Fireburp looked up at Young Wolf with a hint of confusion, her tail flicking nervously against the pebbles.
"So I have to tell everyone I'm a lizardfolk?
As a dragon, that's shameful."
Young Wolf crouched down and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Relax. You only need to hide it until you're strong enough to protect yourself.
Can you manage that?"
Fireburp nodded with determination.
"Yes.
And one day I'll be strong enough to proudly tell everyone that I'm a dragon."
Young Wolf grinned.
"Good. Now let's get into the water. I'm roasting in this heat."
From the river, Anita shouted:
"Finally done with your magic lessons?"
Young Wolf snapped his head up.
"What are you talking about, you air‑headed twig?
My dragon is still doing magical training."
Andrea stared wide‑eyed at Fireburp.
"This little girl is the dragon?"
Ironclaw inhaled deeply.
"Isn't it obvious?
She smells the same."
Anita tilted her head.
"She looks a bit like Noelle did when she was little, doesn't she?"
Andrea nodded.
"I see. She's practicing shapeshifting."
Ironclaw leaned forward curiously.
"What's your name, dragon girl?"
Fireburp puffed out her chest proudly.
"My name is Fireburp! I just got it!"
Anita burst out laughing.
"Fireburp?
That's a hilarious name! Hahaha!"
Andrea, however, smiled.
"I like it. It sounds very dragon‑ish."
Ironclaw was already splashing impatiently.
"All right then! Master, make the water slide!"
Anita immediately chimed in:
"Great idea! Water slide!"
Young Wolf sighed.
"You do realize my water‑element Hydra is a high‑level spell, right?
I originally practiced controlling and maneuvering it in this river, and you all turned it into a water slide.
It uses a lot of mana."
Then he smirked.
"But whatever. You can never have too much magical training.
Swimming and training at the same time is the best way to spend a summer day."
Ironclaw was already bouncing with excitement.
"Make it big and twisty!"
Anita shouted:
"Let's see who dares jump from the highest point!"
Noelle held her forehead.
"Why do I feel like Ironclaw's swimsuit is going to rip again?"
Andrea shrugged.
"Just be glad she's willing to wear a swimsuit at all, and not swim naked like she used to."
Laughter filled the Forest of Wolves, the river sparkled, the sun shone brightly —
and Fireburp, for the first time in her life, felt truly happy.
The first beach day of the summer passed quickly and joyfully.
The river sparkled, the sun blazed, and the Wolf Knights enjoyed the water like a group of carefree children.
Young Wolf's water slide — the Hydra — naturally became the star of the day.
The girls shrieked with laughter as they slid down again and again, treating a high‑level combat spell like a theme‑park attraction.
Yet the Hydra had been created for something entirely different.
The technique allowed Young Wolf to form two enormous serpents from water, each controlled by one hand.
Their movement, the undulating of their bodies, the independent control of both heads — all of it required a level of precision only a handful of mages could ever achieve.
Near a river or lake, he could create water serpents up to fifty meters long.
Even without natural water, he could form a ten‑meter version purely from his own mana.
An impressive feat for any mage.
But for the girls, it meant only one thing:
a gigantic, twisting water slide.
And although Young Wolf grumbled, he eventually laughed along with them.
Swimming and magical training blended together perfectly.
The true highlight of the day
It wasn't the Hydra.
It was Fireburp.
The little dragon girl who, that morning, had hidden shyly behind Ursa Laci, was now running along the shore in her human form, tail wagging, splashing water with pure delight.
As the day ended, the girls packed up, changed clothes, and everyone prepared for the journey home.
The sun dipped behind the trees, and the air cooled pleasantly.
Before leaving, Young Wolf stepped up to Fireburp once more.
The little dragon girl stood proudly before him — in human form, with crimson hair, tiny horns, and shimmering scales along her back.
He looked her over.
"You maintained your human form the entire time. Not once did you change back."
Fireburp's eyes sparkled.
"I tried really hard!"
Young Wolf smiled.
"Well done.
That means your dragon magic works — you just need training, not instinct."
Fireburp's tail thumped happily against the pebbles.
By the end of the day, everyone was tired — but happy.
The sun was already sinking behind the trees when Young Wolf stepped in front of Fireburp one last time.
The little dragon girl stood before him in her human form — crimson hair, tiny horns, shimmering scales along her back — and she was still bursting with energy.
"You did well, Fireburp! You kept your human form the whole time. How do you feel? Aren't you tired?"
Fireburp blinked in confusion.
"I don't feel tired. Why?"
Young Wolf narrowed his eyes and focused his magical senses.
"Hm… interesting. Let me measure your mana. I don't feel like it decreased at all."
Noelle stepped closer.
"Does dragon shapeshifting not consume mana?"
Young Wolf shook his head.
"That's not it. From what I can tell, dragon shapeshifting uses a completely different elemental principle than our water‑based shapeshifting. Fireburp used her dragon magic — and the amount burned to maintain her human form is so tiny that her body replenishes it almost instantly."
He simplified the explanation:
"In short: Fireburp can stay in human form indefinitely.
From her perspective, it makes no difference whether she spends her time as a dragon or as a human."
Noelle was amazed.
"Incredible! Maybe Fireburp is a natural magic talent?"
Young Wolf laughed.
"I wouldn't go that far. It's more that dragon bodies and dragon mana are simply that much more extraordinary compared to human mages."
Noelle thought aloud.
"Then if she learns to use magic the way we do… we'll have a fire mage in our team who's even better than Master Florian?"
Young Wolf grinned.
"Master Florian will be thrilled to teach fire magic to a dragon."
Noelle giggled quietly.
"He might get so excited he won't even have time for the brothels in the evenings."
Young Wolf waved dismissively.
"Oh, he'll always find time for that.
Anyway — Fireburp, I'm guessing you can't read?"
The little dragon girl blinked.
"Read? What's that?"
Young Wolf nodded.
"Just as I thought. In that case, you'll make Carla very happy too. She'll teach you how to read."
Fireburp's tail thumped excitedly.
"I don't really understand… but if learning this reading thing makes me stronger, then I'll do it!"
"Not only stronger," Young Wolf said, "but much smarter too."
Fireburp's eyes lit up.
"Then I'll learn it! And I'll become a strong dragon!"
Young Wolf nodded with satisfaction.
"Your motivation won't be a problem.
All right — if everyone's packed, let's head back to the castle."
The group set off along the forest path, and the last rays of the sun painted Fireburp's hair a deep, fiery red — as if the flames themselves were guiding her home.
The group returned to Wolfwood Castle by late afternoon.
The gate guards were already waving from afar — they too had heard the dull thud rising from the basement, a sound everyone in the castle immediately recognized.
Master Florian was experimenting again.
And something had exploded again.
Their reactions were routine by now:
one guard simply waved it off, the other pointed toward the wine cellar, silently indicating that they'd have plenty to talk about tonight.
Andras and the others, of course, heard the explosion as well.