I am a wicked dragon, and you want me to fall into goodness?

next morning.

"It's time to go." Leah's voice was as clear as a spring in the forest, startling Ella, who was still dozing against the wildflowers.

Phine held tightly to the piece of bread that the humans had given her as a parting gift.

Because of their tiny size, the palm-sized pancake is about the size of a human bed for a fairy.

The fairy and the kobold duo rested for a night in the human camp before resuming their journey to find the kobold tribe.

And from that day onward, the story of the fairy guiding the starlight quietly began to circulate among the exiles of Elia.

Some say that the fairies' golden dancing dresses are embroidered with star patterns.

Some say that their whistles can summon silver-feathered birds.

Some say they are searching for a family that can communicate with dragons, to complete a mission that concerns the entire continent.

These fragmented legends, carried by the wind and the footsteps of exiles, drifted into the distance, eventually becoming the gentlest footnotes in fairy tales.

When kind people go astray, forest fairies will quietly appear, lighting the way forward for them and bringing them hope.

During their journey, the quintessential Finney, centered around the kobold Bruce, roamed freely between forests and swamps.

Leah and Ella sat on Bruce's head, guiding him in the right direction.

Finnie flew back, clutching a fallen petal: "Do you think those humans, following the map the magic mirror gave them, might pass by our flowerbed?"

Ella, holding Finnie's precious treat—the wheat cake given to her by a human—gently replied, "I don't think so?"

Finney's eyes lit up: "Maybe? The cave complex in Starfall Forest is just east of the flower garden, and all those humans have gone west."

The fairy in the yellow floral dress tossed the petals she had picked up into the air.

"Maybe they'll run into Sister Deli, and Mino too? Hmm, if that big bad dragon wakes up, those humans are definitely in big trouble..."

The petals swirled and floated into the air, carried by the wind past Bruce's furry ears, before finally landing on Ella's silver hair.

Ai stretched out her hand and caught the pink and white petal, saying gently, "Sister Daisy is a very reliable sister, she can protect Mino."

"Even if these humans enter the flower garden, they will probably do so with good intentions. If they encounter danger, Sister Deli and Mino will hide."

Leah sat atop Bruce's head, reaching out to part the drooping vines, her gaze fixed on the distant mountain range silhouetted against the clouds.

The magic mirror in his arms let out a cold laugh: "Is that so? Really?"

"You didn't tamper with the map, did you?" Finney pressed close to the magic mirror.

The magic mirror trembled slightly: "Naive forest fairy, human kindness is the cheapest thing."

"Once they discover that the flowers in the flowerbed can be used as medicine and can heal wounds, their so-called 'goodwill' will only turn into the claws of greed."

Leah gently patted Finney's shoulder: "Alright, alright, stop arguing. It seems we're almost at the location indicated by the magic mirror."

This is deep within a swamp.

The thick white fog, like crumpled cotton wool, hovered heavily half a foot above the ground, completely obscuring the sunlight.

The wind seemed to freeze, and the air was filled with the stench of rotting water plants, mixed with the damp smell of earth.

Bruce's heavy breathing condensed into puffs of white vapor in the mist as he moved cautiously.

The ground beneath my feet was so soft and mushy, like a swelled sponge, that every step I took left a deep dent in the mud.

The murky black water bubbled up, clung to wet algae, and if you weren't careful, you'd get your ankles grabbed.

The surroundings were eerily quiet, with no insect chirping, only the occasional mournful cry of a waterbird, as if drifting from a great distance, only to be quickly swallowed by the mist.

The withered old tree stood crookedly in the mud and water, its bare branches stretching towards the gray sky.

The bark was badly cracked, covered with lush green moss, and several unidentified fungi with shiny, oily caps.

In the depths of the distant swamp, a shadow would occasionally flash by, so fast that one might think it was an illusion, followed by a faint sound of water, as if something was quietly swimming beneath the surface.

Bruce smelled the scent of his kind.

His throat bobbed, and he suddenly flung his cheeks open, letting out a series of short screams.

It wasn't the roar of an ordinary wild beast, but the unique dragon language of the kobolds, echoing in circles deep within the swamp.

The shout had barely faded a few breaths before all the shadows that occasionally flashed by disappeared.

After a long time, dozens of short, stocky figures suddenly emerged from behind the dead old trees and beside the muddy puddles.

They were draped in mud-stained animal skins, clutching stone spears and rusty short axes, their green eyes gleaming warily in the mist.

"Who are you?" a childish voice rang out from outside the encirclement.

The dog-headed man who was speaking was very tall, and the stone spear in his hand was half a head shorter than him. He bit his lower lip with sharp teeth, and his green eyes were full of confusion.

The dog-headed people who surrounded them were mostly thin, with layers of patches on their animal skins.

They were all from the new generation in the tribe and had never seen Bruce, this "old man," before.

The young kobold in the lead took a step forward, holding a stone spear across his chest, and warily examined Bruce's old scars.

"The scent on you is not from our tribe, and we have never seen you before."

"The tribe's secret code is known only to members of our tribe. How could a strange old man like you know it?"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding dog-headed people immediately stirred.

The tip of the stone spear was raised a little higher, and a low murmur arose in the mist.

"Could he be a spy from another swamp tribe?"

"But the code words are unique to us..."

"Maybe he learned it by stealing it!"

Dog-headed creatures are oviparous, with eggs taking about two months to incubate, and they can walk within hours of hatching.

Their infancy lasts only two years. After rapid development, they can quickly find food on their own and learn basic tribal survival skills.

Adolescence lasts only three to five years. By the age of six, they are in their youth, and by the age of eight, they are adults, capable of reproduction, and take on the main tasks of the tribe, such as fighting, guarding, and gathering.

The prime of life is a bit long; people can remain in their prime from the age of eight to sixty.

As people age and their physical abilities decline, they often turn to guarding nests, raising young children, or passing on their experience; a few who are blessed by the dragon's power can live to be 120 years old.

However, due to their extreme weakness, the average age of the kobolds is only ten years old.

Bruce is already in his twenties and has been away from the tribe for almost nine years, enough time for the kobolds to undergo a generational change.

Bruce looked at the young faces in front of him, his Adam's apple bobbed violently, his chapped lips moved, but he couldn't utter a word for a long time.

Eight years later, Elia, who had initially sent out a geological exploration team, was destroyed by time.

Nine years is a short time for the kobolds, whose lifespan is short. Almost all of their former companions have disappeared.

He slowly crouched down, trying to make himself look as insignificant as possible.

"I am Bruce!"

The kobold's voice was very hoarse: "Nine years ago, I obeyed the orders of the chieftain and the priest and accepted the mission to find a new lair."

He covered his face and wept, saying sadly, "I'm back."