Chapter 52: Master, Let's Talk About Magic

Anna tilted her delicate face upward, her fair cheeks tinged with a faint blush.

Though she was already an adult, the soft peach fuzz on her face was still visible under the dim light.

Her adorable almond-shaped eyes glimmered with anticipation and joy, a hint of tears pooling in their watery depths.

The sweet dimples on her cheeks were utterly enchanting.

Her fluffy little ears twitched slightly, trembling with excitement.

Looking at the charming and lovable Anna, who was reaching out her tiny hands toward him, Su Nian felt as if his heart had been struck by Cupid's arrow.

A tingling warmth spread through him.

Forget about eating potato fries—he wanted to devour Anna right now!

Cackling to himself, Su Nian made up his mind. Without hesitation, he scooped Anna into his arms and began licking her face in his own unique way.

He had no choice, really.

After all, he was still a massive dragon and hadn't yet reached the stage where he could take on a humanoid form.

Even when he had treated Anna's illness earlier, it had been quite the challenge. Kissing her? That was simply out of the question.

So, licking her face would have to do. Besides, Anna hadn't shown any signs of objection before.

Her soft, collagen-rich cheeks were not only tender but also delightfully elastic and smooth.

It was pure bliss, an unparalleled joy.

As Su Nian's tongue swept across her face, Anna's grip on her fried potato stick faltered. The snack flew out of her hand, sparking a chaotic scramble among the gnolls in the dragon's lair. A full-blown brawl ensued.

And it wasn't just the gnolls vying for the snack.

A kobold, Bolikri, seized the opportunity.

Clutching the fry in its mouth, Bolikri slyly crawled out from the melee of gnolls, chewing noisily as it went.

In just a few bites, the fry was gone, and Bolikri let out a satisfied whimper.

"Oh, Great Master, your creation, your magnificent food—it's truly divine!"

The kobold chieftain Bolikri wasn't particularly eloquent, so this was the best way it could express its reverence and admiration.

[Bolikri's Favorability +2]

Su Nian, however, paid no attention to the fact that his first subordinate's favorability had reached 99.

At the moment, he was too busy holding Anna and continuing his "face-washing" session.

"Ahh~ Brother, Anna's face is ticklish... It tickles! Stop it, you're so annoying!"

Anna's cheeks flushed a deep red as she protested in a soft, sweet voice. It didn't sound like a reprimand at all; if anything, it was more like she was acting coy.

She feebly pushed against Su Nian's massive dragon face, but her resistance was futile.

Even when she tried to cover her face with her hands, it was no use.

Su Nian would simply lick her soft little hands along with her face.

"Cackle... You said no more than five face-washes a day, slurp."

"But I can do five in a second. What's the problem?"

"Slurp."

...

Five minutes later.

Su Nian finally stopped his "face-washing" antics.

Anna, now clinging to his neck with a pout, softly pleaded with him, "Brother, Anna's hungry. I haven't even had a chance to eat the fries you made..."

Reluctantly, Su Nian suppressed his instincts and refrained from licking her further.

The earlier batch of fries had fallen to the ground and been devoured by Bolikri.

Anna had no choice but to grab a fresh fry.

One hand cautiously shielded her face, leaving only her wide, innocent eyes visible.

With her other hand, she held out the fry, dipped it in some sauce, and extended it toward Su Nian.

"Be good, Brother~ Say 'Ahh—'"

"Cackle cackle cackle..."

...

Anna thoroughly enjoyed her fries.

In more ways than one, whether it was being held and kissed or savoring the delicious food, it was clear how much she meant to Su Nian.

This filled Anna's heart with a sense of security.

Having cried all afternoon, she soon began to drift off to sleep, her long lashes fluttering as her head bobbed drowsily.

Even so, Su Nian insisted on feeding her some medicinal herbs for her illness before gently coaxing her to sleep.

Since he had promised Anna he would always keep her close, Su Nian wrapped the sleeping girl in soft pelts and a bear-skin blanket, securing her snugly against his chest. Only then did he quietly crawl out of the dragon's lair.

The cool night breeze of early autumn ruffled a few strands of Anna's hair, brushing lightly against Su Nian's chest and tickling him.

He adjusted the coverings around Anna to ensure she was warm.

After all, he'd heard that sleeping in a draft could easily lead to a cold. He wasn't sure if this was true in this otherworld, but he wasn't taking any chances.

Carefully, he climbed up the rocky walls outside the lair.

In the distance, the kobolds were still hard at work on the Flame Arrow Tower, the clinking of their tools echoing in the night.

The tower was beginning to take shape, resembling the human arrow towers from Warcraft, but it was clearly taller and more majestic.

Whether it would function automatically or require a magical creature to operate remained to be seen.

Su Nian didn't approach; he merely observed from afar.

In a few hours, the tower would be complete.

But Su Nian decided he would check it out in the morning.

After surveying the tower, Su Nian made his way to the stream where the Rock-Helmed Crocodiles resided.

As soon as Renekton spotted the black dragon, it bounded over like an overexcited husky, wagging its tail and bellowing, "Oh, Great Master! I... Ow!"

Su Nian raised a massive claw and smacked Renekton on the head with a resounding "thud," silencing the crocodile's outburst.

Renekton whimpered in pain, its eyes welling up as if it were about to cry gravel.

"Mm... Hmm..."

Anna stirred in her sleep, her soft lips pouting as she shifted slightly, her tiny hands wrapping more tightly around Su Nian's neck. Fortunately, she didn't wake up.

"Shh!"

Su Nian gestured for Renekton to lower its voice.

The two massive beasts then huddled together by the stream, their heads close and their tails in the air, whispering in hushed tones:

"Apologies, Great Master. I didn't realize your... female was resting..."

"...(?_?)"

Su Nian was momentarily speechless. He couldn't be bothered to correct Renekton; after all, the term was technically accurate, albeit a bit primitive.

"No matter. I came here tonight to check on your living conditions and to give you some instructions."

Renekton nodded enthusiastically, its eyes brimming with joy as it replied in its simple-minded manner, "Great Master, we are very comfortable here. This stream is full of prey, much better than the swamp we lived in before. We can even lay more crocodile eggs in the future."

"Good," Su Nian nodded slightly before issuing a low command:

"Starting tomorrow morning, you and the others will join the other creatures in running laps around the lair—five kilometers."

"What? Too slow?"

"Even if you're slow, you still have to finish. No excuses."

Su Nian didn't hesitate to smack Renekton on the head again.

Of all his subordinates, only the Rock-Helmed Crocodiles could withstand such treatment. Any other creature would have been crushed under his claws.

"After the run, you'll do push-ups and sit-ups. The dogs will teach you how."

"I expect you to eventually outrun the Spearboars on land. This isn't a high bar, so put in the effort."

"Great Master, this..."

Renekton glanced at its short, stubby limbs, looking a bit troubled as it tried to negotiate.

But before it could finish its sentence, Su Nian interrupted with another resounding smack.

The black dragon's face was a picture of menace as it spread its wings wide. Its dark golden eyes radiated imperial authority and oppressive power, while its muscular frame cast a massive shadow under the moonlight.

Renekton took one look and immediately prostrated itself on the ground.

The black dragon's deep, demonic growl rumbled in its ears:

"Obey my orders."

...

Meanwhile, in Sakura Island's Sixth Novice Village.

Under the same moonlight, a seductive figure slipped into Grand Mage Mesent's quarters.

Mei Magogoko bit her red lips, her gaze filled with both shyness and anticipation as she looked at Mesent. In a soft, coquettish voice, she murmured, "Master, Magogoko is here to discuss magic with you~"

"""

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