The Night Before Departure

“Test continues.”

At dusk on the second day after Daisy and Viola returned to their cave in the Demon Forest, golden sunlight filtered through the dense trees.

Standing before the hidden cave entrance once more, Viola—still in her black dress form—spoke calmly.

She stomped the ground.

The earth trembled violently.

From within the cave, a beast stirred.

“Grrrrr—ROOOAR—!”

A massive red figure burst out.

The two-headed hellhound, its fur stiff like iron, its four blazing eyes locked onto them, flames spilling from its jagged jaws.

“Long time no see, big dog.”

Daisy stood in front of it without fear this time.

She clenched her fists.

Ready.

“Same rules as before.
If you run back to me crying, you lose.”

Viola stepped back.

“Begin.”

The hellhound lunged instantly.

Flames erupted from both heads.

This time—

Daisy didn’t dodge sideways.

She leapt upward.

Clearing the fire.

Flipping over the beast—

Landing behind it.

The hellhound turned—

But Daisy was already moving.

She grabbed its tail.

“ROOOAR?!”

It spun.

She swung with it.

It lunged.

She dodged again.

“Dogs can never catch their own tails!
You said that before, Viola!”

Daisy shouted, clinging tightly.

The hellhound thrashed wildly.

Then—

It slammed her toward a tree.

“Woah!”

At the last moment—

Her free hand transformed.

Crimson scales.

A dragon claw.

She dug it into the tree trunk.

Stopped.

Then—

Using the tree as leverage—

She swung.

With raw dragon strength—

She hurled the entire beast.

BOOM.

The hellhound crashed to the ground.

Before it could recover—

Daisy charged.

Her clawed fist ignited faintly with fire magic.

“Go away, big dog!”

CRACK.

Her punch landed.

The iron-like fur split.

Bone cracked.

Blood sprayed.

The hellhound was sent flying.

It scrambled up—

Then fled.

The test—

Passed.

“I did it!”

Daisy jumped in excitement—

But suddenly—

She was lifted.

“Viola?”

“You’ve grown, Daisy…”

Viola held her gently.

Her voice carried both pride—

And something quieter.

“You really have…”

Night fell.

The cave lit up with floating firelight.

“Dinner tonight is grilled fish.”

“Yes!
I love your cooking!”

Viola tossed several large fish into the air.

Her nails extended—

Slicing rapidly.

Scales removed.

Cleaned.

Cut.

Seasoned.

Then—

A breath of dragon fire.

Sizzle.

Perfectly grilled.

“Dinner’s ready, my Daisy.”

“Time to eat!”

Daisy dug in happily.

Messy.

Satisfied.

“Slow down.
The fish won’t run away.”

Viola smiled softly.

But in her eyes—

A faint trace of something distant remained.

“Water…”

“Here.”

Daisy drank from Viola’s fingertip, which released stored water.

“And juice too.”

“I want juice!”

After eating, Daisy curled up on Viola’s wing-formed couch.

Sleepy.

Warm.

Content.

Viola dimmed the light.

Darkness filled the cave.

She lay beside Daisy.

Holding her.

“Viola… our trip…”

Daisy murmured drowsily.

Excited.

Hopeful.

“……”

Viola watched her.

Silent.

Her silver eyes carried a quiet unease.

About the future.

About the past.

About what awaited them.

Daisy fell asleep.

Peaceful.

Viola leaned down.

Kissed her softly.

“Goodnight, my Daisy.
Sweet dreams.”

Tomorrow—

Their journey would begin.

And the peaceful days they once had—

Would never return.

***

“Rolling around… rolling around…”

Late at night, inside the dim cave where the light orbs had already been extinguished, Daisy slowly woke from a restless sleep.

It felt like she had dreamed something again—something from the past—but she couldn’t remember a single detail.

Lying on the soft feathered bed formed by Viola’s wings, she stared blankly ahead.

Her heart was filled with anticipation for the journey that would begin tomorrow—together with Viola, into the vast and colorful outside world.

She couldn’t fall back asleep.

So she simply rolled around on the feathers.

“Rolling around… rolling around…”

“What’s wrong?
Can’t sleep?”

In the darkness, unaffected by a dragon’s vision, Viola’s cool, gentle voice sounded.

“!”

Daisy froze mid-roll.

Then slowly turned back, lying face-to-face with Viola, who was also lying nearby.

