Chapter 39: Prepare, Heading Towards the Human World
That noon, a rare, lazy heat drifted through the Volcanic Lair.
Livia lay on the softest lava slab in the main hall, napping with half-closed eyes. The exhaustion from managing the territory, training the hatchlings, and mediating servant conflicts over the past few days surged up all at once; she just wanted to rest quietly for a while.
But this tranquility was destined not to last long.
Outside the lair, three small figures were causing a huge commotion—
Kalendil held his breath and chased Valerion, breathing fire everywhere, his little tail held high, looking as if he wouldn't stop until he smoked his brother black. Valerion was unhurried, turning his head to release a thick puff of smoke, instantly making Kalendil cough repeatedly. Aetheriel excitedly squeezed into the middle, self-proclaiming as the "fair referee," but as a result, he lost his balance, electricity surged wildly, and he directly shocked himself until his whole body went numb. He lay on the ground twitching, legs in the air, his short legs kicking occasionally, looking both pitiful and hilarious.
Livia heard the chaotic noise outside but didn't even lift an eyelid.
Having been a dragon mom for over three years, she had long ago realized one truth:
As long as no dragon lives were lost, let them be.
Just then, a familiar sound of wings flapping came from the cave entrance.
The light sound of feathers rubbing against the rock walls, combined with that signature, unhurried rhythm—Livia knew who it was without looking.
The Fire Hawk King slowly squeezed into the cave, something tightly gripped in its claws. It landed steadily in front of her, tilted its head to look at her, and then respectfully dropped the item on the ground.
"Gaa."
A crisp, concise cry, as if reporting a mission.
Livia slowly lowered her head, using the tip of her claw to gently unfold the crumpled object.
It was a piece of paper used by humans. A small corner had been accidentally scorched by the Fire Hawk King, and it was stained with a few drops of dried, dark red blood. It was clear it had been brought back from some dangerous place.
She read the words on it line by line.
Caldron Empire Mercenary Recruitment Order
Sincerely inviting the powerhouses of the continent to serve at the border's Redstone Fortress. Rich rewards, salary can be advanced.
Deadline: Before the onset of winter.
Note: Mages preferred, excellent treatment, room and board included, assigned exclusive camp.
Below was a clear official imperial seal.
Livia stared at this thin piece of paper, silent for a long, long time.
Caldron Empire.
It was one of the three most powerful human empires on the entire continent, with a vast territory spanning half the continent and a population in the tens of millions. There were well-established magic academies, intelligence networks spread across various countries, and mountains of countless Epic-grade Magic Items in the royal treasury.
Her mind almost instantly began to calculate rapidly.
Human intelligence networks—in three years, how many secret lines could she plant, and how big a web could she weave?
Human magic records—they had studied magic for thousands of years. Would the knowledge buried deep in the royal libraries contain secrets long lost to the dragon race?
Epic-grade Magic Items—if she just brought back one or two, wouldn't her territory's pitiful 48 defense points skyrocket?
Even a thought inexplicably drifted through her mind:
Maybe she could also look for... a suitable mate along the way.
Less than a second after this thought emerged.
"Ding—"
A glaring system notification box popped up right in her face, showing no mercy.
[Detected that the Host's motives are impure]
[But the System says: Highly supportive]
[Transfiguration Technique advancement quest officially opened]
[Quest Objective: Infiltrate the Caldron Empire in human form, establish a stable intelligence network within three years, and obtain at least three Epic-grade Magic Items]
[Quest Reward: Transfiguration Technique Mastery (Permanent stable human form, no more worrying about ears or tail accidentally showing)]
[Quest Time Limit: Three years]
[Failure Penalty: None (But do you really want to miss out on a permanent human form?)]
Livia looked at the line "no more worrying about the tail showing" and was silent for a full second.
Permanent Transfiguration Technique.
Perfectly hiding dragon characteristics.
In the future, she would no longer have to be worried when transforming, fearing that a tail would pop out or a pair of dragon horns would emerge from the top of her head if she wasn't careful.
This condition, she could not refuse.
She expressionlessly closed the system panel, carefully rolled up the recruitment order with her claw, and tucked it into the safest layer under her scales.
The Fire Hawk King was still crouching in front of her, head tilted, its hawk eyes sparkling as it looked at her, seemingly asking for credit.
"Gaa?"
Livia looked up at it, her tone flat: "It's nothing. You did a good job on the mission. Continue patrolling, and report back when there's new information."
The Fire Hawk King seemed to understand. It nodded solemnly, flapped its blood-red wings, turned, and flew out of the cave, returning to its airspace post.
Livia stood up and slowly walked to the cave entrance, facing the hot wind and looking out.
The territory she had painstakingly managed for three months was laid out before her eyes.
