The Red Dragon Just Wants To Do As It Pleases

"But at this rate, I, Attilicia, will never be able to pay off my debt in my lifetime!

"I won't be able to clear it!

"Please, Pafila!

"Think about the fact that we've had a pair of children together.

"Show some mercy and spare me! Let David and little Tania go.

"They're just kids!

"If you have any dissatisfaction or resentment, just direct it all at me, this one dragon!

"The children, they are innocent.

"SOB SOB SOB SOB SOB!"

"HISS... Here we go again. Crying, always crying. Who's the mother dragon here, you or me?" When Pafila saw this useless coward weeping again, the anger that had just begun to rise in her suddenly turned into a headache. She paced back and forth, her tail, idle from boredom, sweeping around like a terrifying python.

Facing the Dragon Mother whose emotions were on the verge of spiraling out of control, Attilicia's crying grew even more violent. "WAAAH!!!!"

David and Tania, like two anxious caterpillars, huddled close together, pressing themselves flat against the ground. They didn't dare to move. Their eyes darted between their father, who was pouring out his grievances, and their mother, who was on the verge of exploding. Internally, they were in utter panic.

Just as David was preparing to risk his life and 'speak up' to appease the Dragon Mother...

Pafila glanced at the two frantic dragon siblings, and her burgeoning emotions suddenly subsided.

She asked Attilicia, a mix of annoyance and amusement in her voice, "Show some mercy? Attilicia, have you forgotten? I, Pafila, am a Chromatic Dragon. A Red Dragon who, in the eyes of you Metal Dragons, is arrogant, greedy, fierce, tyrannical, and commits all manner of evil. Don't you find your request arrogant, absurd, preposterous, and rude? Hm?"

"..." Attilicia was suddenly at a loss for words.

Indeed, asking a Chromatic Dragon—especially a Red Dragon, the foremost among the evil Chromatic Dragons—to be 'benevolent' for once was truly too arrogant of him, a Metal Dragon. At the same time, he was surprised. When had Pafila become capable of 'calmly' reasoning with him? But this, too, seemed like it wouldn't be a good thing for him.

Sure enough, he heard Pafila seem to take a deep breath, then fix her gaze on him. "However, you're right about one thing: the children are innocent and shouldn't be dragged into our grievances. After all, David Uthos and Tania are my good children, Pafila's good children. Unlike you, who are always so foolish and rebellious."

"..." Attilicia opened his mouth but found himself unable to refute her, especially when Pafila genuinely seemed as if she might show leniency.

"David, Tania, what's about to happen might be a bit inappropriate for children. You two head out first."

The Red Dragon Pafila flicked her tail, signaling for the two little ones to leave.

"Okay, Mommy!" David and his sister were as 'obedient' as could be, showing no 'lingering attachment' to their father, Attilicia, who had instinctively reached out a hand to try and keep them there. They turned and left.

David had only taken a couple of steps when, under the somewhat astonished gazes of the three dragons, he suddenly turned and scurried back even faster than before.

Then, he retrieved a bag filled with peculiar items, inlaid with precious metals, from his Portable Cavern. He placed it before his mother and, looking up, said, "Mommy, these are some treasures I confiscated from Spider Nest City in the Gloomy Region. They're also a gift I brought back for you."

"Oh?" Pafila, with her vast knowledge, naturally recognized the purpose of these 'local specialties' from the Drow at a glance. She felt a mixture of amusement, slight embarrassment, and a touch of coyness.

This child, really... But these things, as it happens, could be useful right now. They might even have surprisingly good effects. After all, they were 'tools effective on Drow,' supposedly developed by targeting what is most suitable for the constitution of Drow young.

She immediately feigned the composure of one well-accustomed to such things and accepted the treasures. Then, she gently patted the head of 'innocent little baby' David with the tip of her tail. "I accept your kind sentiment, my good child."

Seeing Tania looking on with an envious expression, she patted her daughter's head as well.

Tania immediately closed her eyes in comfort and satisfaction, her tail perking up, and she even nuzzled her head against the tip of the Dragon Mother's tail.

This suddenly warm scene made Attilicia, who was still somewhat panicked and desperate, stare wide-eyed.

It was somewhat unbelievable. Was this really the same ferocious red Dragon Mother, Pafila, that he knew?

And Pafila quickly addressed his unspoken thoughts.

Then he saw that long, powerful tail tip deftly hook the Ring of Regeneration embedded in his own chest, rip it out, and stuff it into David's claw. "A little toy, not much use. Take it and play."

David, who had been coveting the powerful regenerative abilities of the Ring of Regeneration to the point of invoking his Greed, was stunned.

Such a legendary Magical Item, combined with his Authority, Wrath, which grew stronger the more he fought, would be unbelievably powerful! And she just gave it to him like that?

But then he remembered how she had also given him the Wrath of Tiamat so readily. With nothing more to say, he hugged the tip of the Dragon Mother's tail and nuzzled it vigorously. "Thank you, Mom! Mom, you're so generous! I'll take my sister out to play now! Take care, Mom!"

Then, clutching the Ring of Regeneration, with his equally envious Silver Dragon sister in tow, he bolted away. He completely forgot the tragic and despairing gaze of his Silver Dragon father behind them.

"AAAH!!!"

Only then did Attilicia, belatedly realizing what had happened, glance down at his chest where the ring had been. The wound suddenly began gushing blood, and tears of pain streamed from his eyes.

"Alright... now, let me collect a little interest," Pafila's commanding voice resounded from the depths of the Dragon Nest. "Come on. Change back yourself."

"I don't want to..." The Silver Dragon father's voice started to carry a whimper, a mixture of panic and stubbornness.

"You don't have to change if you don't want to. That's fine. It'll give me a chance to try out these little toys from the Drow." The Dragon Mother was in an unusually good mood today.

It was only then, seeming to finally understand what kind of 'gifts' his son had given Pafila, that Attilicia cried out, his voice filled with grief and indignation, "My unfilial son! MMM— MMM—!"

The Silver Dragon father's mouth seemed to be gagged by something.

Only the wild, unrestrained laughter of Dragon Mother Pafila echoed out:

"Those Drow really know how to have fun.

"And these things are genuinely amusing.

"Go on, don't change back if you have the guts.

"Let's see how long you can last.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

「Just outside the cave entrance」

Silver Dragon Tania, curious, looked at David, who was fiddling with his 'new toy,' and asked, "What's Mom playing with? She sounds so happy."

"Mom's playing with Dad," David answered absentmindedly, still examining the Ring of Regeneration. He was wondering how he was supposed to wear this thing; it wasn't like the Wrath of Tiamat, which was specifically made for dragons.

"How is she playing with him?" Tania grew even more curious.

"Little kids shouldn't pry. You'll understand when you're older," David replied casually.

"Fine, don't tell me then! Hmph!"

Did he think she couldn't look it up herself?!

However, as soon as she specifically searched for it within the draconic lore, her entire being froze. Her tail shot straight up, then went limp. Then, as if overcome with embarrassment, she buried her head and scurried away.

"Tania, what's wrong?" David lifted his head, bewildered, watching his Silver Dragon sister's retreating figure.

"...I want to... to... It's none of your business! Hmph!"

It was all her brother's fault for making her see something indecent again. Tania felt... sullied! YUCK!!!

Tania ran even faster.