Chapter 88
Ched had been troubled for days.
A dragon asking him to find a way to transform like a demon or a human?
For a young boy who had only been working as a servant in the Demon King’s castle for a few months, it was too much.
“Ched, what’s wrong?”
The one who called him was Gruve, the kobold butler chief, with white fur and a monocle on his right eye.
“The other servants say you’ve been gloomy for days. They joked that soon you won’t even need a broom—your sighs will blow the dust away by themselves.”
It was clear Gruve already knew something had happened.
“Well… the truth is…”
Hesitating, Ched confessed everything.
“All this fuss, over something like that?”
It felt like a big problem to Ched, but Gruve found it ridiculous.
“That little troublemaker dragon wants to transform? Then he should just do it.”
Of course, Gruve was well aware of everything happening in the castle.
“That hatchling seems to have already started learning Dragon Tongue Magic.”
In fact, he had figured it out before Ariella and had even reported it.
“Dragon Tongue Magic?”
“Yes. It’s the unique magic only dragons can use. With it, they can do all sorts of things. Polymorph is one of them.”
“What’s Polymorph?”
“A spell that changes one’s form. Dragons love using it.”
Dragons often transformed into other races and wandered around, pretending to be someone else.
“Funny, isn’t it? They call themselves the greatest of all races, yet they like peeking into how other races live.”
Ched scratched his head.
“But Lord Pi didn’t seem to know how to do it.”
“Dragons are living furnaces of magic. When the time comes, they figure it out themselves.”
“Then what should I do?”
“Just listen to his whining. Looks like he needs someone his age around.”
“Dragon Tongue Magic?”
Ched repeated what Gruve had said to Pi.
“So that’s what it was? Magic?”
Now Pi finally understood why shouting “Blow!” made winds roar around him.
“Then let’s test it!”
His eyes shone with curiosity. Ched was just as curious.
‘Dragons really are amazing. They don’t need complicated spells. Just saying the words makes it happen.’
Pi didn’t think too deeply.
“All I have to do is say it out loud.”
He lifted his head proudly and shouted:
“Transform!”
Bang!
Something did happen.
But it wasn’t right.
Instead of shining light or a clean change, smoke filled the area.
Cough, cough!
“Where’s all this smoke coming from?” Ched coughed hard.
Through the thick cloud, Pi’s voice came.
“Well? Did it work? Did I transform well?”
“Wait, I can’t see yet—”
The smoke cleared.
The moment Ched saw Pi’s new form, he screamed instead of admiring.
“Ahhhhhh!”
“What’s with you? Why scream?”
Ched couldn’t even answer. His eyes rolled back, and he foamed at the mouth before collapsing.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Grumbling, Pi went to find a mirror.
Since money had begun circulating, mirrors had been installed on the walls of the castle corridors.
He found one and looked.
“…!”
Yes, his limbs were long like a demon’s.
But the number and placement were all wrong.
On one shoulder, two arms dangled.
His lower body had eight legs like a spider.
And his head remained a dragon’s head.
“Gaaaaaah!”
He forgot about scolding Ched earlier and now screamed himself.
His emotions resonated with the air, and the sound amplified.
Wooooong!
Dragon Fear.
Just like Dragon Tongue Magic, it was an ability only dragons possessed.
Normally, it made others tremble in terror.
But now, the fear was Pi’s own, bursting outward.
If Kalizard had seen it, he would have been devastated.
Still, the effect was powerful.
Crash!
The mirror in front of Pi shattered with a sharp sound.
“Oh dear, what are we going to do now…”
Later, after Ched had fainted and then woken up, he nervously gathered the broken pieces of glass.
Pi, back in his normal form, helped with a sulky expression.
“That noisy lizard broke another mirror this time?”
When Gruve heard the report, he only sighed.
He decided this was something Ariella needed to know—not because of the broken mirror, but because the gold dragon had awakened Dragon Fear.
Reporting it to Ariella felt natural, even though Ludwig was his actual master.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry for? Did you break it? No, it was that troublesome reptile again.”
To Ched’s surprise, Gruve didn’t scold him.
Instead, he gave an order.
“Bring the hatchling here.”
Soon Pi came in, since he thought his friend might be scolded.
Gruve looked at them both.
“If you’re going to practice transformation, do it outside the castle, where there’s nothing to break.”
He didn’t bother speaking politely to Pi anymore.
Then he turned to Ched.
“Ched, instead of cleaning today, you’ll follow this dragon around all day.”
“What? Me?”
“I can’t chase after him to stop his messes, so you’ll do it for me.”
He needed someone to watch the dragon constantly.
Ched wasn’t sure if this was good or bad news.
“…Is that really okay?”
“It’s not ‘okay,’ it’s your duty. Today, that’s your job.”
Waving his hand as if he didn’t want to waste more words, Gruve ordered:
“Now go. Before you break more things.”
Not long after, the hatchling and the demon boy stood outside, near a small river.
Ched had chosen the place carefully—no furniture or mirrors to destroy here.
“Ready to try again?”
“You’ve already done it a hundred times today. Aren’t you tired?”
“What are you talking about? It’s only seventy-eight times.”
“…You’ve got a good memory, Lord Pi.”
“Transform!”
Bang!
“How about this time?”
“…Now you only have two extra arms on the right side. And your scales are still showing.”
Ched didn’t faint this time, though.
“Again! Transform!”
Bang!
“How’s this?”
“Better than before… but a head growing from your armpit doesn’t look right.”
“Couldn’t I pass it off like this?”
Ched shook his head firmly.
“Transform!”
Bang!
“This time, huh? How is it?”
The new limbs wriggled strangely.
“…Those aren’t even arms anymore. They’re more like tentacles.”
“Transform!”
Bang!
“What about—”
“Ahhh! Stay away from me!”
Even so, Pi never grew tired.
For a demon, this kind of magic would drain all energy. But for a dragon, he could keep casting endlessly.
They had been practicing like that when suddenly—
Flick!
Something twitched. Not a tail, but Pi’s ear.
He was hearing something Ched could not.
“Richmond is calling me.”
At the mention of the lich’s name, second only to Gruve in scariness, Ched turned pale.
“W-What? Why him?”
Listening closely, Pi smiled brightly.
“Ariella wants me. She says she’ll take me somewhere with her.”
“Where?”
Pi’s face shone even brighter.
It was a place he had never explored before.
“Ched, have you ever been to the sea?”
