"Of course, I understand completely, Mr. Xiluo!" Alice replied with a smile.
"Good! That's good, then."
Xiluo gave a slight nod of his draconic head.
His thoughts, however, kept turning.
After a long pause, he said:
"By the way, Alice, what's your dream in life?"
"My dream..."
"Yes! Every living being, however humble or lowly, has a dream of their own.
A vagrant longs for money, to become rich.
A down-and-out knight longs to become a noble, to earn others' respect and a position above them.
A bard longs to compose a masterpiece that will endure through the ages.
A young girl dreaming of love longs to meet her Prince Charming.
A lesser noble longs for greater power, to become a great noble.
An adventurer longs for a perfect adventure, to forge a legend of their own.
Even a dragon like me has a dream.
I want to become the strongest dragon! To gain true freedom, with no one able to bind me!"
Xiluo gazed up at the sky, murmuring.
Only after he finished did he turn his gaze back to Alice and ask again, like a friendly companion:
"So... what about you? What's your dream?"
"My dream... my dream..."
Alice murmured, the light gradually fading from her eyes as she seemed to sink into memories. Only after a long while did she slowly come back to herself.
With a look of earnest longing, she said:
"I... want Mulas to acknowledge who I am! I want to trample his three sons underfoot and kill the bastard who murdered my adoptive father!
Then... if possible, find my mother's relatives. I want to meet them and talk with them.
I want a home of my own."
"That's a wonderful dream, Alice!
Since you have a dream and a goal of your own,