CHAPTER 106: CHAPTER 106 - THE MISSION IN PAIR (2)

The soft amber hues of early dawn crept through the windows of Luca’s dorm room, painting long golden lines across the floor. A quiet stillness lingered in the air, broken only by the soft rustling of cloth as Luca moved efficiently through his preparations.

His backpack lay open on the bed, already half-filled. He packed with practiced hands—emergency rations, clean clothes, reinforced mana potions, a minor healing salve kit, a compass imbued with directional magic, and two sealed scrolls. One of them bore Professor Seraphina’s enchantment—meant only for dire situations.

In front of him, seated cross-legged on the floor with her stubby arms flopped down and a curious tilt of her head, was a golden-haired toddler girl with ruby-red eyes.

His baby dragon.

Well, technically not human, but in this form, she was every bit the clingy, wide-eyed child. Her dragon tail lazily swished behind her, and her delicate horns poked through the fluffy golden hair. She blinked once... then again... before breaking into a wide grin.

"Papa~!"

Luca chuckled under his breath, crouching down to her level.

"Yeah, yeah. Papa’s just packing. You’re not going to eat my emergency jerky, are you?" he said, giving her a mock stern look.

"Papa," she repeated with an innocent giggle, not understanding a word but clearly delighted just to hear his voice.

He ruffled her soft hair, sighing softly. "I’ll summon you again once we’re on Aira, alright? Just be good for now."

She puffed her cheeks, clearly unhappy, and stomped her tiny foot with a defiant squeak. But Luca only smiled and tapped her forehead gently.

With a soft pulse of mana, she dissolved into crimson light and returned to the beast seal engraved along his forearm. The room fell quiet once again.

By the time he stepped out of the dorm, the golden rays of the sun had brightened, casting a soft glow across the marble paths of the academy grounds.

Outside the academy gates, Selena was already waiting.

Dressed in form-fitting adventure gear—dark high-collared tunic with a cloak folded neatly behind, black leggings reinforced with enchantments for mobility and defense—she looked poised and unapproachable. Her snow-white hair was tied back into a clean ponytail that swayed with the morning breeze, and her expression was, as always, composed and unreadable.

Her violet eyes flicked to Luca as he approached. "You’re late."

"I’m exactly on time," he replied, flashing a calm smile.

She didn’t argue further, only gave a small nod.

Her gaze turned to the empty space beside him. "Let’s just take your Kunpeng. No need for two beasts. It’s more efficient."

Luca raised a brow but nodded. "Sure. Hold on tight then."

With a fluid motion, he summoned Aira—the majestic Kunpeng beast manifesting with a flash of starlight. In her medium form, she was large enough to carry both of them comfortably, her sleek azure feathers glinting like polished sapphire under the morning light.

Selena hopped on wordlessly, settling behind him.

Just before taking off, Luca released the baby dragon once again with a small pulse of mana. She emerged in a flare of reddish-gold light and immediately pounced onto him, wrapping her tiny arms around his waist and nuzzling into his side.

"Papa~!"

Selena’s cold exterior cracked for the briefest second, her eyes widening just a little as she watched the baby dragon cling to him like a toddler with separation anxiety.

"...She talks?" she asked after a moment.

"She knows one word," Luca said dryly, steadying the Kunpeng as Aira began to beat her wings.

"Papa," the baby dragon chirped proudly again, puffing out her cheeks.

Selena looked away, muttering something under her breath about strange beast behavior, but Luca caught the tiniest twitch of a smile on her lips before she turned completely.

With a swift motion, the Kunpeng lifted off, wind sweeping around them in spiraling drafts as they took to the skies, the Academy shrinking behind them.

Below them, the world unfolded like a painting—rivers glittering like silver ribbons, forests sprawling endlessly, and distant mountains piercing the clouds. The mission awaited.

