Anna's consciousness didn't remain clouded for long.
Perhaps it was because Scutellaria baicalensis had never existed in this otherworld, or perhaps it was due to Anna's unique constitution. Whatever the reason, the herbs Su Nian had fed her worked surprisingly fast. Within moments, her fever began to subside, and her body temperature gradually returned to normal. Though still weak, her consciousness had returned to her body.
She could move her limbs again.
Anna slowly opened her eyes, her vision still somewhat blurry. Her head throbbed faintly, but the burning sensation that had consumed her earlier was gone, replaced by a comforting warmth.
What was shielding her from the cold?
Her sluggish brain finally began processing the images her eyes were sending.
It was the dragon.
Anna's eyes widened in surprise as she realized she was tightly wrapped under the dragon's wings. The warmth she felt came from the dragon's body heat.
[Anna Hathaway's Favorability +20. Current Favorability: -10 (Incredulous)]
Her mouth tasted bitter—it was the flavor of herbs. Scattered around her were some berries, the source of the sweet taste she vaguely remembered earlier.
The black dragon lay sprawled beside her, its massive head resting near her legs. She could faintly smell the scent of herbs near its mouth, and upon closer inspection, she noticed traces of crushed herbs and berry pulp at the corners of its lips.
Was it the dragon that fed her the herbs and berries?
Anna didn't feel embarrassed or disgusted. Instead, an indescribable feeling welled up in her heart. After all, it wasn't a person who had fed her—it was a dragon.
Rather than feeling shy, she was more surprised and grateful.
[Anna Hathaway's Favorability +20. Current Favorability: 10 (Friendly)]
[System Notification: Favorability has reached the first stage requirement. Congratulations, Host, on acquiring the ability Basic Devour. You have also earned 2,000 system points.]
[Basic Devour: Consuming food rapidly restores stamina and grants a minor self-healing effect. However, this comes with increased appetite.]
[System Notification: Skill has been solidified.]
The system's notifications chimed endlessly, but Su Nian, still unconscious, remained oblivious to everything.
"Mr. Dragon?"
Anna weakly extended her soft hand and gently touched Su Nian, only to find that the dragon remained motionless, as if lifeless.
"Mr. Dragon, wake up!"
Her voice was louder this time, but the black dragon showed no reaction.
Panic surged within her as she carefully examined the dragon's condition. She noticed the numerous wounds covering its body, and her heart ached.
When the black dragon had abducted her, it had shielded her from the attacks of human mages. Was it now succumbing to its injuries?
Had it died?
It had been fine just moments ago, so why…?
Anna's expression grew increasingly worried. She lay on the ground, pressing her ear against the dragon's chest to listen intently.
"Thump… thump…"
The heartbeat was faint—barely audible.
Although Anna didn't know much about dragons, she understood comparisons. When the black dragon had been active, its powerful heartbeat had resonated throughout the lair whenever it was quiet.
Now, it was clear that the black dragon had fallen unconscious for some unknown reason. She could also feel its body growing colder.
If she did nothing, the dragon would likely die.
On the other hand, this was her best chance to escape the dragon's lair.
But Anna dismissed the thought immediately.
Not only had the black dragon saved her, but she was also still gravely ill and shackled with heavy chains. Where could she possibly escape to?
Instead of fleeing, she decided to try helping the black dragon survive its crisis. Even if she didn't have long to live, at least she would have done something meaningful before her end.
With great effort, Anna sat up. Her body temperature had mostly returned to normal, and she felt a bit stronger. Though the chains on her wrists and ankles were heavy, she could barely manage to move.
She had no way to search for food outside; she wouldn't make it far before succumbing to her illness.
Anna could only gather the scattered berries on the ground. Straining to lift the dragon's massive head, she crushed the berries with all her strength and fed the sweet juice into its mouth.
By the time she finished, Anna was utterly exhausted.
A layer of sweat covered her body, and her mind grew hazy once more.
"Mr. Dragon, I'm sorry… This is all I can do for you."
"Your body is so cold… Is it because of the cold?"
Anna murmured softly, feeling a deep sense of helplessness.
She gently cradled the dragon's head in her arms. Compared to her petite frame, the dragon's body—over four meters long with a wingspan of seven to eight meters—was massive. Holding just its head was already her limit.
She hoped her warmth could offer the dragon some comfort.
"Cough, cough…"
The illness flared up again, causing Anna to cough violently. Bright red blood stained her princess dress as her frail body trembled in pain, her insides feeling as though they were being pierced by needles.
After the ordeal, Anna's lips turned blue, and her face grew deathly pale.
She glanced weakly at the dragon in her arms, her soft hand gently stroking its sharp horns. With a silent prayer in her heart, her vision darkened, and she slipped back into unconsciousness.
The poor girl, having just regained consciousness, fainted once more.
She was far too weak, and even the act of feeding Su Nian the berries had drained her completely, triggering the symptoms of her illness.
Under normal circumstances, both Su Nian and Anna would have perished in the cave. The berries Anna fed him were far from enough to make a difference.
But Su Nian's cautiousness had saved him.
Of course, the key was the special ability Anna had provided.
Fortunately, Su Nian had chosen to fill his stomach first, giving his new ability a chance to shine.
[Basic Devour] was now rapidly digesting the meat in his stomach, and his body had begun to heal.
Before long…
"Thump, thump…"
The slow, weak heartbeat grew stronger, and the wounds on Su Nian's body began to scab over and regenerate. However, the process abruptly stopped.
The food had been fully digested, and the self-healing effect ceased.
Even so, Su Nian's injuries were mostly healed.
Dragons naturally possessed a degree of regenerative ability. With his current condition, he was no longer hindered in movement or combat.
A surge of overwhelming hunger jolted Su Nian awake.
"Damn, I'm starving! Didn't I just eat?"
Su Nian felt as though he hadn't eaten in three days. His dragon stomach growled thunderously, and every cell in his body screamed for food.
And there, right before him, was a delicious-looking meal.
A tender, delectable elven girl.
Wouldn't it be worth a taste?
The dragon's primal hunger and bloodlust tempted Su Nian's will, but he quickly suppressed the urge.
The pitiful Anna was still clinging to his head, and her Favorability had already reached 12.
No matter how hungry he was, he couldn't eat his SSR. """