At the entrance of the Dragon Valley, there was a hunter’s cabin. Though it looked like an ordinary cabin, it was actually where the gatekeeper of the Dragon Valley lived.
“It’s here. Wait a moment.”
Siod left William and Guinevere standing and approached the cabin first to knock on the door. Then a man with a bushy beard opened the door.
Soon after, Siod gestured towards William and Guinevere.
“He says to come in.”
Guinevere hid her solemn feelings and held William’s hand. William, startled by the sudden skinship, looked at Guinevere, but she did not notice her son’s gaze.
Inside the cabin sat a young man with flashy blonde hair, his legs crossed. Siod introduced him first.
“This is Lord, and this is my son.”
“Welcome.”
The man called Lord greeted William with a smile. William awkwardly bowed his head.
“Hello.”
“Sit down. Do you like tea?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
William and Guinevere spoke simultaneously. William looked at Guinevere in confusion, but she was firm.
“We’ll pass on the tea.”
Who knows what they put in it. Guinevere refused with an expressionless face. Lord smiled, not looking particularly disappointed.
“Well then, can you speak the dragon language?”
“Ah, yes. A little.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Pardon?”
William looked at Siod in confusion. Siod, meeting William’s eyes, nodded.
[Hello, I am William.]It was a phrase he had practiced diligently with Siod. William was nervous, wondering if he had mispronounced anything. However, after hearing William’s greeting, Lord broke into a broad smile.
“It’s true.”
“I told you it was true, didn’t I?”
Siod laughed along like a doting parent.
“Do you know any other words?”
[Undine?]Then Undine appeared in the form of a mermaid princess.
“You can already handle spirits?”
“Ah, yes. It’s only been a few days.”
“How old are you now?”
“I’m fourteen.”
“No, I mean your real age.”
William blinked quietly. Then Guinevere answered.
“Sixty-four.”
“Haha, that rascal.”
Lord was speechless for a while. Even for a mixed-blood, this was a dragon child born after three thousand years.
Amidst worries that the dragon race might become extinct, William was like a small hope.
“Will you recognize him as part of the dragon race?”
“Be quiet.”
Lord, silencing Siod, suddenly grabbed Guinevere’s hand. Surprised, Guinevere tried to pull her hand away, but it didn’t budge.
“You.”
“What is this…!”
“Have you ever thought about having a second child?”
Guinevere, who had been extremely tense, suddenly felt drained.
“A second child?”
“Yes. Wouldn’t it be too lonely to raise just one? Think about it carefully. William will live for a very long time. A long time without siblings.”
Siod irritably removed Lord’s hand.
“What are you doing?”
“Just wait.”
Lord spoke seriously, looking at Guinevere.
“The human transcenders I’ve seen all lived in hiding in their later years. Humans find it difficult to accept those different from themselves. How many years have you stayed in one place?”
“Lord!”
“It might be fine for now. But gradually, more people will fear you. The same will be true for how they view William.”
Guinevere’s expression hardened. This was something she had been worried about as well. That’s why she had planned to pass on the duke’s position to William when he became an adult and retire to the magic tower.
If that wasn’t enough, she had thought about disappearing at an appropriate time. But…
“How about coming into the Dragon Valley right now?”
“What do you mean…”
“I’m asking how you feel about becoming one of us, as Siod’s partner.”
Siod’s mouth fell open. The damn Lord had beaten him to it before he could even properly propose.
“Build a house as you like, have more children, and live here. I’ll guarantee your safety. With siblings, William can grow up without feeling lonely.”
Guinevere remained silent, feeling dazed. In that contrasting atmosphere, William cautiously spoke up.
“Um…”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“I don’t want to.”
“Huh?”
“I haven’t even graduated from school yet, and there are still many things I want to do.”
William said with a slight smile. Lord brushed back his blonde hair and laughed.
“I see.”
“But thank you for inviting us to live together. Grandfather.”
“…Huh?”
Lord, in the appearance of a handsome blonde youth in his 20s, opened his eyes wide.
“Ah, I heard you raised the professor, I mean, father. So aren’t you my grandfather?”
“Hahahahaha!”
‘He’s loving this.’
Siod knew. Lord was now laughing exaggeratedly to hide his embarrassment.
“That’s right, I’m like a grandfather to you. Oh my. Hahaha!”
William spoke politely.
“I appreciate your offer, but I was born half-human, so I want to experience everything I can as a human. May I come back after that?”
“Of course, that’s fine. What a clever boy.”
Lord said, patting William’s head.
“William, was it? If you can spread your wings before you turn a hundred, I’ll officially accept you as part of the dragon race in a formal setting. And I’ll grant you one wish.”
“Wings?”
