Chapter 8 Luka Town
This was a small town called Luka, located on the outskirts of the imperial capital.
Originally, Luka had been just a remote and quiet village. But after several years of development, it had grown into a proper town.
Its southern side bordered the imperial capital, so it benefited from its proximity. Many trade caravans passed through, bringing prosperity with them.
Behind it stood Ivory Mountain, making the town a base of operations for many adventurers and hunters. Though small in size, Luka Town was unexpectedly lively.
When they arrived in the town, Erika was still lying in Gladys’s arms. Her big red eyes looked around curiously, filled with wonder.
“So this is what towns in this world look like…” Erika mumbled to herself.
Both sides of the street were lined with European-style timber houses. The main road bustled with people in simple, old-fashioned clothing. Many greeted each other politely upon meeting familiar faces.
Carriages passed frequently. The drivers moved with urgency—clearly people were busy surviving day to day.
Though Erika had seen the town briefly the night before, it was too late to take in much. Now, in broad daylight, she truly felt like she had stepped into a medieval historical setting.
It was now noon. The blazing sun poured its ultraviolet rays mercilessly onto the town, as if it were a giant heater scorching the earth.
“Come and see! Fresh apples, just picked! Sweet and juicy!”
“Special brew wine! Come try a sip! One taste and you’ll be hooked!”
“Hey brother, have a bite! Come on, first taste’s free!”
…
The vendors’ shouting caught Erika’s attention. Since entering the town, her eyes hadn’t stopped moving—like a newborn seeing everything for the first time.
It was getting hot…
Sweat beaded on Erika’s forehead as she lay in Gladys’s arms. Uncomfortable, she squirmed slightly, pulling at the collar of her oversized dress to let the breeze in.
Just then, a cool jade-like hand reached through her gray-white hair. Cool fingertips gently touched the back of her neck.
“Gladys?”
“This should cool you down.”
Gladys replied softly. Her touch carried a faint chill—some kind of ice-based energy. The heat in Erika’s body vanished at once.
“Th-Thank you…”
Erika murmured. But now, as she lay in Gladys’s arms walking through the street, she realized she was attracting a lot of attention.
“Hey, look at that beautiful woman—my god, is she a visitor? I’ve never seen someone that pretty in Luka before.”
“She must be from out of town. She’s holding a child—probably married.”
“No way, she looks too young to be a mom. That’s gotta be her little sister.”
“Who knows?”
“But that little girl she’s holding is super cute too.”
“Dude, what’s wrong with you? Are you a perv?”
…
Even though people whispered, Erika heard them clearly.
“You can put me down now, Gladys,” she said quietly, tugging at her sleeve.
“We’re almost there,” Gladys replied, glancing down. “Don’t mind their nonsense. Just ignore them.”
Easier said than done. Erika still found being the subject of gossip uncomfortable.
Looking again at the girl in her arms, Gladys lowered her voice in warning. “Erika, I’ll say it once more. Don’t reveal your dragon traits in human towns. It’ll cause trouble.”
“Why do humans hate dragons?”
“The reason is simple. They see us as outsiders.”
Gladys said calmly, “In this world, humans are the most numerous species. And the laws of this world are just like that—whoever’s the majority becomes the mainstream.
To them, we dragons are foreign. Beings powerful enough to threaten their very lives. What do you think they’ll do when they meet a being like that?”
Erika fell silent.
She realized Gladys was right. It wasn’t just this world. That’s how it worked everywhere.
The majority becomes the norm. Anything else is treated as a threat.
Even she, when first arriving in this world, had screamed “monster” the moment she saw Gladys. That was just because, in her past life, she was human—and instinctively feared anything unfamiliar.
She suddenly felt a bit guilty. What had Gladys felt when she was called a “monster” that day?
She must’ve felt hurt… maybe…
…
Gladys carried Erika to a certain tavern in the town.
It was a simple place. The first floor served food and drink—an open hall for rest. The second floor offered lodgings like an inn, a temporary home for many travelers.
Since it was noon, there weren’t any drunkards around. Most of the people were merchant caravans grabbing a quick lunch.
Finally, Gladys put Erika down and gently placed her on a chair, lovingly tidying her clothes and hair.
“I’ll go get you something to eat. Wait here.”
“Okay.”
As expected, the appearance of the two immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the tavern.
However, since Luka was close to the capital and hosted many travelers, the town had strict laws. No one dared stir up trouble lightly.
People only stared—they didn’t approach or speak.
Still, Erika and Gladys stood out so much that many didn’t even bother hiding their stares.
Tch…
These sleazy guys. It’s one thing to ogle Gladys, but why were they looking at her too? Were these people into little girls or what?
Erika pouted but didn’t say anything. She simply sat quietly, waiting for Gladys.
“Here.”
Not long after, Gladys returned with a plate of roasted meat that looked rather plain.
The aroma hit Erika’s nose, and she couldn’t help but sniff. Despite eating a lot yesterday, she hadn’t had a single bite all day today.
She instinctively reached out—but noticed there was only one plate. Her hand stopped halfway and withdrew.
“Gladys, what about you?”
“I don’t need any.”
Gladys smiled faintly. It was a beautiful smile. In front of Erika, she always remained gentle.
“Eat up. I’ll go ask about renting a place.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Erika nodded. When it came to food, she had no self-control. She didn’t know if it was due to her increased appetite or this body’s natural hunger—but she just couldn’t resist meat.