True Tycoon Her Empire, Her Rules

When Winnie’s eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of a dragon, Hobson was utterly baffled.

“What is it?” he blurted, glancing skyward. “A dragon up there?”

“No dragons,” Winnie replied curtly. “It’s a verbal snare.”

To the average Joe, snakes don’t fly, and the sky is no place for them. So when you’re asked if that thing zipping through the clouds is a snake or a dragon, most folks, like Hobson just now, would bet on the dragon.

And the question was posed to get Drake to bite and say “dragon.”

“There’s an old wives‘ tale about the sea dragon, Winnie explained. ‘Legends say, when a sea dragon aims to transform into a dragon, it calls down thunderstorms. Then it seeks a chosen one to bestow a title upon it, asking if they see a snake or a dragon. If the chosen one says ‘snake,‘ the serpent’s attempt fails. It faces divine punishment and reverts to its serpent form. But if the answer is ‘dragon,‘ it ascends successfully.”

Hobson scoffed, thinking she was pulling his leg. ‘Since when can beasts become anything more than what they are, let alone dragons? Plus, we haven’t had a drop of rain in months, let alone thunderstorms.”

Winnie chose to ignore Hobson’s commentary, turning instead to Drake. “Did you give him an answer?”

“Not a word,” Drake replied, his voice cold as ice.

Winnie wasn’t the only one to sniff out the verbal trap. Drake was known for his caution. Not one out of place word had ever been wrung from him by the most tenacious of reporters, let alone from the mouth

of some kid.

What Drake hadn’t anticipated was that the other party, upon receiving no answer, would be so bold as to prevent him from leaving, effectively trapping him in this spot.

When Winnie heard that the failed sea dragon was blocking their path, she was somewhat surprised. Not that she feared it would harm Drake–with his gold aura, the heavens themselves wouldn’t let harm come to him.

But perhaps it was that very aura that made the creature so stubbornly set on Drake, thinking if it could get just one word of endorsement, it might soar to the skies the very next second.

Thinking this over, Winnie told Hobson and Drake to stay put while she went to confront the sea dragon.

Yet, she couldn’t help but wonder. Beings capable of successfully transforming usually possessed considerable power, and this one seemed too skittish, hiding behind trees–hardly the behavior of a powerful creature.

As she neared and caught sight of the figure behind the tree, Winnie stopped dead in her tracks.

It was a boy, no more than fourteen or fifteen, his youthful appearance belying his true nature. The sea dragon’s human form should reflect its age, and this was clearly just a juvenile.

No, calling him a sea dragon was a stretch.

A serpent with enough cultivation could maintain a stable human form, but this one’s transformation was imperfect. Scales glittered on his neck and jaw, and tucked under his unruly hair were two short, straight horns–the distinctive mark of a sea dragon. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“You… you’ve only just transformed?” Winnie inquired, her tone softening.

The boy, sensing the aura of a mystic about her, grew cautious. He didn’t answer her question, instead posturing defensively, “I’ve not succeeded in my quest, nor have I harmed anyone. You can’t just take me in!”

Winnie squinted at him. Young and seemingly aware of the rules.

“I see you’ve just managed to take human form, clearly not ready to become a dragon. Why insist on the blessing?”

The boy looked like a child who, just learning to walk, was eager to run before he could even stand. It was almost laughable.

Aware of his own predicament, he nevertheless responded with fierce pride, “I know, but I wanted to rehearse. And that man, with so much gold aura–what if he’d given me his blessing? I could’ve skipped centuries of cultivation and transformed on the spot!”

Dreaming big.was still in vogue, even for a sea dragon. Who knew? Dreams can come true.

Winnie almost laughed at the notion of a rehearsal and was at a loss for words hearing the

rest.

The sea dragon was not only juvenile but also fanciful.

Yet, facing this harmless creature, she had no intentions of provocation. Instead, she asked, “The man has already refused to bless you. Why hold him back?”

The boy gave her a look that screamed “are you dense?”

“I’ve rarely come across someone with such virtue. How could I just let him slip away?” he retorted, “What if I never meet another like him?”

Winnie was speechless. Was this sea dragon planning to hang onto the magnate until the time was ripe for another blessing?

Winnie decided reasoning was futile. She pulled out a Thunder Charm, brandishing it as a warning, “Scram. He’s not for the likes of you.”

The boy eyed the Thunder Charm warily, stepping back but still not giving up.

“Can’t I just keep him in the mountains with me?”

“Not a chance,” she said flatly.

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The boy looked torn. “Then, can I go with him?”

Winnie’s expression said it all; she was not amused. “No way.”

“Why not?” the boy nearly stamped his foot. “Who are you to him anyway? What if he wants me to follow?”

Winnie thought of the mark on Drake’s palm. Technically, as his fiancée, she had every right to speak for him.

But she had no intention of disclosing that, so she simply said, “I’m his neighbor. He sought me out because he didn’t want to deal with you.”

With a tone of finality, she warned, “That’s the end of it. If you keep this up, don’t blame me for what comes next!”

In this world, no creature could withstand the force of thunder and lightning.

And the small sea dragon was no exception. His face was etched with frustration as he glanced at Drake, then at the Thunder Charm in Winnie’s grip. After a moment of hesitation, he clenched his teeth and dashed into the thick woods.

Winnie’s brow furrowed in thought. She watched him disappear in the blink of an eye, but she didn’t believe for a second that he had given up that easily.

Walking back to the front of the old chapel, Drake looked at her. His face was calm, without a trace of worry, clearly confident in her ability to handle the situation. Still, seeing her troubled expression, he couldn’t help but ask, “He’s gone?”

“He ran off,” Winnie confirmed, “But I reckon he’ll be back.”

It couldn’t be helped; after all, they had set their sights on him.

Who could resist a big shot radiating that gold aura that drew everyone in?

Sure, the average ghoul wouldn’t dare come close, but for a creature like him, who had never been stained with the blood of innocents, the intimidation factor was relatively low.

And then there was the tantalizing prospect of a transformation hanging in front of them like a juicy steak.

Winnie looked at Drake, her eyes filled with understanding. Who could easily refuse such a tempting prize?

If the roles were reversed, she knew she wouldn’t be able to resist either.