Faintly Faint

The breath, warm as it exited her mouth, caused the moisture in the air to condense into tiny droplets. White mist obscured the man’s scruffy face.

A giant shadow swallowed the shadow behind him. His massive body carried a dragon’s might that could shatter one’s courage.

His colossal wings, so vast they blotted out the sky, seemed capable of leveling this entire area with a mere flutter, stirring up hurricanes.

The man’s body, under the dragon’s gaze, was as tiny as an ant.

Golden dragon eyes held supreme majesty, and the white jade scales arranged like artworks on the dragon’s body radiated astonishing heat as they opened and closed.

“Insignificant human, why do you struggle in vain?”

The white dragon opened its mouth, its voice majestic.

Its breath stirred the barren sand and stones on the ground.

The man’s already disheveled hair was blown into an even greater tangled mess, like a clump of weeds.

“Struggling in vain, that phrase truly is familiar…”

The one-armed man with black hair and black eyes seemed completely unaffected by the dragon’s oppressive might.

With a weary expression, he returned the scimitar in his hand to the sheath at his waist.

His right hand, covered in blood and wounds, reached into his vagabond-like leather armor and pulled out a terribly rolled paper cigarette.

A faint spark of fire lit up in the air. That tiny flame ignited the cigarette in the man’s hand.

He raised the cigarette to his mouth and took a deep puff.

His movements were practiced, as if he were comfortably enjoying the desolate yet magnificent and majestic night scenery of the Gobi desert from his own balcony.

Only, this was not his home balcony, and the night scenery in the Gobi was not as astonishing as he had imagined.

On this battlefield, under the dragon’s watchful eye, the man skillfully smoked.

After an epic drag, the white smoke he exhaled seemed to carry away all the weariness from his eyes.

“Human, I admire your courage, which is why I am willing to face you as an equal on this barren battlefield. But do not wantonly disregard this respect!”

The dragon’s majestic voice grew heavier.

Its golden draconic eyes, in the dark night, were like two suns that never extinguished, radiating brilliant daylight.

Just being gazed upon by them would make one tremble from head to toe.

The man, smoking, scoffed, then dismissively glanced sideways and said.

“Heh, no need to be so polite. You might as well just say I’m ungrateful. I’m not some noble. I presume the proud dragon race wouldn’t deign to display their upbringing to a mere thief like me, would they?”

Flames burned the paper and tobacco. A faint scent of smoke permeated the air.

The nicotine numbed the throbbing pain of his wounds. His cooled blood seemed to rewarm as the cigarette ignited.

“Leave now, and I, in the name of a fellow warrior’s honor, can let you go!”

The white dragon’s patience had clearly run out.

It spread its wings, showcasing its immense and majestic form, delivering its final ultimatum.

“Let me leave, and I’d naturally be happy to. But… can you let her leave?”

The man held the cigarette between his fingers, pointing his thumb behind him towards the small figure huddled, trembling, behind a large rock.

In the pale moonlight, that figure’s white hair and delicate dragon horns were so conspicuous.

The white dragon’s eyes narrowed, its golden dragon’s might rippling outwards.

“This is the Mother Queen’s command. No matter what, she must die today!”

“Then there’s nothing to discuss… You want her dead, but my employer doesn’t. We are both entrusted by others. You know, this is the first time I, a thief, have accepted an escort mission…”

“Take people’s money, eliminate people’s troubles. Please don’t make things difficult for me.”

The man spread his arms, his not-so-old but weathered face showing no trace of fear in the face of the legendary dragon.

“You’re a female white dragon, aren’t you?”

‘Are you challenging the white dragon’s majesty?’

The smell of gunpowder in the air grew thicker, as if a single spark at this moment could ignite the powder keg of this protracted war.

However, the man scoffed. He casually tossed the cigarette butt, still glowing with a spark, onto the ground, then slammed down his worn-out leather boot on his right foot, grinding it out.

A faint scattering of sand flew up.

The cigarette butt, with its burning spark, was extinguished by the man’s foot, but the fuse of the powder keg had already been lit by him.

“The white dragon’s majesty? How laughable. At least in my perception, all your so-called dignity and honor are not even half as important as that little dragon girl’s life!”

As he spoke, the man’s gaze suddenly turned sharp.

The scimitar at his waist transformed into a white streak of light and abruptly slashed out.

Facing the dragon’s oppression, he not only did not retreat but advanced, the smile in his eyes seeming to mock the white dragon’s impotent rage.

Until the overwhelming dragon’s might pressed down, and terrifying shockwaves wantonly destroyed the terrain.

Blade light and dragon’s breath collided in the night sky, their dazzling brilliance illuminating the most splendid fireworks of the evening.

The sleeping girl on the bed was suddenly startled awake by the images in her dream.

Her rapid breathing caused her sweat-dampened hair to stick to her face.

Selina sat up in bed, her slender hand pressing her temples, constantly stabilizing her rapidly fluctuating blood pressure.

“Your Highness, what’s wrong?”

Crispin, who was guarding the room, heard the commotion and rushed over.

“Nothing.”

Selina declined Crispin’s support. At this point, her rapid breathing from just waking up had gradually calmed, and her pounding heart began to return to a normal rhythm.

But the throbbing pain in her mind still made the girl frown.

“Your Highness, did you have a nightmare?”

Crispin brought a cup of hot water, soothingly.

“Something like that, just some not-so-pleasant memories from before.”

Her body, soaked in sweat and feeling a bit chilly, gradually warmed up.

It had to be said, ever since she became a girl, hot water frequently appeared in her hand.

Whether it was during that time of the month or just feeling unwell, a cup of hot water always brought considerable comfort.

Selina rarely recalled the images from her dreams.

Because for her, it wasn’t something worth reminiscing about. Although fighting a white dragon alone as a human could be considered an epic worthy of a picture book in the Nemanian Empire.

But people always marvel at the bravery and fearlessness of humans fighting dragons, yet they don’t know that every battle is bloody and cruel.

The battle itself doesn’t bring a cerebral climax like an exhilarating novel.

The stimulation of death is deeply etched into the soul like a sharp knife, coloring all related memories with a crimson hue.

“I wonder how that little dragon girl fared afterward…”

Selina leaned against the bed, turning her head to look at the bright campus scenery outside the window, mumbling to herself.

Suddenly, in the quiet dormitory room, a knock sounded at the door.

Crispin walked over and opened the door.

Standing at the doorway was none other than Avia, who had been absent for a day and a half.

“May I come in?”

Although they were already familiar, Avia’s attitude towards Selina’s personal maidservant was more polite each time.

Looking at the girl’s impeccable demeanor, Crispin glanced with a hint of concern at Selina, who was half-lying on the bed.

Only after receiving her mistress’s nodding permission did she invite the guest in.

‘Good, good, you all hid so many monthly votes in your pockets. If I hadn’t offered a bounty, I wouldn’t have seen a single one~’