Book 4: Chapter 36 |
Noa focused on condensing her primordial power. When she finally relaxed a little, she realized that it was already past midnight.
The temperature had dropped. Noya crossed her arms and rubbed them, then lifted her head to look at the night sky.
A full moon hung high above, brilliant and dazzling.
Noya blinked, as if suddenly remembering something.
“By the way… do you remember that topic we talked about before—about cocoon-born and womb-born life?”
The ancestor in her mind replied lazily, “I remember. And I also remember you saying that if you had a choice, you’d still choose womb-born. Compared to power you’re born with, you prefer the process and feeling of growing stronger little by little.”
Noya nodded. “After that, I asked you the same question.”
“Yes.”
“But your answer confused me,” Noya said. “You said… your birth itself was a mistake. At the time, I didn’t really understand what you meant. When I wanted to keep asking, you urged me to go get my mom’s pendant instead. So…”
“…can you properly explain that answer to me now?”
As for this legendary Dragon King’s past, Noya could only find scattered records in various historical texts.
Her ancestor was a hero to the entire dragon race. No matter which chronicle one read, she was portrayed as a savior—perfect and flawless.
To put it simply, the records about Noya’s ancestor were all too grand and sweeping.
Dragons sang praises of her great achievements, yet few ever paid attention to what kind of past lay behind that brilliant life.
Faced with Noya’s question, the ancestor did not answer immediately. Instead, she fell silent.
She looked at the little one before her as memories from tens of thousands of years ago intertwined with scenes from the recent months they had spent together.
For a moment, she could barely tell whether she was living in the past or the present.
She remained silent.
Until Noya stepped forward and stood directly before those enormous dragon eyes.
The white, vertical pupils were like mirrors, clearly reflecting Noya’s own figure.
“I can tell that it must be a past that’s hard to speak about, so I won’t force you to tell me,” Noya said calmly.
“But I really want to understand you better… Noah.”
The overachiever was never particularly interested in other people’s résumés, nor did she usually ask so many questions.
Only this ancestor before her was an exception.
She came from a distant past, slept for tens of thousands of years, and finally awakened within Noya’s consciousness.
Months of coexistence had gradually made them familiar with one another.
The ancestor admired Noya’s character and perseverance.
And in turn, Noya had slowly developed a rare sense of curiosity toward this mysterious dragon hero.
Within this dark-golden waterway, a conversation spanning ten thousand years quietly unfolded.
After a moment of eye contact, the ancestor slowly closed her dragon eyes and rose to her feet.
The massive body of the giant dragon formed a stark contrast with Noya’s small figure.
Noya tilted her head up to look at her. “Are you going to kick me out again?”
In the past, whenever the ancestor no longer wanted to banter with the kid, she would simply flap her wings and drive Noya out of the consciousness space.
After several times, Noya had realized something was off:
Hey—this is my own consciousness space. How can you kick me out of it?
Ancestor: Heh. I just can. What about it?
Over time, Noya had simply accepted it.
And now, seeing the old dragon suddenly stand up, Noya assumed she didn’t want to answer the question and was about to chase her out once more.
Thinking this, Noya quietly turned around and waved her hand.
“I said I wouldn’t force you to answer my questions. You don’t need to do anything—I’ll leave on my own.”
Tap—tap—
Her little shoes stepped across the surface of the water as she walked slowly toward the exit of the waterway.
But before she could go far, Noya suddenly felt a faint fluctuation of energy.
She looked down. Without warning, the water beneath her feet began to tremble, concentric ripples spreading toward her from behind.
Noya abruptly turned around.
She saw the white giant dragon fold her wings around herself, enclosing her body. Magical light seeped through the gaps.
Moments later, the light faded—and a graceful, slender figure stood quietly upon the water’s surface.
Noya’s pupils widened slightly, and for a moment she was too shocked to speak.
It was a tall beauty with long hair cascading like a waterfall down to her waist.
