Morning started like any other.
I sat at the small table in my apartment, finishing what should have been a decent breakfast. Eggs, toast, some meat. Nothing fancy, but enough for any normal person.
I finished everything quickly.
Then sat there.
"…I'm still hungry."
~Of course you are,~ Ddraig replied lazily. ~You really thought that would be enough?~
I leaned back in my chair, frowning slightly. "I'm not starving. It's just… not satisfying."
That was the strange part.
My stomach was full.
But something else wasn't.
~That's because you're not feeding your body anymore,~ Ddraig said. ~Not the way you used to.~
"…Then what?"
~Energy. Dense energy. Mana. Creatures that carry it in abundance. Magic beasts, dragons, things like that. That's what your body is asking for now.~
I exhaled slowly, rubbing my forehead. "…So I need to hunt now."
~You are a dragon, partner. Did you expect anything less?~
"…It's inconvenient."
~You'll adapt.~
I looked down at the empty plate again, then pushed it aside. "…Yeah. I guess I don't have a choice."
The feeling didn't go away.
Not painful.
Not urgent.
Just… there.
A quiet reminder.
The rest of the day passed without much happening. By nightfall, I was standing outside my apartment building, dressed in simple tracks, waiting.
The street was quiet. Cool air, dim lights, the occasional sound of a car passing by. I checked the time.
"…He's late."
Not that I expected punctuality from someone like him.
Still.
My gaze drifted back to the building behind me.
"…I'm definitely not staying here long."
Small room. Thin walls. Barely enough space for one person.
And in the future…
"…Yeah."
That thought could wait.
Still, if things went well tonight, money wouldn't be a problem anymore. And neither would space.
Headlights appeared at the end of the street. A long, sleek black Maybach rolled in smoothly and came to a stop right in front of me.
I blinked.
"…No way."
A man in a clean black suit stepped out from the driver's seat, posture straight, expression neutral. He walked around the car and opened the rear door without a word.
"For you, sir."
"…Right."
I hesitated for a moment.
Then stepped in.
The door closed behind me with a soft thud. The interior was… ridiculous. Soft leather seats, dim ambient lighting, enough space to feel like a private lounge instead of a car.
I leaned back slightly. "…This is new."
"Hmm."
The voice came from across me.
I looked up.
The man sitting there looked ordinary at first glance. Mid-fifties, maybe. Calm face, slightly aged, wearing simple robes that didn't match the luxury of the car at all. But his posture wasn't relaxed. His gaze was fixed on me.
Not aggressively.
Not politely either.
Just… watching.
"You look like your mother," he said casually.
"…Excuse me?" I was taken aback.
From what I remember, this body's parents died when he was six years old. Most of it was lost, even the memories were foggy.
Nobody from the family showed up at the funeral. It was just this kid… and his uncle.
My uncle.
He chose to become my legal guardian, making sure I didn't end up in an orphanage. He did everything to ensure I had a normal childhood.
I frowned slightly. "…You know her?"
He simply smiled, like it didn't need explanation.
I guess I should drop this… for now.
I took a slow breath. "It seems we got off on the wrong foot. Let me apologize."
I gave a slight palm salute as I introduced myself.
"Greetings, Elder Xu Dog. My name is Grey."
He waved his hand dismissively, but not rudely. "No need for formalities. We're family."
Family, huh…
His eyes moved over me again, slower this time.
"You're calm."
"…Should I not be?"
"Most people try to act calm," he said. "You're not trying."
I looked at him for a moment. "…And that's a problem?"
"No."
A faint smile appeared.
"It's interesting."
He leaned back slightly, though his eyes remained sharp.
"Good. You're not like those brats running around with their so-called modern methods."
"…Modern?" I asked.
He exhaled lightly.
"Modern ones take what's around them… earth qi, scraps, whatever they can grab. It works." He made a small gesture with his hand. "But it's shallow."
A brief pause.
"Ancient path… different story."
"…I see." I nodded, getting a vague picture.
A quiet chuckle escaped him. "Don't worry about it too much. You'll figure it out."
He shifted slightly in his seat.
"For tonight, you're with me."
I nodded. "…Alright."
"That means you don't do anything that makes me look bad."
"…Fair."
He smiled faintly.
"Devils like noise," he said, glancing out the window. "Especially the kind that wins."
"…And the kind that loses?"
"They stop being interesting."
Silence settled for a moment.
Then his gaze returned to me.
"…You'll be fine."
Not reassurance.
Not confidence.
Just… a conclusion.
"…You sound sure."
"Hm."
He tilted his head slightly.
"I wouldn't have come myself if you weren't worth looking at."
I let out a small breath. "…Guess I shouldn't disappoint."
"Don't."
A brief pause.
"It's annoying."
I smirked slightly. "…Noted."
The car sped forward, city lights blurring past the windows.
"…One more thing," Xu Dog said casually.
I looked at him.
"Don't dig too much into what's behind you."
"…Why?"
He leaned back, eyes half-lidded.
"If it matters… it'll come looking for you."
I leaned back into the seat, exhaling slowly.