VBNWDW - Chapter 91
Chapter 91
The dragon's return was not at a good time. Or perhaps, it was all too perfect a time.
As the moon hung above the castle, a breeze rustled through the dense ivy. Closed morning glories swayed, awaiting the morrow's bloom.
Amidst the scattered clouds, the ten-meter-long black dragon blurred for an instant before landing on the edge of a stone windowsill. Its claws gripped the stone wall firmly, its entire body hidden outside. It shook its head before daring to peer inside.
Having snuck back, after all, it finally remembered what it felt like to be guilty.
Soft light glowed within the room. Through a white curtain that fluttered in the wind, the scene inside was intermittently revealed.
A thick, soft magical beast pelt had been fashioned into a small, round nest. A dragon egg, slightly smaller than a basketball, rested securely inside. Black and white flame patterns covered the off-white shell, resembling a profound and intricate spell, or perhaps the white fire that once followed the dragon.
The gilded beastly eyes shifted. The claws gripping the wall unconsciously tightened, carving a sizable hollow into the stone.
Beside the dragon egg's nest, Metis wore only a light gray silk nightgown. Perhaps because she had worn her long hair up all day, it now fell in large, soft waves, half-shrouding the fair skin of her shoulders and neck, which were held only by thin straps.
She had grown a bit thinner than before, her charming features now tinged with a hint of fragility, as well as the tender gentleness of new motherhood.
Unaware of the observer outside, Metis lowered her head, her eyes downcast and her brow tightly furrowed, as if facing some great difficulty.
The dragon couldn't help but follow her gaze downward. Where the silk rose and fell, dark, circular water stains had appeared. In that particular spot, highlighted by the gray fabric, they were especially conspicuous.
This was…
A flicker of confusion crossed the gilded eyes. This was knowledge the dragon had never learned.
But seeing the Queen's unsurprised expression, it seemed she had experienced this many times before. She was troubled, but not bewildered.
A human body couldn't possibly know whether it would give birth to a dragon egg or a dragon hatchling. When the long pregnancy ended, certain natural reactions occurred, such as the milk meant for the child.
As an advanced mage, Metis's body was very healthy. Though she had lost weight from the birth, she was still much better off than an ordinary person. Thus, there was no issue of having too little; in fact, one could say she had a bit too much. After all, the dragon hatchling who was supposed to be enjoying it was still trapped inside its shell, willing but unable.
Therefore, this matter caused Metis a great deal of trouble. Not only did she experience constant aching and swelling, but she also had to wear an extra layer to hide the damp spots that appeared from time to time. And at night, there was one more thing to take care of.
She swept her long hair to one side, pulled down the thin strap on her fair shoulder, and then took a hot towel from a basin of water. After wringing it out, she gently placed it over the area.
The waning moon above the castle was obscured by clouds, casting the surroundings into deeper shadow. It concealed the black dragon clinging to the wall; a casual glance would mistake it for a unique statue on the castle.
The black dragon's breathing unconsciously softened. Its gilded eyes watched the scene inside without blinking, like a diligent student committing their teacher's every step to memory.
The white towel was still steaming, warming the porcelain-white skin until it flushed crimson.
"Hiss…"
In the silent night, every sound became clear.
The Queen frowned, lifting the towel slightly before pressing it down again. The draped nightgown creased into messy folds, and the damp stain spread.
The hot towel was tossed back into the basin. The hand that the dragon had once held in its palm now rested on herself again, moving in gentle circles from bottom to top. Occasionally, some disobedient softness would spill from between her well-proportioned fingers, more dazzling than the moonlight outside.
The curved claws couldn't help but dig inward. Small stones broke loose and fell, making a soft, crumbling sound.
The dragon's breath hitched. Looking back inside, it saw that Metis had already pulled the strap back up and was looking toward the window with alarm.
"Who's there!"
She reached out to embrace the dragon egg beside her, pulling it behind her.
Knowing it could no longer hide, the black dragon quickly slipped inside. "Metis, it's me," it said hurriedly.
The hasty creature looked a little disheveled, its swishing tail seeming to curry favor.
"I'm back…" It blinked. Even having deliberately shrunk its body, it was still far larger than any other animal and instantly took up half the room. Yet this massive creature somehow seemed smaller than Metis, its tail wagging nonstop.
The Queen was stunned at first, then realization dawned, and a helpless smile appeared on her face. "You snuck back?"
She seemed a little surprised, but accepted it quickly.
The black dragon, however, grew uneasy. It hooked its tail around her ankle and asked cautiously, "You're not angry?"
"What is there to be angry about?" The Queen looked at it, the light in her eyes shimmering like a clear autumn lake.
