Dragon Flame City.
To bear the name "Dragon Flame" signifies the esteemed status of this city-state within the dragon descendant lineage.
Today marks a month since Chu Yan assumed the role of lord at the Dead Sea border.
Isha had conveyed this news to her most cherished companion, Tiffany Han Barr.
Indeed, Isha's desire for her nephew Chu Yan to conceive a child with her stemmed from her love for a captivating woman, namely Han.
In the eyes of ordinary humans, this relationship might seem inconsequential, but within the dragon descendant race, it represented an egregious taboo, far graver than the death of a clan leader.
While the demise of a leader could be amended, the ramifications of such a taboo relationship cast a looming threat of extinction upon the future of the dragon descendants!
The simplest means to dispel this taboo would be to bear a dragon descendant's child.
If you have a child, your words hold weight!
If twins are born, one might even stroll with the clan leader!
"Isha, you are far too impulsive. How could you involve him? Chu Yan cannot possibly survive at the Dead Sea border. If word gets out, you will have provided them with leverage against you."
Tiffany lamented, exasperation evident as she pressed her forehead.
"I merely sought to intimidate the boy, to lure him into accompanying me to the Holy Reproduction Hall; in truth, it is to save him."
Isha felt unjustly accused, raising her hands in protest.
"What do you mean?"
Tiffany inquired, her suspicion piqued, not doubting Isha's honesty.
"The trials at the Dead Sea border are orchestrated by the clan elders, unrelated to me. If he accompanies me to the Holy Reproduction Hall, he could even be exempted from his trials."
Understanding dawned.
Tampering with the trials was indeed something Isha would not do; her methods would at most involve drugging and kidnapping.
But from this perspective, it appeared that some clan elder had set their sights on Chu Yan?
Contemplating Chu Yan's unique lineage and his adoptive mother, Tiffany felt intrigued and remarked:
"Now that I think about it, should Chu Yan meet an untimely end and leave behind some final words for his adoptive mother, Isha, you won't be able to absolve yourself. Perhaps I should go to the Dead Sea border to protect him."
Isha had pressing tasks at hand and could not venture so far; Tiffany would be the most suitable choice.
Though the thought of Tiffany being away from her side left Isha feeling resentful, she recognized that Tiffany's decision was sensible. Even if she felt reluctant, she could only respect it.
"Once my task is complete, I shall join you at the Dead Sea border. There is no need to overly protect Chu Yan; just ensure he remains alive—that is his trial in the first place."
"I will seek an identity from the executioner to facilitate my activities in Extreme City."
"That's fine; it would also be prudent to inquire if the executioner could ease the difficulty of that boy's assessment task."
Isha felt inexplicably weary, realizing that hesitation would lead to defeat.
If she had chosen to calmly drug Chu Yan at the outset, would such complications have arisen?
...
Chu Yan entered his designated floor; aside from the antiquated facilities, it was relatively clean.
He approached the calendar, marking a date with a quill: the fifth of next month.
This would be the first assessment day, akin to a midterm examination, with the results contributing to the final outcome.
While it was called next month, in reality, it was already the end of the month, leaving Chu Yan merely ten days to prepare.
The management of a territory encompasses internal and external affairs.
However, for Chu Yan, these matters were secondary; he first needed to address his lack of personnel.
Without staff, he was oblivious to the current conditions facing the Dead Sea border and what needed to be addressed.
His intelligence was utterly blind, rendering him ineffectual.
Yet the consequences of failing the trials were beyond his capacity to endure—being cast into the Holy Reproduction Hall as a breeding stallion... or dragon. Who could withstand such a fate?
"When faced with difficulties, perhaps a nap is in order."
Resolute, Chu Yan made his way to his bedroom.
Upon pushing the door open, his steps faltered as he beheld a beautiful, supple backside upon the bed!
Amidst the rumpled white bedding lay a woman clad in snug shorts, her rounded curves sculpting an exquisite silhouette.
But that was not the crux of the matter; was this not the lord's chamber?
Why was there someone here?
Yet, judging by this figure, they hardly seemed like a villain...
Chu Yan retrieved the eye mask he always carried, pulled back the covers, and nestled into bed, enveloped in warmth infused with the woman's essence and fragrance.
He adjusted the eye mask, acutely aware as the woman beside him sat up startled, her voice laced with confusion:
"Hello, may I ask who you are?"
"I am the newly appointed lord, Chu Yan. And you?"
