Lance smiled and reached his hand out to her.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go back and take a look.¡±

    A time-traveling spell! Mira¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She quickly placed her hand into Lance¡¯s, gripping it tightly to convey her expectation.

    As the magic surrounded them, Mira suddenly realized¡ªit wasn¡¯t a spell to return to the past, but rather, they had entered a memory of the yellow-toothed man.

    This memory would answer the rest of Mira¡¯s questions.

    The illusion outside the town had been cast by the magic caster who had come here on orders. He had used the magic energy nexus to project a past image onto the cursed town of Ghillian.

    The Magic-Nullifying Stone was an incredibly rare natural medium, an essential material discovered from goblin technology in the Magic Hub. Aside from the destroyed Goblin Camp, Ghillian town was the only mine for the Magic-Nullifying Stone.

    Therefore, for humans to continue using magic, Ghillian town had to remain in existence.

    To maintain the illusion of a thriving town, the magic casters from the Magic Hub had cast a secret spell, projecting the past prosperity of Ghillian onto the cursed town.

    For the Magic Hub, whether the town had any inhabitants didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was the mine, and whether it could continue to yield its Magic-Nullifying stones.

    After the earthquake destroyed the mountain roads, the casters arrived through magic.

    They rescued the trapped outside miners and resumed the mining operation. However, because all the town¡¯s residents had perished in the earthquake, there weren¡¯t enough people to meet the Magic Hub''s demand for Demon-Extinguishing Stones.

    The head of the mine decided to seize young and able-bodied men from nearby towns to make up for the manpower shortage.

    Because Ghillian town wasn¡¯t far from the Dragon Tower, and the Dragon had always had a bad reputation, the daring miners suggested they take advantage of the Dragon¡¯s name to capture people. It was best to find those involved in gambling, drinking, or vice, as having leverage over them would make it easier to control them. This way, they would be drawn in by the town¡¯s wealth and be willing to work as miners.

    The Magic Hub turned a blind eye to their actions. The casters¡¯ indifference gave the miners a great deal of freedom, which is why, in recent years, people from the surrounding towns had frequently gone missing.

    Even the miners working there didn¡¯t realize their colleagues were behind the abductions. The wages were high, and everyone had their own reasons to need money, so they had gradually stayed on.

    Almost everyone believed that this was the Dragon¡¯s mine, and the reason they were paid so much was to extract crystal ores for the Princess.

    In reality, there were no crystals here. Most of the workers thought the accompanying energy crystals were what they were mining for. In truth, those unassuming stones, which they sent out as rubble, were the truly valuable Demon-Extinguishing Stones.

    Yellow-teeth and a few of the foremen were part of the first group to stay.

    But without the warnings from the original townsfolk, these greedy men soon dug past the safe limit.

    They had always been short-handed. To earn more money in less time, they did not dig new tunnels as the original townsfolk had done. Instead, they kept digging deeper and deeper. Fourth layer. Fifth layer. Sixth layer.

    There was no sign of punishment, so the greedy men continued digging, until the seventh mining shaft.

    That was when the monsters appeared.

    The memory vanished the moment they encountered the monsters. Mira and Lance opened their eyes simultaneously, looking at each other.

    Unable to speak, the girl gestured, asking Lance what the fleeting darkness was at the end of the memory.

    Lance answered, ¡°It was a shadow.¡±

    A shadow?

    Mira looked down at her own shadow in confusion.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the kind of shadow we understand,¡± Lance said. ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s an ¡®Eclipse,¡¯ the opposite of nature magic. All evil magic originates from shadows. The stones they mined, which have long been in contact with these shadow energies, naturally began to exhibit the violent side of magic.¡±

    ¡°They dug too deep. The depth wasn¡¯t the key factor. It was greed, laziness, and lies¡ªthings like these aggravated the shadow. These are the perfect food for a shadow,¡± Lance stood up. ¡°His body has been corroded by the shadow.¡±

    Mira¡¯s remaining doubts were mostly cleared.

    But there was still one thing she didn¡¯t understand.

    If they needed more miners, why specifically target young men with leverage?

    What about the men from the Hero¡¯s Town? They were descendants of heroes, each with some degree of the Hero¡¯s Soul.

    The Hero¡¯s Soul was the embodiment of all justice. If the shadow touched the Hero¡¯s Soul, it would surely be harmed, wouldn¡¯t it?

    Suddenly, Mira understood everything.

    The reason they captured the heroes was to eliminate the shadow.

    Seeing the expression on Mira¡¯s face change, Lance knew she had figured out the key.

    This was still something the casters were involved in.

    An unknown force had told Yellow-teeth and the others that the Hero¡¯s Soul could eliminate the shadow deep underground.

    That was why they had abducted people from the Hero¡¯s Town.

    What about the heroes?

    Mira, covered in dust, wrote something on the ground of the abandoned kitchen.

    ¡°They¡¯re still in the mine.¡± Lance looked at Mira. ¡°Shall we go rescue them?¡±

    Mira wrote: Will the heroes be in danger?

    Lance shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t know yet.¡± He hadn¡¯t yet found the mastermind, the caster behind it all, and that person was the key to everything.

    Lance would deal with them.

    As the King of Blue Dragons, guardian of nature magic, he would never stand idly by and allow someone to exploit the power of shadows.

    "He''s running! Someone''s escaping!"

    "Catch him quickly! Someone''s escaping!"

    While Mira and Lance were dealing with the situation involving the man with the yellow teeth, something unexpected happened at the abandoned mine where the young people from the Hero''s Town were being held.

    These young men, still in their adolescence, were at the height of their rebelliousness. Ever since they were captured and brought here, they had been planning how to escape.

    After observing for a few days, the young men discovered that every time food was delivered, only two miners came to serve them.

    Tonight was no different.

    So, they planned to strike when the miners came to deliver food, overpower them, and then escape under the cover of night.

    They were going to split up and run in different directions¡ªensuring that they wouldn''t be caught all at once.

    The plan was going smoothly. The kids surrounded the two miners delivering the food and knocked them out. Then, one by one, they rushed out of their cages, splitting up and running in different directions as planned.

    The plan was nearly flawless, and the leaders of the group, the "kid kings," thought victory was within their grasp. However, when they managed to escape the abandoned mine and stepped outside, the scene before them left them stunned.

    There were no trees on this mountain.

    These children had grown up in the town beneath the high tower. The mountains near the tower were filled with dense forests, and they often played in the woods, knowing how to use the tall trees to conceal themselves. But now, when they truly needed to blend in, they found themselves in a barren mine, where there were no tall trees.

    The low bushes offered no cover for their shadows.

    Unfamiliar with the terrain, the boys, even when trying to scatter in all directions, were quickly caught by the miners, who knew the area well.

    Most of them were still teenagers. The oldest was sixteen or seventeen, while most of the boys were around fourteen or fifteen years old.

    Even though some of them had learned swordsmanship, they had no weapons, and against the miners, who had been doing physical labor for years, these young kids stood no chance.

    The miners had anticipated such a situation. The food they provided the boys was just enough to keep them from starving, but it was insufficient to sustain them for long, especially under the intense physical strain they were enduring while trying to escape.

    As one child after another was recaptured by the miners, the leader, Ellin, made a decision. He darted into an abandoned mine shaft.

    If one could escape, it was worth trying. If he could find the uncles and elders from the town, they could team up and make their escape together.

    He gritted his teeth and hid alone in the dark mine shaft.

    He would wait for nightfall and, when the miners slept, sneak out and try to find the adults who were imprisoned somewhere in the town.

    What Ellin didn¡¯t know was that a shadow was slowly emerging behind him.

 Chapter 36

    The events that occurred in the mountains couldn''t escape the insight of the reconnaissance spell set by Lance.

    The miners once again captured the children of Hero Village. They still didn¡¯t know what to do with these half-grown kids.

    The silence spell on Mira had not yet taken effect. She couldn¡¯t speak, and as a result, she appeared listless.

    In fact, even during their time at the magical nexus, Mira rarely spoke. ¡°Speak less, do more¡± was the survival rule for apprentices. The long-suppressed desire to express herself surged within her. It was only now that she had finally encountered someone like Lance, who was willing to listen to her.

    The situation was so bizarre this time, and just earlier, she had learned the cause of how the town ended up like this.

    She really had so much she wanted to say to Lance.

    Sigh.

    Mira silently sighed in her heart.

    Lance knew about Mira¡¯s troubles.

    He thought for a moment, and indeed, none of the spells he knew could break the silence enchantment.

    This magic had an element of punishment to it, so it was perfectly normal that it couldn¡¯t be undone.

    However, the blue dragon had another idea.

    Knock knock knock.

    Mira heard a strange knocking sound. They were walking along a small path in the mine¡ªwhere could there be a door?

    Knock knock knock.

    It came again.

    ¡°Mira, it¡¯s a magic permit,¡± Lance stopped in his tracks. ¡°You can try letting me in.¡±

    Mira blinked.

    Knocking. She tried to make a gesture of opening a door in her mind, and then, as if by magic, a door seemed to open quietly in front of her.

    What was this? Mira felt confused.

    ¡°It¡¯s a form of consciousness magic,¡± Lance explained. ¡°Now, I can sense your thoughts. When the silence spell ends, you just need to make a closing gesture, and the mind communication will end.¡±

    Such a magical ability? She had never heard of it before.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little trick created by my mother¡¯s lover to please her,¡± Lance explained.

    Mira was surprised by this revelation.

    So that¡¯s how it is. Mira recalled that Lance had once mentioned the tower was a gift from his mother¡¯s lover. It was later taken by the magic dragons.

    Lance¡¯s mother must have been a great beauty, Mira thought. To create magic and give such an expensive gift¡ªhow precious was his affection!

    Lance listened to the thoughts in her mind.

    ¡°My mother wasn¡¯t the beauty everyone thinks,¡± Lance said quietly.

    Mira looked at him. His voice was soft, yet it carried a trace of sadness.

    ¡°She was a powerful spellcaster,¡± Lance continued in a hushed voice. ¡°That man gave her the tower, but it was only to acquire a stronger medium.¡±

    A stronger medium? But since she had already become a tower mage, didn¡¯t that mean she already possessed a powerful medium¡­?

    Lance did not answer Mira¡¯s question.

    The blue dragon itself was the most powerful medium in the world. That man hadn¡¯t gifted his mother these precious items out of true affection.

    He simply wanted to please her, so that she could become a one-of-a-kind medium.

    The thoughts that appeared in Mira¡¯s mind came to a brief halt due to Lance¡¯s words. This was not the romantic story she had imagined.

    She opened her mouth, but the effect of the silence spell had not yet ended. She couldn¡¯t make a sound.

    So that¡¯s how it is. Then he truly was a bad person.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lance said, ¡°To my mother, he was a villain beyond redemption.¡± He didn¡¯t continue, even though, for humans, tower mages were seen as heroes who protected them.

    ¡°However, the magic he created is quite interesting,¡± Lance said with a smile, looking at Mira. ¡°At least now, it¡¯s very useful, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Mira nodded.

    Her thoughts were accurately conveyed to Lance¡¯s mind through this magic, which indeed solved the problem of her being unable to speak.

    ¡°We¡¯re about to enter the mine,¡± Lance stopped in front of an abandoned mine entrance.

    He had already scouted the area. Due to over-mining, the underground labyrinths of the mines had connected to each other. Entering any abandoned mine would lead them to their destination.

    Lance said to Mira, ¡°This time, the enemy is quite strong. Stay close to me.¡±

    Mira nodded and patted her pocket.

    Inside were her medium and the scroll Lance had given her. Even if they encountered magic, she might be able to protect herself with these items.

    Descending into the depths didn¡¯t feel good. The mine tunnels were narrow, and the air was stifling. There were no light sources in the abandoned shafts, so Lance had to release a light spell every so often, which followed the two of them.

    Magic-Nullifying stones would absorb the energy fluctuations from spells, so even Lance had to constantly replenish his magical energy to ensure the light remained.

    ¡°How do we deal with the shadows?¡± Mira asked Lance.

    ¡°We¡¯re not dealing with the shadows themselves,¡± Lance explained. ¡°Shadows are a naturally occurring phenomenon and can¡¯t be destroyed. What we need to deal with is the person who wants to feed the shadows with the miners'' greed and use the blood of the heroes to extinguish the shadows.¡±

    Mira was confused. They were strengthening the shadows'' power and controlling it at the same time.

    What exactly did this person behind the scenes want to achieve?

    Lance¡¯s next words answered all of Mira¡¯s questions.

    ¡°Shadows can also be made into a medium.¡±

    Yes. Spellcasters created magic for mediums, for stronger mediums, didn¡¯t they?

    Mira¡¯s thoughts became slow as she felt the cruelty that followed after acquiring a medium.

    Just like the artificial medium crystal in her pocket. The medium crystal in her pocket also came from here.

    At the deepest part of the mine, far beneath the surface.

    Following the narrow, winding path to the end, the stone walls suddenly rose, forming a natural cavern.

    A huge crystal, under the influence of magic, floated high in the air, illuminating the entire cave.

    Though this was deep underground, it didn¡¯t feel dark at all.

    In the center of the cavern was a mass of dark substance. This thing was eerily still, silent, like ink in a glass bottle. If no one deliberately shook the bottle, the surface of the ink remained calm, just as the pitch-black substance before them did not change.

    This was the shadow that Mira and Lance had been searching for.

    Not far from the shadow, a figure was busy. He flipped through a book with a demonic symbol on its cover, reading one of the pages over and over.

    After confirming the ritual¡¯s procedure once more, he stood up and walked toward the other side of the cavern.

    On the ground lay more than a dozen men, the ones taken from Hero Town.

    The mage had drugged them with a special substance.

    These men all had the blood of heroes, and as a weak mage, he stood no chance against them unless he used some special means.

    Fortunately, they were all unconscious now. Lying on the ground in a disoriented manner, they were still ripe for the slaughter.

    The mage paced around the area a few times, carefully selecting his first subject, just like a savvy merchant picking fruit at the market.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    A particularly muscular figure caught his eye.

    The mage didn¡¯t have Lance¡¯s Dragon¡¯s Eye, so he couldn¡¯t determine through sight whether the man had the soul of a hero. But strong heroes were often muscular, so with this basic criterion, he chose the one who seemed the most important among the group.

    The mage chanted a few words, and suddenly a surge of inexhaustible strength flowed through his body.

    With the enhancement of the giant strength spell, he lifted the chosen man and dragged him to stand before the shadow.

    Looking at the still, black mass, the mage¡¯s face revealed a fervent expression.

    This was the final opportunity. He had searched for so long, prepared for so long, and now it was finally time to reap the rewards.

    No one could suppress the joy of finally grasping the desired object.

    The mage gazed at the calm shadow in front of him, fully aware that its stillness was just a facade.

    When this pitch-black mass awakened and consumed the foolish miners, the explosive power it would release was beyond the capacity of any mage alive.

    Even the most powerful mage today, Archmage Karl, would be unable to control such formidable strength.

    And now, he was about to possess that power.

    The mage didn¡¯t notice how greedy his smile looked.

    The magic transformed into a knife, and he dragged the selected sacrifice toward it. With the magical boost, the long knife mercilessly slit the man¡¯s abdomen.

    The man didn¡¯t even scream; his entrails spilled out onto the floor.

    The pungent smell of blood immediately filled the space.

    But the malicious mage seemed oblivious to the bloodshed, tossing the still-warm body into the underground shadow.

    The once-calm surface of the shadow rippled suddenly, as though boiling water, bubbling up in a gurgling motion.

    The black mass churned, consuming the man¡¯s remains, devouring his body without leaving a trace.

    The mage continued to observe this series of changes with an expectant expression. His face grew more focused, and the anticipation peaked. The shadow¡¯s response resembled a struggling, fleeing prey desperately trying to escape.

    Its breath was weakening.

    The demonic book¡¯s record was indeed true. As long as he offered enough heroes, it would soon enter a weakened state.

    At that time, he could extract the Heart of the Shadow, and he would possess the most powerful medium in the world.

    The mage¡¯s excitement grew as he walked to the corner and selected his second sacrifice.

    Lance and Mira, who were exploring the mine, had descended deeper underground.

    The sound of mining echoed faintly. The two carefully avoided areas where people were gathered, continuing their descent into the depths.

    Due to the influence of the Magic-Nullifying Stones, magic was becoming less effective the deeper they went.

    Lance cast his scouting spell several times, but the information he gathered remained limited.

    Nevertheless, they were heading in the right direction. It wasn¡¯t until the Blue Dragon caught a faint scent of blood in the air that his expression grew serious. He turned to Mira and said:

    ¡°This way.¡±

    They continued down the mine tunnel, where the slope was becoming more pronounced.

    The tunnel grew narrower the deeper they went. It was so far underground that even the most greedy miners would find it difficult to work in such an environment.

    And this was exactly what provided the mage with the perfect location.

    Lance felt the fluctuation of magic.

    He squinted his eyes, and the power of his Dragon''s Eye was activated.

    He saw a natural cavern.

    Lance turned to Mira, extending his hand. His face was grave, and even without speaking, Mira understood his meaning.

    Without hesitation, she placed her hand in his.

    In the next moment, magic enveloped them both.

    Even though the Magic-Nullifying Stones were desperately absorbing magical energy, the Blue Dragon King still succeeded in casting the teleportation spell.

    The mage had known all along that intruders had arrived.

    But he wasn¡¯t worried that these outsiders would disrupt his plans. As one of the world¡¯s top mages, the only one capable of stopping him was likely Karl from the Magic Energy Hub.

    However, Karl had recently encountered trouble. He was being impeached by a group of over a dozen archmages.

    Karl had lost the most powerful medium created by the Magic Energy Hub. That medium didn¡¯t belong to him alone.

    Eighteen years ago, when they created ¡°her,¡± they had agreed to share this medium.

    ¡°She¡± was meant to remain in the Magic Energy Hub, and Karl had been chosen to take care of ¡°her.¡±

    But Karl had lost ¡°her.¡±

    Only a fool would share a medium. It was clear that Karl had intentionally lost ¡°her.¡±

    But this wasn¡¯t his problem.

    Artificial mediums were never as powerful as natural ones. And he was about to possess the most powerful natural medium in the world.

    The Heart of the Shadow.

    With each sacrificial offering made, a fist-sized black stone emerged in and out of the dim light.

    The mage turned to look at a young man bound on the side. He was the sacrifice chosen by the shadow itself. As long as he was thrown into it, everything would fall into place.

    It was at this moment that the intruders appeared.

    A flash of disbelief crossed the mage¡¯s mind. Their appearance was completely unexpected.

    He looked up and immediately saw a tall man with blue hair.

    Standing beside him was a petite girl.

    The mage furrowed his brow. This girl looked incredibly familiar.

    Mira was also deeply shocked.

    Because she recognized the mastermind behind this operation. He was the head of the Materials Department at the Magic Energy Hub¡ªMage Willowp!

    ¡°Willowp!¡±

    Lance heard her thoughts and her voice.

    An hour had passed, and the effect of the silence spell had worn off.

    He waved his hand, and magic surged through his fingers. With a swift motion, he forcefully pulled Ellin, who was about to be killed, from Willowp¡¯s grasp and threw her aside.

    Lance stepped forward, no more words were needed.

    Magic condensed in his hands. The bloodshed in the room had already told him what had happened here, and Lance had no interest in hearing the mage¡¯s reasons, nor would he give him the time to explain.

    This killing intent was palpable.

    Magic flowed from his fingertips, and with a few quick exchanges, he had already forced Willowp back, gritting his teeth.

    Impossible! Impossible! Willowp thought in disbelief, but Lance¡¯s continuous casting told him all he needed to know: the mysterious blue-haired man in front of him was a powerful 8th-circle mage.

    Willowp was not like Karl, who honed his skills through battle. He was the head of the Materials Department at the Magic Energy Hub.

    It was precisely because of this position that he had access to information about Ghillian Town and had discovered the method to refine the Heart of the Shadow.

    Yes! He also had the Heart of the Shadow!

    A flash of realization crossed Willowp¡¯s mind. He quickly cast an acceleration spell on himself, disregarding the fact that this wasn¡¯t the most vulnerable moment for the Heart of the Shadow. He rushed forward and grabbed the black stone emerging from the shadow.

    When the delicate and cold stone was gripped in his palm, Willowp knew he had finally obtained the world¡¯s most powerful medium. With this object, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he became the strongest mage in the world.

    What was Karl compared to him? He would eventually become a defeated pawn, a stepping stone for the tower he would build.

    There was a mage in front of him who was no weaker than Karl. Let¡¯s try him first.

    Willowp laughed manically, his gaze fixed on Lance.

    But the Blue Dragon had already retreated back to Mira¡¯s side.

    His goal had never been to directly kill the mage in front of him with magic. Instead, he continually pressed him with spell after spell, forcing him to refrain from adding more heroes into the Shadow Pool.

    He forced Willowp to grasp the Heart of the Shadow, filled with power.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh¡ª¡± Willowp¡¯s manic laughter was consumed by pain, and his screams grew louder and louder.

    As he tried to pour his energy into the Heart of the Shadow to cast a powerful spell against the Blue Dragon, the Heart of the Shadow, like a hunter lying in wait for so long, struck its prey with unerring precision.

    Greed was the food of the shadow, and cruelty was just as satisfying.

    A powerful wave of energy exploded in an instant.

    Everyone lost their vision.

    Mira, ever vigilant, sensed something was wrong in an instant. She pulled out the scroll Lance had given her and cast the spell meant for escape.

    The spell enveloped the unconscious men from Ghillian Town, transporting them to safety outside. Meanwhile, she and Lance were protected by another protective spell from a separate scroll.

    The chaotic light wave lasted for a while, and the shadow devoured its prey.

    Lance extended his hand, breaking through the chaos created by the magic, and the scenery slowly cleared up.

    ¡°You¡¯re Mira.¡± Willowp¡¯s murky eyes fixed on the girl beside the Blue Dragon. He wasn¡¯t dead yet, but he was already close to being consumed by the shadow.

    ¡°I remember now. No wonder you looked so familiar. You¡¯re the artificial medium. Karl named you Mira.¡±

    Mira¡¯s eyes widened, and the contents of the letter once again surfaced in her mind.

    She had almost matured.

    She had grown up.

    It was time to be used.

    It was time to be offered.

    In that letter, Mira had seen many ¡°shes,¡± so many that she couldn¡¯t count them all.

    There was no clue suggesting that ¡°she¡± referred to Mira. To the writer of the letter, ¡°she¡± was just a tool, the most powerful artificial medium ever created by the Magic Energy Hub.

    Mira knew she could no longer expect anything from her parents. She had already suspected this fact.

    But when the suspicion was confirmed, she felt a deep sorrow she couldn¡¯t alleviate.

    Because she hadn¡¯t shut the door in time, her emotions, the contents of the letter, were clearly conveyed to Lance¡¯s heart.

    ¡°They said she ran away.¡± Willowp¡¯s gaze moved between Lance and Mira. ¡°You got the Magic Energy Hub¡¯s most satisfactory creation, and I only have an incomplete medium¡­¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lose to you. I lost to your medium.¡± He didn¡¯t recognize Lance, nor did he care to.

    He was going to die, filled with resentment and unwillingness. Therefore, he would pass this anger on, ensuring that those who had wronged him would never find peace!

    The blue-haired man in front of him was his target for revenge. She was too.

    ¡°The Magic Energy Hub will not let you go. They¡¯ve carefully cultivated this medium for twenty years. They¡¯ll never just hand it over to you. Wait, the revenge of the Magic Energy Hub won¡¯t stop.¡±

    The revenge of the Magic Energy Hub¡­

    Mira turned to Lance. He would be implicated.

    Because of her.

    ¡°It won¡¯t happen.¡± Lance sensed her thoughts, his response firm.

    ¡°It won¡¯t.¡±

    Mira blinked and quickly signaled to close the door.

    Lance ran his fingers through his hair and didn¡¯t even glance at the mage being consumed by the shadow.

    Until the Heart of the Shadow fell to the ground with a crisp sound.

    The Blue Dragon King slowly walked over and picked it up.

    It was full now. But it had been badly disturbed by humans and needed some time to recover.

    Lance tossed it back into the abyss.

    The shadow was naturally occurring. As long as no one deliberately provoked or released it, it would never cross the line.

    With its slumber, the Magic-Nullifying Stones here would revert to being ordinary stones, for they had always been just that.

    The mastermind was dead, and the adventure in Ghillian Town had come to an end.

    Lance used teleportation magic to take Mira away from the town.

    The descendants of the heroes lay sprawled on the ground, looking as though they would not wake up for a while.

    Lance dispelled the Illusory Mirror magic, exposing the town in its most ordinary form.

    The horror and decay were now visible.

    The moving corpses were also gone. Everything returned to the state it had been in after the earthquake.

    ¡°So, is this town just going to disappear?¡± Mira looked at the decayed town before her, feeling deeply regretful.

    ¡°Probably¡­¡± Lance answered cautiously.

    Just as the ancestors had warned, one must not be overly greedy.

    The residents of the town had been cautious about over-mining the ores, but when faced with the hefty rewards offered by the Magic Energy Hub, no one could resist such temptation.

    They hadn¡¯t mined deep underground, but they never stopped digging new shafts. Greed is insatiable, and nature will always provide retribution.

    Lance understood this pattern well. Magic, after all, was a product of natural law.

    ¡°It¡¯s better this way that the artificial medium is gone,¡± Lance murmured, ¡°Casting magic relies on one¡¯s understanding of nature. The existence of a medium caused human mages to lose their reverence for nature.¡±

    He remembered Willowp¡¯s words before he died. He had placed the gap between them in terms of the medium.

    But the medium had never been the key; it was excessive greed that had destroyed him.

    Humans should understand that endless greed will only bring destruction. The power taken from nature will eventually return to nature. Only by doing so can magic be used continuously.

    However¡­ Mira, he thought of the letter that had made its way into his memory and couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    Their pursuit of artificial mediums had long surpassed that of crystals.

    Mira possessed immense magical power. No matter where this power came from, if it existed within Mira¡¯s body, it belonged to Mira. How to use it was her right.

    The girl still felt sad.

    Lance comforted her, ¡°A land without magic is not suitable for human life, but if we give nature some time, it will eventually restore its prosperity. Perhaps, all it needs is a rain full of magic, and new life will sprout here.¡±

    And that rain, he had already given it to this land long ago.

    It had, in turn, fulfilled its mission and nurtured many new fungi.

 Chapter 37

    During this time, Ghillian Town is destined to be without laughter and joy.

    Even though Lance and Mira had located the headquarters of the evil mage as quickly as possible, sacrifices had still been made.

    Magic could heal injuries, but it couldn¡¯t bring the dead back to life.

    Mira withdrew her hand, having completed a healing spell. Her gaze moved over Ellin¡¯s arm, confirming that the wounds on his body had completely healed. She stood up and walked toward the next injured villager.

    She cast a simple healing spell. With the enhancement of dragon scales, the spell¡¯s effects were quite impressive.

    Thankfully, most of the villagers hadn¡¯t suffered fatal injuries.

    The townsfolk of Ghillian, who had been knocked unconscious by the narcotic, woke up one by one. They looked around at the familiar faces and, one after another, fell into silence.

    Lance returned to the mountains to handle the task of bringing the youths imprisoned in the abandoned mine. Mira stayed outside the town, helping the villagers heal their wounds.

    Some miners continued to work in the tunnels, but Lance and Mira had no plans to inform them of the happenings here. These men had stayed behind primarily out of greed. They had earned too much money while working here, and that money could almost be considered as compensation for their labor. But greed would be punished. There was no better punishment than watching the treasures they had been using to mine for gold turn into stone.

    Lance opened the youths¡¯ cages.

    After the previous failed escape attempt, these children no longer trusted anyone easily.

    They hadn¡¯t seen Lance before, and their wariness toward him was no different from their wariness of the miners.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to take you out,¡± Lance said.

    They didn¡¯t move, merely observing Lance to confirm whether he truly intended to let them go.

    Lance¡¯s expression remained unreadable.

    People of this age always had their own ideas, thinking of themselves as independent individuals. But in reality, both physiologically and psychologically, they were still far from maturity. The most obvious trait was that they lacked the ability to protect themselves, yet they always acted as though they were clever.

    Lance squinted his eyes, realizing it was quite a troublesome situation.

    They had no magic, and Lance wasn¡¯t eager to communicate with people who lacked magic.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to rescue you,¡± he repeated.

    This time, he didn¡¯t care whether the youths wanted to follow him; he just turned and walked away.

    The youths in the cage looked at each other, gradually coming to the conclusion that Lance meant them no harm. They stood up, hesitantly and silently, following behind him.

    The failed escape attempt had taken a toll on them.

    However, Lance wasn¡¯t concerned about the state of these humans. They all carried the bloodline of heroes. If they decided to become heroes, every setback would serve as a foundation for growth.

    Lance didn¡¯t explain this to them; heroes needed to comprehend the key for themselves.

    As far as Lance was concerned, he was simply fulfilling Mira¡¯s request. She had asked him to bring these youths back because each of them had a family.

    One of the bolder youths approached Lance. His movements were hesitant, yet filled with uncertainty.

    Lance sensed the cautious gaze.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked the youth.

    ¡°Are you a hero?¡± The youth studied Lance, noting his tall stature and instinctively assuming he was the hero they had imagined.

    ¡°No,¡± Lance denied.

    Upon receiving the negative response, the youth¡¯s eyes showed a flicker of disappointment.

    He lowered his head, but after a while, he looked back up at Lance. ¡°Can you save our friend? Ellin. He still hasn¡¯t come back¡­¡±

    Lance paused.

    The name sounded familiar.

    He thought for a moment. Mira had referred to the lady in the town as Lady Ellin, and they had coincidentally picked up a young man from the underground lair of the mage¡¯s Heart of Shadows.

    ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Lance said. ¡°He¡¯s outside the town.¡±

    Lance had answered his question and didn¡¯t speak further.

    For some reason, talking to humans other than Mira made him feel uneasy.

    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t need to have much conversation with humans outside of Mira.

    Lance and Mira reunited at the front of Ghillian. The villagers were reunited with their children.

    Some of the youths stood in place, looking lost, searching the crowd for the figures of their fathers. But they were destined to never find their relatives.

    The group returned to the Hero Town the following evening.

    The women of the town had anxiously awaited, but some were destined to never experience reunions.

    Ghillian fell into prolonged sorrow.

    Lance had originally planned to escort these humans back to the town and then head back to the tower. But the villagers invited them to stay.

    Mira looked at Lance, asking for his opinion. Lance gazed back at Mira, waiting for her decision.

    Neither of them could refuse, so they decided to stay for the time being.

    The little girl from the inn waited for her father, just as they had agreed. She relayed to him the words Mira and Lance had said when they first arrived in the town.

    After speaking, the girl looked up at her father with big, watery eyes, eagerly waiting for his praise.

    Her father, of course, wouldn¡¯t refuse to let the saviors stay at his inn. But instead of responding right away, he picked up his daughter and buried his face in her small shoulder for a long time.

    ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re crying.¡± The little girl, feeling the wetness on his clothes, looked up at him with a worried expression. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡±

    No one had told her what had happened. Even though it wasn¡¯t a matter of agreement, everyone had tacitly decided not to tell her¡ªbeing so young, they hadn¡¯t wanted to burden her with the terrifying events that had taken place in the town.

    But the sharp-eyed girl sensed something was wrong.

    Hiding the truth hadn¡¯t preserved the innocence they sought to protect. Instead, it made the young girl feel an unprecedented sense of unease.

    Especially at this moment. When her once-invincible father rested his head on her shoulder and cried, the little girl felt confused and frightened. Gradually, she began to cry as well, releasing all the emotions she had accumulated over the past few days.

    Mira, watching the scene before her, couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of envy.

    These subtle changes didn¡¯t escape Lance¡¯s sharp eyes. He knew the reason, but didn¡¯t know how to comfort Mira.

    He thought of the letter that had surfaced in his mind.

    When Mira remembered that letter, her heart felt sorrowful and pained.

    ¡°Mira.¡± Lance called her name.

    His voice was neither too strong nor too weak, just enough to pull Mira from her rising emotions.

    She looked up at Lance, who raised his hand and conjured a pale blue rose in front of her.

    He handed the flower to Mira.

    Mira looked at him, puzzled.

    ¡°They say girls like flowers,¡± Lance explained awkwardly, his voice mechanical.

    ¡°They? Who are they?¡±

    ¡°The authors of the magic books,¡± Lance answered seriously.

    Some magic books not only documented the spells created by the caster, but also contained records of their lives. Autobiographies, in particular, often had such details.

    Mira chuckled softly.

    ¡°I get it.¡± Mira had seen similar content in some of the magic books from the Magic Energy Hub.

    Some mages would mix in strange stories with the serious magical content, like their entanglements with ex-wives or how a soprano at the theater inspired them to create a certain spell.

    ¡°Don¡¯t read these books so much in the future,¡± Mira advised as she accepted the flower. ¡°Those mages are quite flirtatious. They give flowers to their lovers.¡±

    Mira blinked. Lovers?

    She dismissed the strange thoughts that had popped into her mind. Lance clearly didn¡¯t mean anything like that.

    She looked at the pale blue rose in her hand, thinking it was really the fault of those troublesome books.

    The flower was beautiful, though.

    That night, Lance and Mira stayed at the town¡¯s inn.

    This time, Hero Town had lost six able-bodied men. The villagers would hold a funeral for them.

    Since the deceased had no bodies, they would use the weapons they had wielded in life as substitutes.

    The six dead villagers had all been retired heroes. To bury heroes, one must bury their swords.

    It was a sad fate for these heroes, who had spent their lives protecting the world with weapons, only to die under greed, lies, and poison.

    The town was enveloped in a sorrowful atmosphere, and Mira seemed especially downcast.

    She thought of the eyeballs in the tower.

    They had all come from heroes.

    This time, when they returned, she couldn¡¯t avoid it anymore. Though the eyeballs were indeed terrifying, Mira decided to hold a funeral for them.

    She clenched her fists, silently making a vow in her heart.

    She had learned magic to protect herself, not to harm others. She would never become a mage like Willowp.

    With that thought in mind, Mira took the remaining two medium-sized crystal shards from her pocket that night, and without hesitation, threw them into the blazing fire of the bonfire.

    Sitting in the shadows, Ellin watched Mira¡¯s actions. The boy chewed on a blade of grass he had picked from somewhere, watching Mira toss the two stones into the fire.

    His gaze lingered on her for a long time, remembering the offense from their first meeting.

    His mind was filled with many questions.

    He remembered what he had heard last time. Was she a princess? But he had heard others call her Mira.

    She could use magic. Princesses were supposed to be protected in palaces; they couldn¡¯t possibly know magic.

    There was a silent and serious young man by her side, someone who could use magic and looked like a hero. But if she wasn¡¯t a princess, why would she have such a powerful protector?

    If she were a princess, how could the magic dragon tolerate her sacrifice staying with an adult male for so long?

    Ellin¡¯s head was about to explode from all the questions.

    The blunt hero¡¯s descendant decided to ask her directly.

    Mira and Ina were playing with string at the campfire.

    Ellin walked toward them.

    Ina looked up, her face full of vigilance as she stared at her brother.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got legs, so I can come over, can¡¯t I?¡± Ellin retorted.

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense. I haven¡¯t even settled the score with you for the lies you told me.¡± Ina clearly wasn¡¯t convinced.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste with you.¡± Ellin now had many questions and wanted answers, so he turned to Mira. ¡°I need to talk to you.¡±

    Mira looked up at him, furrowing her brow.

    Wasn¡¯t being electrocuted last time enough?

    Ina sensed Ellin¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t right and quickly said to Mira, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, he¡¯s got a problem. He thinks he can defeat the magic dragon and save the world. But this time, he was saved by someone else, and now he¡¯s upset.¡±

    ¡°Go play somewhere else.¡± Ellin realized that if he didn¡¯t get rid of his sister, he wouldn¡¯t be able to talk to Mira properly that night.

    ¡°Why?¡± Ina stood up. ¡°Who do you think you are, ordering me around?¡±

    ¡°If you stay here, I¡¯ll tell Mom where you hide your secret stash of money, and I¡¯ll also let her know about your little boyfriend,¡± Ellin said, pulling out his trump card.

    Ina¡¯s expression froze instantly, and her gaze became shifty.

    ¡°Stop making things up! I¡¯ll tear your mouth off!¡± Although she said that, she found an excuse and walked away to another spot.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Mira looked surprised. Ina was only twelve years old. Did she really have a boyfriend? It was hard to imagine.

    After exposing his trump card and getting his sister to leave, Ellin walked directly in front of Mira.

    Without any preamble, his opening line was as simple and direct as any hero''s.

    ¡°Who exactly are you?¡±

    Mira looked up at him.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± This wasn¡¯t the first time he had stopped her.

    Last time, he had also said some unnecessary words. The general idea was that he hoped Mira would lead him into the tower.

    Dragon slaying?

    If it weren''t for Lance, he might have died under that mage''s magic. Thankfully, the Dragon was not in the tower; otherwise, Ellin would have been nothing but ashes under the dragon''s flames.

    "Who exactly are you?" Ellin did not answer Mira''s question, instead repeating his own.

    Mira suddenly found it amusing and even laughed.

    "You¡¯re interesting. Why should I tell you?"

    Ellin thought there was some truth to what she said. After a brief pause, he spoke again: "I saw it. There was a girl about your age in the group coming down from the tower. I heard them calling her Princess Maria."

    Mira raised an eyebrow.

    "The kingdom''s princess is named Maria, and you''re named Mira." His reasoning was simple, yet it made sense to him.

    "So, you''re not the princess. Then who are you?" Ellin didn¡¯t understand.

    Last time, she disappeared at the end of the alley, and no one could confirm if she really came from the tower.

    If she were the princess, how could the Dragon easily let her go?

    "Are you curious about why all this matters?" Mira knew the answer.

    Ellin wanted to slay the dragon. But whether in strength or mindset, he was still too immature.

    She didn¡¯t have a good impression of Ellin. But Lady Ellin was a very good woman. She had already lost her husband and one son, and could not lose another.

    So, Ellin could not go slay the dragon.

    "If you help me, tell me what I want to know, I will kill the dragon." Ellin''s expression was unusually serious.

    "By killing the dragon, everyone in Ghillian Town, and the farmers and herders across the nation, will live better lives."

    His reasoning surprised Mira.

    It seemed that heroes were all obsessed with slaying dragons. But Ellin¡¯s reason was special¡ªnot to save the princess kidnapped by the dragon, but for the sake of ordinary people.

    "If you were the princess, you¡¯d have this responsibility." Ellin''s expression was serious. He stared at Mira, waiting for her response.

    "Are you or are you not the princess?"

    "Whether I am the princess doesn''t matter." Mira stood up. "What people need is a princess willing to sacrifice for the future of the kingdom. Whether she¡¯s truly the princess, does anyone care about that?"

    Mira understood the logic behind it.

    The king couldn¡¯t bear to lose his daughter and didn¡¯t dare to oppose the dragon. So, he sacrificed other people¡¯s daughters.

    However, Mira was willing to walk into the tower as an orphan. The treasures he gave her were out of his own guilt.

    "Endless submission will only lead to harsher exploitation," Ellin emphasized his point. "Because the king never resisted, the dragon took whatever it wanted¡ªcattle, grain, treasures, even the princess. Because the king always backed down, the dragon''s appetite grew larger."

    "If you were the princess, you¡¯d understand that you were raised on the blood of the common people. If you¡¯re not the princess, you should still understand that every moment of your life is a cost paid because of the king¡¯s cowardice."

    "Do you know how much tax the king has been collecting from the nearby towns? Out of fear of the dragon¡¯s wrath, the king spread that terror to the people. I don¡¯t care if you''re the princess or not¡ªyou¡¯re definitely not a starving poor child." Ellin stared at Mira. "You have to tell me how to get to the tower. I have to kill the dragon, and only then..."

    "Enough." Mira interrupted him. His accusatory tone made her uncomfortable. She had only come here in place of the princess out of helplessness, and from the moment she entered the tower, she had prepared herself to walk into the dragon¡¯s lair.

    Mira didn¡¯t want to label her actions as a sacrifice. She wasn¡¯t so noble as to save everyone. She just wanted a chance to survive.

    The dragon was terrifying, but the magic hub wasn¡¯t a good place either.

    Her actions were only for herself, but didn¡¯t it also spare them from the dragon¡¯s wrath?

    Lance driving off the dragon was already an unexpected outcome.

    Yet, he stood on the moral high ground and criticized her mercilessly.

    What right did he have? He wasn¡¯t her.

    Mira didn¡¯t need anyone to empathize with her situation, but he shouldn¡¯t judge her so easily.

    She only wanted to live on. She had done nothing wrong.

    "You selfish jerk," Ellin, oblivious to her unusual reaction, didn¡¯t realize how out of place his words were. As a hero, he despised evil and looked down on people who couldn¡¯t face ugliness the way he did.

    Even though Mira had just saved him, it didn¡¯t change her selfish nature in his eyes.

    "What about you? Foolish, reckless oaf." Mira wasn¡¯t going to be lenient with him. Not using magic to strike him was already a mercy on her part.

    "You want to kill the dragon? With you? You¡¯re nowhere near ready. You can''t even beat me. Not telling you how to get up the mountain is to save you from failing before you even start." She recalled those eyes. "It¡¯s because Lady Ellin couldn¡¯t bear to lose another child. With the state you¡¯re in now, challenging the dragon would only give it another prize to collect."

    Ellin fell silent.

    What she said was the truth.

    "I¡¯ll grow stronger," he stubbornly said. "One day, I¡¯ll defeat the dragon."

    "Let¡¯s talk when that day comes." Mira stood up. She was filled with anger and was ready to go back.

    "Wait." Ellin called out to her.

    "So, are you the princess?" He still hadn¡¯t figured out the answer to that question.

    Mira snorted. With that little bit of judgment, he thought he could slay the dragon?

    She didn¡¯t answer him, turning her back and leaving.

    The immature hero could never match the seasoned mage.

    As Mira thought this, her pace quickened. Lance was still waiting for her back at the inn.

    The next morning, Lance and Mira set out to return to the tower. Along with them were a small group of people from Hero Town, including Ellin, who had argued with Mira the day before.

    They were tasked with taking the outdated hero''s sword to the Sword Burial Tomb.

    In addition to the six fallen heroes, there was the seventh sword¡ªbelonging to Ellin''s father, the one Ellin carried on his back.

    After parting ways with the others at the town''s entrance, Mira and Lance walked to a secluded corner.

    This time, Mira was going to attempt casting a teleportation spell to take Lance back to the tower.

    It was a plan they had agreed upon. Mira was eager to try. She took out a dragon scale and, following Lance''s instructions, infused energy into it, gradually completing the three steps.

    A blue teleportation portal appeared before them, and the two stepped through it, returning to the tower.

    Mira''s face lit up with joy, and Lance gave her a nod of approval.

    "Well done."

    The praise boosted Mira''s confidence, and a smile spread across her face. The gloom caused by the events in Ghillian Town had finally lifted.

    Lance also appreciated her lively spirit, always brimming with strange ideas.

    The oppressive silence and gloom did not suit Mira.

    As expected, the first thing Mira did upon returning to the tower was to organize the room filled with eyes.

    Mira had mentally prepared herself, but upon entering the room, she couldn¡¯t help but feel fear and unease.

    One jar after another, floating with pairs of eyes.

    Lance followed Mira into the storage room.

    Seeing the eyes floating in unknown liquids, he raised an eyebrow.

    Lance helped Mira by moving the jars from the storage room one by one.

    Mira saw how the townspeople at the foot of the mountain created the "Garment Tombs."

    She estimated the number of eyes stored in the tower and realized that trying to dig enough graves on the mountain to accommodate all of them was an impossible task.

    She wanted to take all the eyes out, place them in a large pit, and ask Lance to use fire magic to burn them to ashes.

    Mira also started singing the funeral songs that the townspeople had sung.

    She knew that this act was more for her own comfort than anything else, but it was better than doing nothing at all.

    Lance was happy to help.

    He thought of the swords stored in some layer of the tower. If possible, Lance wanted to return those swords to their rightful owners.

    At first, Mira felt scared while moving the eyes, but as time passed, she couldn¡¯t help but grow numb to the task.

    Pairs of eyes were placed into the large pit that had been dug beforehand, until the last pair of eyes was laid into the hole.

    There were a total of 1,436 pairs of eyes. Representing over a thousand families destroyed by the dragon.

    Mira knelt by the deep pit.

    She remembered the tune the women had sung that night in the town and softly began chanting the prayer song.

    She didn''t know these people, their appearance, their voices, or their hair color. But she knew the color of their eyes, and she knew that these people had come to kill the brutal dragon.

    She softly recited the tune, hoping that they would find their way to a heaven protected by the gods.

    The righteous, brave, and self-sacrificing heroes had tried to fight the terrifying dragon with nothing but their mortal strength.

    Though they hadn''t won, their deeds would not be forgotten.

    Mira gently sang the hymn, praying earnestly that the heroes would receive the blessings of the gods.

    Spring quickly passed by.

    In the past, Mira had not had a good impression of summer. The scorching heat and the mosquitoes made her retreat into her small room, and every night was a struggle to endure.

    But this year was different. In the base of the tower, Mira experienced what it truly meant to have a natural summer retreat.

    Lance brought an energy crystal from the mines, and Mira fixed it onto the wall, providing them with a stable light source.

    Mira rearranged the layout of her room. She moved her desk under the energy crystal, and the bookshelf was placed nearby.

    The bookshelf now held the books that had once weighed down Lance.

    On Mira''s desk was a spellbook for the Seven-Ring Spells. She had only flipped through a few pages before leaving it aside. Recently, Mira''s thoughts were occupied with other things.

    Lance¡¯s injury had fully healed. He was now healthy and followed a strict routine, waking up at fixed times, exercising, meditating, and practicing magic. His lifestyle was particularly disciplined. Mira occasionally let herself be lazy in bed, but with such a hardworking roommate, her own life began to follow a similar pattern.

    Lance had only one flaw: he was very picky about food. There were many things he refused to eat. Besides magical bread, he only ate meat. His appetite was enormous¡ªhe could eat three or four times the amount that Mira could.

    What Mira couldn¡¯t understand was that he never gained weight. In contrast, Mira, trying to cater to his likes, kept preparing meat dishes in various ways, eating alongside him, and ended up gaining a lot of weight.

    She had no choice but to add exercise to her daily plan.

    But as a mage, Mira really didn¡¯t enjoy physical exercise. She preferred activities that consumed her physical energy but also brought her some rewards.

    Mira stood in the open space in front of the tower.

    The dragon definitely didn¡¯t care about cleanliness. She looked at the piles of bones scattered on the ground. In summer, these bones would inevitably attract mosquitoes and flies. Although they dared not enter the tower, they swarmed around the open space in front.

    It was almost unbearable.

    While secretly eating in the library, Lance heard strange noises from outside the tower. He waved his hand, sending the small paper figure, Xingxing, to check the situation.

    Lance was hiding in a private room, carefully controlling his dragon form while focusing on the beef in front of him.

    "Master, Miss Mira has knocked over the pile of bones in the open space," Xingxing reported back honestly.

    The blue dragon curled up in the room, using one paw to hold down the beef.

    "She¡¯s already inside the tower," Xingxing reminded Lance.

    After the blue energy waves dissipated, a young figure with blood on his lips appeared in the storage room.

    The room instantly went from crowded to spacious.

    Lance elegantly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief conjured by magic.

    "Why did she knock over the pile of bones?"

    "I don¡¯t know," Xingxing answered truthfully.

    Lance thought that Mira must have come up with some crazy idea again.

