Chapter 24

Father and I entered the town of Eldervale, a bustling hub known for its collection of magical bookstores. The streets were alive with the chatter of merchants and townsfolk, the air filled with the tantalizing scents of baked goods and fresh herbs. We both assumed our humanoid forms, which allowed us to blend in better among the locals. I was eager to explore the various tomes of magic available, knowing that only low- to mid-tier spellbooks were typically sold in public stores. High-tier spells, known for their complexity and the vast amount of knowledge they contained, were generally accessible only through high-tier wizards at exorbitant prices.

As we made our way through the narrow aisles of one particularly quaint bookstore, I found myself engrossed in a mid-tier fire spellbook. It wasn’t anything extraordinary—just four spells categorized as Tier 4—but they were still useful for my studies. I was fully absorbed in the text when, without warning, someone collided with me.

“I’m s-sorry!” the human exclaimed, stumbling back. Anger surged through me at the unexpected interruption.

“Where are you going, fool?” I retorted, my voice low and threatening. They babbled on about how I was some sort of bizarre creature, a "lizardman," as I glared at them.

“You know I can hear you, right?” I shot back, my irritation rising. “And for the record, I’m a male, not an ‘it.’ Learn some manners.” My words dripped with disdain, fueled by the disruption of my magic reading and the disrespectful tone of their comments.

Taking a slow breath to steady myself, I added, “If you don’t have anything useful to say, I’ll be on my way.” I turned to leave, heading toward Father, who was perusing the shelves near the main walkway.

Just then, a female member of the group called out, “Wait! We didn’t mean any harm, sir, but could you help us with something?”

I glanced back at them, my anger dissipating slightly as I noticed their clothing. They wore outfits reminiscent of my old world—was it possible they were from my previous life? My curiosity piqued. One of the key traits of dragons is our insatiable curiosity; if we encounter something we don’t understand, we will pursue it relentlessly.

“Alright, I’m listening,” I said, my tone shifting to one of interest.

“Well,” she began, her eyes darting nervously among her friends, “I noticed that you seem quite strong in magic from the way you’re reading that book. I thought maybe you could teach us magic.”

So, they wanted me to teach them magic. But why? “Girl, why do you and your friends want to learn magic?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

Her gaze flitted back to her companions before she continued, “We all want to become powerful mages in the future, and we think you can teach us.”

Rule number one when dealing with dragons: don’t lie. Most dragons can see through deceit effortlessly, and only the most foolish or desperate would attempt to trick us.

“If you don’t tell me the truth right now, I won’t help,” I hissed, my frustration boiling over. It was astonishing to think that these mere humans thought they could fool me, a blue dragon—one of the greatest of my kind. I could feel my pride pricked at their attempt.

The girl looked taken aback, and after glancing at her friends, she took a deep breath. “I and my friends don’t belong in this world. We were summoned here from our home planet, and we need to learn magic to get back,” she confessed, her eyes steady on mine.

Ah, so she was indeed from my old world. I contemplated this revelation. While many realms in the prime material world possessed magic, and some powerful mages could travel between them, there were also worlds devoid of magic. The thought of such a place was disconcerting, but I had heard that those from non-magical worlds often had an easier time grasping magical concepts.

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With my question answered, I smiled, perhaps a bit too broadly, revealing my sharp teeth. I noticed the humans shivered at the sight, but I found their reaction somewhat rude.

“Very well, I will teach you the basics,” I announced. However, I realized that despite being a Tier 8 spellcaster in lightning magic, I had little idea how to teach the fundamentals to these humans. For dragons, the basics of magic and its control came naturally, almost instinctively. I doubted they would receive satisfactory results from me, but my curiosity overruled my doubts.

I wanted to see what these humans were capable of. Surely, Father would have insights on how to guide them. With that thought, I turned and made my way back to him. I had gathered spellbooks on sound, mid-tier fire, and nature magic, as well as a more in-depth tome on ice magic, which could help me with my most challenging discipline.

As I approached, I spotted Father sitting in a chair in the main area of the store, his expression a mix of annoyance and contemplation as he read through a book. He scoffed at whatever he had been reading, then noticed my approach and rose to leave the shop with me, eager to escape the confines of the bookstore.

“Do you have everything you need, Azuron?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Yes, Father, I do,” I replied, holding up the books proudly.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed the other customers glancing our way, their expressions a mix of surprise and curiosity. They whispered among themselves, likely debating the reason behind my calling him “Father,” given our vastly different humanoid appearances.

“Father, these are people who claim to be from a different world—one without mana,” I explained. “I thought they could be of some use.”

Father looked intrigued, studying the humans carefully. “Hmm, these humans could indeed be useful to the clan as servants,” he muttered to himself, clearly assessing the potential benefits. “We would certainly gain some reward from Sylindra if we brought back such valuable individuals.”

With a nod, he turned back to me. “Azuron, we are taking these people back home. I believe they will prove quite useful.”

With that decision made, we exited the bookstore, the soft clatter of the door behind us signifying the end of our brief visit. As we stepped into the sunlit streets, I reflected on how I had reacted when we first met. I had been much more dragon-like than I would have preferred. I thought that since I had once been human, my pride and temper would be easier to control. Apparently, that was not the case, especially when it came to matters I cared deeply about, like my magic studies.

If someone interrupted me during my readings, my temper flared, but I didn’t react like that to my clanmates. I had genuinely come to love my clan, particularly the dragons with whom I interacted most frequently. My affection extended to the entire clan as a whole, but my patience ran thin when it came to strangers.

With the humans now accompanying us, we decided to visit a few more towns over the coming days. I aimed to pick up low-tier books across various magical disciplines to help improve my fundamental understanding. Even in lightning magic, I realized that if I wanted to create spells in other types of magic, I needed to learn more about them.

As we journeyed from one town to another, I relished the opportunity to explore the magical landscapes that unfolded before us. Each bookstore we entered offered unique tomes filled with knowledge, history, and practical spells. I meticulously selected books that aligned with my interests, aiming to build a solid foundation that would serve me well in the future.

The humans, meanwhile, appeared to grow more comfortable in our company. They asked questions about the magic I practiced, and I occasionally shared snippets of knowledge from the books I had gathered. Despite my initial reservations, I found myself enjoying their eagerness to learn. Their determination reminded me of my own past, sparking a sense of nostalgia.

On one particularly memorable day, we encountered a quaint village known for its enchanting gardens. As we wandered through the vibrant blossoms, I paused to admire a particularly rare flower, its petals shimmering with a faint magical glow. The humans clustered around, their eyes wide with wonder.

“What kind of magic does this flower possess?” one of them asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

I thought for a moment, recalling the notes I had read. “This flower is known for its ability to enhance one’s connection to nature magic. It can be used in various potions and spells, particularly those involving healing or growth.”

They looked at me in awe, and I felt a sense of pride swell within me. Perhaps teaching them wouldn’t be so difficult after all. They had a genuine thirst for knowledge that reminded me of my own journey into the world of magic.

With our bags filled with books and our hearts brimming with excitement, we finally made our way back to the clan. I was eager to delve into my studies, armed with newfound knowledge and experiences that I hoped would serve me well in my magical endeavors.

It was finally the day me and father would return home to the clan. I would finally get to study my magic books in peace. And father would be able to shed his discussion as he has been composing about it for quite some time. And ah of course reveal were dragons to the humans as well.