At the foot of the volcano, Kobolds were going in and out of the mine entrance, carrying heavy ores, their shouts rising and falling. On the mountainside, the Fire Dwarves' forging workshop clanged incessantly, with a dull explosion occasionally ringing out—one didn't even need to think to know that those fanatical blacksmiths were secretly experimenting with their Dragon Breath Catapult again.
By the cliff, the Fire Hawks circled with wings spread, their red figures carving sharp arcs in the sunlight.
In the Lava Lake, three Fire Elementals were lazily bathing, occasionally wandering around holding rocks. Although their intelligence was touching, they were obedient and hardworking.
The entire territory was lively, chaotic, yet exceptionally stable.
She slowly turned around and looked behind her.
The three little dragon hatchlings were already tired from playing and were lying on the ground panting in various states of disarray.
Kalendil crouched by the lava pool, his little chest heaving, still grumbling indignantly. The Iron-Spine Cloak on Valerion's body was covered in soot, yet it was still draped neatly as he obediently gnawed on a soft rock. Aetheriel had finally managed to scramble up from the ground, a small patch of his tail tip now bald. He was looking down, studying his tail with an incredibly focused expression.
Livia watched them quietly like this for a long time.
Three years.
It seemed like it would pass in the blink of an eye;
Yet it was long enough for a dragon hatchling to grow into a true young dragon.
But she thought about it carefully.
She had the system and could remotely check the territory's status, defense points, and servant loyalty at any time.
The three hatchlings were no longer the tiny things that had just hatched; they could basically take care of themselves.
The Kobolds were loyal and hardworking, the Fire Dwarves' technology was reliable, the Fire Hawks' surveillance was tight, and even those few silly Fire Elementals could barely manage to guard the home.
Nothing... major should happen, right?
She walked softly back to the main hall and lay down again.
The three little dragon hatchlings seemed to sense something unusual. Their playing stopped instantly, and they almost simultaneously turned their heads to look at her in unison.
The air was silent for a moment.
Kalendil was the first to lose his patience. He ran over quickly with small steps, looking up with a small face and sparkling eyes full of unease: "Mother, what's wrong? You're acting strange today. Did something happen?"
Livia looked down at him, at those clear and dependent eyes. She was silent for a second before slowly speaking: "I'm going out for a while."
"Going out?" Kalendil was stunned, his face full of confusion. "Where to? Is it far?"
"To the human kingdom," Livia said calmly.
"What are you going to the human kingdom for?" Kalendil pressed.
"I have things to do," Livia didn't elaborate.
Kalendil's little mouth opened and closed, closed and opened. After struggling for a while, he whispered: "Then... then how long will you be gone?"
Livia was silent for a moment before softly uttering two words: "...Three years."
"Three years?!"
The expression on Kalendil's face froze instantly. His originally sparkling eyes dimmed at once, and his whole face slumped like grass wilted by a storm, the corners of his mouth almost drooping to the ground.
Valerion also crawled over slowly, his cloak dragging a gray mark on the ground. He looked up with his round head, gazing at Livia with pure innocence: "Mother, how long is three years? Is it very long?"
Livia thought for a moment and explained in a way he could understand: "It's as long as from when you hatched until now."
Valerion was stunned. He lowered his head and seriously counted on his little claws.
One, two, three... He counted for a long time but couldn't figure out exactly how long it was. He could only look up again with a dazed expression: "Then... is that a long, long time?"
Livia said softly: "...A long time."
Valerion's little ears drooped with a swish, and his tail lay limply on the ground. The whole dragon became listless.
Aetheriel was the last to slowly approach. With sparks in his left eye and electric arcs in his right, he stared at Livia seriously, his tone carrying a small hope: "Mother, then... can you take us with you? I want to see the human world too."
"No," Livia refused flatly.
"Why?" Aetheriel tilted his head aggrievedly.
"Because you're still too small, it's not safe on the road." Livia paused, then added the most truthful reason, "And—you can't control your electricity."
Aetheriel immediately looked down at his little claws. A few thin, small electric arcs were emerging from them, quiet and looking particularly well-behaved.
He quickly looked up and promised solemnly: "I can control it! I can definitely hold it in this time! I absolutely won't discharge electricity randomly!"
Just as he finished speaking—
"Zap!"
A small electric arc shot out without warning, accurately hitting his own leg.
"Ow—!"
Aetheriel jumped up on the spot from the pain, clutching his leg and grimacing, tears almost coming out from the pain.
Livia was expressionless and said nothing, just watching him quietly.
Aetheriel rubbed his numb leg, his little face scrunched up, and defended himself in a small, aggrieved voice: "I... I really wanted to control it... I really didn't do it on purpose..."
A brief silence fell over the main hall.
The three little dragon hatchlings hung their heads, surrounding her, the atmosphere gloomy.