“I have a feeling that you might not just spread wings, but someday transform into a dragon.”
“Me?”
“Come here occasionally to practice.”
William was confused by this new information but nodded for now. This was also new information for Siod.
“Is that possible?”
“It’s just not recorded, but all the old-timers who’ve lived long know about it.”
“How do you practice?”
“I don’t know that either.”
“What?”
Lord abandoned his kind demeanor and shouted.
“How would I know when I’m not even mixed-blood, you fool?”
“But, has there ever been a mixed-blood who transformed into a dragon?”
Lord looked at Siod pitifully.
“Why do you think we have two physical forms?”
“Huh? Well… why is that?”
“Dragons were originally part of the divine race, but they gave up immortality and gained strong physical bodies to protect the balance of dimensions. That’s why we are born with both the form of gods and the form of dragons.”
Guinevere’s eyes began to sparkle with interest. This was completely different from the myths humans knew.
“On the other hand, humans are the children of gods who lost their divinity and fell. That’s why mixed-bloods can be born between dragons and humans. Because fundamentally, their roots are the same.”
Even Siod was hearing this for the first time.
“But why am I hearing this for the first time?”
“Didn’t I tell you?”
“You didn’t.”
“Memory gets fuzzy as you get older.”
“I thought dragons became wiser with age?”
Lord cleared his throat and said.
“Anyway, William. Promise me one thing. It’s okay if you can’t take on the dragon form. You called me grandfather, so I’ll treat you like a grandchild. So…”
William tensed up, clenching his fist under the table. However, unexpected words followed.
“Live a long life.”
William was taken aback. Lord murmured with sad eyes.
“Mixed-blood children often lose their will, unable to belong anywhere as they struggle with their identity. Dragons can live eternally if they choose, but they die if they lose the will to live.”
Siod’s mother was like that too. And even now, many dragons were dying in that way.
“So don’t lose your will to live. Live a long, long life. For your family.”
William nodded quietly and said.
“Yes.”
Shedding the solemn atmosphere up to now, Lord grinned and said.
“And while you’re at it, how about finding a partner among the dragon race? There’s an egg that’s about to hatch soon, and I think it might be a girl.”
“Lord!”
Siod shouted angrily.
“What are you saying to a boy who’s barely dry behind the ears!”
Guinevere also spoke seriously.
“Our son already has a part… mmph!”
William quickly covered Guinevere’s mouth and laughed.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Mmph mmph!”
“Then we’ll be going now, grandfather. Take care.”
“Alright.”
William hurriedly pulled Guinevere and Siod’s hands. The two were dragged out by their son’s hands and said.
“What do you mean you’ll think about it? What about Larisa?”
“Are you still on about that? Mother, I’m not marrying Larisa.”
“Why?”
“She’s human, isn’t she!”
For a moment, Guinevere was stunned by the completely unexpected answer. William said with a face that looked upset just thinking about it.
“Didn’t you hear just now? He said to live a long life. Larisa doesn’t even have talent in magic, so she’ll die soon. The more I get attached here, the more troublesome it is for me.”
Guinevere blinked at her son’s cold words. It was an answer she couldn’t have imagined. Siod was also too shocked to say anything.
“You want me to live a long life too, don’t you, Mother? But if I fall in love… you know.”
After saying that, William suddenly started crying.
“Huh?”
Because it was tears he hadn’t expected himself, William was flustered and rubbed his eyes vigorously. But the tears kept flowing.
“Oh geez, why does this keep…”
William was embarrassed. Guinevere and Siod were looking at him pitifully.
Guinevere silently embraced William.
“There will be a way. There are ways to hold onto Larisa’s time, aren’t there? We just need to find a way for you to be happy together.”
William buried his face in Guinevere’s shoulder and began to shake. Siod came closer and embraced them both at once. The three comforted each other like that for a long time.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
__________
Daily Life of a Scumbag Man Giving Birth (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The way for a promiscuous scumbag man to atone for his sins is to let him get… pregnant.
Synopsis:
Meng Huan, a scumbag who has dated countless girlfriends, scammed countless women, transmigrates to a female-dominated country.
Day 1: Whether it’s female dominance or not doesn’t matter. The beauties here are passionate and amorous. Isn’t it easier to scam them than in modern times?
Day 2: After a night, Meng Huan discovers the differences in the female-dominated world. Men here actually have chastity locks and menstrual cycles. This hinders his ability to perform, damn it!
Day 3: What’s wrong with sleeping around? I don’t want you to marry me. I’m meant to be a playboy. I don’t care about male virtues… What? You want to drown me in a pig cage? Marry, I’ll marry!
Day N: Meng Huan inexplicably vomits and receives the shocking news of his life… He’s pregnant.