Evil Red Dragon

Alecto felt extremely uncomfortable under their gaze.

What is this woman doing? Did she see through me? Was it when we first met?

Given this distance... could a sudden attack severely injure her?

He glanced at Helena.

It doesn't seem like someone who's seen through me. If they knew I was a red dragon, would a mage still dare to stay next to me?

In fact, if Helena had examined Alecto more carefully, she would have discovered the anomaly, but she didn't.

Everyone has secrets, just like her.

On the surface, she is a distinguished guest of the Knights, but in secret, she is a witch that everyone hates.

To throw an appraisal spell at someone right from the start is no less than a direct provocation.

If you don't get caught, that's fine. But if you do get caught, you can only pray that no one on the other side is better than you.

And so, Helena not only didn't investigate, but when she noticed Alecto looking at her, she smiled.

I always said my charm is irresistible!

She didn't move, and Alecto didn't dare to move either, so they could only endure and maintain the status quo.

The eerie atmosphere persisted until old Ethan emerged from the back room.

Old Ethan carefully held out a crystal box.

The box is no bigger than the palm of your hand, and you can see the grains of sand inside through the clear crystal.

Each grain is like solidified starlight, swirling with a dreamlike halo.

"10 grams of Stardust Sand, of superior purity."

Old Ethan placed the box on the counter:

"As previously agreed, the total is 15 gold coins."

Helena didn't reach for the box; instead, she turned to the side and gently pushed it towards Alecto.

"See that? This is the stardust you wanted."

She tempted him:

"This stuff is hard to come by. The Starfall Desert is tens of thousands of kilometers away from here, and the journey involves crossing the territories of elves and dwarves... It took me a lot of effort to get this little bit."

Alecto's gaze fell on the Star Sands.

It was indeed the Stardust he needed.

With it, and in combination with other medications, Kula might be able to recover slowly without even needing the sap of the Ancient Tree of Life.

The price is just...

"15 gold coins?"

He repeated it.

"Too expensive?"

Helena chuckled:

"This is a lifesaver, Alec. It's worth the price for your friend, isn't it?"

Alector paused for a moment:

"I don't have that much money."

"Oh?"

Helena's eyes lit up:

"How much do you have?"

"Less than one hundred."

Alecto was telling the truth.

The museum emptied most of his savings, and what was left was used to cover expenses.

Helena tapped the counter lightly with her fingers, seemingly lost in thought.

The wooden countertop made a clattering sound.

One, two, three...

"Actually..."

She suddenly leaned closer, a smile spreading across her purple eyes:

"Money is no problem. I'm not that interested in gold coins; I'm much more interested in you."

The sound was very soft; only the two people at the counter could hear it clearly.

Old Ethan tactfully stepped back, leaving them alone.

Alecto looked up and met her gaze:

"What do you mean?"

"It's very simple."

Helena picked up the crystal box and played with it in her palm:

"I can give you these 10 grams of stardust, for free, without asking for any equivalent value... as long as you grant me one request."

"What are your requirements?"

"To be my male concubine."

Helena spoke casually, as if discussing whether the weather was good or bad.

"To be a male concubine?"

Alecto slowly raised his eyes.

"right."

Helena leaned against the counter:

"I find you pleasing to the eye, and you're good-looking too. Anyway, you're short on money right now, so why don't you come with me? I'll cover all your food, clothing, and daily necessities, and I'll give you all the Star Sand and future resources for free. How about it?"

If he were human, if he were just a wandering mage, this condition would really make him hesitate.

Helena is beautiful, but she also possesses an alluring charm that transcends her appearance.

Her strength is definitely not that of a simple level 5 mage, and her background is clearly not simple either.

What's more, she's very wealthy; she can give away 15 yuan worth of things without hesitation.

For a wandering mage, climbing up to such an existence means resources, protection, and a shortcut to a higher level.

In many people's eyes, this is not a difficult choice.

But Alector is not human.

He is the Red Dragon.

"I'm sorry, I don't accept."

Helena raised an eyebrow.

She wasn't angry; instead, the interest in her purple eyes intensified.

Why?

She leaned forward, the collar of her purple robe loosening slightly and slipping down her shoulder, revealing a glimpse of her delicate collarbone.

"You think I'm not pretty enough? You think I'm not good enough for you? Or you think the term 'male concubine' sounds bad? We can change the wording: partner? lover? With a little effort, you can choose whatever you want."

Alecto leaned back, creating some distance between them.

