"Enough. Stop talking." Emilia's voice cut through the air like a blade, her cold demeanor resuming as she focused on the task of unearthing the ore.
Yet, unbeknownst to her, Hannah keenly observed the subtle shifts in her sister's expressions.
'What a naive fool,' Hannah mused, a smirk curling her lips. A surge of satisfaction coursed through her as she realized that Emilia, ever the risk-taker, was willing to shoulder the burden for their shared ambition. If Emilia succeeded in winning their brother's favor, Hannah would effortlessly ride her coattails to glory. And if she failed? The shame and rejection would fall solely on Emilia's shoulders, leaving Hannah untouched and free to pursue her own schemes.
Hannah's plan was deceptively simple yet remarkably shrewd. She would discreetly coax Emilia into approaching Brother Barbatos, nudging her to take the initiative in asking to become his mate. If Emilia succeeded and won his acceptance, Hannah could then gracefully insert herself into the equation, claiming her rightful place beside him. If Emilia faced rejection or humiliation, Hannah would remain a spectator, her relationship with Barbatos undamaged. The fallout would be Emilia's to endure, freeing Hannah to explore alternative means of ingratiating herself into their brother's life—and, perhaps, his bed.
It was a carefully crafted game, one that allowed Hannah to avoid personal risk. She was all too aware of Barbatos's volatile temperament—rejection could spell disaster. Let Emilia take that gamble while Hannah observed from the sidelines, poised for her moment to strike. And if Emilia stumbled, there would be ample opportunities for Hannah to make her move. After all, she was ambitious but not foolish enough to place herself in the line of fire.
With that subtle push, Hannah felt a wave of relief wash over her. Emilia's reckless ambition would soon propel her toward Barbatos, freeing Hannah from her sister's oppressive moods. At last, she could mine in peace, no longer burdened by Emilia's fiery temper.
Hannah worked furiously, chanting to herself, "I dig, I dig, I dig hard!" Her sharp dragon claws tore through the stone, and with a resounding clang, a radiant white gemstone dislodged from the vein, glimmering in the dim light.
Her heart raced as she picked up the thumb-sized piece of magical ore, cradling it carefully. A flicker of hesitation crossed her face, but she closed her eyes, swallowed hard, and let guilt wash over her like a tide.
"Consume this one to grow stronger… sell the next to the dragon's nest," she whispered, seeking to soothe her conscience. There was no choice—she needed strength now, and profit could come later.
---
The following day, as Hannah ventured into the mine, a sense of foreboding washed over her—Emilia was conspicuously absent.
"Seriously?" Hannah blinked in disbelief. It was shocking how quickly Emilia had disappeared. She had expected her sister's pride to hold out longer, but now Emilia had moved with unexpected speed—too fast. The realization left Hannah feeling both surprised and relieved.
A small smile crept onto her face. If Emilia's gamble bore fruit, they could both escape this grueling toil sooner than anticipated. And if it failed? That would be entirely Emilia's concern. Meanwhile, Hannah could continue to mine and grow stronger, all while daydreaming of a life of luxury within the castle, indulging in delicacies without the need to claw through rock.
"Maybe my days of leisure are closer than I imagined," Hannah chuckled to herself, her claws already at work once more, her movements imbued with newfound enthusiasm.
---
Castle Black.
I awoke from my slumber after the feast, once again disturbed by the commotion emanating from the square outside.
After listening for a moment, I shook my head—Emilia and the others were at it again.
Initially, I intended to ignore it and head to the Dragon Pond to practice my spells. My treasures lay there, and as a water-dwelling black dragon, I found practicing in the water most comfortable.
Castle Black served as a place for feasting, sleeping, and indulging.
Yet, I felt an undeniable pull to pay attention this time, sensing a shift in the air.
Soon after, the head maid Sophia entered, bearing news.
"Your Excellency, Lady Emilia requests an audience," she announced with a weary tone. If the two little black dragonesses had come to stir up trouble, she would have the authority to send them away. But they were behaving, waiting outside with an eagerness to speak to me. Sophia had no choice but to relay their request.
