Chapter 54: Riddles and Prenatal Education
Two years later.
In the main hall of the Lava Dragon Court, Livia was lying on the softest slab of rock by the Lava Lake, her abdomen slightly swollen.
There was still one year left in the three-year period, but her belly could no longer be hidden.
The system popped up a notification:
[Gestation Progress: 18th Month (Red Dragon gestation is approximately 24 months)]
[Number of Fetuses: 2]
[Genetic Source: Red Dragon (Main) + Blue Dragon (Residual) + Copper Dragon (Current)]
[Estimated Hatching Time: 6 Months Later]
[Special Note: Due to the complex genetic mixing this time, unexpected mutations may occur. It is recommended to strengthen nutrition, reduce strenuous exercise, and avoid—]
Livia closed the panel.
A series of chattering sounds came from the entrance of the main hall.
Three heads squeezed in, six eyes staring uniformly at her belly.
Kalendir Valeri Ansos rushed over first, his bright red scales shimmering under the lava light. He stared at his mother's belly, his brow furrowed into a knot, and his tail swung restlessly back and forth.
"Mother, you're pregnant again?"
Livia nodded.
Kalendil took a deep breath, trying hard to appear like a composed elder brother—but the tip of his tail betrayed his mood, swaying side to side like an excited dog.
"Th-this time, what breed is it?"
Livia thought for a moment and answered truthfully: "Red Dragon mixed with Copper Dragon. Maybe a little Blue Dragon residual."
Kalendil froze: "Blue Dragon? Which Blue Dragon?"
Livia did not answer.
Kalendil's brow furrowed even tighter. He stared at his mother's belly, his gaze complex, as if calculating a difficult math problem. After a long while, he finally spoke, his tone sour:
"So... I'm going to have more little brothers and sisters?"
Livia looked at him.
Kalendil puffed out his chest, trying hard to force a smile that looked 'I'm very happy,' but the smile froze on his face, looking more like crying no matter how you viewed it.
"Th-that's good. I'm already the eldest son anyway, so a few more doesn't matter."
Valerion Aetheri Eldir walked over slowly, his round body like a moving ball. He stopped in front of Livia, tilting his head back, his amber eyes full of concern.
"Mother, are you tired? Are you hungry? Should I get you something to eat?"
He took out a fist-sized ruby from his embrace and presented it with both hands.
"For Mother. To nourish your body."
Livia lowered her head to look at the gem, noticing the familiar tooth mark on it—identical to the previous one, just a bit bigger.
She extended a claw and accepted the gem.
"Good boy."
Valerion's tail immediately spun like a propeller.
Aetheriel Terry Ansos was the last to crowd forward. He walked three steps, a flash of electricity crackled across his body, and he shook himself. He walked another three steps, the electricity flashed again, and he shook again. By the time he reached Livia, he had shocked himself seven times in total. His mane stood completely on end, like a startled hedgehog.
But he stood firm, raising his head, a spark in his left eye and an arc of electricity in his right. His expression was as serious as if he were announcing a major discovery.
"Mother.", he began, his tone solemn, "Can I use electrical current to check the fetal heartbeat?"
Livia looked at him.
Aetheriel raised his right claw, and a thin, small arc of electricity crackled at the tip, popping.
"My control has improved recently! The current is very stable! I won't shock anyone else! Just a tiny bit! Really!"
Livia was silent for a second.
"Get lost."
Aetheriel froze, then pouted, his tail drooping. He quietly retreated to a corner, squatted down, and started drawing circles on the ground.
As he drew, a flash of electricity struck him again.
"Ouch—!"
—————
In the fifth month of gestation, an unexpected item arrived.
That morning, the Kobold Chieftain ran into the main hall eagerly, carrying a wooden box.
"Dragon Queen! A dragon sent something! Said it was for you!"
Livia took the wooden box and opened it.
Inside was a book.
It had a leather cover, about five hundred pages thick. The cover was inscribed with Dragon Language script:
[Three Hundred Original Riddles · Fourth Revised Edition]
[Authored by Lorenzos Theo Doronto]
[Special Edition · Only One Copy]
Attached was a letter, written in Dragon Language, with handwriting as neat as print:
[To Livia Kelsina Novati:
I heard you are pregnant. This is the new revised edition of my riddle collection, with one hundred new problems added, thirty overly simple ones removed, and the phrasing of fifty optimized.
I specifically compiled a volume for you—for prenatal education for the children.
In Dragon history, no dragon has ever used riddles for prenatal education. But I have studied this carefully; fetuses in eggs can perceive external sounds and emotions. If the mother frequently recites riddles, the fetuses might develop an early interest in language and logic.
This is my theory. It has not been experimentally verified. So, I wanted to ask you to help test it.
If you are willing, you can recite a few riddles to the children in your belly every day. After they hatch, record their level of interest in riddles, their comprehension ability, and whether they show any talent for puzzle-solving.
The data is very important to me.
Of course, it's fine if you are unwilling. The book is still a gift for you. After all, you won the ten-question duel last time, so I owe you one.
A new riddle is attached to the book, one I just thought of last night, dedicated to you:
[I have scales but no wings, a tail but no claws, fire but no smoke. What am I?]
You know the answer.
— Lorenzos Theo Doronto]
Livia stared at the line [I have scales but no wings, a tail but no claws, fire but no smoke] for three seconds.
The answer was herself.
She closed the letter and opened the book.
The first page had a handwritten inscription:
[Dedicated to Livia—and her children.
May your lives be like riddles: always solvable, always interesting.]
Livia was silent for three seconds.
Then she threw the book to the Kobold Chieftain.
"Take this and learn to read."
The Kobold Chieftain held the book, looking utterly bewildered: "L-learn to read? But I don't know Dragon Language..."
Livia: "Then learn it."
The Kobold Chieftain: "..."
—————
In the sixth month of gestation, Lorenzos came again.
Not in person, but he sent a carrier pigeon with a second letter:
[To Livia:
How is the prenatal education going? Are the children reacting?
I recently studied ancient texts and discovered something interesting: In ancient times, the Copper Dragons and Red Dragons had multiple records of crossbreeding. A considerable proportion of the resulting offspring exhibited the 'Aroma' characteristic—carrying scents foreign to their own race; some smelled like flowers, some like fruit, and some like minerals.
The ancient texts called this the 'Bloodline Resonance Phenomenon.' It means that when the bloodlines of different dragon races mix, a kind of resonance occurs, causing the offspring to display a special scent.
Could the rose scent on you be due to this reason?
But you also carry the scent of a Blue Dragon. This doesn't fit. Unless—
You mated with a Blue Dragon before?
If so, please tell me. This is very important for my research on Bloodline Resonance.
— Lorenzos]
Livia stared at the letter for three seconds.
Then she took out a tinderbox and burned the letter.
The ashes drifted into the Lava Lake and instantly evaporated.
Nearby, Kalendil leaned over: "Mother, what are you burning?"
Livia: "Trash."
Kalendil nodded and continued practicing breathing fire.
The flame shot precisely toward a target fifty meters away, hitting the bullseye.
He turned his head to look at Livia, his tail held high, his face clearly asking for praise.
Livia glanced at him.
"Not bad."
Kalendil grinned, his entire face lighting up with happiness.