"It has nothing to do with those things."

He carefully crafted his words; the mental mage could easily sense the fluctuations in his emotions. He couldn't reveal his identity, yet he had to make his refusal seem reasonable.

"I just don't like being traded like an object. Stardust is important, but not important enough for me to sell myself."

This is the truth.

After saying that, Alecto turned and walked out of the shop.

Good opportunity, let's go, let's go!

With a flick of his red hair, the wooden door opened, and the copper bell jingled once more.

He took a step forward, his figure disappearing into the crowd of pedestrians.

Helena watched his retreating figure, her smile deepening.

You can't escape~

She put the crystal box inside her robe, waved to old Ethan, and followed him out.

Alecto walked quickly, but Helena followed at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, her purple robe appearing and disappearing like a shadow always hanging behind her.

He frowned. Was he being pestered?

He turned a corner and went into a bookstore.

The store was dimly lit, with wooden shelves reaching the ceiling on all four walls, crammed with books, some of which were even stacked on the floor.

Alecto walked to a row of bookshelves, his gaze sweeping over the labels on the spines of the books.

Most of them are popular novels, travelogues, agricultural guides, and some scattered magic beginner manuals.

He pulled out a book of diagrams on alchemical reactions, flipped through two pages, and then put it back.

The door was pushed open again.

Helena walked in.

She didn't say anything, but just leaned against the bookshelf, crossed her arms, and looked at him.

Alecto pretended not to see and continued to move slowly among the bookshelves, occasionally pulling out a book, glancing at it, and then putting it back in its place.

The store was quiet, with only the rustling sound of pages turning.

What do you usually do?

Helena suddenly spoke.

Alecto's hands didn't stop moving, his gaze still fixed on the spine of the book.

After a few seconds, he answered:

"Besides adventures, gathering materials... researching magic, and reading books."

What kind of books do you like to read?

"I read everything: magical theory, basic alchemy, historical records..."

Helena's eyes lit up.

She straightened up and took two steps closer to him:

"I also enjoy reading. I have a library in my courtyard with many rare books. If you're interested, I can take you to see it."

Alecto then turned his head and glanced at her.

What is this?

Is this an isekai version of My Cat Can Do Backflips?

"Need not."

He looked away, took a book on the geography of the border regions of the Kingdom of Kalando from the shelf, and casually flipped through it:

"There are enough books here for me to read."

"Here?"

Helena chuckled softly, walked to his side, and ran her fingers along the spines of a row of books in front of them:

"Most of these are old editions, with many errors and omissions. My collection of books... cannot be found elsewhere."

Alecto didn't reply.

He didn't know how to respond.

I've already begged for forgiveness...

Helena was standing about half a step behind him.

She could smell a very faint burnt smell on Alecto; he was very clean.

Unlike those fat, big-eared nobles, who reek of all sorts of perfumes and cosmetics, they were not like that.

"What are you looking for?"

Helena then asked:

"History books? Which period are you interested in?"

"Just browsing."

Alecto opened the book, and the table of contents listed major events from the year 1800 to 2000.

His gaze swept quickly across the scene; wars, important events, and changes of thrones were mostly just blurry backgrounds in the inherited memories.

Some entries also had small print indicating breakthroughs in floating city technology and the rise of magical industrialization...

These contents are not found in the inherited memories.

The dragons' memories focus more on the ebb and flow of magical tides, the birth of powerful individuals, and treasures; they often leave no record of the evolution of human society.

Alecto took out a gold coin from his dimensional bag and placed it on the counter.

These are all important documents; I'll take them back and review them at my leisure.

Alecto carefully put the books away and turned to leave.

Helena naturally followed, and even closed the door behind her as they left.

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

After walking for a while, Helena suddenly said:

"Are you going back to the hotel?"

"Um."

"then!"

Helena suddenly pulled a silver badge from her sleeve and tossed it to Alecto.

Alector didn't react in time, instinctively taking it; it was slightly cool to the touch, and his heart felt as cold as ice.

Who knows what tricks they might have played? We're doomed...

"This is my communication badge. You can contact me by infusing it with magic. I'll come to see you again tomorrow. As for today, I have some things to take care of."

Helena finished speaking, then turned and left with a smile, leaving Alecto sweating profusely.

He clutched the silver badge and strode back to his hotel room, locked the door behind him, and tossed the badge aside.

The magic power within his body circulated, condensing from his palm and transforming into a ball of pure white purifying fire.

