When Smolder returned to the Duke's estate, the gatekeeper, as usual, cast a disdainful glance its way.
The red dragon, uninterested in petty squabbles with such people, simply strode through the gates.
The disappointment of hatching a wingless dragon from an expensive egg was a significant blow to Duke Bronn, who desperately needed strength to solidify his position. A ground dragon bought for the same price could have grown into a fearsome beast in the same span of years.
If not for Prince Blight's affection for it and the existence of a guardian dragon in the royal palace, Smolder, especially after the old mage's death and its reduced status, might have been quietly slaughtered.
Arriving at its quarters, Smolder emptied the coins from the bag onto its bed, pleased to see its "bed" seemed somewhat taller, then settled down on it.
...
After an indeterminate amount of time, Smolder was awakened by the head of the guards, Dans.
"Come, the young master has summoned us," Dans said, holding Smolder's saddle at the doorway.
"What's the matter?" Smolder inquired, rising to its feet.
"It seems to be some advanced trial from the academy. We're headed to the Trelem Forest," Dans explained while expertly attaching the saddle to Smolder.
"The forest by Despair Cliff?" Smolder prodded further.
"Yes," Dans confirmed, checking the saddle's fit before heading to his horse.
"Oh, and could I get a couple of saddlebags? It's inconvenient to carry things otherwise."
"No problem. Mora, fetch the saddlebags," Dans directed another guard.
...
"What's with all this preparation for an academy trial?" Prince Blight grumbled at the sight of a dozen fully armed guards, feeling annoyed and slighted, while the academy instructor just shook his head.
"Your Highness, this is necessary protection ordered by the Duke," Dans stated respectfully.
"I only need Smolder. Everyone else, go back. Even the Third Prince brought just one guard," Blight asserted firmly.
Despite Dans's attempt to argue, he couldn't overrule the prince and reluctantly led the guards away.
The scale of the academy's trial was small, aimed at granting extra credits to members of the royal faction, with manageable difficulty.
Trelem Forest, just over a hundred miles from the capital and known as Lorisque's backyard garden, promised no real danger by its name alone.
The trial involved three days of solo wilderness survival, an easy task for these noble students, each equipped with storage artifacts capable of sustaining them for much longer than required.
"Even though the trial seems simple, I advise using your own abilities as much as possible. The more you rely on yourself, the higher your final score will be," the accompanying instructor advised, holding a scroll of tasks.
Soon, the students dispersed, each under the watch of an instructor.
By lunchtime, Prince Blight had casually hunted a few rabbits. Not the pampered nobleman some might expect, Blight had a knack for adventure and, despite limited wilderness experience, possessed some survival skills.
"First step of making camp: start a fire, ideally with your own hands," the instructor suggested mildly.
Blight, arranging gathered branches and leaves, retorted, "I'm not a mage, how am I supposed to start a fire with my hands?"
Smolder, who had been quiet, subtly opened its mouth and exhaled a small flame to ignite the fire. As a fire dragon, it was particularly adept at this.
The instructor noted this and made a record on the scroll.
"Why deduct points for that?" Blight protested upon seeing the instructor's action.
"Because you utilized external help to make fire," the instructor explained simply.
"What external help? Smolder is my lifelong companion; we'll always be together. How is that considered external help?" Blight argued.
As the instructor was about to counter, Smolder spoke up: "Being genuine is essential."
The instructor paused, then nodded, erasing the deduction. (The content in brackets is omitted.)
While Blight excelled in many areas, cooking was not one of them.
The instructor quickly vacated the area due to the burnt smell, while Smolder politely declined the charred meat offered by Blight. Though burnt meat wouldn't affect a dragon's robust physique or digestive system, Smolder preferred not to compromise its taste.
Predictably, Blight chuckled awkwardly and discarded the inedible charred meat, attempting to cook another rabbit more cautiously.
Eventually, Blight managed to fill his stomach before clumsily packing up under the watchful eye of the instructor.
The two days passed smoothly, with Blight and the instructor developing a better rapport. Blight's outdoor survival skills improved, albeit still amateur compared to professionals, but certainly better than some other students encountered along the way. However, his cooking skills remained stagnant.
"Tomorrow we can return. Which hotel's feast do you fancy, buddy?" Blight asked, draping an arm around Smolder's neck.
"Let's go for the Hilton Hotel," Smolder decided after a moment's thought.
Blight agreed readily, though the mention of Hilton, Lorisque's largest and most prestigious hotel known for its exquisite and famously expensive cuisine, made him wince internally.
Had Smolder abstained from water these past days, saving its appetite for a grand feast? Observing Smolder's sudden enthusiasm, Blight felt somewhat duped.
Despite not having the dexterity of human hands, dragons, especially those like Smolder who lived among humans, learned much. While dragons typically walked on four legs, standing and walking on two was possible, albeit slower.
"You're slower at setting up the tent than your dragon, Prince Blight," the instructor joked.
Blight flushed slightly: "Just don't deduct points for it. And my early graduation is still on track, right?"
"There shouldn't be any issues, but are you confident in passing the exams?" the instructor inquired, scrolling through a message scroll.
Blight hesitated, then glanced at Smolder, busy preparing the evening's barbecue, and nodded affirmatively.
The instructor sighed, having developed a good rapport over the past two days. As a mid-level academy instructor, he recognized his place and the impracticality of meddling in affairs above his station. Focusing on his duties was paramount, and with the trial nearly over, he looked forward to a few days of well-deserved rest...