After a few seconds, Kalendil suddenly looked up, his eyes slightly red, his voice trembling slightly but forcing himself not to cry: "Mother... you... you will definitely come back, right?"
Livia looked at his attempt to be strong, at those eyes that turned red in an instant, and the softest part of her heart was gently poked.
She softened her voice and said with absolute certainty: "I will."
"Three years after, I will definitely return."
Kalendil nodded vigorously, but then lowered his head, burying his little face in his claws, and stopped talking.
Valerion silently crawled to her side, leaning his round head gently against her claw, nuzzling it submissively like a pampered big cat.
Aetheriel also hurried over, reaching out with a little claw to tightly grasp one of her fingers, refusing to let go.
Three little heads huddled around her, six eyes staring at her without blinking, full of reluctance.
Livia's body stiffened slightly for a second, not quite used to this overly soft closeness.
But in the next second, she still gently extended her claws, placing them tenderly on their little heads one by one.
"During these three years," she said seriously, instructing them one by one, "you must be good and listen to the arrangements of the Kobold Chieftain, the alerts of the Fire Hawk King, and the reminders of the Fire Dwarf Chieftain."
"You are not allowed to fight randomly, not allowed to sneak out of the territory, and not allowed to—"
She looked at Aetheriel, her tone becoming firmer: "Not allowed to shock yourself again."
Aetheriel immediately straightened his little chest and nodded solemnly: "I'll try my best!"
"Don't 'try your best'," Livia said sternly. "Give me a guarantee."
Aetheriel's little brow furrowed as he thought seriously for a long time before giving a compromise of a promise: "Then... I guarantee to try my best."
Livia stared at him for three seconds.
Forget it.
Expecting this electric little dragon to suddenly become steady was harder than expecting the Fire Elementals to not carry rocks into the kitchen.
——————
Three days later.
In the early morning, as the first rays of sunlight just crossed the mountain range and spilled onto the volcanic crater.
Livia stood at the highest point of the volcano, facing the cool morning breeze and taking a deep breath.
The next moment, light enveloped her entire body.
Dragon scales faded, wings retracted, and the massive dragon body gradually shrank and reshaped.
When the light dissipated, a tall human woman was already standing there—
With dazzling red hair and sharp golden eyes, she wore a simple mage's robe that had been washed until it was pale, looking low-key and ordinary.
She walked to the edge of the Lava Lake and looked at her reflection in the calm surface of the lake.
No dragon horns, no tail, no scales—completely the appearance of a human mage.
Livia nodded in satisfaction.
She slowly turned around.
Behind her, the three little dragon hatchlings were already lined up neatly, six eyes staring at her without blinking, as if to carve her current appearance firmly into their bones.
Kalendil's eyes were red, but he kept enduring it, his small shoulders tense, refusing to shed a single tear.
Valerion's eyes were also moist, the Iron-Spine Cloak on his body fluttering in the wind. He stood obediently, without a word.
Aetheriel had sparks in his left eye and electric arcs in his right, his expression focused to the extreme, even forgetting to study his own tail.
Further away, all the servants of the entire territory had come to see her off.
The Kobold Chieftain led the entire tribe, kneeling on the ground, their heads bowed low, not daring to look up.
The Fire Dwarf Chieftain led all the blacksmiths, standing at the door of the forging workshop with respectful expressions.
The Fire Hawk King crouched at the very top of the cliff, with twelve Fire Hawks lined up neatly behind it, silently watching her go.
The entire volcano was so quiet that only the sound of the wind remained.
Livia took one last look at this little world she had built with her own hands, and at the group of little guys before her who occupied her thoughts.
Then, she turned around.
Accustomed to her dragon body, she subconsciously spread her arms, wanting to flap her wings and take to the sky.
—As a result, nothing flapped.
Livia's movements paused, and she froze in place for two seconds before silently lowering her arms, returning to a normal human posture, and walking down the mountain expressionlessly.
After walking a few steps, Kalendil's voice, tearful but trying to be loud, came from behind:
"Mother! You must come back early! We will be good and listen!"
Livia didn't look back; she just waved her hand gently.
Next was Valerion's honest and reluctant shout:
"Mother! I will miss you! I will practice my strength well and wait for you to come back!"
Then came Aetheriel's vigorous guarantee:
"Mother! I will definitely control the electricity! I'll never shock myself again!"
Just as he finished speaking—
"Ow—!!"
A shrill and familiar scream came from behind.
Without looking, one knew that the little electric dragon had shocked himself again.
Livia's footsteps paused slightly.
She didn't look back, nor did she stop.
She just continued walking forward, step by step down the volcano, and into the thin white mist of the early morning.
The attachments behind her grew further away, and the human world ahead unfolded slowly.
Her journey began from here.