The dragon's tail tightened uncertainly, its fine scales pressing against her calf with a cool touch.
"Because I snuck back," the black dragon offered as a reason for her to be angry.
In the past, whenever it made a mistake, it would roll around and act shamelessly to gloss over its faults. To think it was now confessing on its own initiative. Could this be the change that came with motherhood?
Metis laughed, her voice gentle. "And what could I do about it? Could I break your wings and send you back?"
She knew she had been unfair. Yueqing had clearly wanted to stay by her side, but she had pushed her away and sent her to the border.
She felt she had deprived Yueqing of the complete experience of becoming a mother, and for that, Metis felt guilty.
The great dragon looked up, its gaze falling on Metis's slender arms and legs. Then, it shook its head affirmatively. "You can't break my wings. Not even with a sword."
The dragon was suddenly being serious at the most inappropriate time. It then glanced at the thick carpet covering the floor and said, "There's no need for all this. It would be fine even if it fell off the bed. A dragon egg's shell can easily withstand magical attacks below the fourth tier. Otherwise…"
The dragon glanced at the egg and added, "…it wouldn't be unable to get out."
For a hatchling, the egg is more of a protective mechanism. The incredibly fragile young dragon is sheltered within the hard shell, where it must rest and sleep well to grow scales and sharp claws. Only then can it break the shell and poke its head out.
It caught the Queen's disapproving look, so it changed the subject and added, "You can wipe its shell often. After all, its first meal after hatching will be this very shell."
A young dragon's shell is a bit like a magical beast's core. After exhausting itself to poke its head out, the shell is the best supplement to replenish its strength.
Yueqing didn't know if things like bacteria existed in this Western fantasy world, but she felt a clean shell would probably taste a little better.
Hearing this, the Queen's expression softened slightly, and she nodded.
And just like that, the topic was changed.
The triumphant dragon spoke again, this time with more worry in its voice. "Our child might be a little weak."
It recalled, "I was twice its size back then, and my aura was much stronger."
The dragon extended a claw and cautiously touched the egg. "Its aura is very faint, but it's still healthy. It just needs to rest for a while longer. It might take a long time for it to hatch."
Metis's heart leaped into her throat again, a trace of worry on her face.
Seeing this, the dragon comforted her, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. No matter how weak it is, it's still much stronger than you. What you should worry about is whether it will be so excited when it hatches that it sends you flying with a pounce."
Metis: "…"
She twitched the corner of her mouth, struggling to erase the image from her mind. Her voice was stiff. "Are you done looking? If you are, then go back."
The great dragon blinked. Space distorted for an instant, and a beauty with silver hair and dark skin appeared, walking barefoot on the carpet toward Metis.
She wore the same black dress, but now it was adorned with several layered, fine gold chains, embellished with turquoise, rubies, and sapphires. They swayed as she walked, accentuating her dark skin and giving her a more exotic allure.
It was a gift the Queen had commissioned artisans to craft for her some days ago.
Metis's eyelids fluttered. Her gaze fell downward, no longer looking at her.
Yueqing didn't mind. Instead, she walked to the basin of water that had been on her mind and picked up the damp towel.
The Queen instantly grew tense and snapped, "Put that down!"
But why would a dragon listen? Not only did she not put it down, she even lowered her head to smell it.
Her silver hair cascaded down as excess water dripped from her wrist into the basin, creating ripples.
Although the scent had faded, she could still smell a hint of milk.
Metis, both shy and annoyed, immediately raised a hand to snatch it away. But how could she be a match for a dragon? Her wrist was caught, and she was pulled closer.
Yueqing bent down, pressing their foreheads together. Her gilded eyes were filled with an obscure emotion as she asked in a hoarse voice, "Metis, what is this?"
How could she not know? She was doing it on purpose.
The Queen raised a hand to push her away but was pulled even closer. Their breaths mingled, searing hot.
Seeing that she didn't answer, the dragon asked a different question. "Is it very uncomfortable?"
She gently touched Metis's lips and said softly, "I'm sorry for making you go through such hardship."
Metis averted her gaze, not knowing what to say. "It's nothing," she managed.
Compared to other new mothers, Metis wasn't actually that tired. At least she didn't have a crying infant to care for at all hours. It was just that the physical troubles were unavoidable.
Yueqing pecked her on the lips again. "Then do you need my help?"
She added, "I think I've learned how."
Hearing this, Metis knew just how long the creature had been hiding outside watching. She wanted to glare at her but her lips were captured. A series of soft kisses fell, unlike their usual rough ones—they were light, carrying the dragon's guilt and heartache.
