The Black Dragon Lady Refuses to Be a Mount

The applause beneath the podium was earth-shaking.

No one knew that the beautiful young teacher they admired and respected had been male in her previous life and liked women. Of course, no one cared.

The teacher was simply too alluring. Everyone spoke of respecting their teacher, yet each harbored improper thoughts deep down.

One day, Ruan Qian, a bottom-ranking girl, leaned against the corridor railing and casually said to her companion, "The prettiest teacher? Of course it's Teacher Tong. If I were her boyfriend..."

What followed was a string of unspeakable remarks.

"And you? Why are you spacing out?"

"Just now... Teacher Tong was standing behind you."

Calamity Descends: Keep Going, Don't Stop

Back when Ailolin had yet to learn how to take human form, she had wanted to pet wolves. Now, she had finally fulfilled that wish.

Under her gentle caresses, Sulana's earlier resentment gradually faded away as well.

"Hmph, at least you knew to come back. I'll forgive you, then."

In Sulana's eyes, although Ailolin had returned a little late, it was still within an acceptable range.

"Where's Xiya? Why don't I see her?" Ailolin asked, stopping her petting.

"Keep petting. Don't stop." Sulana grabbed Ailolin's hand and placed it atop her own head before answering, "Xiya went to explore some ruins with a friend. She won't be back for several months."

Image: "It's a cat, but the meaning is the same." Location: "Images/1595973940-100182536-105724608.jpg"

"When did she leave?"

"A few days ago."

"..."

Well then, if she had come back a little earlier, she probably would have seen Xiya.

Come to think of it, Ailolin truly had not expected Sulana to take human form. Looking at the adorable little wolf girl before her, it was hard to connect her with that foolish wolf from before.

She was so cute. Her ears and tail were both fluffy, and Ailolin wanted to keep petting her forever...

But Ailolin still had something important to do.

"Guoguo, do you know which country Likaro went to?"

"Do you want to find her? She told me some information before she left..."

Sulana told Ailolin where the country Likaro had mentioned was located. It was a kingdom that could only be reached by crossing the Eastern Mountains and then heading north.

"The Lumbart Kingdom? East of the mountains?"

So, over the years, had the Empire found a way to cross the mountains?

According to Sulana, the Lumbart Kingdom was situated on fertile plains. Its people excelled at fighting on horseback and possessed a long tradition of knighthood.

No wonder Likaro had gone there. It was clearly the best place for her to fulfill her dream.

What Ailolin could not understand was that Likaro's father was clearly a great noble of the Empire. If so, why not become a knight in the Empire?

With her father's influence, anything she wanted to do could have been accomplished with ease.

Could it be that she thought there was no challenge in the Empire?

Given Likaro's personality, that might really have been the case.

After thinking it over, Ailolin ultimately decided to go to the Lumbart Kingdom and look for Likaro.

Although finding someone in this other world with such poor communication was like looking for a needle in a haystack, Ailolin would be able to find Likaro as long as she made a name for herself.

After all, female knights were rare to begin with. Anyone would remember one deeply.

Still, Ailolin was genuinely a little worried about Likaro. The outside world was dangerous, full of deception and scheming.

With Likaro's innocent nature, could she really take care of herself?

Likaro was only seventeen. Humans in this other world might mature earlier, but in Ailolin's eyes, seventeen was still a little young.

Night was approaching when Sulana hugged Ailolin's arm and swayed it. "Stay in the forest and play with me for a few days~"

Ailolin found it difficult to refuse her request.

After all, with Xiya gone, there was probably not even anyone in the forest for Sulana to talk to. She would surely be terribly lonely.

Likaro was Ailolin's good friend, but so was Sulana. The two of them had accompanied Ailolin through her earliest days, and it was impossible for Ailolin to decide who mattered more.

But at least Ailolin had already seen Sulana. As for Likaro, she did not even know where she was now.

"Hmph, you hesitated." Sulana puffed out her cheeks.

"No, I was just..."

"Stupid dragon, do you think I don't know what you're thinking?"

In truth, Sulana knew that compared to herself, Ailolin still liked Likaro more, because the two of them had spent more time together.

And Likaro was human. They should not waste the limited time they had together.

So she said, "Go find Likaro first. I'm worried about her too, actually."

"Then won't you be lonely in the forest?"

"How could I be? Solani often comes to play with me." After saying that, she added, "I was joking when I asked you to stay with me just now."

Solani? It was a name Ailolin had never heard before.

"She's a nun from the church. She lives in Edafalon City."

"I see."

Once she heard that someone kept Sulana company, Ailolin was no longer so conflicted.

