A blood-red haze shimmers across the water’s wall clutched by the dragon.

The pale moonlight fades as the sun rises from the west—an anomaly announcing just how long the dragon, who has reclaimed her place in nature, has remained here.

Giggle, giggle.

As she claps her hands, the harmonious flickers of flame wave toward the mother who gave them life, letting out mischievous laughter. The petty sparks begin to dance, decorating the stage and draping themselves in form.

• Hahaha!

• Hehehehe!

The low laughter of a child never ceases.

‘Hehehehe.’

She overlaps her hands and presses them together. A small performance unfolds within the Gold Light Dragon’s grasp.

‘He’ll stroke my head again, won’t he?’

Watching the theater, the young dragon wears a satisfied smile. Using her previous failures as a stepping stone, she has reached a realm where she can blend the elements.

Scritch, scratch—

She carves the prototype of the flame with the wind.

Zzzt—

She applies lightning as a power source for daily use, creating a blended doll that moves as if it were alive.

A mage who freely compounds and separates elements. This was a realm that even a mage with arch-tier prowess could never achieve. The Gold Light Dragon had stepped into a territory where even the dragons who claimed to be models of versatile omnipotence could not reach.

‘Hehe.’

Of course, she did it in her own whimsical way.

Clap!

A crisp sound of applause ripples across the lake. As the small palms meet, the shimmering doll vanishes in an instant, leaving only afterimages. As the flames die down, the Gold Light Dragon’s body begins to float. Releasing the attraction of her feet, she defies gravity and drifts softly into the sky.

Thrum—

Leaving the plains behind, she gradually floats toward the heavens.

‘He…’

The wingless dragon moves her body freely.

‘The lakeshore.’

She sets her bare feet upon the water’s surface.

Plip—

The moment the young girl’s feet touch, a shallow ripple flows out, announcing her landing. Having just drifted through the upper sky, the dragon was now walking upon the water.

Plip—

Plip—

With every step she takes, a ripple follows, sounding a cold, short note. Libera stops her pace and hesitates. The Gold Light Dragon bends her knees. She slowly raises her hands wide.

Pliiiip—

A long, resonant sound rings out as a massive, wave-like ripple spreads before the young dragon.

Fwoooo-sh!

The river water carves deep and splashes; the flowing current scatters into two paths. A waterway forms in the center of the lake, creating a spectacle akin to the miracle of Moses.

Drip.

Drip.

Large droplets of water soak the Gold Light Dragon’s head. Libera welcomes them joyfully. She performs a dance never seen before, moving upon the water.

‘Hung~ hu-hung~ hung.’

Recalling only her father’s warm, charcoal-colored eyes.

Splash.

‘Hung~ hehe~’

The dragon unintentionally lets out a clear, bright laugh.

In the beginning, Libera was a young dragon with less mana than a common mage. From the mercenaries passing through the bustling guild:

‘Is that the dropout…? The dragon exiled from her lair since birth.’

‘Tsk tsk. To think they call that thing a dragon.’

Among them, even the white-furred fox—whom the dragon hated most—mocked her.

‘Hello there~ third-rate dragon~ You’ve crawled out of the guild again with no shame, I see~?’

But that insignificant dragon was the first to realize the compounding of elements. The simpleton who couldn’t even cast basic magic for nearly a thousand years had, in just a few months, performed the miracle of Moses and the spectacle of erupting volcanoes.

It was from that moment on.

‘Oh my!! If it isn’t the famous Great Mage Libera-nim of the Edric Guild~???’

The attitudes of those who called her a dropout changed abruptly, and they began to exalt her.

‘It is truly an honor to meet the Great Half-God Dragon~~’

A noble baron with a greasy, curled mustache rubbed his hands together, showering her with flattery. It was obvious they had come hoping for a scrap of leftovers now that the dragon’s power was on the rise.

‘…’

It happened frequently. Since she succeeded in compounding elements, even more persistent pests arrived.

Turn.

When Libera suddenly turned her head away, the man clicked his tongue, stomped his foot in annoyance, and left the guild.

‘…Sigh.’