She understood that Emilia and Hannah held the status of my younger sisters. No one else in the entire Dragon Nest shared our bond. After all, why would I grant them access to a precious vein of magic iron ore? Allowing those two troublemakers into the mine could spell disaster, as they were more likely to consume their findings than yield any profits.
Skye, the chief steward, turned a blind eye, understanding that they were my sisters. It was only natural for them to have some preferential treatment. Besides, the magic mineral vein in question was of minor quality, not ranking among the most valuable resources under the Dragon Nest's control.
"Speak with me? How... unusual," I muttered, a flicker of surprise igniting in my chest. "Have they finally ceased their antics?" Something felt amiss. Why would Hannah approach instead of Emilia? It didn't align with her typical behavior. Unless this was yet another one of Hannah's clever ploys. Perhaps she had sent Emilia to test the waters, exploiting her pride against her. Doubt gnawed at me. After a moment's deliberation, I resolved to meet with Emilia to discern their current game.
I knew my sisters well—Hannah was the crafty one, always plotting, a reflection of our mother's cunning. She had inherited that shrewdness, the very trait that kept her grounded in the forest until the odds tipped in her favor. Mother understood when to strike and when to withdraw, skillfully avoiding humans who far surpassed her in strength. In contrast, Emilia embodied our mother's raw power, all arrogance and brute force. Just like our mother, ready to lay waste to human territories, Emilia never flinched in the face of a challenge, her pride blazing as fiercely as the lands our mother had claimed. Each sister carried a fragment of our mother's legacy—Hannah with her subtle manipulations, Emilia with her unyielding strength.
---
Dragon Pond, Central.
Perched atop a mountain of treasure, a massive black dragon basked in the glow of its hoard.
Most of this opulent collection had been amassed from the dark forest: magic cores harvested from slain beasts, ores, metals, and crystals mined by the kobolds and Goblins of the Green Skin Tribe, with a mere fraction—less than ten percent—paid in tribute by the Siglinde family.
When it came to resources, the dark forest, largely untouched by intelligent races, proved far richer than any human domain.
As Emilia followed the dragonborn maid to the dragon pond, her eyes were immediately drawn to the radiant center of elemental energy, her mouth watering with greed.
'So many treasures! Mother's hoard doesn't even come close to this!' Shock and avarice filled her as she stared.
Of course, Emilia remained oblivious to the fact that her mother had expanded her own treasure tenfold after claiming the wasteland and now stood as its queen.
Impatiently, Emilia flew toward the heart of the dragon pond.
As she drew nearer, however, her gaze shifted from the treasures before her. The overwhelming presence of the black dragon cast a shadow too oppressive to ignore.
"My dearest sister, is something amiss?" I inquired, opening my eyes to regard the little black dragoness standing before me.
At over six meters in length, she was not small by any means, easily rivaling the size of two large buffaloes. Yet in my presence, she seemed almost diminutive, dwarfed by the sheer scale of my form.
"I-I…" Emilia stuttered, caught off guard and at a loss for words. After wrestling with her thoughts for what felt like an eternity, she ultimately abandoned her train of thought, leaving with Sophia in a daze.
Watching Emilia retreat from the treasure-laden pond, I couldn't help but ponder aloud, "Why do you two wish to serve as my maids?"
It was curious, considering that while evil dragons typically exhibit little sense of shame, such traits can be influenced over time.
Emilia and Hannah were prime examples. Having lived in the dragon's nest for six or seven years, they could not help but be affected by my presence and the example set by my creatures.
What impact had I made?
They had begun to grasp concepts of order, fairness, and harmony, alongside values such as effort, loyalty, dedication, and critical thinking.
Though the two little dragons still possessed their evil nature, capable of killing and stealing treasures without remorse, they had developed a modicum of moral boundaries.
They refrained from robbing the hoards of the lair's inhabitants, opting instead to train their strength through combat with the monster warriors. Even in defeat, they would not resort to ambush tactics—a trait pure evil dragons might employ, as they could hardly tolerate being bested by lesser beings.
Moreover, they had learned to exhibit humility in the face of the strong. When encountering formidable figures like Skye, Mundo, Shadar, Danylan, White Crane, Winnie, Shea, Blaine, Griffin, and even Danylan's rising prodigy, they displayed courtesy, if not outright respect, rather than arrogance and disdain.