“Yeah… a little…”

“Then get up for now.”

Viola spoke casually as she sat up.

Her wings lifted with her, causing Daisy to tumble a few more times.

After sitting up, Viola reached out and gently ruffled Daisy’s slightly messy white hair.

“I’ll take you out to look at the stars.

The night view here is actually very beautiful.

We’ll be leaving tomorrow—wouldn’t it be a waste not to see it now?”

“I want to see the stars!”

Daisy’s eyes lit up instantly.

“With you!
I want to watch them with you!”

“Let’s go.”

Viola stood up, faintly interested.

But before she could walk—

Daisy rushed over and hugged her leg.

“I’m a little thirsty.
I want some juice before we go!”

Daisy clung to her smooth, slender leg, acting spoiled.

“Alright, alright.”

Viola sat back down.

She extended her pale fingers toward Daisy’s face.

“I have apple juice in my middle finger, grape juice in my ring finger, and orange juice in my little finger…
Which one do you want?”

“All of them!”

Daisy opened her mouth and bit down on two fingers at once.

She drank happily, sipping the juice flowing endlessly.

“Then that’s just mixed juice.”

Viola watched her, slightly helpless.

Even trying to make a teasing remark—

She couldn’t quite bring herself to sound harsh.

Under the cool night sky, filled with countless stars, Daisy followed Viola out of the cave.

The giant troll head that had once been near the entrance was gone.

Viola had already burned it to ashes long ago.

She had also set traps across the forest and created stone golem guards to protect their home.

And all the while—

She had secretly followed Daisy.

Watching.

Protecting.

Even visiting her at night, quietly brushing her hair while she slept.

Now—

Walking through the silent forest—

They reached an open clearing.

Above them—

The sky stretched endlessly.

A sea of stars.

Clear.

Brilliant.

“Wooooow!
The stars are so pretty!”

Daisy stared upward, her golden-red eyes filled with starlight.

“The trees still block the view a little.
It’s clearer from the sky.”

Viola crouched.

Her body expanded.

Shifted.

Transformed.

Silver-grey scales.

Massive wings.

A towering dragon.

Just like in Daisy’s dream.

“Come.
Climb onto my back.”

“…Carry me…”

Daisy froze for a moment.

That word—

Triggered something.

A memory.

In her dream—

She had been human.

Walking a long journey.

Tired.

Beside her—

Viola.

Back then, still wary.

Still distant.

“You want me to carry you?
Impossible.”

Viola’s voice had been cold.

Daisy had mentioned dragon riders.

Legends.

Viola had scoffed.

“Those stories?
Ridiculous.”

“Some dragons did bond with humans.

But they were rare…Because only fools would do that.”

“Why do you think those legends ended?

Why didn’t those dragons stay and protect humanity?”

Her eyes had been sharp.

“Because humans betrayed them.”

Poison.

Hostages.

Manipulation.

Execution.

“Human history doesn’t record that part. It buries it.”

“Dragons and humans…never end well.”

“Daisy? Come on.”

Viola’s voice pulled her back.

“Oh—okay!”

Daisy hurriedly climbed.

She slipped—

“Wah! So slippery!”

But Viola’s tail caught her, lifting her gently onto her back.

Daisy held on tightly.

Viola spread her wings—

And launched into the sky.

Wind roared past.

The forest shrank below.

Above—

An endless ocean of stars.

Daisy couldn’t even speak.

Only feel.

“It’s… really beautiful…”

Far beyond the forest—

Hidden in the darkness—

Observers watched.

A young man lowered his magic telescope, trembling.

“That… that’s…”

“It’s real…Grey dragon scales…

That size… that power…”

It was Becker.

A dragon slayer.

He and his team had arrived.

Tracking.

Waiting.

“Captain Becker, what is it?”

“Do we attack now?”

“No.”

Becker mounted his winged horse.

“We retreat.”

“That dragon… is legendary.”

“We wait.

We observe.

We strike when it shows weakness.”

His eyes burned.

“We will be the ones…to slay it.”

In this fractured world left after ancient wars—

Humans rose by stealing knowledge.

Then betraying allies.

Now ruling—

Yet still trapped in chaos.

And so—

A cold, powerful dragon woman—

And her innocent young dragon—

Begin their journey.

A journey of truth.

Of past and future.

Of beauty and cruelty.

Whatever comes—

At least—

They have each other.