Chapter 3: Arrival in the Imperial Capital

“Wow, is this the Imperial Capital? It’s so vast!”

The Ahoge Dragon loli’s large eyes widened with a mix of curiosity and astonishment.

Her mouth, agape, portrayed her utter amazement.

This was undeniably another world, its streets teeming with ‘monster girls’ who, much like the Ahoge Dragon herself, sported tails, horns, and peculiar ears.

Yao Yueli had already enlightened her about these beings during their journey.

Those who closely resembled humans were known as Half-Demons.

They were a species that had emerged from the ancient unions between demons and humans.

The majority of Half-Demons were amiable towards humans, having even once allied with them to repel a formidable invasion by the Elven race.

“Look, cat-girls! And little foxes too~~ Hehe, this world is simply magnificent!”

The Ahoge Dragon found herself utterly captivated, her eyes darting everywhere, a strong urge to grab a beast-eared girl’s tail bubbling within her.

“Little Ahoge, don’t wander off!”

The Ahoge Dragon’s gaze landed on a loli fox-girl nearby, who was serenely eating an apple, and an irresistible urge to run over and embrace her surged forth.

Yet, before she could even take a couple of steps, Yao Yueli deftly caught her by the small horn protruding from her forehead.

“Mmm… the little fox…”

Still tenacious, the Ahoge Dragon stretched her hands out, yearning towards the loli fox-girl.

“Stay still, now! If you keep squirming, I won’t buy you any pineapple buns later!”

Yao Yueli’s face clouded with irritation as she delivered a sharp tap to the Ahoge Dragon’s ‘foolish’ head.

She was currently encumbered by a large armload of weapons, rendering her movements quite awkward.

Should this ‘stupid dragon’ vanish from sight, she would undoubtedly face a significant headache!

“Wuwu! I understand! But next time, could you please refrain from hitting my head? I’ll turn stupid!”

Clutching her throbbing head, the Ahoge Dragon instantly reverted to an obedient demeanor.

“Indeed, you’re already quite foolish. If I hit your head any more, you’ll become utterly unsalvageable!”

Yao Yueli mused, a thoughtful expression on her face.

“Hmph! I am not foolish in the slightest!”

The Ahoge Dragon huffed indignantly, then playfully swatted Yao Yueli’s alluring backside with her tail.

A triumphant smirk graced her features, but her moment of glee was fleeting, for Yao Yueli promptly delivered a sharp kick to her small derrière!

The Ahoge Dragon let out an ‘awoo’ of pain, instinctively clutching her stinging backside! She cried out, deeply displeased:

“Mmm… why did you use such immense force?!”

“Dare to be mischievous again, I implore you?” Yao Yueli retorted, her gaze sharp with genuine anger.

“Understood,” the Ahoge Dragon mumbled, shrinking her head back. She truly dared not provoke further, for that single kick had made her feel as though her very rear had been thoroughly dislodged!

Thereafter, she dutifully walked beside Yao Yueli, accompanying her deeper into the Imperial Capital.

Along their path, they encountered numerous food vendors, and the Ahoge Dragon’s stomach rumbled with hunger.

Yet, Yao Yueli explained that they were currently without funds and would need to sell the weapons they carried before any purchases could be made.

The Ahoge Dragon, caught between belief and doubt, trailed behind for over half an hour until they finally reached a weapon shop.

Yao Yueli sold off some of her wares, her intention being to acquire a suitable magical artifact for her own use.

Her previous magical artifact had been sundered by a Silver-tier magical artifact in the hands of an adversary.

Fortunately, the funds she now commanded were sufficient to procure a Silver-tier magical artifact from this very establishment.

What followed was a protracted affair, much akin to a girl’s leisurely shopping excursion.

The Ahoge Dragon, growing increasingly restless, found herself idly staring at a magical artifact displayed on the counter.

‘While this world certainly holds its fascinations, its power system strikes me as incredibly feeble!’

A ‘magical artifact user,’ as the term implied, referred to both humans and Half-Demons who engaged in combat by wielding magical artifacts.

Yao Yueli had explained that this was due to the limited magical energy present within the bodies of humans and Half-Demons, compelling them to employ magical artifacts to unleash greater power with a minimal expenditure of mana.

Yet, this augmented power proved fleeting; their magical reserves typically vanished within a mere half-hour.

Should they attempt a concentrated burst of power, their endurance might not even extend to five minutes.

It was rumored that ‘magic users’ also existed, though Ahoge mused they ought to be dubbed ‘one-shot wonders’ considering their swift depletion of energy!

In essence, a single spell would completely exhaust a magic user.

To unleash a truly formidable enchantment, it sometimes necessitated the combined efforts of a dozen, or even a hundred, magic users!

Truly, how utterly pathetic!

The Ahoge Dragon scoffed, her disdain palpable. As a member of the Dragon race, her magical power was undeniably colossal. She firmly believed that once she reached her full potential, all these lesser beings would be crushed beneath her heel!

