The Red Dragon Just Wants To Do As It Pleases

On the road below the cliff.

The High Elves were on full alert, guarding the edge of the cliff's forest, but no one noticed a Drow emerging from the sandy soil beneath the second carriage.

Attilicia agilely flipped out of the hole, landing with his legs spread in a split, his toes hooking the sides of the carriage. He smoothly retrieved the 'shield' that was buried and continually sinking into the sand and earth.

He immediately took out an alchemical carving knife, sharp enough to cut iron like mud, and swiftly carved a near-perfect circle on the underside of the carriage. Then, he fitted the 'round shield' of the exact same diameter into the opening.

Meanwhile, atop the cliff, David saw the other end of the Teleportation Gate, which was tightly stuffed with hemp sacks.

The fruit of their labor was within reach, and he momentarily forgot all the shortcomings of his Silver Dragon sire.

"Awesome!" David exclaimed. He immediately set both claws to work, rummaging through the carriage until the top layer of sacks was cleared. Then, he squeezed his head inside, estimated the freight wagon's total cargo capacity, took out two sacks, and, forcefully resisting his Greed, stuffed the rest back in.

Then, he squeezed his claws into the gap under the carriage and scraped against the edge of the hole, producing a grating sound like nails on a chalkboard.

Attilicia, drenched in sweat beneath the carriage, understood immediately. He removed the shield, with some effort clamped it in his mouth, then meticulously pressed the cut piece of the floorboard back into place. Using two magnets as material components, he cast Repair, a 0-level spell, quickly restoring the opening.

After completing this entire procedure, Attilicia felt his old back begin to ache, but then he remembered this was just the start.

The start of the mission, and the start of repaying his debts.

He took a deep breath and, in the instant he released the 'shield', slipped back through the Teleportation Gate.

And so he remained, his body on the cliff face while his head was on the road below, his hands gripping the 'shield's' edge, constantly shifting the 'opening' to prevent the horses of the following carriages from accidentally stepping into the Teleportation Gate—that would be a disaster!

Fortunately, the Elves had focused nearly all their attention on the Dragon in heat within the woods, completely failing to notice the well-sized 'horse trap' on the ground playing a game of dodgeball with the horses' hooves.

In just under five minutes, as all thirteen carriages of the convoy successively passed this cliffside section of the road, David's Portable Cave was now richer by twenty-six hemp sacks of mature Century Aroma seeds.

Greed

Just as David and his sire were feeling a sense of accomplishment and about to heave a sigh of relief, and while Attilicia was sealing the last wooden plank, halfway back through the Teleportation Gate, he heard his 'son' grab his buttocks and whisper urgently, "Wait! Don't come out yet! There's a dragon! A dragon is coming!"

"What?"

Attilicia could only instinctively tighten his grip on the carriage's axle frame, allowing the vehicle to drag him along, shield and all—the shield that served as the portal's opening.

Otherwise, that glowing blue Teleportation Gate would have been completely exposed under the sharp eyes of a Dragon, whose vision is comparable to an eagle's.

"Did you hear something?" The sound of the shield dragging on the ground had already alerted the Elf Druid in the carriage.

"Is the bearing loose? Should we stop and check?" another transport guard inquired.

Just as the Druid was about to request instructions from his superior, all the Elves suddenly jerked backward.

The horses were spooked and began to break away from the road, galloping frantically.

"A dragon! It's a dragon! That dragon is flying over!"

"Hold the horses steady!"

"What kind of Dragon is it?"

"...Silver... It looks like a Silver Dragon, a young adult... female Silver Dragon?"

A Druid, who clearly had a thorough knowledge of dragon characteristics, answered, somewhat bewildered.

"..." The group of Druids suddenly fell silent, as if collectively disillusioned with some beautiful notion.

"Ze'nasania (Motherfucker!)."

"Ah! My sweet Silver Dragon lady, how could you go into heat in the wild, and with Elves at that! AH! No! I refuse to believe this is true!"

But soon, with a WHOOSH from low in the sky, the female Silver Dragon soared over their heads, completely ignoring them.

To make matters worse, this passing Silver Dragon lady apparently heard the Druid's wail and left a sharp, irritated curse hanging in the air:

"In heat, my ass! You bunch of perverts from the Sorrowful Wind Cult! Keep spreading rumors, and this lady will roast you all with one blast of Dragon Breath!"

