The meeting hadn't started yet when I walked into the chamber, but the atmosphere was already tense. Lucia was, as always, seated at the center, her posture immaculate, her expression sharp as a blade.
My luxurious chair, however, was occupied.
Yin Xie, the dragon lady herself, was lounging in it with a regal grace that made it seem like the chair had been made for her. She was sipping from a delicate cup, looking far too comfortable for someone who had taken my seat.
I sighed internally. I'll get a new one for myself next time, I promised, making a mental note to ensure it was even more extravagant than the current one.
The reason for the meeting was clear: the potion that Barns' master, Lady Aeris, had brought to us. A miraculous concoction capable of turning humans into elves—half-elves, high elves, or even pure-blooded elves.
As I took a seat at the far end of the table (my new temporary throne, apparently), I let my thoughts wander.
Turning into an elf sounded like a good deal, I mused. Longer lifespans, sharper senses, and, depending on the transformation type, even enhanced magical abilities. Of course, there was a catch.
It wasn't really about talent, more about… what was the word? Compatibility. Yeah, that was it. Whether or not someone could transform depended entirely on how aligned they were with the elven essence or something mystical like that.
I glanced at Yin Xie, who was gazing out the window, looking utterly indifferent to the entire affair. I wonder what she thinks about all this. Then again…
My mind drifted to what I'd read about dragons and phoenixes in this world. Apparently, dragons had learned the secret to immortality by copying the phoenix's abilities. As long as a dragon's heart remained intact, they could technically live forever.
And yet here sat Yin Xie, the supposedly wise and all-powerful dragon, who had willingly handed me her heart for a single day in exchange for 150,000 mana crystals. Is she stupid? Or am I just that persuasive? Let's not dig into that one too deeply.
"Master!"
Lucia's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She was staring at me, her brow furrowed, no doubt wondering where my mind had wandered off to.
"Yes, yes, I'm here," I said quickly, waving a hand. "What's the matter?"
She sighed, clearly tired of my antics, and gestured toward Aeris, who was seated calmly at the table, her presence both elegant and mysterious.
"Lady Aeris has presented us with her potion," Lucia began. "It is indeed capable of transforming humans into elves, as we've discussed. However, she has a request in exchange for the formula and continued supply. She wishes to become a citizen of our city and be allocated mythical and legendary resources for her research."
I leaned back in my chair, mulling it over. Mythical and legendary resources, huh? Those will be as common as bread soon enough once I get my hands on it.
"Agreed," I said simply, earning a visible flinch from Lucia.
She stared at me, her eyes practically screaming... Are you serious?
"Master," she began, her tone carefully restrained, "these are rare resources we're talking about. You can't just agree to—"
I cut her off with a grin, leaning forward slightly. "Lucia, you've been with me from the start. You know how I operate. Trust me, this deal is worth it."
Her expression softened ever so slightly, though the exasperation remained. She muttered something under her breath, probably lamenting her life choices, before scribbling down the agreement.
Yin Xie, meanwhile, continued sipping her drink, wholly uninterested in the proceedings. Her lack of concern was almost insulting, but I couldn't exactly blame her. After all, what did a dragon care about human politics or resource allocation?
As the meeting continued, I caught myself staring at the seat she'd stolen again. Next time, I'm bringing a chair she can't fit in.
---
A week had passed, and Yin Xie decided to start my day with her usual abruptness. She shook me awake like it was her sole purpose in life.
"Hey," I groaned, rubbing my eyes. "It's not very lady-like to wake a sleeping man, you know. What if rumors start spreading about us leaving the chamber together?"
Yin Xie tilted her head slightly, a bemused look on her face. "I can teleport."
Ah, right. Grade 5. Rumors were the least of her concerns.
Sighing, I pulled out a dragon heart from my inventory and handed it to her. She took it with her usual casual elegance and vanished.
With her gone, I turned to my growing pile of spoils. Over the past week, my talents had produced a whopping 26 phoenix bloods, 4 phoenix feathers, and an additional 1.75 million mana crystals. A good haul, if I do say so myself.
Feeling rather generous, I decided it was time to check in on my so-called daughter, Kirin. I dialed her communicator.
When she picked up, her voice was groggy. "What?"
"How's my sunshine doing? Is everything good there?" I asked cheerfully.
She was silent for a moment. Did I cringe her out?
"Ahem," I said, clearing my throat. "My dear daughter, I've prepared a package for you. Just wanted to say Daddy loves you. Mwah!"
I ended the call with a self-satisfied grin, only to hear a voice behind me.
"How can you maintain a straight face after that?"
I turned to see Yin Xie standing there, her expression as deadpan as ever.
Ignoring her comment, I snapped my fingers and called for the package: 10 dragon hearts and 10 phoenix bloods. and pressed the send button.
With that, I dressed and headed for Lucia's office.
---
Lucia was exactly as I expected her: slumped over her desk, her eyes weary, and a stack of paperwork threatening to topple over.
"Overworked, as usual," I muttered under my breath. I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. If I ever expanded this city into a full-blown kingdom, I had no doubt she'd kill me in my sleep.
Without a word, I approached her desk and placed a vial in front of her.
"Drink this."
She glanced at it skeptically. "What is it?"
"An energy drink," I said smoothly. "It'll regenerate your spirit and stamina. Trust me."
Lucia still looked unconvinced, but before she could protest, Yin Xie appeared, as if summoned by sheer doubt.
"It's beneficial for you human," the dragon said bluntly. "After you drink that, come to the Dragon Temple."
"Dragon Temple?" I echoed, confused.
Lucia glanced at Rem, who was standing off to the side. "She said you'd agree to it anyway, so she already started the project."
I turned to Rem, raising an eyebrow. "And the building materials?"
"Mana crystals, my lord," Rem replied with an air of pride.
I smirked. "Good job. Keep it up, Rem."
Lucia groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Stop encouraging her! Moh..." She resigned to her fate, uncorked the vial, and drank it. Moments later, Yin Xie whisked her away without another word.
---
I barely had time to process what had happened before Yin Xie reappeared.
"Give me nine more of those vials," she said, her tone as casual as if she were asking for tea.
"What? Why?" I asked, confused.
"For... reasons."
"And?"
"And I'll take ten dragon hearts as payment," she added nonchalantly.
Payment? For what? She was a dragon, not a trader. But before I could protest, she stared at me with those unyielding eyes, and I caved.
I handed her the vials and the dragon hearts without further argument. You don't question a dragon—not unless you have a death wish or the charisma of some legendary protagonist who can talk their way out of anything.
Me? I'm just a guy with an ever-shrinking stash of dragon hearts.