"Xanoya, a recently 'appointed' prisoner. Mr. Chu Yan, are you implying this is the lord's chamber?"
The woman's tone was distinctly befuddled and bewildered.
She had just arrived here, and with no available cells below, she was told to find a room, tidy it up, and make herself at home.
Thus, she had spent the entire day preparing herself, cleaning the entire floor.
Then, she lay down luxuriantly in the cozy bed she had tidied—only to now learn this was the lord's room? Had she wasted her efforts?
Upon hearing her account, Chu Yan felt a twinge of guilt.
When he arrived, seeing how clean the place was, he wondered if the local nobles had kindly helped him tidy up.
"It's quite alright; I don't mind if you share my quarters and sleep beside me."
Chu Yan did not remove his eye mask, generously patting the space beside him, embracing the warmth of hospitality.
"Feel free to sleep!"
"You are rather generous..."
Xanoya's emotions were complex; she noted that Chu Yan bore no unpleasant odors and possessed a fair, androgynous face that could be described as "handsome."
With that, she chose to dismiss her entanglements and reclined back into the warm covers, her posture serene.
She needed sleep to alleviate her mental fatigue.
Chu Yan suddenly inquired, "May I ask why you are imprisoned here?"
"Why do you ask? Are you confirming whether I am a villain, worried for your own life? If so, you shall be disappointed; those confined here are all rated as Class A dangers."
"I believe that someone with such a lovely backside cannot possibly be too wicked; I am quite certain of that."
"Ha?"
Xanoya found his reasoning absurd. She glanced sideways at the striking lord, whose eye mask remained in place, thus he had yet to behold her face, yet he uttered such a strange certainty.
"Do you even realize what you're saying, my lord?"
"I do; your backside is narrating tales of injustice, anger, resentment, helplessness, and self-deprecation."
"...?"
Indeed, what sort of normal person would take on the role of lord in such a place?
Xanoya resigned herself to the situation, yet Chu Yan calmly pressed on:
"May I request you to share your story with me?"
Some matters truly needed an outlet for expression, even if only a few words.
Having been asked twice in succession, Xanoya felt an impulse to confide her sorrows, and simply mentioned:
"I practiced forbidden dark magic, and while eliminating a rampaging creature, I inadvertently exposed my abilities."
Dark magic was an abomination in many places; it wielded power, yet was prone to losing control, often accompanied by dire consequences.
No one could ascertain whether the appearance of dark magic concealed a ritualistic sacrifice.
"And then you were reported?" Chu Yan surmised the outcome.
"Yes, ha..."
Xanoya chuckled bitterly.
"That's amusing," Chu Yan chuckled softly.
"..."
Xanoya's self-mocking smile gradually faded, her expression turning blank as she regarded the man beside her, her fists clenching.
"What I mean is, I found someone who could invite me to join their ranks; I was ecstatic."
Chu Yan removed his eye mask, taking in Xanoya's visage, thinking, "As expected."
A woman with a splendid backside must indeed possess a beautiful face.
He had validated this hypothesis with both his adoptive mother and Xanoya!
"Lady Xanoya, your transgressions, in my view, are hardly worth mentioning. Would you mind becoming my ally and working for me?"
"?"
Xanoya paused, silently appraising Chu Yan's entirety.
This individual bore an androgynous charm; his delicate features were naturally endearing. With his long hair down, he appeared somewhat ambiguous, but should he tie it up, he would likely present as an elegant gentleman.
Yet for reasons unknown—perhaps due to fatigue—his eyes held a lifeless quality, akin to a languid fish.
Responding to the new lord's offer, Xanoya replied without hesitation:
"I would mind greatly. I am tired and wish not to serve another."
"No matter; a great man once said, 'Do not abandon your dreams; continue to sleep.' Now is the perfect moment for slumber."
In an instant, Chu Yan's disappointment dissipated, as he donned his eye mask once more and tucked himself back into the covers without further ado.
"..."
Xanoya found this peculiar lord utterly perplexing, yet the realization that he, as a lord, had descended to sharing a bed with a dangerous individual eased her heart considerably.
As Chu Yan's breathing steadied, clearly drifting into peaceful slumber, the knightess felt the turbulent waves of her own anger subside somewhat.
His words rang true; uncertainty loomed in the future, yet the allure of sleep beckoned in the present.
Do not forsake one's dreams; first, take a rest.