"..." The group of Druids, their origins thus exposed, fell silent once more.

"..." David and his sire, listening through the Teleportation Gate, were also perplexed.

Sorrowful Wind Cult? What was that? Weren't they supposed to be the Earth Natural Sect?

After a while, they heard a Druid whisper in despair, "No, this can't be true. My idealized Silver Dragon lady would never swear, would she?"

"But haven't you all noticed? After that Silver Dragon lady spoke, the air in the entire field became fragrant!"

So, the Druids, who had just calmed their mares, unanimously took a deep breath.

"Yes... It's said that even a Silver Dragon's droppings are like pure ice crystals. Look, even our regularly issued Clarity Potion is rumored to contain extracts from Silver Dragon manure."

"Really? No wonder I feel so clear-headed and my mouth stays fresh after drinking the potion."

"..." Hearing this conversation left David and his sire, who themselves regularly concocted and sold potions made from dung, utterly speechless.

What in the world is wrong with these people?

"Has that dragon flown away yet? I can't hold on much longer..." Attilicia's breathless plea for help came from the other side of the Teleportation Gate.

"Let me check." On the cliff, David, still supporting Attilicia's buttocks—which were vibrating in sync with the 'shield's' constant friction against the ground—turned his head to look at the sky.

As a result, he saw the Silver Dragon that had just swept past, now in almost the same pose, turning her head to stare at him, dumbfounded.

Or rather, she was staring at him—this young Red Dragon who was clutching a Drow whose large rear end kept 'vibrating and twitching'—with an expression that screamed, 'The sky! A Silver Dragon! Oh, my eyes!'

David didn't know if she had somehow discerned Attilicia's true nature as a Silver Dragon, or if she had also spotted the Teleportation Gate by the tree roots.

To avoid further complications, he could only manage an awkward yet polite smile at the passing young female Silver Dragon, indicating that it would be best if she didn't meddle.

Then he saw the female dragon, startled by his unexpected 'welcoming smile,' freeze completely. Her wings forgot to beat, and she traced a wobbly arc through the air before, to the collective stunned amazement of David and the Sorrowful Wind Cult Druids, crashing headfirst into the watchtower of Dewensen's west gate.

Even from so far away, they could hear the crumbling of earth and stone, as well as the unlucky sentry's screams.

Alarm bells began to toll loudly across Dewensen City.

"...Damn it! We've been spotted! Let's run!" David, caring about nothing else now, dragged his utterly exhausted and aching Silver Dragon sire out of the portal opening. Clutching his father in his mouth, he had him erase the Teleportation Gate, then turned tail and fled.

Predictably, yet also surprisingly, a sharp cry echoed from the sky behind him:

"Shameless Red Dragon whelp! Why run? You had the guts to provoke me, so how come you don't have the guts to stay and fight?!"

As David darted through the forest like a cheetah, seeing the female Silver Dragon speeding towards him, a torrent of curses erupted in his mind: When the hell did I provoke you?! It was just a greeting, for crying out loud!

It was the first time David had encountered such an irritable female, and a silver one at that.

So much so that he momentarily began to doubt her lineage: Could this female dragon also be of mixed Red and Silver heritage?! But Tania, who was also a mixed-blood Silver Dragon, is so well-behaved!

On the other side of the road, seeing that the female Silver Dragon who had crashed into the city gate tower was unharmed, the Druids heaved a collective sigh of relief.

"Commander, shouldn't we... prioritize the mission?" a young Druid asked, wondering if they should transport the Century Aroma seeds back first.

It was just a 'Red Dragon whelp,' after all. A young adult Silver Dragon on the offensive would be more than enough.

The Druid commander, a man with thick eyebrows and an air of stern righteousness, immediately scolded, "Mission my ass! Didn't you see the Silver Dragon lady being harassed by an Evil Dragon?"

"Move out! Let's kill that Evil Dragon!"

"You can't even grasp such a golden opportunity to get acquainted with the Silver Dragon lady! It serves you right you're stuck with only horses to ride!"

"All troops, hear my command! Grooms, stay behind! The rest of you, follow me and give chase!"

"Yes, sir!" The Druid transport contingent's morale instantly soared.

"Fully support the Silver Dragon lady!"

"Purge the wicked! Today is the day!"

"Look! The light of justice is shining on us!"

"Charge!!!"