    Over the past few months, Mira had completely transformed the lower level of the tower.

    She had only left a few things in the storage rooms untouched. After learning teleportation magic, Mira frequently traveled between the town and the tower, bringing various items to decorate her living space.

    She divided the lower part of the tower into rooms, built a kitchen, and made a stove from clay and stone, which she used to prepare daily meals.

    Mira seemed to enjoy this kind of work. Lance thought that perhaps Mira¡¯s inner desire was to make up for the lack of a home.

    "Lance! Lance!" The voice of the girl came from the bottom of the tower.

    Lance adjusted his clothes, waved his hand, and tidied up the storage room with magic.

    The bones of the cow were thrown out of the window, landing in the pile of bones outside.

    Mira rushed back to the tower.

    Lance, however, walked out slowly from the shadows.

    "It looks like you¡¯ve gotten yourself into trouble," Lance said, standing still, watching the flustered Mira.

    Mira scratched her head awkwardly. "I accidentally knocked over the pile of bones in the open space while practicing magic just now."

    "How about we clean this place up?" Mira suggested to Lance, carefully observing his reaction. "That way we¡¯ll have a large yard."

    Mira led Lance outside the tower.

    The blue dragon squinted slightly and immediately spotted the skeleton he had just thrown down.

    He turned and blocked Mira¡¯s view, using magic to press the suspicious bones to the bottom of the pile.

    The food Mira made for him was indeed delicious. But as a dragon, his appetite was a little bigger than Mira had expected.

    He had to sneak into the library whenever Mira was focused on other things, ordering Xingxing to stand guard. He would then transform into his giant dragon form and secretly eat.

    The bones from the dead would be tossed outside, blending in with the other bones. No one would notice any difference.

    Except for Mira.

    "Why did you suddenly want to clean this place up?" Lance asked, blocking Mira''s view and inquiring about the reason behind her idea.

    "Well," Mira thought for a moment. "It¡¯s summer now, and if we don¡¯t clean up these bones in time, mosquitoes will come, and there¡¯ll be flies. Buzz, buzz, buzz, and it¡¯ll disturb your meditation, Lance."

    The blue dragon listened to her amusing explanation.

    "Those mosquitoes and flies won¡¯t dare to enter the tower," he reminded Mira. With the terrifying pressure of the dragon, those small creatures would be eager to stay far away.

    "Oh." Mira realized that was true. She hadn¡¯t been bothered by those annoying mosquitoes in the tower during the summer.

    "Well then," Mira said, "I want to find some physical activity to do. We have such a large yard. If we clear out these bones..."

    She thought about what she could do with the yard and remembered the flowerpot on her desk, with the blue rose Lance had given her growing inside.

    "We can use the yard to plant flowers," Mira suggested. "We can also plant magical herbs, put up a grape trellis, and plant grapevines. Then we can have wine."

    "Can you brew wine?"

    "Uh, I can learn," Mira replied confidently.

    After all, the pile of bones was ruining the beautiful view at the mountaintop.

    "Then what about your magic?" Lance kindly reminded her. If the pile of bones were cleared, the bones from his secret meals would become troublesome to deal with.

    "You haven¡¯t been reading your books lately," Lance tried to distract her.

    Mira stiffened.

    Her voice became stammering.

    "Ah, that¡¯s true," Mira turned around, realizing she had forgotten the most important thing.

    "Then I¡¯ll go study now."

    "Wait." Lance stopped her. To prevent Mira from coming up with that strange idea again, he decided to keep her a little busy.

    "Starting tomorrow, meditate with me," Lance said to Mira. "Meditate in the morning, and in the afternoon, I¡¯ll guide you through the Seven-Ring Spells."

    He purposely put on a serious expression. "Mira, I think you should know that the Sixth Ring is a crucial stage for mages, right?"

    Mira nodded, recalling the knowledge from the books. "The Sixth Ring is the critical period that distinguishes high-level magic from basic magic. Once a caster reaches the Sixth Ring, they can begin learning higher-level spells above the Seventh Ring. At this stage, both talent and the medium play a crucial role in daily learning..."

    "Exactly." Lance waved his hand, restoring the scattered bones to their original place.

    "That¡¯s it. You are at a critical stage right now. You can¡¯t let other things distract you from your magical studies."

    Mira knew she had been slacking off recently.

    "I understand." She lowered her head, temporarily setting aside the idea of tidying up the yard.

    She lowered her head, hiding the mischievous smile that had formed.

    Lance had been acting mysteriously lately, often hiding in the library, doing who knows what.

    Now, they could spend every day together.

    Learning magic. A powerful mage teaching her magic personally.

    Mira curled her lips into a smile, but her voice still sounded a little subdued.

    "I¡¯ll study hard."

    Both Lance and Mira had their own plans. Lance kept his pile of bones safe, and Mira got the chance to study magic with Lance.

    The next morning, Mira woke up early.

    After finishing her grooming, she hummed a song and went to her homemade kitchen to prepare breakfast.

    She took out some meat ribs she had frozen using ice magic, skillfully defrosted them, and placed them in the iron pan.

    Flames appeared from the magic, and the girl''s face showed pure joy.

    With the help of magic, she quickly prepared today''s breakfast.

    Lance returned from his outdoor workout, his body covered in moisture.

    "Did it rain outside?" Mira asked, puzzled by his appearance.

    "No," the blue dragon replied. "It''s cloudy today, and the humidity is high."

    He hadn¡¯t transformed into his dragon form in a while. To keep his flying skills sharp and stretch his body, Lance changed into his dragon form and flew a few laps through the clouds above the tower.

    Otherwise, his bones would start to rust.

    It was because he was flying through the clouds that his clothes became damp.

    Mira hadn¡¯t been outside yet, so she wasn¡¯t aware of the situation.

    She smiled and said, ¡°You came back just in time. We can have breakfast now.¡± She brought out two plates from the kitchen.

    ¡°Lance¡¯s steak, Mira¡¯s bread and fried eggs.¡± She placed the plates and eagerly sat down in her spot. "Lance, what are we learning today in the morning?" Mira had already skimmed through the spellbook for the seventh ring spells, and there were many magics she found intriguing.

    One of them was the Freeze Rain spell Lance had written on a scroll. She still remembered the effect when the magic was cast.

    Just thinking about being able to learn such a powerful area-of-effect spell made Mira feel uncontrollable excitement.

    "Morning?" Lance thought for a moment. "Let¡¯s have a test first."

    "What?" This was completely different from Mira¡¯s expectations. She had thought Lance would perform a magic demonstration before starting the lessons.

    But his first class turned out to be an exam.

    "What are we testing?" Mira couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. She vaguely guessed the content of the exam, her heart racing with anticipation.

    And Lance¡¯s next words confirmed her guess.

    "We¡¯ll test your progress with the first six rings of spells," Lance said seriously, looking at Mira.

    "Real combat, not a drill."

    Real combat!

    Mira¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    She had guessed the exam content but never expected the method would be real combat.

    "How are we going to test?"

    When she was at the Mana Hub, Mira had taken exams before. But apprentice-level spellcasters didn¡¯t have practical combat exams.

    Lance smiled mysteriously and looked up at the tower.

    "This tower has many rooms. Let¡¯s pick one and take a look."

    "Don¡¯t keep me in suspense!" Mira became anxious, her curiosity making it hard to endure.

    Lance knew exactly what kind of person she was, so he was teasing her on purpose.

    Seeing the smile on his face, Mira immediately guessed what he was thinking.

    Lance decided to stop playing with her.

    He revealed a secret about the tower.

    "There are many legendary spells inside the tower, and one of the floors is a virtual world. It contains many projections of spellcasters. We¡¯ll use this as the test," Lance said to Mira. "During breakfast, you can think about who you want to face in your first real combat. I¡¯ll control the projection to be at the sixth ring, so anyone you can think of can be your sparring partner."

    Mira was astonished.

    This magic was incredibly amazing. The tower''s mages had become even more impressive in her mind.

    Lance smiled slightly. "Alright, Mira, you can eat now. After breakfast, you can tell me..."

    "I¡¯ve already made my decision," Mira couldn¡¯t wait for breakfast to end.

    As soon as Lance explained the rules, a name immediately appeared in her mind.

    If the opponent for the test was him, Mira would give it her all.

    Lance raised an eyebrow, noticing the eager expression on Mira¡¯s face.

    "Already decided?" He was a little excited. Would Mira want to compete against him? Lance had reached the sixth ring when he was very young, so if his projection from that time was used, it would probably be a mini dragon, right?

    "Dragon," Mira¡¯s answer slowly aligned with what Lance had imagined.

    "I want to try and defeat the dragon."

 Chapter 38

    The black dragon, Nathaniel, was Lance¡¯s cousin, the dragon occupying the high tower in the human world.

    Mira¡¯s chosen opponent was the dragon.

    This wasn¡¯t an unexpected answer, yet Lance still felt a sense of disappointment. The best opponent for Mira should have been the juvenile blue dragon. A spellcaster understands other spellcasters the best.

    Lance couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    The black dragon was the largest of all dragon species. They were skilled in physical combat, with scales so tough that knives and swords couldn¡¯t pierce them, and ordinary magic was also ineffective against them. They were the nightmare of spellcasters.

    But Lance understood that Mira¡¯s choice was the right one. This was a test. Though it was a real combat situation, the virtual magic ensured that no real damage would occur. She could choose powerful opponents that would be hard to face in reality.

    If she couldn¡¯t face these terrifying beings even in a test, how could she ever have the courage to face them in the real world one day?

    Lance nodded in agreement, but he also reminded Mira.

    ¡°The black dragon has a strong resistance to magic. Mira, try attacking the areas where he doesn¡¯t have scales protecting him.¡±

    Mira kept Lance¡¯s advice in mind. She knew that the young man in front of her had faced a fully evolved magic dragon. His words carried the experience of someone who had been through it.

    Mira wanted to know just how powerful the magic dragons Lance had fought truly were. He had been able to injure one and survive under its dragon flames. Just how strong was he?

    Choosing the magic dragon was because it was the challenge she would eventually face.

    Mira realized just how naive and proud she had been when she first entered the tower. At that time, she had only had three artificial medium crystals, thinking she could negotiate with the magic dragon that had killed so many heroes.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Lance, she would have already become a magic dragon¡¯s snack after dinner.

    She had called Ellin a reckless hero, but now she saw herself as a magician who had no self-awareness. Thankfully, the crisis had helped her recognize her own limitations. She needed to become stronger.

    Mira was grateful for her own strength. Although her growth path was different from that of other children, she had still managed to live with effort. The sense of unease had kept her from staying foolishly in the magic hub, and her sudden decision had led her to put down the king¡¯s recruitment order.

    Now, she was grateful to Lance. Before she arrived at the tower, he had injured the magic dragon. He had patiently answered many of her questions about magic. He had also gifted her precious mediums and told her that, more important than the medium, was the heart to perceive magic.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Mira said to Lance. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of failure.¡±

    Failure would bring valuable experience. Mira wanted to succeed. She wanted to defeat the magic dragon, but that was for later. Right now, she needed to focus on completing her test.

    Even though she had mentally prepared herself, Mira was still taken aback when she entered the virtual world.

    The reason was that unlike spellcasters who had clear levels, dragons did not. Lance had summoned a juvenile black dragon, but the massive form before her, towering like a small mountain, still shocked Mira.

    Though Mira wasn¡¯t short, she felt as small as a little shrimp bending over in front of the giant dragon.

    And this was just a juvenile dragon.

    Mira glanced at Lance in secret. He was injecting energy into the virtual magic to ensure the virtual black dragon would maintain a power level similar to hers during the upcoming assessment.

    He looked extremely focused, controlling and adjusting the power contained within the giant dragon gradually taking shape before them.

    Mira couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªwas the dragon Lance faced even more terrifying than this one?

    She felt more and more in awe of Lance¡¯s strength.

    The blue dragon hesitated over how much power to inject into the black dragon. After all, this was just the juvenile version of Nathanael.

    The size advantage of the black dragon was just too overwhelming. He raised his head and looked at the massive body emerging in the virtual space.

    Nathanael¡¯s juvenile form was about the same size as Lance¡¯s adult form.

    Dragons were proud and image-conscious creatures. Though they knew that different dragon species excelled in different ways, the black dragons specialized in close combat. Their defining characteristic was their massive size compared to other dragon species.

    However, they were also simple-minded, quick to anger, and obedient to their nature¡ªtraits of typical hedonists.

    Their draconic magic was also the weakest among all the dragon species. It was far inferior to their red, green, and brass dragon cousins, let alone to those who were masters of magic.

    But the black dragon had an impressive size, which made them look awe-inspiring.

    This knowledge still made Lance feel somewhat displeased.

    He wondered whether he should adjust Nathanael¡¯s size to make him smaller, making Mira¡¯s assessment less difficult.

    After a brief thought, he dismissed the idea.

    Mira¡¯s expression was serious. As the examiner, he couldn¡¯t give Mira a false impression by easing the difficulty.

    The strength of the dragon was unquestionable. If Lance gave Mira unrealistic hopes during training, it would lead to her destruction.

    He continued pouring energy into the virtual illusion, completing the simulation of the juvenile black dragon before withdrawing his hand.

    Even so, Lance knew this would still be very difficult for Mira. What made dragons truly terrifying was their resistance to magic.

    For a mage, the real challenge lay in staying calm under the dual pressure of the dragon¡¯s physical and psychological dominance, and using the right spells to target the right spots.

    Dragon flame, dragon breath, tail swings, and draconic magic.

    Though dragons had fewer direct attacking methods compared to mages, the black dragon never rose to its current position thanks to dazzling spells.

    This was why the black dragon, Nathanael, looked down on the blue dragons and mocked Lance and his son. The blue dragons, who wielded the most magical power in the dragon species, had slowly faded over time until there was only one blue dragon left in the world.

    Lance silently observed his creation.

    With his magical assistance, Nathanael¡¯s black dragon form had nearly become solid.

    Mira raised her head. Lance hadn¡¯t just simulated the dragon¡¯s size; he had also simulated the overwhelming pressure of the giant dragon.

    Standing a hundred meters away from the dragon, Mira felt her body uncontrollably tremble. This kind of trembling was beyond her control¡ªit was a primal fear ingrained in the human soul when facing a species stronger than herself.

    Mira recited calming incantations, breathing deeply.

    She couldn¡¯t help but think¡ªLance must have been afraid when he faced the dragon too, right? Yet, he still bravely confronted it and even injured the dragon.

    Such fear was not easily overcome, and it was part of her assessment as well.

    ¡°You¡¯re ready to begin whenever you are,¡± Lance¡¯s figure also appeared in the virtual battlefield.

    Mira reached up and touched the scales hanging around her neck.

    She couldn¡¯t help but think, perhaps these shimmering scales had been taken from the dragon by Lance himself.

    The dragon was a black dragon, but it wasn¡¯t entirely black as people assumed. Instead, its scales had a bluish-purple sheen.

    Nathanael¡¯s scales were very beautiful. Under the reflection of sunlight, they emitted a mysterious attraction.

    The color didn¡¯t quite match.

    Mira thought, this scale was much smaller compared to the large, palm-sized ones on the black dragon, so it might have been newly grown.

    It didn¡¯t matter if the new scale was lighter in color, did it? She tried to find a suitable reason to make the assumption more believable¡ªthat it was taken from the black dragon.

    The strange thought in her mind eased Mira¡¯s fear and nervousness. She touched the scales around her neck again, and now only anticipation remained in her heart.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± she signaled to Lance.

    As Mira¡¯s voice fell, the giant dragon, which had remained still like a wooden puppet, suddenly moved. It was her first time experiencing what it meant for the ground to shake and mountains to tremble.

    There was no more time to be stunned.

    A few low-tier support spells were instantly completed with Mira¡¯s consciousness. Under the enhancement of the scales, these spells were cast at a higher level than their original rank.

    Mira quickly distanced herself from the giant dragon, but she knew that once the dragon spread its wings and flew, the distance between them would soon shrink, so she had to hurry and find the most appropriate range.

    She couldn¡¯t get too close, or she might be crushed by its massive body. But she also couldn¡¯t be too far. Spells below level seven had range limits, so she needed to find the best distance to ensure each spell she cast was effective.

    Lance immediately understood Mira¡¯s intentions.

    She was trying to circle around Nathanael¡¯s massive body, using floating and acceleration spells to assist her.

    Compared to Nathanael, Mira¡¯s small frame was indeed an advantage.

    It was like a bird flying around an elephant¡ªwhile Nathanael wouldn¡¯t appear clumsy when facing creatures of a similar size, he was much slower when reacting to Mira.

    From the start of the assessment, Mira had found the right opening.

    Lance nodded with satisfaction.

    However, this was only the beginning. In Nathanael¡¯s long dragon life, he had encountered challengers like Mira who relied on speed and agility to outmaneuver him.

    But before the overwhelming strength of the black dragon, these small tricks were insignificant.

    She couldn¡¯t be hit by Nathanael¡¯s tail.

    The force of that attack was beyond what ordinary humans could imagine.

    Lance¡¯s old injuries had been caused when Nathanael¡¯s tail struck him into the mountains.

    Mira identified her position and tried casting her first spell at the dragon.

    A blazing fireball, conjured from her incantation and the spark of her medium, flew towards Nathanael.

    When the spell touched the black dragon¡¯s scales, it flickered a few times and disappeared completely.

    As expected, it had an extremely strong resistance to magic.

    Mira silently noted the position. A fourth-tier fireball spell left no trace on the black dragon; she would need to use her strongest available magic to strike at its weaknesses and cause damage.

    First, she needed to find its weak spots.

    Mira cast two acceleration spells on herself again, relying on her speed and agility to start circling around the black dragon, Nathaniel.

    At the same time, fireballs began to gather behind her, flying toward the black dragon.

    The fate of these fireballs was the same as the initial test: they disappeared completely shortly after making contact with the dragon¡¯s hard scales.

    Fortunately, Mira could cast the fourth-tier spells frequently, but if she used higher-level spells, her mana would quickly be depleted.

    Fireball spells became the most suitable option for her to search for the dragon¡¯s weak points at this moment.

    To Nathaniel, these trivial attacks were not worth mentioning, but they were becoming quite annoying, like a fly buzzing incessantly. The weak magic was merely scratching at him.

    It was time to teach this little fly a lesson.

    The black dragon knew how to deal with enemies that dared not face him head-on.

    Stretching his wings, even though he was a juvenile dragon, the span of his wings was enough to block out a small portion of light.

    He began to flap his wings, and the immense wind pressure created by his movements surged.

    Mira, who was maintaining her flight with levitation and acceleration spells, was instantly thrown off balance by the powerful gust of wind. She couldn¡¯t control her flight direction and kept being blown backward.

    It was at this moment that Nathaniel used his favorite move.

    When prey was swept into a hurricane and couldn¡¯t move freely, they would be unable to avoid the dragon¡¯s flames coming directly at them.

    Those who used magic would never be able to face a dragon head-on, and Nathaniel loved to crush these poor spellcasters by doing things they couldn¡¯t even attempt.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Lance squinted his eyes. He instantly recognized Nathaniel¡¯s signature move.

    When he faced Nathaniel himself, he had used the same technique. Although Lance''s dragon form couldn''t compare to the black dragon''s, he was never helpless against the powerful winds created by the black dragon¡¯s wings.

    He too had dragon flames.

    Furthermore, dragon flames were a form of magic, and Lance¡¯s dragon flames were not weaker than Nathaniel¡¯s.

    Mira, however, was different. She couldn¡¯t maintain her balance in the hurricane. Facing the dragon flames, it was nearly impossible for her to avoid them.

    Lance quickly thought back to all the sixth-tier spells. They were too low-level. Spells below the sixth tier couldn¡¯t possibly withstand the dragon¡¯s flames.

    Mira looked at the flames rushing toward her.

    At that moment, she forgot that this was just a test. Lance¡¯s simulated magic was so real that she could even feel the heat rushing toward her and the unbearable rise in temperature.

    For the first time, she truly felt death approaching. But Mira remained unusually calm.

    Levitation and acceleration spells were useless in this situation, so she dispelled them.

    Even without the two spells¡¯ assistance, Mira¡¯s body didn¡¯t immediately fall under the wind¡¯s pressure.

    The dragon¡¯s flames engulfed her position in an instant.

    Lance smiled slightly.

    Yes. There were no spells below the sixth tier that could withstand dragon flames, but Mira¡¯s only high-tier spell came into play at this moment.

    Just before the dragon flames enveloped her, Mira used a portal spell to distance herself from the dragon¡¯s flames, reappearing behind it.

    Although this was a test for spells below the sixth tier, in real combat, no one would restrict the level of spells used.

    Against an opponent like Nathaniel, Mira had to avoid his direct attacks.

    The moment Mira appeared behind the giant dragon, two fireballs flew toward Nathaniel again.

    Still spewing dragon flames, Nathaniel wasn¡¯t quick to adjust his body. The two fireballs struck the junction of his wings and body, areas where the thin scales remained, and the fireballs lingered much longer than they would have in other areas.

    Found it.

    Mira smiled, then began chanting a spell.

    Nathaniel let out an angry roar.

    Not because of the pain, but because of the frustration.

    This was his favorite direct attack, and yet this little fly had used magic to evade it.

    Magic users were always the ones to sneak attack.

    The dragon roared in anger, rising into the air. The dragon flames ignited the surrounding environment, and in an instant, a heatwave spread, forcing Mira to quickly cast levitation and acceleration spells again to create distance.

    The dragon¡¯s wings stirred up wind, and this time, burning plant fragments and embers were swept into the air.

    Mira¡¯s energy couldn¡¯t sustain frequent use of the portal spell to evade the attacks. She struggled to dodge through the firestorm, her dress and cheeks inevitably scorched by the sparks.

    She had to think of something quickly.

    The black dragon¡¯s temper was as volatile as legends described. When angry, it would vent its fury on everything around it, not just Mira.

    Because of the scattered sparks, Mira could no longer easily approach the point where the dragon¡¯s wings connected to its body.

    However, she discovered a new weak point.

    Mira waved her hand and opened a new portal. Her mana was running low, and after completing the portal, she could only cast the simplest spell.

    ¡°Whoosh.¡±

    With a simple sound, the spell was cast.

    Light spell. A spell that didn¡¯t even count as a tiered spell.

    But Mira had positioned the portal between Nathaniel¡¯s eyes.

    The little fly had flown right up to the dragon¡¯s eyes and threw a blinding light bomb at his vulnerable eyes.

    The dazzling light pierced Nathaniel¡¯s pupils. This spell didn¡¯t cause real harm, but it inflicted a deep insult to the magic dragon.

    The black dragon was known for its fiery temper, and being angered in this way triggered an explosive response.

    Nathaniel flapped his wings angrily, leaping into the air to try and crush this troublesome little insect. He shut his eyes tightly in pain.

    Stamping, tail swinging, and wildly thrashing, but the sheer force of the dragon''s actions caused the ground to shake.

    Mira couldn¡¯t dodge in time, and her projection was shattered into countless fragments by the dragon''s tail.

    The burning heat and the sound of explosions slowly faded away. Mira lay on the ground, her gaze catching the azure sky.

    She blinked, and the pain from being struck by the dragon''s tail disappeared.

    She lay on soft green grass, and the sound of birds singing filled the air.

    Lance walked toward her, stepping on the grass. The terrifying firestorm had vanished.

    He stopped in front of Mira, bent down, and helped her up.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Lance smiled and said. ¡°The eyes are indeed a weak spot on a dragon¡¯s body.¡±

    But the light spell was too low-level. If a higher-tier spell had targeted Nathaniel''s eyes, that would have been a truly fatal blow.

    Mira stood there, stunned.

    She knew she had still failed.

    The magic dragon wasn¡¯t a clever opponent. Its attacks were simple, but its strength came from its innate power.

    Mira was just a fragile spellcaster. With one swing of its tail, she was turned into fragments.

    Lance stood before her, smiling.

    He seemed pleased with the result. After all, she had already shown everything she could do.

    Mira hazily recalled the moment when she was locked in the dragon¡¯s flames.

    She remembered when she first met Lance. He was charred, weak, lying at the base of the tower.

    Experiencing a similar situation, Mira could finally understand what it was like to face such a terrifying magic dragon alone. She suddenly hugged him.

    ¡°Lance.¡±

    The blue dragon looked surprised, his arm hanging at his side. He didn¡¯t know how to react to Mira¡¯s unexpected behavior.

    ¡°You were scared too, right, when the dragon¡¯s flames came at you?¡± Mira buried her face in Lance¡¯s chest, her voice sounding unusually muffled.

    When faced with danger, she was remarkably calm. But once the surrounding environment had settled, she couldn¡¯t avoid feeling the aftereffects.

    What she had gone through was only a magical simulation. After the illusion ended, she had Lance¡¯s encouragement, but not long ago, the young man in front of her had faced the terrifying magic dragon alone, with its flames, injuring it, but still unable to move due to severe injuries, lying alone at the bottom of the pitch-black tower.

    Lance was momentarily stunned.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he suddenly understood Mira¡¯s change in emotions, recalling how he had looked when they first met.

    Lance admitted he had been in a sorry state.

    But that wasn¡¯t because of Nathaniel; it was because of the lightning trap and the world it connected to.

    Lance gently patted Mira¡¯s back.

    ¡°Passing the test is something to be happy about, Mira.¡±

    ¡°But I died,¡± Mira raised her head. ¡°Does that still count as passing the test?¡±

    ¡°Even though you were scared, you still gave it your all,¡± Lance smiled and changed the topic away from dragons.

    ¡°We¡¯ll start the formal lessons in the afternoon, beginning with meditation.¡±

    Mira stepped back a few paces, creating some distance from Lance.

    She suddenly realized how rash her earlier actions had been. Mira cautiously studied Lance¡¯s expression, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice that such behavior was inappropriate.

    Thankfully, thankfully. Mira silently sighed in relief. Lance¡¯s interest in magic clearly outweighed everything else. She promised herself not to act so impulsively next time.

    Mira had taken magic courses at the Magic Energy Hub. In her understanding, magic classes were supposed to be like those at the hub, with the teacher lecturing and the students learning. But she knew Lance wouldn¡¯t teach like that. He had said before that magic is a natural product, and understanding magic comes from feeling nature.

    Their first class took place beneath a large tree.

    Lance told Mira,

    "There is a legend that the tower has 9,999 rooms. However, this is not entirely accurate. The tower does indeed have many rooms, but these rooms are used as storage spaces, exhibition rooms, and more. Many of these so-called ¡®rooms¡¯ are not even confined to the shape of a square."

    This was just like the assessment earlier this morning. Lance had led Mira into one of the rooms in the tower, where they completed the virtual magic exam.

    Their meditation class would also take place in a similar room.

    A large tree, an especially tall and lush one.

    Mira estimated the height of the tree, thinking it was even taller than the dragon Nathaniel she saw earlier, at least a hundred meters tall.

    Lance led Mira to the base of the tree.

    This tree was his mother¡¯s collection¡ª the last dream tree in the world.

    When the tower was occupied by the black dragon Nathaniel, Lance had been worried about the damage to this collection. It seemed that, apart from taking a few rooms to store the eyes he had collected, some jewels, and livestock offered by humans, as well as taking over a few bedrooms to house beauties, Nathaniel had not explored the other rooms in the tower.

    ¡°Today, we¡¯ll meditate here,¡± Lance said, looking up at the tree.

    ¡°Mira, what kind of tree is this?¡± Mira asked out of curiosity, since she had never seen such a large tree.

    The trunk of the tree was so wide that ten people couldn¡¯t even wrap their arms around it.

    She circled the trunk once and returned to the starting point.

    ¡°It¡¯s incredible,¡± Mira exclaimed sincerely.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Dream Tree,¡± Lance explained. ¡°Legend has it that the leaves of this tree are made from all the beautiful dreams in the world.¡±

    This answer surprised Mira even more.

    The tree was not only awe-inspiring on the outside, but its core was even more remarkable.

    ¡°This is the last Dream Tree,¡± Lance said, resting his hand on the trunk, closing his eyes as images of his flight over the ocean came to his mind.

    It was a leaf of this tree that he had placed there when he was traveling abroad. When he crossed the ocean, he felt an unprecedented peace, and that night, his dream was of the vast, blue sea. He recorded that beautiful dream and placed it on the Dream Tree.

    ¡°Come, Mira,¡± Lance said, thinking this process would be interesting for her as well.

    ¡°Place your hand here and try it,¡± he urged, eager to share this feeling with her.

    Lance believed that there were many things in the tower that he liked, and Mira, being a lively mage, should also enjoy them.

    ¡°Will anything happen?¡± Mira asked, a puzzled expression on her face. She mimicked Lance¡¯s motion, placing her hand on the Dream Tree and slowly closing her eyes.

    After a while, Mira opened her eyes again.

    ¡°Nothing happened,¡± she said, looking at Lance in confusion.

    Her response surprised Lance.

    The Dream Tree was meant to store beautiful dreams. For humans, its effects were not something that needed to be consciously awakened.

    Lance could alter dreams because he was a magical blue dragon.

    ¡°Mira,¡± Lance looked at her, ¡°Have you never dreamed?¡±

    Mira paused for a moment, then nodded before shaking her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if what I¡¯ve had could be considered dreams,¡± she said, retracting her hand from the tree. ¡°But I don¡¯t see anything here.¡±

    No dreams. No beautiful dreams.

    Lance fell silent, and the letter that had appeared in Mira¡¯s memory came to his mind again.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start meditating,¡± Lance said, withdrawing his hand. ¡°Aside from recording dreams, the Dream Tree also has the ability to calm and soothe one¡¯s emotions. It¡¯s a good place for your first meditation session.¡±

    ¡°Mmm,¡± Mira didn¡¯t think further on it. She looked up at the large tree, perhaps because she hadn¡¯t yet had any beautiful dreams that the tree could record.

    Lance guided Mira to sit quietly under the tree. He softly encouraged her to relax and feel her inner energy.

    As Mira¡¯s breathing gradually became steady and calm, Lance¡¯s consciousness moved to another part of the tower.

    He appeared in the library.

    The origami spirit, Xingxing, quickly flew to his side.

    ¡°Where can I find records related to the Dream Tree?¡± Lance asked Xingxing.

    After a brief moment of recall, the origami spirit answered, ¡°In the section on natural creations.¡±

    Lance nodded, his expression serious as he walked toward the shelf where these books were stored.

    Initially, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the letter that had appeared in Mira¡¯s memory. It seemed to only indicate the human obsession with artificial mediums.

    But Mira had no dreams. The absence of dreams meant she wasn¡¯t recognized as a natural life form¡ªhow could that be?

    Lance could sense the vitality within her. As the blue dragon king who attuned to nature to understand magic, his judgment would never be wrong.

    Yet the Dream Tree contradicted him.

    Lance flipped through records related to the Dream Tree.

    The tree in the tower was the last one that his mother had moved from its original location to avoid it being destroyed in the wars.

    Since then, his mother had been the one taking care of it. Lance had only learned of this tree after reclaiming the tower. He didn¡¯t know much about it.

    As he read the pages of the book, countless words filled his vision, but his mind was distracted, thinking of other matters.

    What had the Magic Core Mages done to Mira? She had such lively eyes, strange thoughts, and many questions.

    At her age, Mira should have been adept at dreaming. Whether it was aspirations or literal dreams, she had enough vitality to draw the Dream Tree¡¯s attention to record the beautiful energies of her life.

    Yet when she reached out to touch the Dream Tree, she couldn¡¯t sense any beautiful dreams?

    Lance faced a dilemma.

    He closed the book about the Dream Tree and quickly left the aisle for natural creations.

    To unravel this mystery, he needed to read books related to artificial mediums.

    Artificial mediums. Lance didn¡¯t want to associate this term with Mira.

    But now, it seemed like an unavoidable truth.

    However, Lance¡¯s collection contained very few books on artificial mediums. He had never needed or liked them.

    Lance fell into deep thought.

    He stood in the center of the hall, surveying the surrounding shelves.

    Suddenly, he looked up.

    The black market. He needed to visit the black market. He had to ask the surviving goblin descendants what exactly the Human Mage Associations had acquired from them.

    The meditation process felt like exploring the deep sea. At the beginning, Mira was worried whether someone as mentally active as she was could quickly immerse herself into her inner world. However, under Lance''s guidance and after several breaths, she began to feel her thoughts gradually sinking. First, they gently pressed into the sea''s surface, slowly crossing the shallow waters, and gradually sinking deeper into the abyss.

    It was a strange feeling. Mira knew she was sitting under the Dream Tree''s shade, on soft grass. Yet, she felt as though her body was surrounded by water, as if submerged in the boundless ocean.

    This sensation was truly unique.

    Mira realized that the waves surrounding her were not gentle water currents, but pure energy¡ªenergy that belonged to her. This realization surprised her, yet it felt perfectly natural in her mind.

    At that moment, she seemed to understand why Karl had told her she would eventually become a Tower Mage. Her body held far more energy than her current circle of power, but she couldn''t yet access it¡ªshe had yet to find a way to channel it.

    Karl knew everything.

    Thinking of this made Mira feel sad. Karl had been her mentor, a pale and frail young man. Although Mira knew his real age was far beyond that of a young man.

    She wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about Karl. She had been by his side since childhood. He hadn¡¯t particularly cared for her, but neither had he mistreated her. The mages from the Mage Associations didn¡¯t like her, mostly because she had never advanced in rank. Only those disliked by their mentors were denied promotion. They didn¡¯t know that Karl had allowed her to study magic beyond her circle, or that he had her clean the study, giving her opportunities to learn.

    Was he only doing this out of guilt? Mira didn¡¯t want to think about it. She knew the answer would be sorrowful.

    She had once wanted to consider Karl as a father figure, but his youthful appearance made it too confusing. She thought of him as an older brother, but Karl never treated her with the care an older brother might. He was Mira¡¯s mentor, the powerful eighth-circle mage everyone spoke of, while Mira saw him as a forgetful, fragile mentor.

    But the same mentor who could never find his magic books had destroyed an entire race with magic, and the one who constantly forgot to close the windows, causing rain to soak the books, had seen her merely as a tool.

    Did she have no happy dreams because she had never felt happiness at the Mage Associations?

    That wasn¡¯t quite it. When learning new magic, she was always happy. But that joy never made it into her dreams.

    Perhaps that was why the Dream Tree hadn¡¯t recorded her beautiful dreams.

    Her sadness interrupted the meditation, and the deep sea in her mind vanished.

    Mira opened her eyes. The bright, yet gentle light brought her back to reality. They were in a small world within the Tower, home to the last Dream Tree.

    She tried to return to her meditative state. Mira closed her eyes and tried for a long time, but she couldn¡¯t return to the deep sea.

    She turned her head to see Lance sitting beside her. He had his eyes closed, with deep blue eyelashes resting on his fair skin, casting a small shadow.

    Mira had rarely seen someone with blue eyelashes.

    She thought that the Mage Associations, which gathered mages from all over, didn¡¯t have anyone with blue hair either.

    But she had lived in the Mage Associations since she was small, and the only sky she had ever seen was that of the Associations. She couldn¡¯t claim that no one in the world had blue hair.

    After all, Lance was right in front of her.

    Mira stared at him.

    He really was an unexpected encounter.

    She couldn¡¯t even imagine what might have happened without him. Mira thought she had only used a piece of artificial crystal but had received so much help from Lance.

    He was indeed mysterious and powerful.

    Mira knew there were many holes in Lance''s words.

    With a little thought, she realized that Lance had said that his mother''s lover had given her the Tower.

    Mira knew this Tower had been created a thousand years ago.

    Because he had said "his mother¡¯s lover," not "his father." That was a big difference. Was it the lover before or after her father? Was Lance born before or after his mother received the Tower?

    No matter the answer, Lance was already several hundred or even a thousand years old.

    He had no intention to harm her and had even guided her in magic.

    Mira decided to ignore her inability to figure out these relationships. It wasn¡¯t really important.

    She continued to watch Lance quietly.

    It was rare for her to have no thoughts. Meditation was an exceptional case, but this wasn¡¯t one of those moments.

    Lance had many, many secrets. She was a curious mage.

    She really wanted to understand the secrets he held, and recently, this thought had crossed her mind more than once.

    Mira sighed. She remembered the rose on the table. A single rose.

    Did Lance understand what a rose symbolized? He clearly didn¡¯t. He must have seen the biographies of those wicked mages and thought it was appropriate to give her one.

    Although Mira liked magic, she had to admit that many mages were scoundrels.

    What was worse, some of these scoundrels wrote their disgusting romantic histories into magic books, which was an insult to magic and corrupted other spellcasters.

    ¡°That''s despicable,¡± Mira clenched her fists and said angrily.

    At the same time, she quickly covered her mouth and turned to look at Lance, carefully gauging him. She didn¡¯t think her voice was loud, but the silence in the air made it feel like it echoed.

    She was afraid that Lance, in his meditative state, would notice her watching him. Though Mira couldn¡¯t explain why she was afraid of being caught.

    She quietly returned to her position, closed her eyes, and pretended to meditate, glancing up occasionally to steal a look. Lance remained still, focused and serious.

    He probably didn¡¯t hear her.

    He truly seemed to love meditation.

    Library.

    Lance remembered that last time when Mira wanted to go to the black market ahead of time, his response was that they needed to wait for the right moment.

    "Star," Lance called the origami spirit and instructed, "Go find out when the next black market gathering starts."

    "Master, master, I can''t leave the tower right now," the little spirit raised its paper head to look at Lance.

    Lance knew its little trick. Recently, the origami spirit had been spending all its time with Mira. It helped Mira search for books in the library, and in return, Mira would tell it strange stories whose origins it didn''t know.

    The origami spirit had become very much like Mira, always scheming in its words.

    Lance stretched out his finger and tapped its forehead.

    "You can leave the tower now."

    Star was overjoyed. Thanks to Mira, it had received magic from its master twice in just half a year, and was now a high-level spirit.

    It happily circled around Lance.

    "Take care of business," the blue dragon reminded it.

    The origami spirit quickly flew out of the tower. "Master, I''ll be back soon."

    After sending off the spirit, Lance didn¡¯t stay long in the library. His consciousness returned to his body under the Dream Tree. Just as his awareness settled, he heard a faint complaint.

    "That''s so annoying."

    Lance nearly lost control of his body.

    He barely managed to keep his eyes closed, his muscles tensed, trying to maintain the meditative posture.

    Had Mira noticed that he had slipped away?

 Chapter 39

    Lance and Mira discussed the upcoming gathering.

    At the end of next month, there will be a gathering on the other side of the Elf Valley. Representatives from various races will attend, and it will be a rare opportunity to see many unique and precious items that are usually hard to come by.

    Such gatherings also serve as a great opportunity for exchanging information. Lance intends to acquire information related to artificial medium.

    When Mira heard his words, she briefly showed a thoughtful expression, but soon she adjusted her mood and smiled at Lance.

    "Do we need to prepare anything in advance?"

    Initially, Mira wanted to go to the black market to obtain materials for crafting magic arrays. However, she had already abandoned the idea of using a magic array to trap the black dragon.

    The assessment made Mira realize the true strength of the magical dragon Nathaniel. If she had naively thought that a magic array could trap a dragon, that would have been terribly naive.

    "Prepare anything?" Lance repeated Mira''s question. He indeed had many items stored in the entire tower.

    Most of the participants in the gathering are hoping to find something they desire during the event. Many of them are not lacking in money, so they prefer to barter.

    Mira was right. Lance rarely attended such gatherings, and he almost forgot about this important matter.

    What items in the tower would be suitable for barter?

    Lance considered handling the items Nathaniel had left in the tower. He had already let go of the beautiful women in the tower, and their eyes had been entirely buried. All that remained were a pile of jewels and gems that Nathaniel had left behind.

    Now, all that remained were the many crystal jewels Nathaniel had left behind. After the goblin extermination, most other tribes did not consider these sparkling stones useful.

    Humans might like crystals¡­ but the information he wanted to obtain would likely not be provided by humans.

    Lance suddenly remembered the blank scrolls in the storage room.

    During his last visit to Ghillian Town, the three scrolls he had casually written had played a crucial role.

    For many spellcasters without the appropriate medium, pre-written magic scrolls like these were very useful.

    Lance had an idea and turned his gaze to Mira.

    "Mira, how about starting a new lesson today?"

    Mira, who had been pondering where Lance had gotten the information about the gathering, was interrupted by his sudden voice.

    She showed a hint of frustration.

    Lance seemed to enjoy his role as a "teacher," and he was exceptionally knowledgeable in the field of magic. Following Lance''s lessons was a real test for Mira.

    She enjoyed learning magic, but Lance... he really was something.

    Mira felt like she had become a person with a scattered mind. Lance, on the other hand, was even worse. He usually appeared distant and rarely spoke, giving others the impression that he was gloomy and mysterious.

    But when he discussed magic, he seemed like a completely different person.

    Meditation was fine; they would silently immerse themselves in exploring their inner energies, a peaceful and steady state.

    But when he was teaching, that tranquility and beauty were completely shattered. Lance had no teaching experience, and he didn''t follow the structured outlines of magical books.

    Although he taught Mira the seven-ring spells, his thoughts always expanded into the formation of spells, the stories behind the spells, the power of magical books, and related spells.

    Mira knew that for Lance, magic was as ordinary as eating and drinking. He had long integrated magic into his being and reached a new level.

    But this level was still distant for Mira. She could feel some of the sensations Lance described, but she had not fully experienced the feeling of being completely immersed in magic and becoming one with it.

    Memorizing the unfamiliar knowledge points Lance suddenly mentioned was already a challenge for Mira.

    Now he was starting a whole new lesson?

    Mira showed a frustrated expression, but this frustration instantly disappeared after his next sentence.

    "There are still many scrolls left in the storage room." Lance asked her, "So, Mira, are you interested in learning how to write magic on scrolls?"

    Mira clearly remembered the three magic scrolls used in Ghillian Town.

    After being rebounded by the Silence spell, she couldn¡¯t chant the incantation to cast a spell. At that time, she had used the Ice Rain spell.

    Mira nodded repeatedly, "Yes."

    Lance knew she couldn''t refuse.

    He said, "If we can prepare enough scrolls with spells before the gathering, we should be able to exchange for some good things."

    "When do we start?"

    "Tonight?" Lance thought for a moment. "After finishing the afternoon''s lesson, we need to leave you enough time to complete your practice, and then in the evening..."

    Lance paused for a moment.

    He not only needed to reserve time for Mira but also needed enough time for himself to have a meal.

    Lance sighed quietly.

    "At nine."

    "But I need to sleep by ten," Mira said, a little puzzled. "The practice ends at seven, and even with dinner afterwards, it shouldn''t be delayed until nine, right?"

    Lance turned his gaze away. "Mira, I also need some private time."

    Mira blinked. Of course, she understood.

    "Alright," she agreed.

    "Starting tonight?" Mira asked again to confirm.

    "Yes," Lance agreed.

    The clock at the bottom of the tower was part of Mira¡¯s dowry. Every hour, a small bird would pop out and chirp to announce the time. However, Mira had once been startled by the sudden appearance of the bird and had used magic to silence it.

    Tonight, Mira was eagerly awaiting 9 PM.

    After dinner, she paced around the clock for a long time, but the minute hand moved too slowly¡ªit felt as though she had been waiting forever.

    She even reviewed the spells she had learned today, as Lance¡¯s personal time still hadn¡¯t ended.

    Suddenly, the time-chiming bird popped out of the clock, but it made no sound.

    How strange.

    Mira stared at the little bird. Its intricate painted design looked expensive.

    Mira wasn¡¯t sure what she was thinking. She must have been too bored, so she used magic to restore the bird¡¯s function.

    She was definitely too bored. Mira chuckled to herself.

    Lance¡¯s personal time really felt endless.

    What was he doing? Mira couldn¡¯t help but feel curious.

    Actually, every night in the past, Lance would disappear for a while after dinner.

    At that time, Mira would usually be tidying up the tower or reading books from the library in her room. She rarely wondered what Lance was doing during that time.

    Today, he had said he would start a new lesson at 9 PM.

    She was looking forward to it. So, she finished her usual chores early, but couldn¡¯t focus on her book¡ªshe just wanted the time to pass more quickly so that 9 o¡¯clock would arrive.

    Time really felt slow.

    Mira thought that maybe she could go to the library early and wait for Lance. The origami spirit would surely be there. That way, she could have someone to talk to.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Without hesitation, Mira decided to go.

    But strangely, the origami spirit didn¡¯t appear when she entered the library.

    Mira stared at the empty library, feeling confused.

    She stood on the spiral staircase, her hand resting on the handrail carved with a giant dragon relief.

    Mira looked up, and the dark staircase seemed to go on forever.

    She tried taking a step upward, and as the magic worked, the entrance to the library disappeared. She was heading toward another unknown space in the tower.

    Mira knew that the tower was made of layer after layer of spaces. Suddenly, she was curious about the other rooms inside the tower.

    She began to climb upward, just like it was her first time entering the library. Everything around her grew quiet, and all she could see were the steps of the spiral staircase beneath her.

    She kept climbing, unable to count how many steps she had taken, when a cool breeze brushed against her face. She entered a completely new space.

    Suddenly, the darkness before her turned into light. Mira instinctively closed her eyes, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the light. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a new space.

    The young woman looked around.

    Blue skies, white clouds, expansive green fields, and cows and sheep peacefully grazing.

    It was a pasture.

    There was a pasture inside the tower?

    Mira was surprised. She walked across the grassland, watching the cows and sheep grazing. She suddenly realized¡ªthese were the cows and sheep once offered to the dragon. They were now being raised in the tower¡¯s dedicated space.

    ¡°Mira!¡± A familiar voice suddenly rang out.

    Mira turned and saw the origami spirit flying toward her from the group of cows and sheep.

    ¡°How did you end up here?¡± Mira looked surprised.

    It turned out that the origami spirit hadn¡¯t been guarding the library, but had instead run up to a higher level of the tower.

    ¡°This place needs to be restarted,¡± the origami spirit explained. ¡°Didn¡¯t you come here to find me because you couldn¡¯t find me in the library?¡±

    Mira paused for a moment and answered honestly, ¡°You weren¡¯t in the library, so I was going to head back. But then I suddenly got curious about what was above the spiral staircase¡­¡±

    The origami spirit let out a few dry laughs.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing here, just a pasture.¡± He needed to find a way to leave quickly, to allow Lance, who had just finished eating, to leave as well.

    Mira looked at him.

    Inside, the origami spirit was frantic. Luckily, there was no strange expression on his face, or the quirky girl in front of him would have seen right through him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the king offers many cows and sheep to the magical dragon every year. I didn¡¯t expect them to be raised here,¡± Mira said, looking around the surroundings.

    The sky was high and clear. This was indeed a nice place.

    And in the place she hadn¡¯t noticed, the small blue dragon had stopped moving, afraid to continue.

    When Mira¡¯s gaze shifted elsewhere, Lance let out a sigh of relief and continued tiptoeing forward.

    He had to leave here and head to the bath to wash off the bloodstains from the meal. There wasn¡¯t much time left until the appointed hour¡ªhe had to hurry.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the origami spirit lied, ¡°The pasture here is occasionally eaten clean by these greedy cows and sheep, so I come down regularly and reconstruct the environment in a special way to ensure the cows and sheep always have food.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Mira took two steps forward. ¡°The magic in the tower is really amazing.¡±

    Not only can it create the required environment, but it can also adjust and restart the environment at any time.

    ¡°Right,¡± the origami spirit could only agree with Mira¡¯s words.

    He cautiously glanced at the grass, and the blue dragon had already moved far away during their conversation.

