The officials of the Regan Empire had no idea why their new king’s first act after founding the city-state was to clear the site and commission several goblin craftsmen to carve out an underground cavern.
Though curiosity burned within them, ever since the first man ventured too close—and died for his curiosity—no one inside or outside the court dared speak of the cavern again.
Clank, clank—
From the dark, silent cavern erupted a sudden rattle of chains, followed by eerie, guttural roars.
“I have sensed it… That traitor! That traitor!!!”
“Is it that dragon?” A man clad in lavish robes stood beneath the cavern’s sole light, his gaze calm as he peered into the shadows.
The clinking of chains grew louder. A hoarse, ancient voice snarled from the darkness: “The empire’s border! Release me! I will slaughter that traitor! Flay its dragon hide alive, crush its bones to dust!”
“Heh, honored Dragon Sir, you cannot leave just yet. Leave the capture of the dragon—and that fallen prince—to me.”
A fixed smile graced the man’s lips as he gave an elegant bow toward the darkness.
At his words, the roaring softened slightly. After a long silence, the aged voice rasped:
“Good.”
“Hehe… Then I shall await good news.”
Smiling, the man straightened, swept his cloak back, and strode out of the cavern.
“Your Majesty! You are the dawn of the Regan Empire, the dawn of eternal history, the embodiment of distant stars!”
No sooner had he emerged than ministers waiting outside knelt in unison, chanting the hymn in fervent chorus.
The king let them finish before waving a hand. “Rise. Carry my order: take three squads of Crusaders to patrol the border. I want that child brought before me within three days.”
“As you command!”
The ministers bowed deeply, eyes blazing with fanatical devotion.
…
“Little Princess, why must we take such a winding path?” An stretched his wings, folded them, and drowsily nestled into Sophia’s arms.
Sophia’s brows furrowed slightly. The question was utterly foolish—she didn’t even want to answer.
They’d galloped all day. Instead of the main road An suggested, Sophia deliberately chose narrow, twisting trails through the hills.
But he’d asked before. She knew ignoring him would only invite more pestering.
“Any fool knows I’d flee to the Eus Empire. Regan’s reach doesn’t stretch that far—they’ll try to intercept us en route. Take the main road? By this time tomorrow, we’d be back in Regan’s capital.”
“Heh. I doubt that Rigan of the Regan Empire is as foolish as you,” Sophia snapped, thoroughly exasperated.
“Says the one running for her life—do you really think you’re faring better, *Little Princess*?” An’s mocking tone made Sophia’s frown deepen.
She knew he was aware of her past life as a man. Calling her “Little Princess” was pure provocation.
Dusk settled. The distant Kelong Mountains loomed like a slumbering beast lifting its head to swallow the sinking sun.
Sophia sighed. “We need shelter.”
The path wound through dense woods and sheer cliffs—nowhere safe to rest. It wasn’t delicacy; who knew what bloodthirsty magical beasts lurked here after dark? Far deadlier than dungeon monsters. An encounter meant fight or die.
“I’ll scout.” An spread his wings slowly and rose into the air.
Thankfully, deep in the forest, no witness would faint at the sight—even shrunken to cat-size.
To common folk, dragons were little different from demons: feared for their terrifying power and savage unpredictability.
Sophia dismounted, massaged her sore thighs, led the panting horse to a stream, and sat on a stone once it drank.
An returned moments later, landing lightly beside her and folding his wings with grace.
“A village lies ahead—about a kilometer. Run-down, but passable for one night.”
He padded over, bit open the water flask at her waist, and drank.
Sophia didn’t mind. She frowned, gazing toward the village.
After he finished, she recapped the flask, remounted, and rode off swiftly.
Unseen by her, figures emerged from the trees across the stream.
“Boss, didn’t someone just run past? Too bad—we missed a look,” sighed a bare-chested, one-eyed brute, regret etched on his face.
His boss, broader and taller—if not for his human skin, one might suspect Xie-Xue Giant Clan blood—sneered.
“Heh? Hoping it was Heya’s prince? Those soft noble fledglings, venturing into woods where mosquitoes are fist-sized?”
“Even if you caught him, think you’d claim the bounty? Remember—you’re a thief too.”
“Haha, just joking, Boss!” The one-eyed man chuckled nervously. “So… tonight’s plan?”
“Set. I scouted the village. Only elders and women. Kill the old. Have fun with the women. Sell the children later.”
“Hehe… Fifty gold coins, easy!”
“Haha…”
…
The village was even more desolate than Sophia imagined—she could see its entire length in one glance.
“Respected sir,” Sophia stopped a passing villager, “where might I rest for the night?”
