Chapter 6: Tempted by Food
After getting out of the water, Erika sat naked in front of the straw bed, while Gladys had changed into a white dress. In her hand, she held a towel and began drying Erika’s damp white hair.
Droplets occasionally fell from the top of Erika’s head, some of which got into her eyes, making her squint one shut.
“Gladys.”
“What is it?”
“That Dragon Core… is it important to me?”
Erika asked out of curiosity. She couldn't shake the bitter feeling that something belonging to her had been taken away.
“You’ll have to answer that for yourself.”
Gladys responded and gently continued drying Erika’s body with the towel. “The Dragon Core represents power. Honestly, even if you don’t have that power, as long as you stay by my side, I’ll protect you.”
“But that power… is it really that strong?”
“Very strong.”
Gladys spoke softly, then explained, “Dragons that can take on human form are called Calamity Dragons.
Humans fear us, and for a very simple reason—our strength is beyond their imagination.”
“How strong exactly?” Erika now looked like a curious child.
“If a Dragon Core is fully fused…”
Gladys estimated briefly, “We’re equivalent to ten thousand human soldiers.”
“T-Ten thousand!?”
Hearing that, Erika’s small face revealed clear shock. To fight one against ten thousand—that was no joke.
Oh god, just what did that Jocelyn woman do!?
Turns out it wasn’t that she had no cheat—it was stolen before it could even activate!
That terrible woman!
Erika clenched her little fists, her expression turning upset.
Gladys tilted her head slightly. “Looks like you care a lot about the Dragon Core.”
“Of course I do!”
She answered without hesitation. Erika now felt full of regret. If she had been more careful at the time, maybe that core wouldn’t have been stolen.
That was the power to fight ten thousand! In a foreign world, power is everything!
“Why did Jocelyn steal my Dragon Core?” Erika asked again. “Is she a dragon too?”
“I already said—there are only two Calamity Dragons left in the world. Us.”
“Then why did she take it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where did she go?”
“No idea.”
Gladys shook her head. “All I know is, Jocelyn isn’t human either. Humans call her a non-human species. Some humans really hate non-humans—us included.”
So I’ll be hated too…?
Hearing this, Erika fell silent.
Now she understood why Gladys lived in a cave like this.
But just earlier, she had promised they’d move to a human town. Was that too much to ask?
As Erika pondered, Gladys seemed to sense her thoughts. “It’s fine. As long as we suppress our dragon traits, we’ll look no different from humans.”
“Ah!”
Erika suddenly let out a startled cry.
Her face flushed red again—just now, she had felt Gladys’s towel-wrapped hand accidentally brush her private area.
Imagine being touched there while completely naked—it was incredibly embarrassing.
“Why are you still so tense?”
“I’m not tense!”
Turning away with a fiery red face, Erika hugged her shoulders tightly, looking like she was warding off danger.
“I’ll dry myself!”
“You’re almost dry.”
“I’ll do it myself!”
But just as Erika spoke, Gladys leaned down. The cold tip of her nose, warm with breath, gently brushed Erika’s ear. Then her red lips softly sucked on her earlobe.
“Hss~”
A wave of tingling numbness surged through her. Erika’s eyes went wide, her back straightened stiffly, and her body trembled slightly. Her previously vanished tail popped out again, standing up like an antenna.
This is cheating…
It was as if her ears were her weakness. Being sucked there made her feel like she’d been electrocuted.
A moment later, once the stimulation passed, Erika’s tension faded. Her body softened and she collapsed into Gladys’s arms.
Is this really how dragons greet each other…?
Erika began to doubt.
Her voice softened. “What… are you doing…”
“Helping you calm down.”
Gladys chuckled softly. She turned and fetched one of her own dresses, then began helping Erika get dressed—tenderly, just like a mother dressing her daughter.
After forcing the oversized dress onto Erika, the result looked more like she’d been wrapped in white cloth—arms and legs completely hidden. She looked a bit ridiculous.
“We don’t have clothes your size right now. Just manage for now. We’ll buy some in town tomorrow.”
Gladys turned back to the cabinet and took out some dried meat.
She held a piece to Erika’s lips and spoke gently, “Eat. It’s delicious.”
The rich aroma wafted into Erika’s small nose. She instinctively sniffed. Drool began to form at the corners of her mouth near her small fangs.
It smells so good… I really want to eat it…
But I must resist!
What is this—bullying me one moment, then bribing me with food the next?
Please, does she really think I’m a newborn child?
“I’m not eating!”
Turning her head defiantly, Erika tried to resist the temptation. She absolutely would not give in to food!
Seeing this, Gladys raised an eyebrow and moved the meat closer. “You must be hungry. Be good, eat.”
“I’m not hungry! I don’t want it!”
“You’re a bad liar.”
With a helpless sigh, Gladys pointed behind Erika.
Erika turned to look—and saw that her tiny tail was wagging back and forth, just like a hungry kitten.
“This… this doesn’t count.”
“What do you think?”
“……”
Okay… I guess I can’t hide it…
Slurp…
Sucking the drool back in, and with her tail swaying, Erika finally gave in. She grabbed the dried meat and took a big bite.
It was beef, but dried and cured to remove any gaminess. The meat was chewy, and the flavor burst across her tongue the moment she bit into it.
Delicious!
A spark lit up in her red eyes. Erika hadn’t expected such a plain-looking strip of meat to taste so amazing.
Or maybe… she really was just that hungry?
Whatever the case, Erika began stuffing one piece after another into her mouth. Her cheeks puffed up, and her little fangs chewed nonstop.
Afraid she’d choke, Gladys gently patted her back and said with concern, “Slow down. There’s plenty more.”
“Mmhh, I wan’ mo’! Moar!”
Mouth stuffed with jerky, Erika’s words came out slurred. She looked like a greedy little glutton—but it only made her more adorable.
Seeing how happy she was eating, Gladys didn’t hold back. She turned around and brought out all the remaining dried meat.
And Erika’s stomach seemed like a bottomless pit. She devoured one piece after another without hesitation, cleaning everything up.
Even after finishing it all, she still didn’t seem satisfied. Sucking on her fingers for the leftover flavor, she looked up at Gladys and asked, “Any more?”
“That was all…”