Several days later…
Mia's condition had improved a lot.
Her wounds had mostly closed, and the pain was no longer unbearable—though her body still ached whenever she moved too much.
The healers finally allowed her to walk around the chamber to help her recovery.
Unfortunately…
Leo insisted on "helping."
Which resulted in a rather ridiculous scene.
A 5.5-meter-long dragon slowly walking across the room…
…while a 17-year-old boy stood beside her like a walking stick.
Leo had one arm under her neck, trying his absolute best to support her.
Mia glanced down at him.
"…Leo."
"Yeah?"
"You know you're not helping at all."
Leo frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Mia lifted one paw and placed it on the ground again.
"You can't even lift me."
Leo immediately protested.
"I'm stabilizing you!"
"You're leaning on me."
"That's emotional support!"
Mia stared at him for a moment.
"…You're going to die if I accidentally trip."
Leo puffed out his chest confidently.
"I won't!"
At that exact moment—
Mia shifted her weight slightly.
Leo stumbled.
"WOAH—!"
He almost got dragged along the floor before barely catching his balance.
Mia sighed.
"…See?"
Leo straightened himself and cleared his throat like nothing happened.
"I meant to do that."
Across the room, one of the healers rubbed their forehead in exhaustion.
"Please stop letting the patient use you as a crutch."
Leo pointed at Mia.
"She's the one leaning on me!"
Mia flicked her tail lazily.
"Because you insisted on helping."
Leo crossed his arms stubbornly.
"Well I'm not leaving!"
"…You're unbelievable."
But despite the complaining…
Mia didn't actually push him away.
Compared to Mia, Ebruhan recovered much faster.
Dragons had powerful regeneration, and his wounds were already closing within a few days.
Still, he didn't spend his time resting.
Every now and then, he would fly toward the distant mountains, searching for rare herbs that the healers requested.
Sometimes he returned carrying bundles of medicinal plants in his claws.
Other times…
He brought fruit.
Strange fruits that only grew deep within ancient forests.
One evening, he dropped a small pile of colorful fruits onto the table.
Leo stared at them suspiciously.
"…What are these?"
"Desor fruits," Ebruhan replied casually. "They help recovery."
Leo picked one up and sniffed it.
"…Are they safe?"
Ebruhan chuckled.
"I wouldn't bring poison to a patient's room."
Leo took a bite.
His eyes widened.
"…Okay that's actually good."
Since then, an unspoken peace treaty formed between Leo and Ebruhan.
As long as the blue dragon kept bringing those rare fruits…
Leo stopped glaring at him all the time.
From the bed, Mia watched the two of them quietly.
"…You two made up already?"
Leo crossed his arms.
"I didn't forgive him."
He took another bite of the fruit.
"…But this helps."
Ebruhan just laughed.
Another week passed.
Mia's condition improved significantly.
She could now walk without nearly collapsing, and most of the sharp pain had faded into dull aches.
Still…
The healer remained strict.
"Lady Mia," the healer said firmly while checking her wing.
"You must not transform into human form yet."
Mia groaned.
"…Still?"
"Yes."
"Your body is healing correctly in dragon form."
"If you transform now, the change in bone structure may reopen the injuries."
Mia dropped her head dramatically onto the bed.
"This is torture…"
Leo smirked.
"Serves you right."
Mia glared at him.
"You're enjoying this too much."
Leo shrugged.
"At least now you can't sneak out and fight monsters again."
Mia flicked her tail lazily.
"…Give me two more weeks."
Leo's eyes widened.
"NO."
After another few days, the healers finally reached a decision.
"Lady Mia is stable enough to return home."
That was the good news.
The bad news…
"However," the healer continued, "she must avoid unnecessary movement."
Which led to the current situation.
Outside the healing chamber, a large wooden cart stood waiting.
It had thick cushions, reinforced sides, and enough space for a dragon to lie down comfortably.
Several healers proudly looked at their creation.
"We designed it specifically for you."
Mia stared at the cart.
Then at the healers.
Then back at the cart.
Inside her mind, only one thought appeared.
(What the… this is basically a wheelchair.)
Her tail twitched in disbelief.
(There's no way I'm getting in that.)
"I can walk on my own," Mia said stubbornly.
"You shouldn't," the healer replied calmly.
"I will."
"You will reopen your wounds."
"…I'll walk slowly."
