Translator: AnubisTL
A gentle morning breeze rustled through the red maple leaves, sending them fluttering to the ground as a man and woman stood before the weeping Red Copper Dragon.
The man possessed flawless, handsome features, with a tall, slender frame, long arms, and a wasp-like waist. His silvery-white hair was bound with an ice-crystal clasp, and a prism-shaped ice soul pendant hung from his left ear. His skin was as pale as fresh snow, almost translucent, and when he smiled, his breath crystallized into delicate frost flowers in the air.
The woman beside him was strikingly beautiful, her freckled cheeks perpetually adorned with a mischievous grin. Her honey-toned skin contrasted sharply with her copper-red, curly hair, which was interwoven with metallic thread-like ribbons.
They were Deborah's parents, the Red Copper Dragon. Though they appeared human, they were actually mature dragons over two hundred years old. Metallic dragons favored human forms for aesthetic reasons and often lived in human guises.
The man was the Red Copper Dragon's father, a silver dragon named Frostmark Edri.
The woman was the Red Copper Dragon's mother, a Red Copper Dragon named Copperflame Serena.
The two parents held hands tightly, their grip unshaken by their weeping offspring. It was as if they were the true lovers, with Deborah merely an afterthought.
"A metallic dragon's dignity is as important as its treasure," the silver dragon father declared.
"As a descendant of metallic dragons, you should be brave and resolute," he continued.
"Since you returned safely, it's not a serious matter. Stop crying; tears won't solve anything."
The Red Copper Dragon mother rolled her eyes at her partner, retorting, "Don't be so rigid, Edri. Deborah was bullied by an evil dragon on her first adventure. It's natural for her to cry."
In matters of courtship, Red Copper Dragons highly value intelligence and a sense of humor in their partners, considering these traits essential for long-term compatibility. Creatures who can grasp their puns, riddles, or pranks—or even turn the tables on them—those with an appreciation for linguistic artistry or a knack for improvisation are particularly admired by Red Copper Dragons.
Edri, the silver dragon, possessed none of these qualities. He was a stern and humorless silver dragon.
Yet despite this, Serena found herself unable to resist his advances. More accurately, it was Serena who had pursued him.
The silver dragon was truly handsome.
Among all dragonkind, silver dragons were renowned for their exceptional beauty. Both males and females were highly sought after.
Getting back to the matter at hand, Serena smiled at her daughter and said, "My dear Deborah, what have you been through? Tell me everything in detail—I'd love to hear it."
Her father was strict.
Her mother even used her for amusement.
Deborah wept even harder, sobbing so hard she could barely speak.
Serena kicked a nearby stone, sending it bouncing off her daughter's head. Giggling, she said, "Riddle time! What makes you suffer and grieve, yet also makes you stronger?"
Red Copper Dragons were naturally fond of riddles.
Deborah stopped crying and hesitantly answered, "Failure?"
Serena snapped her fingers, blew a kiss through the air, and exclaimed, "Correct! Your reward is a mother's flying kiss!"
Having solved the riddle and understood her mother's meaning, Deborah gradually calmed down and recounted the entire story.
"A red iron hybrid dragon?" Serena blinked, glancing at her mate.
The silver dragon nodded slightly. "It's highly likely to be a descendant of the Iron Dragon Maiden and Mountain-Burning Wings."
Instances of red dragons mating with iron dragons were exceedingly rare. To the silver dragon's knowledge, only one such pair existed in the Sierre Wilderness. What surprised him was that they had produced a hybrid dragon, and according to Deborah's description, it was a remarkable hybrid that had inherited the strengths of both its parents.
"A dragon living alone outside its clan has likely been exiled and forced to survive on its own," the silver dragon said, shaking his head slightly.
"How pitiful," Serena sighed. "Those evil dragons are truly outrageous."
"To defeat Deborah, who was equipped with alchemy items, and to possess such a mature mind, it must have endured tremendous hardships," Serena added, her voice tinged with pity.
Across from them, Deborah, the Red Copper Dragon, stared wide-eyed.
This isn't right.
This isn't how it's supposed to be.
Shouldn't you be furious? Why are you sympathizing with that wretched red iron hybrid dragon?
Sensing his daughter's thoughts, the silver dragon spoke calmly, "Deborah, the evil of dragons stems from two sources: their inherent inheritance and temperament, and the experiences they endure throughout their lives."
"Your mother and I both believe that if an evil dragon could grow up surrounded by kindness, it might have a chance to develop into a virtuous and just individual."
"Unfortunately, nearly all evil dragons abandon their offspring. The young dragons, left to struggle for survival alone, endure immense hardship. This only amplifies the evil within them, twisting their nature until they mature into the malevolent beings we know."
Hearing this, Deborah fell silent, feeling a pang of sympathy for the poor dragon who had stolen her possessions.
"Why does this happen?" she asked. "Shouldn't familial bonds and blood ties make dragons closer to each other?"
Serena pondered for a moment before replying, "Abandonment is actually a method of raising offspring among evil dragons."
"In combat against dragons of equal rank, metallic dragons are often outmatched by evil dragons. This is because from infancy, evil dragons have been fighting for their lives against cruel fate. Though their mortality rate is high, those who survive become formidable warriors. In contrast, metallic dragons vary greatly in strength."
Deborah paced back and forth, her tail swaying from side to side.
After a few seconds, she stopped, her voice hesitant. "So... what should I do? Should I swallow my pride and let it take my things?"
The silver dragon and the Red Copper Dragon exchanged a glance. "That's out of the question," the silver dragon declared.
"What you should do is defeat it, capture it, tame it, and gradually transform it into a righteous dragon."
"Turning an evil dragon into a good one is a hundred times, even a thousand times greater an achievement than simply defeating it."
Deborah's eyes lit up, realizing what she had to do.
"My dearest father, please give me some more powerful alchemy items! I'll find it and make it see the error of its ways!"
The Red Copper Dragon girl nuzzled her father in his human form, pleading with him.
"Relying solely on alchemy items is not the proper path," the silver dragon said sternly. "You lack practical combat experience. I will personally train you rigorously for a period, then give you an alchemy item and let you handle your own affairs."
This failure had made Deborah acutely aware of her lack of real-world combat experience.
She nodded without protest.
Hemlock Hills.
Under the scorching midday sun, Garos, who had been training for a long time, lay resting on a rock slab, his mind languid. The alchemy item training had been remarkably effective, putting him in a good mood.
If only I could encounter another wealthy metallic dragon, Garos thought, closing his eyes and basking in the sun. Or even rob the Red Copper Dragon again.
Several days later, Garos was having Samantha blast him with dragon breath to further enhance his fire resistance.
Enticed by the dangling treasure, Samantha was working harder than ever. The dragon breath burned Garos with a pain that was both excruciating and exhilarating—a painful pleasure. Under the onslaught of the flaming dragon breath, his cushion scales glowed with a molten, iron-like sheen.
After a while, Samantha was nearly exhausted, her tongue lolling out as she collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily.
Garos plucked a cushion scale from his body. The molten glow was slowly fading, but a faint trace remained along the very edge. His cushion scales seemed to be evolving in some uncertain direction.
Crack!
The ground ahead suddenly split open.
Garos shifted his gaze and stared intently. An earth spider scurried out of the fissure.
(End of the Chapter)