High in the sky, the clouds parted gently before the wings of the Kunpeng as it glided smoothly across the morning wind. Selena sat behind Luca, quiet and composed, her white ponytail fluttering softly in the breeze. The baby dragon nestled securely between them in a sling tied to Luca’s back, occasionally murmuring "Papa" under her breath.

Below, the dense forest thinned into broken terrain and patches of farmland—signs they were nearing Thornshade Hamlet.

Luca narrowed his eyes as he adjusted the trajectory. "We’ll be approaching Thornshade in about fifteen minutes. Time to go over our plan."

Selena nodded, her cold expression firm as ever. "The mission’s brief was vague. Just rumors of Devil Cult activity. Live sacrifices. Sounds like they’re being cautious with the intel."

"Right," Luca replied, thinking back to the in-game version of Thornshade Hamlet—a once peaceful settlement that had been left a smoldering ruin when he arrived in his second playthrough. If they failed now, it wouldn’t just be a missed mission; it would be a tragedy.

He glanced over his shoulder. "Have you ever been to Thornshade before?"

"No." Selena shook her head. "It’s too far from magic tower’s territory. And it’s not a trade route either. You?"

Luca’s eyes flicked toward the horizon. "I’ve... heard of it. Knew someone who passed through once." He didn’t elaborate. Game knowledge wasn’t something I could explain.

Selena didn’t press. She simply asked, "What’s your plan of approach?"

"We don’t reveal we’re here for the mission," Luca said firmly. "If the cult has infiltrated the hamlet, there’s a high chance they have informants watching for outsiders. Especially academy students. Our academy badges would give us away instantly."

"So... we go undercover," Selena concluded. "As commoners?"

"Exactly. There’s a village a little west of the hamlet—Oakrest," Luca continued, recalling the map from his memories. "We’ll land there, change some things in our clothes, and blend in. Pose as travelers who got lost, or are looking for work. Once inside Thornshade, we gather intel from the locals—any odd disappearances, changed behaviors, sudden gatherings."

Selena narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "And if the cultists are watching, they’ll suspect us less if we look like clueless drifters."

Luca nodded. "Right. Then, once we confirm the cult’s location, we take them out quietly. No contact with the academy until the mission is complete. If they realize we’re students, they might vanish before we make our move."

Selena narrowed her eyes. "We’ll need roles. I’ll keep watch during the day and talk to villagers. You investigate the surroundings after dusk."

"You trust me in the dark?" he asked with a smirk.

"I’ve seen what you can do," she said simply. "Besides, you blend in better with shadows than I do."

Luca chuckled, but there was a flicker of respect in his eyes. She didn’t tell anyone that night with the baby dragon.

Selena added, "Also... we’ll need a signal. In case one of us runs into trouble. No spells. Something mundane."

Luca thought for a moment, then pulled a silver coin from his pouch. "Three taps on a surface. Then one. Repeat. Easy to remember. We hear that, we regroup."

Selena nodded. "Agreed."

The baby dragon stirred, letting out a soft yawn as she blinked awake. "Papa..."

Selena folded her arms, clearly mulling over the risks. "This approach has merit. But it also means we won’t have backup if things go wrong."

"I know." Luca’s tone was calm but resolute. "But if we alert them too early, they’ll escape—and the sacrifices will continue. Worse, if they realize the Academy’s caught on, they’ll speed up whatever ritual they’re doing."

There was a beat of silence between them, broken only by the sound of wind rushing past and the baby dragon’s soft breathing.

Selena finally nodded. "Very well. We go undercover. I have spare civilian clothes packed. I’ll change once we land in Oakrest."

Luca glanced back, a faint smirk on his face. "You’ve got everything prepared, huh?"

"I always do," she replied coolly.

As the Kunpeng began its descent, Thornshade’s outskirts began to form clearly in the distance—dark rooftops nestled between withered trees, and an unnatural fog hanging just slightly too thick over its center.

Luca’s expression hardened.

This time... we’ll stop it before it starts.