Caesar did not ponder for long. If he happened across a fitting consort, he might attempt to engage, but for now, he only wished to indulge in pleasure. His majestic wings carried him to the Palace of Anna, where he dwelled in the skies above. The residence, albeit modest and constructed by the Jackalmen, seemed meager to Caesar; it was built to the scale of humanoid creatures, but to him, it appeared incredibly small.
It was not that Caesar relished taking a human form—perhaps the Metallic Dragons enjoyed such transformations, but the Chromatic Dragons seldom chose to do so, inherently condescending toward the human species. However, dragons held a certain vanity, desiring the pristine maidens heralded among humans—of course, only if they were sufficiently beautiful. The Red Dragon, steeped in hedonism, possessed flexible standards.
"It appears it's time to issue a new command to Cyrion; it's due time for me to have a dragon's lair fitting my current stature." Caesar mused to himself. He yearned for a lair where he could cavort with his lovers.
The magma pools within extinct volcanoes were spacious for a fire lizard, but for a colossal dragon, it was akin to a human residing in a room merely a dozen square meters in area, constraining his ability to move freely. Caesar's memory ventured back to the lair of a female Red Dragon—a massive palace forged by thousands of devoted subjects, overseen day and night by scholarly goblins adept in architecture. They had inscribed various runes for fortitude and stability, ensuring ample space for ten grand dragons to romp freely within. Below the palace lay a minor vein of magical gems, sustaining the magma pool's heat—a desirable, comfortable bath befitting a dragon.
As Caesar's immense shadow cast over the entire palace, the human maidens airing out their garments nearly shrieked—in his new form, he inspired fear in any human. A dragon's reputation was legendary across human kingdoms. Yet soon after, some maids revealed ecstatic expressions, for among the abducted human maidens were beautiful noble daughters who, though not transcendental, discerned the differences between Chromatic and Metallic Dragons, understanding them to be malevolent and benevolent, respectively.
The grand dragon that hovered, scales of fiery red adorned with golden patterns, bathed in the light of the golden sun appeared as a glistening Gold Dragon, which could easily lead to misidentification. Gold Dragons, regarded as the pinnacle of virtuous dragons, these noble daughters mistook for their savior, come to rescue and deliver them from torment—they almost wept with joy.
Surveying the hopeful human females, Caesar wore a mischievously pleased grin and, under their expectant gaze, the proclaimed 'Gold Dragon' suddenly opened its maw.
His dexterous tongue unfurled, fleetly licking the distressed maidens, dousing them with slobbery dragon drool. The dragon's tongue, incredibly nimble and filled with nerve endings capable of unbelievable flexion, was more agile than human fingers, eliciting high-pitched cries and even causing some to faint from the shock.
Pleased with the effect, Caesar contemplated briefly before adopting the form of a smaller dragon, yet not that of a human. He descended to the palace interior. Disregarding the fact that this was not a Gold Dragon, but rather the grand malevolent dragon who had captured them, the maidens reacted with relief.
Caesar then extracted a sizable bovine leg from his spatial ring, its spatial capacity at a mere dozen cubic meters, barely fitting the limb. The enticing aroma of flesh filled his senses. He passed the meat to the women for preparation, planning to relish it with his consort and offspring. Such high-quality sustenance was typically reserved for legendary beings; its regular consumption could substantially enhance one's physical might and magical prowess.
Drifting toward Diana's quarters, Caesar beheld a sprightly young human girl commanding her maids with youthful vigor. The palace echoed with laughter. In an instant, he knew she was of his lineage, and with a swift flick of his tail, the hatchling was curled up in front of him.
Her pupils shone like rubies, bright and lustrous, bearing semblance to Caesar's pre-metamorphosis draconic gaze.
There was no fear in the young girl as she beheld the magnificent dragon. With bravery belying her tender years, she inquired, "Who are you? I've not seen you in the palace before."
A month-old girl scampering about and speaking the common tongue, while scientifically dubious, was indeed very magical.
The surrounding maids were petrified, overcome with awe. They sang praises, "All hail our esteemed master, whose wings shall envelop the Silvermoon Kingdom, and whose renown will echo throughout the continent. Everyone shall sing of your great deeds..."
Truly, humans spoke such flattery more sweetly than the Jackalmen and other wild species. At first listen, one might assume Caesar already reigned over the entire continent.
Facing his first offspring, Caesar was about to voice, "Child, I am..."
At that moment, the elegant and noble Diana swiftly appeared, greeting, "Good day, Lord Caesar."
"You have finally awoken from your slumber."
Caesar held Diana, the Silvermoon Kingdom's princess, in regard, swiftly noticing a significant increase in her innate elemental radiance. She had progressed from a third-tier mage to a mid-tier, a distinguished practitioner of curse magic.
"Diana, you have done well, truly worthy of being my consort," Caesar lauded. Her aptitude for magic was remarkable, achieving mid-tier at such an age boded well for her ascension to a high-tier caster.
Only a high-quality human female like her, coupled with a dragon, could bear mighty offspring. Ordinary women, even when united with a mighty dragon, seldom inherit the draconic bloodline; an inferior maternal lineage could hinder the progeny's potential.