The kisses trailed downward. When they reached her neck, the Queen managed to regain some clarity. She gave her a push and said with difficulty, "Not yet."
Yueqing opened her eyes, a little bewildered. The fine chains on her body swayed, their jewels glittering.
"Not yet. At least not for another month," Metis had to explain again.
Although a mage's body was stronger and recovered more easily than an ordinary person's, one still had to be careful in this regard.
Yueqing finally understood and couldn't help but laugh. She said suddenly, "Your Majesty, I've already conquered three cities."
Metis naturally knew she was reminding her of their previous deal. She whispered, "I'll keep it in mind. We'll talk about it later."
The Queen's word was her bond; she wasn't like a certain someone who would shamelessly go back on their promises.
Yueqing didn't press the issue. She stood up, picked up the towel, and said, "First, a hot compress, right?"
Even if they weren't going to do that, she still had to "help" Metis solve her little problem.
Metis knew she couldn't stop her. After hesitating, she finally nodded.
She was lifted sideways onto Yueqing's lap. The thin strap fell once more, and the hot towel was applied again.
It was something she had done for herself countless times, yet with Yueqing's help, it felt somewhat awkward.
"Slower…" Metis bit her lower lip and turned her head to the side.
Yueqing was a good student who corrected her mistakes immediately. She instantly lightened her touch.
The slightly scalding towel reddened her fingertips, transferring its warmth and stirring some strange feelings.
"How about this?" Yueqing asked earnestly, her gilded eyes focused.
Metis could only nod. After a moment, she instructed, "That's enough."
The hot towel was tossed aside again. Yueqing mimicked Metis's earlier technique, massaging in circles from the bottom up.
It was strange. This sort of thing had happened before, but perhaps because it was so slow and gentle, it was hard to face it with composure.
When her fingertips reached the very top, Metis couldn't help but hiss, "It's… full…"
She hadn't dealt with it all day, and the dragon's sudden appearance had delayed it even longer. The aching fullness was becoming severe.
Yueqing frowned, released her hand, lowered her head, and gently bit down.
An adult knew how to control their strength better than an infant and wouldn't use too much force out of hunger. At first, she was cautious, daring only to suck a little at a time. Later, as she grew more skilled, she began to drink in large mouthfuls.
Her throat moved, the sound of swallowing especially distinct.
Metis clutched Yueqing's hair, her bent knuckles flushed red. But she couldn't bring herself to say anything to stop her. After all, she had been tormented by the painful fullness for so long, and Yueqing's method was much more relieving than when she was alone.
The dragon was a bit impatient, perhaps afraid that if she was too slow, the other side would remain uncomfortable. So she drank quickly, but her swallowing couldn't keep up, and some trickled from the corner of her mouth.
Metis saw it, raised a hand to wipe it away for her, and patted her head. "There's more," she said softly. "No need to rush."
She had clearly misunderstood, but Yueqing didn't correct her. It was indeed something to be rushed for—a taste that made a dragon linger and forget to return.
Her tongue curled around the slightly rougher area, and the milky white fluid flowed out freely, as if afraid its only customer would run away, gushing out nonstop.
Yueqing gripped her waist, not only thinking it wasn't too much, but pressing down as if it wasn't enough.
In her own youth, she had only had a hard eggshell to eat. She never expected that as an adult, she would get to enjoy the food of a human infant. It was far more delicious than an eggshell.
Silver hair tangled around fair knuckles, which tightened from time to time, leaving faint indentations on the skin.
This side was quickly finished, and the other was tended to in the same manner.
This taste was sweeter than any wine.
The great dragon thought to herself, her nose touching soft flesh as she buried her head down once more.
The wind burst through the open window, making the nearby dragon egg sway for a moment. Normally, Metis would have immediately covered the egg with a blanket, but now she didn't even notice, tightly holding Yueqing's head and pressing her into her embrace.
There was still too much. The amount that had accumulated over the past few days was too great; even with some relief, the problem couldn't be completely solved.
The fluid at the corner of her lips trickled down, following the line of her neck to pool in the hollow of her collarbone.
At first, Metis could still be bothered to wipe it away, but soon she no longer had the strength.
In the corridor not far away, Mo Wen walked by in her armor. She had been guarding this place for days to prevent any accidents or sneak attacks.
Fortunately, nothing of the sort had happened. Tonight was another perfectly calm night.
She passed by the Queen's chambers, feeling completely at ease.
The Purple Cloud Eagle, however, whose feathers had not yet fully grown in, glanced toward the door with a puzzled expression.
Why do I get the feeling… that dragon is back?
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