    ¡°Mira, let¡¯s leave here for now,¡± the origami spirit said.

    Mira tilted her head, looking at him.

    ¡°Are you looking for a book? Let¡¯s go downstairs, and I¡¯ll help you find it.¡±

    The origami spirit needed to get Mira away quickly so that Lance, who had to hide among the sheep and cows, could leave sooner.

    Just as he spoke, a riot suddenly broke out in the flock of sheep in the distance.

    A few sheep started running frantically, causing the rest of the flock to follow in panic. This disrupted the feeding of the surrounding cows and sheep.

    Mira glanced in that direction. "What happened over there?"

    The origami spirit looked toward the direction she was pointing. He could sense his master''s presence there.

    The terrifying pressure from the dragon caused a panic among the cows and sheep.

    Lance, in his small dragon form, was hiding among the sheep. He had intended to use their wool to cover his body, but the inherent pressure he emitted had brought a new problem.

    The small blue dragon dodged the frenzied cows and sheep in confusion.

    When his tail was stepped on by a sheep, Lance curled up in frustration, not daring to make a sound.

    The origami spirit quickly thought of a solution.

    As Mira got closer to the sheep, he suddenly spoke. "Mira, stay away from them. These cows and sheep are in heat." He gestured randomly. "Look, those rams are chasing after the ewes. It¡¯s too chaotic here. Let¡¯s head back quickly."

    Mira¡¯s eyes flickered. That was true¡ªit was mating season.

    "I¡¯ve never seen it before," Mira said, wanting to observe up close. However, the number of cows and sheep was greater than she had imagined, and getting close to the center wasn¡¯t easy.

    The origami spirit quickly urged her, "There¡¯s nothing to see. It¡¯s too dangerous! Mira, there are similar books in the library downstairs. If you''re interested, I can help you find them. These cows and sheep can be very dangerous when they go mad."

    Mira pouted and stood on tiptoe to look into the distance.

    The flock of sheep ran at high speed, and before long, they had trampled over a large part of the pasture.

    As the origami spirit had said, the situation was chaotic and uncontrollable.

    Mira suppressed her curiosity and followed the origami spirit downstairs toward the library.

    Hidden among the sheep, Lance waited until Mira¡¯s presence faded away before finally daring to return to his full form.

    A massive blue dragon suddenly appeared in the center of the pasture. The animals, who had been frantically running in fear, immediately cowered on the ground, trembling and afraid to move.

    The dragon glanced at its tail, which had been stepped on, and let out a low, angry growl. The cows and sheep trembled even more.

    Lance couldn¡¯t deal with them now. He needed to quickly clean himself up so he could appear in front of Mira before 9 PM.

    The origami spirit really brought Mira a lot of books about animal mating.

    There were books on cows, sheep, pigs, various birds, and even marine animals.

    Mira turned her head away, a little embarrassed. In fact, she wasn¡¯t really interested in such books. It was just that she had happened to encounter the mating topic earlier, and out of curiosity, she wanted to take a look.

    The origami spirit had clearly misunderstood her intent.

    Looking at the thick stack of books in front of her, Mira wasn¡¯t sure if she should take them back. It wasn¡¯t like she was planning to breed animals.

    It was too strange.

    However, among all the books, one caught Mira¡¯s attention.

    Dragon Reproduction. Mira looked at the words on the page, and driven by curiosity, picked up this book that seemed unusually interesting.

    Dragons were typical egg-laying creatures.

    Adult dragons had extremely long lifespans, and they experienced mating seasons approximately every ten years, though the duration varied. Most dragon species would end their mating period after mating with their partners, but due to the lack of systematic data and professional experiments, most information about dragons came from the observations of scholars.

    Most of the observed data indicated that the peak mating period for dragon species was at the end of spring and the beginning of summer. During this phase, dragons would experience a noticeable rise in body temperature, become irritable, struggle to focus, and exhibit a decline in memory.

    At the same time, male dragons would secrete a special body fat during mating, which carried a fragrance and had a strong attraction for the opposite sex.

    Most observation data suggested that even though dragons were considered apex predators, during mating seasons, they behaved like ordinary mammals¡ªimpulsive and irritable.

    A special note was that adult dragons, after stabilizing their power, could undergo a physical transformation, and during this special situation, they would respond in ways that corresponded to their new appearance.

    Mira didn¡¯t understand the last sentence.

    She flipped back a few pages, hoping to find more answers from other chapters, but after the introduction, the first page of the book was filled with illustrations of dragons mating...

    "Mira."

    Lance¡¯s voice came from behind her.

    Mira quickly slammed the book shut.

    "Why are you here so early?"

    Mira¡¯s gaze darted around, her mind still full of the dragon illustrations from the book.

    She wasn¡¯t sure why she felt so guilty.

    "I had nothing to do," Mira lowered her voice, "I was just wandering around the tower earlier, and the origami spirit said he could find some books for me to read."

    Lance¡¯s gaze shifted from the strange books about animal mating to the one titled Dragon Reproduction.

    He squinted.

    He glanced over at the origami spirit. Hadn¡¯t he specifically told him to hide all the dragon-related books?

    Dragon Reproduction. This was clearly something that the brass dragon clan had created.

    Among the five-colored dragons, only the brass dragons were interested in knowledge. Unlike the blue dragons, who focused on magic, the brass dragons enjoyed all kinds of knowledge.

    They especially liked compiling books about dragons.

    "It seems your magic practice is going well, Mira," Lance said, knowing exactly why she was suddenly interested in these topics.

    He picked up the book on dragon reproduction and tossed it to the origami spirit.

    "Put this away. Let¡¯s start learning scroll magic."

    Mira lowered her head and followed Lance to the storage room where the scrolls were kept.

    Lance had just finished his bath. His hair was still damp, and a faint fragrance lingered around him.

    Mira couldn¡¯t quite identify the scent, but it smelled really good. She knew that some mages would apply scented powders to themselves, but Lance didn¡¯t seem like the type to need such things.

    "Mira." Lance sat at the desk and looked at Mira, who was still with her head down.

    She lifted her head and met the blue dragon¡¯s gaze.

    "Which magic should we start with today?" he asked, observing her.

    Today, Mira seemed a little different¡ªher cheeks were flushed. Ever since the earlier incident, she had kept her head down.

    "I don¡¯t know," Mira answered. "Should we start with something simple?"

    She was at the sixth ring, so she could cast all spells below the fourth ring instantly. Clearly, there was no need to spend much time on these lower-level spells.

    However, she also couldn¡¯t control more difficult spells very well. Her first lesson should probably be on the basics.

    Lance¡¯s expression shifted for a moment as he listened to Mira¡¯s response.

    He had actually planned to say something else, but after seeing the girl¡¯s flushed cheeks, he suddenly forgot what he was going to say and ended up starting with a random comment.

    Lance paused in silence for a moment.

    "We shouldn¡¯t rush to make scrolls," he said. "To learn scroll magic, we need to first understand the logic behind casting scroll magic."

    "Mm." Mira nodded, sitting on a nearby chair in a serious listening posture.

    Lance looked at her for a moment, and his mind went blank for a second.

    He cleared his throat softly to cover his awkwardness. Fortunately, as a blue dragon familiar with all things related to magic, he quickly regained his composure.

    "Scroll magic is actually a method of pre-casting spells and releasing them later," Lance said, picking up a blank scroll and demonstrating to Mira. "We need to finish reciting the incantations and filtering the energy beforehand, so that the magic is stored inside the scroll."

    "Unlike ordinary magic, because the spell isn¡¯t released immediately but is instead fixed inside the scroll, when we need to use it, we need to give the spell a trigger."

    "I know, the action of opening the scroll." Mira had used scroll magic before, and she was quite familiar with the sensation.

    When the scroll was closed, it looked like an ordinary parchment, harmless.

    But the moment the scroll was opened, the magic stored inside would be triggered and immediately released.

    Lance nodded in satisfaction.

    "Exactly. The principle of scroll magic is very simple, but getting the magic to stay in the scroll is not easy. Like all magic, it requires plenty of practice."

    Mira nodded and began writing down Lance¡¯s words in her notebook.

    The blue dragon continued, "The most commonly used trigger is a simple activation spell, usually placed on the outside of the scroll. The act of unrolling the scroll is the activation command..."

    "Achoo!"

    Mira sneezed suddenly, interrupting Lance¡¯s speech.

    "Are you sick?" Lance asked, closing the scroll and looking at Mira with concern.

    Mira rubbed her nose. "No, I just suddenly felt itchy in my nose." She looked up at the young man in front of her and asked, "Lance, did you bathe with flower petals? You smell so good."

 Chapter 40

    Petals? Fragrance?

    Lance furrowed his brows. He had simply cleaned off the blood scent from his meal in a hot spring on one of the tower¡¯s floors.

    The spring water was just ordinary hot water with a faint sulfur smell. There were no petals or anything else that would produce a fragrance.

    Lance raised his hand and sniffed his arm, but he couldn¡¯t detect any strange odor.

    Mira watched his actions and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    "Alright, alright, maybe I just misheard," Mira said, redirecting her attention back to her study notes.

    Though she could still clearly sense the faint scent emanating from Lance, she didn¡¯t bring it up again.

    The blue dragon frowned.

    He hadn¡¯t noticed any unusual smell.

    The lesson only went until ten o''clock, after which Mira needed to sleep.

    Lance, however, stayed in the library to sort through the scrolls they had used.

    He called the origami spirit over. "Do I have a strange smell?"

    The origami spirit¡¯s body stiffened for a moment. "Master, I can¡¯t detect any smell." It was just an ordinary paper figure. Even though its body had been infused with magic a few times, it definitely couldn¡¯t identify something as complicated as a scent.

    Lance waved his hand.

    "Go play."

    The origami spirit awkwardly flew away, carrying with it the books that Lance had asked it to dispose of.

    "Wait." Lance called out, stopping the origami spirit. "Bring me the book on top."

    The origami spirit returned and handed him the book related to dragons.

    Mira¡¯s curiosities were truly strange. Lance lowered his eyes.

    Though he was a giant dragon, he understood very little about his own body. The brass dragons, as the scholars of dragonkind, knew everything about these matters.

    Blue dragons were known for their love of learning. Lance told himself this as he opened the book that Mira had read.

    He had only learned a little from the black dragons about certain special periods experienced by dragons.

    Lance had several enchanting and beautiful female attendants, most of whom came from non-human species. In other words, humans could not bear the presence of a giant dragon, and even powerful spellcasters could not form connections with them.

    The brass dragons hadn¡¯t made it very clear in their writings, only vaguely mentioning that humans were more fragile than they had imagined. Humans¡¯ strength lay in their intelligence, not other abilities.

    As for the transformations that occurred within dragonkind, the observations mentioned that the most obvious changes were the rise in body temperature, the decline in memory, and the change in body odor. During this period of temperature increase, dragons could unknowingly roast small creatures that came too close.

    Editor¡¯s Note: During the experiments, no small animals were willing to approach the dragon during its special period. The researchers had to forcibly place the animals near the dragon.

    Lance turned the page.

    The brass dragons were still the same, always conducting strange experiments to prove bizarre conclusions. Fortunately, they lived in remote pockets of space-time, away from other species. Otherwise, they would cause a lot of trouble.

    The next section of the book discussed the hatching of dragon eggs. Dragon eggs were incredibly fragile in their first two hundred years, and they couldn¡¯t be far from their mothers. This period was also crucial for the development of the young dragons.

    Typically, female dragons raised their offspring alone, as the male dragons didn¡¯t care for their unborn children. If a female dragon was too playful, the young dragon could die within its protective shell.

    Once the egg survived this period, it was up to the dragon hatchling to decide when to break free. At this stage, the young dragons had completed their development and gained the ability to think independently. Although still inside the egg, they could sense changes in their surroundings. However, some dragon hatchlings were reluctant to leave their eggs. This period could last anywhere from two years to eight hundred years.

    The brass dragons suggested that new mother dragons could intimidate their hatchlings to encourage them to break out of their shells sooner, or else they¡¯d be treated as food.

    Lance knew this process well. When he was still in his egg, he didn¡¯t want to come out because he didn¡¯t like his mother¡¯s new lover. He felt that the man¡¯s intentions weren¡¯t pure and might harm both him and his mother. So, he stayed hidden in his egg, hoping his mother would focus more on taking care of him instead of being involved with that manipulative human man.

    But eventually, his mother scared him by saying she would throw his egg off the tower if he didn¡¯t come out. Lance had no choice but to give in, and that night, he crawled out of his egg.

    So this was what that damn book taught.

    Lance closed the book with a blank expression.

    Ever since he crawled out of his egg and became an independent young dragon, his mother had gone off to romance that detestable new lover.

    Thankfully, humans were weak and didn¡¯t leave him with a half-blood sibling. Otherwise, things would have become very troublesome.

    Lance¡¯s mother had been tricked by a human into giving up her heart-scaled armor. That man used her dragon scales to create a natural barrier between the human world and the polluted demon lands, earning the title of humanity¡¯s greatest hero.

    He might have been the hero who saved humanity, but to a blue dragon, he was an unforgivable enemy.

    Ironically, that man didn¡¯t even live long enough to face Lance¡¯s revenge¡ªhe died from the inevitable aging of humans.

    Fire flickered at Lance¡¯s fingertips, and he set the book alight.

    The blue dragon stood up and left the library.

    By nature, blue dragons were peaceful, and Lance didn¡¯t hate all humans because of this. However, he couldn¡¯t understand their inherent greed, nor could he forgive the sacrifices caused by their misunderstanding of magic.

    His mother shouldn¡¯t have been a victim, and neither should Mira.

    He would definitely uncover the secret of the artificial medium to prove that the so-called artificial medium was just a misjudgment driven by ambition.

    Mira reviewed the content she had learned yesterday before the meditation class in the morning.

    She sat on a small bench, watching the firewood she had stacked in the stove burn.

    The flickering flames sparked inspiration in Mira. Lance had said that these feelings, arising from daily life, were a sign that she was deepening her connection with nature.

    She stared at the flames, watching the sparks fly, observing the wood curling and charring as it burned, turning from black to complete ash, falling to the bottom of the stove.

    Once one piece of firewood turned to ash, her attention shifted to the next piece, repeating the process.

    The process of the flames burning the wood, turning it into ash¡ªthese were common changes that most people wouldn¡¯t notice. Yet Mira gradually began to sense something extraordinary within them.

    Perhaps this was the insight Lance had spoken of, the kind of feeling that couldn¡¯t be described with words, yet brought a sense of peace and genuine joy.

    Mira¡¯s reflection abruptly stopped when she smelled the scent of burning.

    She straightened up, and everything in front of her seemed to glow red and hot. Her eyes felt uncomfortable from staring at the flames for too long. She had been so focused earlier that she didn¡¯t realize the time passing until her attention shifted elsewhere.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Mira stood up. Using magic, she extinguished the fire, then opened the stew pot. Just as she had imagined, she had forgotten the time, and the contents of the pot were completely dried out.

    Sighing, Mira recalled the details from the cooking magic book. She extended her hand, and magic poured from her fingertips. The burnt smell gradually faded, and the food in the pot quickly returned to its normal, edible state.

    The spellcaster who had created cooking magic seemed to have frequently encountered the problem of burning food due to forgetting the time, so he specifically invented this more practical spell to restore burnt food back to its edible form.

    Mira tasted the food. Although there had been a small mishap, the flavor was still acceptable.

    She cleaned everything up and got ready to call Lance for breakfast.

    However, after calling his name several times, there was no sound from behind the curtain.

    Mira furrowed her brows, staring at the curtain. She raised her voice deliberately. ¡°Lance, I¡¯m coming in.¡±

    Still, there was no response from his room.

    Mira cautiously lifted the curtain. Since she had tidied up the bottom of the tower and separated their sleeping areas, Mira hadn¡¯t entered Lance¡¯s half of the space since. Today, however, was a special case.

    As she stepped into Lance¡¯s space, her first reaction was the dimness. The light from the gemstone outside seemed to have barely penetrated into Lance¡¯s space. Her second reaction was the strange fragrance filling the room.

    It was the same smell she had noticed the previous night, only stronger now. Since the room was airtight, the scent couldn¡¯t disperse, and instead, it clung to the small space.

    Mira felt an itch in her nose and reached up to rub it. After a moment, her eyes adjusted to the surrounding darkness, and she quickly locked onto Lance, who was lying on the bed.

    He was sunk into the pillow, eyes closed, with his curled eyelashes hanging down, resembling a Sleeping Beauty from a fairy tale.

    Mira moved closer to him.

    ¡°Lance?¡± She whispered his name, but received no response.

    Why didn¡¯t he light a candle? Mira glanced at the candlestick by the bed and extended her hand. Magic followed her will, igniting the flame, and brightening the small space in front of her.

    Perhaps sensing the light, Lance slightly furrowed his brow, but still didn¡¯t seem inclined to open his eyes.

    His expression seemed somewhat pained.

    Mira looked down at the area around him, noticing that it was filled with scrolls¡ªsome completed, others blank and waiting to store magic.

    Had Lance been working on these last night? Mira bent down to pick up a scroll and set it aside. She moved closer to the bed and became more certain that the strange fragrance was emanating from him.

    Or perhaps it was because Lance had been in this scent for so long that he had grown numb to it. She only noticed how overwhelming it was because she had just entered from outside.

    ¡°Lance?¡± Mira gently called his name. She wasn¡¯t sure if he hadn¡¯t woken up because he had stayed up late working on scrolls. If that were the case, it would be very inconsiderate of him.

    He had been the one who told her that spellcasters couldn¡¯t stay up late, that they needed to wake up early to feel the natural changes that occurred with the sunrise. But here he was, sleeping in late...

    Mira¡¯s thoughts stopped abruptly when she observed Lance¡¯s condition.

    No, something was wrong. He didn¡¯t look well. He seemed to be sick.

    Mira quickly extended her hand and placed it on Lance¡¯s forehead. After a moment, she withdrew her hand.

    There was nothing unusual. His temperature was about the same as hers.

    Mira pouted.

    He was just sleeping in and making her worry for nothing.

    Once she confirmed that he wasn¡¯t seriously ill, Mira extinguished the candle and quietly left the room.

    Lance hadn¡¯t noticed she had been there.

    Before the morning meditation class started, Mira arrived early under the Dreaming Tree. Lance arrived right on time. He had changed into a white mage robe and looked to be in good condition.

    Mira stared at his face, wondering if he had realized what had happened that morning. If he had, he should have said something on his own, right?

    ¡°Lance, you didn¡¯t eat breakfast this morning.¡± Mira had already seated herself in her usual meditation spot, watching as Lance approached. He spoke up first.

    Lance also felt something was odd. In response to Mira¡¯s question, he answered truthfully: ¡°I was working on scrolls last night, so I stayed up late.¡±

    Mira knew that he had been up late working on scrolls.

    ¡°It was you who said that spellcasters shouldn¡¯t stay up late.¡± Mira reminded him, ¡°At sunrise, natural changes occur, and that moment is very important for spellcasters.¡±

    Lance could hear the dissatisfaction in Mira¡¯s voice.

    He moved closer. ¡°Will you forgive me?¡±

    Lance didn¡¯t understand why he felt so off. Perhaps it was indeed the strain from carving magic into the scrolls last night that had taken a toll on him.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to meditate,¡± Mira said, looking at him. He looked very different from earlier when she had seen him this morning, and Mira couldn¡¯t put her finger on what exactly felt different.

    As he got closer, the faint fragrance wafted over again, surrounding her.

    Perhaps because the environment was now more open, the smell wasn¡¯t as overpowering as it had been earlier in the morning. Now, she could still breathe easily, while before, it had almost overwhelmed her.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lance agreed with her, ¡°It¡¯s time to start meditating.¡±

    The rest of the day was no different from any other.

    Mira closed her eyes and, following Lance''s guidance, began to explore her inner power.

    At first, she floated in the clouds, then descended, slowly drifting down from the high sky to the sea level, where she once again saw the energy sea that belonged to her.

    She sank from the sea level, entering the shallow sea, then the deep sea. Everything was as usual¡ªcomfortable and natural. She felt the surge of energy and tried to control the part of it that she could.

    As time passed with Lance guiding her meditation, Mira could feel her control over spells growing stronger.

    In a daze, deep in the sea, she saw the flames from the morning, saw the process of wood turning to ash. Ordinary images that appeared in her mind at other times, but in this world, she clearly saw the flow and change of energy within them.

    Mira reached out, attempting to touch that energy in this world, but the flames burned her.

    The inner world was supposed to be a place where no sensation was felt.

    Yet the burn felt like a signal. With its release, Mira felt the temperature of the surrounding water rising.

    At first, the water felt comfortable, but gradually, this comfort faded, replaced by a scalding heat.

    She felt everything around her growing painful. This place no longer felt like the controlled energy sea but had turned into a slow-flowing, scalding-hot magma.

    This had never happened before.

    Mira was surprised, even feeling sweat trickling down her forehead.

    No, during meditation, her perception of the outside world should be dulled.

    It wasn¡¯t that her energy sea was malfunctioning, but the environment they were in had changed.

    Mira suddenly opened her eyes, as though breaking free from a terrifying nightmare.

    She turned her head and immediately saw the cause of everything that was happening.

    Lance had his eyes closed, still in a meditative state, but a constant stream of scalding heat was radiating from him. With each breath, this heat reverberated across every inch of the ground beneath the Dreaming Tree.

    Even the soft grass blades curled up from the intense energy fluctuations.

    Mira was now certain¡ªher feeling this morning had been correct. Lance was indeed sick. Although she didn¡¯t know why this had happened, his condition was definitely not right.

    "Lance, Lance."

    Mira tried to step forward, calling his name again and again, hoping to wake him from his meditative state.

    He kept his eyes closed, still looking calm and peaceful. However, the energy waves around him caused the leaves of the Dreaming Tree to rustle.

    Mira cast a protective spell around her body. She tried to approach Lance, but as the high temperature met her frost magic, she watched as the frost around her melted.

    She knew Lance had many secrets. Although Mira had an extraordinary curiosity, she knew these secrets were his privacy, and she wouldn¡¯t pry into them. But she never expected that some of these secrets would harm him at times.

    He had helped her countless times. Mira didn¡¯t want Lance to get hurt, even though she didn¡¯t know why this high temperature had appeared or why he had suddenly become like this.

    She tried to approach Lance. He was so knowledgeable. If she could wake him up, surely they could find a solution, right?

    Following Lance''s teachings, Mira focused on the fluctuation of her inner energy and used the energy from the sea within her to create one cooling spell after another.

    She applied these spells around herself and sent the energy to Lance¡¯s side as well.

    Mira didn¡¯t know if this would work, but as the intense heat met the pure ice magic, the surrounding temperature did indeed begin to moderate.

    Seizing this opportunity, she came up to Lance, trying to wake him from his meditative state. She shook his arm, and under the external force, his eyes slowly opened.

    Mira was startled. She instinctively wanted to pull back, but Lance¡¯s hand gripped her wrist.

    So hot.

    She tried to struggle, but her strength was no match for his.

    His eyes had changed.

    From the sky-blue they usually were, they had turned amber, and his pupils had taken on an eerie shape¡ªvertical black slits.

    Lance blinked, and the vertical pupils disappeared in an instant, the surrounding heat gradually dissipating as his consciousness returned.

    Mira quickly pulled her wrist free from his grasp, but she couldn¡¯t avoid the burn left on her skin.

    She smelled the intense fragrance, a scent that nearly overwhelmed her, and felt a heavy dizziness clouding her mind. Even her energy sea seemed to be filled with this indescribable smell.

    The moment Lance regained consciousness, he saw Mira stumbling backward.

    He had no idea what had happened. He had naturally exited his meditation and was met with this scene.

    Lance quickly moved to catch Mira, who was about to fall.

    The fragrance made Mira feel lightheaded. After a brief moment, her consciousness started to return, and she saw Lance¡¯s face, filled with regret.

    She sat on the ground, and Lance was not far from her. He wore a look of confusion, clearly unable to understand what had just happened.

    Mira stared at him.

    After a long pause, she asked Lance, "Do you know what happened?"

    Lance looked up at her.

    His eyes were still sky-blue, as if the strange phenomenon she had seen earlier had been nothing more than a hallucination caused by the overwhelming scent.

    Mira couldn¡¯t tell if it was real or just in her mind anymore.

    But it was clear that Lance¡¯s hidden secrets had brought about some serious issues.

    "You need to give me an explanation," Mira said seriously, staring at Lance. "And tell me how to handle something like this if it happens again."

    Lance remained silent.

    He hadn¡¯t come up with a reasonable explanation yet.

    The blue dragon reluctantly leaned closer to Mira, carefully rolling up her sleeve and looking at the burn on her wrist.

    Cool water flowed from his fingertips, gently washing over the burn.

    Mira lifted her gaze to observe him.

    She saw his forehead, his eyes, then his nose, lips, and finally his jaw.

    It was the face she knew well, unchanged.

    But the secrets he harbored were so many that Mira had to deceive herself just to ignore them.

    Lance treated her burn. Although he didn¡¯t know what Mira had experienced before he woke up, he could imagine the scene.

    The words from the book he had read yesterday flashed through his mind, but he had burned that book.

    In truth, he didn¡¯t need the book to confirm anything. Lance knew that his first heat period since reaching adulthood had arrived.

    He had never encountered anything like this before and didn¡¯t know how to handle it.

    He shouldn¡¯t have impulsively burned the book. Now the only thing that could have helped him answer his questions was reduced to ash.

    Lance sighed quietly and, with a careful hand, applied ointment to Mira¡¯s wrist.

    His actions were gentle, full of a pleading tone, hoping that Mira would overlook this small mistake.

    Because this might be the beginning of a long and painful ordeal.

    Lance sighed silently, but all of his changes were keenly observed by the sharp-eyed girl.

    Mira snorted, "Here¡¯s the deal. I¡¯ll give you one day."

    "Have a good excuse ready by tomorrow."

 Chapter 41

    Lance listened to Mira¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t respond, silently tending to the burn on her wrist.

    After finishing with her hand, he finally looked up, meeting Mira¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Can I not make up this excuse?¡± Lance asked her.

    Mira nodded. ¡°Of course you can.¡± Her eyes stayed fixed on Lance. She had said that earlier just to ease the tension; Lance seemed to feel a bit guilty after realizing he had been injured.

    ¡°Of course, the way you feel is the best way.¡± Although she was a bit curious.

    Mira pinched her fingers, suppressing her curiosity.

    Lance noticed her subtle movements. He gave a vague hint, dropping just enough information to answer Mira¡¯s unspoken question.

    ¡°There are situations I haven¡¯t experienced before.¡± Lance looked at Mira seriously. ¡°Because I¡¯ve never encountered them, I don¡¯t know what will happen, nor do I have experience dealing with them.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it an illness?¡± Mira asked, focusing on the part she cared about the most.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be,¡± Lance answered. After all, other adult dragons had gone through this in the same way.

    Mira exhaled. ¡°Then it¡¯s fine.¡± Although the temperature was strange, if Lance thought it was okay, she would trust his judgment.

    ¡°If anything unusual happens, you can call me for help,¡± Mira said seriously. ¡°Although I can¡¯t help with magic, I can still try to help in other ways.¡±

    Lance watched her. Words he had seen in the data on the Brass Dragon flashed through his mind.

    Humans cannot help.

    But Lance didn¡¯t tell Mira this; he was afraid of crushing her expectations. Things weren¡¯t as she imagined, and this was something he had to deal with alone.

    Mira¡¯s desire to help stemmed from her lack of being needed and affirmed.

    Lance straightened his back and leaned in, gently kissing Mira¡¯s forehead.

    Mira¡¯s pupils uncontrollably dilated.

    Lance froze.

    The girl stared at him, momentarily forgetting how to speak. The fragrance wrapped around her, emanating from Lance, filling the air around them.

    Lance¡¯s gaze instinctively shifted away. This wasn¡¯t his intention. He had sensed Mira¡¯s need for affirmation, and originally wanted to reach out and gently stroke her hair.

    He squinted. The effects of this special time were making him feel uncomfortable.

    Mira also panicked. Now, she didn¡¯t need Lance to make up excuses to deceive her. She needed to make up an excuse to deceive Lance. This wasn¡¯t what she had in mind. She didn¡¯t mean it like that.

    Mira stood up, unsure whether she should reach out and touch the spot where Lance¡¯s lips had brushed.

    Mira had never imagined anything like this.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to use the bathroom.¡± Mira¡¯s heart ached. She didn¡¯t want to use this excuse, but her mouth had moved faster than her brain, and before she realized it, she had already taken several steps away.

    Watching Mira leave the world of the Dream Tree, Lance silently withdrew his gaze.

    His dragon form kept roaring, wanting to emerge. Lance reached out and pressed his hand against his chest, where his heart scales were burning.

    Mira meditated on her mattress.

    Apparently, meditating while lying down wasn¡¯t too bad either. Mira closed her eyes, attempting to follow Lance¡¯s instructions to find the sea of energy deep within her heart. However, the tranquil sea didn¡¯t appear. Instead, a kiss was pressed to her forehead, warm and gentle, before it lightly fell and then withdrew.

    At first, Mira hadn¡¯t paid much attention to this kiss. What she remembered more was the moment of surprise that followed it.

    Meditation, however, had repaired the rest of the process in her mind, making its cause and effect seem unusually full.

    Mira opened her eyes again.

    She sat up. The soft light from the energy gemstone filled the room enclosed by the curtains. Since Lance was unwell, the afternoon and evening classes had been canceled.

    She tried meditating in the room, but her state wasn¡¯t good.

    Mira hesitated for a while, then stood up.

    She was somewhat bothered by the kiss that had landed on her forehead. Before that kiss, she had defined her relationship with Lance as two magic enthusiasts who happened to meet in the tower.

    But now things had become strange. It seemed like something had changed, a change that made Mira feel uneasy and somewhat disturbed.

    Clearly, she couldn¡¯t meditate properly or sleep well anymore.

    Mira picked up a candlestick. Now that she had a gemstone for lighting, she rarely used the candlestick anymore.

    The flame silently appeared at the top of the candlestick, swaying gently with Mira¡¯s movements.

    She wandered around the bottom of the tower, eventually deciding to head to the library.

    This was her favorite place inside the tower.

    Among the countless books, Mira could feel peace. That was exactly what she needed now.

    The dim candlelight left two flickering points of light in the lower levels of the tower as Mira¡¯s figure appeared at the entrance of the library.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if Lance had been here earlier in the afternoon, but the air carried a faint fragrance, mixed with the scent of leather and paper, filling the entire space.

    At first, Mira had been able to detect these unusual smells, but as she gradually became accustomed to them, the scent quickly etched itself into her memory, becoming as ordinary as everything around her.

    Today, the origami spirit arrived a bit late. Perhaps it had been busy turning the pasture for the cattle and sheep upstairs.

    ¡°Mira.¡± The origami spirit seemed a bit surprised. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Normally, this was Mira¡¯s rest time, and she should have been asleep by now.

    ¡°I¡¯m a bit sleepless,¡± Mira answered. ¡°I couldn¡¯t think of any other interesting places, so I came here again.¡±

    The origami spirit lowered its voice, its gaze shifting away from a certain corner.

    ¡°Would you like me to take you somewhere else? There are many interesting worlds inside the tower.¡± The origami spirit thought about what might appeal to a girl Mira¡¯s age. ¡°We can go to the Fairy Snack Street on the 64th floor or the Princess Dressing Room on the 92nd floor.¡±

    ¡°Are those strange places?¡± Mira was surprised that such places existed inside the tower.

    ¡°They were brought by the tower¡¯s previous master,¡± the origami spirit said, its tone tinged with regret. Before they were replaced with the Fairy Snack Street and the Princess Dressing Room, there had been the World of the Yang Forest and the Snow Plains.

    ¡°The lover, you mean?¡±

    ¡°The Black Dragon,¡± the origami spirit replied.

    Mira tilted her head slightly, her gaze moving across the bookshelf. She remembered the origami spirit mentioning that its master was the tower¡¯s owner. The magic dragon had been the previous master, and the current master of the tower needed no further mention.

    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Mira said, showing a clear expression.

    Her gaze circled the shelves, then returned to the origami spirit in front of her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll look for some books to read,¡± Mira said. ¡°When I get tired, I¡¯ll go back to sleep. As for the Fairy Snack Street and the Dressing Room, I¡¯ll pass. I prefer it here.¡± The library gave off a reassuring aura. She needed peace right now.

    The origami spirit looked at the back of the bookshelf. Judging by Mira¡¯s tone, it seemed she wasn¡¯t planning to leave anytime soon.

    ¡°Do you want magic books?¡± the spirit asked. ¡°Spells of the Seventh Ring?¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to look at spell books,¡± Mira answered frankly, moving closer to the origami spirit and whispering a few words to it.

    ¡°Do you have them?¡± she asked.

    The origami spirit pondered for a moment. ¡°The female attendants who once lived in the tower also liked these kinds of books. We should have some.¡± However, since the library¡¯s guardian spirit wasn¡¯t him, the origami spirit wasn¡¯t sure. Such books were typically placed on the shelves for display. Its master wasn¡¯t interested in them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go find them,¡± the origami spirit floated toward a particular section.

    Mira waited in place, her head lowered. Every time she was alone, the image of Lance kissing her forehead would appear in her mind.

    It was as if he had been enchanted by something. Mira reached up and gently pressed her hand against her forehead.

    Anyway, it wasn¡¯t from genuine feelings; it must have been something strange that enchanted him.

    Mira didn¡¯t know if this sudden thought in her mind could help her find the answer to why he was enchanted. If not, it would be better to figure out why she cared so much about that light, fleeting touch on her forehead.

    Mira walked around, her gaze moving across the books. The books placed on the outer edges, the ones Lance liked to read, were about nature.

    She casually picked up one, its title being A Brief Analysis of the Impact of Ocean Currents on Oceanic Magic. It was a complicated topic regarding magical changes. Mira put it back, and the other books were similar¡ªabout forests, deserts, and the effects of natural minerals on magical structures. Lance seemed to be interested in magic that originated from nature.

    Soon, the origami spirit found the book Mira wanted.

    The spirit used magic to lift the books and placed them in front of Mira.

    ¡°Here,¡± the spirit said. ¡°These are the ones.¡±

    Mira picked one up, glanced at it, and then set it back down.

    ¡°Is this all?¡± she asked, pointing to the title on the cover, feeling a bit awkward. Compared to Lance¡¯s books, these were quite strange.

    A strange thought briefly appeared in Mira¡¯s mind, but it was quickly suppressed by other reasons.

    Reading had its own hierarchy. The most important thing was to persist in reading. She was currently reading fantasy books, but later she could read magical research, delve into profound history, and explore various reference books.

    In short, she couldn¡¯t place herself at a low level first.

    The origami spirit floated over, reading aloud the title on the cover with a serious tone.

    ¡°Succubus and Dragons,¡± it nodded. ¡°Yes, this is from a succubus lady.¡±

    Mira pointed to another one. ¡°Elves and Dragons¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be something left by elves, right? And Dwarves and Dragons¡ªdid dwarves leave this one?¡±

    The origami spirit fell silent for a moment, hesitated, and nodded. Actually, it wasn¡¯t entirely sure. These books had belonged to the ladies who had once lived in the tower. When they left, they didn¡¯t take them, so they had been left behind here.

    Mira chose one that didn¡¯t seem too suggestive from the title.

    She flipped through the pages for a short while before closing it again.

    ¡°Are you staying here?¡± she asked, looking at the origami spirit, her fingers rubbing the pages.

    Mira felt a bit odd. Even though she had found sufficient reasons for herself, she still felt strange in front of the small origami spirit.

    Especially with the content of this book¡ªit was clearly not suitable for the origami spirit, but it perfectly catered to her curiosity.

    She didn¡¯t want to put it down. She asked the origami spirit, ¡°Can I take it with me?¡±

    The origami spirit nodded. ¡°Of course. Strictly speaking, these books don¡¯t belong to the tower¡¯s master, so if Mira wants them, I can ask the master and give them to you.¡±

    Mira nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it with me.¡±

    After bidding farewell to the origami spirit, Mira took her candlestick and the book, returning to her room with her newly acquired find.

    A shadow emerged from behind the bookshelf.

    The origami spirit hurriedly flew toward it. ¡°Master, Mira has left.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Lance looked at him. His gaze passed over the origami spirit and landed on the books Mira had left behind on the desk, books related to dragons.

    He paused for a moment before asking the origami spirit, ¡°Didn¡¯t we say we hid all the dragon-related books in the tower?¡±

    The origami spirit felt a bit embarrassed. He hadn¡¯t expected there would be so many fantasy books with dragons as the protagonists.

    Strictly speaking, these books didn¡¯t belong to the tower, but had simply been temporarily stored here. The previous library guardian had handled them, not him.

    But Lance didn¡¯t seem to be upset. The Blue Dragon wasn¡¯t a tribe that liked to punish others. They were more curious.

    Lance stepped forward. He had come here hoping to find some records about dealing with the special period. The only book related to dragon reproduction had been impulsively burned by him. The remaining books in the library didn¡¯t have any content that could directly answer his questions. He had to settle for books on magical potionology and had selected a few recipes for fever-reducing potions.

    He wasn¡¯t sure if they would work.

    The Blue Dragon lowered his gaze, his eyes on the books on the desk, which came from the Black Dragon Nathaniel¡¯s concubines.

    Lance knew those ladies well. The Black Dragon liked fiery, seductive beauties, and his chosen partners were often hybrid creatures from the other side of the Demon¡¯s Scar.

    Succubi, Shadow Demons, Fallen Elves.

    And the books left behind by them were mostly adult-themed literature.

    As though to confirm his suspicion, Lance opened the top book. He lowered his eyes and quickly skimmed the text on one page. However, contrary to his expectations of explicit content, the writing was very atmospheric, and even though he only glanced at one page, he couldn¡¯t help but admire the creator¡¯s ability to craft such an immersive atmosphere.

    Lance paused. He suddenly saw a familiar description.

    In a fantasy book featuring dragons and succubi, there was a passage that seemed highly professional in its portrayal of special periods. It reminded him of a similar description he had read in a professional book on Brass Dragons.

    Some of the content describing the dragons'' special periods aligned with the changes that were occurring in his own body. He was emitting strange scents, his body temperature would suddenly rise to unbearable levels, and his heartbeat beneath his heart scales had remained unnaturally fast.

    Before the Black Market began, he had to control his current state, or else he might unknowingly burn those around him.

    The origami spirit might get ignited by the high temperature, and Mira could get burned.

    Just like that morning.

    With this in mind, Lance took the "Dragons and Succubi"book that had been on top of the pile.

    Mira had long forgotten about the burn.

    But a sudden thought struck her, and she unexpectedly noticed something she had never paid attention to before.

    It was already very late. Mira wasn¡¯t sure whether Lance had fallen asleep, but she dared not make a sound or light the candlestick in her room.

    Under Lance¡¯s magic, the energy gemstone would be extinguished at certain times.

    Mira¡¯s room was pitch dark, but this didn¡¯t affect her.

    She covered her head with the blanket.

    ¡°Shh.¡± The greatest advantage of a low-level spell was its simple casting method and minimal energy consumption. Mira could cast hundreds of light spells in a row.

    However, she had to control the brightness of the light source. It had to be enough to illuminate the words on the book without being too obvious.

    Without a light source, the bottom floor of the tower was completely dark. Even with the blanket covering her, some light would spill out with her movements.

    Mira had to be very careful.

    She didn¡¯t know why she had become so sneaky, but her intuition told her to be cautious.

    The light from under the blanket went out, and Mira skillfully cast another spell, continuing to flip to the next page.

    She had already forgotten why she was reading this book. In any case, the ladies who had once lived in this tower had left Mira with some interesting things.

    <hr>

    Lance didn¡¯t need a light source.

    The Dragon¡¯s Eyes ensured that he could see clearly in the dark. Long ago, dragons¡¯ dual eyes possessed this ability to help them capture prey even in the night.

    Later, with the advent of shapeshifting magic, dragons could transform into human or other high-level beings. While this ability didn¡¯t degrade, it was no longer used for hunting.

    Lance opened the book.

    His purpose was clear: he was looking for descriptions related to his current condition, and soon, he found the relevant text.

    He continued reading, hoping to find a solution to his current problem. In fact, the process went smoothly, and Lance quickly found the passage he was looking for.

    Soak in a cold bath, exercise to expend energy, relieve stress, or enjoy a delicious succubus.

    Lance closed the book expressionlessly. Although the content had been inspired by professional material, it had clearly undergone significant artistic embellishment. However, the first two methods should still be usable.

    He now needed to deal with this special phase. He wasn¡¯t sure how long it would last, but it was best to resolve it before the next monthly gathering.

    There was a level in the tower leading to the snow mountains. He could try there.

    Lance decided to leave immediately. It was Mira¡¯s rest time, and if he missed this window, she would definitely discover he had left the tower.

    He had already revealed too many signs.

    Lance sighed. Why was he hiding his identity as a Blue Dragon? He might as well confess to Mira.

    But this thought lasted only a moment. Mira was a good child, but he couldn¡¯t fully trust humans. The matter of the Blue Dragon Queen still troubled him to this day.

    He had once sought revenge, but his enemy had died of old age.

    He had wanted to retrieve his mother¡¯s heart-scale, but if he took the scale, the boundary between the natural world and the Demon¡¯s Scar would be broken.

    Lance was a Blue Dragon, and Blue Dragons didn¡¯t like intense conflict. Sometimes he wanted to act like the Black Dragons, solving everything he disliked with force. But if he did that, he might lose his mother¡¯s will.

    Protecting nature and magic was the Blue Dragon¡¯s mission, the will he inherited from his mother.

    Lance left the room and walked toward the passage leading to the snow mountains.

    A flash of light flickered briefly, as though someone had momentarily shifted their gaze. Lance looked in the direction of the light source. It was pitch black, and there was nothing there.

    He furrowed his brows.

    Before she knew it, it was already dawn.

    Mira yawned and crawled out of her blanket. She took a deep breath of the cold air. Although she had gotten out of bed several times during the night to get some fresh air, it still felt too stuffy.

    It felt so good to breathe freely.

    Mira placed the book she had finished reading to the side, shook her head, and felt that her condition was still fairly good.

    But that was for now. In a little while, she¡¯d probably start feeling sleepy again.

    Mira sighed. She had told herself a few times that she would read one more page before going to sleep, but after a few pages, she had ended up finishing the whole book.

    And then, the sun had risen.

    Mira got up, changed her clothes, and grabbed the book to return it.

    She lifted the curtain and stepped outside, only to see Lance tending to the fire at the stove.

    "Good morning, Lance," Mira said in surprise, noticing that he was awake so early.

    Lance, who had soaked in glacial meltwater the entire night, looked up. His body was still trembling involuntarily, but when he saw Mira, he managed to force a smile.

    "Good morning, Mira," Lance replied.

    Mira yawned and naturally struck up a conversation with Lance.

    "Do you feel a bit better?"

    In fact, not really. Lance felt the coldness seeping into every inch of his body, but the burning heat beneath his heart-scale hadn¡¯t subsided. His body alternated between hot and cold, and despite the robust physique of a dragon, this fluctuating temperature was still uncomfortable for him.

    "It¡¯s okay," he gritted his teeth and answered, though the speed at which he added wood to the fire quickened.

    Mira, still groggy, didn¡¯t notice his discomfort and yawned again.

    That¡¯s when Lance noticed.

    The dark circles under her eyes were pretty heavy.

    Lance squinted slightly, trying to assess where the dark circles came from.

    Last night was supposed to be a time for rest, but Mira had appeared in the library, taken a fantasy book with dragons and princesses as the protagonists from his origami spirit, and returned it early in the morning.

    Lance flicked his tail, which had been hidden in the shadows.

    The fleeting light last night wasn¡¯t a hallucination. Mira had definitely been secretly doing something she didn¡¯t want him to find out about behind the curtain.

    "I¡¯ll make breakfast today," Lance said to Mira. "You don¡¯t look like you¡¯ve rested well, Mira."

    Mira¡¯s guilty conscience was immediately triggered, and she became defensive.

    "Re-really? I slept pretty well last night," she said, her gaze shifting uneasily.

    That was way too obvious, Mira. Lance thought to himself as he clenched his fist inwardly.

    "I¡¯m going to the library!" she suddenly declared.

 Chapter 42

    After Mira left, Lance turned to look at his tail, hidden behind the stove.

    Another accident.

    He had soaked in the glacial meltwater all night, and the chill had invaded his body, throwing some of his power off balance. As a result, his tail had slipped out.

    Lance raised his hand and pressed it against the tail, which was covered in blue scales. Magical energy flowed from his palm and enveloped his tail, quickly restoring it to normal. But he couldn''t guarantee that the spell would hold for long.

    Dragons typically don¡¯t suppress their mating seasons. As a species with difficulty reproducing, having more young dragons is something worth celebrating for the dragon clan.

    Especially for someone like Lance, the only adult dragon in his clan, and the only blue dragon.

    Dragon clans do not fear inbreeding; their abilities are strong enough. What the blue dragon clan needs now is more dragon eggs, more young blue dragons.

    Originally, the blue dragon clan should have flourished with the succession of the previous Blue Dragon Queen, but she clearly had other interests and only laid a single dragon egg when her life was near its end.

    The continuation of the species was, after all, a natural mission. The approach of Black Dragon Nasan was the standard within the dragon clan¡ªplenty of concubines, preferably from highly fertile species like succubi. Even if the hybrid dragons awakened other powers, it was still better than letting their entire species become a part of history.

    Lance hadn¡¯t thought seriously about this matter before. But now, as the time approached, his first reaction was how to get through this phase smoothly, not continuing the dragon clan''s bloodline.

    Perhaps he was truly the last of the blue dragons.

    Lance''s expression was unreadable, and his heart beneath the heart-scale was on the verge of burning, but his body still felt cold due to the exposure to the melting snow.

    The flames in the stove were growing stronger, yet Lance¡¯s actions of adding wood had slowed down. The hot water in the pot was bubbling, but Lance lacked the strength to care about such trivial matters.

    He had really become sick now.

    Mira leaped down from the energy passage of the library, becoming more and more familiar with the unique magic inside the tower.

    Having overcome her initial fear, every jump brought her a new feeling. As she fell, she could almost feel a kind of peace in the descent.

    She wondered what kind of breakfast Lance would prepare. He loved meat so much; it was probably something meat-related, right?

    Mira decided she would eat less. It would be best to explain to Lance that it wasn¡¯t that she disliked his cooking, but rather that eating too much meat in the morning made her stomach uncomfortable.

    With that thought, Mira landed smoothly.

    She walked toward the kitchen but was met with an unexpected sight in front of the stove.

    Lance was collapsed on the floor, and the flames in the stove were about to scorch him.

    Burns are very painful.

    Mira didn¡¯t have time to think further. She waved her hand, and the dirt instantly filled the stove, extinguishing the flames. She quickly ran over to Lance.

    Lance had become fragile. He had clearly said just yesterday that he was fine.

    Now, his body was polarized¡ªthe part closer to the stove was scorching from the heat of the flames, while the part farther away felt unbearably cold, like falling into a natural abyss.

    Mira thought to herself, Lance really was unlucky¡ªmore unlucky than her. Ever since she entered the tower on her first day, it seemed like he had been constantly injured, unconscious, and delirious.

    She had always thought his body was strong, not fitting the stereotypical image of a wizard. But now, he seemed to embody every stereotype of a wizard.

    Using her giant-strength magic, Mira lifted Lance and dragged him back to his bed.

    She saw several books on magic potion-making on the bedside table.

    Lance had clearly already realized the issue with his body. Mira picked up one of the books, noticing that the bent pages all contained recipes for cooling potions.

