Chapter 483: Welcome to The Dragon Arc.
“Rraaaghk grrrierk.”
“Kuuyyik fruiiik Herrstkrria.”
Uhhh ... it’s so noisy. Come on, why are people growling inside my room? I just want to sle—Huh? Sleep?
The second my mind woke up, images and memories came rushing in, everything that had just happened to me coming back in a flash. Aureolis ... My fight with one of the seven leaders of Bole’Taria—the Prince of Envy—had just concluded if I remembered correctly, concluding with not only the prince’s death but also a strange event where the sky was split open and a giant skeleton hand appeared from it.
Then, what happened afterwards? Right, the prince died and I was saved from being turned into a bomb by my mom. The raid was a success, but that was all I could remember. Having fractured and unclear memories was a common thing for me at this point, but it still felt annoying as heck.
My solution for that problem? Beat up a Prince of Envy to the point he would be forced to fix up my soul, which worked great, since it directly led to most of my childhood memories resurfacing. A great plan, of course, but the problem was that the guy was finally dead, so I can’t exactly trick him into helping with these new faulty memories. Frankly, good riddance. He and his damn cult and soldiers caused me more trauma than most of the enemies I’d fought up until now, so this feeling of finally having obtained vengeance was more that of relief.
Ahhh, Tasianna, please, forgive me for thinking like this. I feel like such a hypocrite ... but I guess you wouldn’t think like that about me. You’re too good of a friend sometimes.Visitt novelbin(.)co/m for the latest updates
Just thinking about my friends chased away the last of the drowsiness. After all, it was pretty much tradition at this point for me to pass out after a big fight, and just the thought of people crowding around my bed, all worried, scared me.
Well, I couldn’t delay it any longer. The noises were getting louder and harder to ignore, as it began to sound like people arguing with each other. Like a bunch of growling lions.
As I opened my eyes, I raised my brows when I noticed the shiny, pristine blue ground I was laying on, only to notice small, black gravel flooring encased below. Light reflected off the surface, creating something similar to glossy mosaic tiles, as the outline of the gravel could be clearly seen through the clear blue ground.
It was ice. My scales could feel the chill emanating from them, but at the same time, I didn’t feel cold. How paradoxical; I would honestly question my own body if I didn’t know this world was Peolynca and that magic and mana was perfectly capable of creating such a phenomenon. After all, the frozen prison Mom put me in was exactly like that—ice that didn’t feel like ice.
[“Princess Hestia! Brother, she’s awake!”] A hyperactive woman’s voice trumpeted in my head.
Following this telepathic voice, a man quickly replied, [“Y-you’re right! Princess!”]
Blinking my eyes, I turned my head around towards the constant growling and stomping probably caused by these two familiar voices. Yet, when I did, it only became harder to focus on them, as the flashy icy ground below me was just the beginning.
Stalactites and stalagmites made from crystalline ice decorated the unnaturally smooth ceiling and walls, as small diamond-sparkling snow kept falling down like rain, dripping down my draconic face like water droplets before they were absorbed into the ground. Small, almost undetectable, ripples could be seen in the floor, making me feel like I was laying on a giant pond rather than on solid ground.
The beauty of this natural wonder was dreamlike. I thought all of this was ice, but I was starting to think it was more than that, as the evidence of it continued to pile on. In particular, the “bed” I was laying on made it clear everything might be more artificial than I had first believed. It was a nest in the form of a giant pudding!
The shape of a custard flan, in fact. When my legs pushed my body up due to the surprise at this revelation, I noticed it began to wobble around, showing off how springy and soft it was. Made from white mana fabric, it easily ripped apart but quickly healed itself by sapping some of my mana without my consent, yet the amount was so small, even a human commoner could probably feed it without emptying their mana reserves.
Golden nuggets and gemstones—ranging from rubies, emeralds, topaz, and others—were embedded onto its surface and placed inside the stuffing, making this seem almost like a ... dragon’s treasure pile. It seemed almost like a joke, but here I was. My scales were so thick, laying on the nuggets and gems wasn’t even a hassle; in fact, it only made me want to doze off again.
So my head fell off the bed when I was sleeping? Was that the cause of me waking up?
I wanted to ask where I was so badly, as this wasn’t my room in my subspace. This was neither my Obsidian Orchestra nor my dragonewt room. Yet, I held it back, as the ones to answer it were right in front of me.
