Chapter 2: Is Your Melon Guaranteed to Be Ripe?

What just happened?

Everything was fine a moment ago—why the sudden panic now?

Lind hurried to reassure Victoria. “Don’t be afraid, I’m a good person. I won’t do anything to hurt you.”

The other party howled anxiously and fearfully in a language he couldn’t understand—Dragon Tongue.

Lind felt a headache coming on. He had no idea what the gemstone dragon was trying to say. Inwardly, he vowed that once he’d saved up ten reputation points, he’d definitely activate the translation skill.

Victoria stared anxiously at the vaguely human creature before her, who stood frozen in place. She stamped her feet in distress, then, after a moment’s hesitation, gritted her teeth and bravely stepped forward, wrapping her wings gently around him. She led Lind back beneath the shade of the towering forest, pushing Guagua into the shadows as well.

A deafening roar, like thunder, erupted from the sky.

Crimson storm clouds blotted out the sun, casting a dark red shadow over the ground below.

When the shape soared over his head, Lind looked up and realized it wasn’t a storm cloud at all—it was a colossal red dragon.

The span of its outstretched wings must have measured several hundred meters. Even without direct confrontation, the oppressive force of its furious roar made his heart pound wildly.

The roar was identical to what he’d just heard—it was the same dragon.

[Warning: Approaching breakthrough—Sixth-tier Red Dragon detected. High rarity.]

[This target has significant status within its clan. Subduing it will yield a large amount of reputation points.]

Lind’s eyelids twitched at the system’s notification.

Subdue it?

I’m barehanded—not even a wooden sword. What am I supposed to do, run interference so the red dragon stubs its claw and dies of an infected hangnail?

If you gave me a diamond set, maybe I’d consider it.

Wait—I have a workbench, and this young dragon before me is a gemstone dragon.

If she could take me to find all sorts of rare minerals, wouldn’t crafting equipment be a breeze?

At this thought, Lind’s mind began to race, and he gazed at Victoria with anticipation.

Coincidentally, her big, sparkling eyes were also looking at him hopefully.

“Human, you, defeat it…”

“We really are on the same wavelength,” Lind nodded enthusiastically.

But then he hesitated. That didn’t seem right. She didn’t know he had a system—why would she expect him to defeat the red dragon?

Curious, he asked, “How are you so sure I could beat it?”

“Because humans are super amazing!” Victoria flipped to the middle of her green book, revealing a drawing.

A little three-headed, six-armed person floated in the air, surrounded by halos, with a host of multicolored dragons prostrating themselves at his feet in apparent worship.

[Gemstone Dragon Victoria has developed admiration for you.]

[Reputation points +1.]

Lind’s mouth twitched. It seemed reputation wasn’t so hard to earn after all.

With this naïve young dragon by his side, he’d probably be able to enjoy a relatively peaceful development phase.

Though he couldn’t tell where she’d dug up this book, the drawings were rather abstract.

A dragon legend, perhaps?

“Human, you—do you have two more heads?” Victoria tilted her head, blinking curiously.

“Uh… not yet. Haven’t grown them out,” Lind offered a clumsy excuse.

But the gemstone dragon wouldn’t let it go. Her shimmering eyes stared him down, her nose sniffing at him repeatedly.

Can she smell my lies? He felt a bit uneasy.

Victoria stuck out her tongue and licked his face, then suddenly straightened up and solemnly declared, “I know!”

“…”

“You’re a youngling, right? Just like a young dragon—haven’t grown up yet.” Victoria grinned, revealing her silver teeth. “I really am so clever.”

Lind couldn’t agree more.

If only there were sunflowers around—he’d give her some seeds as a reward.

His gaze softened with benevolence for the wise little dragon. He patted her wing and said, “That’s right, I’m a youngling. Still growing. By dragon standards, I’m about three years old—lots of abilities still locked away.”

“When I turn eighteen, I’ll grow two more heads and four arms and look just like the picture.”

“I’ll wait for you, good person!” Victoria flapped her wings with joy, feeling as if she’d found a precious gemstone beyond compare.

“Dragon Guagua, let’s eat together—let’s grow up together!” she said, patting the green dragon melon she’d been protecting, generously offering to share the fruit she’d risked her life to obtain.

The big red dragon living atop the mountain had claimed a vast territory, forbidding other dragons from entering.

She’d snuck in, drawn by her innate sense that rare treasures could be found here.

For the sake of her dragon dream, Victoria was determined to collect as many treasures as possible and share them with every dragon on the continent.

That way, no one would have to fight over them anymore.

But halfway down the mountain she got thirsty, so she decided to pick a melon to quench her thirst. The moment she plucked one, she alarmed the red dragon in the stone palace atop the peak.

Frightened, she fled with her melon, dashing and hiding until she stumbled upon this youngling.

Given how angry the red dragon was, there was no hope of picking another melon for her youngling friend—better to share one between the two of them.

Lind watched Victoria crack open the large melon with her forehead and suddenly understood the source of her cleverness.

After sizing the two halves for a while, she pushed the slightly larger one toward him.

“Human, you’re smaller, so eat more.”

“Thanks… but, are you sure this melon is ripe?” Lind eyed the greenish flesh, hesitant to take a bite.

Who knew if it was safe to eat? After surviving so much and finally befriending a young dragon, dying of food poisoning would be a cruel twist.

“Human, are you looking for a fight?” Victoria narrowed her eyes in displeasure.

Such a green melon and he still asked if it was ripe?

Of course it’s ripe!

This was clearly just picking a fight.

“Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it,” Lind apologized quickly. “Here, have some of my flatbread. It’s a bit cold, but still edible.”

Curious, Victoria sniffed at it, then snatched it from his hands—packaging and all—and chewed it down.

Before Lind could warn her, she’d already swallowed it.

Her multicolored eyes gazed at him eagerly. “Any more?”

“Nope. If I get more ingredients, I’ll make you some later.”

“You’re the best!”

[Victoria’s affection has increased.]

[Reputation points +1.]

Hearing the prompt, Lind couldn’t help but marvel—was he raising a little pet monster?

Just feeding her increased her affection.

Would he later be able to throw a little ball and shout, “Go, Victoria, use your cuteness skill!”?

The thought made him chuckle.

Well, he’d be spending a long time with her anyway.

Better to get to know this young dragon gradually, then search for diamond mines and craft the diamond gear he’d always dreamed of.

With that thought, his life finally seemed to have a glimmer of hope.

For now, he would enjoy eating melon with Victoria and savor this pleasant moment.