Gurgle gurgle...

In the iron pot placed over the fire, the curry was slowly bubbling, with small pieces of potatoes and carrots occasionally floating up and then sinking back down, the enticing aroma already permeating the air.

"So fragrant!" Aya was also a bit surprised, just a month ago in the Academy City, the delicate taste was somewhat cloying, Tiran's cooking skills have really improved.

"Right? I told you to trust my cooking skills."

Princess Tiran raised an eyebrow at Aya, stirring the curry in the pot with a long wooden spoon in her right hand to prevent the meat at the bottom from burning, while her left hand rested on her hip, feeling satisfied, "Mimi and I spent the whole day on the ship researching the best curry powder ratio."

—Though cooking curry itself is not very difficult.

As for why they were cooking curry here, well, even though they were Holy Rank invincible and could easily defeat ordinary warriors or mages with a single punch, they still needed to eat, right? Since they had decided to stay here and attract firepower, they had to make do with cooking on the spot.

"Aya." Tiran dipped a bit of curry with the spoon, blew on it lightly, then licked a small mouthful with her tongue, nodding in satisfaction.

"The rice is almost ready."

Aya understood Tiran's meaning, and suddenly a large iron pot steaming with hot rice appeared as Tiran's snow-white scaled tail unfurled behind her and then coiled back, the tip holding a steaming pot.

It might be more appropriate to call it a cooking pot than an iron pot—it was actually a camping rice cooker that could be converted into a pressure cooker when needed. It was said to have been a gift from Xiang Ling to Tiran and had even become standard issue for the Jiangdong Army.

—Most importantly, this utensil, along with a bunch of other high-tech implements, was bundled as part of... well, let's just say it was part of the bride price...

"So what exactly is a bride price?"

Aya blinked in confusion.

"It's not important, forget about it," Tiran coughed a couple times, shifting the topic nervously.

"Why does it feel off though?"

"Don't ask! Ask again, and I'll bite you!"

After a moment of silence, Aya glanced at Tiran somewhat slyly, "Can I just ask what kind of bite...?"

"It's definitely not the kind from a few days ago!!!"

With a slight blush on her cheeks, the princess scooped up a spoonful of curry and promptly covered Aya's mouth to silence her, while her other hand opened the lid of the pot.

The freshly cooked rice was steaming hot, appearing fluffy and soft but each grain was full and springy, and due to the fuel used directly from the palace ruins like the expensive sandalwood lampstands, tables, and decorations, it gave off a woody fragrance after being cooked.

Considering the value of firewood, this meal might cost a fortune—of course, Aya didn't understand the value of these things at all, as they were not gemstones or precious metals, and to the Dragons, a tree in the forest was no different from any other.

As for what Master Kingston would think? Who cares, if you disagree, come bite me.

...Literally, bite me.

"Delicious."

The thick dark curry sauce poured over the rice, mixed with the tender pork, filled the taste buds with the savory flavor of meat and spices, with distinct layers of taste yet harmoniously balanced, making Aya exclaim in awe.

"You can praise me more, it's okay. I can cook this for you every day when we go back."

Tiran touched her cheek, feeling unexpectedly accomplished, "By the way, is this considered part of a new bride's training?"

"Cough!" Almost choked on the rice, Aya quickly used a bit of Magic to conjure a water ball to drink before regaining her composure, "Is this kind of thing really a thing?"

"Of course, I've been seriously thinking about how to persuade my old man. But there shouldn't be a problem, I mean, marrying off a daughter to tie down a Holy Rank Golden Dragon, even from a practical standpoint, he should accept it," Tiran mused, rubbing her chin.

Isn't that just typical of royalty? Always considering the benefits...

"But I'm definitely sincere about you, Aya. If he doesn't agree, we'll just elope!"

Oh, finally after more than four hundred chapters, the story returns to the conventional path of a dragon snatching away a princess? Aya's mood subtly continued eating the curry.

"By the way, Aya, what do you think our children would be like? Dragon-people? I actually quite like the idea of a demi-human type with small horns and a tail, it would really strike a chord with me," Tiran continued to chatter with a spoon in her mouth.

"???"

Once again almost choked on the rice, Aya coughed, realizing she might have gotten a grain of rice lodged in her windpipe.

I say, Princess Tiran, please don't say such surprising things while we're eating, can't the dragon eat properly?

"For goodness sake, was that a choke?"

Tiran looked concerned, then let down the plate of curry rice in her hand, crawled over using both hands and feet, and patted Aya's back gently, before giving a somewhat guilty smile, "Uh, sorry..."