I recognized them. Two snow wyverns looked at me with agape jaws, their eyes betrayed their surprise and elation to see me, and I couldn’t help but to reciprocate them. Seeing them, so worried, only made my fear come true but I couldn’t help but be happy that they were okay. It meant nothing else happened after the raid was over.
[“Shay? Beth?”] I said.
[“Princess!”] Beth charged at me, rubbing her head against me as she growled with so much affection and enthusiasm, I felt awkward. It felt like a friend giving another a hug after meeting each other after a long time.
[“I-I will call Tasianna over! Sister, keep the princess company for now!”] Shay stated before quickly flying out of the room-cavern, showing me the exit to this place.
... Is it just me, or has he gotten faster? I noted. I was used to watching him and Beth spar with Tasianna, so it was surprising to see how much smoother he was gliding through the air. Did he level up a ton during the raid?
[“We’ve missed you so much. I’m so happy to see you again!”] Beth kept speaking, almost sounding like she was in tears. In fact, while her wyvern eyes weren’t shedding them, she was sending me images of her elven form crying like a heartbroken young adult with a face so red and puffy, I thought her eyes had turned into tomatoes!
[“Ah, come on, Beth! What are you doing—Ahrk!”] I yelped as I felt her wings wrapping around my neck and body. As I was larger, she couldn’t fully wrap her wings around me, but I felt her chilling scales against mine. [“Aahhhh! Stop, stop, stop! It’s cold! You’re exuding your chilling aura, Beth!”]
[“I apologize!”] she said, but she didn’t stop. [“But, please, just endure it a bit. Even Brother had to rush out to stop himself from ‘disgracing’ himself like me, but we’ve been waiting for so long. We trusted Her Majesty, but the days felt like an eternity despite her estimations.”]
[“H-huh? What are you talking about? You know I usually just fall asleep after a fight, I mean, it happened in Elyonda when I stayed asleep for nine days. Ah, no, sorry, sorry. That probably was insensitive of me to say. Nine days or longer would make everybody worried, so just forget it, okay?”] I slapped my face internally as I just realized how worried everybody had to be. [“Okay, I’m sorry! I ‘ll make—”]
[“No!”] Beth interrupted me and pushed herself off me. [“You don’t understand, my princess. You’ve been asleep for—”]
“Lady Hestia!” Another familiar voice echoed through these frozen walls, originating at the entrance when Shay returned.
A woman jumped off his back, flying over to me with her butterfly-like wings. Although elven in appearance and size, her mana-blue hair and witch-maid like robes quickly made me remember her identity. She might be a half-elf, half-fairy right now due to [Elvenize], but I could recognize the face of one of my best friends even amongst a crowd even with her hair and outfit having changed.
[“Tasianna!”] I replied only for my eyes to widen when she zoomed in and landed onto my face, weeping so fiercely as she gripped the carapace and spikes on my head, unwilling to let them go. She kept repeating, “Princess, I’m so happy you’re awake!” over and over again, where I noticed her trembling smile right in front of my left eye.
So this proved it. Beth’s and Shay’s reactions weren’t normal either, with the former even trying to explain to me how long I’ve actually been asleep. Tasianna kept watching every time I fell unconscious and it had happened too often at this point. She should have gotten used to it, yet she cried enough to fill buckets.
[“Tasianna ... I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say to you, Shay, and Beth for how I’ve slept but ... how long has it been?”] I asked, reluctantly. [“N-no, wait, did something happen during my sleep? Is there another reason for why you guys are like this?”]
Tasianna, noticing this, let me go and wiped her tears away with a handkerchief before she reformed a smile, bowing deeply in front of my head while standing in the air. She shook her head.
“My lady, first things first, I, Tasianna Marina Silverpond, greet you after your hibernation.”
[“Your royal guards as well, your highness.”] Shay and Beth both tucked their tails in between their legs and bowed their heads.
[“... Did he say anything?”]
“That he will continue praying to all the gods so that he can meet you again.”
I rolled to the side, staring at the mesmerizing ceiling. I managed to calm down my breathing now that my lungs were dry. [“Thank you for always being with me, even now, Tasianna. I couldn’t ask for a better friend.”]
