“So, let me get this straight," said Henrietta after listening to Bartlett's explanation on the cockatrice. "We’re hunting a chicken that happens to also be a giant lizard.”

  Bartlett grunted in response.

  "Which also happens to be a venomous monster equal to fifty venomous snakes."

  He grunted and nodded.

  "And said venom is capable of penetrating dragon scales."

  This time, Bartlett simply nodded. Henrietta groaned in response.

  "Great. Just great. It's never easy when it comes to reptilian monsters, now, isn't it?"

  “Don't be afraid to opt out. We can find another way.”

  “And what ‘other ways’ can you suggest? Going on a hunt for fifty slimy snakes?"

  "They're not slimy," retorted Bartlett. "We can find some asps in the desert. They are one of the most venomous. Then again...finding fifty of them will take too much time. And risk."

  Henrietta let out a sigh. "Everything's never easy in this life, huh, Bartlett?"

  "I don't like it, either, but this is a better chance out of any to help you feel more comfortable, at least."

  "I'm afraid I must agree." The dragon sighed, accepting that hunting the cockatrice was the only choice they had. "Any plan?"

  “We can start by finding any information about the cockatrice first," said Bartlett. "Then we hire someone or two who can support us.”

  "And what kinds of people do you think we should search for?"

  “Hmmm,” pondered Bartlett. “We need a mage who can cast barriers, or a cleric of the Rose. They know blessings that resist poisons. Then, we also need another fighter, preferably one who can deal a massive damage. It's a plus if he's a battlemage."

  “You sound like you’ve worked with other adventurers before,” said Henrietta.

  “This isn't my first adventure, princess,” said Bartlett. “Solo adventuring is for those who are trying to prove themselves. I'm old enough to know that it's rare for someone to be able to go on an adventure by themselves. Even if they do start solo at first, they will eventually find allies to help."

  It sounded almost like a confession. Perhaps Bartlett was referring to himself. Henrietta simply accepted this fact and kept it to herself.

  “So, what kinds of adventures you've been? Surely you can brag on one or two?"

  Bartlett’s expression turned sad. Henrietta did not catch this as she was looking at the road. After a slight pause, the man said, “I...prefer not to talk about it."

  "What's wrong?"

  "Not all adventures go well. Let's just say I finally achieved what I dreamed about. But it comes with regret. I, uh...let's just focus on the road, shall we? I haven't been to Clydeth before, so I don't want to get lost."

  Henrietta understood, and chose not to pry further.

  After reaching the border town and crossing the border, the two finally entered the nation of Clydeth. Blythen, the first town for visitors crossing the border by land, was enough to tell that they were entering a new land. It was markedly different from Manarithia in which there were many contraptions that were virtually non-existent in Manarithia, and were powered by what looked like steam.

  Clydeth was also populated mostly by mages, as it was a democratic nation of mages. Even those who did not work as scholars were properly trained to operate the magick-based contraptions that were practically everywhere, including a portal gate that could take them immediately to the capital, provided one had enough money to enjoy such a premium service.

  Like Manarithia, Clydeth was populated by all kinds of people. Humans, elves, dwarves, and all sorts of beast people intermingle with one another. What made them different from Manarithia, however, were the presence of the native Clydethian people, which were the lupine Latranian and the ursine Arctrosi. While they were not the originators of the technological advancements, they were part of Clydethian society and were responsible for helping develop the Clydethian magick system, a unique spellcasting technique that were taught in Clydethian Academy of Wizards.

  Bartlett closed the book he just bought from the visitor center, resting his eyes. There were a lot to take in. He looked around the area, enoying the view around them as Henrietta walked through the town and into the nation proper. From his casual observation, Bartlett noticed some things.

  Clydeth did not have dragon riders. Bartlett and Henrietta were the only dragon and rider along the road and became the center of attention. Some people asked Bartlett about his experience in dragons. It was a good-natured question, one that Bartlett answered in kind. Henrietta, while staying silent as to not reveal her secret, listened as they complimented her unusual scale color. While she appreciated it, her uniqueness could easily draw attention to herself, so she quickened her pace, leaving the travelers behind while Bartlett awkwardly said goodbye to them.

