Reborn as a DRAGON

Breta was the first to move. Her spear soared through the air, aiming for the strange dragoness. Immy didn't hesitate either, as she manifested a dozen golden arrows before shooting them at the stranger.

"Oh, dear."

The unknown dragoness seemed to anticipate where the attacks would land in advance. She seamlessly weaved through Immy's arrows and easily dodged Breta's spear. Ynos roared and rushed in head first with his horns pointed at her.

The dragoness didn't seem bothered and instead looked like she was already expecting his attack. Two of the seven fire mana wisps surrounding her rushed to meet Ynos, forming an impressive flame wall.

Ynos was undeterred by this. He quickly manipulated his earth mana to cover his entire body, forming a strange armor of sorts before he crashed against the wall.

The dragoness's eyes widened as Ynos broke through and rushed towards her. Three fire wisps moved swiftly beneath her claws and launched her into the air, causing Ynos's attack to miss.

Right then, however, a sudden gust of wind forced her back to the ground.

"Oh? Look at this cutie!" Her gaze turned to Essie, who was surrounded by dangerous wind elements.

Breta zoomed toward her, brandishing her spear. Ynos, on the other hand, aimed for her back. Immy turned into a streak of light that attacked her from above.

Even when faced with attacks from all directions, the dragoness was unphased. Her gaze remained settled on Essie with a soft smile on her face. Her movement was hard to follow. She stepped back and twirled around Ynos, narrowly avoiding his horns, right after she raised her claw, where two wisps of fire mana transformed into a fiery hammer that smashed him into the ground.

The force of the attack caused his armor to crack and the ground to splinter. Immy's attack arrived right after, but the dragoness seemed to have anticipated it already. Three more wisps shot forth like a whip, pushing Immy back.

"What the!" Immy cursed.

Breta's spear shattered the whip and continued toward the dragoness, but she slipped through it once more, causing Breta to frown. Before she could follow up with her attack, the dragoness had already retreated next to little Essie.

I watched over the entire ordeal with a strange feeling. My cosmic mana was calm. I didn't sense any danger from the unknown dragoness. Even her attacks didn't seem to carry the intent to kill.

I subconsciously glanced at Sidus, who still had a dumbfounded expression. Did he know her?

Looking back at her, I resisted the urge to attack her as she stood in front of Essie.

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'Pat'

"Huh?" Confused, Essie glanced at the dragoness, who was happily patting her head.

Immy was about to launch another attack when I stopped her.

"Wait!"

She turned to look at me and then back at the dragoness before she glanced back at Sidus. "What are you standing there with such a stupid look on your face for?!"

"I-" Sidus didn't know how to reply.

"Aren't you supposed to be our first line of defense?" Immy continued to berate him.

"Oh, please don't get mad at him. I think he was just surprised to see me," the dragoness interrupted her with an apologetic smile.

"You know her?" Immy ignored her and asked Sidus.

He shook his head and answered, "We've only met once by accident."

He paused and glanced at the dragoness, "Was it truly an accident?"

She nodded in response, "Yep, I never thought I'd come across you there."

"B-Brother," Essie, who was still under the merciless head pat attacks, looked at me with a pleading expression.

I summoned my cosmic mana, teleported her away from the dragoness, and safely placed her on my head.

"Aww, I wanted more head pats!" The dragoness complained.

"Enough. Who are you?" I asked with a frown.

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Emily," she replied with a courteous bow, causing the golden bell on her neck to chime.

"That's not what I asked. Who are you, and why did you attack us?"

"I didn't attack you, though? I merely defended myself. You guys attacked me first. Well, they did, at least."

"Did Yrvai or Qhalta send you?"

"Those old things? No, they didn't."

"Then who?" My frown deepened.

"The King did!" She answered with a refreshing smile.

"The King...?"

Ynos, who had been knocked down, stirred and shook his head before standing. His earth armor disappeared as he walked to my side.

"You've got a strong body," he said.

"Thank you! I try to take care of myself," she grinned.

"Wait, wait, wait. The King sent you to us?" Immy asked once more.

Breta, standing next to me, unsummoned her spear and sighed. "Another strange one appears."

"Well, technically, I was already here."

"I'm confused," Immy sighed.

"I've been stationed here in Fas by the King long before you came."

"So you're a spy," Ynos nodded in understanding.

"Shush," Emily answered with a smile.

"And what's your mission?" He asked.

"That's a secret," her smile widened.

"Then what are you doing here?" I frowned.

Her entire demeanor changed at that. "It's dangerous here."

Immy scoffed, "A little bit late for that."

Emily nodded, "So it would seem. You guys need to leave Fas."

"I'm okay with that," Breta answered.

Ynos shrugged while Sidus still held that confused look on his face.

"I can't leave yet," I shook my head.

My response seemed to catch her off guard, "Ah? Why?"

"First of all, we don't know who you are."

Emily tilted her head in confusion, "But I already told you I'm with the King, though?"

"How could I trust your words? For all I know, you could be lying."

"Hmm, the King really is smart," she suddenly said.

"What?"

"He told me that something like this might happen!" She appeared strangely excited at that.

"And?"

"Well, Tim."

My eyes widened in disbelief as I subconsciously took a step back.

"W-What did you just say?"

Emily frowned slightly, "Oh? Did I remember it wrong? Was it not Tim?" She mumbled to herself.

"Where did you hear that?" I asked slowly. It was getting difficult for me to control my feelings. The cosmic mana sensing the sudden change in emotions churned and gathered around, causing the space surrounding me to crack with ominous energy.

"Oh? So I was right?" Emily let out a sigh of relief, "I thought I remembered it wrong!"

"I'm not going to repeat myself. What do you know? And where did you hear that?"

"I don't know anything, though. The King told me to tell you that. Whatever it means. Is it a name?" She seemed genuinely puzzled.

"None of your business."

"That was mean."

"What else did the King tell you?"

"Oh, you believe me now?"

"Yes." No one else knows my previous name except for him, after all.