“As I said, my lady. My life is dedicated to serving you, no matter what path you go down. I will follow you and trust you, similar to how much you placed your trust in me. You helped me resolve my past, so please remember I am here for you to carry your burdens, Lady Hestia. Do not harm yourself, my lady. Never.”
I closed my eyes. [“You know me too well. I’m calm, let’s restore my body back to normal.”]
Right ... Manager Mind, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, I’m sorry you had to protect me. I know even if you are gone that you are still with me, somewhere. You guys are me, but also my friends. Thank you for being there for me even to the last moment.
Without waking Hikari up, I drew onto the knowledge stash my parallel minds had accumulated over nearly two years we’ve been together. Using the giant ice scalpel and tweezers with [Unheiliger Engel] as my hands, I began separating my scales and flesh from my bones, digging right through where I found the broken remains of my wings.
With [True Draconic Barrier] down and my crippling weakness to ice attacks, the ice scalpel made the operation easy. I knew my body’s bone and muscle structure from all the times my parallel minds inspected my body. Even if I didn’t know my anatomy and biology perfectly, it was enough to finish this operation without any issue.
Once I was done, I tested my fixed legs and wings, only to notice I needed physical therapy. Being asleep for over a year made my muscles sore, and since my limbs returned to their normal state, I couldn’t really make them stronger with [Miraculous Grace]. Well, as long as I was scarless, it was all good.
Now ...
[“Thank you for waiting, Mom,”] I called out, causing something wet to slip outside my cavern.
In the next moment, a colossus head of a dragon, large enough to eat a whale whole, appeared from around the corner. Facial expressions were hard to show with our draconic faces, but that was different when it came to our eyes and mouth.
I had my suspicion she was eavesdropping on us purely ‘cause it was Mom, as when we first met after the Griffonpeak siege, she was sleeping inside my bed. She did the same during the Elyonda siege, only that she was hibernating then. As Kramps said, dragon moms were helicopter mothers and I couldn’t agree more when it came to Mom.
She would never leave my side on the off-chance I would wake up. Not to mention, Shay and Beth weren’t technically my retainers, they were Mom’s, and they would without doubt inform Mom before Tasianna.
[“I can’t get away with anything with how sharp my daughter is, can I?”] Mom giggled, causing emotions to well up in my chest.
[“Oh, shut it!”] I said before casting [Tailwind] and activating my rocket booster, blasting myself at her face to hug her, while she rubbed her face gainst mine.
[“Good morning, my little treasure,”] Mom said. [“Did you have a good sleep?”]
[“No, it was terrible!”] I complained. [“I didn’t get to dream at all, and when I woke up, I learned that a whole damn year passed! Also, I remember how you told me when we first met that I’m supposed to get used to getting into comas, but I still feel like a rock after sleeping for an entire year! Bla, bla, bla, complain, complain! Cry, cry, ahhhhhh! ... I missed you so much, Mom.”]
[“And so did I, Hestia.”]
Mom’s words were full of warmth. Despite the slight chill inside this cavern, I couldn’t help but feel like I was burning up.
[“Come, I think we need to talk for a bit. I also have to tell you something about your new home, and I think you’ll like it more when we do so over some tea and breakfast. Don’t you think so, everybody?”]
Mana mist then escaped Mom’s and the twins’ body as they transformed into their elven dragonewt form, prompting me to do the same. Once I was on the ground, my body morphed and my bones cracked and shrunk me down.
[Humanize (Moderate)] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]
Yet, something felt different. I felt different.
“Oh my gosh, my lady!”
Why can I see my belly button ... Why do my clothes feel so tight, and when did I grow out my hair?
The difference? About one year and two months ago, I was a teenager.
Now I am an adult.
Age: 18 Years
I’ve really grown everywhere, huh?
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A note from AbyssRaven
Time skip? I did a time skip? I don't do time skip! O.O
In any case, welcome to the dragon arc, everybody. The first part of it, anyways.
If you guys want to support me, Hestia and "A Dragon Idol's Reincarnation Tale" (or just read up to 20 advance chapters + any Patreon-only chapters) please check out my Patreon: Rawr!
For two dollars, for the cost of a coffee, you can read up to four chapters! You will have my eternal gratitude for any support you can give me! Please.
Thank you for reading this chapter.