Asher sighed, prying Cua off him. "Alright, enough of that. If you're coming with us, you need to be prepared."
Cua beamed. "Of course, Father! I've already packed everything!"
Serena tilted her head. "Wait… packed? What exactly does a dragon pack?"
Cua grinned and snapped his fingers. A magic circle glowed beneath him, and a mountain of treasure appeared—gold coins, enchanted artifacts, weapons, and even a throne.
Asher facepalmed. "You can't just bring an entire hoard with you."
"But Father, how else will I survive?" Cua pouted.
Valeris chuckled from the doorway. "He's a dragon. Hoarding is in his nature."
Serena sighed. "At this rate, we'll be mistaken for traveling royalty."
Valeris smirked. "That might not be a bad thing. After all, you'll be stepping into dangerous territory. Cua is my heir. That means there will be those who want him dead."
Asher crossed his arms. "I figured as much."
Cua nodded, determination in his red eyes. "I'm ready! No matter what, I'll prove I'm worthy of being your son and heir to the throne!"
Asher groaned. "Stop calling me Father."
Valeris only laughed. "Good luck handling him."
"By the way, I was meaning to ask—what does the Dragon Academy even teach? I mean, don't dragons just grow stronger as long as they eat their fill?" Serena asked.
Valeris shook her head, her amusement evident. "It's a common misconception among humans," she said, waving a hand. "Though we dragons naturally grow in rank and strength, training is necessary to reach our peak. A trained dragon can defeat ten untrained ones."
Serena raised an eyebrow. "So what do they actually teach?"
"Combat techniques, advanced dragon magic, regeneration, mastery over body transformations, and other essential skills," Valeris explained.
Cua nodded eagerly. "Yes, Mother! I'll learn everything and become stronger!"
Valeris smirked. "Good. But remember, it's not just about strength. You'll also need to be cunning. If someone challenges you, make sure they regret it. And if they try to harm you, just rip off their heads and get stronger from devouring them."
"Wait, wait, wait! What the hell are you even saying?!" Asher nearly fell over from shock. "He's supposed to be learning, not turning into some ruthless killer!"
Valeris rolled her eyes. "A son of mine should know how to defend himself. Besides, if he wants a mate in the future, he needs to be the best. The best dragons attract the strongest mates, after all."
Asher groaned. "Please tell me you're joking."
Cua, meanwhile, was beaming. "Father, don't worry! I'll become the strongest and make you proud!"
Serena just sighed. "This is going to be a long journey."
Asher rubbed his temples, feeling an oncoming headache. "Great, so not only do I have to make sure he survives the Academy, but now I also have to make sure he doesn't turn into some bloodthirsty warlord?"
Valeris smirked. "Oh, Asher, you underestimate the importance of strength in our world. Weaklings get crushed. That's the natural order."
Serena crossed her arms. "And what about intelligence? Or strategy? Surely, not every dragon just goes around ripping people apart."
Valeris scoffed. "Of course not. The smartest ones rule over the strongest ones. Cunning is just as important as raw power. That's why Cua must learn both."
Cua, who had been puffing his chest out with pride, suddenly paled. "W-Wait, does that mean I have to study too?"
Asher grinned. "Oh yes, lots of studying. You're going to learn history, tactics, negotiation, and maybe even a little bit of human diplomacy." The source of this content is Novel~Fire. (n)et
Cua groaned, covering his face. "Noooo, I wanted to be cool and strong, not stuck reading books!"
Valeris chuckled. "Oh, you'll be strong. But a true ruler is not just a brute. If you want to be worthy of your heritage, you must excel in all areas."
Cua pouted. "Fine… but only if Father teaches me combat! I want to fight like him too!"
Asher blinked. "Me? But I'm human. My fighting style is completely different from a dragon's."
Valeris smirked. "Which is exactly why it'll be useful. You have unique abilities, and Cua should learn how to fight in unpredictable ways. A dragon who understands the strengths of humans will always have an advantage."
Serena nudged Asher with a grin. "Looks like you just got recruited as a combat instructor."
Asher sighed. "Great. So now I'm a babysitter, a butler, and a teacher. Anything else?"
Valeris tapped her chin. "Hmm, maybe a future true father if Cua loves you that much."
"WHAT?!" Asher and Serena shouted at the same time.
Cua just laughed. "Yes! Then I can have a little brother or sister too!"
"Is it that surprising? I need a strong mate, and despite being only at the Phantasmal Rank, I can see that you are strong as a Human at the stage of a 2nd-Rank Transcendent, even Dragons are not this strong at your rank. So, if you manage to reach the peak of world, you will be as strongest tahn anyone in this realm. I'll check your strength at that time—if you defeat me, I will be your wife. If not, well... I'll just have dinner."
She smirked as amusement rose on her face, while Cua paled. "No, Mother! You can't eat Father!"
Valeris rolled her eyes. "I meant I will just have another lonely dinner without any mate," she said, snorting.
Asher let out an exasperated sigh. "Why does everything with you dragons have to be about strength and fighting?"
Valeris smirked. "Because strength is what defines us. A weak dragon is nothing more than prey. We don't have the luxury of weakness like you humans."
Serena crossed her arms. "Still, that doesn't mean you can just declare Asher your mate like that. He's not some prize to be won in battle!"
Valeris shrugged. "I never said he was. I simply offered a challenge—if he's strong enough, he can have me. If not, then I move on. Simple."
Cua, still looking uneasy, clung to Asher's arm. "Father, you have to win! I don't want you to be eaten!"
Asher rubbed his temples. "For the last time, no one is getting eaten!" He shot a glare at Valeris. "And I never agreed to this fight in the first place!"