Before she could protest further—
Leo was already pushing the cart closer.
"Alright! Get in!"
Mia turned her head toward him.
"Leo."
"Yeah?"
"…I'm not getting in that thing."
Leo crossed his arms.
"Yes you are."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
Without another word, Leo grabbed a thick rope attached to the cart and gestured dramatically.
"Go on. Just relax!"
He patted the cushioned surface.
"Less walking means less energy wasted."
Mia stared at him in silence.
Then she sighed heavily.
A few minutes later…
A 5.5-meter black dragon was lying inside the cart while several soldiers prepared to pull it.
Mia buried her face in her claws.
(This is humiliating.)
Leo walked proudly beside the cart like a royal escort.
"Look at that," he said smugly. "Premium transport."
Mia groaned.
"I'm going to remember this."
Leo just laughed.
When they finally arrived at the count's estate, the cart rolled through the front gates and into the wide courtyard.
Before anyone could stop her—
Mia jumped down from the cart.
The moment her front paws hit the ground—
Pain shot through her leg.
"—!"
But she forced her face to stay calm.
(Ow… ow… damn it…)
(Why did I jump…)
Leo immediately noticed the movement.
"Mia! You shouldn't—"
"I'm fine," she said quickly.
Inside her mind, however…
(OW… OW… THAT WAS A BAD IDEA.)
Standing near the entrance, Vinson watched quietly.
He stepped forward with a calm smile.
"Welcome home, Mia."
Several maids standing nearby began waving excitedly.
"Lady Mia is back!"
"Welcome home!"
Miss Korbi and a few other maids even walked closer, carefully looking over her scales and wings.
"Oh my… she still looks injured."
"Please be careful, Lady Mia."
Leo narrowed his eyes at her.
"Mia… are you hurting?"
She lifted her head proudly.
"No."
"I'm completely fine."
Inside her mind:
(Ow… ow… okay that really hurts…)
Leo didn't look convinced, but before he could argue, Mia slowly walked toward the large barn where she usually rested.
The familiar scent of hay and wood filled the air.
It felt… comforting.
She carefully lowered herself onto the soft bedding and let out a quiet breath.
Finally.
Home.
Outside the barn entrance, Xavier had arrived sometime during the commotion.
He stood beside Leo, both of them looking at the resting dragon.
Xavier crossed his arms.
"…She pretending she's not in pain again?"
Leo sighed.
"Yeah."
They both watched her quietly for a moment.
Then Xavier shrugged.
"Let's leave her alone for now."
Leo nodded.
"…Yeah."
The two boys quietly walked back toward the house, giving Mia the peace she needed.
Inside the barn, Mia slowly closed her eyes.
Night had fallen over the estate.
The barn was quiet.
Soft wind rustled the trees outside while the faint scent of hay filled the air.
Mia was sleeping peacefully.
Then—
Thump.
Something landed nearby.
Her eyes snapped open.
Immediately, she felt it.
A presence.
Heavy.
Ancient.
And filled with overwhelming mana.
Her body tensed as she slowly lifted her head.
At the entrance of the barn, perched on a wooden beam, sat a crow.
But something about it felt… wrong.
Its feathers were darker than normal.
And its eyes glowed a faint purple.
The crow tilted its head.
"Hello, young one."
Mia's eyes narrowed.
"…What?"
"Who are you?"
The crow chuckled softly.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly."
Its body suddenly dissolved into dark smoke.
The feathers scattered like ash before reforming into a tall figure standing in the moonlight.
A man dressed in black cloth.
Dark wings folded behind his back.
A long tail swayed slowly behind him.
Curved horns extended from his head.
And those same purple eyes watched her calmly.
The man placed a hand over his chest in a mockingly polite gesture.
"Humans have given me many titles."
"Abyss Sovereign."
"Black Cataclysm."
His lips curved slightly.
"But you may call me…"
"…Varkryth."
The moment the name left his mouth—
Mia's mana surged.
Dark energy gathered around her as she prepared to attack.
"Not another step."
But Varkryth raised one hand calmly.
"Easy now."
His voice was relaxed, almost amused.
"I am not here to fight."
He glanced around the barn casually.
"If I wished to kill you, young one…"
"…I wouldn't bother speaking first."
Mia didn't lower her guard.
"Then what do you want?"
Varkryth studied her carefully.
"An answer."
"I don't owe you anything."
"Perhaps not."
