Evil Dragon, Without a Princess, I Had to Transform Myself!

Chapter 53 : Hello, Panda

When mentioning Grand Mage Oz, most people's first reaction would be of a white-haired old mage. This 254-year-old elderly mage always liked to drag his fluffy long beard around, wearing a bathrobe when meeting people.

But no one in Bluefin Bay had any objections to this.

This decrepit old mage was the century-long guardian of this independent city-state.

The white-haired old man stationed himself in Oz Tower outside Bluefin Bay, watching over this city day and night.

Under his protection, Bluefin Bay had never experienced any major troubles.

Now another century had passed, and everyone knew that even a seventh-circle Grand Mage could no longer extend his lifespan through various means.

If he couldn't break through the barriers of arcane arts, Bluefin Bay losing its guardian was inevitable.

Just when everyone thought the old mage was about to pass away, this decrepit Oz seemed to have finally broken through the eighth-circle realm that had constrained him for a hundred years.

Not only did he regain his youth and return to his prime, he even gained unprecedented powerful spells, easily eliminating a bipedal wyvern that had once threatened Bluefin Bay's trade routes.

Everyone in Bluefin Bay was delighted.

Now, even though goblin activities were becoming increasingly dense, causing countless people to become displaced.

As long as Grand Mage Oz took action, everything would be fine.

This was what Bluefin Bay's nobility believed.

"That's all I know."

Hedica told Loranhir everything she knew.

"Is there anything else you'd like to understand?" Hedica asked her.

"No more, no more." Loranhir shook her head.

"Then I'll take my leave. It's getting late, and we have to travel tomorrow. Please rest early as well." Hedica left after speaking.

The late night wind stirred the campfire, desolate and cold.

"...Grand Mage Oz."

Longing for power floated in Loranhir's eyes again.

How wonderful it would be if she could become Grand Mage Oz's apprentice, murmuring words full of power, absorbing the exquisite magic pervading the universe, glimpsing the future through cracks in time...

Though Loranhir didn't hold much hope for this, anything would be better than her current situation.

People who envied others' efforts for a moment then turned back to their own lives—what right did they have to live the life they wanted?

Loranhir had made up her mind.

If seeking apprenticeship failed, she would directly confess to the Princess about being a complete incompetent fool, then let her decide what to do.

Whether being driven from the team by the Princess for deception or leaving voluntarily, Loranhir would accept it all. The Hero simply could no longer accept harming the Princess due to her own incompetence.

Loranhir modified her letter of introduction to Grand Mage Oz under candlelight, stroke by stroke. Elaphia said she didn't want to disturb her and simply went to the forest to get some blood food, sneaking out quietly.

Only she remained by the empty campfire.

What was the Princess doing at this moment?

Loranhir instinctively looked toward the carriage.

In her memory, the girl's sweet sleeping posture was always like a cat—soft like cotton, like clouds, like a shallow lake carrying sweet sleeping sounds.

It must be a sweet dream.

On that night when she carried the Princess from Black Death Patunasankus's lair, Loranhir thought she had found a way out. Yet she was still just a small firefly, aimlessly flying along with everyone else.

Loranhir put down her pen and ink, sitting on her sleeping bag hugging her knees, thinking for a long time.

She whispered to herself, "I might be the worst Hero in the world, the worst in history, the worst of the worst in history."

Once upon a time, she always felt the Princess gave her an indescribable feeling. Loranhir had never figured out what it was.

Only later did she understand.

It was never that complicated.

It was change—wanting someone who could change her.

Anyone would do.

○

"Hello, panda."

Patunasankus said seriously.

Loranhir, sporting two big dark circles under her eyes, emerged from the tent. The first thing that caught her eye was a pair of delicate little leather shoes swaying from the carriage, elegant and noble. The pure white dress wrapped around those long yet cute legs like gentle snowflakes.

Patunasankus sat on the carriage, pointing at Loranhir's nose.

The evil dragon seemed to have discovered something amusing, puffing her cheeks and holding back laughter while looking at the Hero.

"Pfft, panda, panda!" After a while, Patunasankus simply stopped holding back and began laughing out loud. "Hehe... ahaha..."

It was a hearty laugh Loranhir had never heard before.

Like a flower bud born in the early morning, dewy and innocent.

Panda it is then.

Wasn't that quite nice?

Loranhir rubbed her eye bags, ignoring the pointing and gesturing. She thought the Princess's mischievous streak had been growing lately.

"The Hero actually had insomnia? No way, right?" Elaphia, applying sunscreen and wearing a sun hood, walked toward Loranhir. "Is it because you were fiddling with something all night?"

"I had some matters to attend to, but nothing major." Loranhir put away her letter of introduction and boarded the carriage. "Time to depart for Bluefin Bay."

Elaphia also packed up her sleeping bag. To guard against possible goblin attacks, they hadn't set up camp last night, making departure much more convenient now.

The carriage carried the group forward along with Hedica's convoy. Elaphia held the reins, Patunasankus leaned against the window daydreaming, while Loranhir looked down at the letter in her hands.

Though she lacked education, her wording wasn't elegant, and her handwriting was crooked, she had still put considerable effort into it last night.

She wondered if Grand Mage Oz would accept her.

After all, the Hero's reputation throughout the Dawn Kingdom had always been thunderous—known by all. Loranhir didn't know if Grand Mage Oz's first reaction would be like others before, thinking she was here to challenge him.

Whatever. Who cares.

Loranhir put the letter away, placing it in her robe's inner pocket.

Trying was always good.

The carriage continued forward, soon reaching the main road near Bluefin Bay. Loranhir had expected this to be a prosperous trade route, but what she saw were more refugees, emaciated and sallow.

"The Hero has come, everything will be peaceful!"

They shouted.