Book of the Dragons

At noon, the scorching sun blazed high in the sky.

"One thousand one hundred and sixteen."

"One thousand one hundred and seventeen."

"One Thousand Two."

At the end of his rigorous training, Aesir set down the two-handed sword in his hands and exhaled slowly. A faint ripple of satisfaction broke through the calm expression on his otherwise stoic face.

"The peak of an apprentice knight... not bad!" he muttered to himself.

Aesir Aragon, the fourth son of the Baron of Deepwater Territory, had never been the most favored child in his family. His mother, Lilith Golden Rose, had died in childbirth, and her death had cast a long shadow over his life. To his father and brothers, Aesir was a walking reminder of that tragic day.

"Congratulations, young master. To reach the peak of an apprentice knight at the age of fifteen—your future as a sky knight is all but assured. If Lady Lilith could see you now, I believe she would rest peacefully," Foster, the old knight who had served Aesir's mother, said with a rare smile.

Lilith Golden Rose had been a woman of noble birth, hailing from the illustrious Golden Rose family, famed for their extraordinary lineage and the magical golden rose elves. These elves produced rare potions, said to greatly aid knights in breaking through to the rank of great knights. Her lineage, however, did little to shield Aesir from his current predicament.

"Mother... was it really because of my birth that she died in childbirth?" Aesir murmured, his voice tinged with both sadness and guilt.

Aesir was no native of this world. Fifteen years ago, a freak accident had torn him from his former life and deposited him here, in the fragile body of a newborn. This new world was unlike anything he had known. Dragons and elves coexisted with humans, their existence interwoven with the fabric of society.

The dragons here were not the serpent-like Eastern dragons of his former life but resembled the majestic, winged beasts of Western mythology. They were the foundation of this world's economy, producing precious metals and gemstones—resources unavailable through conventional mining.

Elves were another marvel, magical beings composed entirely of elemental magic rather than flesh and blood. They ranged from lowly elf bugs to humanoid high elves and grand elves. In the Aragon family, thirteen elf bugs and one full elf were scattered across the barony's most fertile lands, magically boosting crop yields.

For example, an elf bug could double the production of crops within its range. Meanwhile, the full elf in the family, stationed at the heart of the territory's farmland, could quadruple the yield of a hundred acres. Aesir marveled at this synergy of magic and nature, though his knowledge was largely limited to his family's holdings and stories from the Golden Rose estate.

"Don't worry, Grandpa Foster. I'll become an official knight by the time I turn sixteen," Aesir declared with firm resolve.

There was an unspoken belief in this world: those who broke through to knighthood at sixteen were destined for greatness, perhaps even the chance to become dragon knights. Though it was mostly hearsay, Aesir understood its significance and aimed to reach that milestone.

Taking the towel handed to him by Foster, Aesir wiped away the sweat from his brow. He then drank the potion sent regularly by the Golden Rose family, a concoction of medicinal herbs designed to strengthen and nourish the body during training. Though simple, the potion was costly—ten silver coins per bottle—and crucial for his progress.

The reason for relying on the Golden Rose family's resources was clear. Aesir's own father, Baron Aragon, offered him no support, resenting him for Lilith's death. Aesir's resemblance to her, both in appearance and temperament, only deepened the baron's coldness. It was only the intervention of the Golden Rose family that ensured Aesir received any training resources at all. They had even offered to adopt him on multiple occasions, though each time, Baron Aragon had refused.

While Aesir bore no resentment for his situation, he could not help but notice the differences in how he was treated compared to his siblings. His eldest brother, Kalen Aragon, was the favored heir, despite lacking talent in knighthood. At twenty-eight, Kalen had yet to progress beyond the level of an apprentice knight, prompting the baron to consider purchasing an expensive magic potion to help him break through.

The second son, Klas Aragon, was a different story. At twenty-five, he had already become a full-fledged knight and served as the deputy commander of the Red Flame Knights under Earl Stephen. His accomplishments earned him respect and favor, though he rarely returned to the family estate.

Aesir's third sibling, Christina Aragon, shared a closer bond with him. At eighteen, she had progressed only to the stage of a mid-level knight attendant, a reflection of the family's indifference toward female members. However, her warmth and kindness made her a rare source of comfort for Aesir.

"Aesir, you missed another meal because of training," Christina said as she approached, her voice light and cheerful. She wore a pale green dress, accompanied by her maid carrying a plate of food. "I want to see how a knight who skips meals plans to ride a horse and defeat enemies."

"Christina, my dear sister," Aesir greeted, standing to embrace her briefly.

The meal she brought consisted of an oatmeal cake, a pound of roasted monster meat, and a bowl of fish soup. Though modest compared to the meals enjoyed by his father and brothers, it was a feast for an apprentice knight. The monster meat came from Foster's personal hunts, while the fish was caught fresh from Deepwater Lake, the territory's namesake and largest natural resource.

Aesir sat cross-legged on the ground, ignoring noble etiquette, and began to eat.

"You shouldn't strain yourself too much, little brother," Christina said, her tone equal parts teasing and concerned.

Their warm exchange was interrupted when a figure approached from the castle.

"Master Aesir, Miss Christina, the baron has summoned you both to a meeting in the main hall," the servant announced.