    Mira read through the pages, jotting down the names of the ingredients.

    Lance kept his eyes closed, his brows tightly furrowed. Mira touched his forehead¡ªit still felt half icy, half burning hot.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if he had a fever. She had never seen such a strange way of burning up.

    "Do you want to go to the town?" Mira softly asked Lance. "I can¡¯t diagnose you."

    The doctor in the town would certainly be unwilling to come here, and Mira didn¡¯t dare prepare medicine from the magic potion book herself.

    After all, she wasn¡¯t a doctor, and her potion lessons weren¡¯t enough to treat a patient.

    Lance couldn¡¯t respond.

    He could hear a voice whispering in his ear, but he couldn¡¯t open his mouth to reply.

    "I¡¯ll be back soon," Mira said, grabbing both magic potion books and casting a teleportation spell to the town below.

    The people in Hero Town were already familiar with Mira. They thought she was a maid of the princess, and Lance was a powerful mage hired by the king to protect her.

    Unlike the hot-blooded youths, the adults seemed to understand that the relationship between the princess and the dragon was quite complicated. Offending the dragon would bring disaster and heavy taxes, which ordinary people couldn¡¯t bear.

    The people of Hero Town were different from other towns. The ones who sacrificed themselves to slay dragons were their children and husbands.

    It was an unsolvable deadlock. Unless one day a hero appeared out of nowhere to kill the dragon and create a perfect world without sin, without making the children of ordinary families bear the title of "hero" or forcing ordinary families to pay the sacrifice.

    Mira hurried through the streets, and although she greeted the people who called out to her, her tone couldn¡¯t mask her impatience.

    The apothecary owner greeted the anxious Mira.

    He had once been a team medic for an adventuring group, and after the group disbanded, he opened this shop in Hero Town. He was best at making ointments for cuts and sword wounds. Over the years, he had also learned how to treat illnesses in children.

    "Cold and hot flashes, right?"

    Mira nodded. "I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening." She pulled out the magic book from her bag. "I checked some potion books and found this formula."

    The apothecary owner glanced over it briefly.

    "Does that mage know healing magic too?" The formula was indeed for cooling, but the preparation method was somewhat unusual.

    Mira wasn¡¯t sure, so she replied, "He¡¯s skilled in everything related to magic. He found this formula himself."

    "The contents are fine," the apothecary owner said. "Mira, I¡¯ll prepare the ingredients based on this formula, but your mage¡¯s method is different from mine. I can¡¯t help you brew it."

    Mira nodded repeatedly. "I can prepare it myself according to the book. Thank you for your help."

    The apothecary owner went to prepare the ingredients. Mira waited in the shop.

    On the steps outside the shop, a few women had gathered to do their work, and Mira could overhear their conversation.

    The women were saying that only half the group who went to the Sword Tomb had returned. The rest were still on the road.

    Mrs. Ellin¡¯s second son had run off with his father¡¯s sword. They had slowed their journey to search for the boy and the sword he took.

    According to Mrs. Ellin¡¯s wishes, the sword, coveted by too many, should have been buried forever in the Sword Tomb, not carried by someone else to continue causing death.

    The gap between humans and dragons was innate; how could it disappear just because of a sword?

    Everyone saw Fran Ellin as a great dragon slayer, but who saw the widow Ellin and her three children, struggling to survive after his early death?Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Mira listened to their gossip, silently cursing Ellin for his irresponsibility. But she knew she wasn¡¯t in a position to judge Ellin¡¯s actions. She just instinctively sympathized with Mrs. Ellin. Her criticisms only brought peace to her own heart.

    The apothecary owner interrupted Mira¡¯s thoughts.

    He came out carrying two sets of ingredients.

    "Mira, one set is prepared using your mage¡¯s method. If it doesn¡¯t work, use this one according to what I¡¯ve told you." He gave Mira the instructions for brewing and handed her the two bags of ingredients.

    Mira confirmed everything with the apothecary owner, paid for the medicine, and returned to the tower.

    Lance was still unconscious.

    He still felt very hot to the touch, yet was trembling uncontrollably.

    Alternating cold and hot¡ªjust as the apothecary had said, it seemed like a cold-induced fever, likely from exposure.

    Mira suspected it wasn¡¯t just a cold. There might be something else she didn¡¯t know, but for now, the most important thing was to lower his temperature.

    Mira pulled back the curtains in Lance¡¯s room, then used wind magic on the other side of the tower to help circulate the air.

    She brewed the medicine according to the magic potion book.

    The entire process of brewing the potion felt like an experiment. With the help of magical flames, Mira produced a shallow blue solution emitting cold vapors.

    She used magic to administer it to Lance, the process grim, and Mira was reluctant to recall it.

    Once everything was done, she slumped into a chair, out of breath.

    Having stayed up all night, skipped breakfast, and run back and forth, Mira felt an overwhelming fatigue as she finally relaxed.

    She waved her hand and created a magical bread, eating as she flipped through the potion-making book.

    The book said the potion would take one to two hours to take effect. This was a crucial period. Mira needed to stay by Lance¡¯s side. If they made it through this time safely, his condition would improve. If not, she would have to try other methods.

    Mira sat in the chair, observing Lance.

    His complexion was poor, and his lips had turned pale, a clear sign that he was ill. Shadows cast by his eyelashes darkened under his eyes, giving his face a sickly appearance, marring his handsome features.

    She continued to watch him, occasionally lifting her hand to check his body temperature.

    It was still burning hot. Mira wondered if she should get some cold water to wipe his body, but the apothecary had warned her that alternating between hot and cold was not beneficial for Lance¡¯s recovery at this point.

    There wasn¡¯t much she could do, and it was nothing compared to the help Lance had given her.

    Mira stared at him, helpless. There was nothing else to occupy her thoughts, and the fatigue that had been building up inside her gradually took over.

    She felt exhausted, and before she realized it, she had drifted off to sleep.

    Once Mira¡¯s breathing steadied, Lance, lying on the sickbed, suddenly opened his eyes.

    His blue eyes gleamed with amber-like light, and his pupils gradually narrowed into a sharp shape. He was awakening to the more primal side of his dragon nature, with his tail appearing from beneath the blanket.

    The blue dragon tail slid out from under the blanket and curled around Mira¡¯s waist, gently pulling her onto the bed with him.

    Lance looked down at her.

    The idea of soaking in cold water had clearly been ineffective.

    He needed to try movement instead.

    Lance wrapped Mira in the blanket.

    He propped himself up, and under the light of the candle, his shadow stretched out, resembling the outline of a dragon. The thick, blue-scaled tail dangled behind him, though he still retained a human-like posture. Beneath his clothes, fine dragon scales could be seen appearing on his body.

    The half-man, half-dragon form was the most terrifying. It also showed that his energy was unstable.

    Lance didn¡¯t want to show Mira his most terrifying side. He felt that either his human form or full dragon form would be better than this.

    He left the room.

    Lance transformed into a full dragon and flew through the clouds above the tower, trying a second approach to alleviate his current state.

    The medicine designed to regulate his body temperature was working, but his heat was not caused by a fever.

    He circled the mountains, the alternating hot and cold sensations passing through his body. The dragon paid them no mind. He spread his wings wide and consumed the energy within his body.

    Only when he was completely exhausted did he return to the tower. The sky had completely darkened. Flying had proved more useful than the cold water bath. He now had no energy left.

    When Mira opened her eyes, she was enveloped by a pleasant scent. She blinked and realized she was lying on a soft mattress, and beside her was a body radiating warmth and a familiar scent.

    Mira curled her limbs together. She was going to leave. But just as she made a move, Lance opened his eyes.

    "Good evening, Mira." Lance¡¯s voice was deep and muffled, light yet carrying a sense of depth.

    Mira looked up, meeting his gaze.

    Uncontrollably, her mind drifted back to the strange passages she had read last night.

    She thought she understood what was going on with Lance.

    She wasn¡¯t sure, but comparing dragons to humans wasn¡¯t entirely accurate. Still, many traits in nature mirrored each other.

    "Good evening." Mira avoided his gaze.

    The feeling she had reading those words was completely different from the sensation of Lance being so close. Now, she felt fear.

    Mira curled her toes. Her shoes had been taken off¡ªclearly by Lance.

    She was even more frightened now.

    "Are you feeling any better?" Mira gathered her courage to ask Lance. He kept his distance on purpose, but it wasn¡¯t enough to suppress the unease she felt.

    It was different from before. They had slept on the same mat before, but it hadn¡¯t felt like this.

    Mira was scared, especially after remembering the passages from last night. What she felt now wasn¡¯t the anticipation described, but fear.

    She didn¡¯t know why it was fear, but she now felt an overwhelming urge to escape.

    Lance made her feel afraid¡ªhis pleasant scent, his high body temperature, all of it made her scared.

    She couldn¡¯t imagine what might happen if she stayed.

    She liked being with Lance, but not in this way.

    Lance noticed her fear.

    He knew that his actions could be seen as offensive. His nature wasn¡¯t an excuse for that. Fortunately, he was utterly exhausted now.

    "I¡¯m not doing well," Lance answered her question.

    Mira looked at him; his face seemed even worse than before. In the warm light, he looked like a blank canvas.

    Mira hesitated. She didn¡¯t know whether she should stay with Lance. It seemed like something out of the book she had read yesterday, where the female protagonist would stay out of kindness. But in her case, she didn¡¯t want to stay. She was worried about Lance, but she was more afraid.

    Lance wouldn¡¯t die from this illness. But if she stayed, maybe she would be hurt.

    Mira admitted to herself that the stereotypes in books about mages didn¡¯t fit her experience. Mages weren¡¯t like the beautiful and kind female protagonists in stories; they were selfish. She wanted to protect herself from harm.

    Before she had found herself in this situation, she had been curious about everything the books described. But now, when faced with the reality of the situation, fear had completely overshadowed her curiosity.

    Lance could feel the change in her emotions. He understood why Mira was afraid.

    His voice shifted, but the tone was still reassuring. "Shall I take you back?"

    Mira exhaled. Lance was the same Lance she knew, and that part hadn¡¯t changed.

    "I can go back by myself," she said.

    Though she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep tonight, she couldn¡¯t stay here.

    "Alright." Lance softly responded. He propped himself up and cleared the space to let Mira pass.

    Mira crawled out of the blanket. Thankfully, her clothes were only wrinkled from sleeping, nothing more.

    She quickly passed by Lance, and in her panic, almost stepped on him.

    Lance helped steady her, his hand transferring a burning heat that was scalding. Mira immediately recoiled from the touch.

    She bent down to put on her shoes, trying to distance herself as much as possible from Lance.

    His nature didn¡¯t want Mira to leave. She was the only one in the tower who made him feel comfortable.

    Lance, entranced, reached out carefully and grabbed her wrist.

    But when Mira turned to face him, his hand slid from her sleeve and he let go.

    "Sorry," Lance whispered.

    He was exhausted and uncomfortable. His nature urged him to get close to Mira, but reason told him it wasn¡¯t right.

    Mira was still a young girl, and she hadn¡¯t fully developed her understanding of things. Lance wasn¡¯t sure if he was mature enough, but compared to Mira, he had lived for centuries.

    He lowered his head, unsure of what expression to wear.

    The heat from his fingers, from the brief contact, caused Mira to feel a sharp sting of discomfort. She watched Lance with a furrowed brow. An unfamiliar emotion stirred inside her, one that screamed for her to stay.

    But Mira knew she couldn¡¯t stay. She began to struggle, her movements to leave growing hesitant.

    This hesitation gave the dragon a chance.

    Lance stood up. As a mage, his height was imposing, and in this moment, it felt suffocating. Mira wanted to retreat, but she couldn¡¯t move.

    Lance¡¯s kiss gently touched her forehead.

    "Sorry, Mira." His voice was still soft. He smiled, and the pleasant scent around him grew even stronger.

    "I frightened you."

    Indeed! Mira didn¡¯t hesitate anymore. This kiss was nothing like the light touch from last night!

    Without thinking, she turned around and ran, not looking back at Lance. She needed to get away quickly.

    Lance felt a pang of disappointment but also relief. His irritation was still present, and his dragon tail slipped out again, flicking in frustration.

    The side effect of switching between day and night was insomnia.

    Mira returned to her room. She tossed and turned on the mattress, but in the end, she gave up fighting with herself and decided to get up and find something to eat.

    Mira started a fire on the stove, and then she heard some sounds.

    Lance had come over again. Just as he had said, he seemed to be having difficulty controlling himself.

    "I''m hungry," Lance said to Mira. "Shall we make some late-night snacks?"

    Mira looked down at the flames dancing in the stove. Leaving the bedroom environment had eased some of her fear.

    Mira extended her hand and conjured a magical loaf of bread, offering it to Lance.

    Lance narrowed his eyes. Blue dragons didn¡¯t eat bread. While a magical loaf could fill the stomach, a blue dragon wouldn¡¯t eat bread.

    He flashed a smile. "I¡¯ll go get something to eat." Lance tossed out the line and disappeared.

    It seemed like his illness had caused some changes in him, making him appear strangely more free-spirited? Mira wasn¡¯t entirely sure, but one thing was clear: no matter how he changed, Lance was still Lance.

    The ingredients she had purchased from the town were running low. This time, Mira had rushed to the town for medicinal herbs and had forgotten to replenish her food supplies.

    Mira sighed. She looked at the wilted vegetable leaves left in the basket, hoping that Lance might find something to fill their stomachs.

    Before long, Lance returned, carrying a freshly skinned fat sheep.

    "Let¡¯s have a barbecue," Lance suggested.

    Although blue dragons could devour raw lamb, Mira obviously couldn¡¯t. So, Lance had put in the effort to kill the goat, bleed it, and skin it before bringing it back.

    Mira¡¯s gaze fixed on the plump sheep. "Is this from the pasture upstairs?" That was meant as an offering to the dragon.

    "Will there be a problem with slaughtering it this way?"

    "The dragon won¡¯t mind," Lance replied, understanding what Mira was thinking. He lowered his voice and leaned closer to her. "Anyway, it¡¯s not here."

    His scent came closer with his words. Mira quickly shifted the topic. "There¡¯s so much, we can¡¯t finish it with just the two of us. Shouldn¡¯t we divide it into portions?"

    "No need," Lance said, placing the sheep on the stove.

    "It needs to be marinated," Mira quickly intervened. She didn¡¯t have the right spices on hand, so she used some cooking magic to make up for it.

    With the aid of magic, Mira quickly positioned the heavy sheep on the stove.

    Lance knew that his nature was still influencing him, so he instinctively moved to the side, away from the stove.

    Mira adjusted the sheep on the grill. Since the stove wasn¡¯t like an open campfire, she needed to control the flame to ensure it was in the right spot.

    Lance¡¯s gaze remained on her. Under the firelight, Mira looked incredibly focused.

    Her hands glimmered with magical light as she used magic to assist in handling the heavy sheep.

    The magic, aided by the dragon scales, emitted a faint blue glow.

    Mira wore the dragon scale Lance had given her around her neck.

    He also had a shining dragon scale on his chest¡ªa blue dragon''s heart-protecting scale.

    As Mira adjusted the flames, she lifted her head, only to hear a soft, deep voice¡ªa song in an unfamiliar language.

    It was a melody Mira couldn¡¯t identify, and she didn¡¯t understand the words, but she could feel the ancientness in the tune. She wasn¡¯t sure why Lance suddenly began to sing, but her gaze was drawn to him, naturally staying focused on him.

    Mira discovered a new side to Lance.

 Chapter 43

    Lance seemed to have caught some strange illness.

    His condition fluctuated between better and worse, and sometimes, Mira would adjust her attitude toward Lance based on how he seemed in the morning.

    When he became unusually affectionate, she would deliberately keep her distance.

    She returned all the books related to dragons and never asked Xingxing to bring any similar books again.

    More often, she hid in the corners of the tower to meditate and practice magic.

    She never asked the origami spirit for its name. The little paper figure seemed to sense that the relationship between Mira and Lance had become strange. It took her to a certain floor of the tower.

    It was a spacious and quiet space. The origami spirit told Mira that it was a good place for her to practice magic alone.

    He informed her that she could set a spell as a key to enter this space, and once she completed this ritual, this floor of the tower would belong entirely to her.

    Mira guessed whose suggestion this was. It seemed Lance had given up on hiding his identity as the master of the tower.

    Once he acknowledged that identity, many things became more complicated.

    Recently, Mira had been thinking about moving.

    She didn¡¯t want to think about it. But she was starting to feel that she couldn¡¯t stay here any longer.

    A lot of clues were pointing toward an answer that would leave her unsure of how to respond. She didn¡¯t know whether she should investigate it. But how could she investigate? Mira didn¡¯t know. It was just a guess, after all. Her imagination had connected several suspicious details, forming a hypothesis.

    She emphasized it to herself several times in her mind. Yet that uneasy feeling didn¡¯t go away.

    She was doubting Lance. Even though Mira didn¡¯t want to admit it, she was doubting Lance.

    But he was so kind to her.

    Mira couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated with herself. Because of this, she had been feeling down for a while now.

    After another day of practice, Mira lay flat in the vast emptiness.

    She had exhausted all her magical power, hoping that fatigue would prevent her from thinking too much about strange questions.

    The medium, having absorbed the warmth of its owner''s prolonged grip, now resembled an ancient jade stone in the dim light of this world. Mira held it up to the light, carefully observing this medium she had been using for a few months.

    It was a dragon scale. From a real dragon.

    How did Lance take it out? He reached into the blanket and fumbled around for a while, and then this dragon scale appeared.

    She tried not to let herself think about the possibility that Lance was the evil dragon. But some of his traits were beginning to overlap with those of a dragon.

    What he was going through now mirrored the stories of dragons and princesses.

    When Mira went down the mountain to buy supplies, she also overheard the people in the town talking about the large shadow seen in the clouds, especially during the late night and early morning hours.

    The townsfolk said it was a dragon stretching its body.

    The magic dragon had returned. Or rather, the magic dragon had never left his tower; for some reason, he couldn''t be the magic dragon.

    Mira speculated that perhaps, before she arrived at the tower, a caster named "Lance" had come to challenge the dragon, only to be killed by its dragon flame.

    But this caster had also severely wounded the magic dragon, forcing it to take human form in order to deceive Mira into helping him.

    Mira shook her head. This was too strange.

    The story of the dragon and the princess was something she should write. Mira quickly dismissed the thought.

    If she were to write it, it should be about a dragon and a mage, or perhaps a rich man and a mage.

    Mira sighed.

    She propped herself up and sat up.

    She couldn¡¯t just run up to Lance and ask him, "Are you the magic dragon?" She needed to observe for a little longer.

    The strange questions couldn¡¯t change the fact that people get hungry, so Mira decided to return to the base of the tower to eat first, then think more seriously about other things.

    Lance didn¡¯t seem particularly enthusiastic today.

    When Mira came out of her small world, he was fiddling with a withered plant.

    Mira recognized it as one of the endangered plants he had been growing on one of the tower¡¯s floors.

    These plants contained magic, which made them natural mediums. As the number of human mages increased, these magical plants became objects of competition.

    These plants existed quietly, until one day, an explorer discovered them and published the information in a mage newspaper at the magic hub. Soon, the followers who never explored for themselves took the news and searched for these magical plants. Within no time, they became rarer and rarer until they vanished.

    Lance had a world specifically for collecting these endangered plants.

    Mira couldn¡¯t help but think, dragons were creatures with collecting habits. She wondered if collecting endangered plants was one of them.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± Mira asked, watching from a distance for a while before giving in to her curiosity and walking up to examine the plant in front of Lance.

    Lance looked up at her. His face still appeared pale, but when he spoke, some energy seemed to return to his voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s not adapting well to the pot,¡± Lance gently dug the plant out of the soil and moved it to another pot.

    ¡°It needs a different environment to grow,¡± Lance said, looking up. Mira¡¯s eyes, sparkling, were right in front of him. He turned his gaze away and finished speaking, ¡°The space in the tower has lost its connection to the real world. Only in nature can it continue to grow.¡±

    Mira nodded, though she only half understood.

    She watched Lance¡¯s movements as he moved the plants from one pot to another.

    ¡°Where will they be moved to?¡± she asked.

    ¡°To the swamp. They like humid places,¡± Lance answered.

    He stood up, and Mira followed, but the familiar fragrance appeared again.

    Mira cautiously looked at Lance. His expression showed no change, and his eyes were still focused on the pot he was holding.

    ¡°Do you want to come with me?¡± Lance asked Mira. She looked at the dust on the leaves¡ªsmall and faint¡ªadmiring the delicate and intricate veins of the plant, yet she dared not meet his gaze, afraid to intensify the oddity.

    He had already tried the third approach, but the result was mediocre.

    He had even considered the feasibility of a fourth approach. But in reality, that was because the book he had been reading was called Dragons and Succubi.

    If it were Dragons and Elves or Dragons and Dwarfs, the content would have been swapped to something more appetizing, like elves or dwarfs.

    Today, Lance felt his condition was better.

    He thought, Mira had only responded to him after staying by his side for a while. If he controlled this pace, he could last until the meeting ended.

    He stood still, waiting for her answer.

    Mira declined his invitation to go with him.

    But then, she reconsidered. This would be a good opportunity to observe Lance. Maybe she could discover things she couldn¡¯t see within the tower. She quickly changed her mind.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡±

    Lance wasn¡¯t surprised by her sudden change of mind.

    Mira was just like that. During a brief moment of free time, she must have thought of many other things.

    ¡°Is there a swamp nearby?¡± Mira asked Lance.

    Actually, in the few months since arriving at the tower, the farthest she had gone was to Ghillian Town, and the place she visited the most was the Hero Town at the foot of the mountain.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Lance thought for a moment. The tower was located in the mountains, and there were no rivers above ground in the area. The villagers drew water by drilling wells.

    The swamp was on the other side of the mountains.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite a distance,¡± he answered truthfully.

    ¡°Will we stay outside overnight?¡± Mira asked softly. Her previous memory of sharing a room with Lance hadn¡¯t been pleasant. Although nothing had happened between them, Mira had felt afraid.

    Lance turned his head and looked at her with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°We can just teleport there,¡± he said.

    Mira wondered if constantly thinking about strange things had dulled her mind. She had been thinking that if Lance were the magic dragon, she could simply ride the dragon to the swamp.

    But on the other hand, if Lance were the magic dragon, was it a bad person¡¯s thought to consider the convenience it brought?

    She fell silent. In fact, she had always been borrowing the magic dragon¡¯s bad reputation.

    ¡°Mira,¡± Lance called her, ¡°Is there anything else you need to prepare?¡±

    He looked down at the plants in the empty pot, but his mind didn¡¯t seem to be on them.

    ¡°No,¡± Mira answered.

    She stood by Lance¡¯s side.

    He lowered his eyes, focused on the plant in front of him.

    A magic dragon wouldn¡¯t care about handling flowers and plants, would they?

    The daily life of a magic dragon should be about causing harm, eating, and sleeping, right?

    Mira watched Lance. He didn¡¯t appear very old.

    The blue dragon cast a spell and opened a portal to the swamp.

    Mira followed behind him, stepping into the blue curtain.

    The surrounding air immediately became damp, mixed with an indescribable scent. It was like the fermentation of grass roots soaked in water for too long, producing a sour odor, but with an added astringency that made it more than just sour.

    Although it wasn¡¯t evening, the sky above the swamp was filled with various flying insects, and the buzzing of mosquitoes and flies sent chills down one¡¯s spine.

    Mira, used to living in the high tower without the disturbance of insects, was startled by the dense dark clouds overhead as she suddenly found herself in the swamp. It triggered some unpleasant memories.

    Mira leaned closer to Lance.

    The blue dragon was in a special physiological state, and Mira already had a strong presence in his perception. When she moved closer to him, Lance¡¯s steps faltered for a moment.

    He looked up, his gaze landing on the buzzing mosquitoes.

    These tiny creatures were the boldest in nature. No matter what they encountered, they dared to approach and disturb it.

    Lance squinted, and the pressure of a dragon, a force of nature, was released with his intent, charging toward the mosquitoes flitting about in the air.

    For a brief moment, the space seemed to stiffen. The thin wings of the mosquitoes forgot how to flutter, and the brief pause caused irreversible consequences. It was like a rainstorm, and the mosquitoes, once flying freely, suddenly dropped from the air with a loud crash.

    This was definitely the most terrifying sight Mira had seen recently.

    She instinctively shrank closer to Lance. But she quickly realized that this abnormal phenomenon could only be caused by them, the unexpected visitors in the swamp.

    She hadn¡¯t cast any spells. Mira glanced secretly at Lance. It must have been him.

    But she hadn¡¯t seen any movements from him or heard him uttering any incantations. Moreover, she had no idea what spell could make mosquitoes fall from the air like rain.

    Lance was quite satisfied with the effect of the dragon¡¯s pressure.

    He couldn¡¯t kill all the mosquitoes, as that would disrupt the natural balance, but he had temporarily rendered them incapable of flying. The animals that relied on these insects would now have an easy dinner without needing to hunt.

    Although he wasn¡¯t like the black dragon who enjoyed using his pressure to oppress other races, occasionally, the power of a dragon¡¯s presence could have strange uses.

    ¡°We¡¯re planting these in what kind of place?¡± Mira asked Lance.

    Now, she was starting to doubt whether her guesses had been nothing more than figments of her imagination. The rumors about magical dragons being evil were widespread, but if all he did was summon a rain of mosquitoes, that surely couldn¡¯t be considered evil, right?

    Evil madness didn¡¯t seem to fit with Lance at all.

    ¡°This place should work,¡± Lance said, surveying the area. The water was suitable, and the mud beneath gave a perfect sinking sensation without being too soft or rotten.

    The plants in his hands were suited for this environment, where their inherent magic could reach its full potential.

    As a medium, it might not be the most ideal choice, but when it came to purifying the swamp''s stagnation, there was nothing more suitable.

    Lance crouched down, tying his long hair behind his head with magic.

    Mira¡¯s gaze followed his actions, fixed on his hair. It was a dark blue, almost black, which struck her as odd. No matter how many times she saw it, it was strange to think that someone like Lance, with blue hair, could exist in this world.

    He must be a very special being.

    The blue dragon was very careful. The endangered plant in the pot required a delicate transplant, and Lance needed to ensure its success. He dug a pit of the right depth, cautious not to damage the plant¡¯s fragile roots with any other tools, and adjusted its position with his hands.

    As the plant¡¯s roots connected with the swamp mud, Mira felt a peculiar magical fluctuation emanating from Lance¡¯s hands. To be precise, it came from the plant itself.

    She was drawn to this natural energy, and unconsciously reached out to touch the leaves. Lance turned his head, his gaze softening. Without the need for words, he could feel that Mira had sensed the world in his eyes.

    The tiny magical particles, invisible to the eye, existed in the breath of the swamp, the plants, and their own breathing. Bit by bit, they merged, creating the scene before them.

    Mira¡¯s expression of wonder was unreserved, and Lance understood that she had seen his world.

    A romantic world that couldn¡¯t be shared with others.

    They crouched by the plant, on the muddy ground of the swamp, their shoes covered in dirt, the air around them not foul but certainly not pleasant.

    This wasn¡¯t a romantic place, yet there was something overlooked in it.

    ¡°Do you do this often?¡± Mira asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Lance raised his head, his expression turning nostalgic. Before the energy core malfunctioned, he spent most of his time in the high tower studying other types of natural magic. While he often approached nature, he mostly stayed in the small worlds that made up the tower. He rarely used teleportation magic to visit the outside world.

    Mira had given him some inspiration.

    Lance felt a sudden urge to prove to Mira that his life was interesting. It was as though he was in a hurry to show her that he wasn¡¯t as dull as she might think.

    He looked down at the mud on his hands. The smell of the swamp¡¯s rotten mud was far from pleasant. For a girl, especially one like Mira, who cared about her appearance, it must have been too strange.

    Lance lowered his head, feeling as if something was off in his direction.

    Mira noticed his sudden sense of melancholy. His gaze lingered on his hands, and he slowly retracted his fingers, hiding the muddy marks.

    ¡°When I was little, I envied other children who could play in the mud,¡± Mira quietly told Lance. ¡°It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve never played with mud.¡±

    Mira¡¯s words made her feel rather amused. Why was she telling Lance such a thing? It wasn¡¯t anything to be proud of.

    But Lance¡¯s actions stopped. He turned his head as if waiting for her to say more.

    ¡°You know I grew up in the magic hub,¡± Mira naturally continued, as he had hoped, telling him the story of her past.

    Her life was dull compared to most. At least compared to Lance, hers must have been extremely boring.

    ¡°I grew up in the welfare center of the magic hub. Children like me had to wear the same uniform every day and live according to a strict schedule, always under the watchful eyes of caretakers.¡±

    Mira felt that the reason her thoughts were as lively as they were now was probably because, at that time, her body mechanically followed the schedule while her mind wandered with strange ideas.

    ¡°Our toys were handed down from generation to generation. The doll I received had four or five patches, and I had to take good care of it.¡± Mira made a strange expression, as if recalling that time was a kind of torture for her. ¡°I had to feed it. Feeding a rag doll was especially odd.¡±

    ¡°I had to take good care of it, because after I left, it might stay with the next child.¡±

    ¡°Later, other children arrived at the welfare center. The daughter of a wizard couple. Her parents had passed away, and she was temporarily placed here. She was the only one who had seen the world outside the magic hub. She didn¡¯t like the dolls the teachers gave her. She said rolling on the wet grass with her puppy was the most fun thing to do.¡±

    ¡°The magic hub doesn¡¯t have rain. The magic barrier above blocks the rain, and there is very little green grass. Alchemy tech destroys the environment.¡±

    ¡°I really envied her for having a puppy, and playing with it. She said she liked to build castles with mud.¡±

    Mira didn¡¯t remember the girl¡¯s appearance or name, but her presence left a deep mark on her childhood.

    ¡°She was adopted later. The adoptive parents liked children like her, not the little puppets from the magic hub.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not a puppet,¡± Lance said, gazing at her. He reached out, wanting to touch Mira¡¯s face, but hesitated due to the mud on his fingers.

    Mira grabbed his hand and placed it on her cheek.

    Lance¡¯s pupils unconsciously dilated.

    He wanted to tell Mira that dragons loved rolling in volcanic ash. The still-warm air clings to their scales, something that could be deadly to humans, but for dragons, it was a comforting sensation.

    ¡°So dirty, Lance,¡± Mira said, looking at him with distaste but smiling brightly.

    It wasn¡¯t real distaste. Lance knew humans didn¡¯t express their feelings directly. Instead, they used more indirect methods.

    Now, with the mood just right, Mira gradually stopped smiling and met Lance¡¯s gaze.

    That question had been bothering her for several days. With Mira¡¯s personality, being able to hold off from seeking an answer for so long was already quite difficult.

    ¡°Are you a magical dragon?¡± She mustered up the courage to finally ask the question that had been on her mind.

    At such a close distance, Mira could clearly see all of Lance¡¯s expressions.

    He had beautiful features, a mysterious background, and just as many strange thoughts as her. They were both good spellcasters.

    Now, she wanted to try to understand him more.

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve been avoiding me recently?¡± Lance didn¡¯t answer directly.

    ¡°You have to answer my question first. Look me in the eyes and answer,¡± Mira said, not easily swayed by him changing the topic.

    Such behavior was a sign of guilt.

    Lance, however, smiled. There was a dirty handprint on her cheek, one he had left behind.

    ¡°So dirty,¡± Lance whispered. ¡°Magical dragons don¡¯t like you like this.¡±

    Mira pouted.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± she heard Lance¡¯s reply. His voice was as beautiful as his appearance.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a magical dragon,¡± he repeated.

    ¡°I¡¯m the master of the tower, but not a magical dragon.¡±

    He said it again.

    ¡°Do you need to be sure again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re a magical dragon,¡± Mira felt all her strength drain with his answer. He had answered three times, and her heart beat three times with each reply.

    She realized that her curiosity was just an excuse. She was afraid that Lance was a magical dragon, that he carried the weight of many lives.

    Her mind had already started crafting various stories. Before hearing Lance¡¯s answer, she had already written the tragic ending to their story in her mind.

    She even felt sad for the fictional sad endings, crying under the blanket for several nights.

    But now, it was clear that all of that had been her wild imagination.

    Mira smiled.

    ¡°Then can you sing me a song?¡± His voice was so beautiful, but she had never understood the songs he sang.

    ¡°The last one,¡± Mira reminded him.

    Lance recalled the previous incident. The special physiological state had caused him to do some strange things in front of the human girl.

    ¡°No.¡±

    That song was only sung by dragons when courting. Mira didn¡¯t understand the dragon language, but the words weren¡¯t pleasant.

    The previous time, he had been out of his mind. This time, it wouldn¡¯t happen.

    ¡°Lance!¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Lance!¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Lance!¡±

    He sighed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s change the song.¡±

 Chapter 44

    On the day the gathering began, Mira couldn''t sleep early in the morning.

    Her body lay in bed, but her mind was already filled with thoughts of what the gathering would be like.

    Lance had told her that this was not just an ordinary black-market transaction, but a large-scale gathering organized by the six major races.

    Everyone attending the gathering remained anonymous, and no one knew what race the person you were trading with was.

    Mira was quite surprised by this; Lance had mentioned a joint gathering of the six races, which meant that even humans were aware of this event.

    "Many things won''t be done out in the open," Lance said to Mira, "but I''m not sure if it''s the Hero Association or the Magic Hub this time."

    Hearing these familiar terms, Mira''s expression darkened.

    "Don''t worry." Lance, understanding her concern, comforted her. "As long as you stand by my side, no one will recognize your identity."

    Mira trusted Lance. His magic was extremely powerful, and the illusion spell he cast wouldn''t be easily seen through.

    This time, the gathering was held near the Demon Scar''s Silent Moon Valley.

    This was the dwarven territory, with some wandering elves active in the nearby forests.

    Mira asked Lance if she could see the legendary elves at the gathering, but the blue dragon wasn''t sure.

    After the Goblins had been struck, the Elven race had reduced their contact with other races and returned to the forests they knew best.

    Among the six races, the only one they still interacted closely with was the plant-spirits race, which included various intelligent plant beings.

    Mira was eager to meet the elves.

    After confirming that Lance was not a Dragon, Mira had received a new book from the stars¡ª Dragons and Elves.

    The book described elves as very beautiful beings. She imagined many different appearances in her mind, and she was genuinely curious about what the elves would look like.

    "Maybe some wandering elves will participate."

    Thinking of this, Mira couldn''t lie still. She quickly got up to prepare and set off with Lance for the Silent Moon Valley.

    Lance had also gotten up early to prepare. He put away the scroll he had written and took out several rare gems from his collection.

    The Goblins were a greedy race, and Lance wanted to gather information from them. In addition to using the pressure of the dragons, some treasures would also be needed to tempt them.

    Before leaving, Lance cast an illusion spell on Mira. In the eyes of others, she transformed from a human girl with black hair and eyes into a blurry black mist.

    He cast the same spell on himself, but instead of black, his was a pale blue.

    They used a teleportation circle to arrive near the Silent Moon Valley and then walked into the valley.

    The Silent Moon Valley was near the Demon Scar and crossed through lush forests on both sides. Mira noticed that once they entered the area, Lance suddenly became much more serious.

    There were figures hidden under illusion spells nearby, and each individual seemed to be on high alert.

    There were also some who didn''t use disguises. Some were looking around curiously, while others had serious expressions, holding long swords.

    Mira also noticed some warriors with longbows and quivers.

    Although some figures had disguised themselves, their non-human traits were easy to identify based on their body size.

    Among the beings who revealed their true forms, Mira immediately spotted a tall and alluring woman.

    Her gaze lingered on the woman''s face and was instantly drawn to her beauty.

    The woman was truly beautiful.

    Mira stared at her, admiring her features and figure, until she noticed a tail swaying behind her.

    "She''s a succubus." Lance''s hand rested on Mira''s shoulder, pulling her out of her enchanted state.

    Mira looked up at Lance. In her field of vision, he still appeared normal.

    "Don''t look into her eyes," Lance reminded Mira. He narrowed his eyes and shifted his gaze away from the succubus.

    The dragon''s pressure was quite useful in some situations, and the succubus, sensing the warning, withdrew her smile and swished her triangular tail as she moved off in another direction.

    The gathering hadn''t officially started yet, but many mysterious beings had already gathered in the Silent Moon Valley.

    Dwarves had set up crude booths, and those who needed to sell goods could contact the dwarven staff and, after paying a fee, use the booths.

    When Mira and Lance arrived, some items were already on display.

    Dragons were experts in identifying treasures, and Lance could tell at a glance that these items were mere displays.

    Based on previous experience, gatherings usually lasted three to five days, and it was still too early for any rare treasures to appear.

    Lance wasn''t here to search for treasures.

    Information was also highly valuable at these gatherings.

    Protected by the black mist illusion, Mira curiously observed the surroundings of Silent Moon Valley.

    Her gaze lingered on figures like hers, wondering what kind of beings were hidden beneath their disguises.

    As they ventured deeper into the valley, the number of people around them grew, and although the trading area appeared empty, the building ahead was crowded.

    Lance explained that this was a temporary residence built by the dwarves for the gathering.

    Silent Moon Valley was a dwarven mining area, and on the other side of the valley were their maze-like underground palaces. This side was usually deserted and only used in special circumstances.

    The area was surrounded by desolate mountains and primeval forests, offering no accommodation. The dwarves'' temporary residence would earn them a lot of gold.

    Lance immediately knew that this idea had come from the Goblins. The humble dwarves wouldn''t have thought of such a plan, and they would certainly invite those attending the gathering into their underground palaces.

    It was large enough to accommodate everyone.

    Lance also headed toward the crowded area.

    Mira followed him and quietly said, "Aren''t we not staying here?" Thanks to the teleportation magic, no matter how far the distance, to Mira and Lance, it was just the time it took to cast a spell.

    There was danger in the gathering. Before coming here, Lance and Mira had discussed that they would return to the tower each night and, each day, Lance would change their disguises at the gathering.

    Lance shook his head gently.

    He thought the Goblins wouldn''t expose their tracks so quickly. But these greedy creatures couldn''t resist the temptation of gold. The gathering was held in rotation. The Goblins had never been qualified before, but now that they were living with the dwarves, they could certainly make a fortune from the gathering.

    Lance wanted to see if the owner of the temporary inn was a Goblin.

    Mira didn''t know his true purpose here. Although she felt puzzled, she hadn''t forgotten Lance''s instructions.

    She had to stay close to him at all times. Only then could Lance''s power envelop her, ensuring that even if people from the Magic Hub were present, no one would recognize her.

    Lance stopped at a distance from the inn.

    This distance was enough for him to clearly see the faces of the figures passing by.

    He didn''t see the owner, but he overheard a few guests chatting.

    They were waiting outside the shop, exchanging the information they had gathered in the meantime.

    One of them spoke to the person behind them.

    ¡°Today¡¯s accommodation isn¡¯t paid in gold, but with usable medium crystals.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°The Magic Hub can no longer produce artificial media.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s some valuable news; it must be worth quite a bit of money, huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not worth much. They¡¯ve already come to seek new alternatives. This issue has already spread among the mage circles. A few months ago, the price of medium crystals suddenly started to drop. To stabilize the mages'' emotions, the price of artificial media remained steady, which was already a suspicious drop.¡±

    ¡°Many mages started stockpiling them at a low price, but before half a month had passed, the artificial crystals they bought turned into nothing but worthless rocks.¡±

    ¡°Then the Magic Hub announced they would suspend selling artificial crystals to non-Magic Hub mages.¡±

    This news didn¡¯t surprise anyone.

    The reason the medium crystals were no longer usable was that the mines in Ghillian no longer produced the Magic-Nullifying Stones.

    The Magic Hub, a powerful mage organization with a history of hundreds of years, had other substitutes for the Magic-Nullifying Stones, but their quantities were nowhere near comparable to those from Ghillian. They had no choice but to abandon their golden goose.

    Lance had already suspected this. Human mages had become so accustomed to relying on mediums rather than understanding nature. Without the Magic-Nullifying Stones, they would look for other materials to make medium crystals.

    ¡°There are a lot of humans at this gathering,¡± another voice reached Lance¡¯s ears.

    ¡°It¡¯s all for the mediums,¡± someone else responded indifferently. ¡°Every time there¡¯s an opportunity like this, there are always a lot of humans¡ªmages, adventurers, and information brokers.¡±

    ¡°Will anyone really be selling mediums?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But probably not many. Powerful mediums are rare, and mages generally don¡¯t sell what they¡¯ve obtained.¡±

    Aside from mages, others weren¡¯t particularly interested in mediums.

    Many also knew that humans weren¡¯t here only for temporary mediums.

    ¡°There¡¯s word that there are still some leftover goblins in Moonlit Valley.¡±

    The two speakers fell silent, seemingly aware of the situation. Before humans could mass-produce artificial media, goblins were the best at crafting mediums. However, they were both sly and greedy, and most mages had to pay huge prices to continue using magic under the goblins¡¯ control.

    However, with the goblins, they lost money. The Magic Hub offered two choices: either pay in gold or swear allegiance to them.

    ¡°Magic mediums are too important for humans,¡± someone sighed. ¡°Without mediums, they can¡¯t even use magic.¡±

    In fact, it wasn¡¯t just humans. Among the six major races, only the fae and elves, and some half-beasts, could cast innate spells. For the rest, magic wasn¡¯t an easy thing to wield.

    Dwarves disliked magic; they had no mages in their ranks. Other races also had their own racial talents and didn¡¯t rely entirely on magic.

    ¡°The Hero Association and the Magic Hub are here; this time, humans are stealing the show from the dwarves again.¡±

    ¡°Since when have humans not liked to steal the spotlight?¡±

    ¡°When Black Dragon Nathaniel was around, it wasn¡¯t their turn.¡±

    ¡°True. We haven¡¯t seen Black Dragon yet.¡±

    ¡°Who knows if he¡¯ll come again. The succubus clan still has his former lover, who was taken away in great style but now is back at the original place. I heard someone brought them out of the tower.¡±

    ¡°Internal dragon conflict, maybe? I wonder if the information brokers have news about the tower. The tower has been pretty quiet in recent years.¡±

    ¡°Any news related to the tower is always the most valuable.¡±

    ¡°I know something, but it¡¯s probably not worth much.¡±

    ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°I heard the human king eventually sent his daughter to Black Dragon¡¯s tower.¡±

    ¡°Even though so many lords opposed continuing service to Black Dragon, he still sent her?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I heard the lords under his command recommended the Sword Saint, but in the end, he refused.¡±

    ¡°Sword Saint? Losa?¡±

    ¡°Your news is outdated. Pay me a few copper coins as information fees.¡±

    ¡°Losa was killed. A young swordsman, not from the Hero Association, killed him with a regular iron sword during a Justice Challenge.¡±

    ¡°The current Sword Saint is Sam. That lord was the one who recommended him to the king.¡±

    ¡°What does that matter? The king refused. He sent his daughter away.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Someone will deal with him.¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t be king for long.¡±

    ¡°Who cares about an old human? What about Black Dragon Nathaniel? Is he really dead?¡±

    ¡°Dragons die with natural phenomena. He¡¯s definitely not dead; he¡¯s probably hiding somewhere to heal.¡±

    ¡°Who injured the dragon? Did the succubus say? Could it have been the current Sword Saint?¡±

    ¡°No one knows. No one knows where Nathaniel is. But it definitely wasn¡¯t the Sword Saint. The current Sword Saint is a young man in his twenties. When the Black Dragon was injured, he was probably still playing in the mud.¡±

    The casual conversation among the guests revealed much about events happening in other parts of the continent. Lance, with his keen hearing as a blue dragon, effortlessly obtained this information, which would normally require paying for it.

    Lance, however, already knew Nathaniel¡¯s whereabouts.

    With his injuries, Nathaniel had flown across the Devil¡¯s Scar to enter the Demon World.

    For an ordinary person to drag their injured body to the Devil¡¯s Scar was to seek death, but Nathaniel was different. The Black Dragon drew power from brutality and slaughter, and with his innate strength, even demons couldn¡¯t directly confront him.

    ¡°After Nathaniel disappeared, news about dragons has been getting less and less. Why don¡¯t we sell dragon news to the Magic Hub at a high price? Dragon scales are eternal and indestructible mediums. Isn¡¯t that better than those fragile crystals?¡±

    ¡°That would require scales from a Blue Dragon. Too bad, after the Blue Dragon Queen died, there are no more Blue Dragons in this world.¡±

    Their conversation gradually shifted, eventually landing on the Blue Dragon Queen.

    Lance lowered his eyes, a trace of sadness crossing his face.

    Mira, unable to hear the guests¡¯ conversation, noticed Lance¡¯s expression change and saw his sudden sadness.

    ¡°Lance,¡± she whispered, calling his name softly.

    Lance glanced at her and smiled.

    But Mira could tell the smile was forced. She wanted to ask Lance what he had heard, but seeing his expression, she decided not to.

    Lance shared the news with Mira. ¡°Both the Magic Hub and the Hero Association are attending this gathering.¡±

    Mira froze for a moment before quickly realizing the reason: it was because of the mine situation.

    ¡°They need new mediums,¡± Mira murmured.

    This made her think of her.

    She still minded that word, feeling a deep chill in her soul whenever she thought about it.

    Feeling the change in her, Lance reached out and took Mira¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he said softly, his voice even gentler than when he had hummed that song.

    Mira, however, felt strength in his words.

    She looked up at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡±

    Lance rented a stall for Mira, where she sold the scroll magic she had written during her practice.

    With the scarcity of mediums, these instantly usable spells were very popular.

    This was the only area within the entire Moonlight Valley that was protected by professionals. The dwarves were responsible for overseeing this event, ensuring the fairness and safety of the transactions, but that was only within this small designated area. Outside the trading zone, there was no dwarven guard management, and incidents like robbery or broken promises frequently occurred.

    Fortunately, today was the first day of the gathering, and most people were still in the observation phase, so no serious conflicts had broken out yet.

    Mira¡¯s stall was filled with lower-tier scrolls that she had created during her practice.

    Lance mentioned that he had some matters to attend to and would be leaving briefly.

    He left a protection magic array behind, ensuring that no one could harm her as long as she stayed within the stall¡¯s range.

    To prevent any accidents, he also taught her the knock spell.

    Mira sat behind her stall. A long table, a gray cloth, and scrolls on top were all the merchandise she had.

    To avoid speaking too much, Mira scrawled a few letters with her left hand and placed them in front of her stall.

    ¡°Magic scrolls, five gold per sheet, no bargaining.¡±

    Initially, there weren¡¯t many people at her stall, but when the word "magic scrolls" appeared, people quickly approached with questions.

    For the non-critical inquiries, Mira simply responded with ¡°mm¡± and ¡°ah.¡± Only when she couldn¡¯t handle the questions would she lower her voice and answer in a few simple words.

    These scrolls were the result of Mira¡¯s practice. They were all low-level simple spells, with the advantage of being instantly cast but the disadvantage of being unstable.

    She had timed it well. Because of the medium shortage, too many spellcasters were struggling with how to cast spells.

    Mira¡¯s stall quickly became surrounded by spellcasters.

    Magic scrolls weren¡¯t a rare commodity¡ªmany wizards could create them. However, compared to carrying around mediums, scrolls were inconvenient, and few people had used their mediums to create magic scrolls before.

    But with the sudden invalidation of mediums, these scrolls became incredibly valuable.

    The price of five gold wasn¡¯t much to most spellcasters.

    Some people bought one first and, after personally verifying the effectiveness of the scroll, proceeded to buy in bulk.

    These spells were generally low-level, consisting of simple attack or speed-enhancing magic.

