That Elusive and Mysterious Male Lead (13)

[Host, here’s the situation. You’re wrapped up in the wings of the great black dragon. It seems tired—its eyes are closed, and it’s fallen asleep. Host, are you alright? Can you breathe?]

Si Jiu replied, resigned, “I can breathe, but not suffocating doesn’t mean I won’t starve to death.”

[What should we do now?]

“Do nothing. I’m exhausted. I think I’ll just sleep for a while.”

[What?]

“When the cart reaches the mountain, there’ll be a road. Don’t bother your father’s sleep. Go amuse yourself.”

System: [......]

Even now, she can sleep? How big must her heart be?

But the host had a point. Besides, the main system wouldn’t let her fall into a pit. With that thought, the system calmed down.

Within the vast cave, both the dragon and the human girl drifted into slumber.

Outside, the mist rolled and surged, blanketing everything around, as if shielding the cave’s lone pair—a girl and a dragon—in their own private world.

Day and night could not be seen, nor was there any sense of time’s passage.

When Si Jiu awoke, she found her position had changed.

She was no longer wrapped up, but lay in the palm of the great black dragon, its claws gently curled around her. If she looked up, she could see its razor-sharp talons.

Si Jiu was puzzled by the dragon’s attitude.

[Host, since you’re awake, why not try a side quest?]

“Aren’t you worried I might starve?”

[Host, you said yourself—when the cart reaches the mountain, there’ll be a road. If you’re idle, why not take advantage of the dragon’s sleep to do a quest?]

Si Jiu: “......”

That actually made sense.

She sighed in resignation, sat up, and rubbed her aching stomach, then gingerly climbed out of the dragon’s palm.

[Friendly reminder: Host can kiss the black dragon’s wounds for a miraculous effect.]

Si Jiu: “......Is this the side effect of the golden finger?”

[That’s right, healing! Host, you’re getting better at figuring out the routine.]

“Heh.”

The wounds on the black dragon were vast compared to Si Jiu’s size, most concentrated on its back.

“My mouth could heal a single scale at most, even if I kissed until my lips were numb. And these wounds... frankly, they’re a bit gruesome. Hard to get close.”

The system paused for a moment. [It’s not that bad. If you really feel psychological resistance, just pretend you’re eating sashimi?]

Si Jiu: “......Kid, you’re really something.”

The system suddenly became shy: [No, not really~]

Si Jiu: I wasn’t complimenting you.

Exhausted.

“Fine, I’ll pretend it’s sashimi.”

Murmuring to herself, Si Jiu ran her hand gently over the wing before her. It felt nice—cool to the touch. If not for the damage and bloodstains, it would have seemed even more beautiful and glossy.

Instead, it looked pitiful.

Si Jiu felt a pang of sympathy for the great black dragon. It had done nothing wrong, yet its clan was wiped out before it could even hatch; it became a test subject for the enemy.

It had barely escaped captivity, only to be wounded beyond healing. From the looks of it, it couldn’t even stand.

A being meant to rule the world, reduced to this.

“Wasn’t the world’s will supposed to favor its chosen ones? Is this tragic protagonist for real?” Si Jiu muttered as she leaned in to kiss the wound.

Where her lips touched, a gentle, luminous glow began to flow.

[The protagonist must undergo trials to grow.] The system consoled her.

Seeing that the kiss worked, Si Jiu moved to another spot and kissed it again, chatting idly with the system: “Nonsense. That’s the script for villains and underdog protagonists. The chosen one should have everything from birth—the heavens smile upon them, they bask in unrivaled favor, radiate brilliance, and stand atop the world. Isn’t that route more appealing?”

“Trials? For a power fantasy protagonist, that doesn’t exist.”