Veronika glanced behind her.
"Veronika:
No.
That's the new girl's job.
Firestorm, come here! This knight wants to hurt the girls!"
Firestorm stepped forward with complete calm.
"Firestorm:
Understood.
Should I break the arm of just this one, or all of them?"
The knights froze instantly.
"Drunk Knight:
Alright, alright!
I was just joking, no need to get all worked up.
We don't want trouble."
He quickly fumbled for a coin pouch.
"Drunk Knight:
Here, a little tip for the inconvenience.
We're leaving now.
No hard feelings, I hope."
The knights apologized in a hurry, then left —
as fast as if a demon were chasing them.
Firestorm, Protector of the Black Cat Inn
From that moment on, everyone in the Black Cat Inn understood one thing clearly:
Firestorm wasn't just a waitress.
She was the protector of the girls.
After the incident with the drunk knights, not a single rowdy customer dared lay a hand on any of the staff.
One glance at Firestorm was enough for even the boldest troublemaker to suddenly remember his manners.
Firestorm's first day passed quickly.
She enjoyed the bustle, the delicious food, and the flood of new experiences so much that she found herself wondering:
Why didn't I come to the human lands sooner?
Why did I waste so many years living a boring life among dragons?
Of course, time meant little to her.
At 317 years old, she was still considered a young female dragon.
Since she had nowhere to sleep, Pearlie offered her one of the smaller rooms upstairs — right next to Veronika's.
The inn closed at 23:00 on weekdays, at midnight on Fridays, and sometimes stayed open until one in the morning on Saturdays.
Veronika was exhausted by the end of the night.
Firestorm, on the other hand, wasn't even remotely tired.
For her, this wasn't work — it was entertainment.
When the inn finally closed, Veronika slipped into Firestorm's room to chat.
She was completely captivated by the new girl's strength, charisma, and the way she had protected them from the drunk knights.
What she didn't know — what no one in Wolfwood knew —
was that she hadn't befriended a beast‑folk girl at all…
but a real dragon.
A Quiet Night… for Now
The inn slowly fell silent.
The guests went home, Pearlie closed the cash box, Alma and Orgona said their goodbyes, and Veronika slipped into Firestorm's room for a little late‑night chatting.
The dragon girl sat on the edge of the bed, and Veronika settled beside her, still buzzing with excitement from the day's events.
"Veronika:
So, how was your first day with us, Firestorm?"
"Firestorm:
I haven't had this much fun in a long time.
And the food was so delicious."
Veronika smiled — then suddenly burst out laughing.
"Veronika:
Good!
You were so cool when you put those drunk guys in their place.
The moment they saw you, they didn't even dare talk back.
With us they acted like we were some street‑corner rag dolls.
Did you see how badly they were harassing Orgona?
But your butt? No one even tried to touch it… even though you're the prettiest girl among us."
Firestorm nodded thoughtfully.
"Firestorm:
If I'm correct, knights are trained to fight monsters from their apprentice years.
The fact that they could tell at a glance that I'm stronger than they are means their training is good."
Veronika burst out laughing again.
"Veronika:
Hahaha!
Or maybe they're just more afraid of beast‑folk these days because of Ironclaw than of any bandit or monster."
Firestorm's head snapped up.
"Firestorm:
Who is Ironclaw?"
"Veronika:
The Wolfwood family's war‑hound.
Every bandit in the region fears her name."
"Firestorm:
And what about the Champion of the Wolf Knights?
Is she really as strong as the Hero?"
Veronika's eyes sparkled.
"Veronika:
Seems so.
The knights never stop praising her.
A bard in the capital even wrote a song about her.
Some say the Kingdom now has two Heroes:
the Hero, Eris Scarlett, and the Champion of the Wolf Knights, Andrea Wolf.
Good for us — let the demons tremble!"
Firestorm leaned closer, intrigued.
"Firestorm:
So this champion… and Ironclaw both live in the castle?"
"Veronika:
They sure do.
Though sometimes you see them in the city too.
But they've never come here."
"Firestorm:
Interesting.
How can one enter the castle?
Hmm… did she fall asleep?"
Indeed — Veronika had slowly tipped over mid‑sentence and was now peacefully snoring on Firestorm's bed.
The day's exhaustion had completely drained her.
Firestorm watched her quietly.
A dragon could have talked all night — they rarely tire.
But she decided to follow human customs.
She gently tucked Veronika in, then sat down by the window, waiting patiently for the next day.
A dragon's first night girly talk in Wolfwood had ended.
Tomorrow, the real chaos would begin.
Firestorm's First Night in Wolfwood
Veronika was already fast asleep in Firestorm's bed, breathing softly as if she had belonged there her whole life.
The dragon girl watched her in silence, then smiled.
"Firestorm (to herself):
I could feel how tired she was, yet she still came here to talk to me.
Humans are interesting creatures."
She paused, unsure what to do next.
"Firestorm:
What now?
Should I pick her up and carry her to her own room?
But… I've never slept beside a human before.
Well… we're both females.
There shouldn't be any problem if we share a bed."
Her thoughts drifted back to her little sister.
"Firestorm:
So my little sister lives in a castle…
with a human warrior who will probably become part of the Hero's party.
I wonder if they've met already.
Or maybe she became stronger because of her."
Her eyes glowed softly.
"Firestorm:
One thing is certain: I can feel that my little sister is happy.
And she's growing stronger.
Perhaps it wouldn't be wise to disturb this balance right now."
The idea settled in her mind, becoming clearer.
"Firestorm:
I'm having fun in this city too.
Well… she's only eight years old.
There's still time before we meet."
A slow smile curved her lips.
"Firestorm:
I think I'll wait two more years.
When she turns ten and becomes stronger, then I'll appear before her…
and I'll give her a name."
Her eyes shone with determination.
"Firestorm:
Yes.
Her name will be Fireflame Meteora.
In our mother's memory."
Then she stretched out on the other side of the bed and closed her eyes.
"Firestorm:
And now… it's time for me to sleep as well."
Thus ended the Dragon Queen's first night in Wolfwood:
with a new friend, a new life, and the promise of a new purpose.
The Royal Hunt Summons
The next morning, a royal courier arrived at Wolfwood Castle.
The gate guards recognized the Royal Seal at once and hurried to let him in.
The courier went straight to the great hall, where Andrea, Noelle, Andras, and the Wolf Knights were already gathered for their morning briefing.
He bowed deeply, then presented the letter.
On the envelope gleamed the golden‑lion crest of the Royal Family.