    Defensive spells were the rarest, so many spellcasters began to bid higher for them.

    Mira¡¯s second-tier scrolls weren¡¯t many. She was a highly talented spellcaster, and after passing her early learning stage, the quality of her scrolls had significantly improved thanks to the dragon scales.

    Mira knew she couldn¡¯t reveal all her good scrolls at once, especially since Lance wasn¡¯t nearby.

    After the last scroll was sold, Mira flipped a sign to display "Sold Out."

    She didn¡¯t leave, staying at her spot.

    Some people eyed her, but Mira remained quiet and still, not responding or speaking.

    The magic scrolls were more popular than she had expected, and Mira¡¯s ring now held not only the gold bricks from the king but also many more gold coins.

    She still had more scrolls but didn¡¯t dare take them out for sale just yet.

    They would be staying here for a few more days, so she could sell them then.

    Today''s scrolls were all for magic of level four and below.

    With her disguise, Mira scanned the crowd.

    People in the trading area had disguised themselves, some even wearing hoods that covered their faces and heads.

    The surrounding shops were also crowded, with dwarven warriors wielding heavy hammers occasionally patrolling the area to ensure fairness in the transactions.

    Mira felt a bit bored. She missed the fantasy books in the tower.

    She hadn¡¯t seen any elves in the crowd yet and wondered if this opportunity would allow her to spot them.

    The mine tunnels, the shaking lift platforms, everything here felt familiar.

    Lance controlled his miniature form as he flew through the mine.

    Compared to the low, cramped mines under Ghillian Town, the dwarven kingdom was the most perfect mining ground in the world.

    Through the Dragon¡¯s Eye, he gazed downward, searching for the green-skinned creatures lurking among the dwarven crowd.

    Perhaps the goblins had really learned their lesson from humanity¡¯s strikes. Even though they now coexisted with the dwarves, it was still hard to spot them in the mine tunnels.

    But Lance was certain they were here. He could smell the greedy scent of goblins in the air.

    The miniature blue dragon dove down, deeper into the dwarven kingdom underground.

    He needed to find out what the goblins had lost.

    Mira spotted a familiar figure in the crowd.

    She had originally been looking for elves.

    But her eyes caught a familiar sword¡ªa long dragon-slaying sword, belonging to Fran Ellin.

    Could it be Ellin?

    Mira knew that he had secretly taken the sword and left the group heading to the Sword Tomb. Had he also come to the gathering?

    Mira was surprised. But there was no mistaking the aura of that sword. She wanted to leave her position to follow him, but Lance¡¯s warning echoed in her mind.

    Mira looked down at the magical array beneath her feet and then glanced at the gradually fading figure of Fran¡¯s sword.

    She closed her eyes and imagined Lance¡¯s appearance in her mind, then mimicked the spell he had used before, gently knocking on a door in her mind.

    Quietly, Mira followed the shadow. The figure, carrying a sword, was cloaked, with a black hood hiding his eyes. Mira couldn¡¯t make out his features.

    But the sword was unmistakable.

    She carefully maintained a safe distance, always staying within a secure range.

    The people here were no ordinary folks. Mira remembered Lance¡¯s warnings.

    But as time passed, the gathering had become busier. People who had been observing began entering the trading zone, and the valley was growing crowded.

    Mira dared not move too quickly. Her anxiety would make her stand out in the crowd.

    Before long, she had lost track of the figure.

    Mira felt frustrated.

    She stopped, sighed, and was about to return to the trading area.

    A bulletin board surrounded by people caught her attention. Or rather, it was a board where bounties were posted.

    What attracted Mira was one of the bounties, as she recognized the person¡¯s face.

    Her eyes widened.

    It was Maria¡¯s father, the King of the Eastern Human Kingdom.

    Someone had offered one million gold for his head.

    "Who are you?"

    A sword was placed across Mira¡¯s shoulder, its sharp edge pressed against her skin.

    Mira hadn¡¯t even noticed when the person had approached her.

    "Why are you following me?"

    Mira dared not move.

    People around them had also witnessed the scene. But this area was far from the trading zone, and no one would intervene in conflicts outside the trading area.

    The voice wasn¡¯t Ellin¡¯s.

    Mira recognized the reckless young man¡¯s voice, but this person had deliberately disguised his voice, and it wasn¡¯t Ellin.

    She lowered her eyes, her gaze moving over the sword.

    It was an ordinary sword, yet it had slain a dragon.

    Mira took a deep breath. ¡°I recognize this sword.¡±

    ¡°A reckless brat lost to me¡­¡± The man hadn¡¯t finished his sentence before he yanked Mira, leaping backward a short distance.

    A soft blue mist surrounded the man holding the sword, appearing before him.

    Magic stirred the dust, leaving a terrifying mark on the ground.

    It was Lance.

    Mira¡¯s eyes brightened, and the spell she had been holding back in her mouth completed at that moment.

    A blue teleportation portal appeared beneath her feet. Mira stumbled downward, and in the blink of an eye, she fell out of the half-sized portal.

    The blue dragon extended his hand to steady her, almost causing her to fall.

    He hadn¡¯t shifted his gaze away from the hidden man.

    The blue dragon rarely felt pressure from humans.

    The Dragon Slayer¡¯s sword had fallen into the hands of the one capable of slaying dragons.

    The magic connecting their minds transferred all of Mira¡¯s emotions to him, though he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit annoyed that she hadn¡¯t stayed within her protective array.

    But it was understandable. Mira wouldn¡¯t sit still in one place.

    If he hadn¡¯t arrived in time, her teleportation spell would likely have taken her back to the tower, and she would have ended up beside him.

    Wind blades formed without any buffering needed.

    The hero didn¡¯t use magic, and couldn¡¯t disguise his appearance. Let¡¯s see what he looks like.

    The wind blades condensed in the air, rushing toward the man in the black robe holding the sword.

    The sword in his hand was excited.

    He had plenty of experience fighting spellcasters, and now that he had a sharp sword, he wanted to test it on the spellcaster in front of him.

    The man in the black robe gripped the sword handle.

    He could feel the sword¡¯s excitement in his hand. Like him, it was eager to face the opponent before it.

    The ordinary iron sword seemed to transform into a divine weapon in the black-robed man¡¯s hands.

    He twisted his wrist, swinging several times, and cut through Lance¡¯s magic.

    Lance smiled.

    Heroes¡¯ attacks were always straightforward.

    The wind blades were cut off, losing their attacking power, but they were still wind, flowing with the air as they swirled around the sword, forming a hurricane that pressed toward the hero, pulling back his hood.

    A brilliant red appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes.

    The man realized what was happening and hurriedly reached up to try to cover his face, but it was too late.

    The black-robed man smiled slightly, lowering his hand that had been blocking his face to reveal a young, stunningly beautiful face.

    Lance¡¯s wind blades weren¡¯t meant to kill him; they were meant to unveil his disguise.

    Such a powerful human swordsman could never remain unnoticed. This was a gathering, and exposing his identity was the most dangerous thing.

    Just as Lance had predicted, when the swordsman¡¯s true appearance was revealed, someone immediately recognized him.

    ¡°It¡¯s Sam! The new Sword Saint.¡±

    Rumors had it that the new human Sword Saint had fiery red hair, and with a simple longsword, he had killed the previous Sword Saint in three moves.

    The sword in his hand was heating up. In the right hands, the Dragon Slayer sword displayed its sharpest edge.

    Sam calmly gazed at the spellcaster. His figure was shrouded in blue mist, obscuring his features.

    He hadn¡¯t wanted to hide his face, but Maria had said it was safer this way. After all, he had just challenged the former Sword Saint, and many outside were curious about the new Sword Saint.

    He didn¡¯t like hiding.

    A petite figure squeezed through the crowd, and her gaze landed on the three figures confronting each other in the center.

    Just a few minutes away, and Sam had indeed caused trouble.

    Maria walked toward the center. She carried a sword, and compared to Sam¡¯s, her sword was wider and longer. It was already approaching the size of a greatsword, which looked odd on a short girl.

    ¡°Sam.¡± Now that his identity had been exposed, his previous alias was no longer useful. Maria walked toward the center. ¡°You¡¯ve caused trouble again.¡±

    The red-haired hero scoffed.

    That voice.

    Mira recognized the small figure.

    It was Maria, the true princess of the kingdom.

    Mira couldn¡¯t believe it. How could Maria be here, and why did she seem so familiar with the Sword Saint?

    She took a step forward, but Lance stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder.

    Since the door hadn¡¯t closed, he had heard the name that appeared in Mira¡¯s mind and sensed her shock.

    But now was not the time. There were too many people around.

    Their identities couldn¡¯t be revealed.

    Maria glanced at the man confronting Sam. Ever since gaining the Hero Soul, she could see much more.

    The person in the black mist¡­

    Maria¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise. But she wasn¡¯t the impulsive princess she used to be. The situation was too special right now, and she couldn¡¯t acknowledge Mira.

    There were other things to do now.

    Maria suppressed her surprise, and in Mira¡¯s disbelieving gaze, Maria walked toward the bounty board. Under everyone¡¯s watch, she took down the bounty with her father¡¯s face on it, then returned to Sam¡¯s side.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said to Sam.

    The red-haired Sword Saint nodded to his companion, and under the gaze of everyone, they left.

    Now everyone knew. The Sword Saint was going to kill the king.

    With the help of magic, Lance and Mira quickly caught up with the departing Sword Saint and the Princess.

    Maria seemed to have known that Mira would come looking for her, as she was waiting in a secluded spot.

    Sam was sitting on a rock, tossing stones into the shallow stream beneath him.

    "I told you not to use someone else''s sword. You got recognized, didn''t you?" Maria looked at him. "And you let someone use magic to pull off your hood. The world¡¯s greatest swordsman, how embarrassing."

    "Spellcasters are all tricky guys," Sam muttered.

    "I told you not to have stereotypes," Maria retorted.

    She recalled the days she spent with Mira in the royal palace. In the real world, that was over six months ago, but to Maria, it felt like it had been ten years. She had always wanted to save Mira. Meeting her here was a truly unexpected event.

    The Black Dragon, Nathaniel.

    Only after becoming a hero did she realize what kind of "husband" Mira was going to face in her place. That guy¡¯s dragon flame had burned several cities, and her father...

    Maria stopped her thoughts.

    Fortunately, Mira seemed to be doing well, and she had people around her to protect her.

    A blue portal appeared. Sam, who had been lazily tossing stones, immediately grabbed his sword.

    Two figures emerged from the portal. Upon recognizing who they were, Sam sheathed his sword.

    He had always known that Maria wanted to become a hero to go to the Dragon King''s Tower and save her friend, who had replaced her to marry the Dragon King half a year ago.

    They had entered a mysterious world before. In that place, time moved differently from the outside world. Otherwise, the delicate princess would never have been able to become a strong hero in just half a year.

    Maria had become a formidable swordswoman, but the girl she had wanted to save seemed to have already been saved by someone else.

    Lance dispelled the magic disguising Mira and himself.

    As soon as they emerged from the portal, Mira saw Maria standing straight under a tree.

    "Maria!" she smiled, her voice filled with excitement.

    Though she was curious about what had happened¡ªwhy Maria was carrying a sword, why she was here, and how she knew the Sword Saint¡ªMira couldn¡¯t be bothered to think about these strange questions.

    She ran toward Maria, who also ran toward her.

    They hugged each other tightly.

    On the day Mira was "married" to the tower, Maria had run across the field full of bones, tripping over exposed skeletons. But she told Mira that she would come back to rescue her.

    Yes, she did it.

    Mira pulled away from Maria and looked at her in surprise.

    Maria had cut her long hair, exposing a smooth, full forehead. She had tanned quite a bit, and her skin had turned a healthy, sun-kissed brown. She was carrying a heavy sword, and her body had obvious muscle tone.

    She had become a hero.

    During the time they had been apart, Maria had truly been working hard to save her.

    Mira was so surprised that she temporarily lost her ability to speak, simply staring at her in awe.

    She was amazing. Mira¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    "You really became a hero," Mira whispered, her voice soft. "In just half a year."

    "More like a bit longer than half a year," Maria said. Although they looked the same age, it wasn¡¯t the same as when they were in the kingdom. Back then, Mira seemed like the older sister. After spending ten years in a special world, Maria had clearly matured mentally. She was ten years older than Mira.

    Mira realized that Maria had encountered her own fortuitous event.

    Maria winked at Mira, who understood immediately and winked back.

    When Mira had stayed in the royal palace, they had a secret signal: when Mira blinked three times, the second and third blinks spaced a little longer apart. This was their secret code.

    Whenever Mira blinked at Maria, she would use magic to sneak Mira out of the boring classes, leaving behind two illusory shadows for the female lecturers.

    They would play in Maria''s garden.

    That was the garden the king had built for Maria. It was full of all sorts of flowers, but Maria and Mira¡¯s favorite spot was a large, unnamed tree in the corner.

    That tree had not been part of the king¡¯s original garden plan. When it began to sprout branches, the king had wanted to remove it, but an old gardener had told the king that the tree was likely as old as Princess Maria herself.

    So, the king left it there.

    No one could be sure if the tree was truly as old as Maria, but it was certainly the most fun spot in the entire garden.

    Mira had used magic to transport the two of them to the tree¡¯s branches.

    They couldn¡¯t climb up, so this was the only way.

    Especially at sunset, Mira and Maria would sit side by side on the trunk, watching the sun slowly disappear, the sky shifting from orange to purple and finally to a deep blue.

    Then, reluctantly, they would return to the palace at the call of the palace attendants.

    Some said that the sunrise was even more beautiful.

    But because Maria was always lazy in the mornings, they never got to see the sunrise before Mira left for the tower.

    Mira and Maria both silently understood each other¡¯s thoughts.

    Perhaps they had an entire evening to talk, then watch the sunrise they had never seen.

    "I should introduce you," Maria knew that Mira was curious about how she became a hero, and she was also eager to find out what had happened after Mira reached the tower.

    She took a few steps back and grabbed Sam, who had been tossing stones by the river.

    "This is my boyfriend," Maria smiled. She still looked like the innocent princess when she smiled. "His name is Sam, the second-best swordsman in the world."

    Sam frowned in displeasure. There were still people around, and Maria had so unceremoniously exposed him.

    Mira''s gaze fell on Sam. He had just had a sword pressed against her neck. But since he was close to Maria, Mira decided to let it go for Maria''s sake.

    Lance didn¡¯t need her to pull him; he took a step closer.

    The blue dragon¡¯s gaze was fixed on Mira.

    He hadn¡¯t closed the door yet.

    Mira, following Maria¡¯s example, turned to look at Lance.

    "This is Lance. He''s a powerful spellcaster."

    Maria had said three sentences in total. Mira said two.

    She introduced Lance, but hadn¡¯t clarified her relationship with him.

    Mira¡¯s mind was usually quick, but at this critical moment, her mind went blank.

    There were several words floating in her mind, but they didn¡¯t seem to fit.

    She turned to look at Lance, who seemed to be waiting for an answer.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, she finally managed to spit out a sentence about their relationship.

    "I¡¯m living with him now."

 Chapter 45

    Mira felt like Lances was quietly laughing at her.

    She had no evidence, but she just had that feeling.

    It had been a while since she said that sentence on the way back to the tower, but he was still sneaking smiles.

    She looked at him several times but couldn¡¯t find any evidence.

    Because Maria and her sword saint were here, Mira couldn¡¯t casually look at Lances.

    There were no rules against it, but it felt strange to Mira, as though she had done something wrong and someone was pointing it out, even though she hadn¡¯t done anything.

    Mira lowered her head and sighed quietly.

    Lances, not far behind her, lowered his gaze, hiding the smile that slipped out involuntarily in his movement.

    Sam narrowed his eyes, observing the trivial little gestures and, for a moment, recalling the early days of the emotions that had started to form between him and Maria.

    Mages always take roundabout ways. It¡¯s not a stereotype; it¡¯s just the experience of heroes.

    Maria liked to talk to Mira a lot. Ever since they met in the forest, it seemed like they could talk forever.

    Sam couldn¡¯t understand. Heroes were supposed to speak less and act more. When he was with her, Maria didn¡¯t talk this much.

    "Really?"

    "Yes, the time in there flows much slower than outside," Maria nodded. "I''m already twenty-eight."

    Mira looked her up and down. Aside from her short hair and the tan, Maria still looked like she was eighteen.

    "Spells related to time and space are highly difficult," Mira said softly to Maria, "Maybe you¡¯ve encountered a real forbidden spell."

    "I don''t really understand magic," Maria replied. "It was a treasure from the palace. I took it with me when I snuck out."

    Mira nodded, her thoughts pausing for a moment as something strange crossed her mind.

    "You haven''t returned to the palace since you left?"

    Maria paused for a second, and her expression changed. "No."

    She and Sam had come out of that world the month before. Afterward, they had been accepting commission tasks nearby but never approached the royal city.

    Maria had gone through many things in another world, things that had once overturned her understanding. Returning to the real world, she couldn¡¯t easily accept everything.

    While carrying out the commission tasks, more and more experiences told her that, in some ways, the two worlds weren¡¯t so different.

    It was just that the current world hadn¡¯t deteriorated to the level of the other world.

    Her father, the father who had pampered her, was not the good king she had thought him to be.

    In the eyes of more people, he was a cowardly, greedy, foolish, and brutal emperor.

    Maria¡¯s pocket held a bounty.

    Her father¡¯s head was worth one million gold coins.

    "Mira," Maria said her name softly, "That was a bad world. If we do nothing, this world will turn into that one."

    Maria lowered her head. "We came back to end the tragedy that would come."

    Mira understood what she meant.

    Maria had seen the future in another world, and that future was not a bright one.

    She reached out and took Maria¡¯s hand.

    "You can do it," she said, full of confidence in Maria.

    She used to trip while running, but now, she was a hero.

    "I¡¯ll help you," Mira said, reaching up to touch the dragon scales hanging from her chest. "I can help you."

    Maria smiled.

    "Good."

    The distance from the middle of the mountain to the tower wasn¡¯t far.

    Maria and Mira had walked this path together before. Lances'' teleportation magic didn''t directly land them at the tower. Mira didn¡¯t ask why; Lances wanted to give her more time to talk with Maria.

    Because once they reached the tower, there would be no way to avoid the magic dragon.

    This tower, and its former owner, had this kind of power.

    ¡°The Demon Dragon, Nathaniel.¡±

    Maria stopped in the open area in front of the tower. Just like when she arrived here half a year ago, the area was still filled with white bones, even more so than before.

    ¡°Do you live here now?¡± Maria asked Mira. ¡°What about Nathaniel?¡±

    ¡°He ran away.¡± Mira replied to Maria. ¡°This tower now belongs to Lances.¡± When she said this, her tone carried a hint of excitement.

    He went to the Demon Scar.

    Maria turned to look at Lances. She knew where the black dragon was.

    Just like in that world, the black dragon had been injured by an unknown entity and had to go to the other side of the Demon Scar. Over there, he killed many demons, absorbing their demon souls to replenish his power.

    This was also one of the reasons why that world had fallen into tragedy.

    No one knew how many demons the Demon Dragon had killed, but when he returned to this world, everything changed.

    Maria had not been able to kill the Demon Dragon Nathaniel.

    The natural forces of that world were on the brink of collapse with the breaking of the Blue Dragon Queen¡¯s heart scale, and the mental power, filled with despair, was unwilling to respond to the calls of the suffering people.

    Hope should not have been extinguished, but with every greedy act, it could no longer be gathered.

    With just courage alone, it was impossible to turn things around.

    Maria clenched her fist.

    What the heroes could do was always limited. Without the support of more people, it was impossible to change the future with only personal strength.

    Sometimes Maria selfishly thought, at least it was another world. The tragedy of that world hadn¡¯t yet played out in this real world, and they still had hope to change the future.

    She had to think that way.

    Maria suddenly turned around and hugged Mira.

    ¡°Thank you, Mira.¡± Maria closed her eyes.

    Mira was somewhat puzzled. She had done nothing. She could feel Maria¡¯s sadness. From being a princess to becoming a hero, Maria must have gone through a lot. Mira gently patted Maria¡¯s back.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright. Let¡¯s go inside first, and then you tell me what happened.¡±

    ¡°You have to tell me about what¡¯s inside the tower.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Mira smiled.

    Maria looked at her smile. She didn¡¯t want to recall the end of the other world.

    They would change that ending.

    This world¡¯s Mira had already made the most important choice.

    ¡°I¡¯ve turned this place into a kitchen,¡± Mira said as she led Maria, showing her around her current home.

    ¡°But my cooking skills aren¡¯t very good.¡± Mira made a bitter expression.

    Although she had been practicing lately, most of the time she still used magic to help her.

    Lances only ate meat, and Mira didn¡¯t mind her own cooking. But if she was hosting Maria and Sam, her skills weren¡¯t enough.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Maria glanced back at Sam.

    The sword saint glared at her.

    ¡°Sam¡¯s cooking is really good,¡± Maria whispered in Mira¡¯s ear, sharing a secret with her.

    Because Princess Maria was very picky, they had caused quite a bit of trouble when they first met a long time ago.

    The sword saint had a neutral expression. To solve the problem once and for all, he had taught himself, and his cooking skills were so good that he could retire from being a hero and open a restaurant in the food street.

    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±

    ¡°Leave dinner to him,¡± Maria flicked her fingers. Sam smirked at the signal but still walked toward the makeshift stove.

    ¡°There are no ingredients.¡±

    ¡°Go buy some in the village,¡± Maria furrowed her brows. ¡°There are traps on the road down the mountain, but Sword Saint should have no problem, right?¡±

    Mira showed a worried expression. Those traps were complex magic. Lances hadn¡¯t removed them.

    ¡°No problem.¡± Sam gritted his teeth.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s fine. Mira, let¡¯s go,¡± Maria smiled and tugged at Mira¡¯s side.

    Mira glanced between the two of them and led Maria toward her bedroom.

    They had a lot to talk about.

    Lances closed the door in his mind.

    He exchanged a look with Sam. Neither had a particularly good impression of the other, and there was no communication between them.

    The blue dragon wasn¡¯t kind enough to send him down the mountain.

    He nodded at Sam, signaling him to move freely around the tower. Normally, Lances didn¡¯t like outsiders in his tower, but for Mira¡¯s sake, letting him wander around wasn¡¯t a problem.

    Heroes couldn¡¯t use the complex magic inside the tower.

    The blue dragon turned to leave, intending to return to the meeting to continue searching for goblins.

    At the base of the tower, only Sam remained.

    Mira shared with Maria the events that had occurred since her arrival at the tower.

    She spoke of how she had saved Lance, how she had learned magic from him, and how together they had resolved the issues in the town. She also mentioned how she had meditated alongside Lance, and that he had given her a dragon scale.

    Mira took the scale from her neck and placed it in her palm to show Maria.

    "With this, I can cast all sorts of powerful spells. But Lance said that it¡¯s more important to understand the changes in nature to use magic, rather than relying too much on mediums."

    Maria didn¡¯t understand how wizards cast spells. She lowered her head and gazed at the dragon scale in Mira''s hand.

    "May I take a look at it?" Maria asked, requesting Mira''s permission.

    "Of course."

    Mira handed the scale to Maria.

    Maria lowered her head and observed the scale.

    The light blue scale shimmered with a faint purple glow, and it didn¡¯t appear to be from an adult dragon.

    In the projection of the real world, Maria had seen adult dragons more than once, whether they were red dragons, green dragons, brass dragons, or black dragons. Their scales were always dark. Red dragons had deep red-brown scales, while brass dragons had a metallic luster that was darker than earthy yellow.

    But the scale Mira held was light and bright. Only a juvenile dragon or the freshly shed scales of an adult giant dragon would look like this.

    Maria kept her head lowered, caressing the scale.

    Though she was not a spellcaster and could not sense the power within the scale, as the holder of a hero¡¯s soul, she could feel that the scale held the same power as the man with blue hair.

    In another world, she had learned many things that no one would have told her as a princess. Stories about the Demon Scar, the mission of the tower''s mages, the trials of the heroes, and the conflicts among the five-colored dragons.

    This world was completely different from what she had imagined. Under the protection of her father, the king, she was Princess Maria, but once she left the palace, she was nothing.

    That world had caused Mira great pain, and Maria originally did not want to share what she had learned from it, but it seemed that she couldn¡¯t avoid doing so.

    Maria looked at the scale in her hand.

    "It¡¯s a blue dragon¡¯s scale."

    She took Mira¡¯s hand and placed the scale back into her palm.

    "A blue dragon?" This was the first time Mira had heard this term.

    In Mira¡¯s mind, the image of a dragon was more aligned with the black dragon, Nathael, whom she had seen during the trials.

    "Yes," Maria organized her thoughts and quietly explained to Mira, "This world has five types of giant dragons. Red dragons, blue dragons, green dragons, brass dragons, and black dragons. The magic dragon that occupied the tower is a black dragon. Each of these five-colored dragons has special powers. Long ago, they lived together in the Sky City."The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "The Sky City exists above our world. I don¡¯t fully understand the connection, but it should be like a floating city. Only dragons who can fly could reach it, and from there, they observed the creatures below."

    "Besides the sky, the underground of this world is the domain of demons. Demons are naturally greedy and warlike. They left their own realm and entered ours."

    At that time, there was no magic in the world. People fought demons with swords. Other races had joined the fight, and compared to humans, they had some inherent special abilities. But in the eyes of demons, they were still not enough, not powerful enough.

    The demons'' flames burned the world, destroying countless families and lives.

    The dragons in the sky watched everything, indifferent.

    "Dragons are not creatures who readily give to others. They believe that the beings of the earth will eventually be replaced with time. This is a rule and the will of the supreme deities. Most of the dragons remained high above, though some chose to leave the Sky City."

    "But they treated everything as a game of saving the world. Eventually, most of the dragons left. Among the five-colored dragons, only the peaceful blue dragons chose to stay with their entire race."

    "They loved nature. The blue dragons discovered magic within nature and guided a group of spellcasters to use magic to fight the demons."

    "But the blue dragons did not meet a heroic end."

    "The demons were initially repelled by the six major races, but the blue dragons suffered heavy casualties during the battle. Their clan gathered their bodies and power to create the seal of the Demon Scar, trapping the demons in that world."

    "Many things happened afterward. The last message about the blue dragons came from a tower mage a thousand years ago. He stopped another demon offensive. His lover, the last blue dragon queen, chose to remain in the Demon Scar, forsaking her eternal life and using her heartscale to strengthen the seal. But without her heartscale, she soon passed away."

    "Since then, the blue dragons have been completely extinct." Maria¡¯s voice carried a sense of admiration.

    But that couldn¡¯t cover the sadness of the tale.

    Mira felt sorrowful. She lowered her head and looked at the scale in her palm. She remembered the few words Lance had shared about his mother, about the tower mage, and she felt like she understood something.

    Mira didn¡¯t plan to speak about it.

    "It¡¯s a very precious thing."

    "Yes, the legend says that blue dragons are the masters of magic," Maria said. "It suits you, Mira."

    Mira solemnly placed the scale back around her neck, her motions filled with more seriousness.

    "What about you?" she didn¡¯t want to continue this sorrowful topic.

    Maria also had her mission upon returning to this world.

    "What should we do about the bounty?"

    Maria was silent for a moment.

    "I don¡¯t want to kill him. He is not only the king of this world, he is also my father."

    "I have to return to the kingdom," Maria said seriously. "It¡¯s not too late. My father has never opened his eyes to see the kingdom he governs. I want to persuade him to see the state of this kingdom. At the very least, now that the black dragon isn¡¯t here, we don¡¯t need to keep retreating."

    "He hasn¡¯t yet turned into the demon dragon. Before the black dragon returns, we still have plenty of time to prepare."

    "The demon dragon?"

    "After Nathael absorbed the demon¡¯s power, he transformed into a demon dragon. He will bring disaster to this place. Both the human kingdoms and the natural world will suffer."

    "You¡¯re going to stop all of this from happening." Mira quickly understood Maria¡¯s current goal.

    "Yes." The once delicate princess had become a true hero, and now she was going to defend her kingdom as a princess.

    Mira hoped to fight alongside Maria. But her reason was not to save the world.

    The tower had once been a tower for heroes, and it should not continue to instill fear in people because of the black dragon.

    Mira hadn¡¯t known about the events that happened here before, but now she understood that the tower mages were not just a symbol of power; they also embodied a noble aspiration.

    There were so many beautiful worlds inside the tower, and it was nothing like the rumors from the outside world.

    It should not be tainted, nor should it become a symbol of evil and madness.

    Lance¡¯s mother deserved her honor.

    The blue dragon queen and the tower mages should be remembered.

    "I¡¯m going to be with you," Mira said, touching the scale, her determination to fight alongside Maria growing stronger.

    They had different reasons, but the same belief.

    "After the gathering, we¡¯ll head back to the capital," Maria told Mira the next steps.

    "Mira, you can come with us. If the mage agrees, you can join us."

    The human kingdom would be an important battlefield.

    In another world, Maria¡¯s father had been controlled by the demon dragon because of his cowardice, turning this place into a staging ground for the demons to enter the other side.

    The magic hub, which should have been humanity¡¯s defense, had instead become another weapon for the demon dragon due to its own greed.

    They had arrogantly created "her."

    Through beastly unions, they had obtained her power, producing more than a dozen tower mages.

    And it was because of this that "she" refused to respond to the prayers of the desperate beings, leading that world to destruction.

    Greed and cowardice had extinguished hope.

    The tragedy would not repeat.

    Lance still managed to find the goblin hidden among the dwarves.

    The green-skinned little goblin had used a peculiar magic to dye himself brown in order to blend in with the dwarves. While skin color could be changed, the features of his race could not be easily altered.

    Dwarves were generally stronger in build.

    Lance stood before the small goblin who was busy stealing ores.

    He did not revert to his human form.

    Instead, he used his dragon''s might to directly pressure the brown-skinned goblin.

    The goblin instantly trembled, mumbling continuously.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill me.¡±

    Lance narrowed his eyes. In his dragon form, his amber-colored pupils, characteristic of dragons, were shaped like a date pit.

    The goblin was shaking in fear under the weight of Lance''s presence.

    ¡°Take me to your goblin elder.¡±

    The brown-skinned goblin did not dare resist the dragon''s pressure.

    Although he didn¡¯t know why an adult dragon had suddenly appeared, he had no choice but to obey Lance¡¯s orders and led the blue dragon to the goblins'' current dwelling.

    Greedy and sly, the goblins had a business acumen that the dwarves lacked.

    With their help, many ores that had been sold cheaply regained their proper value. The goblins helped the dwarves make a large sum of money, which was then exchanged for food to brew fine wine. For the dwarves, this was a great contribution.

    Thus, the goblins had earned a small piece of territory for themselves in this vast underground labyrinth.

    The dwarves did not understand why the goblins had dyed their skin brown. But ever since they arrived, the goblins had stopped their usual greed and even willingly shared some tips on how to sell ores.

    Under the pressure of the dragon¡¯s might, the goblin led Lance toward their gathering place.

    The blue dragon used magic to conceal their figures. The dwarves, unable to use magic, couldn¡¯t detect their presence.

    The goblins resided deep within the underground labyrinth.

    As soon as Lance entered, he could feel the abundant magical energy.

    The goblins were also capable of casting spells through mediums. They were one of the first to create such mediums.

    The goblin elder was a powerful spellcaster. When he sensed the magic surge, he opened his eyes, and fear flashed in his murky pupils.

    They had hidden here for many years, but the events that had transpired still haunted them.

    So many of their kin had died, and they dared not take revenge or speak out. They had only been able to obtain protection from the dwarves through trade, hiding in the dark underground for many years.

    And now, it had found them.

    As soon as Lance appeared before the goblin elder, the little green-skinned goblin fell to his knees.

    After recognizing Lance¡¯s presence, a hint of surprise crossed the elder¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Is it really possible that a blue dragon still exists in this world?¡±

    Lance ignored him.

    He took a step forward.

    ¡°Great Lord of Magic, I know why you have come,¡± the goblin elder, the only one of his kind who did not hide his appearance, said. His skin remained the goblin green.

    This was the only remaining connection to his race. As for the other younger goblins, he had allowed them to paint themselves brown in order to survive.

    That was the sin of the previous generation, but these goblins born on dwarven territory were innocent.

    They were the real sinners of the world.

    ¡°What did the humans take from you?¡± Lance asked directly, cutting to the chase.

    The goblin¡¯s face changed instantly.

    He recalled the joy they had felt when they obtained that item, the excitement of using it to complete their experiments. Those moments were mixed with greed.

    He remembered the tragic scene when humans had attacked their kin with magic, and fear appeared in his eyes. For a moment, he forgot how to speak.

    The goblin elder kept bowing to Lance, trying to ease his guilt through this gesture.

    ¡°It was a Heart of the World,¡± his voice trembled. ¡°The Heart of the World.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We didn¡¯t mean to... we just wanted...¡± They had only wanted to use the Heart of the World to create the most powerful magical medium.

    They had planned each step of the experiment. It was at this moment that the humans had arrived, taking away their results and the Heart of the World before they could complete their experiments.

    No wonder.

    Lance took a step back, shock filling his eyes.

    No wonder Mira didn¡¯t have dreams. No wonder she could strengthen her magic with the blue dragon''s scale.

    There were many kinds of Hearts of the World, each one a manifestation of the world¡¯s power. Magic itself was a force derived from one of these natural powers.

    ¡°Which one?¡± Lance already had an answer, but he still asked the question.

    ¡°The power of thought and mind.¡±

    ¡°These were part of the dowry brought at the time.¡± Mira led Maria to a storage room in the tower.

    ¡°Probably all scavenged, right?¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡± The heavy taxes exchanged for the royal family''s pleasures. The princess''s dowry, the gold ingots inside the rings, all of these were such items.

    Mira decided to return these things to Maria, and let the princess send them back to their original place.

    Mira removed the ring from her finger, taking out the scroll and the gold coins obtained from selling the scroll. She then placed the dowry items in the ring¡¯s storage space.

    ¡°Take this with you.¡± Mira handed it to Maria. ¡°I don¡¯t need this money right now.¡±

    Maria didn¡¯t refuse. The king collected far more in taxes from the common people each year than the value of these items.

    ¡°The ones contributed to the Dragon King should be in the tower.¡± Mira said honestly. ¡°But these things now belong to Lance. I don¡¯t have the right to handle them for him. But I will talk to him about it.¡±

    Maria expressed her gratitude to Mira. The tower¡¯s master had no obligation to return these items, but if they could be retrieved, it would be a good thing for many people.

    She didn¡¯t know the mysterious mage named Lance, but based on Mira¡¯s words, he seemed like a good person.

    ¡°By the way,¡± Mira remembered something important when the topic of returning the items came up. ¡°Have you seen Ellin? How is he now?¡±

    ¡°Ellin?¡± Maria looked confused.

    ¡°He¡¯s a hero. Well, not quite yet. He¡¯s the owner of that sword.¡±

    Maria showed a look of understanding.

    ¡°He challenged Sam, and the wager was that sword.¡±

    ¡°He should have gone home by now, right? After Sam found out he ran away from home, he gave him a few harsh words. Sam has a sharp tongue. When I first met him, he was quite rude with his words.¡± Maria showed a hint of disdain. ¡°But he¡¯s a good person. Ellin, right? That kid, Ellin, wanted to apprentice under Sam. He said his father and brother were both heroes and died in the Dragon King¡¯s flames. He wants to avenge them. He also wants to prove to his mother and sister that he will become a powerful hero.¡±

    Maria shrugged. When she was still a princess, she would never have made such a gesture.

    ¡°There¡¯s indeed a certain bravery in heroes, not fearing sacrifice, but such sacrifice is meaningless. His talent is average, and now he¡¯s the pillar of his family. Sam doesn¡¯t want to take him on as an apprentice. There¡¯s more meaningful things he can do than dying on an adventure mission.¡±

    Maria reminisced about many friends she had made in another world. For various reasons, to protect their families and friends, they sacrificed themselves for a world that wasn¡¯t so beautiful.

    ¡°Still, he probably won¡¯t understand Sam and will keep trying to become a hero. But we can only say this much, the rest is his choice.¡±

    Mira also thought the same.

    They couldn¡¯t evaluate Ellin¡¯s choices and actions, but whatever decisions and actions he made, he would bear the consequences.

    ¡°I hope he doesn¡¯t encounter too dangerous tasks,¡± Mira said.

    Maria smiled. Only those who survived would truly understand the weight of every choice.

    Sam appeared before the two, interrupting their conversation.

    ¡°Time to eat.¡± He spoke gruffly.

    He had gone to a small town below the mountain, and the people there had made him feel very uncomfortable.

    In just a few words, he found out that the people in the town were all descendants or widows of heroes.

    Sam had seen enough heroes who weren¡¯t afraid to die in various battlefields or on adventure missions.

    He had seen many fearless heroes.

    Heroes were na?ve. Their sacrifices were like New Year¡¯s fireworks, short-lived. But the relatives and families they left behind would spend a lifetime healing from such pain.

    Gathering under the Dragon King¡¯s tower was completely meaningless.

    Sam¡¯s tone was rough.

    Maria pulled Mira aside.

    She could roughly guess the reason for his mood, but his temper was usually short-lived, because he was a typical hero.

    ¡°Eat, eat. Sam¡¯s cooking is really good.¡± Maria occasionally used the tone and mannerisms she had when she was still a princess. That feeling made Mira feel at ease.

    Because she hadn¡¯t completely abandoned the little princess she once was.

    Lance returned to the tower after dinner.

    He didn¡¯t look too good.

    Mira stood in the open space outside the tower, watching as the shadow of Lance walked toward her.

    He hadn¡¯t used teleportation. Instead, he had flown back in the form of a great dragon from the distant Moonshadow Valley.

    Lance''s emotions were complex. Upon learning that the goblins had lost the power of the mind, he had flown straight to the sky above the human magic hub. He wanted to burn these foolish, greedy human mages with his dragon¡¯s breath.

    Why had the ancestors of the blue dragons chosen to teach humans how to use magic? Why did his mother have to sacrifice her heart-protecting scales to guard these foolish and greedy beings?

    Lance couldn¡¯t understand. His anger almost overtook his reason, but he did nothing.

    He hated being a blue dragon. The peaceful choice was embedded in his bones, and despite circling around the magic hub several times, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to unleash a single breath of fire.

    Returning to the tower, Mira was exactly where he had expected, waiting outside.

    His gaze fixed on Mira, and his features softened.

    Mira spotted him too. She jumped up and waved, her arm swinging energetically. It was a noticeable gesture.

    She ran toward him, looking happy. Mira was always happy, even though her life wasn¡¯t easy, even though her very purpose for existence was to serve as a medium.

    She lived her life with great effort. Even though many reasons had forced her into the Dragon King¡¯s tower, she still tried hard to live.

    She wasn¡¯t perfect. Lance, knowing the laws of nature, understood that nothing in this world was perfect.

    She shone so brightly.

    Lance paused instinctively, opening his arms, waiting for what was to happen.

    Mira leaped toward him without hesitation, embracing him tightly.

    She knew he was a dragon, the last blue dragon, the witness to all magic in the world.

    Although curious about why a dragon could transform into a human, Mira decided not to pursue that question just yet.

    It was perfect that a dragon could take human form.

    She remembered the black dragon Nathaniel. During that trial, she had felt so small. That had been Nathaniel in his juvenile form.

    Lance was an adult dragon. How massive was he? Could he even see Mira at his feet?

    But he had turned into a human, a human¡¯s appearance, a human¡¯s height.

    He embraced her with human arms, and it felt just right.

    Lance lowered his head and gently hugged Mira. His arms instinctively tightened around her.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Mira buried her face in his chest and held him tightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She whispered, ¡°This is good. This is good.¡±

    ¡°Mira.¡± Lance¡¯s voice was soft. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± He knew he didn¡¯t look good, and he worried that Mira might be scared of him now. Or perhaps, he feared she would discover the true reason she had been created.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Mira responded. She was just saddened by some things from her past. She didn¡¯t like to mourn the past, but she couldn¡¯t help it at that moment.

    Mira looked up at Lance.

    The secrets within him were revealed. Mira had never seen him so clearly before.

    She wasn¡¯t afraid.

    Dragon and succubus, dragon and elf, dragon and dwarf¡ªnow there was dragon and human, or more accurately, dragon and mage.

    Mira smiled.

    She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, just as he had once gently touched her forehead.

    Mira understood the significance of a kiss. She wanted to convey a message to Lance in this way.

    Lance¡¯s pupils dilated in shock.

    He had been surprised by the fact that they were living together, and now, he was delighted by this light kiss.

    He froze.

    Mira found it amusing. In traditional understanding, dragons were considered incredibly powerful beings. Lance was a blue dragon, a master of magic. But now, he was silly, frozen in place, staring at her. There was nothing intelligent or wise about him at all.

    Mira thought of his lies. She wasn¡¯t unaware that he had been lying; his lies didn¡¯t even make sense, full of contradictions.

    Fool.

    Mira tilted her head.

    Fool.

    She dared not say it aloud, afraid Lance would realize that she had discovered his true identity.

    She had to keep it from him, just as he had kept it from her.

    Could Lance, this fool, guess that she already knew who he was?

    He certainly couldn¡¯t.

    Mira laughed. Lance didn¡¯t know what she was thinking.

    Her heart under the heart-protecting scales pounded, and her body temperature gradually rose.

    The dragon¡¯s mating season hadn¡¯t passed yet, and Lance was just suppressing his instincts.

    He looked down at Mira, and a sudden impulse arose within him.

    Magic enveloped their bodies. There were visitors on the lower floors of the tower, and this wasn¡¯t the right time for the current situation.

    Lance no longer cared. After all, Mira knew he was the master of the tower. With a flash, he instinctively took her to the top floor of the tower.

    That was the master¡¯s bedroom.

    An exotic scent filled the entire room in an instant. Mira¡¯s quick-thinking mind finally connected the scent to the fantasies she had read about.

    Previously, she had only guessed. She had felt that humans and dragons shared some common characteristics at certain moments.

    Now she had her answer.

    Lance was in a special phase. His previous high fever, illness, and exhaustion were all due to his efforts to suppress his instincts.

    Fool. Mira thought inwardly.

    The blue dragon held her, clumsily burying his head in her shoulder.

    Mira wasn¡¯t afraid anymore. She knew what was happening.

    The strange scent enveloped her, and Lance¡¯s body temperature surrounded her.

    She could hear his breathing, and she could feel her heartbeat quicken.

    His hand gently traced circles on Mira¡¯s back, again and again.

    Lance lowered his head, looking at Mira.

    In her eyes, his reflection stared back at him.

    This was the master¡¯s bedroom at the top of the tower, not the bottom floor, so no one would disturb them.

    He knew how to handle this special period. He had already tried everything the books had taught him, but none of it had worked.

    It still remained.

    But now, it was different. Mira was right in front of him.

    He leaned down, attempting to kiss her. Mira lightly touched his cheek, but Lance knew where to kiss.

    The books about dragons and succubi made it clear. Compared to what Mira had read, the texts about dragons and succubi were more informative.

    Lance knew what to do.

    He captured her lips with his, trying to trace her lips with his tongue. Mira seemed tense too, and she tried to respond to him, but her teeth hit Lance¡¯s lower lip.

    The blue dragon¡¯s eyes deepened.

    Mira tried to follow what was described in the books about dragons and elves, but she felt she had hurt Lance.

    She was frustrated.

    There was always an insurmountable gap between theory and practice.

    But she didn¡¯t give up. It was like practicing magic. The first time, the second time¡ªthere would always be accidents.

    Lance was the best spellcaster in the world, but that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t fail when he was learning.

    Soon, they mastered the technique through their trials.

    The blue dragon¡¯s strength made it easy for him to hold Mira. This was far more powerful than other spellcasters.

    Mira didn¡¯t need to exert any strength. She didn¡¯t even have to tilt her head back. Lance was considerate of everything, even pausing intentionally to give her a chance to breathe.

    ¡°Mira.¡± He whispered in her ear. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hold your breath. Try breathing normally. It¡¯s okay.¡±

    The air from his words brushed against Mira¡¯s ear, the warmth feeling like a soak in a hot spring.

    Mira shivered.

    She didn¡¯t want to look at Lance anymore. He was learning faster than she was. It wasn¡¯t fair.

    ¡°I got it.¡± She responded in a soft, dissatisfied tone.

    ¡°Try again.¡±

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± Mira didn¡¯t think trying again would change anything.

    Mira pushed Lance away. She adjusted her hair and dress.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to watch the sunrise with Maria.¡± She hurriedly said, then quickly used magic to teleport away.

    Lance turned to look out the window.

    It was pitch black outside.

    Sunrise? Sunrise was still far off.

 Chapter 46

    Mira was counting the treasures that had been offered by the Eastern Kingdom over the years in her room inside the high tower.

    Lance agreed that she could return the gold to its original owners. For the blue dragon, these treasures were nothing more than decorations piling up in the tower¡¯s vault, but for others, they held a different significance.

    When discussing the treasures, Lance seemed quite generous. However, when the topic shifted to the livestock from the upper realms of the library, his expression grew strange.

    Mira knew what he was thinking.

    Lance didn''t realize that she knew he was a dragon.

    Lance didn''t want to return the livestock. Treasures might not matter much to him, but the livestock were his daily food. Without them, he would have to hunt in the forest.

    Mira had taken that into consideration. She had used the eight hundred gold coins earned from selling low-quality scrolls to ask Maria for help in purchasing the livestock offered by the herders.

    Maria, without asking anything, had silently agreed to the request.

    On the day they left the high tower to head for the Eastern Kingdom, a light rain fell on the mountain.

    The rain wasn¡¯t heavy, but it was enough to create puddles along the path as they descended.

    When Mira and Maria were together, it felt like they could talk endlessly, leaving Lance and Sam to follow behind them.

    The blue dragon didn¡¯t understand. As a powerful dragon, he could have used teleportation magic to take all four of them to the royal city, but Mira and Maria both refused the suggestion.

    They insisted on walking to the royal city, even if it meant wasting a lot of time. Mira and Maria had chosen this path.

    On the first night of the journey, they stayed at an inn in a small town.

    Sam handed Mira a key.

    "Just one?" Mira stared at the key in her hand.

    "Aren¡¯t you two living together?" Sam gave her a glance. He didn''t have time to understand Mira¡¯s emotions. After handing over the key, he left the inn.

    Lance walked in shortly after.

    He had used magic to return to the high tower to handle the food issue. That night, the four of them tried the local specialties for dinner, but for Lance, the food was a bit too little.

    Mira looked at Lance, squeezing the key in her hand. Her expression turned strange, and she quietly glanced at him before shifting her gaze elsewhere.

    She remembered the excuse she hastily found earlier. She had said she was watching the sunrise with Maria, but it was barely dusk at that point.

    She had wandered around the tower, and that fool Lance never tried to find her.

    "Only one room," Mira whispered to Lance, cautiously glancing up at him.

    He could understand what she was saying, right? He could, right?

    Lance¡¯s expression remained unchanged.

    He gave a simple acknowledgment, and then there was no further conversation.

    "Do you want to look at the room with me?" Mira didn¡¯t quite understand why she felt happy. Though their last time together in one room had ended with her running away, this time would definitely be different. She was determined not to run away.

    Lance reached out and took Mira''s hand.

    "Aren¡¯t we looking at the room?" The blue dragon''s gaze fixed on Mira, gently shaking her arm.

    Mira smiled and led Lance up the stairs to the second floor of the inn.

    This feeling was so strange.

    Mira focused on her feet, watching the steps disappear one by one.

    Lance followed behind her at an arm''s length¡ªclose enough to feel, but still a little distant.