He stepped a little closer, his eyes glowing faintly.
"But the question must still be asked."
His gaze moved across her scales.
"You possess an unusually large mana capacity for your age."
"And your mana…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"…shares the same color as mine."
Mia frowned.
"So?"
Varkryth's tail swayed thoughtfully.
"Some time ago, one of my queen's eggs was stolen."
"Taken by human thieves during a territorial conflict."
His eyes locked onto hers.
"If that egg survived…"
"…the hatchling would be roughly your age."
Mia blinked.
Then stared at him.
"…Wait."
"You're saying I might be your daughter?"
Varkryth tilted his head slightly.
"Perhaps."
"Perhaps not."
He chuckled softly.
"But the possibility is… rather high."
He glanced around the barn again with visible distaste.
"After all…"
"Why would I enter this filthy human settlement…"
"…for a random young black dragon?"
His purple eyes returned to her.
"Unless you carried my blood."
Mia scoffed immediately.
"Yeah, no."
"I'm not your lost daughter."
Varkryth smiled faintly.
"Blood rarely lies, young one."
He turned away slowly.
"For now, I only came to confirm my suspicion."
His body began dissolving back into shadow.
"Rest well."
"We will speak again someday."
Within seconds, the tall figure collapsed into dark smoke.
The smoke shrank—
Until once again…
Only a crow remained.
The bird spread its wings and flew into the night.
Silence returned to the barn.
Mia stood there frozen for several seconds.
Then slowly blinked.
"…What."
She looked toward the empty doorway.
"…Did I just meet the Abyss Sovereign?"
Her brain tried to process what just happened.
"…And he might be my biological father?"
She rubbed her face with a claw.
"…What kind of nonsense world did I reincarnate into?"
After a long moment, she shook her head.
"Yeah… nope."
"I'm not thinking about that tonight."
She slowly laid back down in the hay.
"This situation is way too crazy, bruh."
Within minutes, exhaustion pulled her back to sleep.
Morning light slowly spread across the estate.
The air was cool and quiet, with only the sound of birds echoing from the nearby trees.
Inside the barn, Mia slowly opened her eyes.
Her body still ached, but it was much better than before.
She stretched her wings slightly.
"…Better."
But her mind wasn't calm.
Her eyes drifted toward the distant horizon.
Far away, beyond the trees and hills…
The royal palace.
Last night's encounter replayed in her mind.
The crow.
The man.
Varkryth.
And what he said.
(One of my queen's eggs was stolen…)
Mia frowned slightly.
"…Ebruhan might know something about this."
If anyone understood dragon matters…
It would be him.
She slowly stood up and began walking toward the barn entrance.
Just as she stepped outside—
"Where do you think you're going?"
Mia froze.
"…Arrgh."
She slowly turned her head.
"Leo."
The boy was leaning against the barn door, arms crossed, watching her with narrowed eyes.
"When did you get here?"
Leo smirked.
"Since you started staring at the palace like you were planning something."
He straightened up.
"So?"
"What's going on?"
Mia hesitated.
She definitely wasn't about to say:
"Oh yeah, by the way, the Abyss Sovereign might be my biological father and he visited me last night."
Yeah.
No way.
Instead she shrugged casually.
"I was thinking about visiting Ebruhan."
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"For what?"
"Just… something I want to ask him."
She waved her claw vaguely.
"You know."
"Dragon things."
Leo stared at her for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"Alright."
He stretched his arms.
"Then I'm coming too."
Mia groaned immediately.
"…Leo."
"What?"
"This isn't a picnic."
Leo grinned.
"Good thing I didn't bring snacks then."
He walked ahead toward the road.
"Come on. Morning walk!"
Mia sighed dramatically.
"…Fine."
She glanced at her wings.
"Not like I can fly yet anyway."
Leo looked back at her smugly.
"See? I'm useful."
Mia muttered under her breath as she followed him.
"Debatable."
And just like that, the two of them began walking toward the distant royal palace.
The city was already alive by the time Mia and Leo reached the main streets.
Merchants were opening their stalls.
Workers carried crates across the roads.
The smell of fresh bread and cooked food filled the air.
And as always…
People stared.
Whispers followed them wherever they walked.
"Is that her?"
"The dragon from the battle…"
"That's the one who defeated the red dragon!"
Mia kept walking, pretending not to notice.
