Chapter Forty: This Is as Far as Dragon Can Take You

As time passed, Ruby had already left the cathedral and stepped onto the bustling streets of the imperial capital. As the heart of the Holy Empire, Elrak was naturally thriving. The broad avenues could accommodate over a dozen earth-dragon carriages traveling side by side, with sidewalks specially designated for pedestrians. Every twenty meters along the street stood a magical lamp post, which, come nightfall, would bloom with light to dispel the darkness for the people.

“This is what a big city looks like. It’s certainly much better than that godforsaken place,” muttered Dragon, opening his eyes atop Ruby’s head as he surveyed the vibrant metropolis. He had long yearned to hunt for romance in a larger city, but had always been tethered to Dris by Ruby. Now, he was like a beast unleashed from its cage, unstoppable.

“What are you looking for?” Ruby asked, indifferent to Dragon’s words, but the creature’s restless movements atop his head were making his scalp tingle.

“Flirting, of course! That dreadful Dris didn’t even have any beautiful girls. Today, I’m going to find a lovely lady and spend a wonderful night with her.” Dragon spoke, and soon his gaze landed on a raven-haired woman dressed provocatively. She wore a tight, red, backless dress, and every step seemed calculated to sway her rounded hips and draw attention, exuding a mature allure. The expanse of bare, delicate skin on her back showcased her perfect figure and flawless complexion—a type Dragon favored without question.

“Miss, allow me to claim a minute of your life. I believe there’s a good chance you’ll fall in love with me during this brief time. So, to prevent any regrets, shall we have a chat?” Dragon, true to his nature as the embodiment of desire, was adept at winning women over with words. His playful tone was just right: inviting her to pause, yet not off-putting.

“Is it you speaking?” Dragon’s taste was impeccable; the woman in red was not only alluring from behind but also exceptionally beautiful in face. Coincidentally, her eyes were the same shade of violet as Dragon’s. She seemed accustomed to being approached and turned to Ruby, who wore a blank expression, puzzled, for she had never encountered such an odd method of flirtation.

“No, no, that’s my partner. Look up a bit—that’s me,” Dragon coaxed, guiding her gaze upward toward himself and winking flamboyantly with his single eye.

“Oh? A talking magical pet—are you the one that looks like a twiggy insect?” The woman in red became intrigued, for while talking magical creatures were rare, they were not unheard of in the bustling imperial capital. She recalled hearing about such beasts and asked with great interest.

“No, I’m not an insect! I am a gentleman.”

“Ah, sorry, but neither your length nor your girth is my type. If it were your master, I might consider it. Bye-bye~” She motioned with her hands to indicate Dragon’s size, her face wearing an expression of regret, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. She blew Ruby a flirtatious wink and departed.

Dragon, realizing the meaning behind her words, fell into a silent gloom. Just as Ruby was about to continue their stroll through the capital, Dragon suddenly grabbed him and soared into the sky, flying aimlessly.

“Uwaaah! I’ve been rejected! Rejected because of my length and girth! This is a lifetime’s disgrace! I can’t go on!” Dragon’s anguished cries echoed across half the capital. Though he embodied desire, Dragon had always considered himself a gentleman—a man. To be so bluntly dismissed by a woman was more than he could bear.

“Calm down, Dragon. Can’t you transform into a human? Then your length and girth would be entirely at your discretion,” Ruby said earnestly, not wanting Dragon to become despondent or take out his frustrations on him.

“That’s easy for you to say. Have you ever seen me transform into a human?”

“Well, no, I haven’t,” Ruby admitted. After so long together, Dragon had only transformed into mechanical things, never a living being.

“Let me explain. Humans are the most structurally complex creatures in the world. Your biology knowledge should tell you how many cells a human has. If I wanted to become a human capable of... those things, I’d have to create every cell and chromosome. The workload is enormous—I’d rather spend ten days fighting that turtle Michael,” Dragon said, sounding defeated. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do it, but transforming into a human just for such a purpose, then reverting back, felt utterly pointless, and he was too lazy to bother.

“It certainly sounds complicated. So, what did you mean by ‘spend a wonderful night’?”

“To bury my body deep in those mysterious places until dawn.”

“Oh,” Ruby replied, realizing he couldn’t comprehend Dragon’s logic. He responded perfunctorily, and Dragon, finding no joy in dragging Ruby around aimlessly, simply dropped him onto a patch of open ground.

On the grassy riverbank, a young girl gently placed a white rose into the flowing water, cradling it in her hands. Watching the rose drift further away, the girl who had always been strong could no longer hold back her tears. The flower’s hue matched that of her departed friend’s hair—pure white and beautiful. Yet, because of a foolish rumor, people feared her friend, causing the girl to seal her own heart and shut out everyone, revealing her true feelings only to her teacher.

Now, thinking about it was useless. Her friend had gone, and she hadn’t even seen her one last time. The thought made her spirits sink further, and she curled up, hugging her knees, burying her face to hide her tears.

A sudden ‘thud’ startled the grieving girl. She looked up abruptly and saw a black-haired boy lying right before her toes, who was, in turn, curiously observing her.