    Mira swore that when she had the key, she didn¡¯t think anything strange. She only felt an inexplicable anticipation and joy.

    She wondered what Lance was thinking. He seemed rather slow on the uptake.

    Mira sighed.

    The sigh didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Lance, who turned to look at the girl beside him. She seemed to have something on her mind.

    Lance recalled what the goblin elder had said.

    The magic hub had taken away the method of refining the World Heart¡¯s power from the goblins, and the goblin tribe''s World Heart corresponded to thoughts and the mind.

    Mira¡¯s personality made her love to imagine, and the power of the mind came with imagination.

    In the brief time they walked up the stairs, Lance had reason to believe that Mira had once again created a beautiful world in her mind.

    But right now, it seemed that this world was causing her a little trouble.

    Mira stopped in front of the only room. She took out the key and opened the door.

    It was slightly different from what she had imagined.

    It was a room, but it had two beds.

    Mira furrowed her brow. This small shift in emotion didn''t escape Lance¡¯s notice.

    Lance knew exactly what she was thinking.

    He showed an expression of helplessness.

    The special situation still hadn¡¯t been resolved well. Most of the time, Lance didn¡¯t want to be alone in a room with Mira.

    She was still very young; it wasn¡¯t the right time.

    "Do you want the bed by the window, or the one by the wall?" Lance asked Mira.

    Mira suppressed her emotions and said, ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected that the room would have two beds.

    The emotions she had been brewing as they climbed the stairs disappeared in an instant.

    Mira sat down on the chair beside the bed.

    She needed to do something to distract herself from the present situation.

    Mira thought of her ring, and the gold ingots inside.

    Now she was back to being broke Mira.

    However, the brief meeting had not only reunited Mira and Maria but had also given her a good idea.

    The high tower¡¯s storage room was filled with a whole room of blank scrolls. These scrolls were of no use to Lance.

    She couldn¡¯t think about the two beds in one room right now. She needed to find a way to make money.

    "Lance," Mira said, her tone turning serious again.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Lance thought she was finally deciding on a bed.

    Mira¡¯s next words were once again unexpected.

    "Let¡¯s make a deal."

    Lance was stunned for a moment before realizing she meant business.

    "What deal?"

    Mira thought for a moment and then asked him, "Do those scrolls have a cost price?"

    "Scrolls?" Lance realized she was talking about the blank scrolls in the high tower. Those were left by the original master of the tower.

    The blue dragon had no concept of money and couldn¡¯t provide an accurate valuation for Mira.

    "Those are enchanted parchment scrolls," Lance said. In the time of the tower¡¯s magicians, paper wasn¡¯t as widespread as it was now, and magical items were often recorded on parchment scrolls.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    To bear magic, regular parchment wasn¡¯t enough, so enchanted parchment scrolls were created.

    Though they were called parchment scrolls, the materials didn¡¯t have to be sheep hide. Leather from cows, sheep, and goats was primarily used to make parchment scrolls. Scrolls that carried magic required stricter standards than those used for ordinary writing. So not every parchment scroll could become a magical scroll.

    Lance briefly explained the process of making parchment scrolls to Mira. Although he didn¡¯t mention a specific price, hearing about the intricate process, the strict standards, and the complex craftsmanship, along with the magic required, made Mira feel that these scrolls must have been very expensive.

    And she had casually sold these expensive scrolls, still with magic written on them, for five metals apiece.

    The idea of doing business flickered in Mira¡¯s mind twice before almost disappearing completely.

    "But fortunately," Lance continued, "although these scrolls are troublesome to make, blue dragons don¡¯t need to handcraft them like humans do. We have powerful magic. And the materials¡ªcows, goats, or sheep¡ªare food for us. My mother is picky and doesn¡¯t like the tough leather, but it¡¯s all thrown away anyway."

    Making the scrolls out of those materials was a secondary use.

    "Anyway, they¡¯re just sitting in the storage room with no other use," Lance said, looking at Mira, knowing she had come up with a new idea.

    His words reignited Mira¡¯s business idea.

    Her plan was quite simple.

    Lance needed enough cows and goats for food, but without the human kingdom''s offerings, the livestock from the ranch wouldn¡¯t last long.

    Mira had considered letting them breed. But the animals'' growth cycles couldn¡¯t be ignored, and sooner or later, Lance would run out of food.

    She needed more cows and goats, planning their breeding periods carefully to ensure a steady supply of food for Lance.

    After all, it was her idea to return the money to their rightful owners. This wasn¡¯t Lance¡¯s responsibility; she wanted him to do it.

    Mira knew her idea wasn¡¯t fully fleshed out. To make it work, she would need systematic knowledge of farming and a lot of money.

    The good news was that because of magic, the high tower had endless grass. She didn¡¯t need to worry about food.

    Lance had said that leather could be used to make scrolls, and cows would produce milk. These were all derived wealth.

    Lance would get food, leather could be used to make scrolls, the scrolls could be sold for money, and the money could support their daily lives and buy more livestock for the ranch.

    In Mira¡¯s mind, this idea was perfect.

    However, it would be difficult to implement.

    But Mira was confident about the future. With the help of magic, she would gain more convenience.

    Mira didn¡¯t share why she wanted to do business with Lance. He still didn¡¯t know he had been exposed.

    Mira was already envisioning. Magic scrolls were in high demand. As long as she could produce enough, she could sell them through the information traders in Hero¡¯s Town.

    The lack of mediums provided a very good opportunity for her.

    Mira could already see tons of gold coins beckoning to her.

    The blue dragon watched the girl so close to him. He didn¡¯t know what she had thought of this time, but her smile was full of joy, and the curve of her eyes and upward tilt of her lips clearly conveyed her happiness.

    Lance couldn¡¯t hold back.

    He bent down and gently kissed the corner of her lips.

    Mira snapped back from her fantasy world to reality, her eyes wide in surprise and mixed with joy as she looked at Lance.

    "What are you thinking? So happy." Lance laughed.

    "Secret," Mira winked at him.

    Lance raised an eyebrow.

    "You¡¯ll know in the future," Mira thought the idea that had suddenly appeared in her mind seemed highly feasible. She needed to further work out the details.

    The most important thing now was that she needed a lot of start-up capital.

    There were still plenty of treasures in the high tower, but Mira wanted to try it herself.

    She stood up to study.

    In a short time, it seemed like she had thought of many things Lance didn¡¯t know. She was now holding a book on magical scrolls, wanting to catch up on the lessons Lance had missed during his illness.

    Mira didn¡¯t know when the shortage of mediums would end. This period would be the best time to sell scrolls.

    She had to write as many scrolls as possible during this time. It would help her practice and earn money.

    Magic was truly the greatest thing in this world.

    Her thoughts paused for a moment, and Lanster is second to magic.

    Mira worked late into the night at the simple wooden table in the inn.

    She hadn''t brought many blank scrolls with her. Mira returned the gem ring to Maria and now carried a backpack containing a few changes of clothes, two books, and several scrolls.

    When they returned to the tower in a while, she would need to find some suitable materials to try and create another spatial storage ring for herself.

    Lance was already lying on the bed. Since Mira hadn¡¯t chosen a bed, he had left the one near the window for her.

    The blue dragon lay on the bed, and being in the same room with Mira made certain feelings stir inside him.

    He got up and walked to the window, opening it in an attempt to let the fresh air carry away the lingering scent in the room.

    Lance quietly watched Mira as she drew magic on the scroll.

    In terms of spellcasting, Mira certainly had a unique talent. Her control over magic was exquisite, a skill typically attributed to innate talent.

    Lance wasn¡¯t sure what kind of experiments the goblins had conducted to imbue the power of the Heart of the World into ordinary creatures, but it was evident that such experiments would have been cruel and inhumane.

    Lance loved magic, but he preferred magic that was born from nature, not this twisted form.

    His gaze fell on Mira.

    She was intently focused, looking down. He wondered what she was thinking.

    The blue dragon silently smiled and walked over, approaching Mira from behind.

    ¡°Mira,¡± his deep voice had a slightly ambiguous tone. Mira lifted her head, feeling the weight on her shoulder.

    Was Lance... acting cute?

    She was startled by the thought that suddenly appeared in her mind, but it seemed to be the truth.

    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡± Mira stammered, realizing her voice was trembling.

    ¡°It¡¯s late. You should rest,¡± Lance¡¯s voice came from beside her neck, with a muffled tone.

    Mira blinked. She looked down at her scroll. It was already finished.

    There seemed to be no reason to refuse Lance¡¯s suggestion.

    She lifted her head and nodded, a little dazed.

    Lance picked her up. The weight of a human girl was nothing for the giant dragon.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the other bed,¡± Mira quickly told Lance her unmade decision. But her answer came too late.

    ¡°Do you want to take a bath?¡± Lance asked.

    He knew Mira was a clean girl, but the conditions in the small inn weren¡¯t good. If she wanted to bathe, he would take her back to the tower.

    ¡°No, no need,¡± Mira refused decisively.

    Let her be dirty for the night! After all, they had played in the mud together, so what was the point of bathing now? Talking about it seemed... well, inappropriate.

    Mira lowered her head, trying to ignore the awkwardness.

    Lance placed her on the bed and didn¡¯t do anything else. He circled around to the other side and lay back down.

    A single bed was fine for an adult, but with another person, it felt a bit cramped.

    Mira and Lance were close, the strange scent surrounding her.

    This was proof that the dragon liked her. Mira recalled the words from fantasy literature. At times like this, she both anticipated and feared the moment¡ªsuch a complex emotion.

    But lying in Lance''s embrace, she felt a sense of security.

    ¡°You smell so nice,¡± Mira buried herself in Lance¡¯s arms, reaching under him to wrap her arms around him completely.

    Even through the clothes, Lance could still feel Mira¡¯s body temperature and could sense his own rising.

    Mira closed her eyes, trying not to think of strange things, but as her sense of security grew, more strange feelings started to overwhelm her.

    Mira tried to move around on him.

    Lance was different from ordinary mages. He was a dragon, and even in human form, his muscles were solid.

    The soft touch of Mira''s body felt nothing like it.

    Mira couldn¡¯t resist touching him a few more times.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make trouble,¡± Lance only wanted to hold Mira, but it was clear she had developed some strange ideas.

    ¡°No!¡± Mira nervously denied.

    The dragon opened his eyes and smiled as he kissed her forehead.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡±

    Scared? Mira smirked.

    She had already kissed a dragon; what was there to be afraid of?

    But still, she nervously pulled back her hand a little.

    The road from the magic dragon¡¯s tower to the royal city was a road that had witnessed the coldness and warmth of the world.

    At first, Mira didn¡¯t quite understand why Maria insisted on walking to the royal city instead of taking a more convenient route.

    But as their journey drew closer to the end, Mira felt like she could understand Maria¡¯s feelings.

    Maria had once been the beloved princess of the kingdom. Her father adored her, and from childhood, everything she had was the best this world could offer.

    But one day, she left her father, only to learn from others a completely different version of him.

    Maria must have been heartbroken.

    Even though she had spent a long time in another world, it must have been difficult for her to return here.

    She had to walk this road herself, perhaps to face with her own eyes the imperfect side of her father.

    Mira couldn¡¯t fully relate to her feelings. She had never been spoiled by her father. But Mira could feel a little of what Maria might be going through, because when she learned that Carl wasn¡¯t the person she had imagined, Mira also found it hard to accept that truth.

    The chattering journey gradually grew silent, and more often, Maria would be cleaning her weapon¡ªthe heavy sword that had accompanied her for a long time.

    It was Maria¡¯s favorite weapon.

    Mira didn¡¯t want to see her use that sword against her father. She silently prayed that things would turn out for the better.

    Mira didn¡¯t believe in gods, and often, she didn¡¯t know who she was praying to. It was just a wish, a hope that things might improve.

    There was no need for a drastic change overnight. Even if things only improved a little compared to the worst outcome, it would be a difficult achievement.

    Sam and Maria occasionally sparred. Perhaps this was one way for her to release her emotions.

    During these times, Mira would become the best spectator.

    Maria had changed a lot.

    Her moves were sharp, and the heavy sword had become an extension of her arm. Each slash and block was executed perfectly, every move exuding grace.

    At night, Mira curled up in Lance¡¯s arms, enjoying the pleasant scent of him.

    ¡°Maria is really amazing,¡± she murmured softly, imagining herself wielding a heavy sword.

    Mira couldn¡¯t quite imagine what she would look like holding a sword. She didn¡¯t seem suited for swinging blades or wielding weapons. But if it was about casting magic, she would appear unusually composed.

    Everyone had their own strengths. Mira had told Ina this once, and now she was even more convinced¡ªshe was born for magic!

    Thinking of this, Mira couldn¡¯t help but laugh softly.

    Lance didn¡¯t know what world she was imagining. But in any case, Mira always found joy in her own world.

    She didn¡¯t dream. Perhaps she didn¡¯t need to. The happy things for her happened in every second of wakefulness.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s not as great as you,¡± Lance shared his feelings.

    He didn¡¯t quite understand the friendship between human girls, but whether in his form as the magic-wielding blue dragon or in his human shape, Lance preferred Mira¡ªquirky, with countless strange ideas.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that great,¡± Mira said with a laugh, pinching his cheek. ¡°Come on, say something nice to make me happy.¡± She was clearly quite happy right now.

    Lance chuckled softly.

    ¡°You¡¯re the greatest mage in this world,¡± he told her.

    Mira didn¡¯t believe it. She did have some skill, but she was far from being the greatest mage in the world.

    She hummed in mock dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Not sincere at all.¡±

    Lance laughed and rubbed the top of her head.

    ¡°What would make it sincere?¡±

    ¡°Just tell me how long it will take for me to surpass you.¡±

    The blue dragon playfully winked.

    ¡°Twenty years?¡± After all, his strength was innate, and Mira would need a long time to catch up with him through learning.

    Mira bit her lip and glanced at the dragon.

    She squinted her eyes. Suddenly, those strange thoughts were reignited in her mind.

    It might take a long time for her to catch up with Lance. But one thing might be achievable sooner.

    In many stories, Mira had heard of dragon slayers, dragon fighters, and dragon knights, but she had never heard of dragon mages.

    To surpass a blue dragon in magic would mean bridging the gap between species. But to surpass a blue dragon in other aspects only required the effort to become a mage capable of standing on the dragon¡¯s back.

    It sounded pretty cool.

    ¡°Lance,¡± Mira suddenly called his name, staring at him seriously. ¡°I¡¯m curious about something.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Can a dragon carry a person and fly?¡±

 Chapter 47

    For a moment, the blue dragon¡¯s expression was one of panic.

    Mira was sure she hadn¡¯t imagined it, but she still forced a smile, looking at Lance with curious eyes as if the thought hadn''t been intentional, but rather because a strange idea had suddenly appeared in her mind.

    The blue dragon also thought that was the case.

    He carefully considered the feasibility of Mira''s words.

    Lance had never carried anyone before. As a dragon, while soaring in the air, he never considered whether there was anyone else on his back. If that were the case, the priority wouldn''t be flying as freely as possible, but rather flying steadily.

    ¡°A dragon can carry a person,¡± Lance answered Mira. After a moment of thought, he added, ¡°For a dragon, it¡¯s not difficult, but riding a dragon, the challenge is for the person sitting on the dragon''s back.¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    Lance looked at Mira and softly said, ¡°The back of a dragon is not comfortable, Mira. You can imagine, dragons have hard scales, and there are no handrails on a dragon''s back. A dragon rider has to maintain balance themselves, but dragons don¡¯t always fly normally. They suddenly rise, they dive, and if the weather is bad, they¡¯ll break through the clouds and fly higher into the sky. That place is very cold, and there¡¯s no air.¡±

    Mira looked surprised; this was something she had never considered.

    ¡°It sounds dangerous,¡± Mira said.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Lance spoke honestly, but he hoped to dispel this strange idea from Mira''s mind.

    It was fine now. She didn¡¯t know she was a dragon. If one day she found out and wanted to ride a dragon to greater heights,

    it would be hard for him to refuse.

    Mira wasn¡¯t too concerned about the issues Lance had raised. As a mage, she studied magic to solve problems.

    No air, coldness, the lack of something to hold onto on the dragon''s back¡ªthese could all be solved with magic.

    The key thing was courage. During the ascent or dive of the dragon, one must not show any fear.

    That was the real challenge Mira saw in wanting to ride a dragon.

    Lance knew Mira was imagining how to ride a dragon, but she had only seen Nathaniel''s dragon form.

    Lance¡¯s expression turned serious as he pulled Mira into his arms.

    ¡°Time to sleep.¡± He didn¡¯t want Mira thinking about that fickle black dragon. Nathaniel¡¯s scales were harder than those of a blue dragon, and his back had bone spurs growing from it, making it even less suitable for riding.

    Mira nuzzled against Lance¡¯s chest.

    What kind of dragon did the blue dragon look like? She tried to replace the image of Nathaniel with blue scales in her mind.

    When the fierce, irritable giant dragon was turned blue in Mira''s imagination, it resulted in a strangely indescribable image.

    Mira gave up on picturing Lance¡¯s form.

    She snuggled closer to him, reasoning that it shouldn''t look bad; Lance''s human form was quite handsome. His dragon form should be the same, right?

    The princess who had been missing for half a year had returned to the royal city once again.

    When this news was conveyed to the king by the palace guards, the white-haired old man, who resembled a dead tree, was once again filled with vitality.

    Maria walked up the steps leading to the royal audience hall, step by step, with Mira following her.

    Her expression was serious.

    When she looked up and saw the white-haired old man, Mira noticed her serious expression fading, replaced by an indescribable emotional expression.

    Mira followed Maria''s gaze toward the king.

    In just half a year, he seemed to have aged thirty years.

    Mira remembered the first time she had seen the king. He had been a middle-aged man with a face full of anxiety, wearing a golden crown, and his black hair shone beneath it.

    At that time, he had been worried about finding a replacement for his daughter, and naturally, his face had been full of worry. But he did not seem old.

    The king was thirty-nine this year, still in the prime of life, and he should not have aged so much.

    But now, his hair had become mottled, with strands of gray mixed in with the white, and his movements had lost their former authority; every action seemed to take great effort.

    Maria ran a few steps and rushed toward the king.

    Mira stopped in place, and Lance stood beside her.

    He was not a good king. During their journey, Mira had seen many refugees, people who had fled their homes due to disaster, unable to pay taxes, and forced to escape in poverty.

    Some of them had even sold their children for a morsel of food.

    Because the king was a bad king.

    But at this moment, Mira could not bring herself to criticize him.

    She fell silent, though her thoughts didn¡¯t stop.

    The blue dragon sensed the magic flowing through Mira, and he knew it was her power.

    Mira and Lance settled in the royal palace.

    The king was overjoyed that his daughter had returned to the palace, and in the next three days, he planned to hold a feast for everyone in the city.

    Delicious food and wine, countless gifts, and song and dance¡ªhe wanted to share his joy with everyone in the royal city.

    The kingdom¡¯s princess had returned to her home.

    He ordered the slaughter of cattle and sheep to feast his guests. The entire palace was bustling with preparations for Princess Maria¡¯s return.

    Maria shed her hero¡¯s attire and changed into the beautiful and exquisite puffed dress that Mira had first seen her wearing.

    Maria¡¯s hair had been cut short, her skin had darkened, and the expression in her eyes was no longer the carefree happiness it once was.

    She was no longer the worry-free princess she had once been.

    The king also rewarded Mira and Maria with many jewels. He didn¡¯t ask her how she had escaped from the magic dragon¡¯s tower or why Maria had returned to the palace with Mira. To him, as long as Maria was back, nothing else mattered.

    But the princess did not think so.

    Mira knew they had had a fierce argument. She didn¡¯t know the exact cause, but it wasn¡¯t hard to guess.

    At the feast, a long table full of delicacies was placed before Mira. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to eat.

    Lance had no such worries. He and Sam were the two most indifferent people at the feast.

    Sam hid in a corner eating a chicken leg, while Lance was in a better state. He sat at his seat, still eating, but even with his slow, graceful demeanor, he managed to eat five times more food than Sam.

    Mira didn¡¯t know how many cattle and sheep the king had ordered to be slaughtered, but enough to feed a giant dragon, yet the banquet table was still full of food.

    ¡°Mira,¡± Lance said, pushing a plate of food in front of her, ¡°eat something.¡±

    Mira looked up.

    She was a little sad that she couldn¡¯t eat. How could this blue dragon still eat like that?

    Lance seemed to understand what she was thinking.

    He lowered his head, patiently using a knife and fork to cut the food on the plate into smaller pieces.

    ¡°A lot of things will happen in this world,¡± Lance said in a calm tone, as a dragon, he was an observer of human life.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Even though he didn¡¯t enjoy interacting with humans, in his past experiences, he couldn¡¯t completely separate himself from their society.

    ¡°But nothing is more important than eating and sleeping.¡± He offered Mira several different dishes.

    The palace¡¯s cooks were quite skilled. The blue dragon carefully selected meats he thought Mira would enjoy. Knowing that human girls needed a balanced diet, he also included some vegetables and risotto.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Mira didn¡¯t know how to counter Lance.

    ¡°You need to eat well before you can face what comes next,¡± Lance said, pushing the cut food toward Mira. ¡°Once you¡¯re full, you¡¯ll find that many things aren¡¯t as difficult as you imagined.¡±

    The blue dragon¡¯s wisdom was ancient. When the dragon clan was born, there were no mortals in this world. The ancestors of the blue dragons had observed the emergence of humans from their sky city, watching their lives for thousands of years. In the beginning, humans who lived in caves only concerned themselves with the simple need to find enough food to survive.

    Now, they had many more problems to solve, problems of various kinds, hidden beneath many layers of complexity. But the most important thing remained how to safely find enough to eat.

    Lance handed Mira a fork and poured her a full glass of juice.

    Mira took the fork.

    The blue dragon¡¯s wisdom was ancient, even though they were the smartest and most magical of all dragons, they still possessed the oldest wisdom in the world.

    Mira felt sorrow for Maria and her king father¡¯s situation, and for the displaced people.

    But sorrow would solve nothing.

    Lance was right.

    Mira picked up a piece of food and put it into her mouth. Soon, her eyes brightened. Lance looked at her, and Mira smiled at him.

    ¡°The palace cooks are really good,¡± she whispered to him.

    Mira agreed with him; their skills were far better than hers.

    "Uncle."

    The problems Maria faced were not just the argument with her father; she also had enemies who were eyeing the throne.

    Her father had no male heirs, and the only child he had was Princess Maria. After him, she was the sole heir to the throne.

    But she had an uncle.

    Duke Bona, the current king''s younger brother, ruled over the western part of the kingdom, which was widely considered to be the wealthiest region in the entire kingdom.

    The current eastern kingdom still maintained its position mainly due to Duke Bona¡¯s influence.

    It was he who, long ago, had invited Master Karl of the Magic Hub to act as a mediator between the human kingdom and the magic dragons.

    In the years that followed, it was also him who had continually suggested that the cowardly and indecisive king offer financial tribute to the magic dragons in exchange for the kingdom''s safety.

    However, in recent years, he had changed his stance, advocating for war against the magic dragons to reclaim everything that had been lost.

    But the king rejected the heroes Bona had recommended, as well as his proposal for war.

    Now, within the eastern kingdom, there were many people who hoped that Duke Bona would replace the current king. They believed he should be the true ruler of the kingdom.

    If Maria had not spent ten years away from the palace, she would have naively thought that Duke Bona genuinely wanted to improve the kingdom.

    But when it came to royal power, greed was the eternal theme.

    Duke Bona had indeed gained control of the kingdom in that world, but it was also because of him that the eastern kingdom became the stepping stone for demons to enter the human world.

    Maria greeted her uncle with a smile, but her words were full of testing and caution.

    Lance¡¯s gaze shifted the moment it landed on Duke Bona. He narrowed his eyes, unleashing the full power of his dragon sight.

    It seemed the duke also sensed this gaze.

    He turned around and, amidst the crowd at the banquet, their eyes met.

    He furrowed his brows but smiled.

    "Excuse me for a moment, my dear niece," Duke Bona said with a smile. "I¡¯ve just run into an old friend."

    ¡°Nathaniel.¡±

    Lance turned around and looked at the tall figure slowly walking into the garden.

    It was Duke Bona, or rather, Nathaniel, the black dragon disguised as a human.

    The black dragon wouldn''t use magic, and by taking on this appearance, it was clear that he had killed the duke and donned his skin.

    The man smiled naturally, his expression gentle as he took slow steps towards Lance, his every movement exuding an almost evil elegance.

    ¡°My brother.¡± Nathaniel laughed, ¡°I was surprised when I felt some strange energy as I stepped into the palace. I didn''t expect we would meet here.¡± His gaze shifted away from Lance. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you''d actually come out of that dilapidated house. How rare.¡±

    Lance''s expression remained unchanged. His eyes were locked on Nathaniel. The blue dragon had no idea what Nathaniel¡¯s purpose was in disguising himself as a human.

    Nathaniel drew closer. As he approached, Lance could smell a pungent scent¡ªa scent from the Demon Scar.

    ¡°Lance, I don¡¯t care why you left that crumbling tower. But now, don¡¯t spoil my plans,¡± Nathaniel¡¯s voice was low, filled with menace.

    ¡°What are you doing on the other side of the Demon Scar?¡± Lance asked.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your magic...¡± Nathaniel¡¯s eyes flashed with resentment, but the venomous look quickly faded, replaced by a cheerful expression.

    He took a few steps back, laughing.

    ¡°I know why you left the tower now.¡±

    ¡°I remember the agreement. The king promised to give the eighteen-year-old princess to the dragon as a bride. After I left the tower, you became the ¡®dragon.¡¯ Looks like you''ve taken my woman?¡±

    Lance furrowed his brows.

    ¡°Princess Maria.¡± He smiled, ¡°The na?ve little princess suits you well.¡±

    Lance didn¡¯t want to talk about Maria or Mira with Nathaniel.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Lance asked, stepping closer to Nathaniel. ¡°Anything to do with the Demon Scar, I won¡¯t let you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can you stop me?¡± Nathaniel laughed. ¡°Thank you, Lance. If it weren¡¯t for you, I might never have experienced this power.¡±

    As his words fell, the surrounding air seemed to go still. The shadows rushing through the palace slowed, becoming rigid and unchanging. Countless sounds began to revive from the silence.

    ¡°Disgusting old man.¡±

    ¡°Why are there so many alive?¡±

    ¡°Damn head maid. I just rested for a minute, and she made me clean the toilet. No wonder she¡¯s an old woman no man wants.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Princess Maria die outside?¡±

    ¡°Closing the deal. Made a fortune this time.¡±

    ¡°If I could spend one night with that noble, I could be a master served by others in the future.¡±

    ¡°Next time, next time, I¡¯ll make my money back!¡±

    Various voices, murmurs filled the air, pressing in on Lance, like a swarm of ants.

    ¡°Human greed and foolishness.¡± Nathaniel whispered in Lance¡¯s ear. His black eyes filled with deep contempt and disdain. ¡°They only think about how to get something for nothing, how to gain more wealth, more power. Sometimes, I really think Cecilia¡¯s sacrifice was so foolish, to protect such a race by giving up her heart-scaled armor.¡±

    Cecilia was Lance''s mother, the previous queen of the blue dragons.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let me hear you speak her name.¡± Lance''s expression darkened instantly.

    Nathaniel, however, wore a mocking smile.

    ¡°Oh. Almost forgot. You¡¯re Lance. The infamous ¡®mama¡¯s boy¡¯ among the dragon clan.¡± He stepped back, his real form hidden under the human disguise, but the sarcasm in his eyes couldn¡¯t be hidden.

    ¡°Go back to your tower,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere with my affairs. The tower is yours if you want it. If you like that human girl, take her with you and don¡¯t let her disturb my plans.¡±

    Nathaniel withdrew his magic.

    ¡°The arrival of the demons is unavoidable.¡± His figure gradually faded, completely vanishing before Lance.

    Lance was gone.

    Mira was surprised to realize that the blue dragon, who had been by her side just moments ago, had disappeared.

    Where had he gone?

    Mira searched around the banquet hall, but she couldn''t find Lance anywhere.

    Maria walked up to her.

    "What''s wrong? Mira?"

    "Lance is missing," Mira said, mentioning it to Maria. "So, how did your conversation with your father go?"

    Maria shook her head.

    "He didn¡¯t listen to a word I said." A flash of sadness crossed the princess¡¯s eyes. "It¡¯s as though he¡¯s gone mad. He doesn¡¯t believe, nor does he care about the things we¡¯ve seen. Whether the people are alive or dead, starving or freezing, he doesn¡¯t care at all. He even wants to take me on a tour." Maria sighed. "My uncle, Duke Bona, is also here. He wants me to convince my father to send troops to fight the dragons, otherwise, he might not be able to remain king."

    Maria showed a troubled expression. "I¡¯d rather solve this peacefully." She lowered her head.

    In another world, she had seen the consequences of war. Demons would seize the opportunity to possess the bodies of those tormented by the war, causing even more bloody slaughter.

    Demons were aimless beings, or rather, their only purpose was to bring about destruction¡ªdestroying everything in their sight.

    ¡°We will find a way,¡± Mira reassured Maria.

    ¡°I know.¡± Maria had considered other ideas.

    ¡°Uncle Bona suggested I convince my father to abdicate.¡± She raised her head. ¡°His reasons are quite convincing, but¡­¡± Maria shook her head, her hand resting on her chest. ¡°I feel uneasy.¡±

    If Lance were here, he would surely be able to tell that this was a sign from the Hero¡¯s Soul. The human Duke Bona was already dead, and now the body was occupied by Nathaniel, the black dragon.

    The dragon¡¯s current goal was no longer to take the tower. During his recovery, he had gone to the other side of the Demon Scar.

    ¡°You could convince your father, maybe you could become king,¡± Mira offered, suggesting something bold.

    The black dragon had become nothing but a lie.

    There was no dragon in the tower. Starting a war over this was foolish. Mira thought they should have many ways to resolve the situation now.

    Lance would even be willing to return the treasures from the tower. Why start a war?

    Humans didn¡¯t know that the dragon was no longer in the tower. Would revealing this information stop the war? Mira wasn¡¯t sure. She hadn¡¯t experienced such a thing before and hadn¡¯t thought it through completely.

    ¡°Maria, maybe you should consult some more experienced people.¡± Mira knew that the kingdom had a royal council, composed of the most respected ministers. There would surely be sages among them who could help Maria with her current confusion.

    Maria nodded. She had gained ten more years of time thanks to the kingdom''s treasures. But in those ten years, she had mostly focused on swordsmanship, and in other areas, she was not as skilled as the kingdom¡¯s sages and ministers.

    Asking for their advice seemed like the best course of action. Trying to convince her father or replacing him directly to change the kingdom she had lived in since childhood might be a challenge.

    It would certainly be more fitting than needless killing and ruthless war.

    Maria had seen war before. But that wasn¡¯t a war between humans. It was one where humans were ruthlessly slaughtered by another race.

    Now, she wanted to make this kingdom better, to stop it completely before the coming catastrophe.

    As a princess, she had many responsibilities.

    ¡°Thank you, Mira,¡± Maria said, appreciating Mira¡¯s advice. She needed to think carefully about how to handle this matter.

    <hr>

    Mira found Lance''s figure in the back garden. He was standing still, his gaze fixed on a crooked tree, lost in thought.

    Mira approached him from behind, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice her approach.

    ¡°Lance!¡±

    Lance blinked and turned around. Mira was standing right behind him.

    ¡°How did you end up here by yourself?¡± Mira tilted her head, asking. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have said something?¡±

    Lance smiled faintly.

    Nathaniel hadn''t noticed Mira. He thought the dragon¡¯s bride was Princess Maria of the kingdom.

    ¡°I ate too much,¡± Lance told Mira.

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Mira could understand. The kingdom''s chefs were truly skilled.

    His expression wasn¡¯t relaxed. On the contrary, Mira could see the thoughts behind his eyes.

    Lance was hiding something from her.

    Mira furrowed her brows slightly before relaxing her expression.

    ¡°Lance.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± The blue dragon looked at her. ¡°Is there something?¡±

    ¡°What exactly are we to each other?¡± Mira asked, looking serious.

    Lance chuckled. ¡°A couple?¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Mira nodded with satisfaction.

    ¡°Do you know what being a couple means?¡± Lance asked. He didn¡¯t quite understand why Mira was asking this. She often had strange ideas, but he liked the way she acted.

    ¡°What does it mean?¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Take a guess.¡± Mira didn¡¯t want to give him the answer directly.

    ¡°Does it mean we can kiss secretly in the king¡¯s garden?¡±

    ¡°Not that.¡± Mira blushed for a moment, then became serious again. ¡°It means we shouldn¡¯t hide things from each other.¡±

    As she said that, she felt a little guilty.

    She had been hiding the truth about him being a dragon...

    Lance understood what she meant.

    He smiled, but then his smile faded as he thought of Nathaniel.

    ¡°I ran into an old acquaintance just now.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to meet him, Mira.¡±

 Chapter 48

    Mira quickly guessed who Lance¡¯s ¡°acquaintance¡± was.

    She didn¡¯t sense anything unusual at first¡ªwas the black dragon really in the palace?

    Had he also transformed into a human form and hidden here?

    What was he trying to do? Was Maria in danger?

    Mira thought about the Demon Dragon. From Maria¡¯s account, the black dragon, Nathaniel, had been corrupted by demons, becoming a true dragon of terror and disaster. Was he already in this state now?

    Too many questions flooded Mira¡¯s mind, but she couldn¡¯t think of any possible answers.

    Lance noticed Mira¡¯s expression¡ªshe looked too confused.

    Lance assumed she was trying to guess the identity of this acquaintance. He hesitated, wondering whether to reveal the black dragon¡¯s name.

    If he did that, Mira might discover his true identity as a dragon.

    Lance thought, Should he keep hiding for a few more days? He wasn¡¯t ready to confess yet. If he was going to be honest with Mira, he¡¯d have to tell her about the Heart Scales.

    The Heart Scales were a secret for the blue dragons.

    It had something to do with his late mother and represented a powerful magical technique.

    Lance didn¡¯t like the idea of an intermediary, but in this world, there was no better intermediary than a blue dragon itself.

    He wasn¡¯t afraid to tell Mira that he was a blue dragon, but he was worried about her reaction.

    ¡°Will there be trouble?¡± Mira asked softly.

    ¡°Maybe.¡± Nathaniel had become strange. He often spoke provocatively without meaning to, and Lance wasn¡¯t surprised by anything coming out of his mouth.

    But the fact that he hadn¡¯t done anything when meeting his enemy was odd.

    Nathaniel was always quick to anger. Lance still remembered his expression when he had driven Nathaniel out of the tower.

    Nathaniel held grudges and wouldn¡¯t let go easily. But now, when his enemy was right in front of him, Nathaniel had only muttered a few meaningless words?

    The black dragon wasn¡¯t one to endure. His behavior had changed too drastically. What was his purpose in disguising himself as a human duke?

    What had Nathaniel experienced on the Demon Scar?

    Mira observed Lance¡¯s serious expression.

    Perhaps this situation wasn¡¯t just tied to Maria and her father. It had to involve the real Dragon of Terror, and Mira knew it had to be dangerous.

    ¡°I need to know what your friend took from the kingdom.¡± Lance paused and decided to ask about the item Maria had taken¡ªan artifact that applied complex magic and allowed one to see the future.

    Nathaniel was an ancient black dragon who had seen many things beyond human comprehension. Clearly, the wealth of a kingdom wouldn¡¯t entice him.

    Lance could only think of that artifact that had allowed Princess Maria to see the future.

    Mira agreed to help.

    Maria was removing her earrings in front of a mirror.

    When she heard Mira mention the Demon Dragon, her hand trembled, and the sharp earring pierced her ear.

    Maria frowned and placed the bloodstained earring on the table.

    ¡°The Demon Dragon is in the palace?¡±

    Mira shook her head, then nodded.

    She wasn¡¯t sure, because Lance hadn¡¯t revealed exactly who his acquaintance was.

    Mira only suspected it was Nathaniel.

    Maria silently calculated the time in her mind.

    In another world, war had occurred a year later, but now it seemed like, unnoticed by many, war was already brewing.

    ¡°I will call for a royal council meeting in my father¡¯s name tomorrow,¡± Maria said. ¡°I hope to get some help.¡±

    Mira nodded. She stood up and approached Maria, using magic from her fingertips to heal the wound on her ear.

    Maria smiled up at her. ¡°I can¡¯t show the mage the artifact anymore,¡± she said, her tone growing silent. ¡°After Sam and I left that world, it shattered and disappeared.¡±

    ¡°It shattered and disappeared?¡±

    Mira thought of the broken magic hub crystal.

    She hesitated to ask, ¡°Do you know when you two returned to this world?¡±

    ¡°Last month,¡± Maria answered firmly.

    Mira looked thoughtful.

    It must have been after the Ghillian town. Was the broken artifact also a medium crystal? But its form was different from what most people would recognize.

    Just like magic scrolls store spells, a crystal used as a medium should also serve a similar function.

    ¡°What did the artifact look like?¡± Mira asked, trying to learn more about it.

    ¡°It was a mirror,¡± Maria replied.

    ¡°The front was our world, and the back of the mirror was the world Sam and I entered,¡± Maria said. ¡°After it shattered, it disappeared completely. Sam and I didn¡¯t understand magic, so we couldn¡¯t figure out why it happened.¡±

    Mira¡¯s guess was that it was a medium crystal, but if it was a mirror, the magic could have dissipated, causing it to shatter.

    She needed to ask Lance about it.

    ¡°It was a form of spatial magic and event magic reinforced onto a carrier, a prototype of scroll magic,¡± Lance explained quickly after hearing Mira¡¯s description.

    ¡°That artifact has been around for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Maria said it was passed down through the royal family¡¯s bloodline, so it must be several hundred years old.¡±

    ¡°Lance.¡± Mira thought for a moment and then voiced her doubt. ¡°Could this mirror be another form of artificial medium? Maria said it shattered and completely disappeared.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible. But it predates the appearance of artificial mediums.¡±

    After hearing Lance¡¯s explanation, Mira felt relieved. If it was an artificial medium, did it mean the magic hub was also involved?

    She felt uneasy, and that unease only grew stronger.

    "Who gave you the authority to summon the royal council without permission?"

    The king was truly furious this time. He ordered Princess Maria to be confined to her chambers until the royal council was over, and both Mira and Lance were also placed under house arrest.

    Fortunately, Mira was a spellcaster, so being locked in a room didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t do anything.

    Once the royal council was convened, it couldn¡¯t be casually canceled. This was a decree set by the monarch who established the Eastern Kingdom. If a king were to call and cancel a royal council at will, it usually meant that he was no longer fit to rule.

    At that point, regents and noble family members with titles would join forces to decide whether or not to strip the king of his power.

    This was a regulation left by the kingdom¡¯s monarch many years ago to prevent future rulers from abusing their power. However, no king had ever been dethroned for this reason.

    The king was furious. Since his beloved daughter returned, it was as though she had lost her mind, spouting strange and crazy words.

    She wanted the king to return the taxes to the people and to reduce the farmers'' tax burden for the next 20 years. She also wanted to stop all offerings to the high tower.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    She claimed the Dragon of Terror was no longer in the tower.

    She was speaking nonsense.

    How could the Dragon of Terror not be in the high tower? The dragon had to remain there at all times.

    If the dragon left the tower, it would mean that everything in this world was a lie.

    Maria was still just a little girl. She didn¡¯t understand what fear truly meant.

    A royal council? What would they discuss? They would only say that no more wealth should be offered to the dragon, that they must unite to raise an army and completely eliminate the shadow the dragon had cast over the kingdom.

    Maria had learned to use their words. The king even had reasons to suspect that during her six months of disappearance, she had been held captive by an official who didn¡¯t like him and had been brainwashed with strange ideas.

    Most people in the kingdom had never experienced true terror. Of course, they were confident, na?ve, and foolish, believing that rebellion would bring hope.

    No, that wasn¡¯t the case. Maintaining the status quo was the best.

    Maria needed to calm down. She would soon realize how hard-earned the luxurious life in the palace was. If the Dragon of Terror was not in that tower, everything would be nothing more than a vain illusion.

    Mira? Yes, Mira.

    She had to be sent back to the dragon. The king didn¡¯t know how Mira had left the tower, but she had to stay there as the princess. Only in that way could the dragon¡¯s wrath be quelled.

    The teleportation spell brought Mira to Maria''s room.

    Today was the day of the royal council meeting.

    According to Maria and Mira¡¯s plan, the mage would bring the princess into the royal council meeting, where she needed to gain the support of the kingdom''s ministers.

    Maria didn¡¯t want to kill her father as stated in the bounty order, but she needed to gain control over the conversation.

    This was the only idea she could come up with.

    Earlier, Mira used a reconnaissance spell to memorize the layout of the entire palace.

    The plan was simple: the guards wouldn¡¯t enter Mira and the princess¡¯s room, so Mira could use teleportation to precisely target Maria''s room, and then use teleportation again to bring Maria to the council meeting hall.

    From there, it would depend on Maria.

    She had to see if she could convince the ministers in the shortest amount of time and gain their support. Of course, the king would also appear at the meeting, and if necessary, Sam would temporarily take away his ability to speak.

    Maria didn¡¯t want to go that far.

    Could she change her father¡¯s mind by showing him the state of the kingdom?

    But he wouldn¡¯t even give her the chance, locking her up in her chambers.

    ¡°The time is about right,¡± Mira calculated the time. She raised her hand and began to form a blue teleportation portal.

    Maria put on her princess¡¯s attire and firmly nodded at Mira. The two of them entered the portal, one after the other.

    Mira and Maria had different destinations.

    Maria appeared in the center of the meeting hall, while Mira appeared at the entrance of the hall.

    Mira used a sleep spell to incapacitate the guards at the door.

    Before Maria finished speaking, Mira needed to ensure no one would interrupt her.

    The king¡¯s voice came from inside the room.

    He was initially surprised, then became angry, shouting for someone to seize the princess and take her away.

    Mira stood by the door, using magic to make the soldiers who came running in circles around the palace.

    This gave Maria enough time.

    ¡°Gentlemen,¡± Maria raised her head and addressed the ministers sitting on either side of the long table, explaining the purpose of her visit.

    ¡°I called this meeting.¡± The princess directly stated her intentions. ¡°The reason for this pre-selection meeting is to discuss gradually stopping the tribute to the dragon, and I also want to ask your opinions on the issue of heavy local taxes.¡±

    ¡°Enough, Maria. This is not a place for your nonsense.¡± The king angrily slapped the armrest of his chair.

    ¡°Where are the guards? The royal guards? Get the princess back to her room!¡± He shouted, but no one followed his orders and left.

    Maria bowed to the ministers.

    ¡°Apologies, but this is out of necessity, and I hope you all can understand my decision.¡± Princess Maria walked to the front seat and addressed the ministers: ¡°During the half-year I spent outside the palace, I saw many things we could never see within the city. I saw countless citizens outside the capital who are homeless due to heavy taxes.¡±

    ¡°The royal family is responsible for the current situation,¡± Maria said in a deep voice. ¡°As far as I know, the dragon has already left its tower. We no longer need to offer treasures to the dragon or send cattle and sheep. These coins and livestock should belong to our people.¡±

    Maria took off the gemstone ring on her finger. The king had given this ring to Mira, but now Maria brought it back.

    ¡°Inside this ring are the treasures we took from the tower. These are the treasures the Eastern Kingdom has been offering to the dragon for decades. To the dragon, these treasures are just decorations piled up in the tower, but they could feed our people and provide them with comfortable homes.¡±

    ¡°How did you bring these back?¡± An elderly minister stared at Princess Maria. ¡°Everyone knows the princess voluntarily married the dragon for peace. Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Maria was momentarily stunned. This reaction was completely different from what she had imagined.

    The kingdom¡¯s ministers shouldn¡¯t be more concerned about how to restore the country to its former prosperity?

    ¡°This is not the key point.¡± Maria quickly said.

    ¡°This is the key, Your Highness,¡± the old minister stood up. ¡°If it had been ten years ago and you had given this impassioned speech, the ministers here would have supported you. But now is not ten years ago. The kingdom can no longer endure more fear.¡±

    ¡°You say the dragon is not in the tower. No one can prove your words. Because the princess belongs to the dragon, not to the kingdom.¡± The old minister stared into Maria¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your best outcome would be never to return to this kingdom, and everything that has happened here would be none of your business. Why? Why return?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand your meaning,¡± Maria said in surprise. Even after ten years of life in another world, she couldn¡¯t comprehend this statement.

    The princess belongs to the dragon, not to the kingdom?

    What does that mean?

    Maria took a step back. She realized that returning to the kingdom was itself a mistake.

    The old minister glanced around. The other ministers lowered their heads, as though they hadn¡¯t heard Maria¡¯s words.

    ¡°Summoning the royal council without reason and canceling the royal council without reason. Our king is no longer qualified to rule this kingdom. Therefore, I, as the chief elder of the cabinet, am initiating a righteous judgment against King Edward II, and I nominate Duke Bona to be the next king of the Eastern Kingdom. The rest of you may now express your stance.¡±

    ¡°We called this royal council to discuss important matters. Why say it was for no reason¡­¡± Maria fell silent.

    None of the ministers present opposed his words, meaning they had already reached an agreement to overthrow the king¡¯s rule before this.

    No matter what she said, it was useless. Because long before her disappearance, long before the king sent Mira to the dragon, the princess had no more connection with this kingdom.

    Her ideas might have been good, but if it were ten or twenty years ago, many people would have supported her.

    But it wasn¡¯t like that now. After repeated compromises and concessions, people were thoroughly disappointed with the current king.

    A princess who had disappeared for so long, and whose whereabouts were unclear, no one would believe her words. It would just be another lie.

    Because the princess had married the dragon.

    Whether it was Maria or Mira, no one cared.

    Maria took another step back.

    Her uncle, Duke Bona, stepped out from the shadow of the meeting hall.

    Mira, who had been silently observing the situation, burst through the door.

    She immediately saw the handsome duke with black hair and black eyes. Mira quickly realized that the familiar person Lance had mentioned was the Duke Bona, who exuded a strange aura.

    ¡°The little game of saving the world is over.¡± His voice was like a nightingale¡¯s song, ¡°Take Princess Maria and her friend back to their room.¡±

    ¡°We should deal with the crimes of my dear royal brother now.¡±

    A sword flashing with a cold light appeared at that moment. The red-haired swordsman leaped from above, holding a dragon-slaying sword, pointing it at Nathaniel.

    The disguised black dragon frowned. He could feel the chilling aura coming from the sword.

    Just like when Lance first faced this sword, Nathaniel also sensed the blood of the giant dragon on it.

    There was no doubt¡ªthis was a dragon-slaying sword, and his injuries hadn¡¯t healed.

    ¡°Bold! Who allowed you to enter the hall with weapons?¡± Several ministers stood up to reprimand Sam¡¯s actions.

    The red-haired swordsman simply looked coldly at them.

    He stood in front of Mira and Maria, blocking all accusations and insults.

    Mira was also ready for battle.

    The temperature of the blue dragon scales began to rise, and magic was prepared to be released at her command.

    This fluctuation attracted the attention of another person in the room.

    Nathaniel, the black dragon, could not use magic, but he could sense it.

    Duke Bona slightly narrowed his eyes, and a strange red light appeared in his black pupils.

    He looked at Mira, noticing the magical fluctuations around her.

    The black dragon suddenly realized he might have made a mistake.

    The little princess hadn¡¯t gone to the tower. It was another girl who entered the tower, and she seemed to have some connection with Lance, having even obtained a dragon scale.