Part of her wanted to transform into her human form to avoid the attention…
…but the healers had already warned her not to do that yet.
So she just endured it.
Beside her, Leo stretched lazily.
"Arrgh… this reminds me of the first time I walked around the city with you."
He suddenly froze.
"…Damn."
"I forgot the leash."
Mia stopped.
Slowly turned her head.
"…Grrah."
Leo quickly raised his hands.
"Hey hey! Relax!"
A few minutes later, Leo stopped at a bakery stall.
The merchant happily handed him two pieces of soft bread.
Leo returned and held one up.
"Here. For you."
Mia leaned forward and opened her mouth.
Leo immediately pulled the bread back with a mischievous grin.
"Hehe…"
"You want this, girl?"
"You want it?"
Mia's eyes narrowed.
"Grrah."
"Alright alright!" Leo laughed and tossed the bread toward her. "Don't be so grumpy."
She caught it in one bite.
As they continued walking, more people began offering things.
A butcher handed over a piece of meat.
A fruit vendor gave them apples.
Someone even brought a small basket of vegetables.
Leo looked at the growing pile of food in his arms.
"…Wow."
"Free food is insane."
Mia didn't respond.
Leo glanced sideways at her.
"So…"
"What's the real reason we're going to the palace?"
Mia walked a few steps in silence.
"…Nothing."
"You know."
"Walking is healthy."
Leo stared at her.
"…You didn't answer my question."
Mia suddenly looked very interested in the road ahead.
Fortunately, the palace gates appeared before the conversation could continue.
The guards immediately recognized her.
The gates opened without hesitation.
One of the guards saluted respectfully.
"Lady Dark Flame. What brings you here today?"
Mia blinked.
"…Lady Dark Flame?"
The guard nodded.
"That's what people are calling you in the palace now."
Mia stared at him for a moment.
"…Right."
"Sure."
She cleared her throat.
"I'm here to see Ebruhan."
The guard nodded.
"He should be in the palace garden. He usually rests there in the mornings."
"Thank you."
Leo casually walked through the gate beside her like he owned the place.
Mia glanced down at him.
"…What are you doing?"
"What?"
"You're walking in like this is your house."
Leo shrugged.
"I've been here before."
"…Never mind."
Soon they reached the palace garden.
Near a stone bench, Ebruhan stood in his human form, speaking with a young man dressed in royal clothes.
The prince.
Ebruhan was holding a bundle of herbs while explaining something.
"This one helps with stamina recovery. And this—"
He suddenly stopped when he noticed Mia approaching.
His face brightened.
"Oh."
"Hey."
"What brings you here?"
He looked her over carefully.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better," Mia replied.
"Still a little sore though."
Leo stood beside her.
"More like very sore."
Mia ignored him.
"…Leo."
"Yeah?"
"Would you mind… giving us a moment?"
Leo narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
"Dragon talk."
She gestured toward the prince.
"You could… hang out with him?"
The prince smiled politely.
"I am Prince Adrian."
He bowed slightly.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Mia."
Mia nodded respectfully.
"Nice to meet you too, Your Highness."
Leo crossed his arms.
"…Last time I let you two talk privately…"
"…you came back with a nearly broken body."
Mia sighed.
"That was different."
"I promise I won't fight anything today."
She lowered her head slightly.
"…Please?"
Leo looked at her for a long moment.
Then he groaned.
"Fine."
"But if something happens again—"
"It won't."
Prince Adrian chuckled lightly.
"Come, Leo. I wanted to ask about the academy anyway."
Leo followed the prince reluctantly.
"…I'm watching you," he muttered to Mia before leaving.
Once they were out of earshot…
Ebruhan looked back at her.
"…Alright."
His expression turned serious.
"What's really going on?"
Mia hesitated.
Then she told him everything.
The crow.
The transformation.
The name.
Varkryth.
And what he said about the stolen egg.
When she finished, the garden had gone completely silent.
Ebruhan's eyes widened slightly.
"…You met him?"
He slowly exhaled.
"…That explains the mana disturbance I felt last night."
Mia frowned.
"So you know about him?"
Ebruhan nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"Everyone in dragonkind does."
His voice lowered.
"The Abyss is not just a place."
"It is a domain."
"A corrupted land where monsters gather."
"And Varkryth…"
His eyes darkened.
"…is the one who rules it."
Mia stared at him.