"It's actually fine..." Normally audacious Tiran actually apologized politely, seeing the gentle side of Princess Tiran, Aya felt that it was worth getting choked, no, I would like to be choked a few more times, give me a real experience.

Taking a deep breath, Aya decided to calmly enjoy the curry rice that Tiran had made.

"Umm, I suddenly thought of something. If I have children, would they be born as eggs, or as babies?" Tiran unexpectedly interjected.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough!!!"

Wow, rice grains spewed out of the nostrils.

"You must be doing this on purpose, right?"

Aya flicked off a rice grain stuck to her nose tip, angrily turning to question, only to see the princess covering her mouth with a devilish smile, nodding in admission, "Yeah."

Can we still eat this rice?

"Are you a deity sent to torment me?" Aya felt deep repulsion.

Tiran sighed, stood up, and approached Aya, extending a hand to caress Aya's head from above, saying with significance, "You're just realizing this now?"

...These days are unbearable.

"Of course, I'm really curious as well."

Tiran's head perked up with a quirked strand of hair, changing the topic, hands clasped behind her back as she leaned forward, a silver-white strand of hair falling in front of Aya's eyes, "After all, having children is something I should pay attention to. So, what will they turn out to be?"

"Even if you ask me, I don't have any experience with this sort of thing..."

Tormented and defeated, Aya pondered for a moment before mustering up the spirit to answer, "Dragon Magic's transformation spell is a process of reshaping the body, and this form has many similarities to humans... If I were in human form, the fetus would probably resemble a normal human child. Probably. But the features of having Dragon heritage would manifest as they grow up?"

And if it was indeed oviparous...

Aya imagined the scene, quickly lowered her head and covered her face, mmm... feeling hso...

"What if they're not in human form?"

The princess asked again.

"... They'd probably resemble Dragons more in their initial form," Aya guessed.

"Mmm, that sounds quite intriguing."

Tiran returned to her seat, scooped up a spoonful of rice into her mouth, twirling the spoon idly, then suddenly brightened, "Oh, I have an idea, Aya. Why don’t we have two children, and one will be a dragon-person, and the other will be a little dragon hatchling. Wouldn't that be interesting, like 'My Home's Pet Turned Out to Be My Sister/Brother'?"

"Your sense of humor is too extreme!"

Aya felt her thoughts being shocked, thinking that maybe she had adjusted to Tiran's way of thinking, but apparently, Tiran's mind was still more eccentric than hers.

"But unfortunately, that's totally impossible."

"Eh? Why is that?"

Aya sighed with her face in her hands, "If I were in a dragon form, how could humans possibly handle it!"

It wouldn't even be possible in the first place! This is the kind of plot you'd find in a niche doujinshi!

"That actually makes sense..."

Remembering the excruciating pain she endured after her first time, it took a whole day to recover, Tiran also felt a bit shaken, if the human form was already that extreme, imagine with a dragon's body...

I can't even imagine, no matter how I try.jpg

"Ah, let's just forget about it."

Finally giving up on this dangerous idea, Aya breathed a sigh of relief, refocusing her attention on the curry rice in front of her, freshly cooked rice is the most fragrant, can't waste such good food.

But just as the spoon was about to reach her lips, the faint sound of tiny pebbles being crushed under leather boots on the ground caught Aya and Tiran's attention.

At this time, in this place, the only unexpected visitor would be an enemy.

Moreover, judging from the footsteps, there was only one person, walking steadily without attempting to conceal their approach. If this intruder wasn't a fool, it meant they were confident of their safety in front of Tiran and Aya.

Then, Blackzel made a turn and emerged from behind a piece of the original doorframe.

"Two of you, I am Blackzel, and—"

"We really have no time for dinner now! It's all your fault, Tiran!" Aya resentfully set down her plate to show her dissatisfaction.

"Relax, I only took a few bites..." Tiran muttered nonchalantly, rolling her eyes.

"Come on, can you at least show me a little respect?" Blackzel interjected.

"Oh, sorry, sorry, we're just used to bickering, it's subconscious," Aya waved her hand apologetically, then gestured for him to continue.

"I—never mind."

For some reason, Hazel, who normally presented himself as a minstrel, a lover of literature, and enjoyed hiding his identity to sing at taverns or tell stories, who was enthusiastic about introducing himself elegantly before a battle, suddenly lost his urge to do so, squinting with what could be described as giving affectionate banter to the dragon lady, "I'm here to evict you, let's fight."