    Nathaniel recalled the deal made with the human mages. They wanted to acquire the medium kept in the tower by the dragon.

    Nathaniel couldn¡¯t cast spells, and it didn¡¯t matter to him whether they received the broken stones. What he wanted was a way to open the Demon¡¯s Scar.

    But he overheard that the Magic Hub had lost something very important.

    The greatest man-made medium in history.

    Nathaniel had a suspicion. His gaze moved past the swordsman and fell on Mira.

    A seemingly ordinary little girl with no apparent special traits.

    He slightly narrowed his eyes, and dragon might surged toward Mira.

    The moment he moved to attack, a blue figure appeared, lightly tapping her fingers and sending all of Nathaniel¡¯s terrifying dragon might back at him.

    Lance, who had been silently watching the situation unfold, finally appeared.

    Duke Bona smiled.

    That girl had so many secrets.

    She had actually made Lance leave the tower. She had made Lance appear before humans.

    The foolish blue dragon would walk the same path as his mother.

    Deceived by humans, used by humans, falling in love with humans, until sacrificing his heart scales to protect them.

    Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but laugh. During every night he was tortured by magic, he had imagined how to make Lance experience this pain.

    Now he had a better idea.

    Destroy everything that Lance cared about¡ªthat would be the best revenge.

    Lance turned back to look at Maria and Mira.

    Clearly, they could no longer stay in the human kingdom.

    A teleportation portal appeared behind them, and the king on his throne disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight.

    Nathaniel watched Lance leave.

    Where else could he go? Only the tower.

    He had been worried that there would be no one to play the role of the dragon after Lance left. But now, he was back.

    Duke Bona secretly chuckled, then displayed a sorrowful expression.

    He turned to the ministers in the royal council, showing a sorrowful face.

    ¡°I truly apologize. My dear niece has caused you all so much trouble.¡± Bona¡¯s expression was very sincere, and he even took out a handkerchief to pretend to wipe away the tears.

    ¡°But I think she also realized how serious things are for the kingdom. Even the innocent Maria understands the gravity of the situation. We can¡¯t just sit by and wait.¡±

    The majority of the ministers in the royal council were already in Bona''s pocket. The remaining ministers, seeing the chaos earlier, no longer believed that King Edward II and his daughter could change the situation.

    ¡°We¡¯ve reached an agreement with the Magic Hub,¡± Duke Bona paused and gradually restrained his sorrowful expression, revealing a smile filled with determination. Nathaniel looked around, speaking the prepared lines.

    ¡°After so many years of tolerance and compromise, the dragon''s appetite has grown bottomless. I can understand Princess Maria¡¯s intentions, but she is too young, and her thinking is too simplistic.¡±

    ¡°Once we stop the tribute to the dragon, based on the dragon¡¯s nature, it certainly won¡¯t let us off easily.¡±

    ¡°Only by killing the dragon, securing a safe environment for our people, and reclaiming the tower for the mages is what¡¯s truly important.¡±

    ¡°Only by killing the dragon can we prove to the people that fear can be defeated.¡±

    ¡°Only by killing the dragon can the royal family¡¯s rule continue, and we can continue to live comfortably in our current positions.¡±

 Chapter 49

    Mira appeared very frustrated.

    She sat in a chair, sighing repeatedly, feeling like a failure who had to hurriedly flee¡ªthis was not how she imagined things would go.

    But evidently, the kingdom was no longer as she had imagined.

    The blue dragon had opened the tower''s access, creating a quiet room for the king to rest in.

    He had lost the fiery anger he once had and had become silent.

    At a glance, he seemed even older now.

    It seemed he had expected this day long ago.

    Maria whispered something to her father.

    Sam walked out of the tower, holding his sword.

    Mira raised her head to look at Lance. He furrowed his brows and looked serious.

    The black dragon, Nathaniel, held the title of Duke in the human world, and he was soon to become the Regent Lord. This was definitely not what anyone had hoped to see.

    Mira didn¡¯t know what to do next. She and Maria had underestimated the kingdom¡¯s situation.

    The black dragon, Nathaniel, wanted to attack the tower.

    Maria had clearly told the ministers in the royal court that the demon dragon was not in the tower, but they still insisted on attacking it.

    Had Nathaniel deceived them?

    It was possible. If he had tricked the human kingdom''s ministers into attacking the tower to reclaim it, that made sense.

    But humans were no match for dragons; no matter how many people came, they couldn¡¯t stand against a dragon...

    The demon dragon''s defeat was just a pretext¡ªwhat was Bonar''s real goal?

    "He wants to provoke a war and take the opportunity to bring demons into this world," Maria stood up and looked at Lance, then turned to Mira. "There are mages involved in this."

    "The Magic Hub?" Mira¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. If the Magic Hub was involved, she might understand why they had to attack the tower.

    The tower was the dragon¡¯s treasure vault, and it held many items that could be used as magical mediums. After the artificial crystals lost their effectiveness, the Magic Hub had to quickly find a new medium.

    Maria''s expression stiffened for a moment.

    In another world, there had been no incident where Mira replaced Maria in entering the tower. So, in that world, the Magic Hub had more than ten powerful tower mages.

    At the beginning of the demon invasion, these tower mages had provided a level of combat strength that the human kingdom¡¯s combined army could not match, but they were also the reason for the eventual defeat in the war.

    That world didn¡¯t lack magical mediums, so the Magic Hub hadn¡¯t been involved in the human kingdom¡¯s attack on the tower.

    At that time, the master of the tower was also a giant dragon. At first, people thought it was the demon dragon.

    But in reality, the infighting within the dragon clan caused the demon dragon to lose control of the tower.

    Inside the tower was a blue dragon with a peaceful nature.

    At first, the giant dragon didn¡¯t want to involve itself in a senseless war. It used magic to shield itself from the trouble humans brought.

    It was at this time that humans, using the treasure within the tower as leverage, summoned mages from the Magic Hub.

    The Magic Hub had been searching for a more powerful medium than the artificial crystals, and the demon dragon''s treasure was the solution. Additionally, having a standing tower as a reference would be convenient for other high-level mages.

    More than ten mages who had reached the tower level but had yet to create their own mage towers joined forces to break through the ¡°demon dragon¡¯s¡± barrier, forcing it to join the war.

    However, by that time, the tower¡¯s master was badly injured and unable to handle the simultaneous pressure from over a dozen mages. He quickly lost.

    The tower became a spoil of war for the human coalition, and the mages took everything from the tower that could be used as a magical medium.

    But the tower was not used for further study.

    This war had been premeditated. They fought for the tower, for the last path left by the tower''s former mages to the demons'' mark on the other side.

    "Lightning Pool," Lance understood the purpose now.

    Nathaniel wanted to use the war to take control of the tower in the name of humanity and then use the Lightning Pool to bring demons from that world.

    His expression darkened as he recalled the events when he fell to the base of the tower after being injured.

    The blue dragon was the master of magic. No matter how intense or violent the magic, it was hard for it to harm Lance. But the Lightning Pool was different. The power from the other side of the Lightning Pool came from demons¡ªit was a power as strong as nature but more treacherous.

    It was an agitated heart of shadow, the greatest enemy of all living things.

    That day, he was studying the magical patterns of the Lightning Pool, as he did regularly. For the blue dragon, this giant pool, capable of shredding mortals, posed no danger.

    Lance had observed the Lightning Pool for ten years without incident.

    But on that day, the pool exhibited unusual behavior. He had been searching for materials on a ladder when the sudden force from the pool caught him off guard, causing him to fall straight into the Lightning Pool.

    Due to the pool¡¯s "seal" property, even if Lance accidentally fell in, it wouldn''t have caused much harm. But this time was different. While immersed in the thunder and lightning, he vaguely saw the image of a giant dragon soaring.

    After meeting Nathaniel at the palace, he suddenly realized that the unusual behavior of the Lightning Pool was likely a signal that Nathaniel had forcibly breached the demon¡¯s mark and come from another world.

    Such a signal had likely occurred when Lance entered the demon¡¯s mark, but at that time, he had been healing and hadn¡¯t noticed the anomaly.

    "Lightning Pool?" This was a term Lance had never mentioned before.

    Mira knew that the tower contained many pools like this. These "pools" formed an extensive network within the tower, serving as pathways for free movement between worlds.

    The library world, the ranch world, and the dream tree world all had such pools. They were entrances and exits to different worlds within the tower.

    "The Lightning Pool is the only door that can neither be entered nor exited," Lance''s expression darkened. If Nathaniel''s target was indeed the Lightning Pool, he must have already been completely consumed by madness.

    Maria spoke before Lance could continue. "But it can connect to the demon world."

    Lance¡¯s answer reminded her of events in another world.

    After the tower¡¯s master died, they occupied the tower, and the mages discovered a pool filled with powerful lightning magic at the top of the tower. The energy fluctuations emanating from it were dangerous yet alluring.

    They thought they were the most powerful mages in the world and would not fear this lightning magic. But when the mages approached the Lightning Pool, the force flowing out was far more than just the visible lightning and audible thunder.

    What was truly deadly was the demon¡¯s power hidden beneath the storm.

    Ordinary people couldn¡¯t get close to the Lightning Pool, but mages, who weren¡¯t afraid of lightning, became the best vessels for demons.

    This was because their magic didn¡¯t come from understanding nature''s power but through vile rituals using mental energy. This dark source of power became the perfect means for demons to possess mages.

    Demons drew power from the darkest aspects of human nature.

    Now everything made sense. The butterfly effect triggered by Mira replacing Maria and entering the tower was becoming their chance to prevent disaster from striking again.

    "Yes," Lance¡¯s gaze fell on Maria. "Is the world in the mirror the same?"

    Maria nodded.

    "Yes," she looked at Lance, then at Mira. After hesitating for a moment, Maria¡¯s voice grew firm again.

    "Mr. Lance, do you know how to stop the demons from entering the human world?"

    In that instant, all eyes in the room were on Lance.

    Mira was also eager to know if the learned Lance knew the key to solving the crisis.

    "The demon''s heart, nature¡¯s power, the hero¡¯s soul, and mental energy," he spoke the four terms. "Only another world¡¯s heart can influence the heart of a world. The current source of the demons is sealed by Cecilia, the last blue dragon queen¡¯s heart scales. The heart scales of the blue dragon are essentially the heart of the world."

    At this point, he shook his head.

    "I can''t stop it."

    Compared to Cecilia, Lance was just a newly matured blue dragon. While he was fond of magic and had significant skill in it, he was far from capable of fully understanding the mysteries of nature or turning his heart scales into something that could rival the heart of the world.

    What remained were the hero¡¯s soul and mental energy.

    Maria looked at Mira, and Mira returned her gaze.

    The princess knew where Mira¡¯s strength came from, and Mira understood that as a hero, Maria already possessed her own hero¡¯s soul.

    Relying solely on the hero¡¯s soul was not enough. Maria had already tried and knew that courage alone could not change tragedy. She had already resigned herself to sacrifice, but Mira...

    A moment of struggle flashed across her face. Her experiences in another world had revealed the reason for Mira¡¯s existence. It was a cruel truth, and she had no right to demand that Mira also prepare for sacrifice.

    Maria took a step back.

    "Is there only this idea?"

    Lance nodded.

    The power of demons was strange. They never sought to destroy for a purpose; they destroyed for destruction''s sake. It was because of this characteristic that their actions couldn¡¯t be explained with any logic and could only be restricted by the lowest rules of this world.

    The power of demons came from an evil thought that flickered in the mind.

    Whether human, elf, dwarf, goblin, dragon, or other creatures, as long as there was thought, the birth of evil thoughts could not be suppressed.

    Perhaps learning kindness and morality later wouldn¡¯t turn these bad thoughts into actions, but as long as such thoughts existed, demons would draw power from them.

    There was no way to stop or root this out.

    The only way to deal with demons was to seal them. But Cecilia¡¯s sacrifice had a big impact on Lance, and he instinctively resisted sacrificing part of himself to aid others.

    The power of demons originated from thoughts. In theory, the best way to counteract them was with mental energy, which was also born from within.

    This made Lance even more reluctant to help humans.

    Mira was a vessel created by the Magic Hub using the mental energy discovered by goblins through some forbidden rituals.

    Through her body, mages could use some mental energy to substitute for magical mediums. This was a complex and evil method. Using such power required the most primitive approach.

    Lance didn¡¯t want Mira to face such a future.

    "The hero¡¯s soul¡ªyou heroes should be familiar with it, right?" Lance looked at Maria, making a selfish choice.

    Maria¡¯s gaze moved between the blue dragon and Mira. She knew the implication of Lance¡¯s words. If only they could use the hero¡¯s soul.

    She closed her eyes.

    "How should we proceed?"

    Lance steeled himself.

    "Come with me."

    Under the bluish-purple curtains, traces of magical energy swirling and emanating could be seen everywhere. The figures hurriedly passing by on the street could be distinguished by their different colors, signifying their identities.

    Magical apprentices, teaching assistants, professors, archmages¡ªdifferent ranks corresponded to different colors.

    Yet, the colors here were always shrouded in a layer of gray, an unbreakable seriousness and gloom.

    The white-robed mage hurriedly walked along the stone-paved path, the sound of his boots tapping against the ground echoing.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    It was only when the white figure stopped in front of a building that the tapping sound ceased.

    He stood there, adjusting his attire before gently knocking on the large door in front of him.

    The third knock resounded.

    The stone door slowly opened inward, heavy and sluggish.

    The white-robed mage entered the building, his posture becoming more humble, more respectful.

    This was the residence of the eight-ring mage Karl. After failing in his attempt to ascend the mage tower, he had been injured and had since stayed here to recover, avoiding visitors and refusing to teach.

    Only this specially authorized white-robed caster was entrusted with delivering messages from outside the magic hub to the youngest eight-ring mage in its history.

    Perhaps he would soon become a tower mage.

    "Archmage," the white-robed mage respectfully handed over the message he had brought this time.

    As he made the forward gesture, the scroll in his hand was gently lifted by a spell, floating upwards to the highest position.

    Archmage Karl sat high above, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. The white robe, representing the eight-ring mage rank, had been replaced with a light gold one.

    The white-robed mage suddenly trembled, which indicated he had successfully broken through his limits, becoming one capable of owning his own mage tower...

    "The outside world is quite lively lately," Karl opened his eyes. The energy surge from his meditation dissipated into the surrounding air as his eyes shifted.

    "Yes," the white-robed mage replied, "The union of the six great races has ended. There is new trouble from the human kingdom."

    Karl nodded.

    He wasn¡¯t particularly concerned with such matters. His gaze focused on the white-robed mage.

    "Still no news of her?" Karl inquired.

    The white-robed mage knew who he was referring to.

    He shook his head.

    "Since Miss Mira entered the eastern kingdom''s territory, we have had no news of her. However..." He paused for a moment. "Archmage, the Duke of Bona from the eastern kingdom recently expressed an intention to cooperate with the magic hub. Perhaps we can use him to find Miss Mira¡¯s whereabouts."

    Karl looked at him.

    "The Duke of the eastern kingdom?" He appeared thoughtful. "Cooperate in what way?"

    "Yes," the white-robed mage answered. "The royal council of the eastern kingdom recently dismissed the king''s actual power, based on the founding emperor''s laws, and appointed the Duke of Bona as the regent who controls the kingdom''s power. But the Duke of Bona stated that any formal ceremonies or coronation will only be considered after he leads an expedition to capture the Dragon Tower."

    "Capture the Dragon Tower?" Karl didn¡¯t think highly of this plan. Humans had almost no chance against dragons. Even if they led tens of thousands of soldiers, it would only result in tens of thousands of bodies added to the dragon¡¯s fire.

    The fact that he dared to make such a plan clearly meant he had some support.

    "Other archmages have already decided to join this human campaign against the dragons."

    "Representing the magic hub?"

    "Yes, they will fight under the name of the magic hub."

    This was exactly what Karl had expected.

    Ever since he lost track of "her," the other archmages in the magic hub had grown increasingly dissatisfied with him. While Karl appeared to be recovering in this building, he was actually avoiding the collective censure.

    He was under house arrest here.

    Karl chuckled softly. "For the medium in the Dragon Tower?"

    "Most of the artificial mediums in the magic hub have already lost their effectiveness."

    "I know." Karl had seen those ineffective medium crystals; the magic-nullifying stones inscribed with magical arrays had turned into complete waste, unable to filter the energy as before.

    "The Logistics Department¡¯s Willowp¡ªthey¡¯ve found his whereabouts."

    "Not yet, they¡¯re still searching," the white-robed mage replied. "Most of the internal mages believe that Willowp tampered with this batch of materials, causing the artificial crystals to stop working." This was undoubtedly a self-deceptive claim. Not just this batch, but even the earlier manufactured and later delivered magic-nullifying stones had lost their effectiveness.

    Too many mages were unwilling to admit that they couldn¡¯t cast spells without their mediums.

    Karl wasn¡¯t surprised at all. The magic hub relied too heavily on magical mediums. He himself had been like that a long time ago. But after failing his attempt to become a tower mage, Karl realized the problem wasn¡¯t with the mediums'' strength, but with how casters had gradually forgotten the essence of magic during the casting process.

    Once he attempted to reconnect with the essence of magic, it responded positively, and Karl became the new tower mage.

    "Finding him won¡¯t help," Karl said. "It¡¯s better to stop and think about how to cast spells on your own next."

    Karl understood the other archmages¡¯ pursuit of mediums, but he wasn¡¯t kind enough to share the method that had made him a tower mage. After all, those selfish individuals only cared about themselves.

    "Continue searching for Mira¡¯s whereabouts," Karl instructed the white-robed mage, then thought for a moment and added, "Go to taverns, docks, or brothels¡ªanywhere that might house unidentified girls and inquire there."

    "Archmage," the white-robed mage acknowledged. "I¡¯ve heard that other archmages discovered some ways to cast spells again during this recent gathering."

    "What?"

    "Scroll magic."

    "Lance." Mira appeared in Lance''s bedroom.

    "What did you show Maria?" Lance had taken Maria to the Thunder Cell, but he had insisted that Mira stay behind.

    "The path to the other side of the Demon Scar," Lance replied.

    "Why didn¡¯t you bring me along?"

    "It¡¯s too dangerous."

    Mira pouted, understanding that Lance was being cautious, but she was truly curious.

    "Didn''t we agree not to hide things from each other?" Mira stared down at her toes.

    "I''ll tell you my secret if you tell me yours. What do you say?" She suggested softly, a reluctant expression on her face.

    Mira wanted Lance to figure out that she knew he was a dragon on his own¡ªsaying it out loud would spoil the fun. But she still wanted to know what Lance was hiding.

    "Ah, so you lied to me when you said couples should be honest," Lance raised an eyebrow, looking at Mira.

    "No, no." Mira lifted her head quickly and denied it.

    Lance held back a laugh and continued to stare at her.

    "Your denial sounds very guilty," he said.

    It was a bit guilty.

    Mira sighed. She wanted Lance to figure it out, but the situation didn¡¯t seem right for playing guessing games.

    Mira soon came up with another clever idea and moved closer to Lance.

    "Lean down," she said.

    "Why lean down?"

    "Just lean down first, then ask why."

    Lance chuckled helplessly and bent down, following her suggestion.

    As he leaned down, his blue eyes filled with a smile got closer, and Mira instinctively held her breath.

    Lance noticed her dazed expression, and his smile deepened.

    "Mira, I''ve already bent down," Lance kindly reminded her.

    Mira blinked. Two patches of red appeared on her cheeks, but she still forced herself to stay composed and acted out the scene she had imagined.

    Mira quickly kissed both sides of Lance''s face.

    "Can you tell me now?" She lowered her head, trying to be cheeky.

    Lance laughed.

    "It looks like you¡¯re hiding a big secret from me." Lance straightened up, looking down at Mira, who had her head down like an ostrich.

    "No, I¡¯m not." Mira retorted. It was just a small secret.

    Lance came closer, and Mira was once again enveloped by his pleasant scent. He became more assertive.

    "My secret is big," Lance said. "Just kissing your cheek won¡¯t make me tell you."

    "Lance, you¡¯re becoming naughty. Who taught you that?"

    "A succubus," Lance replied, taking the opportunity to pick Mira up.

    Mira looked at him, her cheeks flushed, but her gaze was unshy, staring straight at him.

    Lance leaned forward and kissed the corner of her lips before pressing his lips to Mira¡¯s, seeking the long-awaited kiss.

    Mira noticed that when Lance kissed her, he was initially very gentle, as if human-shaped Lance should give the feeling of a spring breeze. But gradually, the kiss would become more intense, and the scent would grow heavier, and his body temperature would rise.

    At this moment, he was more like a blue dragon.

    Mira liked this change. It was a very strange feeling. It was as if she had entered a dark valley, and amidst the winding paths, a glimmer of light suddenly appeared, wrapping her in its warmth.

    This was the duality of Lance.

    Sometimes she would be completely consumed by the light, even forgetting to breathe, forgetting where she was. But the embrace of the blue dragon gave her a sense of home.

    Mira lightly rubbed her forehead against Lance¡¯s chest.

    The area over his chest was always warmer than anywhere else. She knew it was because beneath his clothes, there was a patch of scales that were different from the rest¡ªhis heart-protecting scales.

    The blue dragon wanted to kiss her again, but Mira evaded him.

    "Enough kissing. You still have to answer my question about the Thunder Cell. I want to go see it too." Despite the chaos, Mira didn¡¯t forget her main goal and kept reminding him of what was important.

    Kisses shouldn¡¯t be wasted.

    Lance chuckled darkly.

    "What about you? Your secret? Aren¡¯t you hiding something from me?"

    "I want you to guess," Mira said honestly. She reached out and gently caressed Lance¡¯s chest, feeling the powerful heartbeat beneath the heart-protecting scales.

    "What can I do if you¡¯re a fool?" Mira complained.

    "There¡¯s not a single clue." Lance said, "How am I supposed to guess?"

    "I just guessed on my own," Mira whispered. "Though I had a bit of a clue. But those clues were things I figured out myself. What can I say? You can¡¯t even lie well."

    Mira felt her fingers glide over Lance¡¯s skin, slipping under his clothes and pressing against the dragon¡¯s burning muscles.

    The heartbeat under the heart-protecting scales was so powerful, its rhythm almost creating a magical pulse.

    Lance immediately grabbed Mira¡¯s hand. As his palm enclosed her hand, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

    Mira noticed the tension in his muscles.

    In the blink of an eye, Lance¡¯s face displayed a surprised, flustered expression. He stared at Mira, opened his mouth, but couldn¡¯t utter a full sentence.

    Mira pouted. This was nothing like what she had imagined!

    Lance pulled her close, wrapping her tightly in his arms.

    Instead of trying to stop Mira¡¯s mischief, he guided her, pressing her hand against the heart-protecting scales.

    "Smart little troublemaker," Lance said without looking at her, realizing she had guessed some dangerous truths.

    "How did you guess?" Lance asked.

    "I already told you, you¡¯re bad at lying," Mira recalled Lance¡¯s confusing words, and after thinking carefully, she realized the inconsistencies.

    "Anyway, I figured it out," Mira said, taking out a scale hanging from her neck.

    "That¡¯s because of this," Mira explained. Maria had reminded her that it was a scale from the blue dragon, and only then did she connect the dots.

    "Did you pull it off yourself?" Mira touched the scale.

    "Mm," Lance replied. There had been no other suitable option, and it just seemed like the thing to do at the time.

    "Didn¡¯t it hurt?" Mira frowned. Although she had guessed it before, now that it was confirmed, she still felt surprised. Just imagining the sensation made her think it must have been painful.

    Lance was truly a fool.

    "It didn¡¯t hurt." The blue dragon answered. He thought for a moment, recalling that at the time, he was recovering and his new scales were growing. Instead of pain, what he felt more was the itch as the scales emerged from his skin.

    "It was itchy."

    "Don¡¯t do that again next time."

    "There¡¯s enough medium with just one." The blue dragon didn¡¯t understand Mira¡¯s meaning. "The caster still relies more on their own power."

    Mira felt herself getting angry, pretending she was about to bite Lance¡¯s head off.

    "I¡¯m not talking about pulling scales off; I mean don¡¯t hurt yourself."

    Lance paused for a moment, chuckling twice. "So you were concerned about me?"

    "I wasn¡¯t!" Mira snorted, pulling her hand from Lance¡¯s chest. His heat was so intense it made her hand sweat.

    Recently, Mira had read a lot about dragons and knew exactly what was on their minds at times like these.

    Lance was a bit slow, but after all, he was still a dragon.

    The blue dragon picked her up and started walking towards the bed.

    "What are you doing!" Mira protested.

    "Sleeping."

    "I''m not sleeping until you tell me your secret."

    "I already guessed it myself." Lance tried to dodge. "You didn¡¯t tell me."

    "I reminded you." She had already made her move.

    "That was just you acting impulsively, not reminding me."

    "Nonsense."

    Mira began to sulk, quickly wrapping herself up in the blanket, curling up into a ball.

    Outside the house was a volcano. She had nowhere to run, so she could only stay put and hold her ground with Lance.

    "You¡¯ve already kissed me, you can¡¯t do this."

    She pulled the blanket tightly around herself. "If you keep this up, I¡¯ll go sleep with Maria tonight."

    "Maria won¡¯t sleep with you."

    "She will. Maria and I are best friends."

    Lance fell silent.

    He sat down, watching Mira, who was wrapped in her blanket.

    "Mira, I think it¡¯s for the best that I don¡¯t tell you," he said softly. "I¡¯m not trying to hide anything from you on purpose."

    His tone was serious, though quiet. Mira could tell that what Lance was hiding was different from what she was hiding.

    She wanted Lance to guess that she knew he was a blue dragon¡ªafter all, it was just a little game between them. But what Lance was hiding seemed to be something far more significant.

    Mira poked her head out from under the blanket.

    Her hair was all messy, and Lance reached out to help her fix it.

    "Is this why you went to the gathering?" Mira asked Lance.

    She had initially asked to go to the black market to obtain materials for the magic circle, but after realizing that the circle couldn¡¯t harm black dragons, she lost interest in the black market.

    It was Lance who brought it up again at the gathering. He had briefly left to search for remnants of goblin descendants.

    Mira understood that these events were connected, and it all had to do with her, which was why Lance had that expression now.

    She slightly tilted her head.

    "It¡¯s related to me, but it¡¯s not a good thing?"

    Lance nodded.

    It involved psychic powers, artificial mediums, the magic hub, and other matters related to Mira, all pointing to one inevitable conclusion.

    "I want to hear it," Mira said after thinking for a moment.

    But this time, it wasn¡¯t out of curiosity. It was because everything was connected to her, and she had every right to know.

    Lance was hiding this for her sake, and Mira understood, but she still hoped to know everything, even if it wasn¡¯t pleasant.

    Mira reached out her arms toward Lance.

    "Hold me," she said. She had a feeling she might cry, and if that happened, she wanted Lance to be the one to hold her.

    The blue dragon held her gently, laying her down on the bed.

    "Like telling a bedtime story," Mira looked up at Lance, her eyes curving into a smile. No matter what had happened or what would happen, nothing could destroy that smile.

    Lance couldn¡¯t help but touch her eyes. The soft lashes brushed against his lips, a gentle sound filling the air.

    But Lance wasn¡¯t about to tell a bedtime story; instead, it was one tragedy after another.

    The goblin city, the best traders in the world. The clan''s inventors had created dozens of different magic arrays based on the flow of energy, engraving them onto the right type of stones to create various magical mediums.

    This was the very beginning of artificial mediums.

    The goblins quickly accumulated a fortune with this skill. But just like how the artificial mediums for the magic hub required Magic-Nullifying Stones from the Ghillian mines, the goblins needed raw materials to make their medium crystals.

    They didn¡¯t cooperate with humans but instead chose their close cousins, the dwarves.

    The dwarves were mostly simple-minded and physically strong. They weren¡¯t good at business, so as long as the goblins paid enough to buy materials for their brewing, these bearded men wouldn¡¯t care if they were deliberately underpriced.

    The cooperation between the two races had always been stable. The goblins would buy enough ore from the dwarves at a satisfactory price, then turn those ores into mediums and sell them to mages from various tribes.

    Until one day, a strange stone appeared in the batch of minerals. A drunken dwarf had mixed this unusual stone with the other normal ores, but the goblin inspecting the goods immediately noticed something extraordinary about this gem.

    They didn''t tell the dwarves but took the extraordinary gemstone at the usual price they paid for such acquisitions.

    "The Stone of the Soul." Lance introduced the name of the stone to Mira, and when he said those words, his arm involuntarily tightened.

    Mira paused. She wasn''t surprised by the previous events, but Lance''s reaction revealed the unusual nature of the Stone of the Soul.

    Mira gently nuzzled his neck, trying to help Lance relax with the gesture.

    "You smell so good, Lance." Mira purposely brushed her nose against his neck, causing him to shudder involuntarily.

    "Stop messing around." Lance ruffled her hair, his body shifting from one kind of tension to another.

    It was like the heart of the shadow deep in the Ghillian mine. The Stone of the Soul was a pure collection of energy, untainted by any external impurities.

    As the heart of the world, it itself was a powerful medium, requiring no wasteful magic arrays to corrupt its purity. But goblins couldn''t use the stone freely¡ªit was too pure.

    However, goblin tribes had never been afraid of challenges. As an intelligent race, they preferred to solve problems with their clever minds.

    For a long time, the wisest among them gathered, trying all sorts of methods, until they finally found a way to channel the energy of the Stone of the Soul.

    Just like magic requires a medium, the Stone of the Soul was pure energy, and with the help of a medium, one could wield its power.

    Finding an ancient force like the Stone of the Soul wasn''t easy.

    One goblin sage suggested using the bodies of the dead as a medium. Death, like the primal force of the world, nourished the ancient.

    His suggestion was not accepted, but it guided them toward the final answer.

    The goblins decided to use newly born life as the medium, hoping this method could awaken the power within the Stone of the Soul.

    But just as they were about to carry out their final experiment, humans, who had heard of it from somewhere, interrupted their progress.

    The hatred between humans and goblins had existed since they first competed for business. But this time, the actions of the magic hub far exceeded the goblins'' expectations.

    These greedy little green-skinned creatures liked money and deceit, occasionally resorting to forceful trade, but they never considered wiping out their competitors entirely.

    The situation that day was brutal. Humans sent their most powerful spellcasters, unleashing their strongest magic. They destroyed the goblin stronghold, took the gemstone, and stole the method for using it.

    Thus began the greatest artificial medium in the history of the magic hub.

    In all the stereotypes, girls seemed always pure, spotless, and inseparably innocent.

    The magic hub had nurtured countless such girls, using artificial insemination to try and cultivate a suitable medium. Many children shared Mira''s fate, but there were many failures too.

    They succeeded. Finally, a little girl was able to bear the full power of the Stone of the Soul. The stone transformed into pure energy and merged into her body.

    Carl named her Mira, meaning "miracle."

    Lance''s voice trailed off.

    He watched Mira, who had stopped smiling but didn''t seem surprised.

    Yes, after reading that letter, she already knew much. Although the specific details were unclear, Mira''s imagination could vividly picture the unknowns.

    "You''ve seen my letter." Mira finally understood why Lance was trembling. He had opened her heart and seen the letter that appeared in her mind.

    The letter had written "use."

    "I know what ''use'' means." Mira closed her eyes.

    She had once seen the true book of demons in the magic hub''s library.

    The book stated that on the other side of the demon''s mark, there were terrifying sacrificial rituals.

    They would send carefully chosen demon girls to the lord. The lord would grant them magical power, and they would share the power bestowed by the demon lord, enjoying the body, devouring the flesh, and under the wild intertwining of hunger and lust, the result would be the demon''s destructive instinct.

    The demon book recorded unimaginable consciousness. Mira had once opened this book out of curiosity, but later, it disappeared and could no longer be found.

    Were they going to sacrifice the princess to the magic dragon? At first, she thought it was laughable.

    Mira wasn''t afraid. She had seen the hell described in the texts, and when she entered the tower, she was just trying to survive.

    The tower wasn''t hell.

    He was Lance.

 Chapter 50

    Mira thought entering the high tower was the coolest thing she had ever done.

    She clung to Lance, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

    She didn''t care what identity she had when she entered the high tower; she was Mira, and the girl walking toward the tower was named Mira. That was enough.

    All the talk of sacrifices, uses, and "her" was nonsense.

    Saving the world was for those who wanted to save it.

    Right now, she knew nothing, and she didn''t care about anything.

    Her lover was the most powerful mage in the world, and all she had to do was follow him, showing off her strength.

    She would try her best, hoping Lance would take her traveling, sitting on the back of a dragon, imagining how fun it would be.

    But she really wanted to cry.

    Why was this happening? Mira¡¯s tears fell, the first round, rolling down her cheeks, and then she couldn¡¯t control herself, tears just kept coming.

    This was an unexpected development for Lance, but it seemed like he knew what to do.

    The blue dragon wrapped around Mira, holding her close, letting her wipe her tears on his clothes.

    Mira didn¡¯t want to cry. But she also felt that holding back her tears would make her more upset, and it was better to release all her bad emotions at once and then move on, happily facing the coming days.

    Lance gently stroked her hair, like petting a small animal.

    She thought randomly, was she trembling like a pitiful little animal now? Hiding in a corner, carefully shedding tears? Mira didn¡¯t want to be like this. But for just this moment, she allowed herself to be this way.

    Losing her parents was always painful to think about. She would think of Lady Ellin, think of Maria''s kingly father, and remember the sadness and nostalgia Lance showed when he occasionally mentioned his mother.

    Being reminded over and over that she was an orphan was very sad, especially when her mother was linked with the experiment''s sacrifice. Mira felt even more sorrowful.

    If Mira had never existed in this world, perhaps there wouldn¡¯t be so many people hurt.

    But Mira¡¯s disappearance wouldn¡¯t stop the suffering.

    If not Mira, it would be another girl. If that child hadn¡¯t left the magic hub, it would have been another tragedy.

    Mira sometimes feared her own mind. She could look at things from different angles at the same time, but sometimes she liked her thoughts; it was these irreplaceable combinations of ideas that made her who she was.

    Whether she was born of the power of the mind and thoughts or not, she would never lose these strange ideas.

    In the suffocating magic hub, the complicated rules and oppressive environment hadn¡¯t assimilated her.

    She was different from the other children, but at the same time, not so different. That¡¯s how it was. Slowly, Mira stopped crying, throwing all her sadness behind her.

    She leaned against Lance¡¯s chest, feeling the beating of his heart beneath the blue dragon¡¯s protective scales.

    ¡°Is it better now?¡± Lance sensed Mira''s trembling had subsided.

    Her sadness never lasted too long. Mira had learned how to regulate her emotions since she was very young.

    She shook her head, signaling that she was fine. Lance patted her back. ¡°When you¡¯re okay, get up.¡±

    Mira pouted. Stupid blue dragon, he didn¡¯t know how to comfort people.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± Mira¡¯s voice was nasal from crying. She didn¡¯t want Lance to see her like this. She must have looked terrible after crying. She didn¡¯t want to leave him with a bad impression.

    Though they would see each other in various states in the future, they were just beginning their relationship, and she had to make an effort to save her image.

    As expected, Lance listened to her and turned his face away.

    Mira sneaked a glance at him. His profile was also handsome.

    She raised her hand, and one spell after another appeared in her mind. With the help of magic, she quickly returned to her normal appearance.

    ¡°Done.¡± Externally, she could recover with magic, but the nasal tone in her voice would take a while to completely disappear.

    Lance turned around.

    His gaze landed on Mira. Her eyes were a little swollen, and her nose was red, but she had stopped crying.

    Lance¡¯s gaze shifted to his chest. He sighed silently.

    ¡°I¡¯ll change my clothes.¡±

    Change clothes? Mira blinked. Her eyes were a bit dry from the tears, but that didn¡¯t affect her thoughts.

    ¡°Turn around.¡± Lance may be slow, but Mira¡¯s expression was too obvious, and she didn¡¯t hide it at all.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Mira smiled, her eyes swollen, but her smile¡¯s curve didn¡¯t change.

    She sat up straight and had no intention of turning around.

    Lance had no choice but to turn his back.

    Magic lifted a clean robe and handed it to Lance. He untied the wizard robe''s straps.

    Lance was a mage and a dragon, unlike ordinary mages, who were weak. His side profile was perfect, his muscles well-distributed, not overly exaggerated, but just very comfortable.

    Mira stared at Lance¡¯s back, following the curve of his butterfly bones down, tracing along his spine.

    Was the blue dragon working out?

    Mira couldn¡¯t help but think. Lance didn¡¯t seem to have any interest in working out; he liked staying inside even more than she did.

    If it was a natural physique, wouldn¡¯t he need to maintain it? Too perfect, right?

    She propped up her chin, thinking about this question.

    Her unblinking gaze was impossible to ignore.

    Lance sighed and turned around.

    Mira was startled and hurriedly moved her gaze away. It didn¡¯t feel strange when she was secretly watching from behind, but when Lance turned around, she suddenly felt very flustered.

    Lance moved closer to her. Mira didn¡¯t look, but she knew he was getting closer.

    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡± She hugged her legs, curling up, not looking at Lance. But she knew exactly what he looked like; his image was etched into her brain.

    Lance smiled. He knew Mira was actually a softie.

    He took one side of his robe and put it on.

    The wizard robe had complicated straps, and while Lance lowered his head to tie them, Mira secretly glanced at him.

    She saw a patch of red on his chest.

    Mira¡¯s gaze was drawn to it.

    The blue dragon raised his head. He knew what Mira was looking at.

    The heart-protecting scales.

    He sat next to her.

    ¡°Surprised?¡±

    Mira shook her head. She said truthfully, ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡±

    When Lance was injured, Mira had treated his wounds, and at that time, his chest skin was no different from an ordinary person''s.

    Mira reached out and poked the scale.

    The heart-protecting scale was transparent. She could even see the heart beating beneath it through the scale.

    ¡°It looks fragile.¡± Mira hesitated to touch it further.

    Lance didn¡¯t mind. He explained, ¡°This is the hardest scale on my body.¡±

    Mira looked up at him.

    ¡°Amazing.¡±

    Lance¡¯s gaze fell on her. ¡°Feeling better?¡± he asked, fastening the robe and putting on his belt.

    ¡°Better,¡± Mira said honestly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go out and have fun.¡± Lance extended his hand to her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me if a dragon could carry people?¡±

    Mira¡¯s eyes lit up immediately.

    She understood the unspoken meaning of Lance¡¯s words. At that moment, Mira couldn¡¯t care about anything else. She quickly got up from the bed, put on her shoes, and stood next to Lance.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Mira became excited. She had been thinking about how to coax Lance earlier, but now she could directly experience dragon-riding. It was just amazing.

    Lance noticed the complete change in Mira¡¯s expression.

    He felt a little uneasy. Lance had never flown with anyone before. He didn¡¯t know if Mira would be scared, or if she would like the feeling.

    Magic transported them to the other side of the high tower.

    The high tower was built on the edge of a mountain cliff. One side was a space filled with bones, and the other side was a bottomless abyss.

    Normally, Mira rarely went behind the high tower. She had only come here once when she was first observing the tower¡¯s surroundings.

    She still remembered the first time she stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down. The feeling of her legs trembling involuntarily.

    That feeling was still the same even now.

    ¡°So high,¡± Mira chuckled awkwardly. She had many experiences jumping from high places, but that was in the safety channels of the tower. Only when she was sure she was safe could she enjoy the freedom of leaping.

    Lance smiled at her.

    ¡°I learned to fly here,¡± he said, looking down at the cliff.

    ¡°I¡¯ve flown over this cliff thousands of times, Mira.¡±

    He reached out his hand to her, and Mira took it.

    Lance suddenly lifted her up. Standing at the edge of the cliff, Mira¡¯s feet left the ground. A flash of instinctive fear crossed her face, but as soon as she securely landed on Lance¡¯s neck, that fear disappeared.

    ¡°Here we go, Mira.¡±

    His voice disappeared in the wind.

    It was a signal.

    Then everything became different. Mira felt her perspective rising. Her feet could no longer feel the solid ground beneath, and instead, a gust of wind lifted her up.

    She was sitting on the broad back of the dark blue dragon, and the scales beneath her were like the one she wore around her neck. Their colors were darker, losing their brilliance but gaining stability. They were larger. Compared to the ones she could hold in her palm, the ones her hands brushed against now were much harder.

    They were arranged neatly, forming the dragon¡¯s armor, protecting him from injury and cold.

    Blue dragons were such beautiful creatures. Mira¡¯s hands lingered over his hard scales, her eyes filled with envy.

    Even though she had imagined a thousand times how Lance would look as a dragon, everything she was experiencing now exceeded her imagination.

    ¡°Mira.¡± Even in his dragon form, he could still speak human language.

    Lance whispered, ¡°Hold on to me.¡±

    Mira extended her hand, and magic appeared in her palm, anchoring her body to Lancel''s broad back.

    As the dragon had said, dragons were not suitable for taming, and there was no place on their bodies for humans to remain.

    He lowered his body, and Mira leaned forward with him. Then, he bent down, and his dragon wings flapped, leaping off the cliff.

    Mira closed her eyes amidst the chaos. She could feel the howling wind rushing past her, sweeping her hair and dress, yet not causing her the slightest discomfort.

    Mira squinted, a pale blue light surrounding her.

    It was Lancel.

    She widened her eyes, looking down at the river flowing beneath the cliff. It was the meltwater from the snow-capped mountains, a wild stallion galloping forward.

    The blue dragon descended so quickly that they could have crashed into the river at any moment. Mira widened her eyes and even saw the shattered figure of the blue dragon in the turbulent water.

    But just before plunging into the river, Lancel shifted direction, leaping higher, rising ever higher, until they passed through the clouds and reached a place near the moon.

    The shadow of the dragon flickered among the clouds, leaving a black mark on the full moon before disappearing again.

    The dragon¡¯s wings, tail, and its curious eyes, always searching the world, flickered in and out of the clouds.

    Lancel carried Mira over the mountains of the Eastern Kingdom, flying across the rushing rivers, circling the edge of the desert, and finally heading toward the vast, dense forest.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    "It''s the magic hub!"

    High in the sky, the blue-purple magical barrier of the magic hub stood out. Surrounding the magical energy were glowing threads¡ªenergy waves that formed an aura, and the intense magic manifested as twisted space.

    Mira had lived in Nali for 18 years, and all she had ever seen was a small world enclosed by magical energy. The sky was neither blue nor deep blue; it was a mix of blue and purple, dreamlike and illusory.

    Now, she was flying outside the magic hub. In a short time, Lancel had taken her to places she had never been.

    Lancel heard Mira''s voice and hovered above the magic hub.

    The magic concealed the blue dragon¡¯s presence. The human mages on the ground could never have imagined that at this very moment, outside the magical energy barrier, the world¡¯s most accomplished spellcaster was floating.

    "It looks beautiful from here," Mira said to Lancel.

    Looking down at the energy shield of the magic hub, seeing the flowing blue and purple energies, Mira no longer felt hatred or disgust for this strange sky.

    It always had its own unique view.

    "Ah¡ª"

    From the shoulder of the dragon, looking down at the world, Mira felt not only the freedom but also the world she lived in.

    She saw the world the way she had always wanted to see it when trapped inside the magic hub.

    "Do you want to get closer?" Lancel asked Mira.

    If she wished, in his blue dragon form, he could take her to stand on the magic hub¡¯s energy shield.

    But Mira declined his offer.

    "No, that''s fine," Mira said, "It¡¯s beautiful, but I¡¯ve grown tired of it."

    Beneath the exquisite beauty was an empty, illusory substance. She no longer wanted to engage with the magic hub.

    Lancel tilted his head and flew with Mira to a more distant place.

    He eventually landed before a mark of fire.

    Mira gazed at the dimly flickering sky in the distance, suddenly realizing this was the Demon¡¯s Mark.

    A dense forest, abruptly cut off, followed by rising smoke and exposed magma. Flames, and many black creatures, howling as they tried to rush toward them, but were blocked by an invisible barrier.

    Lancel brought Mira close to the Demon¡¯s Mark.

    Contrary to what she had imagined, Mira felt an affinity from the unseen barrier.

    She remembered Lancel''s words¡ªthis was his mother¡¯s work.

    The barrier sealing the Demon¡¯s Mark was made from the heart scales of countless blue dragon ancestors. Years ago, a crack had appeared in the barrier, and it was Lancel''s mother who repaired it.

    Mira understood his purpose for this journey. He had fulfilled her wish, but more importantly, Lancel wanted to bring her here to see the scales built from the heart scales.

    He set Mira down on a nearby giant tree, and magic trimmed the branches to form a platform for them to stay. Lancel shifted from dragon form to human, quietly watching the view ahead.

    Flames occasionally rose from the other world, the light distant and reflecting in his blue eyes as a small orange-red point.

    Mira felt Lancel¡¯s sorrow. She thought of a question to open the conversation, but when it came to her lips, she felt it unnecessary.

    "Does the lightning battery lead here?" Mira asked blankly.

    Lancel glanced at her.

    He chuckled lightly, slowly sitting down on the tree trunk.

    Mira mimicked his movement and sat beside him.

    "It leads to the other side," Lancel stretched out his hand, pointing toward the place where the flames and thick smoke swirled.

    "That side," he repeated.

    The lightning battery inside the tower was the only passage from this world to the other side of the Demon¡¯s Mark.

    However, it was a one-way passage. Only people from this side could use it to enter the other world, but demons from that world could never enter the human world through this magical device.

    However, since Nathaniel was so eager to take back the tower, he must have found a way to reverse this magic.

    Lancel looked at the protective barrier in front of them.

    "The demons cannot break my mother''s heart scales." The scales closest to the blue dragon¡¯s heart appeared soft, but they were the hardest.

    Mira pursed her lips. She couldn¡¯t understand the demons'' invasion; it was without reason, their existence was solely to destroy.

    But some people still wanted to protect what they had destroyed.

    Thus, conflict and contradictions were born in this process.

    Mira looked up at the distance. Her eyes were not as sharp as a dragon''s, and she couldn¡¯t make out many fine details.

    But the flames and thick black smoke rising from the ground were too obvious.

    "What are those flames?" she asked Lancel.

    "Probably a manifestation of energy," Lancel was uncertain. He had never been to that side, only conducting some simple experiments through the lightning battery.

    "The demon souls are the corrupted shadows of the heart," Lancel added. "Perhaps this is a form of that corruption."

    "Lancel, there was a time when I thought you knew everything," Mira said honestly. "Later, I thought you knew everything about magic. Now it seems that¡¯s not true."

    "Know everything?" He tilted his head with a smile, "If someone tells you they know everything, they¡¯re definitely lying."

    Mira tilted her head.

    "That doesn¡¯t sound like something you¡¯d say."

    Lancel froze for a moment.

    "You''re right," he said, "That was what the tower mage said to me, the one who stole my mother''s heart scales."

    "The creator of the tower?"

    "The greatest mage in human history, Albert Zangwell?" He wore a puzzled expression. "For blue dragons, your human names are a bit complicated. I can¡¯t remember if his name was this."

    Mira nodded.

    "Yes." Albert wasn¡¯t the first tower mage, but he was the last one from several hundred years ago.

    He was called the hero who saved humanity, but Mira couldn¡¯t recall his exact deeds.

    Perhaps the books in the magic hub recorded his life, but apprentices couldn¡¯t borrow such books, and Carl never shared these stories with her.

    "The story of the mage and the blue dragon queen," Lancel looked at Mira, "I don¡¯t know much about it. It won¡¯t be more interesting than the fantasy books on the bookshelf."

    "Just like us." Mira¡¯s words surprised Lancel.

