There are three ways to reach the northernmost lands of the Dragon Clan.
The first method is traveling by foot or flight, but in either human or dragon form, it takes considerable time. The second option is using spatial magic to teleport directly, which saves time but is challenging; only a handful of dragon clans can use spatial magic proficiently, and of those, three dragon kings have already been tangled up with General Leon.
The third method, and the one chosen for the Young Dragons Division’s field test, is traveling by a specialized transport—a familiar friend to the academy’s students: Leviathan.
Despite their massive size, these gentle “school buses” are among the few dragons who have mastered a form of spatial magic, albeit different from that used by dragons like Lavie. The journey would take three days from the academy to the northernmost lands.
With her backpack stuffed to the brim, Noa obediently stood behind the line of senior students, waiting to enter Leviathan’s teleportation column.
“Oh, look! There’s a little one coming with us this time.”
“Another extra spot, huh? I heard the last time a Young Dragon applied for the northern field test was years ago.”
Curious, a tall senior girl turned around and bent slightly to Noa’s height, smiling warmly. “Hey there, cutie. What’s your name?”
“Noa. Noa K. Melkvey.”
The senior girl’s eyes widened. “Oh, you’re the famous Noa from the Young Dragons Division?”
Noa’s cheeks flushed as she clutched the strap of her backpack a little tighter. “I’m not... that famous.”
This was her first time speaking with someone in the Youth Dragons Division, and she felt nervous.
“I’m Yuna, from the Thunder Dragon Clan. It’s nice to meet you, Noa.”
“The Thunder Dragon Clan...” Noa blinked, looking Yuna up and down. “But I thought Thunder Dragons were usually really tall and slim?”
She remembered her dad nearly lost a relay race at the academy’s family sports day a few years back because of a tall Thunder Dragon’s tricky tactics. But of course, her dad’s cleverness won them the race in the end.
“Are you saying I’m out of shape, Noa?” Yuna feigned offense, pouting.
Flustered, Noa quickly waved her hands. “No, no! I didn’t mean that!”
Seeing her distress, Yuna chuckled. “I’m teasing you. You’re thinking of the Lightning Dragons—they’re the tall, thin ones. Thunder Dragons like me are a bit different.”
Noa’s face lit up with understanding. “Oh, my mistake. Sorry.”
“Don’t worry. People mix us up all the time.” Yuna, easygoing, didn’t mind at all.
“Did you apply for this test alone?” Yuna asked.
Noa nodded. “Yes, by myself.”
“The northernmost lands are tough, you know. The creatures there have thick hides and are hard to beat. You’ll need to be careful,” Yuna warned.
Noa’s gaze remained unwavering. “I understand, Yuna.”
Yuna raised an eyebrow, taken aback by the determination in the little one’s eyes. Was it courage, or did this young dragon genuinely have the skills?
“Yuna, we’re here to take a test. Are you seriously planning on babysitting a kid?” a male senior called over.
“Mind your own business, Anton,” Yuna retorted, turning back to Noa. “If you need help, you can always come to me.”
“Thank you, Yuna.”
After more friendly conversation, Yuna went to join her friends, reminding Noa once again to seek her out if she needed anything. Such a warm-hearted senior.
Noa positioned herself near Leviathan’s tail, where she could look across its vast back. The academy had even set up temporary accommodations on Leviathan to make the journey less monotonous. Thankfully, Leviathan was gentle; any other dragon might flip out at the thought of a mini-party on their back.
Watching the other students laughing and chatting with their friends, Noa felt a pang of loneliness. She was here all alone, and the journey, including the test itself, would take around ten days.
With a soft sigh, she placed her backpack down, sat cross-legged, and rested her chin on it, her silver tail curled behind her. A gentle breeze ruffled her bangs as she looked down, a touch of loneliness crossing her face.
“If only Helena were here...”
“I knew someone was missing me.”
A familiar voice rang out behind her.
Noa’s head snapped up, her eyes widening at the sight of a figure bathed in a soft blue glow.
“Helena...”
“You left so fast this morning that I couldn’t catch up with you,” Helena said, setting down her bag and sitting beside Noa.
Noa, still in slight shock, asked, “Why are you here?”
“Why am I here... good question,” Helena mused, tapping her chin. “Well, there were two spots, right? One for you and one for me. Just perfect!”
“...I can do math, Helena. I mean, why did you apply too?”
“Because I couldn’t stand the thought of a certain little silver dragon spending three days and nights alone in icy wilderness without a single familiar face. I just had to come along.”
“I don’t mind being alone...” Noa replied, though her voice wavered slightly.
“I know you don’t mind it. But you don’t like it, either, right?”
Noa opened her mouth to argue, but no words came out. Helena was right. She didn’t fear going on the test alone, but she didn’t enjoy the thought of isolation.
She’d always grown up with her sisters, under the watchful eye of her incredible parents. Besides those first few days at the academy, she’d never done anything truly alone.
Well, maybe the next chance to challenge herself would come soon enough. The academy held plenty of tests, after all. She quickly consoled herself.
As the two chatted, Leviathan began to slow down.
“What’s happening? I thought we were headed straight to the northernmost lands,” Noa asked, confused.
“Oh, you didn’t hear?” Helena replied.
“Hear what?”
“There’s a tour group traveling with us this time.”
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.
Noa’s expression twisted in disbelief. “A... tour group? On a mission to the northernmost lands?”
Helena shrugged, patting one of Leviathan’s enormous scales. “Leviathan’s gotta earn his keep, right? So, he’s taking tourists along too. Marketed it as ‘limited edition’ tickets—smart!”
Noa let out an exasperated sigh, accepting the reality of the situation.
For the next stretch of the journey, Leviathan made several stops to pick up tourists heading to the northernmost lands, adding to Noa’s frustration. She was nearly drifting to sleep when, half an hour later, she spotted a familiar silver glow on the horizon... her mother’s Silver Dragon Sanctuary.
“Wow, Noa, it’s your home! Are your mom and dad going to the northernmost lands for a vacation too?” Helena asked, visibly excited.
Noa, deep in thought, quickly grabbed Helena’s hand and pulled her into a hidden corner.
“What’s going on, Noa? Aren’t you going to go say hi to your parents?”
Noa shook her head. “Helena, remember you once said you envied the way my family interacts?”
“Yeah!”
The eldest daughter of the Silver Dragon Queen smirked mischievously. “Today, I’ll show you how they *really* get along in private.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll bet you—ten days, and they’ll kiss at least twenty times!”
That’s the confidence I have in my exemplary parents.
–Noa K. Melkvey, the eldest princess of the Silver Dragons.