Naturally, their pride as true dragons is ingrained in their very blood, and this unshakable essence will never change.
Over the years, however, the personalities and boundaries of Emilia and Hannah have subtly shifted under my influence, though they likely haven't noticed it themselves.
Life at Castle Black resumed its usual rhythm.
But unlike before, the dragon pond was now a lively battleground whenever I took my baths. Three young dragonesses—one White, two Black—playfully squabbled over my attention.
While their claws gently massaged my scales, the glares they exchanged betrayed their rivalry, though they never let things get out of hand.
Eirlys, ever aware of her precarious standing, clung tightly to me, knowing I was her lifeline. She wouldn't dare jeopardize her position.
Emilia, for her part, remained awestruck by my power. Having finally secured a place within Castle Black, she knew her position was fragile, and she had no intention of pushing her luck.
Hannah, meanwhile, adapted more cunningly. Though outwardly it seemed she merely followed her older sister's lead, she carefully calculated each indulgence, using every moment to subtly maneuver her advantage, always keeping one eye on future opportunities.
---
Seeing that the three of them knew their limits, I allowed them to amuse themselves. It was a welcome change for Castle Black, a place far too vast and empty for its current inhabitants. Despite its sprawling size—more than 50 square kilometers and still expanding—fewer than 2,000 souls lived here. The silence was almost oppressive.
Eirlys, despite her size and strength, was no match for Emilia or Hannah. She lacked the bloodline of a true dragon, a fact that placed her at a clear disadvantage. Her frost breath and ice armor paled in comparison to the spell-like abilities of her counterparts.
Both Emilia and Hannah awakened to dark magic and low-light vision in their youth, their magic far stronger than Eirlys could hope to match. With each passing year, the gap in their abilities would only grow wider.
Magic typically awakens in dragons around the age of ten, but Emilia and Hannah had broken that mold, their powers emerging at eight or nine. Their diligence, combined with the abundance of resources I provided, had accelerated their development. I never denied them anything.
Now, at over twelve years of age, they both reached the sixth intermediate order of dragon-kind and had begun to pursue professions.
Emilia, surprisingly, chose the path of a spellcaster, while Hannah gravitated toward the warrior's way. The irony wasn't lost on me.
Yet their progression revealed the true nature of their choices. Emilia's attempts to master magic, something that required wisdom, patience, and research, went against her dragon instincts. It was like forcing a villain to learn advanced mathematics—painful and slow. Thus, her caster level remained at a mere one.
Hannah, on the other hand, thrived as a warrior. Physical training, combat, and bloodshed came naturally to her. She mined during the day, fought monsters whenever possible, and progressed swiftly—her warrior level had already reached three.
In terms of raw strength, Hannah was beginning to surpass Emilia, despite her sister's marginal magical edge.
A thought crossed my mind: perhaps the Void Dragon bloodline could benefit Emilia and Hannah as well.
Their current power spike came from their first slumber and magical awakening. Going forward, their growth would slow considerably until their second sleep, which might not occur until they were in their fifties, if not later. For the next few decades, their progression would be slow compared to humans.
But Eirlys was different. With the Void Dragon blood coursing through her, as long as she was nourished with enough energy and magic, her growth would not stagnate. Over time, her dragon body would undoubtedly surpass both Emilia and Hannah.
The ambition stirred in me: the creation of a Void Dragon army.
The core of this legion would be composed of dragon beasts. Lacking the inheritance of true dragons, these creatures were a blank slate, untouched by the taint of an evil dragon's lineage. Their nature could be molded, shaped over time. Eirlys was proof of that—despite her inherent bloodlust and leanings toward evil, she was neither chaotic nor mindless. She could think for herself.
"Let's see how they develop over the next few years," I decided, shelving the idea of spreading the Void bloodline for now. I couldn't risk raising two formidable dragons that might turn on me in the future.
Still, the shortage of dragon beasts was a problem. The Wolf Adventure Group and the Siglinde family had failed to procure another dragon beast in all these years. If I wanted more, I might have to take matters into my own hands.
My dragon eyes narrowed with intent.