Chapter 173: New Member
As Gara approached the three of them, he recalled what Hilda had told him: a dragon’s human form normally revealed horns and scales.
The appearance Hilda showed every day was thanks to the Illusite Dragon, a disguise crystal crafted so dragons could blend in with humans.
It hid their horns and scales but couldn’t suppress the aura they gave off.
Just like the aura rolling off Ares—the pure-blood dragon.
But using an Illusite Dragon was never comfortable, especially for pure-bloods whose horns and scales stored immense energy.
Hilda had long grown used to it. She’d been using one since she served the prince, who often slipped into human territory to ’play.’
But Ares? This was his first time using one—and as a pure-blood, he must have been struggling.
Is that why he feels so stiff? Doesn’t fit his ’cheerful’ trait at all, Gara mused.
Out loud, he said to the golden-eyed man at the door, "Ares, if the Illusite Dragon feels uncomfortable, you can take it off."
The young man’s eyes widened. He’d already lost count of how many times Gara had surprised him today.
"Can I? Won’t you be afraid?"
Ares’s gaze slid toward Fian. It was obvious Fian wasn’t human. But elves and dragons weren’t the same—humans feared dragons far more.
"Of course you can," Gara answered, brushing away his doubts.
Stealing a glance at Gara’s face, Ares turned his palm upward. Slowly, a black, glossy orb surfaced from his hand.
The moment the crystal fully emerged, a pair of golden horns sprouted from Ares’s head, sweeping back in sharp arcs.
What made Madha and Fian stiffen slightly, though, were the dragon wings that unfurled from his back—broad, crimson, and sturdy, nothing like a bird’s.
They beat once, and Ares realized what he’d done. His expression tightened in embarrassment.
"Sorry. I’m still not used to maintaining a humanoid form."
Even given permission to drop the crystal, he’d accidentally revealed his wings.
Shifting into humanoid shape was a dragon’s innate skill, shrinking their body to blend into other territories. Horns and scales remained, but wings weren’t supposed to appear.
It looked like Ares would need more practice.
"It’s fine," Gara said easily. "Come on in. Mother and Della are waiting."
He opened the door and led them inside. The house was already alive with sounds.
Passing through the front room, furnished with a few wooden chairs meant for guests—though Gara doubted he’d ever have visitors—the space opened wider.
Ahead lay another door. To the left stood a sette with a backrest, every surface padded and wrapped in fabric stuffed with cotton or scraps.
Ares didn’t know the name, but the people here called it a couch.
Beside it sat a smaller, single-seater couch. A middle-aged woman was seated there, cradling a silver-haired baby boy with irises the color of... red?
For a human baby, red irises weren’t normal. But Ares’s confusion only deepened when he noticed a young woman sitting on the carpet below, a soft rug spread beneath her.
In her arms was a baby whose arm looked... like bark, and the child was happily tugging at the woman’s tail.
Yes—tail. Because the young woman didn’t just have a thick, furry tail, but also furred ears pointing up from her head. Clearly not human.
Noticing the new man in the room, the young woman reflexively made her ears and tail vanish, leaving the baby swiping at empty air where his toy had disappeared.
Before Ares could recover from that shock, his gaze fell on another baby giggling on the carpet. Three little white squirrels played around him like companions, and right there on the baby’s forehead was a single horn.
Ares rubbed his eyes. Maybe he was hallucinating after wearing the Illusite Dragon.
"They’re my children. Triplets. My own blood," came Gara’s calm voice beside him.
"...Huh?" Ares blinked, looking like an idiot.
But Gara didn’t elaborate.
Instead, he introduced their new member to Wina, Della, and Rea, who had slipped in through the side door. Rea fluttered down onto Gara’s shoulder.
"Welcome, Ares. Thank you for the help you’ll be giving us," Wina greeted warmly.
Della only gave a small nod, lowering her head, still shy around strangers.
Rea chirped excitedly, her call echoed by her three children.
Ares didn’t understand their chirping, but he still smiled at them after returning Wina and Della’s welcome.
Seeing such a cheerful atmosphere, all of Ares’s prejudice toward Gara melted away.
Gara immediately noticed the number floating above Ares’s head rise—15%.
After the short introductions, Gara took Ares around the house, explaining the details of his duties.
"I’ll do my best!" Ares declared, brimming with energy. He never thought he’d be so happy serving a master—human nonetheless. Or was not human. After all, Gara’s children clearly weren’t just human.
Once everything was settled, Gara left the dimensional pocket, telling Ares that his room would be one of the larger bedrooms already shared by Madha and Fian.
Two beds were there; they just needed to add one more for him.
The next day, after moving Ares’s bed into the dimensional space, Gara, Fian, and Madha departed Falopo Town, with Hilda seeing them off.
It was a pity Gara couldn’t say goodbye to Tristan in person. Their farewell was through the crystal ring.
The carriage carrying Gara rolled out of Falopo, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the small town.
For some reason, Gara felt a pang of emotion. This time, their destination was the capital, a place so far away they might not return anytime soon.
Madha, sitting beside Gara in the carriage while Fian took the first shift driving, pulled the pretty young man into his arms, stroking his hair gently.
Gara melted into the warmth of Madha’s broad chest, but his sentimental mood didn’t last long. A wave of dizziness hit him, and he soon leaned against Madha’s shoulder, eyes heavy.
Madha, seeing his state, could only rub Gara’s shoulder softly.
Then a thought surfaced, information he’d only recently learned, tied to their journey to the capital.
"If the druids don’t chase us, it might be better to stay in town a while longer," Madha murmured. "Professor Langga is coming for the next Awakening Ceremony."
...