Chapter 56: System Reward
On the third morning after the two eggs hatched, the system pop-up window appeared right on schedule.
[New offspring detected, hatching complete]
[Collecting genetic data... Collection complete]
[First Offspring: Mihariel Fanlenxiu Siaeser]
[Race: Red Dragon × Copper Dragon Hybrid (True Dragon)]
[Gender: Female]
[Talents: Riddle Perception (Innate) + Logic Enhancement (Inherited from Father) + Flame Control (Inherited from Mother)]
[Special Note: This individual could fully speak its own name upon hatching. Intelligence Test: S-rank. It is recommended to begin systematic education as soon as possible, otherwise it may drive its siblings insane.]
[Second Offspring: Valensius Grim Hilsor]
[Race: Red Dragon × Copper Dragon Hybrid (Dragon-kin Degeneration)]
[Gender: Male]
[Talents: Environmental Camouflage (Innate) + Aura Concealment (Inherited from Father) + Stone Affinity (Mutation)]
[Special Note: This individual possesses a strong 'Hiding Instinct'. Current camouflage success rate: 82%. Expected to reach over 95% within one month. It is recommended to install tracking runes throughout the lair, otherwise you may not be able to find him.]
[Offspring Hatching Task Complete]
[Reward Issued: Intelligence Boost — Dragon Language Magic Mastery Speed +20%]
[Additional Reward: New Ability Unlocked — Riddle Perception (Can automatically decipher magical puzzles in the surrounding environment)]
Livia stared at the line 'Riddle Perception' on the panel and fell silent for three seconds.
It sounded like a useful ability.
She closed the panel and looked around.
Everything was as usual in the main hall. The Lava Lake was boiling, Fire Elementals were moving stones (and moving them into the kitchen again), Kobold were going in and out of the mine entrance, and Fire Hawks circled in the sky.
Everything was normal.
Until her gaze swept over the lair entrance.
There was a hidden illusion rune there — one she had set up three years ago to prevent unfamiliar creatures from accidentally entering. The rune was normally invisible, only appearing when triggered.
But now, in her eyes, that rune had transformed into a line of clear, large text:
[Illusion trap ahead. Take three steps left to bypass.]
Livia stared at the words and gave a slight nod.
Useful.
She stood up and walked towards the cave entrance, ready to test the effect of this new ability.
Reaching the front of the rune, she stopped and looked at the prompt.
[Take three steps left to bypass.]
She took one step to the left.
A faint *crack* came from underfoot.
She looked down and saw the stone slab she had stepped on sink slightly.
She froze for a second.
Then the slab flipped open, and she fell in.
*BOOM—!*
Dust billowed up.
Three seconds later, Livia climbed out of the three-meter-deep pit, covered in dust, her hair full of gravel, a piece of tattered cloth of unknown origin hanging from her face.
She raised her head and looked up at the pit opening.
The pit's diameter was just enough for a dragon to fall into — to be precise, just enough for *her* to fall into.
A note was pasted on the pit wall, the handwriting crooked and scrawled:
[Mother's Exclusive Trap · Manufactured by Aetheriel]
[Note: If Mother falls in, it means she wasn't paying attention to her feet today. If someone else falls in, they deserve it.]
Livia stared at the note and fell silent for three seconds.
A chorus of chattering voices came from above.
Five heads crowded around the pit opening, looking down in unison.
Kalendil was the first to speak, his tone shocked. 'Mother! How did you fall in?!'
Valerion widened his eyes, a worried look on his face. 'Mother, are you okay? Does it hurt? Do you want me to go down and carry you up?'
Aetheriel squeezed to the front, his face full of pride. 'Mother! My trap worked! It really worked! You really weren't paying attention to your feet!'
Mihariel tilted her head, amber eyes sparkling with curiosity. 'Mother, what does it feel like to fall into your own son's trap? Can you describe it with a riddle?'
Valensius didn't speak — because he was currently camouflaged as a stone at the pit edge, completely motionless.
Livia looked at these five faces.
Looked at Kalendil's shocked expression.
Looked at Valerion's worried eyes.
Looked at Aetheriel's proud smile.
Looked at Mihariel's curious gaze.
Looked at that slightly trembling'stone'.
She took a deep breath, climbed out of the pit, patted the dust off herself, and pulled the tattered cloth from her head.
Then she looked down at Aetheriel.
'When did you dig this trap?'
Aetheriel puffed out his chest and answered proudly, 'Three days ago! When you went to the birthing chamber, Mother, I had nothing to do, so I dug a pit at the entrance! I originally wanted to catch wild boars, but then I thought wild boars might not come this way, so I changed it into a trap!'