After the success of elemental compounding, the Magic Tower and the Ministry of Magic were all desperate to take Libera away. Day after day, they came to ask for her compounding methods. Sometimes, there were even those who tried to kidnap the frail-looking Libera.

…Well, there’s no need to explain what happened to them.

Libera was displeased. These were the people who ignored her when she needed help most. These were the ones who turned their backs when she pleaded. Now that they were bowing and scraping for her to teach them, Libera had nothing to give.

The young dragon shakes her head several times. The chalk in her hand is crushed and scatters in all directions.

‘…A bunch of clowns putting on a show.’

The only reason the dragon worked hard was that she wanted her father’s love. The only person who approached her when everyone else turned away. The savior who shared love with a dragon starving for affection and comforted her.

The reason the dragon continued her rapid progress despite repeated failures and fears was the Leader of the Edric Guild—Keyaru Klein. Now, nothing else mattered. Everything else was like useless junk. They avoid your eyes when you’re broken and approach without hesitation when you succeed.

He was the only one who saw her for who she was. Even if she failed and became a dropout, as long as the pillar that would eventually pick her up existed, that was enough. As long as she believed without a doubt that he would raise her again even if she fell, Libera could keep moving forward.

For Libera, who had long since surrendered her heart to him, the only thing she needed was the heart of that one person.

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The interest of hundreds or thousands of others was meaningless. And so, Libera let out a sigh today as she sent away those who had come to find her once again.

Swish.

As if nothing had happened, Libera opened the door wide, her eyes forming half-moons. Whenever she wandered along the path, she always saw the entrance leading to her father.

Crash! Shatter—

‘Master… Master… Master… Master… Wh… where are you…?’

The sound of breaking glass echoed through the partitioned building—until she heard a sobbing voice searching desperately through the cramped room.

‘Huh…?’

The dragon had been painting a comfortable paradise in her mind.

His scent had vanished. That fact made the dragon’s heart pound and burn.

‘Ugh… ugh…’

He said we’d be together forever. He promised with pinkies crossed. It was all a lie.

Thud—

Dropping to the floor, the dragon clutched her chaotic head and reached out toward the Elf wailing beyond the door. …Of course, there was no way she could reach her.

Dragging her red eyes along, she scanned outside the window. Putting her hands on the ground in a beast-like stance, the Fox was scouring the area with her nine tails swaying.

Tearing through the mountains.

Rumble.

Cleaving through the water.

Swish.

Furthermore, she pulverized the ground, glaring as she searched for her master.

‘Captain! Captain! Where are you! You’re joking, right~? R-Right?!’

Ignoring her own wounds, she was forcing her trembling hands to strike. In the places the Fox had passed, only four different-shaped footprints and the traces of a gale remained.

The Fox must have known. As a canine, a remarkable Yoho who handles spiritual power, she must have known early on that his traces were erased and his scent had left the world. Because she knew, she burst out of the guild faster than anyone. And to desperately deny it, she was torturing her own body to find him.

The Gold Light Dragon turned her gaze from the window. Moving her hands from the door, she sat with her back against the wall, staring up into the void.

‘……’

What did she do wrong to make the Captain leave? Was it because she fought with the Fox out of petty pride? Was it because everything she cultivated was pathetic?

….If not that, was it that he just didn’t need anything anymore?

The dragon rubs her eyes, her red gaze glowing.

Drip.

The fallen droplets slowly soak into the floor, just like the dragon’s swirling emotions.

‘Hic… ugh…’

Losing her place to lean on and becoming a loner once again, the dragon sobs.

Drip, drip.

A dark night.

The dragon, who had been watching the dream, wakes up with a short mutter.

“….”

She rubs her eyes, her red gaze glowing.

Slide.

She gets up from the bed and wipes away her flowing tears.

‘Hic…’

She looks down with a yearning gaze at her father sleeping soundly beside her and the sister who has taken the spot next to him.

‘…’

Lest she wake them, she steadies her parched throat and holds her breath, eventually lying back down on the bed.

Flump.

The dragon shifts her body. Stretching out her arm, she slowly places her hand on the cheek of her sleeping father and lets the corners of her mouth rise. In a low voice, she whispers to her sleeping father.

“Thank you for coming back, Papa.”