  Thankfully for them, Clydeth was not as big as Manarithia. What’s more, information spread much easier in Clydeth due to their use of magick. Instead of searching for work in every town they visited, they could simply consult a nationwide quest board posted in the first adventurer's guild they visit, though it was an awkward endeavor at first due to Bartlett's unfamiliarity with the system. Fortunately for him, there were people willing to help him operate the nationwide quest board.

  Thankfully for him, an Arctrosi warrior happened to notice his confusion. Bartlett was slightly intimidated by the bear person. He was tall, perhaps two heads taller than him. He was also big and burly, like the animal that he resembled. His ursine head, and the rest of his mostly bare body, were covered in a chocolate brown fur.

  "Can I help you?" he asked.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  "I, uh...do you...know how to use this quest board?" stammered Bartlett. "I'm...not from around here."

  "I can tell," said the Arctrosi, glancing at his draconic companion. "Manarithian?"

  "How can you tell?"

  "Your style. Also your dragon. I presume it's yours?"

  "You presume correctly."

  He smiled. Rows of sharp, white teeth filled his maw.

  "It's nice to meet you. Anyway, you just have to say your query and it'll give you the best result, if there's any," he said. "Anything you want to know in particular?"

  "Yes, uh...can it tell me where to find a quest to hunt a cockatrice?"

  "Cockatrice, eh? Sure, we have problems with them lately. But why do you want to risk your life like that?"

  "I, uh...an alchemist friend needs its venom sac. Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

  "It's not my place to judge. To be fair, you are in luck. Clydeth's having a lot of monster hunting jobs lately. I don't know what disturbed them, but it might have something to do with the situation on our northern borders."

  "Something wrong?"

  "I don't know much about the details, but there is a major accident involving dark magick. The borders are sealed off while they are dealing with the rampaging beasts and people caught in the accident. Then, there's your war with the Wyrithians that's threatening to spill to Clydeth. I'm not judging you, but I suggest you don't bring your war to us if you want to stay on our good side. We appreciate the business, not the violence."

  "I'll keep that in mind."

  Using the nationwide quest board system, Bartlett and Henrietta did not need to test their lucks checking on each towns and/or cities for jobs. Searching for 'cockatrice' yielded an available cockatrice hunting quest given in the Sondheimer guild, which was a mere three days away from the town they visited. Without delay, they went straight to Sondheimer following the signs on the road. Thankfully, there were camping sites for travelers who preferred to sleep under the stars, or in Bartlett's case, traveling with a dragon.

  Sondheimer, like most well-developed town, had wide streets covered in bricks, multi-used buildings that could function as both a store with offices, a multi-storied store, a building with multiple stores, or something much more efficient: a store with apartments above it. This was bolstered by the diverse population living in a magick-enhanced, modern town.

  The only thing missing was the presence of dragons, so it did not come as a surprise when Bartlett and Henrietta became the center of attention, especially for the children. Not only was Henrietta’s scale color unusual, she was also the only dragon in town. Bartlett was also seen as an awe-inspiring person; someone who could tame and ride a dragon as if they were horses (a comparison Henrietta hated) was something to behold.

  This also identified them as Manarithians. Some in the gathered crowd even asked if he was on official business (most people outside of Manarithia only ever knew dragon riders as belonging to the law enforcement). Bartlett simply said that he was an adventurer. Thankfully, while some Manarithians greeted him, they did not become the center of attention for long. After they cleared the crowd, Bartlett waved the children goodbye. This did not escape Henrietta’s attention.

  “It feels great, being treated like an important person,” said Henrietta. “But you said it yourself. There are Wyrithian adventurers here too. If one of them recognize me...."

  “Relax, princess. Sondheimer's far from the Wyrithian border, if the map have something to say. I don't think anyone in Wyrith is hunting you down. Right?"

  "That's not what I'm worried about."

  "Even if they do, they can't do anything to you here. Clydeth is a neutral nation, and they will punish anyone who brings the war here. That's why they warned us not to be inebriated, or we'll regret it."

  Henrietta was still unconvinced, but she decided to trust on Bartlett's judgement anyway. She kept her eyes towards the noticeably Wyrithian adventurers who seemed to be whispering among themselves. She dug her claws to the ground, hoping that she would not get impulsive and let her paranoia got over her.

