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That night, Lucella had a strange dream. She was curled up in some kind of hard, narrow, and warm place.

Despite having her eyes closed on top of it, she for some reason could tell what was happening around her.

Perhaps dreams were such irrational things, to begin with.

“You’re wearing something weird today, Luja.”
“Yeah, I saw humans wear it and thought it would be interesting to imitate.”

A red dragon was crouched in a large cavern.

Before the dragon stood a young man.

His most distinguishable feature was his vividly blue hair.

He was dressed in an outfit that was best described as office-type rather than an outgoing one, and also wore glasses.

Because of that, he gave off the atmosphere of a scholar.

“I’m happy that you followed me to Mount Kuguse, but your human form is so small it leaves me somehow unsatisfied.”
“It can’t be helped. You’re raising an egg so we can’t carelessly provoke the humans… We should have come to Kuguse much earlier and developed the surroundings better.”

That young man… Luja, smiled intimately as he looked up at the big dragon.

“It’s troublesome to be this close to a human settlement, but it’s worthwhile for sure. Setulev’s land has a strong water affinity. Mount Kuguse meanwhile is a dormant volcano and has a rich flame smell.”
“Indeed. This place that you have found will surely bestow our child with supreme power.”

The crouching Kafal, who had her neck wrapped around the egg, poked it with her nose.

Lucella’s world shook gently.

“But what’s important… is that regardless of what kind of child will be born, we have to raise her with love. Don’t you agree?”
“Yes. You’re quite right.”
*“Perhaps one with no talent would be even better… Our groups will be scrambling for our child. My group has some debts for Belmar’s dragon king, so she might end up in their hands, but they might not give up, considering there’s a lack of females in the group… After all, our group’s policy is strong blood, regardless of whether it’s pure or not.”

Luja’s slender face was shadowed by sorrow.

Dragons held mighty powers and extremely long lifespans, but in exchange, their reproductive powers were extremely low. For that reason, reproduction was a big concern for all dragons.

Which group would end up taking their child in?

They didn’t think that the two groups would resort to war because of it, but being in a conflicting situation would prove no benefit to their yet-to-be-born child.

Luja grieved about that fact.

“…Have you decided on a name?”

Luja noticed that Kafal started to feel depressed too and switched the topic. He asked that question while trying to act as cheerful as he could.

“Not yet. I wanted to ask your opinion too.”
“I have no sense for such things at all. I think you would do a better job. Let’s see… Try to think of one before I return from my hunt next time.”
“Alright.”

The two found extreme glee in such a simple conversation.

Luja knelt near the egg and caressed it.

“May the heavens and earth bless you, my beloved, and our treasure yet to be born…”

He spoke so kindly it appeared sorrowful.

When Lucella woke up and the contents of the dream vanished into mist, she still appeared to remember the sensation of his hand.