Thoughts were swirling inside Manuel's mind like vegetables in a boiling stew. He nervously shuffled on the rock he was sitting on.

"Tell me, Oirun, did you wish to have a child only because you know I'll die?"

"What makes you say that?" the dragon said. The lack of immediate denial in his voice gave Manuel all the information he needed.

"You know far too well how much I hate change in the world."

"Indeed I do. Manuel Luzardi. A man whose name ends wars before they begin. A man who shattered countless armies. An enforcer of peace."

"But you still hope that your child will change the world. Bring a better future and all that. What better future is there? Is peace not the best future possible?"

"Maybe. But it is not sustainable. Not with you most likely dying in six months."

"Is that why you'll kill me?" Manuel jumped up from his seat. "Is that why your face is the last one I'll see?"

"Calm down, Manuel."

"No, I won't! I've been frying my head over the reason why you of all people would want to kill me. Is that the reason why?"

"No, it's not. Sit down, please. I don't have the age to listen to your theatrics."

Manuel growled an incoherent set of syllables to himself and took a seat beside the dragon once more.

"You're right that I mainly had the egg because of your upcoming demise. But I don't wish to see you die. We can both agree that the outcome of that will be catastrophic. Far too many people have been holding grudges for centuries. International politics have been paralyzed, because they know there will never be a violent response. You would stop that as soon as it would emerge. But with you gone–"

"There won't be anyone to prevent that."

"Hmm," the dragon hummed in agreement.

"But you will be here! You are even stronger than me! You can protect the world!"

"Manuel, you know far too well that this is not my desire."

"So many people would die if you didn't!"

"Listen, I've seen wars happen." He looked the wizard in the eyes. "I saw the one that left you orphaned." Those words quickly forced the wizard's eyes to turn to the ground. "I know far too well how large is the wound it can leave upon the world. But I also saw people overthrowing their tyrannical rulers and changing the world for the better. Like the time the first republics were formed. So many nobles and kings died. But in the end, these revolutions brought forth a bright future. Same with the protests that allowed dragons to live in human cities, or that gave women the same work opportunities that men had."

"But that's different. Okay, sure, change the world after I'm gone. I'll be too dead to care. But wars? Imagine all those wars that would break out after my death!"

"I will try my best to quell the storm of conflict, but once you are gone, people will demand a change. And for that reason, I want to raise a new generation. Someone who can help those people without being burdened by our past. I never really liked humans or the other species. My upbringing was shrouded in racism. If I were to protect them all equally, to be completely honest, I'm not sure I could do that. And you, for instance, are so afraid of the conflict you survived that you go out to stop even peaceful protests. That's not healthy for the world at all."

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Peaceful protests can turn violent very quickly. It's not civilized!"

"Don't preach your ideology to me, Manuel. I'm too old for it."

"Right, sorry, sorry." The wizard sighed. It was true that the two of them were good friends, but could never really see eye to eye when it came to their strongest desires.

"I get what you mean though," Manuel broke the silence eventually.

"Hmm?"

"I also plan to leave something behind. Someone of a younger generation, who might do things differently. And to inherit my treasures, so that people won't just pillage it all."

Oirun raised his eyebrows. "Wait, you plan on having children?" He jumped up to his feet and pushed his head up to the wizard's face. "With who? Same species or a different one. Not like it's important, but I'm curious. Have you already got a mate? Is the child on the way? How long until humans... umm... hatch?"

"Slow down! And get your face out of mine! Your breath could open magical seals," he muttered in response and tried to push the dragon's snout away.

"Impossible. I am very strict about my dental hygiene. My breath smells of berries."

"Yeah, rotting berries!" Manuel resisted once more and quickly teleported a few metres away, out of the dragon's reach.

"Fresh berries! And quit avoiding the topic! Do you have a mate or not?"

"No, no, I don't! I have apprentices!"

Oirun eyes widened before he let out something that could only be described as the opposite of a dragon's roar. A squeak so high-pitched one would never associate it with a creature of his age.

"Who are they? What are they like? Can I meet them?"

"Slow down a bit! What got you so excited?"

"Manuel, I do care about you a lot. Honestly, I was so worried about you becoming a lone hermit."

"Hermit?? That's rich coming from a dragon who rarely leaves his own lair, where he lives almost completely alone!"

"Not alone! I live with the Dracii!"

"And I live with fairies! What difference does it make?"

"The difference is that I have a clear hobby. I always expand and renovate my lair. It is my passion, and I do it alongside my servants. You, on the other hand, rarely interact with the fairies that work for you, while you jump from one hobby to another. And sometimes, that really sucks for other people."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Manuel crossed his arms.

"Oh yeah? The time when you wanted to turn every sport on the Grand Lane into its magical variant and ended up with hundreds of injured mages?"

"I just didn't realize how many safety precautions a magical sport would require."

"Or when you tried to keep snakes?"

"Oh, give me a break with the snakes!"

"I will not! You literally introduced several new species of snakes into your home continent! People got poisoned! Not to mention that the Whispcoils adjusted well to the land, and started attaching themselves to people!"

"Oh yeah, good point. I have an apprentice like that actually. He's got a Whispcoil called Pecker connected to him. Real pain in the ass though, that snake."

"And does your apprentice know he's got a permanent companion because of your old hobby? Those snakes didn't live here before, you know?"

Manuel froze for a second like a deer in the headlights.

"Okay, okay, fine, I swap between hobbies, because I like experimenting! I admit, I am a bit of a hermit. As long as it makes you shut up about the snakes."

"You don't want me to tell the apprentice about it, do you?" Oirun smirked.

"Absolutely not, no."

"Well then, you better come with me to the dining hall again."

"Why?"

"Because I will pour us some fine whiskey from my precious collection and you will tell me all about your little students." The dragon walked over to the exit and nodded to the side to signal Manuel to follow him.

"Ugh, fine, they're quite a handful though, so you better be prepared for a long story."

"Ohoho, I can't wait!" he replied all giddy.

"But maybe we could have some wine instead?"

"Wuss."

"Excuse me??"

"Wuss! Too scared of a proper drink?"

"I'm not scared! I just prefer to drink something with actual taste."

"Whiskey has taste!"

"Yeah, a taste like an old sock."

Oirun paused for a moment. "How the hell do you know what a sock tastes like?" He scrunched up his face and gave Manuel one concerned look.

They waited a few minutes outside as all the necessary magical wards and enchantments snapped back into place, sealing the egg back inside safe and out of anyone's reach.