After reaching that conclusion, Gauss subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
Though the words "true dragon" and "dragon beast" differed by only one character, and both were born of dragon mothers, they could almost be considered two entirely different kinds of creatures.
True dragons were an intelligent race, while dragon beasts were more like powerful beasts with the appearance of dragons.
The former possessed extraordinary intelligence. They could contemplate philosophy, master languages, and cast all manner of complex magic. They could do everything humans could do, and in most cases, do it better. The only question was whether they were willing to invest the time.
The latter were more like cunning beasts, such as wolves and tigers. Their behavior was largely governed by instinct: hunting, fighting, defending their territory, and so on.
As for magic, dragon beasts might possess certain innate breath abilities, such as breathing fire, spitting acid, or exhaling ice. These were more like physiological abilities, and in general, their intelligence wasn't enough to let them learn more profound and mysterious magic.
True dragons, however, were born Spellcasters. As they grew older, they would naturally master a great many spells, even if they spent most of their lives sleeping—from insignificant little tricks to powerful magic capable of destroying cities.
Why could Gauss make that judgment about the creature before him?
Because the way it looked and behaved didn't seem like a true dragon. Its roar and its movements both made it seem like a beast with little intelligence.
If it was a dragon beast, then all the questions from before suddenly made sense.
Why were so many Kobolds gathered here? Why were these wild monsters so tame and orderly? Why were the Kobolds constantly collecting ore and smelting it? The answer to all of it was the dragon