If you have enough magic power, it can burn away all attached magical marks, tracking spells, and even mental imprints.

The flames spread from the palms to the entire body, burning every inch of skin for the most thorough purification.

The Dragon Clan's heritage records methods for dealing with psychic mages.

Their tracking techniques often not only attach to objects, but may also leave subtle marks on the target.

The white flames circled three times before Alecto slowly stopped, confirming that every trace of abnormality had been burned away.

But that's not enough; there's also the communication badge.

He looked at the silver emblem on the ground, and white flames rose again.

The surface of the silver emblem melted rapidly, revealing a dense array of purple patterns.

Those were tracking runes unique to spirit mages, each one exceptionally well-hidden.

Just then, Helena's plaintive voice suddenly rang out:

"How cruel you are! You're so ungrateful. Well, I'll just have to go and catch you right now~~~"

The silver emblem twisted in the flames, eventually transforming into a beam of purple light that shot towards Alecto.

He knew it! None of them were easy to deal with!

Alecto dared not hide any longer; his dragon wings shot out from his shoulder blades, propelling him into the sky like an arrow.

His figure transformed into a streak of crimson light in the night sky, rushing towards the wilderness outside Graystone Town at an astonishing speed.

Below are rooftops, streets, and city walls receding rapidly.

The cold wind howled into his ears, and his wings flapped with all their might, each flap propelled forward by magic.

The purple light was like a persistent, intractable disease, relentlessly pursuing it.

It's not just a simple tracking mark, but a clone that Helena created using her mental power.

For spiritual mages, distance is never a problem.

"Why are you running?"

Helena's voice drifted on the wind:

"I'm not going to eat you, I just want to have a good chat with you~"

Alecto paid no heed, his gaze fixed on the dense forest ahead.

Once inside the forest, with the help of the complex terrain and vegetation for cover, he would have a chance to completely eliminate the clone.

"Tsk, so disobedient."

The purple light suddenly accelerated, instantly appearing in front of Alecto and condensing into a phantom image of Helena.

She hovered in mid-air, her purple robes fluttering in the night wind, her dark purple eyes gleaming eerily in the moonlight.

"Get out of the way."

Alector did not slow down; he loosely clenched his right hand, and flames gathered in his palm.

"Fireball? That won't work on me~"

Helena chuckled softly and tapped her slender fingers lightly.

The mental shock came like a tsunami.

Alector's magical energy channels circulated rapidly, and a crimson barrier unfolded in front of him.

boom!

The mental shock collided with the barrier, creating ripples.

Alexo paused slightly, but quickly regained his balance. With a flick of his left hand, three Crimson Lotus Bombs shot towards Helena in a triangular formation.

"Oh? That's interesting."

Helena neither dodged nor evaded; her afterimage vanished the instant the Crimson Lotus Bomb struck her, only to re-form ten meters away.

"Your casting speed is unusually fast... You're definitely not an ordinary wandering mage."

Her gaze lingered for a moment on the dragon wings behind Alecto:

"Transfiguration? Or a bloodline ability? How interesting! I'm determined to capture you and pamper you!"

Alecto felt a chill run down his spine.

This woman has a sharp eye; we can't delay any longer.

He took a deep breath, and the magical energy within his body began to circulate at full speed, surging out like a burst of magic.

"The Fiery Dragon Sings!"

Crimson flames erupted from Alexo's hands, weaving in the air into a ferocious fire dragon that roared as it lunged at Helena.

This attack had reached the power of a level six spell, and the intense heat distorted the surrounding space.

Helena's phantom image showed a solemn expression, and her eyes blazed with purple light:

"Spiritual Mirror - A Thousand Barriers!"

One after another, purple light mirrors appeared in the void, layering together to form a defensive array.

The fire dragon crashed into the first mirror of light, and the mirror shattered instantly, but the fire dragon also shrank by one size.

Second side, third side, fourth side...

The fire dragon was unstoppable, shattering seventeen light mirrors in succession. Its size had shrunk to one-third of its original size, and it finally disintegrated into a sky full of sparks in front of the eighteenth light mirror.

"Such powerful force."

Helena's phantom became more transparent, clearly indicating a significant energy expenditure.

"But how many more times can you unleash such an attack?"

Alecto did not answer.

Taking advantage of a gap in Helena's defense, he suddenly flapped his wings and shot into the forest like an arrow.

"Still trying to run?"

Helena snorted coldly, and her phantom transformed into a streak of purple light as she chased after it.