Livia: 'Changed it into what?'
Aetheriel blinked. 'Changed it into... a Mother-exclusive one?'
Livia fell silent.
Aetheriel continued explaining, 'I thought, since Mother goes in and out every day, she must know this path the best. The path you know the best is where you're most likely to let your guard down, most likely to fall into a trap. So I set the pit in the most obvious place, specifically waiting for Mother to fall in!'
Livia looked at him.
Looked at those eyes full of 'praise me'.
Three seconds later.
'Are you stupid?'
Aetheriel froze.
Livia pointed at the pit. 'You set a trap to catch me? To catch me for what?'
Aetheriel scratched his head. 'W-well, not to catch you, I just wanted to see if the trap worked...'
'And now you've seen it does?'
Aetheriel nodded, his expression serious.'Seen it. It works. You fell in, Mother.'
Livia stared at him.
Aetheriel, unnerved by the stare, silently took two steps back, only to step on his own tail. A flash of electricity, an 'ow!' as he jumped up, clutching his leg and grimacing.
Livia withdrew her gaze and looked at the still slightly trembling'stone'.
'Valensius.'
The stone didn't move.
Livia: 'I can see you.'
The stone continued playing dead.
Livia raised a claw, a small flame igniting at its tip.
The stone trembled lightly, then slowly shifted back to a bluish-grey color, revealing a pair of eyes — amber, round, peeking at her.
Valensius muttered quietly, 'I-I'm not camouflaged... I just naturally look like this...'
Livia stared at him for three seconds.
Then she extinguished the flame, turned, and walked back to the main hall.
Behind her, five heads lined up in a row, silently following.
Reaching the edge of the Lava Lake, she stopped and looked back at Aetheriel.
'Fill in the pit.'
Aetheriel froze. 'Huh? Fill it? I dug it for three days—'
'Fill it.'
Aetheriel pouted, lowered his head, and started walking out.
Reaching the cave entrance, he suddenly stopped, looked back at Livia, his expression serious. 'Mother, next time I'll dig it deeper, so you can't climb out.'
Livia looked at him.
Aetheriel turned and ran, took three steps, shocked himself twice, stumbled, and kept running.
He disappeared into the cave entrance.
Livia withdrew her gaze and looked at the remaining four heads.
Mihariel raised her hand. 'Mother, I have a question.'
Livia nodded.
Mihariel pointed at the pit. 'What's the riddle of that trap? Did Aetheriel brother think of a riddle when he set the trap? Like, 'What is it that Mother walks on every day, but might not finish walking on every day' or something like that?'
Livia fell silent.
Kalendil rolled his eyes beside her. 'Can you not drag riddles into everything?'
Mihariel tilted her head to look at him. 'And can you, brother, not breathe fire at everything? Breathing fire is so lacking in technical skill.'
Kalendil glared. 'Who are you saying is lacking in technical skill?!'
Mihariel blinked. 'You. Who can't breathe fire? Mother can, Aetheriel can (even though he often shocks himself), even Valensius can a little. But riddles? I'm the only one in the entire Dragon Court who can do them.'
Kalendil was speechless.
Valerion silently offered a gemstone, trying to ease the tension.
Mihariel took the gemstone, examined it, and handed it back. 'This one's not good quality, there are two cracks inside. Brother, next time you dig, be more careful, don't dig up this kind of inferior product.'
Valerion froze, looking down at the gemstone in his hand, completely bewildered.
Livia watched this scene and fell silent for three seconds.
Then she lay back down on the lava slab and closed her eyes.
Mihariel's voice reached her ears. 'Kalendil brother, I'll give you a riddle to test you: What is it that the more you breathe, the less there is?'
Kalendil: 'Fire?'
Mihariel shook her head.
Kalendil: '...Patience?'
Mihariel continued shaking her head.
Kalendil: 'What is it then?'
Mihariel: 'Your hair. Every time you breathe fire, you burn that tuft of hair on top of your head. I see it's getting thinner and thinner.'
Kalendil froze for a second, then suddenly reached out a claw to feel the top of his head.
He felt that noticeably thinning mane.
His expression changed.
'Mihariel—!'
Mihariel had already run off, laughing as she ran, her laughter echoing through the main hall.
Valensius silently camouflaged himself as a stone, squatting in a corner.
Valerion continued chewing on a gemstone, looking utterly bewildered.
Livia closed her eyes, the tip of her tail twitching slightly.