    He and Mira were both blue dragons and spellcasters.

    But he didn¡¯t continue along with her thought; instead, he contradicted her.

    "We¡¯re not the same." Cecilia and Albert didn¡¯t have a traditional happy ending.

    One gave up her heart scales and died, the other lived a hundred years alone and died in a shelter beneath the long seal.

    That wasn¡¯t a good ending. Lancel didn¡¯t want him and Mira to end up like Cecilia and Albert.

    "Do you want to help?" Mira had heard that bad future from Maria, and she really wanted to know if Lancel would get involved for her.

    For this answer, she hoped Lancel would agree, but at the same time, she hoped he would firmly refuse to protect himself.

    "I don¡¯t know," Lancel shook his head.

    In comparison, the old him would have ignored human life. Now, with Mira, he wanted to protect her.

    He wasn¡¯t Cecilia; he couldn¡¯t choose to sacrifice himself. Also, he didn¡¯t want Mira, who had spiritual power, to use it to save the world after learning about her abilities.

    The demons'' destructive desire was without reason. Invasion could be stopped once, but there would always be another time.

    It was impossible for someone to always be there to stop these disasters, and he never understood why Cecilia chose to sacrifice herself.

    "I don¡¯t know either," Mira said truthfully.

    Saving the world sounded great, but it felt so far away. She just wanted to protect herself, protect Lancel, protect Maria, and those things she cared about.

    She didn¡¯t want to save the world.

    Mira rested her head on her hand.

    Maria cared a bit more than she did, so she wanted to protect this kingdom.

    "The heart scales haven¡¯t cracked," Lancel said, "It¡¯s just the demons¡¯ new attempt."

    "What did you say to Maria?"

    "I told her the way to save the world," Lancel said. "Use the soul of a hero to seal the demon¡¯s soul."

    Mira gasped, "Did Maria agree?"

    "She said she tried it in another world. This method didn¡¯t work."

    "That¡¯s good." Mira thought, she didn¡¯t want Maria to sacrifice herself.

    "So, I told her another way," Lancel''s expression became serious.

    "Stop this war and send Nathaniel back to that world forever."

    "Of course, we are satisfied with your proposal, Duke Bona."

    In a VIP reception area inside the Magic Hub.

    The black dragon, disguised as the human Duke Bona, was speaking with several mages.

    Duke Bona lounged in a soft sofa, his black eyes¡ªfilled with malevolent intent¡ªscanning the people around him.

    "Why haven''t I seen Archmage Karl?" Bona asked. He and Karl were old acquaintances.

    Once, when he tried to burn the Eastern Kingdom to the ground with dragon flames, it was Karl the Archmage who intervened, convincing him to marry the princess.

    At that time, Karl had just achieved the eighth-ring, but still had the courage to negotiate with the black dragon.

    "Karl?" The mages scowled in disgust when they heard his name.

    "He lost something important and has been stripped of all authority. He''s been placed under house arrest in the Central Teaching Building."

    Duke Bona raised an eyebrow slightly.

    Bona knew that Karl was the human with the greatest potential to challenge the status of the Tower Master. He was the most skilled human mage the black dragon had ever encountered, second only to blue dragons. But now, he was under house arrest?

    "What did he lose?" Bona feigned curiosity as he inquired with the mages present.

    They had already reached an agreement. Duke Bona had brought the news that the magic dragon had been severely wounded, and now was the perfect time to eliminate it.

    The Magic Hub would send mages to assist the human army in defeating the magic dragon, and any spoils from the battle, including the magical mediums the dragon had collected and the Tower itself, would belong to the Magic Hub.

    From that day on, the people of the Eastern Kingdom would regain their freedom.

    This was the secret of the Magic Hub. When Duke Bona mentioned this, the mages in attendance fell silent.

    Bona slightly raised an eyebrow, and a trace of thought appeared in his malevolent black eyes.

    "It seems I''ve overstepped my bounds," he said casually, finishing his drink in one go and sinking into the soft sofa.

    His dragon''s eyes, narrowed slightly, revealed a glimpse of the black dragon''s power.

    This was the territory of the Magic Hub, and Bona had no intention of using the black dragon''s power here.

    But he sensed something and guessed that these humans might provide the answers he sought.

    Dragon fear did not belong to magic. It was the pressure of a top-tier predator in the food chain.

    The black dragon was the ruler of dragons, and even though Bona had been away from Sky City for many years, this power still lingered with him.

    Soon, someone, half-dazed, revealed the secret of the Magic Hub.

    "Karl lost her."

    "Her?"

    "She''s an artificial medium. They transferred the power of the Mindstone into a girl''s body. Possessing her is like possessing the power of the Mindstone."

    Bona tilted his head.

    Once again, human audacity exceeded his expectations. They actually dared to target the Heart of the World.

    And they had somehow figured out how to use the power of the Mindstone.

    Bona was not human. He could directly absorb the power of the Heart of the World.

    Lance, too, was a giant dragon, and he could do the same.

    A human girl...

    Bona recalled the black-haired girl protected by the blue dragon''s scales.

    Because of the dragon scales'' protection, his dragon''s eyes couldn''t see through her. So that was the purpose of those scales.

    Bona leaned on his hand.

    "That''s really a shame."

    "The thing could have made us Tower Mages," the mages said angrily when talking about Karl losing the medium.

    The medium was never just Karl''s. Perhaps long ago, they should not have agreed to Karl''s suggestion to raise her as a regular child. Instead, they should have locked "her" away in an appropriate cage and waited until she matured to use her power.

    That way, there wouldn''t be so many troubles now.

    "Tower Mage?" Bona laughed, as if hearing a joke.

    These human pigs actually thought they could become Tower Mages?

    "Once you obtain the legendary mediums from the Magic Dragon''s Tower, you''ll become one soon enough."

    Mira had fallen asleep on Lance''s back.

    The blue dragon carefully carried her back to the Tower. As they passed the base of the Tower, the dragon''s far superior hearing detected the sound of an argument.

    Lance covered Mira''s ears, afraid that the slightest noise might wake her.

    It was Mira¡¯s friend Maria and the dragon-slaying hero. They seemed to have a disagreement.

    Lance didn''t need to guess much; he knew it was about the Demon Mark.

    Heroes often had blunt personalities. They held "justice" as their guiding principle, which sometimes led them into extreme positions.

    Lance saw the spirit of a hero in Maria, but that strength was still in its early stages. To truly harness the courage born of humanity, which was strong enough to rival the power of the Heart of the World, she would need many more trials.

    This had nothing to do with Lance. He didn''t want to interfere too much in others¡¯ lives.

    He planned to take Mira back to the top of the Tower, but a gleaming long sword blocked his path.

    Lance stopped, his magic wrapping around the sleeping Mira. To avoid waking her, he used magic to transport her to the top of the Tower.

    He remained at the base, facing the unfriendly Sam.

    "You are no match for me," Lance said.

    If this had been anywhere else, he would have faced trouble with this sword saint carrying the Dragon Slayer sword. But this was his Tower, and Sam had no chance of defeating Lance here.

    "You gave Maria a terrible idea," Sam said, his face dark with anger.

    Though Sam was a handsome and brightly colored man, at that moment, a murderous intent emerged beneath his vibrant exterior.

    "It was just a suggestion," Lance replied.

    He had already investigated, and the Demon Mark was not going to break. What Nathaniel sought was to summon the demon from that side to this world through the war and the Thunder Pool, then use the two fronts to break the Heart''s Scale''s seal.

    Sacrifice? That wasn¡¯t needed yet.

    Thanks to the butterfly effect caused by Mira leaving the Magic Hub, the crisis that could have destroyed the world was no longer so deadly.

    All they needed to do was deal with Nathaniel.

    Lance couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain. Right now, he just wanted to go back to the top of the Tower and rest with Mira.

    "You just can''t let go of that girl," Sam said. "She is the incarnation of the Heart of the Soul. She possesses the power to resolve the crisis."

    Lance furrowed his brow.

    He didn¡¯t trust the way heroes thought. If it were him in this situation, he would choose to sacrifice Maria to protect Mira. If it were Sam in this situation, he would sacrifice Mira to protect Maria.

    It was the same thing. Their positions were different, and they each wanted to protect different people.

    Lance wanted to throw this fool out of the Tower, but after thinking for a moment, he realized that would not be wise.

    Unnecessary misunderstandings could make things troublesome.

    Besides, Mira wouldn¡¯t want to see her guest thrown out of the Tower when she woke up tomorrow morning.

    Lance remained silent for a moment. Though he didn''t like explaining himself, he decided to briefly explain the situation to the human hero in front of him.

    "The seal on the Demon Mark is intact. The situation isn''t severe enough for a life-or-death struggle."

    His gaze then shifted to Maria, who had arrived.

    "This is not a crisis for the whole world; it''s merely a dispute within the Eastern Kingdom."

    Maria paused for a moment.

    She understood what Lance meant.

    "I will stop the war," she said, turning to Sam and pulling him away. "Let''s go back."

    Sam looked confused, his anger rising with no outlet. He grumpily ruffled his hair and stormed off with his sword, leaving the base of the Tower.

    Lance nodded at Maria, and his figure turned into countless sparkling blue dots, floating toward the darkness at the top of the Tower.

    Since Duke Bona took control of the kingdom''s power, he began recruiting soldiers and expanding the army. Under the banner of defeating the dragon, more and more young people joined the military.

    Mira rode her dragon, soaring above the fortress, observing the young soldiers training in the center of the field. They shouted coordinated slogans, and each time they swung their arms, sweat fell from their youthful faces.

    As she got closer, she even saw a few familiar faces among these new soldiers, young people from Hero Town.

    The Eastern Kingdom had gained an unprecedented unity. Everyone joined forces to fight for this war of freedom and to contribute in their own way.

    Nathaniel had taken advantage of the public''s hatred of dragons. He knew full well how notorious he was for his crimes, and he didn''t care what others thought of him. He had always been this way, and nothing had changed.

    However, those bad reputations were shouldered by others. Lance had always lived in the tower, using the dragon''s evil name to his advantage. Now, those evil deeds had become real occurrences.

    Nathaniel had deliberately arranged performances within the army, repeatedly reminding humanity of the fear they had once been ruled by the dragon.

    He saw the anger on their faces and mocked their foolishness. Nathaniel reveled in all of it, as the countless waves of anger became his strength.

    He decided to put this army, which he had built with his own hands, to the test. Their first stop was not the tower, as publicly declared, but a neighboring independent city-state of the Eastern Kingdom¡ªKachubi.

    Kachubi was a free trade city-state, home to merchants from all over the world. Kachubi did not have its own regular army and relied on paying taxes to the Eastern Kingdom for protection from the royal army.

    It was a rainy day. The rain gently fell, bringing a cool breeze to counter the recent heat.

    The merchants of Kachubi, having a rare break, gathered at the taverns and casinos on the streets, spending the wealth they had recently earned.

    Then, the demon arrived.

    By the time the tower received the news, it had been a week.

    Maria was filled with self-blame. Recently, she had tried to contact the king''s old vassals, but those who had once sworn allegiance to the kingdom had all pledged themselves to Nathaniel.

    They claimed that Duke Bona was also of royal blood, and that he was the true and righteous one.

    The greedy, cowardly, and weak king and the bride sacrificed to the dragon were nothing more than hypocritical liars making their last desperate struggle.

    Nathaniel was skilled at manipulating public opinion, and the power he gained from the Demon Scar, combined with his dragon might, gave him the ability to control people''s hearts.

    Once this madness reached a certain point, the demon would find a suitable vessel. Only Nathaniel could reverse the Thunderbolt Array, and the demon would pass through this reserved passage, breaking the barrier set by the Blue Dragon tribe.

    Mira landed in Kachubi in the afternoon.

    They did not directly enter the city but instead stayed on the only path leading to the city-state.

    Lance, with his sharp senses, was the first to frown. He looked up at the clear blue sky, squinted his eyes, and the surrounding winds began to stir. Then, the rain began to fall.

    Mira didn¡¯t understand why Lance used magic, but as they got closer to the city, she realized his intention.

    The storm swept away the foul stench from the decaying bodies within the city, and the rain washed away the dark red bloodstains that had soaked into the ground.

    Mira felt herself trembling. Her body shuddered uncontrollably. Maria, who had come with them, had seen more brutal scenes. Although her situation was slightly better than Mira¡¯s, her expression was still pale and bloodless.

    They had underestimated the cruelty of the Black Dragon and ignored Nathaniel''s madness.

    He carried out these massacres without any reason¡ªjust for the sake of destruction.

    He was no longer the Black Dragon Nathaniel; he had become the demon Nathaniel.

    Sorrow filled the air, and even though Lance was not human, he fell silent upon witnessing the slaughter of innocent lives.

    It seemed he now understood why Cecilia wanted to stop the demon from entering this world.

    The demon would destroy everything they knew.

    The Blue Dragons relied on the natural order to live. If all life in nature were to disappear, where would nature itself remain?

    He stretched out his hand and pressed it against the heart-scaled plate.

    Mira was the first to regain her composure from the sorrow.

    She felt a power surging through her body, a power that sustained her.

    The young girl removed the dragon scale from her chest.

    She held the scale with both hands, chanting an ancient incantation. Magic naturally began to emerge from the ground beneath her feet, not even passing through the dragon scale but being guided by Mira in its most natural form.

    Her magic lifted the dead in the city. Her magic wiped away the blurry images, and the long-sleeping souls were laid to rest. But in the end, this small city was reduced to a name, a tragedy, and a sigh.

    The journey back to the tower was silent.

    No one spoke.

    Mira hesitantly took Maria''s hand. Maria looked too sad. If she showed even a hint of unwillingness, Mira would certainly pull her hand back.

    But Maria didn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t look at her, but firmly gripped Mira¡¯s hand.

    Heat emanated from her palm, and the calluses from holding a sword brushed against Mira¡¯s fingers. She gently intertwined her fingers with Maria¡¯s, and they both gazed into the distance.

    No one spoke first, but they both understood each other¡¯s thoughts.

    Save the world? No, that was not it.

    No one could save the world. They were just defending their home, protecting those they wished to protect.

    At the base of the tower, a figure stood quietly.

    Mira released Maria''s hand.

    It was a pale young man, standing there motionless.

    He turned as he heard the noise.

    He had changed into a black robe, with a white flower tied to his chest.

    Mira took a step back.

    It was Karl.

 Chapter 51

    Karl spotted Mira the moment he laid eyes on her. He noticed her slight tilt of the head. After leaving the Magic Hub, she had made new friends.

    Then, his gaze fixed on Lance. Karl could sense the magic swirling within him. There was no doubt about it; this was a powerful spellcaster.

    Mira withdrew her gaze from the pale young man and turned toward Lance. "Take me back to the tower."

    Lance seemed to realize something. He understood that Mira didn''t want to see the person standing before them.

    He nodded slightly, and with his magic, he lifted Mira, Maria, and the others, transporting them back to the tower.

    Karl''s pupils involuntarily dilated, but Mira had already vanished from his sight.

    Karl''s gaze remained fixed on Lance. He couldn''t see any spellcasting medium on him.

    In the current world, humans could only cast spells without a medium in one way.

    Had Mira... been with him? Were they...? Had they... slept together?

    Karl narrowed his eyes. Magic surged through him as he ruthlessly attacked Lance.

    As soon as Mira returned to the tower, she hid away. The only thing on her mind was one question¡ªhow had Karl found his way to the tower?

    Was Karl trying to take her back to the Magic Hub? She would never go back. Was he fighting with Lance? He certainly wasn''t a match for Lance.

    Seeing Karl again, Mira felt a mix of emotions. She wasn''t sure how to face this mentor of hers.

    The origami spirit stared at Mira, hiding in the library.

    "Won''t you take a look?" the small origami spirit flew up to Mira. "The magic waves outside are strong." As it spoke, it floated and landed on the only window in the tower.

    Except for the room representing the natural world, every room in the tower had windows, and the one facing the real world was the only one in front of them. Thanks to magic, people inside the tower could see any landscape they wished and could also gaze out at the world outside.

    The origami spirit stood on the window ledge, watching the duel between man and dragon below the tower.

    Karl initiated the attack, and he was nothing like the rumors that spoke of him being severely wounded after his last breakthrough. The pale young man¡¯s energy was now at an astonishing level.

    No one in this world could be more powerful than him, yet he was facing the blue dragon.

    Lance was surprised to discover that the boy, appearing no older than sixteen or seventeen, had already reached the level of a high mage.

    "Mira, really not even a glance?" the origami spirit asked Mira.

    "They¡¯re fighting fiercely," it added. Although neither side had used large-scale magic, the surging energy was the most direct sign of the intensity of their battle.

    Mira hesitated for a moment, then still refused the origami spirit.

    "Is anyone hurt?" she asked in a low voice.

    Without needing to see, her imagination grew more vivid.

    Why had Karl suddenly come looking for her?

    So much had happened recently. Mira lowered her eyes. Why now, of all times?

    Even though she knew about the dark deeds at the Magic Hub, Mira didn¡¯t want to kill Karl.

    He wasn¡¯t a good person, but he had raised her. Couldn¡¯t they just leave each other alone?

    Lance... Mira softly thought his name in her heart.

    Just defeat him. Don''t kill him.

    The powerful spellcasters tacitly gave up on magical battles and chose to collide with pure energy.

    Twelve mediums on Karl¡¯s body glowed, with the brightest one being the necklace he wore around his neck.

    Master mages¡¯ mediums were all rare, unique items.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    But he couldn¡¯t find any medium on Lance, even though his strength was no weaker than Karl¡¯s. In fact, Lance seemed more at ease than Karl.

    Karl lowered his head and smiled slightly. The appearance of a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old was deceiving; his eyes resembled those of a dying old man.

    The twelve mediums extinguished in an instant, and pure magical power vanished as well.

    Lance struggled briefly, then withdrew his power.

    ¡°I came to find you,¡± Karl said, lifting his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s about what happened this time.¡±

    Recently, news of dragons had been frequently reaching Nathaniel¡¯s ears.

    He knew it was Lance.

    That foolish dragon didn¡¯t seem to know what had gotten into him, frequently soaring over the kingdom in his dragon form.

    This was undoubtedly a good thing.

    The more he did this, the deeper the fear of the magical dragons would grow among the people.

    Fear breeds power. That way, he would only become stronger.

    Lance still hadn¡¯t realized that this situation was far from a simple skirmish. Nathaniel¡¯s original intention was not to kill Lance, but if he could take the opportunity to exact some revenge, that would be even better.

    His army was slowly taking shape, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before they could head for the tower.

    Today was the day the spellcasters from the Magic Hub arrived.

    To his surprise, Nathaniel spotted a familiar figure among the enforcers.

    The person wore a black magic robe, and whenever he stood among the crowd, all eyes were inevitably drawn to him.

    It was Karl.

    Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. A black robe... In the mage system, that color represented a high tower mage.

    No wonder the people from the Magic Hub released him. It seems Karl had broken through.

    He wondered when Karl would establish his own tower. No, actually, he wouldn¡¯t get the chance to establish his own tower anymore.

    This thought only flickered briefly in Nathaniel¡¯s mind. Powerful mages might understand certain spiritual magic, and though Nathaniel wasn¡¯t well-versed in magic, he knew that in the presence of a high tower mage, it was better to be straightforward. Deeper thoughts could cause trouble.

    Duke Bona welcomed the mage from the Magic Hub with a smile.

    They had important matters to discuss.

    ¡°Mira, what did Karl say?¡± Mira had held back for several days, but finally decided to ask Lance this question.

    She was drying her hair, her gaze not filled with curiosity, but rather concern as she gradually moved closer to Lance.

    Lance sat down in front of Mira, taking the towel from her hands. With a flick of his fingers, magic surged, and her damp hair quickly dried.

    ¡°He wants me to cooperate with him,¡± Lance revealed the purpose of Karl¡¯s visit without hiding anything.

    ¡°Cooperate?¡± Mira was confused. How had he found her, and why did he want to cooperate with Lance? Was it because of Nathaniel?

    ¡°It was because of the scroll at the gathering,¡± Lance disclosed a bit of information.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Mira didn¡¯t understand. ¡°How is that possible? Could a magic scroll expose the person who wrote it?¡±

    ¡°The magic scroll itself wouldn¡¯t,¡± Lance answered, ¡°but the handwriting could reveal the identity.¡±

    Mira blinked. The scrolls she had sold at the gathering were the ones she¡¯d used for practice in the beginning. Back then, her writing wasn¡¯t great, and she hadn¡¯t dared to make any modifications to her notes. Now, she was quite skilled, and when writing scrolls, she used a different style to hide her identity.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± Mira thought. She had done a lot of transcribing work for Karl. If he had paid attention, it wouldn¡¯t have been hard for him to recognize her handwriting.

    ¡°Why did he want to cooperate with you?¡± Mira still didn¡¯t understand.

    Karl¡¯s gaze had only briefly rested on her during that day, and Mira hadn¡¯t been able to catch the meaning behind it.

    ¡°He tested my power,¡± Lance answered. ¡°Maybe he was verifying if I¡¯m worthy of Mira.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense...¡± Mira glanced at him, her heart skipping a beat.

    ¡°We¡¯re talking about serious matters here,¡± she quickly added.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Lance nodded. ¡°In any case, he wants to cooperate with me.¡±

    The blue dragon became serious. ¡°Karl broke through to become a high tower mage. When humans reach this level of control over magic, their spellcasting energy strengthens their bodies. Maybe he saw something and that¡¯s why he approached me so directly.¡±

    ¡°We decided to cooperate to deal with Nathaniel.¡± The blue dragon, after a moment of weighing things in his mind, decided to share his and Karl¡¯s plan with Mira.

    He didn¡¯t want to hide anything from Mira, even though keeping it from her might have led to better outcomes.

    But just as Mira had said, lovers should be honest with each other.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in secret,¡± Lance leaned in and whispered in Mira¡¯s ear, his breath grazing her sensitive earlobe. Mira flinched.

    ¡°Move a bit further away and then whisper,¡± she said.

    Lance chuckled but leaned even closer to Mira.

    ¡°No, someone might overhear.¡±

    With Duke Bona¡¯s order, the army set off toward the tower.

    The spellcasters from the Magic Hub followed closely behind.

    Soldiers were of no use in the attack on the tower. Nathaniel only needed these humans because he hoped to provide suitable hosts for the demons, once the Door to the World was reversed.

    The combat strength of the tower was limited; the biggest trouble was Lance. As long as that dragon could be dealt with, Nathaniel was confident in his chances.

    He himself could tangle with Lance for a long time, and now with the help of human mages, Nathaniel felt even more assured.

    It was all because of the overconfidence of the Blue Dragon Queen Cecilia. She insisted on leaving a passage to monitor the demons. Otherwise, bringing demons into this world would have been much more difficult.

    But once a small number of demons entered this world, it would become easier to break down the barrier separating the two worlds.

    The demon, coiled deep within Nathaniel¡¯s heart, flicked its tail. Its crimson eyes gleamed with pride.

    It wasn¡¯t a powerful force demon, nor a cunning intellect demon. Thanks to Nathaniel being a simple-minded, physically strong person, the demon had easily gained control over the dragon¡¯s body.

    The small demon, not particularly powerful, excitedly flicked its tail.

    Its power was attached to the dragon¡¯s essence, and countless fine threads were woven into a massive net. These threads originated from the demon itself.

    Once the demon¡¯s army was brought here, before that happened, it would devour living beings on a massive scale. It would become the strongest demon, capable of destroying everything.

    Until then, it would force itself not to kill Nathaniel. After all, the black dragon¡¯s body was so strong.

 Chapter 52

    The human army stopped in front of the high tower.

    The continuous rain hindered the march. After a meeting among the generals, it was decided that the army would camp at the foot of the mountain. The civilian houses of Hero Town were requisitioned and became the temporary command post.

    The black dragon had been contemplating how he should temporarily halt these containers at a certain location.

    The rain gave him a reason. The time and place were right.

    Nathaniel stood in the rain, still feeling the drizzle falling on him, soaking his clothes.

    Strangely, the rain had always been moderate, neither too heavy nor too light, but it showed no sign of stopping.

    Nathaniel liked the rain. He squinted his eyes, enjoying the feeling of the rain falling on his body.

    If he could, he would love to turn back into a dragon and play joyfully in the rain.

    Unfortunately, he was not like the blue dragon. He couldn¡¯t freely change his appearance. The current body was a skin he had stripped off, a one-time use.

    Nathaniel was a bit displeased.

    The blue dragon had such power, and he did not. If he were to change back into a dragon right now, he would lose his human form.

    He had to endure, but the black dragon hated enduring. He couldn¡¯t even explain why he needed to endure.

    Nathaniel impatiently scratched the back of his head, and the smell of blood spread through the rain.

    He furrowed his brows, looking down at his hands.

    His palms were stained with black and red blood. Nathaniel lowered his head and sniffed his clothes.

    There was a faint smell of decay on him.

    He couldn¡¯t wait anymore. He needed to get the human mages to work. His body was about to rot.

    Nathaniel exhaled a breath.

    Just a little longer.

    He would soon achieve his revenge.

    No, not just revenge.

    The demon that had burrowed deep in his heart whispered.

    ¡°Do you remember?¡± the little demon reinforced Nathaniel¡¯s dark side. ¡°We¡¯re going to bring demons into this world, we¡¯re going to bring demons into this world.¡±

    ¡°You and I, Nathaniel.¡±

    The little demon repeated over and over again.

    Since Nathaniel was a dragon, it wasn¡¯t easy to control him completely. Luckily, when he was restoring his power, he had devoured quite a few demons. The bodies of the demons were digested by the dragon, but their consciousnesses weren¡¯t entirely destroyed. They took root inside Nathaniel¡¯s body, becoming little demons.

    It was thanks to Nathaniel being someone who derived pleasure from slaughter. Compared to him, the little demon wasn¡¯t strong, but it was still able to control him.

    Yes. He wanted the demons to come to this world.

    It would be an unparalleled hunting game.

    ¡°Karl, it¡¯s your turn to perform.¡± Nathaniel whispered softly. ¡°The high tower mage who broke through on his own. I should be in for a surprise, shouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    The rain still hadn''t stopped.

    However, Nathaniel didn''t dare to stay in the rain any longer. He put on a hat to shield himself from the pus leaking from his scalp, quietly watching the figure emerging from the high tower.

    "Mira." Lance walked out of the high tower, giving Mira instructions as he walked. "If they attack the high tower, do as I told you."

    Mira nodded.

    She trusted Lance.

    Nathaniel, unwilling to discard the human Duke Bona''s skin, would not strike immediately. He planned to wear down Lance using humans, something they had already anticipated.

    Nathaniel didn''t care about the lives of the human soldiers. Ordering them to kill innocent townspeople was meant to plant seeds for demons to grow in their hearts.

    Maria had fought against humans tainted by demons in another world. She had experience in this area.

    Lance had already used teleportation to quietly send them to the town. Those left in the high tower needed to buy enough time for Sam and Maria to eliminate the dark thoughts in the humans.

    Mira needed to observe everything until Nathaniel couldn''t resist acting, until whatever was hidden inside his body took action.

    "I understand."This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    "The stars will help you," Lance said, smiling in a way that was completely unlike someone preparing for a tough battle.

    Nathaniel saw it all clearly.

    He squinted, the cruelty in his eyes rising. The little demon quickly began to spread.

    Just like how the Heart of Shadows would trigger dark thoughts in people''s hearts, the tainted demon souls could also infect others with these dark thoughts.

    How could he still smile at a time like this? Nathaniel only felt anger; it seemed Lance completely disregarded him.

    Mira looked at the magic hub mage in front of her, and they saw her as well.

    At the moment when greed and desire surged, Mira took a step back.

    "Don''t be afraid," Lance said. "They won''t be able to step forward."

    Mira nodded heavily.

    Yes, they wouldn''t be able to step forward.

    Lance had this kind of power. What she needed to do was protect the high tower and use that magic at the right moment.

    The high tower was their home.

    Lance had already told Mira about this in advance.

    The black dragon was a simple-minded, physically strong creature. Only when he truly revealed his dragon form would the battle officially begin.

    Everything before that was preparation. No matter how much he and Karl fought, Mira didn''t need to worry.

    Lance would teach Karl a lesson, and he knew exactly how far to take it.

    Lance walked into the rain, and the magical energy evaporated the rain around him.

    His gaze shifted across the mages before him, their mediums shimmering in the rain.

    Lance squinted, focusing his eyes on Karl.

    "Hand her over." For Karl, the reason he had allied with the black dragon was to reclaim her.

    That was the reason he had given.

    The black dragon understood the inside story and didn''t doubt it.

    Although he didn¡¯t know why Lance was involved with the human girl, just seeing the blue dragon suffer put him in a better mood.

    Let the humans and the blue dragon tear each other apart; he just needed to wait for the right moment to seize the high tower.

    It was that simple.

    Lance didn''t speak but simply extended his hand towards Karl. The meaning was clear.

    If you have the ability, come and take it.

    Karl didn''t waste words.

    Eleven mediums appeared behind him, and the necklace around his neck glowed brightly.

    The strongest human mage was confronting the blue dragon.

    Facing the high tower mage, Lance wasn''t at ease. He hadn¡¯t fought the high tower mages in human form before. Though Karl didn¡¯t yet have his high tower, he was still a genuine high tower mage.

    This battle had to be real.

    Good luck, human.

    Lance floated up, the magical energy swirling behind him, moving straight towards the mediums floating behind Karl, without needing an incantation.

    The weakness of human mages was their mediums.

    "You all, pry open the high tower''s door." Duke Bona ordered the remaining mages. There was no need for extra words. As soon as they saw Mira, the greedy mages no longer had any intention of letting the high tower go. Now, the high tower contained more than just the magical dragon''s treasures; it also had her.

    Though the news that the dragon could transform into a human had surprised them, her existence was even more important.

    Mira returned to the high tower and cast a spell, appearing in the library.

    The stars were already waiting there.

    The high tower was the mage''s tower for high tower mages, places with unique defensive systems. Lance''s high tower was naturally one of them.

    Mira grasped her scales. She closed her eyes, and an almost invisible light shield immediately enveloped the high tower.

    Mira stood by the water basin in the library, and the clear spring water slowly began to flow.

    The spring water split into three parts, revealing three images.

    The situation outside the high tower, the battle between Karl and Lance in the sky, and the situation in the town at the foot of the mountain.

    Maria''s sword blade emitted a faint red glow in the rain. It was the soul of a hero in action.

    The army stationed near Hero Town had completely lost the vitality of the living. Under Nathaniel''s influence, they were now nothing but husks. Once the demon army arrived, the consciousness of these corpses would be completely devoured, becoming the first feast for demons to enter this world.

    What Maria was doing was severing their connection to Nathaniel. She knew the power of demons and had witnessed their methods of awakening ugliness.

    The hero¡¯s soul, born from the heroes'' pursuit of noble virtues, had an inherent advantage in fighting against the demon''s soul.

    Her and Sam''s goal was clear. They first targeted those with the hero¡¯s soul who had been controlled.

    There were many former heroes in Hero Town. The more hands they had, the quicker they could work.

    Nathaniel would soon realize the problem.

    The performance he was watching had to be brilliant, and the actions behind the performance had to be swift.

    Above the clouds, the battle between the blue dragon and humans soon reached a boiling point.

    Lance and Karl didn¡¯t stop attacking each other with their spells.

    Occasionally, blood mixed with rainwater would fall from the sky.

    With a long, muffled howl, the dragon''s body appeared, faintly visible in the clouds.

    Nathaniel showed surprise.

    He looked up, and the human body limited his use of the Dragon''s Eye, but in the clouds, the dragon''s form was still faintly visible.

    The human mage''s ability was surprisingly good.

    However, Nathaniel also knew that Karl had reached his limit. The smell of blood in the air was growing stronger, and the human was clearly more severely wounded.

    It didn¡¯t matter. The black dragon laughed, wanting a little more, much more.

    Mutual destruction was what he truly wanted to see.

    A deep chant echoed in the clouds, like a pure holy hymn.

    The blue dragon needed to chant a spell to cast magic.

    It was a forbidden spell!

    Even the black dragon was surprised.

    To force Lance to use a forbidden spell, the human mage had exceeded his expectations.

    The opportunity had arrived.

    He had had enough of this human body.

    The black dragon laughed. The human duke stepped off the war chariot.

    He removed his hat, and while the human mages on the ground were hurriedly attacking the high tower''s shield, no one noticed Nathaniel''s strange behavior.

    Mira saw this scene through the water basin.

    The skin on his face had already begun to rot, and corpse spots had appeared on his forehead. His limbs had long since stiffened.

    And now, Nathaniel no longer needed to endure.

    The black dragon abandoned his frail human shell.

    He planned to kill Lance, then seize Karl''s body.

    Nathaniel revealed his dragon form.

    Before the human mages noticed anything unusual, he easily ended their lives.

    Another dragon soared into the sky.

    Mira tensed up instantly.

    She sent a message to Maria through the high tower. They had to move faster. At the same time, she clenched her scales.

    Nathaniel seized the moment and attacked Lance.

    The black dragon excelled at close combat, his body three times the size of Lance''s, and the close distance was also meant to allow the little demon to invade.

    Lance''s body suddenly froze.

    A chill invaded, and a swaying demon tail slowly formed in Lance¡¯s vision.

    Evil thoughts were contagious, just like how negative emotions are felt in a negative environment. In a brutal environment, hostility would be released for no reason.

    "Lance."

    Nathaniel lowered his voice. He didn''t speak aloud, but the words appeared in Lance''s mind.

    Gradually, the voice became sharper, more piercing.

    "Evil thoughts are contagious."

    "You''re not pretending to be a magic dragon, are you? You''ll become a true magic dragon."

    Die. Die in the high tower, carrying those infamous names. The world will cheer and welcome the arrival of the new king.

    Die. Aren¡¯t you blue dragons fond of playing saviors?

    Die. Just like your foolish mother.

    Die.

    Knock. Knock. Knock.

    It was the sound of someone knocking at the door.

 Chapter 53 - end

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to speak here.¡±

    Mira¡¯s voice broke into Lance''s mind, shattering the sharp and thin sound.

    They had known from the beginning that Nathaniel wasn¡¯t their only enemy.

    The arrogant black dragon would never seek human help. But demons were different. Demons tended to exploit the inherent evil in intelligent beings, corrupting their morals and goodness that were acquired later in life.

    This satisfied their desire for destruction.

    However, Lance and Mira weren¡¯t sure how strong the demon inside Nathaniel was.

    Maria had once encountered the Demon Dragon in another world, but by then, Nathaniel had completely lost his consciousness as a black dragon and had become a pure demon.

    Lance judged that Nathaniel had not deteriorated to that point yet.

    Because he was still provoking Lance with matters related to Cecilia. The demon clearly wouldn¡¯t behave like that, but would instead try to get close to Lance to control him.

    Mira used the knock-knock magic that they had used before. Lance said it was a trick used by mages to appease the Blue Dragon Queen with new little tricks.

    But he soon realized that this was not just a small trick about expressing love; it was only used here because of the situation.

    When fighting demons, one could easily fall into a quagmire, getting trapped in a demon''s carefully designed mental traps, being led astray step by step. But if, at such a time, someone could clearly convey the thought that something was wrong, it might have miraculous effects.

    This magic had been created in such an environment.

    There were two battlefields.

    One was the battle of consciousness against the minor demon, and the other was the clash between the dragons.

    The sharp and thin voice had no intention of giving up. Once the object of consciousness invasion was two, its power naturally split into two parts, attacking Lance and Mira respectively.

    Mira possessed thought and spiritual power, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of this kind of mental contamination. Lance, on the other hand, had to be careful not to let the minor demon¡¯s whisper affect his mind, which minimized the risks.

    Mages'' spiritual strength was inherently higher than others.

    However, this also affected the battle above the clouds.

    Nathaniel revealed his true form, but Lance had to divide his energy to deal with the contamination from the minor demon.

    A thought flashed through his mind.

    Mira was surprised, but still clearly caught onto his current thoughts.

    She exhaled, casting a teleportation spell. Mira appeared on Lance¡¯s back.

    She steadied herself, and the scenery around them changed drastically. It was no longer the familiar sky outside the tower but a blackened land of red and black.

    It was the Demon Scar!

    ¡°It¡¯s fake.¡±

    Lance¡¯s consciousness clearly reached Mira¡¯s mind. This demon couldn¡¯t change their thoughts, so it had to use other means to create difficulties for Mira and Lance.

    At such a time, he had to give his all to ensure Nathaniel¡¯s host wouldn¡¯t die.

    Mira steadied herself on Lance¡¯s back.

    In these days, she had soared the skies with him more than once, but this was the first real battle.

    ¡°Mira, remember his weakness?¡±

    Mira, empowered by the Stone of Thought and Spirit, would not be deceived by the demon. Lance wasn¡¯t sure that he wouldn¡¯t be misled himself. He was still in the dragon¡¯s mating season, and his innate desires were also a source of instability.

    Lance decided to hand over full control of their thoughts to Mira. During the battle, his thoughts would fully resist the minor demon¡¯s invasion, while Mira would take control of their physical movements.

    Their consciousness fused as one. Mira leaned forward, pressing her upper body as closely as possible to Lance¡¯s back. This movement reduced the wind resistance during flight.

    Her mind shared all the magic that Lance had mastered.

    ¡°I remember.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with him,¡± Lance¡¯s voice was firm and confident. His magic and Mira¡¯s consciousness.

    Sensing the magic Lance contained, Mira believed in them.

    The rain gradually stopped, and that was Lance¡¯s magic.

    Now, he needed to focus on resisting the demon¡¯s contamination, and Mira had to deal with Nathaniel.

    The black dragon¡¯s eyes were his weakness.

    Nathaniel¡¯s body froze for a moment, not just due to the minor demon¡¯s influence, but also because of a magic coming from behind him.

    Karl.

    Nathaniel¡¯s mind recalled a name. That damned human, teaming up with the blue dragon...

    Right. Different species.

    Nathaniel laughed madly. Then let¡¯s deal with them.

    A powerful oppressive force erupted from the magic dragon¡¯s body in front of them. Lance¡¯s back tightened and relaxed, the giant dragon swung its tail horizontally, destroying the restriction placed by Karl.

    The human mage had worked with Lance to put on a show and buy enough time for the princess and hero in the small town.

    They had left no reservations to fool Nathaniel.

    Physically, Nathaniel still had the advantage.

    Nathaniel knew his own strength. After shaking off the human mage, he almost immediately flew toward Lance.

    The dragon was naturally resistant to high temperatures, but there was a human on his back who would melt with the slightest heat.

    Mira instantly saw through Nathaniel¡¯s intentions.

    He wanted to close the distance and then use dragon flame.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    If she was eliminated, Lance would face both mental and physical pressure.

    Mira recalled the key to fighting Nathaniel.

    Agility and speed had always been her advantage, and it was the same now. The blue dragon¡¯s body wasn¡¯t as robust as the black dragon¡¯s, meaning they were generally more nimble.

    But when her intent was passed to Lance through their mental connection, Mira felt the blue dragon¡¯s body under her was rising at an unimaginable speed.

    She needed to increase the distance.

    Acceleration magic. As Mira¡¯s thought formed in her mind, the spell¡¯s effect was transmitted to Lance.

    The same spell, when cast by the master of magic, had a completely different effect. Mira could clearly feel that when she cast the spell, she was using her mental strength to invoke the surrounding magical energy, but now, magic energy from the natural environment was continuously flowing toward this direction.

    This was what Lance had described as the feeling of nature¡¯s gift.

    When she fought against the young black dragon in the environment before, she had used floating and acceleration magic to simulate a flying state. The blue dragon could fly by nature, and with the acceleration spell, its speed was pushed to the limit.

    In a daze, Mira saw the surrounding illusions of black and red torn apart, and the minor demon¡¯s simulation magic couldn¡¯t keep up with Lance¡¯s speed.

    Dragon flame consumed the area where they had just been.

    Seeing that Mira wasn¡¯t burned to death, Nathaniel let out an angry roar and spread his wings to chase after them.

    Mira and Lance¡¯s minds merged. At that moment, a lightning spell, formed by condensed magic, attacked the connection between Nathaniel¡¯s wings and body during the brief moment he opened his wings.

    The paralysis caused by the lightning made Nathaniel¡¯s body stagger and fall toward the ground. The powerful black dragon quickly broke free from the magic¡¯s effects.

    He had to restrain Lance.

    The human girl who helped him was afraid of fire.

    Nathaniel raised his head and spat dragon flames. Mira quickly tried to dodge but found that the flames weren¡¯t aimed at her.

    She was stunned and quickly controlled Lance to keep ascending. The circle of fire created a barrier that limited Mira¡¯s speed.

    If it was just Lance, he could pass through without hesitation, but with Mira on his back, it was difficult to break through the fire ring in one go.

    Nathaniel¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    The power from the mind protected Lance from being contaminated by the demon, but she wasn¡¯t just his guide; she was also his death token.

    If Lance couldn¡¯t be controlled by the demon¡¯s contamination, then he would be dealt with in the real world.

    He instantly closed the distance. With the push of his meat wings, he closed the gap between himself and Lance. Mira tried to dodge, but this was a powerful strike from the black dragon.

    When Lance had faced Nathaniel in his prime alone, he had been injured by a tail swipe that sent him flying into a mountain ridge.

    In the virtual world¡¯s trials, Mira had also been killed by the dragon¡¯s tail swipe, shattering into countless pieces.

    Nathaniel despised magic, for to the black dragon, any external power was useless. He could piece his own body together and disregard the existence of everything in the world.

    Even a demon could only control his spiritual power. To fully harness the power within the black dragon¡¯s body, one would have to completely erase his consciousness.

    Boom¡ª

    Lance let out a painful dragon''s roar.

    Mira, on his back, was dazed and nearly lost consciousness.

    However, they hadn''t lost yet.

    The black dragon drew closer to Lance and Mira. Even without the dragon''s eye''s long-range vision, Mira could clearly see the gleam of determination in his eyes.

    Time seemed to slow down in that moment; even Nathaniel''s blinking appeared sluggish.

    It was the forbidden spell Lance had recited earlier. He hadn''t cast it until now, waiting for the right moment.

    The command for casting came from Mira.

    Then, within the fiery encirclement of dragon flames, something appeared that should not have been there.

    Rainwater!

    He had manipulated the rain. Lance, the blue dragon who drew magic from nature, had known that the black dragon liked rain. He should have evaporated the water on his body earlier with fire.

    By the time Nathaniel realized this, it was too late.

    A long sword, entirely made of frost, pierced straight into his eye. It was a weapon formed from the moisture falling on him.

    It was the dragon-slaying sword Mira had seen before.

    If Nathaniel had been a little faster, the rainwater would have evaporated.

    The black dragon let out a long, furious roar.

    He was enraged. Crushing, swinging his tail, the giant dragon lost its sight, the world before him a blur of blood-red. He wildly exhaled fire, attempting to burn Mira and Lance to death.

    But the teleportation array activated, whisking the blue dragon and the girl to a safe location at the first moment.

    The flames grew fiercer, and the black dragon howled in fury, trying to burn everything down!

    Mira, who had witnessed the black dragon''s destructive power, knew that Nathaniel would become even more violent after losing his eye.

    Through Lance''s power, she reached out to the stars in the tower. Under Mira''s direction, the little paper people unlocked the tower''s protective shield, casting the transparent barrier around the black dragon who was venting his rage in midair.

    This barrier, even a group of high-level mages from the magic hubs, could not break. For the black dragon to escape quickly was no easy task.

    But the real fatal blow waiting for him had always been his own dragon flame.

    Lance flew toward the mountain below, and as he landed, he shifted from a giant dragon into a handsome young human.

    He ignored the muddy ground and sat down to meditate, trying to absorb the magical energy in the natural environment to regulate himself. Mira, massaging her aching back, stood guard beside him.

    The door connecting their minds was suddenly closed. Mira paused for a moment.

    She could feel that Lance was dealing with the malicious little demon constantly emanating from his mind.

    Soon after, he opened his eyes. His face was still pale, and when his gaze met Mira''s, he instinctively looked away, but his expression had already relaxed.

    Mira once again smelled the strange fragrance.

    She suddenly realized why Lance had hurriedly closed the door connecting their thoughts.

    He stood up, gazing at the fireball in the sky, brighter than the sun.

    Lance''s expression darkened as he waved his hand, and the tower''s protective shield descended.

    The black dragon shrank in size and fell to the base of the mountain.

    Lance stepped forward and pulled the little demon''s essence out of Nathaniel''s mind.

    "Let your friend come," Lance said, as magical chains bound the powerless Nathaniel.

    Then, he vanished back into the tower. The little demon had to be dealt with quickly.

    Mira understood his meaning.

    Only Maria could kill the demon dragon, cutting the connection between the princess and the dragon.

    Only then would the kingdom return to normal.

    She signaled to Maria with magic, and the teleportation array appeared, bringing the princess here.

    "How is it?" Maria squinted when she saw Nathaniel lying on the ground.

    The demon dragon.

    "The black dragon''s judgment should be yours," Mira said.

    Maria was silent for a moment.

    "Take him back to the kingdom. Let the people judge him."

    Even though the black dragon wasn''t subject to human law, as a princess, Maria knew what the right course of action was.

    No one could forgive the killer on behalf of the deceased; what she could do was send him to face the judgment.

    "Let the army come," Mira said to Maria.

    "Lance says there are things in the tower that need to be returned to humanity."

    "Did you send the little demon back?" Mira floated high in the air, watching the soldiers busy at the mountain''s peak.

    "It''s too weak," Lance said. "Once separated from Nathaniel, it was cleared out by the lightning storm the moment it entered the lightning chamber."

    Mira showed a surprised expression. This tiny thing had caused quite a bit of trouble by controlling the dark side.

    "We need to move," Lance flapped his wings, observing the busy human soldiers.

    Lance had opened several rooms in the tower. The soldiers carried away the treasures, mediums, and some of Nathaniel''s collections.

    Lance had also asked Maria to return the swords he had collected to the heroes.

    The demon dragon was no longer in this world, and the demon dragon''s tower would not remain here either.

    Without the demon dragon''s tower, the fear would fade, and greed and oppression would lose their significant reasons.

    Maria, as the princess of the kingdom, now had a new challenge to face.

    "No problem," Mira smiled, her face pressed against Lance''s back.

    After the soldiers took the treasures away, Maria would order the tower to be burned. Mira and Lance would be waiting for her to give the order to set the fire, and then they would use magic to transport the tower to another place.

    "Can the tower change its appearance freely?" Mira asked, watching the soldiers below carrying gold, like ants gathering food for the winter.

    "As long as there''s the right magic, it can take any form," Lance answered.

    "That''s great," Mira said.

    In the capital, there was the manor the king had given her. For now, they could transform the tower into the appearance of the manor and slowly decide where they would live in the future.

    Lance loved studying nature magic, while Mira wanted to travel everywhere. She had never had the chance to do that before.

    "Mm?" Lance was puzzled.

    "It''s a secret. I''ll tell you when we go to the capital."

    Having a house that could travel with them was wonderful¡ªno need to worry about roughing it.

    Lance smiled slightly.

    At the mountain peak, flames ignited. Magic carried the tower away, leaving only an illusion burning in the fire.

    The giant dragon changed direction, its dark blue scales hidden beneath the thick clouds.

    There would be no more demon dragons and brides in this world.

    Mira and Lance would be explorers of magic.

    Oh, and dragon-riding mages with their dragons.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Author''s Final Words£º

    This story has come to an end. Thank you to all the friends who have supported me. My next novel will be released in a month, and it tells the story of the son of a baron becoming a legend. This will be a long story, and I hope everyone will enjoy it.