Honestly, if Xiya had gone exploring ruins, why had she not brought Sulana along?

As magical beasts, Ailolin could roughly judge Sulana's strength. Unless the ruins Xiya was exploring were extremely dangerous, Sulana would not have held her back.

"Then once I find Likaro and catch up with her, I'll come back and play with you."

"Mm~ And give her my regards."

Ailolin looked up at the sky. Although night was about to fall, it made no difference to her. She wanted to head for the Lumbart Kingdom immediately.

Taking out a map from her backpack, Ailolin confirmed the Lumbart Kingdom's location.

"Eh, wait. Don't leave in such a hurry."

Seeing that Ailolin was about to go, Sulana became a little anxious.

"Mm? Is there something else?"

"Well, um..." Her face reddened slightly. "Can you pet me a little more? I like the feeling of being stroked."

"..."

Naturally, Ailolin fulfilled such a request. In fact, Sulana's ears were fluffy and felt very nice to touch.

Sulana had been petted since childhood and had likely become addicted to it by now. She probably felt quite uncomfortable when no one touched her.

Seeing Sulana's big white tail constantly swaying, Ailolin could not resist wanting to touch it too.

"Wah! W-What are you doing?!"

With her tail pulled into Ailolin's arms, Sulana nearly bit Ailolin on instinct. Fortunately, she held herself back.

"Wow, fluffy tails are amazing."

Unlike Ailolin's dragon tail, Sulana's tail was soft and covered in fluffy wolf fur. It must have been very comfortable in winter.

But touching her tail was taboo to Sulana.

She glared fiercely at Ailolin. Realizing something was wrong, Ailolin quickly released her tail.

To make Ailolin understand that tails were not something she could touch carelessly, Sulana grabbed Ailolin's tail with her hand.

Because it was covered in dragon scales, Ailolin's tail felt hard and somewhat cold.

Looking at Ailolin again, she seemed to have no reaction.

"Are dragon tails not that sensitive?"

"Uh, I don't feel anything in particular."

To Ailolin, it merely felt like someone was holding her tail.

"Then why is my tail so sensitive?"

"Maybe it's because we're different species?"

"..."

That really was an explanation she could not refute.

It was getting late, and Ailolin should have left. She promised Sulana that she would come back to play with her afterward.

"Don't forget to bring back some Lumbart Kingdom specialties!" Sulana called out to Ailolin in midair.

"Got it!"

After replying, Ailolin flew toward the Lumbart Kingdom.

As for what specialty Sulana meant?

Of course, it was the specialty fruit found only in the region where the Lumbart Kingdom was located.

PS: I changed a sentence at the end of Chapter 2. It makes more sense now. Refresh the chapter to see it OVO

Recommendation: This might be my last recommendation for a while, Please Bully Me, Miss Villain!

Synopsis below========

She had already entered the exile ending, so why was the heroine still clinging to a villain like her?!

A romantic comedy between a villainous young lady and the original heroine begins now!

Yuri + pure love + sweetness. I think it's very okay.

Calamity Descends: The Destroyed Castle

Likaro returned to the knight order's base in the wilderness. Calling it a castle was somewhat of an exaggeration; in any case, it occupied very little land.

But it had also been built with all the wealth Likaro and her companions had saved up.

Now, however, it had become ruins.

The Lumbart Kingdom allowed military organizations such as private knight orders to exist, which was why Likaro had chosen to develop here.

After founding the knight order, Likaro displayed extraordinary leadership and developed it within less than a year.

She named the order the Crescent Moon Knights.

The knight order should have grown stronger and stronger, yet it had suffered a devastating blow.

As she walked along the fortress stairs, the battle cries of old rang in Likaro's ears once more.

And all of this had been caused by her kindness. The responsibility was entirely hers.

She should not have saved those starving refugees. Once the knight order gave them aid, seeds of greed took root within their hearts.

Likaro could not understand it. If she had not saved them, they should have starved to death long ago.

Why, then, had those who received help forgotten their gratitude for money?

Those refugees had learned the weak points in the fortress's defenses, then informed the knight order's enemies.

The Crescent Moon Knights had always helped the weak, but aiding the poor inevitably angered those with vested interests.

The nobles and various organizations that oppressed commoners deeply hated them.

Likaro truly could not understand. Should not the poor people they had saved have stood with the knight order?

Yet in the end, they had been bought off with nothing more than some wealth...

The knight order's companions all shared the same ideals, and those shared ideals had sustained its existence. But now, those so-called ideals had been mercilessly shattered by reality.

This was the price she paid for her naivety.