A week had passed.

  I secluded myself within my dwelling, with no real purpose other than indulging in sleep all day. Dragons are solitary beings, much like hermits in my world, and perhaps that innate loneliness was beginning to affect me. Still, I dismissed the thought. My servant had promised to return after reporting to his homend, yet as the days stretched into weeks, there was still no sign of him. I found myself wondering if his words had been nothing more than an empty promise, easily broken.

  Then, I recalled how I had coerced him into serving me. Maybe he had chosen not to return, fearing a life of servitude under a dragon—an existence tied to chaos. The more I dwelled on it, the more my thoughts spiraled into turmoil. My primal instincts surged, urging me to unleash destruction upon the world. But I suppressed the urge, finding no reason to throw a tantrum over what seemed like a betrayal.

  Suddenly, I became aware of a presence lingering outside my dwelling, growing stronger by the day. Strangely, my own power was also increasing. I assumed this was a natural phenomenon for dragons and dismissed it, attributing it to my uniqueness—an assumption fitting of my narcissistic dragon nature.

  Sniff, sniff.

  “A familiar scent,” I muttered.

  I wasn’t in the mood for visitors, especially given my current foul disposition. However, upon recognizing the scent, I forced myself to remain composed and kept my instincts in check. Rising to my feet, I made my way toward the cliff outside my dwelling and peered down at the figure standing openly below, their gaze locked onto me.

  “Well, this is a surprise. I never expected you to return… instead of my servant,” I said coldly.

  “…”

  She remained silent, merely standing there like a statue, staring at me. It was as if she had no words to offer—even if she wanted to speak. I wasn’t aware of the turmoil in her mind, nor could I understand the awkwardness she felt due to our strained retionship. After all, I cked the ability to read minds.

  Sigh. “Why don’t you introduce your companion?” I said, my voice still cold. She flinched, realizing that I had seen through their attempt to remain unnoticed.

  “Fufufu~ Please pardon our rudeness, Lord Fire Dragon. We mean no harm,” a sultry voice rang out as a new figure emerged from the shadows. Accompanying her were several tree nymphs, simir to Leya but with distinct features of their own.

  “And you are?” I asked, narrowing my eyes as I scrutinized her ethereal form. She exuded an air of mischief, possessing a mature allure with a voluptuous figure, pale skin, and cascading green hair. Even the idols from my world couldn’t compare to her beauty. For a brief moment, I was taken aback, though I ensured it didn’t show as I continued observing them from above.

  “I am this one’s guardian,” she said, referring to the silent figure beside her. “Please forgive her for any rudeness or discourtesy she has shown toward the being who saved her life. As her guardian, allow me to offer my heartfelt gratitude.” She bowed deeply, and the other nymphs accompanying her followed suit, expressing their thanks.

  Their unexpected dispy of gratitude momentarily caught me off guard, but I quickly regained my composure. Without a word, I leaped from the cliff and nded with a majestic impact, the force of my descent sending gusts of wind in all directions. The tree nymphs flinched and instinctively took defensive stances as they now realize how massive my body is, yet their guardian remained unmoved, still bowing with unwavering composure.

  "I don’t really mind. I only saved her on a whim," I replied nonchantly, as if it had required no effort at all.

  Only after hearing my indifferent response did the guardian finally move, lifting her gaze to look at me.

  "Oh my~ But it is still customary to express one's gratitude, is it not?" she said, briefly gncing at Leya, who remained in a defensive stance like the others.

  "And, please forgive their actions as well," she added before bowing once more.

  "Hmph." I scoffed dismissively, as if their conduct was of no concern.

  Since they were already aware of a dragon’s inherently arrogant and selfish nature, I pyed along, dispying the very haughtiness they expected.

  "Thank you, Lord Fire Dragon," the guardian said, recognizing my act for what it was.

  "You’re not here just to express your gratitude, I presume?" I questioned, eyeing her with interest.

  The tree nymphs, now composed, had begun behaving properly after witnessing their guardian take responsibility for their earlier rudeness.

  "Indeed. I came to meet you and see for myself what kind of dragon you are," she answered honestly.

  "And? What’s your conclusion?" I asked, genuinely curious.

  "I don’t have an answer just yet," she admitted with a pyful smile. "So, I hope you won’t mind my company~?" Her voice carried a seductive undertone.

  Had such a breathtaking woman spoken to me like that in my world, it would have been an unmistakable invitation. But I brushed the thought aside, knowing that her intent was different.

  "What do you mean?" I inquired.

  "I simply sensed that another visitor is on their way here," she replied, shifting her gaze to her left.

  Following her line of sight, I directed my attention toward the approaching presence. A group was drawing closer to my dwelling—something I had already been aware of. Their arrival didn’t surprise me; I had a good idea of who they were. What did surprise me, however, was the guardian’s ability to sense them. Her perception was on par with my own.

  "My lord, I have returned, and with me is—" Faul, my servant, cut himself off mid-sentence the moment he noticed the other group present.

  As Faul’s entourage stepped forward, revealing themselves, they too became aware of the unexpected company. For a moment, disbelief fshed across their faces. They were momentarily stunned—speechless, even. It was likely their first time witnessing a gathering of tree nymphs, let alone seeing them conversing casually with a fire dragon.

  "This has become chaotic," I murmured, annoyed.

  "Fufufu~" The guardian chuckled pyfully at the unfolding situation.

  The arrival of both parties had taken me by surprise. I could understand why the forest elves had come—after all, I had saved one of their own, who had since become my servant. But what caught me off guard the most was the unexpected presence of the tree nymphs' guardian.

  From what I recalled, Leya and I had a strained retionship. Given that a dragon had previously attacked their sanctuary, I had assumed they would avoid any contact with me, harboring nothing but hatred for my kind. However, my judgment had been mistaken. The guardian, unlike the others accompanying her, seemed to hold no prejudice against me. She was quite understanding, in stark contrast to her kin, who, though they masked their hostility well, could not conceal the deep-seated bias they held toward dragons. Subtle emotions were easy to perceive with my dragon’s keen senses.

  "Let’s change locations first," I said coolly, gesturing for the tree nymph guardian and her companions to proceed ahead.

  "Oh my~ Thank you for your consideration," she replied smoothly, acknowledging my silent acceptance of her company for the upcoming meeting.

  Afterward, I signaled for the forest elves to follow, and finally, my servant approached me.

  "My lord, they insisted on coming to meet you personally," Faul said apologetically.

  "Don't be," I replied. "Tell me, what is your tribe’s purpose?"

  "That… uhm… they wish to offer their servitude, my lord," he answered, struggling to get the words out.

  "Eh…" A word of disbelief slipped from my mouth before I could stop myself.