"…So that guy really is the Abyss Sovereign."
Ebruhan nodded.
"And if what he said is true…"
He looked directly at her.
"…then you might truly be his blood."
Mia stared at him.
"…There's no freaking way."
She shook her head repeatedly.
"Like… come on."
"That guy just shows up in my barn, says I might be his daughter, then turns into a crow and leaves?"
She spread her wings slightly in frustration.
"That sounds insane!"
Ebruhan stayed quiet.
Too quiet.
Mia slowly stopped ranting.
"…Why are you looking at me like that?"
Ebruhan rubbed the back of his neck.
"…Because it's possible."
Mia blinked.
"…Excuse me?"
Ebruhan sighed.
"Black dragons are extremely rare."
"Even among dragons, only a few bloodlines still exist."
He looked directly at her.
"And Varkryth… is the oldest known black dragon alive."
Mia's expression slowly changed.
"…You're kidding."
"I wish I was."
He crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"If a queen's egg really was stolen during those territorial wars…"
"…it could explain why a young black dragon suddenly appeared in human territory years later."
Mia felt her brain struggling to process everything.
"So let me get this straight…"
She pointed a claw at herself.
"The Abyss Sovereign…"
"…might actually be my biological father?"
Ebruhan didn't answer immediately.
After a moment, he shrugged slightly.
"…Possibly."
Mia stared at the sky.
"…What kind of ridiculous story did I reincarnate into?"
She took a deep breath.
"Okay, focus."
"If that guy really is my… whatever…"
"…why didn't he just take me?"
Ebruhan's expression turned serious again.
"Because of dragon law."
Mia blinked.
"…Dragon law?"
Ebruhan nodded.
"If a dragon hatchling bonds with a territory, family, or pack…"
"…another dragon cannot simply take them by force."
"Especially if that dragon has already formed strong ties, and for a dragon lord like varkryth, getting back a human stained dragon is not a thing for him."
He glanced toward the palace and the distant city.
"You've already chosen your place."
"With Leo."
"With Vinson."
"With the kingdom."
Mia looked down at the ground quietly.
"…Yeah."
Ebruhan continued.
"Varkryth is many things."
"But he isn't stupid."
"If he attacked here directly…"
"…he would start a war with the entire kingdom."
Mia exhaled slowly.
"…Great."
"So now the Abyss Sovereign is watching me."
Ebruhan nodded.
"…Most likely."
Mia rubbed her face with both claws.
"…Fantastic."
"Just fantastic."
Mia stared blankly at the garden floor.
"…Yeah."
She slowly dragged a claw across her face.
"Yeah… no."
"There's absolutely no way."
She began pacing in small circles.
"I am not suddenly some abyss princess or whatever."
She groaned loudly.
"Ughhhh… my head…"
All this information was piling up way too fast.
First a monster war.
Then almost dying.
Then waking up to find out she's famous.
And now—
"Now some 46-meter nightmare dragon might be my biological father?"
She flopped down onto the grass dramatically.
"This story makes no sense!"
Ebruhan quietly watched her meltdown.
"…You're taking this surprisingly well."
Mia lifted her head and glared at him.
"How exactly am I supposed to react?"
She waved her claws wildly.
"'Oh wow! The ruler of the abyss is my dad!'"
"'Guess I'll go inherit the throne!'"
She dropped her head again.
"No thanks."
Ebruhan chuckled softly.
"Whether you like it or not… if he truly is your father, you technically are royalty among black dragons."
Mia slowly turned her head toward him.
"…Don't say that."
Ebruhan smiled.
"Why?"
"Because it sounds stupid."
She buried her face into the grass again.
"I just wanted to live peacefully with my family."
Her voice muffled slightly.
"Not become some dragon princess of the abyss."
Ebruhan crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"…Well."
"At least he didn't try to kidnap you."
Mia groaned again.
"…Please don't jinx it."
Ebruhan watched her for a moment before speaking.
"Don't think about it too much."
Mia lifted her head slightly from the grass.
Ebruhan leaned back against the stone bench, folding his arms calmly.
"Relax."
"You still have your own things to focus on."
Mia blinked.
"…Such as?"
Ebruhan looked at her wings.
"Your recovery, for one."
He pointed casually at her injured side.
"You're still limping."
Mia immediately tried to stand straighter.
"I am not—"
She took one step.
Her paw slipped slightly.
"…Okay maybe a little."
