Black Coal Ball and Big Jerk

Vinnie suddenly understood. So this was another fairy who wanted to form a contract with Lord Chaos?

A wild little water-element girl?

Her emerald eyes narrowed slightly.

"What kind of look is that?"

For some reason, Feeny found the sudden change in this nasty fairy's gaze extremely irritating.

"Nothing. I just never expected there to be a fairy like you among us..."

"Like me how? I was here first! You're not allowed to steal Chaos!"

"Hehe~"

The corners of her lips curled upward behind her folding fan.

"I don't think that's for you to decide. Lord Chaos should choose for himself."

Vinnie was absolutely confident on that point. She was just a wild little girl who knew nothing of manners. Lord Chaos would surely prefer Vinnie.

"You... you, you... I, I, I..."

Feeny stamped her little foot hard and beat her tiny wings, rushing in front of Vinnie almost instantly. Her little hand pulled aside the fan hiding Vinnie's face, revealing a wicked grin.

Just as she'd thought, this nasty fairy was laughing. Now she was angry.

"Ow!"

Vinnie's emerald hair was grabbed.

"Chaos is mine! Go away!"

"You ill-mannered little wild girl! Let go!"

"No! You go away!"

"Now I'm angry."

Her voice even sounding a little distorted, Vinnie reached out a small hand and grabbed a fistful of azure hair.

"Aaah! That hurts!"

Feeny cried out in pain as her hair was pulled.

"Let go."

"No."

Chaos quietly returned to the pool by the riverbank. He scooped up the heart meat with his claws and continued slicing it, never taking his eyes off the two little figures pulling each other's hair in midair.

"Stop fighting, stop fighting! Fighting like this is... is breaking my heart."

"Stay out of this, Chaos. I'll chase this nasty fairy away for you right now," Feeny said.

"Please stay out of this, Lord Chaos. I shall teach this wild little girl a lesson for you," Vinnie said.

An: ...

Breaking his heart? If those two stupid fairies so much as glanced at Chaos right now, they wouldn't think that.

His emerald Dragon Jaws were spread wide in a grin, and he looked like an idiot himself. His gaze never left the two little fairies. He might as well have had "Fight! Fight!" written across his face.

Chaos really was a jerk... Just as the inherited memories said, green dragons were all jerks.

Hmm? Why did it feel like two pairs of eyes were watching him?

Chaos followed the gazes. One belonged to An, the other to Agatha.

His eyes swept quickly over the two figures.

Well, well. A mere Black Coal Ball dared look at him like that? Insolent wretch!

Punishment. She needed a harsh punishment.

What excuse should he use? His mind raced.

Sensing the ill intent in the jerk dragon's gaze, An quietly lowered her head, avoiding his eyes rather than meeting them.

The Stone Pot was already halfway hollowed out. She would finish her work soon.

Forget it. He couldn't think of anything for now.

His claws sliced down, but this time they met empty air. He looked down and discovered he had finished slicing all the heart meat.

The entire pebble-lined pool was filled with thin slices of heart meat.

He had the ingredients for hot pot now. His crimson slit pupils widened slightly.

He glanced at the two little fairies. Yep, still fighting.

They were either pinching cheeks or pulling hair. So cute.

He stepped up onto the riverbank.

"Aren't you going to stop them?"

It was Agatha who spoke.

"It's fine. Fighting brings them closer together. They need to learn to get used to it."

Agatha glanced at Chaos and said no more. This fellow really was a green dragon. His behavior was becoming more and more typical of one.

Seeing that Agatha had fallen silent, Chaos continued toward the riverbank.

He rose onto his hind legs and reached out his claws, harvesting from a row of green plants one by one.

Starting with what he recognized, he plucked a little green fruit and popped it into his mouth.

Numbing and astringent. Sure enough, it was Sichuan pepper.

This one was star anise.

This one looked a little like bay leaf.

Cinnamon...

He picked a black fruit, put it into his Dragon Jaws, and chewed it up. A savory sauce flavor spread through his mouth.

It actually tasted like soy sauce. How amazing.

Next.

After tasting each one, Chaos began gathering them.

This one was soy sauce. He could use some of that.

This fruit tasted like onion, and this one like scallion...

Soon, his claws were piled high with colorful little fruits of all sizes, along with some leaves.

Holding an armful of ingredients, Chaos looked toward Black Coal Ball.

By now, Black Coal Ball had hollowed out two-thirds of the stone pot.

"All right, Black Coal Ball. That's enough."

Black Coal Ball? Was he talking to her?

An raised her head and found that Chaos, that jerk, was indeed looking at her.

There were only three dragons here, and she happened to be black.

"I have a name. It's An."

Her voice was soft and sweet, making her sound easy to bully.

Chaos spread his Dragon Jaws in a grin. He'd thought Black Coal Ball was mute. So she could talk after all.

"Got it, Black Coal Ball. Understood, Black Coal Ball."

An: ...

That jerk was definitely doing it on purpose! Definitely!

"All right, Black Coal Ball, stop digging. This pot's ready to use. Wash it, fill it with clean water, and set it up. We can start making hot pot."

Although her body was small, she was still a genuine True Dragon.

Lifting a chunk of stone was effortless for her.

Glaring at Big Jerk, An-Black Coal Ball-wrapped both claws around the Stone Pot and walked into the shallows by the riverbank. Following Big Jerk's instructions, she washed it first, then filled it with water. Holding the stone block, she walked upright back onto the bank and set the pot in place.

Having finished all the work, An looked at Big Jerk.

She already knew Big Jerk was going to cook. Cooking made food taste better. Generally, once Chromatic Dragons like her reached adulthood, they gathered a batch of reserve rations to cook for them.

When hungry, they ate cooked food. If there was none, they ate some of their reserve rations.

The Stone Pot was in place. One-third remained a flat platform, while the other two-thirds had been hollowed into a bowl.

Chaos placed his armful of ingredients on the Stone Pot's platform.

Mm-hmm, just right. This spot was perfect for piling up the ingredients.

He looked toward Agatha.

Almost without needing Chaos to speak, Agatha raised her head and opened her Dragon Jaws the instant he looked at her.

Scorching crimson dragon breath landed precisely beneath the Stone Pot.

The heat was ready. Now all they had to do was wait for it to boil.

Agatha's dragon breath was extremely hot. Within just a few minutes, boiling bubbles rose inside the Stone Pot.

The water was boiling. Time to add the ingredients.

With a sweep of his claws, all the seasonings on the stone platform went straight into the pot.

As they boiled, a rich fragrance wafted out.

It smelled so good~

The two little fairies exchanged a glance. The next second, they let go of each other in unspoken agreement.

Neither could get the better of the other anyway. She'd leave this nasty fairy (wild little girl) alone for now. ×2

"Chaos~ Chaos, this dish smells so good!"

Chaos glanced at Feeny as she flew up in front of him. Was the fight over?

Feeny's once-silky, long, straight blue hair had become a bird's nest, and her little face was red all over from being pinched.

Compared with all that, Chaos was more interested in another question.

Which of them had won?