“Can I really never change back?”
“Really.”
“Will I really have to be a member of the Dragon Race forever?”
“Really.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Ah…”
“Really!”
Soran refused to believe this outcome.
She tried to confirm it over and over again, but the result would not change.
If she couldn’t change back, she couldn’t change back.
“Waaaaah! Sob, sob—”
After a full minute of silence, Soran could no longer hold it in and burst into loud wailing.
She lay helplessly on the quilt, burying her head deep inside, her dragon tail limp and weak.
Sob, sob—Bullies.
The Evil Dragon was a bully.
Sob, sob—Soran was furious and despondent, but with all those emotions swirling together, she could only express them through crying.
“There, there. Don’t cry, daughter. It’s almost been a day; you must be hungry. Come, eat something.”
Zhu Xiaxia picked up the bottle that Xiaguang had delivered earlier, held it out to Soran, and patted her on the back.
“No! Sob, sob— Go away!”
Soran was in no mood to eat.
She had turned into a member of the Dragon Race—the race she hated most—and was told she could never change back.
Not only could she not go home to see her old father, but she couldn’t even return to the Human Race.
“You need this, really.”
Zhu Xiaxia patted her again.
“Go away! I’m not hungry! Waaaah—”
Soran refused.
However, in the next second…
Gurgle, gurgle—
The little girl’s crying stopped instantly. She raised her head and looked back at Zhu Xiaxia.
Her eyes locked onto the bottle in her hand, and she snatched it away.
Mealtime!
In all the world, eating was the most important thing.
‘She says she’s not hungry, but her body is quite honest.’
Looking at the way Soran quietly and obediently drank the milk, Zhu Xiaxia let out an unkind laugh.
“What are you laughing at!”
“I’m not laughing. I’m just gratified by my dear daughter’s performance.”
Soran looked at the bottle in her hands.
Just now… had she snatched something from Zhu Xiaxia’s hand because she was hungry?
‘No!’
‘Ahhh! How embarrassing!’
‘I’m not a child! I don’t want to drink milk!’
Agitated, Soran threw the half-finished bottle onto the floor.
‘This must be a trap the Evil Dragon dug on purpose, and I was forced to jump into it by her.’
“Evil Dragon! Don’t think you can bewitch me. The Human Sword Saint **, will never be bought by a bottle of milk!”
“I am the Human Sword Saint **.”
‘Wait, why can’t I say my own name?’
‘That’s not right!’
Meanwhile, the culprit behind all this was sitting right in front of her, stifling a laugh.
“You are a what?”
“I… I am **.”
As soon as she mentioned those two words, it was as if Soran had been automatically muted; she couldn’t speak them.
“I… I… my name is **.”
She tried again, but failed again.
“Oh dear, how could my daughter forget her own name? That’s such a pity. Mother has forgotten it too. How about this? Mother will give you a new name. From now on, you’ll be called Zhu Qiu Gracia. What do you think?”
“This is something Mother came up with after deep consideration.”
‘No! I don’t want that name! I have my own name!’
That was what she thought, but when she spoke…
“Okay! Thank you, Mother. I like the name Zhu Qiu very much.”
“Mmph!”
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhu Qiu immediately covered her mouth with her hands.
She looked at Zhu Xiaxia, her eyes filled with confusion.
‘Why did I agree so directly? That’s not what I was thinking at all!’
‘Only my body has turned into a dragon. Mentally, I am still that Human Sword Saint, Soran!’
‘Therefore, excluding any possibility involving myself, this must be the Evil Dragon’s doing. As the Queen of the Dragon Race, she must have secretly cast some kind of magic that made me say the wrong words. It must also be her fault that I couldn’t say my name just now.’
Moreover, the Evil Dragon had called her nothing but “daughter” from beginning to end, all to make her yield linguistically first.
She was truly treating this dragon too poorly!
‘I absolutely cannot lose myself in the Evil Dragon’s sweet talk. These are all her schemes to assimilate me.’
‘Soran, you must be strong! You have to stand up for yourself!’
“Evil Dragon! No matter what you do to me, I will never yield!”
“Daughter, you’re being naughty. Besides, Mother has a name. I am called Zhu Xiaxia Gracia. Stop calling me ‘Evil Dragon.’ It doesn’t sound good at all.”
Zhu Xiaxia? The Evil Dragon’s name?
Hmph! Who cares if you’re a pig or if you’re blind.
“Mother, Mother, Mother! Sweet Mother, I love Mother the most!”
Soran was instantly petrified and felt herself breaking apart.
‘It’s not like that!’
‘I wanted to say “Evil Dragon”! What’s with this “Mother” business!’
She had just guessed that Zhu Xiaxia would use some strange magic to change what she said, but she hadn’t expected it to involve so many words.
With that one sentence, the statue of her persona seemed to have developed a massive crack.
She was doomed.
“My daughter is so good after all. You already know how to call me Mother. Come, let Mother give you a hug.”
Zhu Xiaxia reached out to touch Zhu Qiu, but Zhu Qiu deliberately dodged.
‘Hmph! The Evil Dragon is disgusting. I won’t let you touch me.’
Furthermore, having learned her lesson, Zhu Qiu didn’t speak this time. She only pouted and turned her head to the side to express her dissatisfaction.
If she spoke and Zhu Xiaxia messed with her again, making her say something outrageous, her persona would be completely unsalvageable.
“It seems my daughter has a bit of a temper. Are you still hungry?”
“Hmph!”
“It seems you are.”
Zhu Xiaxia activated a Magic Communication to contact Xiaguang.
“Xiaguang, prepare another bottle of milk. Also, bring up some clothes—something for a child about 1.45 meters tall.”
Xiaguang, who had only been resting for a short while, put down her broom.
It was time to work again.
Before long, Xiaguang was ready.
“Your Majesty the Queen, the items you requested are ready.”
“Come in. Don’t scare my dear daughter.”
Xiaguang, pushing the door open with her ample chest leading the way, walked in holding the bottle in one hand and the clothes in the other.
At that moment, Zhu Qiu was looking toward the door.
When the door opened and their eyes met, both were shocked.
‘Why is there another dragon here? And… so big…’
‘Why is there a dragon here? And… so… she’s not even covering up.’
“Your Majesty the Queen, I have brought you the items.”
“Put them on the bed.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Xiaguang quickly set them down, preparing to slip away.
“Wait, Xiaguang. Don’t go yet.”
Xiaguang turned around and crossed her hands over her lower abdomen, giving a respectful salute.
“Your Majesty, are there further instructions?”
“Let me introduce you. This is my daughter, Zhu Qiu Gracia. Your workload will be a bit heavier from now on, but don’t worry, I will give you a raise.”
‘Daughter? Then that makes her the Princess.’
Xiaguang looked at Zhu Qiu.
This girl wasn’t wearing any clothes and didn’t seem to have a shred of shame; she didn’t look very bright.
What a pity. Now that Her Majesty the Queen had such a daughter, if she inherited the throne in the future, wouldn’t the Dragon Kingdom be ruined?
Well, if it’s ruined, it’s ruined.
It wouldn’t affect her salary of 100 gold coins a month.
“Understood, Your Majesty. I will keep that in mind.”
With that, Xiaguang slipped away.
“Daughter, put on some clothes before you eat. Mother is free today and can spend some time playing with you.”
‘Put on clothes?’
Zhu Qiu looked down, and a blush appeared on her cheeks.
‘Have I been naked this whole time?!’