Valkyrie?

The dragon seemed to consider this place as one of its own, not as an outsider at all.

He commanded the maid named Janice with the same ease as he would instruct his own kin. Janice, ever dutiful and compliant, executed the dragon's commands without hesitation.

"You foolish maid, do you ever spare a thought for your eldest lady, Joanna?" Lucia chided gently.

"Little dragon, why don't you take a break and refresh yourself with some juice?"

Under Lance's command, the little dragon was notably industrious. With a spirited vigor, it grabbed a shovel and set to work, showing no disdain for labor. It could converse amiably and assist others tirelessly in their tasks. Observing this, Joanna mused, "I wish I could raise a dragon just like this one."

"Miss Joanna, I prefer to be addressed as Her Highness Lucia," the little dragon corrected with a hint of formality.

The dragon was fine with being called a dragon or even a dragon cub by others, but insisted on a regal title because it was, in fact, the second in line to the throne of the Farolan Empire.

"Let the human girl call me Her Highness Lucia; the dragon won't mind. At worst, he'll think I'm merely indulging in the fantasy of being an empress ahead of time."

To those who complied and called her Her Highness Lucia, they might either perceive her as a noble dragon or dismiss her as a vain young creature, never suspecting her true identity as a princess of the Farol Empire.

In the Kingdom of Nord, where she found herself now, the imperial capital's residents might not even be aware of the Farol Empire's existence.

Some Nord nobles might have heard of the Farol Empire, though it's equally plausible they hadn't, given the empire's current lack of fame.

"Wow, how utterly adorable!"

The little dragon's haughty demeanor was irresistibly charming.

"I'd love to have such a pet."

"Little Dragon Lucia, let me treat you to some juice."

"Joanna, you are so courteous. I appreciate girls like you. Since you've honored me with my title, I'll treat you to a giant banana!"

"Thank you, Little Dragon."

"No words of Lucia? Well doesn't matter, Little Dragon will suffice."

Having removed her gloves, the young dragon tossed aside her shovel, led Joanna out of the garden, and approached the menacing dragon, Lance. Squatting down, she fetched an impressively large banana from the lucky coin pendant around her neck.

After consuming a shrinking potion provided by Lance, she shrank from her towering size to just over one and a half meters. The banana, originating from an island, was massive, nearly reaching her jaw in length.

"Can you believe the size of this banana? Surprised, aren't you? It's a specialty from Black Dragon Island, are you envious?"

The young dragon flaunted her prize, skillfully peeling the banana with her claws while keenly watching Joanna and the surrounding maids' reactions. Amidst their gasps and exclamations of disbelief, she took a proud bite, squinting her eyes and smiling broadly, reveling in their envious and awestruck gazes.

"Here, Joanna, I have another one. Take it, don't be shy, it's much sweeter than any banana you'd find in the human world."

The young dragon, with a flair of generosity, retrieved another colossal banana from the lucky gold coin and playfully pushed it towards Joanna's mouth.

Indeed, it was an extraordinarily large banana! Overwhelmingly so.

Joanna struggled to maintain her balance with the hefty fruit in hand. Had it not been for Janice, the attentive maid, rushing to her aid to steady the banana, Joanna might very well have toppled over.

The banana stood as tall as Joanna's chin and was nearly as thick as her thigh. Astonishment washed over her face. "Can bananas even grow this massive? How am I supposed to eat this?"

"Just a small section would be more than enough to fill me up," she marveled, imagining the challenge of consuming such a giant banana. "Eating half could quite possibly stuff me to the brim. Her Highness Little Dragon's generosity knows no bounds!"

"This single banana could fetch four or five gold pieces if sold," Joanna speculated, her mind racing with the possibilities. "To the wealthy merchants and nobles of the city, it could even draw ten gold pieces or more. Rarity truly does add value."

"I bet even the princes and nobles in the capital have never laid eyes on a banana of this size. Such extravagance!"

Meanwhile, Lance, lounging in his rocking chair, couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern over the extravagance, but he quickly dismissed it. "As long as the little dragon is happy," he thought. "She's earned it. Perhaps a 'Stupid Dragon Flies First' silver award when we return to the island would keep her motivated."

