After finishing her practice, Ji Zhaoxi immediately went to polish the gems. She really could spend her whole life polishing gems.
While she polished, Celeste sat beside her, combing her hair—not because it was messy, but because he found it soothing. After all, with a servant around, she could have him comb it as many times as she liked.
By now, the sky had gone completely dark. The obsidian castle reflected the lightning's glow, with dark gold veins crawling through the cracks in the walls. Occasionally, the castle echoed with the roars of dragons.
A male dragon was being tied up by several others, dragged ignobly out of the castle.
"Can you tell Mother that I'm useful? I'm really good at things," the male dragon wailed, his body trembling uncontrollably.
It wasn't fair. Just because he was male, he had to be exiled?
"Sister! Lorian! Save me..."
The male dragon called desperately to Lorian, who was not far away.
They had played together so well when they were young. She should save him, right?
Lorian had a few fresh wounds on her face. She had just returned from the battlefield, still carrying an air of killing intent as she wiped blood from her lips and looked at the male dragon with undisguised contempt.
A male dragon was even more detestable than a certain dragon without any combat ability.
The male dragon froze at the scorn in Lorian’s gaze. He hadn't expected her to become just as cold as Mother...
The closer Lorian got to the main hall, the louder her heartbeat became.
The heavy doors to the hall pushed open, and a sense of weight pressed down on her. The surroundings were utterly silent, save for the hum of the Dragon Queen’s power that filled the air. The Dragon Queen sat coiled peacefully upon her throne, the air around her subtly warped.
"Mother," Lorian said, admiration shining in her eyes.
She was the child most like Mother.
Nervously, she recounted the results of her battle that day. When she glimpsed a glint of approval in the Dragon Queen's gaze, Lorian suddenly, as if possessed, spoke out.
"Mother... I think I'm hurt. It hurts a little..."
She had never said anything like that before. She wasn't like that one dragon who would make a huge fuss over the tiniest injury, wanting everyone to know how wronged she felt.
Lorian had always looked down on Ji Zhaoxi’s behavior. But today, she clumsily mimicked the way she would act injured and whiny. A wave of shame washed over her, and her ears burned red.
The Dragon Queen's gaze settled on her, a slight frown creasing her brow. "Lorian, I do not want my heir to be so weak."
Lorian’s face went pale. She tightened her grip on her sword, her voice quiet. "Yes, Mother."
The clouds had already parted. Sunlight streamed down through the leaves, the air thick with pollen. The entire forest felt like a giant greenhouse.
Ji Zhaoxi had become the queen of the mountain.
Perhaps because of the deep impression her previous display of power had left on the forest's creatures, they now often came to her for help.
Every day, besides practicing her swordsmanship, Ji Zhaoxi had to patrol the forest. She was busier than ever.
Even though she complained daily, Celeste felt that she was also enjoying herself—after all, she always ran off to do it.
"This river has so many fish! How come I never noticed before?" a man said, practically buzzing with excitement.
"Catch them all, quick!"
A big net went down, scooping up male and female fish, old and young alike.
"You can catch the old fish, but don't take the little ones. They haven't grown up yet," a voice came from behind them, soft but eerie.
The two men jumped in fright. They stared silently at the girl with two dragon horns on her head, then screamed and ran off in terror.
Ji Zhaoxi quickly emptied the net, letting the fish back into the water. The fish were so thrilled they splashed water all over her face. She wiped her face calmly.
She was really getting tired of them...
Then there were the loggers who kept sneaking in to chop down trees. At first, they only cut down big trees, but now they were going after the saplings, too. Worse, they would uproot them completely to sell at the market.
Every day, the animals that lived in the trees would come crying to Ji Zhaoxi, and every day she had to go and give the loggers a good scolding.
The forest creatures were deeply moved. They proposed that they would no longer call Ji Zhaoxi "Miss Dragon," but "Miss Good Dragon," instead.
Ji Zhaoxi refused. "Miss Good Dragon" sounded way too corny. "Miss Dragon" gave off a more intimidating vibe.
On the other side of the forest, Celeste listened silently as Flynn spoke.
Flynn’s voice grew softer as he reached the end of his report, while Ers was still sniffing around for food nearby.
"So this was probably the king’s doing all along," Flynn said, glancing at Celeste.
They had originally thought the king was being fooled by a false prince. But it turned out the false prince was actually the king's illegitimate son with a maid.
Flynn sighed. The king had truly lost his mind. Celeste had become a prince under the witness of the gods—there was no way he could be replaced so easily.
Celeste said nothing. Instead, he brought three more chests of gems back.
He had expected to find an angry Miss Dragon. But instead, she was already fast asleep, exhausted from the day.
Celeste placed the three chests of gems in a corner and picked up the little notebook in Ji Zhaoxi’s hand.
【Tomorrow’s tasks:
1. Check if anyone is cutting down saplings
2. Check if anyone is catching little fish
3. Inspect the wild boars
4. Pick up pinecones for the injured squirrel】
A hint of amusement flickered in Celeste’s eyes. He folded the notebook and set it neatly aside.
Drowsily, Ji Zhaoxi felt her notebook being taken away. Sensing that it was Celeste, she simply dropped her head into his palm.
Celeste looked at her sleeping face. With practiced ease, he began combing her hair. Her hair, smooth as silk, cascaded in soft layers, a few strands falling across his body.
The false prince brought no benefit to the common people. The old king was already senile and confused. Celeste had to go back soon.
He had never doubted that he would have to leave.
He looked down at the utterly defenseless Miss Dragon, a slight frown creasing his brow.
If he left, who would take care of her?
She even got angry trying to comb her own hair. He had made the bed she slept in. Before, she would only curl up in her dragon form on a stone slab to sleep. But now, she hadn't transformed to sleep for a very long time.
The clothes on her back were sewn by him. On the wall hung many caps for ladies. There were caps with two holes for when she sometimes didn't retract her dragon horns in human form. There were also caps that looked like ordinary human ones, which she often wore.
In dragon form, she refused to wear any hat. She said a mighty dragon wearing a hat would look ridiculous.
Celeste had no idea who else would have the patience to care for her.
But he couldn't just stand by and watch this country fall to ruin...
