Chapter 64

The pink-haired little dragon girl listened to Naya’s gentle voice and fell into a peaceful sleep.

In her dreams, she was playing with her little friends.

But when she arrived at their meeting spot, she saw those friends who used to treat her like a cherished pet were now pointing and laughing at her.

“Illya, why did you bring your maid when you came out to play? Are you too weak to play alone?”

“Nonsense! I’m not weak at all!”

“Do you think we’ll believe that? Hahaha! You aren’t the Dragon Queen’s biological daughter, are you? I said it before, how could the Queen suddenly have a daughter after so many years without taking a concubine? You must be a child she picked up!”

“Not at all! I’m the biological daughter of my Mama and Mother! We just didn’t live here before!”

Illya argued back at them.

But she realized her words were so powerless.

For six years, she had never been seen in the palace, they had always lived in the castle.

No one knew of their existence, and no one knew that the Dragon Queen of the dragon race had secretly given birth to a daughter.

Her sudden appearance was so abrupt that her excuses were completely unconvincing.

Illya pouted at her group of little friends, even the gentlest Parnis had joined in mocking her.

“Are you brave enough to come out and play without your maid?”

“I… I have to ask my Mama first. If I go out alone without permission, Mama will be angry.”

“Hahaha!!!”

The little friends erupted in laughter again.

Some were laughing so hard their bellies hurt and bent over, others stomped their feet and laughed out loud, while a few rolled on the ground, unable to stop laughing.

“Hahaha, a Mama’s girl, a Mama’s girl! Illya is a Mama’s girl! As the future heir to the dragon throne, she’s just a Mama’s girl, hahahaha!”

Illya stood awkwardly in front of them, her face flushed with embarrassment.

“I… I’m not a Mama’s girl!”

“A Mama’s girl, do you even need your Mama’s help to go to the bathroom? Hahaha, you really are something, Illya!”

“Wooo… You’re not allowed to laugh! No laughing, no laughing! Nobody’s allowed to laugh!”

Illya stomped her feet in a panic.

She turned to look at Flanna beside her, only to find Flanna was also covering her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter.

“Flanna, why are you laughing at me too?”

“Your Highness, you really are the most useless princess I’ve ever seen, pfft hahaha!”

“Wuwuwu…”

Illya raised her hand to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes, feeling extremely wronged.

She simply didn’t want her Mama to worry.

This was clearly the maternal love most often mentioned in storybooks, the most precious thing in the world. Why did everyone despise it so much?

Isn’t being a Mama’s girl just because you have a mother’s love?

Illya thought her Mama was the best.

Every day for her started with her Mama waking her up, helping her change clothes, teaching her, coaxing her for her afternoon nap, helping her bathe, and telling her stories before bed.

If it weren’t for sympathizing with her Mother who lacked maternal love, she would have shared her nights with her Mama. She could have still slept with her Mama.

All these things she had should be envied by everyone, right?

Why did everyone look down on these behaviors?

Illya couldn’t understand at all.

“Who dares disturb my granddaughter’s sweet dream?”

Suddenly, a deep and heavy voice echoed in her mind.

Illya opened her eyes and found the surroundings had transformed into a dark space she had dreamt of before.

Her little friends and Flanna had vanished.

Illya walked forward, and sure enough.

“Your Majesty, the former Dragon King!”

In the deepest and darkest corner, a huge black dragon was locked away.

“Oh, Illya, it’s you. What brings you to me?”

“Um… I was just laughed at by my friends. They called me a Mama’s girl.”

“Aren’t you a Mama’s girl?”

=(꒪∧꒪ ‧̣̥̇)

“But that doesn’t mean being a Mama’s girl is weak.”

“Huh?”

“Illya is very strong. Occasionally, it’s okay to be a little willful.”

“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”

“Ahem, I mean, doing a little bit of mischief is not out of the question. Illya, as a descendant of the Dragon King’s bloodline, your magical talent is innately higher than that of other impure royal descendants. Even if you don’t know anything and have never experienced battle, you can still easily overpower those friends of yours.”

“Really?!”

Illya’s eyes sparkled as she looked up at the black dragon in front of her.

“As the former Dragon King, would I lie to you?”

“Then… can I sneak out?”

“Why not? Illya, your friends are right about one thing, as the heir to the dragon throne, you shouldn’t have to ask others before you do something, including your mother. Otherwise, you’ll never become a qualified Dragon King.”

“But… Mama will worry.”

“What’s there to worry about just going out to play for a while? When you can prove that you don’t need protection, your Mama will stop worrying. If you always live under your mother’s protection, she’ll forever be troubled about you.”

Illya’s eyes were bright.

She was trying hard to think about what the former Dragon King had said, and finally, her brows lifted as she nodded excitedly.

“That makes sense!”

“Illya, don’t underestimate yourself. I can feel your potential, you have almost limitless magical power. If you encounter danger, you can easily defeat others with your skills. Or did your mother never teach you magic?”

“She did! Nitiya taught me.”

“Then that’s good, right? So, Illya, strive towards becoming the Dragon King, starting with proving you don’t need to worry your mother.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Illya bowed deeply.

Then she began to walk back.

“I… Illya, are you leaving?”

“Um… I think I hear someone calling me.”

“Is that so… Come visit me often in the future, my descendant.”

“Okay! Bye-bye, Your Majesty.”

The black dragon watched Illya’s pink figure gradually fade away, filled with reluctance in his pitch-black eyes.

A thousand years.

He had been trapped here for a thousand years.

Illya was the only one who could connect with him. The black dragon shed tears like an old dragon in an empty nest.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Illya slowly woke up, the calling in her ears becoming clearer.

“Knock, knock, knock! Hey, Illya, wake up! Wake up!”

Illya opened her eyes and looked in the direction of the sound. A golden-haired dragon cub was calling her from across the glass window.

“Um… Parnis.”

“Wake up, we’re going out to play.”

Illya recalled the dream she had during her nap.

She nodded vigorously, this time, she couldn’t let her friends look down on her anymore.

Illya pulled off the blanket, got out of bed, and walked to the window to look at Parnis outside.

“Let’s go, don’t let your Mama find out. Stop bringing your maid everywhere, it’s so boring. Let’s sneak out and go play by the sea. Nevis, Chris, and the others are waiting for you!”

“Okay!”

With the encouragement from the former Dragon King, she had made up her mind to go out alone.