Joanna, holding the massive banana, turned to Lance with a hopeful expression. "Lord Lance, may I keep this banana to share with my father when he returns tonight?"

"Sure, whatever you want," Lance replied nonchalantly.

"Lord Lance, please do stay with us tonight and allow my father and me the opportunity to host you," Joanna added, eager to extend their hospitality.

Lance playfully tapped the head of the young dragon, who was munching on a banana. "What do you say? Should we dine out tonight, or would you prefer to enjoy a lavish dinner here with the nobles?"

"I want to go out and explore," the dragon decided, a spark of adventure in her eyes. "I've had enough of the fancy dinners back in the capital. They're never as tasty as the simple, delightful street food."

The idea of wandering the streets, trying on delightful clothes and cute hats, and perhaps buying a new outfit for Marly, their worn-out companion, seemed perfect. But then reality struck her. "I actually don't have any money on me. And Lance isn't exactly flush with cash either..."

Disheartened, the young dragon conceded, "Perhaps we should just dine in the lord's mansion tonight."

"What's the matter?" Lance inquired, sensing her change in mood.

"We don't really have enough money," she confessed quietly.

"It's alright. We could set up a stall and make some money that way," Lance suggested, half-seriously.

The dragon scoffed at the notion. "Me, a princess of the Farol Empire, setting up a stall? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"I'll split whatever we make. Half for you as pocket money," Lance offered, trying to lighten the mood.

"Okay, okay," the dragon agreed, her spirits lifted slightly. "Let's have an early dinner tonight then set up our stall."

The benevolence of the evil dragon was apparent, as he was even thoughtful enough to offer the young dragon some pocket money for her own expenses, he thought to himself.

"What should we sell at the stall?" the young dragon inquired, her curiosity piqued by the new venture.

"I'll handle the octopus balls, and you can manage a stall selling pills, liquid medicines, and energy cards not far from mine," suggested Lance, plotting their market debut.

The young dragon was suddenly unsure, "Can octopus balls I make actually be edible?"

Joanna, seeing an opportunity to show them around, chimed in, "Lord Lance, if you're planning to set up a stall tonight, how about I show you around Lionheart City this afternoon? We can even visit the Valkyrie Temple here."

"That sounds like a splendid plan," Lance agreed. "Let's pay a visit to the temple and pray for the Valkyrie to bless my little dragon with courage as she grows."

A twinge of envy flashed through Joanna's eyes; Lord Lance truly doted on His Highness, the young dragon.

By three in the afternoon, they found themselves within the serene confines of the Valkyrie Temple, located on the central street of Lionheart. Joanna knelt devoutly on a cushion in the center of the temple hall, her eyes closed in prayer.

The young dragon began to kneel as well but was promptly stopped by Lance. "A young dragon like you needn't kneel to worship a Valkyrie; you are not a mere mortal."

Lance's gaze, however, became fixated on the statue of the Valkyrie, something about it striking a familiar chord within him.

Noticing his stare, the young dragon grew anxious, fearing that the evil dragon might be developing a forbidden fascination with the divine. "Little Dragon, doesn't this Valkyrie look familiar to you?" Lance asked, his tone casual yet probing.

Confused and a bit frightened, the young dragon stammered, "What are you saying? We can't possibly recognize gods, and it's forbidden to gaze directly at them!"

"I'm not jesting. Look closer," Lance insisted, positioning himself behind the young dragon and gently forcing his gaze towards the statue.

The young dragon, nearly in tears, was terrified of the consequences of beholding a god so directly... but then, recognition dawned on him. "It... it looks familiar. Where have I seen this before?"

After a moment of frantic thought, it clicked. He remembered a portrait hanging in the dragon's study back home, Sophia, the beautiful sister who once borrowed money from the dragon and never returned it!

In the background, plans for further updates and image rights were discussed. "For Lance's portrait, I'll have a friend run an AI model to avoid any copyright issues," the young dragon mentioned, thinking ahead to how they would share their tales online.