She wore a white high-low dress. Below the hem were shapely legs wrapped in long boots, and the exposed skin between the boots and skirt formed an immaculate, almost sacred zone.
Her eyes were slightly open, her beautiful features cool and composed. A star-shaped earring swayed beneath her right ear, shimmering faintly.
She stood there, nearly perfect from head to toe—like a meticulously carved work of art.
“N-Noah…”
After a brief moment of astonishment, the overachiever finally realized—
This was her ancestor’s humanoid form.
The beauty stepped forward, long legs moving gracefully as she approached Noya.
She lacked the oppressive, commanding aura typical of Dragon Kings.
Instead, she radiated a sacred and exalted presence that inspired awe and reverence.
Her elegant steps spoke of nobility. A white, flowing tail trailed behind her—different from the tails of modern dragons, smoother, glossier, and longer.
Noya was completely captivated by that holy aura, only snapping out of it when the woman stopped right in front of her.
“Kid.”
“Ah—ah? Oh, sorry.”
It was common knowledge among dragons that their voices differed between dragon form and humanoid form.
And Noah’s voice in humanoid form wasn’t as cold as Noya had imagined.
On the contrary, it was gentle—like a spring breeze.
The beauty placed one hand on her hip, then gently set the other atop Noya’s head. Closing her eyes, she let out a satisfied breath.
Noya froze, then looked up along her long, pale arm to her face.
“What are you doing?”
“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time,” the ancestor said contentedly. “Your head feels really nice to pet.”
“….”
Well. Even in human form, she was still the same unreliable old ancestor.
“So you didn’t do it before because you were afraid one swipe would turn me into minced meat?”
“Yes. You’re very smart.”
“Haha. Thanks a lot.”
Noya shook her head, dodging the ancestor’s hand. “Then why are you using your humanoid form to see me now?”
“Because before, the primordial power we had stored wasn’t enough for me to take humanoid form. But now, with the Nightspirit Crystal, our accumulation speed has increased. I finally have enough magic to transform.”
Noya nodded in realization. “So that’s how it is.”
“Oh right—besides petting your head, there’s something else I’ve wanted to do for a long time too.”
“What is it—hey! What are you doing?! Don’t hug me! Let go—!”
Before Noya could react, her ancestor pulled her into a tight bear hug.
Warm, soft, fragrant—gentle breaths brushed against Noya’s cheek.
The hold had some strength, but not enough to make Noya uncomfortable.
Even so, Noya wasn’t used to such intimate contact with anyone other than family. She instinctively kicked her legs and flicked her little tail in protest.
“Y-You old hag… you’re just like Aunt Isha—”
Noya tried to push away the soft, pale face pressed against hers, but the infuriating white dragon clung to her like a plush toy.
After struggling a bit, Noya gave up.
She let her ancestor hold her, rub her, sniff her, and cling to her.
“Why are adults all so childish?”
—The question surfaced once again in Noya’s mind.
“Ah~ so soft and fragrant~ Is this what young dragons’ bodies are like now? Amazing. And thinking that this body will eventually belong to me one day makes me even happier.”
“…I told you to stop saying weird things like that. You sound like a creepy aunt.”
Having had her fill, the ancestor finally set Noya down.
Noya tidied her clothes, then looked up and asked,
“So now that you’ve taken human form… are you ready to properly tell me about your past?”
The “creepy aunt” nodded, lowering her gaze to the little one before her. Her expression turned serious.
“My birth,” she said slowly, “begins with the Dragon God—Tiamat.”
…
Footnotes:
- juan wangInternet slang meaning an extreme overachiever—someone who constantly pushes themselves to excel.
- bu zhe diaoColloquial phrase meaning unreliable, unserious, or not acting one’s age.
- ruaOnomatopoeic internet slang describing affectionate rubbing or petting, often used for animals or loved ones.
- tie tieCute slang meaning to cling closely or snuggle affectionately.