As these ambitious thoughts swirled, a wicked grin spread across the Ahoge Dragon’s face.

“Foolish Ahoge, what are you grinning about? Let’s move!”

Yao Yueli, having finally chosen a Silver-tier magical artifact, glanced over to see the Ahoge Dragon covering her mouth, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

Without hesitation, she seized the Ahoge Dragon’s horn and tugged her out of the establishment.

“Mmm… let go of me! My horn is not a handle!”

The Ahoge Dragon protested, her cheeks puffed out in indignation.

“I find it rather convenient, actually! Now, tell me quickly, what were you grinning about earlier?”

“I was thinking about pineapple buns! Sister, you take an eternity to shop! I’m practically famished!”

While her initial excuse was a lie, the Ahoge Dragon’s stomach was, in truth, rumbling with genuine hunger.

“Well, in that case, I truly apologize for your hardship. You can eat anything you desire later!”

“Wow! Really?!”

The Ahoge Dragon’s eyes sparkled with delight as she jumped up, wrapping her arms around Yao Yueli.

“Yes, truly! But stop clinging to me! Get down at once!”

In the presence of others, Yao Yueli always maintained a cool and detached demeanor, and with a look of disdain, she peeled the Ahoge Dragon off her person.

“Meow? Sister Yueli!”

Suddenly, a remarkably soft girl’s voice drifted from behind them.

The Ahoge Dragon, hearing someone utter her ‘wife’s’ name, turned back with a surge of curiosity.

Standing there was a blue cat-eared girl!

“Xiaoxia? My, how you’ve grown!” (TL Note: Xiao is a Chinese prefix meaning “little” or used affectionately before someone’s name.)

Yao Yueli exclaimed, her voice tinged with emotion, as if encountering a long-lost acquaintance.

“Sister Yueli, I knew you’d be safe! It’s truly wonderful to encounter you here!”

Mao Yuxia, tears streaming down her face, surged forward and threw herself into Yao Yueli’s embrace.

Beside them, the Ahoge Dragon’s signature ahoge bristled, and her expression turned fiercely possessive. ‘That’s my wife!’ she fumed inwardly.

“Xiaoxia, please don’t cry. Look, I’m perfectly safe, aren’t I?” Yao Yueli murmured, gently stroking Mao Yuxia’s head in a comforting gesture.

“Wuwuwu! I truly believed I would never see Sister Yueli again!” Mao Yuxia wailed, her tears intensifying.

“Hey, hey, hey! Release my wife at once!”

The Ahoge Dragon, her nose tingling with a mix of jealousy and indignation, reached around and tugged on the cat-eared girl’s tail, intent on pulling her away.

“Foolish Ahoge, what on earth are you doing?!” Yao Yueli exclaimed, inwardly wondering what new mischief this Ahoge Dragon was concocting.

“Sister Yueli, who is this?” Mao Yuxia asked, feeling utterly mortified by the tail-grabbing incident.

She quickly wiped her eyes, her gaze now fixed with curiosity on the small loli.

“That’s a rather long story, and I still need to secure lodging. Let’s discuss it tomorrow once we’re at the academy.”

Noticing the Ahoge Dragon about to interject, Yao Yueli swiftly embraced her, simultaneously clamping a hand over her mouth.

She had no desire for the fact that she already possessed a contracted familiar to become public knowledge.

“Alright… alright then! Oh, and Sister Yueli, Gudou Toutian from the Gudou family mentioned he intends to challenge you for the Chief position tomorrow. You must be cautious! That man is exceedingly treacherous!”

Mao Yuxia, observing Yao Yueli’s apparent inconvenience, decided against further disturbing her ‘sister’.

Just as she prepared to depart, a sudden thought struck her about someone at the academy plotting against Yao Yueli, prompting her to offer a well-intentioned warning.

Upon hearing this, Yao Yueli’s eyes narrowed, a chilling glint appearing within them.

Her most potent safeguard at present was a particular teacher at the academy.

As the strongest student at Star Moon Academy and the reigning Chief Student of her cohort, Yao Yueli enjoyed the academy’s protection.

However, should she forfeit this esteemed Chief position, the Luminous Moon Royal Family would then possess the authority to condemn her with an accusation from which she could never hope to recover!

It appeared that even after the previous assassination attempt had failed, the Luminous Moon Royal Family remained relentless, now intent on employing an alternative strategy against her!

She was well aware of Gudou Toutian; he was a veritable sword prodigy, utterly dedicated to the path of the blade.

For such an individual to now challenge her for the Chief Student position strongly suggested a profound conspiracy lurking beneath the surface.

In the past, assuming she couldn’t reveal her Dragon Magical Artifact, she would have found it exceedingly difficult to best him.

But now, she possessed a living dragon! If she were to absorb more of the Ahoge Dragon’s vital essence at night, her magical power would undoubtedly skyrocket!

With such an advantage, who could she possibly fear?