  They soon reached Sondheimer's own adventurer's guild. The guild was similar to many other dotting the landscape, except this one had no facilities for a dragon rider. Henrietta had no choice but to wait on the sidewalk while Bartlett inquired within. It was not comfortable as it was a stone sidewalk, and she became a center of attention. She wanted to start talking to spook the onlookers so badly, intending to amuse herself. She fortunately had better self-control than that.

  However, fate would tempt her to break this self-control.

  As she lazily waited for Bartlett, even yawning, she watched the market nearby and the people coming in and out of the guild. Aside from the onlookers who were interested with the presence of a dragon, there were many people in the market buying trinkets, foods, or simply looking around deciding. She wondered about their daily lives, of what they were going through each day. It was certainly a different life compared to either being a princess or being a dragon in the wild. As a princess, she either studied in the castle’s library or learning swordsmanship with one of the commanders in charge of castle defense. As a dragon, she was trying her best to survive, and she learned as she went, even though it started poorly due to her reluctance to carve her hunt and eat them raw.

  She reminisced about her time studying in the library. Her elder sisters and brothers were more active in the court compared to her, especially Albert, the crown prince of Wyrith set to inherit the throne. Her first sister, Consetta, was the mayor, and was the busiest among them. Miriam, his second sister, was more concerned about preserving Wyrithian culture. She could be vain at times, but was generally a good person.

  This left her and her youngest sibling, Thomas, as the unusual ones. While Henrietta trained to be a fighter, her brother was more of a mage, training under the court wizard. She did not know much of what he learned since she had no interest, but she and Thomas were close, mostly due to their youth. There was a gap of seven years between her and Miriam, but only three between her and Thomas. They understood each other well; they never acted formal with one another, and only doing so when it was required, such as during a ball. For Henrietta, he was her only true personal friend, one that was not politically motivated.

  Henrietta sighed. Almost two years had passed. She would be 21 and he would be 18. She never thought things could turn out like this, as she was ready to resign to her fate when she was given a chance to survive by becoming a dragon. When she saw him drifting away on the boat she pushed herself, crying her name, her only thought was to save him from the fates of her family...and supposedly herself. When she turned out to survive, she couldn't stop wondering about him.

  “Don’t think too much about it, Henrietta,” she thought to herself. “Thomas is living a happy, humble life. He’s not your responsibility now.”

  Her thoughts were broken when a familiar voice caused her to become wide-eyed in disbelief.

  “What a pretty dragon,” said a young man’s voice. “I never thought a pink-scaled one exists.”

  She turned her head to the familiar voice. He had a short, neatly cut blonde hair and a fair, bright skin mostly hidden under his shirt, vest, and pants. His face and his bright blue eyes, however, were undoubtedly familiar to Henrietta, so much so that she opened her maws slightly in disbelief and her eyes wide in surprise.

  “Thomas?” she whispered, before realizing what she did. No one seemed to notice her speak, not even Thomas himself.

  “The rider must’ve painted her,” said his companion. "Must be one of those fads in Manarithia. Pink doesn't suit a dragon."

  “Oh, Rory, don’t be like that,” said Thomas. “She could be a faerie.”

  “A faerie geared up like a horse? Yeah, right. Anyway, why are we standing around staring at a painted dragon? I thought you want to be a guild member, not a gawker.”

  “Seriously, Rory, your bemusement is amusing on its own,” said Thomas with a sigh. “Oh, come on, then.”

  Thomas kept her eyes on the dragon while Rory rushed into the guild. He smiled and said, “I hope I can meet your rider. I’m sure he has a lot of stories to tell.”

  Henrietta wanted to tell the young man to wait, to ask him if he was really Thomas. She stopped short of saying anything coherent, then growled in frustration as Thomas walked past her to enter the guild. She watched as he walked to the front desk with Rory. She knew better than to disturb his life, knowing that she sacrificed her own freedom to save him from the duke’s clutches.

  But to be reunited in such a state? It was painful to acknowledge.

  “Oh, Thomas,” thought Henrietta. “I wish you knew….”