Ebruhan smirked faintly.
"Then there's your training."
"You still haven't mastered mana blade."
Mia groaned.
"Don't remind me…"
"That stupid move hates me."
Ebruhan shrugged.
"Or maybe you just haven't figured it out yet."
He continued counting on his fingers.
"Your growth phase."
"Your strength."
"Your control."
"And protecting your family."
His gaze softened slightly.
"You already chose your path, Mia."
Mia stayed quiet for a moment.
Her eyes drifted toward the palace walls… then toward the distant city beyond them.
Leo was somewhere nearby.
Vinson was at the estate.
Her home.
"…Yeah."
She slowly nodded.
"Right."
Ebruhan smiled slightly.
"So stop worrying about some ancient dragon sitting in a dark hole."
Mia snorted.
"That description is way too accurate."
Ebruhan chuckled.
"Besides."
"If he ever does show up again…"
His eyes glinted with confidence.
"…he'll have to deal with me first."
Mia looked at him.
Then suddenly smirked.
"…You know he's like five times your size, right?"
Ebruhan sighed.
"…Please let me sound cool for at least one moment."
Mia laughed.
Footsteps approached along the garden path.
A moment later, Leo reappeared, stretching his arms lazily.
Mia lifted her head.
"Oh."
"Did you have fun hanging out with the prince?"
Leo shrugged.
"Yeah."
"He's actually pretty normal."
He walked up beside her and glanced between Mia and Ebruhan suspiciously.
"You two done with your mysterious dragon talk?"
Mia nodded casually.
"Yep."
Leo narrowed his eyes.
"…You didn't fight anything again, right?"
Mia snorted.
"No."
"Relax."
Leo seemed unconvinced but let it go.
He clapped his hands once.
"Alright then."
He turned toward the palace gate.
"Let's go home before I'm late for school."
Mia blinked.
"…School?"
Leo groaned dramatically.
"Yeah."
"Unlike certain giant dragons who spend their day sleeping in barns…"
"…some of us have education."
Mia flicked her tail lightly.
"You're welcome."
Leo rolled his eyes.
"Come on."
He started walking toward the exit.
"Move, Lady Dark Flame."
Mia grumbled as she followed.
"…I'm never getting used to that name."
Behind them, Ebruhan watched the two leave with a small smile.
Then he looked toward the distant sky for a moment.
His expression slowly turned thoughtful.
"…Varkryth…"
The wind rustled the garden leaves softly.
Something told him this story was far from over.
By the time they returned to the estate, the sun had already climbed high into the sky.
The familiar courtyard greeted them with quiet comfort.
Leo stretched his arms.
"Alright, I'm off."
He grabbed his bag and began heading toward the front gate.
Before leaving, he suddenly turned back and pointed at Mia.
"Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone!"
Mia lifted her head lazily from her resting spot.
"Define stupid."
Leo narrowed his eyes.
Then he pointed toward the barn wall.
Hanging there was Mia's old collar and chaim that used on her before training arc.
"Or you see those?"
Mia followed his finger.
"…Yeah?"
"That can go back on you if necessary."
Mia snorted.
"You know I can break those now, right?"
Leo paused.
"…Oh."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Good point."
Then he nodded to himself.
"Thanks for reminding me."
"I'll ask the palace mages for a mana-restraining collar instead."
Mia blinked.
"…Leo."
"Yeah?"
"You're a terrible brother."
Leo grinned.
"And you're a troublesome dragon."
He waved once before walking out the gate.
"See you later!"
Soon, the estate returned to its usual calm.
Mia settled back into her resting place in the barn.
The warm sunlight filtered through the wooden windows, and the quiet rustling of hay filled the air.
Days passed peacefully.
One day turned into two.
Then three.
And soon…
Another week had passed.
Mia's body had finally recovered completely.
The lingering aches were gone.
Her wings felt strong again.
And the healers finally confirmed it.
"You may transform into your human form now."
Technically, there was nothing stopping her anymore.
But…
Mia glanced toward the barn entrance.
Outside, a few maids were walking around the courtyard.
"…Yeah."
"No thanks."
Transforming meant clothes problems.
And explaining things.
And possibly dealing with panicking maids.
So instead, Mia simply stretched her wings and lay back down.
"Dragon form is easier anyway."
Her tail flicked lazily across the hay.
For now…
Peace felt pretty nice.