Became a Hatchling of the Grand Duke of the North

40 – Blizzard Dragon (4)

For a while, Han stayed in one place for a long time and was exposed to the sun.

He licked his lips and waggled his tail.

‘Ahh. Why is my body like this?’

It’s as if you’re taking a steam bath.

Since it is a northern land where there are few opportunities for sunlight to fall on, it was natural that the scorching sunlight here was welcome whenever we encountered it.

Before, it wasn’t like this.

Han couldn’t get out of his seat by the window at all.

It was as if a strong instinct bound him inside, as if he couldn’t get out of the realm of the blazing sunlight.

‘Maybe it’s because of the aftereffects of shedding.’

But it wasn’t all that bad.

On the contrary, it feels like my body is being grilled to a golden brown, should I say it’s just a moderately good feeling?

It feels as if the longer you stay in the sun, the harder your body gets.

[…]

Kik-. Thud.

Lucia was watching the guardian dragon, Han. Soon, he quietly closed the door so Han wouldn’t notice.

[Ha.]

Soon.

Lucrecia, who was standing quietly in front of the door, asked about Han’s condition when her daughter appeared.

[How is the Guardian Dragon?]

[I think you’re okay. Above all, be quiet.]

Han, the guardian dragon, seemed to have no intention of giving up the sunlight he hadn’t seen in a while.

He just calmly stayed where he was and quietly closed his eyes.

[By the way, I never thought that would be a sign of shedding. I just knew it was itching in the morning.]

[The outer skin of the whole body floats upward, so it’s enough to itch. In terms of people, it’s like growing taller and changing your body out of nowhere.]

The transformation of dragons is completely different from that of humans.

For humans, growth and change happen slowly and smoothly, from children to adults to old people, but dragons belonging to reptiles sometimes undergo rather drastic changes.

Especially in cases related to the growth of appearance, it was more like that.

Suddenly, Lucia tilted her head and asked her.

[By the way, the head of the household.]

[…? Why is that, Lucia?]

[Aren’t you busy? You are still standing in front of the door today.]

[Only today.]

Soon after answering that, she added a word, perhaps thinking that explanation was insufficient.

[After shedding, the Guardian Dragon is in the most vulnerable state. Because of the shedding of the previously hard skin, the body is soft and easily receives a big shock even with a light shock.]

After molting, the scales of dragons become very soft.

It was a momentary weakening period that was unavoidable due to the innate nature of reptiles.

Thus, today must have been a very dangerous day.

Of course, it was unimaginable that something unholy would happen in Lucia’s room, the heart of the Archduchess of Arctus.

Nevertheless, she had to actively deal with it so that one situation would never happen.

For today, it was said that she had to stand guard herself.

[Then go in.]

[No, it’s okay.]

The Grand Duke of Lucrezia.

She answered right off the bat. Instead, she quietly closed her eyes again, leaning against the wall again.

[Ah, don’t do that. Others pass by, but it’s uncomfortable when the owner of the famous Grand Duke’s family is here.]

[…]

At Lucia’s words, she opened her closed eyes again.

[Um… I see.]

Lucrecia quietly stared across the hallway.

Actually, what she said seemed to be true.

Originally, Lucia’s room was located in the deepest center of the castle, so maids often came and went, but today, somehow, no one was seen.

Perhaps it was because rumors had already spread among the maids that the Grand Duke was on guard.

Sometimes, even if the person at the top was not intentional, there were times when the person at the bottom felt great pressure just because the boss was there.

Probably the same for the maids.

She was Lucrezia who was well aware of it from the beginning.

Because of that, she seemed to agree with Lucia’s words, and slowly nodded her head.

[I guess so. Got it, Lucia.]

[hahahaha.]

Lucia laughed out loud at her answer. She

She bowed her back in no time.

[Then I’ll go out for some swordsmanship training.]

[Go back.]

Lucrecia, who had been quietly watching Lucia for a while, who had grown farther away.

[…]

Without a word, I turned my gaze toward Lucia’s visit.

‘Hmm.’

She seemed to be taking a deep breath for a moment.

Kik-, thump.

I went inside.

* * * *

Guardian Dragon Han was asleep.

Exhaling evenly, while warming the languid body.

Sure.

But at some point, he began to feel the gentle caress of his body.

‘What is it?’

He waggled his tail as he fell asleep.

His tail fluttered and waggled as the hand brushed over his body, as if responding to the pleasant touch that was stroking him.

Sniff. Sniff sniff.

And soon, Han, who smelled the good smell that began to emanate from the surroundings, sniffed and twitched his nose.

He was petting himself, rubbing his own cheek.

[Grrr…]

A groaning sound came out of nowhere.

He was petting himself, rubbing his cheeks.

[Who, whoop whoop. It’s cute.]

The voice that came out belonged to a familiar person.

It was his contractor, Lucrezia.

At first it was Lucrezia who caressed his body somewhat awkwardly.

Instantly, her hand quickly adapted to the situation and began stroking him with familiarity.

* * * *

After a long day, Han was finally able to get up.

He had been asleep for quite a long time, but now he has completely shaken off even that sign.

Han looked down at his own body.

‘The color of the scales has returned to normal.’

The body of a guardian dragon.

His scales regained their original shape and light. The light, like a silvery white jewel, shone transparently again.

But there have also been changes.

‘The scales… Seem to have grown a bit?’

Is it an illusion? No, it can’t be.

It was never an illusion.

Han’s body itself was getting bigger little by little, as if it had been enlarged.

The same goes for his eye level and his legs, which have been weak and stubby.

It became a little longer and more streamlined.

Thanks to that, Han was now too big to stand on Lucia’s shoulders.

From her head to her toes, it was as large as the upper body of any woman.

So to put it roughly, it was a large teddy bear standing on the side of Lucia’s bed. I guess that’s about it.

It was quite a step forward.

But there was another element of development that stood out more than that.

Attribute power.

Another growth of a slightly unusual ability that is different from the characteristic.

With him, Han was able to feel his own attribute power that had become stronger.

He sensed the change in his body while floating in the middle of the training ground.

‘The sense of dealing with the cold air around me has become much easier. It doesn’t feel like I’m being pushed around anymore like I used to.’

More essential than that.

At the same time, it felt like it was moving more naturally.

It was as if the cold around him was moving with him.

Even if he wasn’t separately manipulating or conscious of it.

I was following him as if I had a will.

And because of that.

Han was able to realize, albeit vaguely, the conditions for the growth of his elemental powers.

‘Attributive power grows the longer the time I spend with you. It’s not just physical growth. If I grow myself, I will become even stronger in the future.’

It was a conviction based on experience.

Quooooo-.

Han began to gather the cold air around him.

Then, he begins to appear as if the winds of wind that had been scattered all over the place came together to form an image.

It was Ice Spear, one of the new lesser magics he had just begun to awaken to not long ago.

[Yeah. You have grown noticeably. Guardian Dragon.]

[Key?]

It was Archmage Arcana who approached such resentment.

Hearing that sound, his head turned toward it at once.

The magic he had maintained so far was undone, and at once he calmly landed on the ground again.

[It’s only been two days. hahahaha.]

He was not alone today as he happily bowed his head. Because Yone was with him.

Yone? But why did Yone show up with Arcana and that guy?

But before he had time to express his doubts, Arcana added with a smile.

A completely unexpected sound that he had not dared to think of.