"Bold Aemon"

A huge, blood-red maw opened wide, spewing blazing orange dragonfire that illuminated the entire gloomy space.

In an instant, the temperature around them soared.

Before the Dragonkeepers could prepare themselves, the dragonfire swept toward them in a fan-shaped blast.

"Ah!!"

Startled cries rose one after another as they fled in panic through the orange firelight and billowing smoke.

"Aemon, run!"

Quick to react, Rhaenyra grabbed his little hand and turned to flee.

But no matter how she pulled, she could not move him.

Aemon stood rooted to the spot, staring fixedly ahead.

"Screech!!"

The flames vanished in an instant, revealing the Pale blue Dragon's true form as it let out a sharp, warning roar.

Like an enraged beast guarding its territory, it drove away all intruders.

Aemon's breathing hitched as he refused, "Wait, Rhaenyra."

He had seen clearly that it was not pursuing them.

"What?" Rhaenyra was stunned.

"Princess, Prince, for your safety, you should keep some distance."

The elderly Dragonkeeper hurried back, the little white hair he had left singed into a scorched clump.

The other Dragonkeepers, shaken with fright, scrambled to their feet and barely managed to maintain their formation.

Aemon's little face tightened, his mind entirely focused on the dragon rather than the people around him.

Clatter, clatter!

The chains rattled incessantly, making noise with every breath the Pale blue Dragon took.

By the faint firelight, he finally saw everything clearly.

Within the dark cavern—

It was a slender light-blue dragon traced with silver lines, bearing a majestic crown of pale horns. Its light-blue wings and silver dorsal scales resembled the sky itself.

"A second-generation dragon of the family, Dreamfyre!" Aemon's cheeks flushed, and his heart pounded wildly.

Boom!

Dreamfyre took a step forward, her amber vertical pupils filled with vigilance.

These little bugs had stepped into her territory.

"So big!" Aemon was so excited that he wanted to climb on and fly a lap right then and there.

The Pale blue Dragon before him was gorgeous. Even with her body lowered, she nearly filled the cavern; she was definitely over fifty meters long.

She might not stand out among second-generation dragons, but the devastation she could cause was unimaginable.

"Aemon, do you still want to try?"

Rhaenyra kept tugging at him without success, afraid that the moment she let go, he would rush forward.

Of course!

Before seeing Dreamfyre, he had thought that a dragon imprisoned for decades might not suit him.

But now that they faced each other from afar, all his hesitation had been wiped away by her beautiful appearance.

"Let me try."

Aemon took a deep breath and asked the elderly Dragonkeeper, "Dreamfyre didn't continue attacking. Can you calm her down?"

The elderly Dragonkeeper's expression was grave, but he nodded. "We'll do our best."

He instructed the still-shaken Dragonkeepers to retrieve their bamboo poles and inch closer to the dragon.

Dreamfyre was very temperamental and flew into rages from time to time.

But the Dragonkeepers had to feed her livestock regularly, so they could always approach her.

Her sudden fury this time might have been because there were too many people.

To avoid casualties, all the Dragonkeepers became even more cautious.

"Stand farther back first."

Aemon was unusually serious as he pushed Rhaenyra toward the wall.

Dragons were dangerous. That much had been obvious from before.

Rhaenyra opened her mouth, but the tiny Aemon firmly ushered her to safety. Her initial resistance turned into astonishment at his surprising strength.

On the other side, as a soothing High Valyrian Song was hummed, the agitated dragon gradually set aside her hostility.

Boom!

Dreamfyre shook her head and lowered her massive body to the ground.

The elderly Dragonkeeper cautiously approached. Only after confirming that the dragon would not suddenly attack did he call in a low voice, "Prince, you may come over now."

Hearing that, Aemon encouraged himself.

"Don't be afraid. She won't eat you."

He patted the trembling Cowardly Mouse in his backpack and walked forward on his short little legs.

The process went smoothly. Dreamfyre lay motionless atop a pile of rubble, as though she had exhausted all her strength.

"What should I do?"

After moving closer, Aemon sensibly sought advice.

Reality was not a book or a film, where taming dragons was portrayed as something so simple.

He was only a child, nowhere near as experienced as the Dragonkeepers who guarded the dragonpit.

The elderly Dragonkeeper stood far away and lowered his voice. "You need to stand before the dragon and raise your hand."

To avoid provoking the dragon, he explained as quickly as possible.

If she did not attack, then he should try climbing onto her back. If she still did not reject him, he would be eighty percent successful.

For the rest, he only had to ride the dragon into the skies.

"I understand."

Aemon gritted his teeth, puffed out his chest, and slowly raised his palm.

His little hand was white and chubby, like a freshly harvested lotus root.

Yet he raised it bravely toward those indifferent eyes.

"Roar!"

Dreamfyre glanced at him, a series of low growls squeezing from her throat as she turned her head away.

A boring human hatchling. She could not be bothered with him.

Aemon froze when he saw that, then hurried after her. "Look at me, Dreamfyre."

Wasn't he supposed to climb onto her back if she did not reject him, and get roasted if she did?

What did it mean that such a huge dragon would not even look at him?

Dreamfyre's vertical pupils were cold, like an aloof beauty who kept strangers at arm's length, and she turned her head to the other side again.

He was not her type. She did not like him!

"You!!"

Aemon's eyes widened. Today, he was determined to take her on.

When Dreamfyre's head was on the left, he ran to the left with his hand raised. When she moved her head to the right, he chased after her with his hand raised.

She shifted, and he pursued. She was chained down and could not fly away.

"Huff, huff~~"

After chasing her around several times, Aemon was panting from exhaustion. His raised little hand trembled. "Dreamfyre, what do you want before you'll agree!?"

This was nothing like the grand dragon-taming scene he had imagined.

Not even a little!

At last, through his tireless efforts, Aemon successfully provoked Dreamfyre.

"Screech!!"

Dreamfyre abruptly rose, her light-blue wings braced against the rubble-strewn ground as she lowered her head and roared viciously.

Damned human hatchling. If she had not caught the scent of the same bloodline as her former owner, she would have roasted him with a mouthful of dragonfire long ago.

"She's so strong!"

Aemon squeezed his eyes shut against the scorching, foul-smelling gale, his skin stinging with pain.

Even so, he did not retreat a single step.

If she had not attacked him, then he still had a chance.

"Roar!"

Dreamfyre was completely fed up. She lowered her head and rammed her snout into the human hatchling's stomach, knocking him away.

"That hurts!"

Pain shot through Aemon's soft little belly. He somehow managed to roll backward across the ground before landing seated with his legs splayed apart.

When he opened his eyes again, Dreamfyre had already turned to leave.

Aemon immediately panicked. Without thinking, he chased after her. "Don't go! I'll take you out to enjoy the blue skies and white clouds."

Dreamfyre's body paused slightly before she left without a trace of hesitation.

Humans chose dragons, but dragons also chose their riders.

Her first owner had been a young and beautiful girl—at least she had been when dragon and rider first met.

"Don't go!"

Aemon did not understand where he had gone wrong. He ran after her on his short little legs and threw his arms around the thick Dragon Claw covered in light-blue scales.

That action terrified everyone present.

"Aemon!!"

Rhaenyra cried out in alarm. Somehow finding the courage, she rushed over like the wind and grabbed the back of his collar.

He was the one she had brought out.

How could he be so reckless?

Aemon was already exhausted, and she dragged him away by the back of his collar.

The Dragonkeepers did not dare delay. They hurried forward to shield the two royals and carefully backed away.

One extra chapter today!

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