Dragonkin

'The challenge I would face is not small. There are many things that are still mysteries to me. But I can't step back. I will try to do whatever I can, the very best that I can do.'

Nathan still had his eyes closed. He was thinking about what he wanted to do and achieve in the future and steeling his heart to pay whatever price he needed so as to achieve his goals.

'I hope.' He took a deep breath. 'No, I WILL find answers to all these questions.'

He let out his breath. 'I WILL find the adventure I've been missing for so long. And I WILL solve the riddle of the death of my parents.'

After making his wishes, Nathan smiled and opened his eyes.

"Are you ready, Edna? On the count of three, okay?"

"Yes, I am ready, young master," Edna answered with a warm smile.

"Three," Nathan muttered under his breath.

"Two." Edna continued.

"Have you said your wish too, Edna?"

Edna was silent, then looked at Nathan's face. She nodded, "Yes."

"One." Nathan continued.

Then they both blew at the candles in front of them simultaneously.

The tiny flame at the end of the candle was only swayed by the wind coming from both directions, which merely canceled each other out.

Edna's silver hair also seemed to be lifted by Nathan's breeze.

Nathan could feel Edna's breath gently brushing his face.

Edna covered her mouth with the back of her palm, and she chuckled. "Apparently, I blew out this candle from the wrong direction, didn't it?"

Edna strolled and stood beside Nathan.

"Okay, I'm ready."

Nathan nodded.

They counted together, and then, together, they extinguished the small candle in front of them.

Edna put the cake on the table. She took a cake knife and made a slight cut.

"Let me help you, Edna."

"No, I can do it myself."

"You have done too much for me. Let me do this little thing on your birthday too, okay?"

Edna fell silent after hearing Nathan's words. She then let him do it.

Nathan took a small plate and took the piece of cake there. He made slight cuts with a fork.

They then shared the cake and enjoyed it together.

"Okay, Edna. I want to tell you something. Can you close your eyes for a second?"

"For what? Hmmm, okay."

"Just a moment. Please close your eyes."

"Okay." Edna stepped back and closed her eyes.

Nathan took a deep breath, then exhaled.

'Edna has helped me a lot until now. Hopefully, I can repay a bit for what she's done for me after this.'

Nathan slowly raised his body and stood up.

It was the first time he had stood before Edna after a very long time. And that time, he also realized that although Edna was not too short, about 170 cm tall, she was only in Nathan's eye.

Nathan smiled before saying. "Edna, open your eyes."

Edna slowly opened her eyes, and when she did, she was met with the sight of Nathan's feet. Startled, her hand flew to her mouth in shock as her gaze slowly traveled up his body, taking in the incredible view of him standing tall before her. Tears streaming down her face, she asked in awe, "I'm not dreaming, am I? Can you really walk again?"

Nathan nodded and smiled. "Yes."

The young girl then leaped forward, her arms wrapping around him in an embrace. "Young master!"

For a few moments, her joyous sobbing was the only thing that could be heard in the room.

Nathan was extremely touched. The fact that she was so relieved and happy to the point that her tears of happiness were flowing so freely.

Nathan felt mixed feelings when Edna hugged him, between uncomfortable and warm. He fell silent and allowed her to cry while hugging him.

After a few moments.

"Young master, I am sorry." Edna pulled away, still trying to hold back her tears. She tried to wipe out the tears that were streaming down her face.

"I'm just too happy for you."

Nathan scratched the back of his head. "I got an awakening, and for some reason, I finally regained my ability to walk."

Edna couldn't help but gasp in surprise. "Young Master, that's… That's wonderful!! You are finally able to do all the things you wanted to do!"

"Actually." Nathan swallowed. "I want to go to the Hunter Association first and get a hunting license."

"Hunter Association is close from here. We can go whenever you want." Edna immediately replied.

"Yes." Nathan nodded, "And one more thing. I intend to enroll at the Hunter Academy. At CEHA, to be exact."

Edna looked surprised by his statement. "I think that place is perfect for you. However…"

Nathan smiled. He understood what the girl was thinking. The fee to enter the academy was very expensive, and it would not be possible for him to do so in his previous state.

"That's not a problem, Edna. We will find a way to solve that problem. I'm more worried about entering the academy, which requires a minimum level of reaching level 50."

"Oh, there is no need to worry. I will help you hunt. I will weaken all the monsters before you take the last hit and gain the required experience."

Edna then fell silent again.

Nathan also understood that it was still insufficient to reach such a high target, even with her help.

"It's okay, Edna. We can think of a solution for that. And-"

"Yes?" Edna made a questioning face.

Nathan was silent for a moment. He thought about Edna's identity, considering the possibility that her mother was also a dragon.

'This seems awkward, but these questions really bother me.'

"There's something I want to ask you. However, I am uncomfortable asking this question. Because I once asked you this, but you didn't give an answer."

Edna looked at Nathan's face. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to hide anything from you. You can ask anything, and I'll try to answer it."

"Okay." Nathan was silent for a moment. "May I know… a…  your race?"

Edna was silent, hearing Nathan's request. She then averted her eyes.

"No, no, no. You don't have to force yourself if you don't intend to give an answer."

"No, it's not that I don't want to answer this question. However-" Edna looked up again and took a deep breath. "Okay, I will show you my true form."

"Ugh?"

'Show the true form?'

Nathan thought about the dragon form Edna might show. And he was worried that his house would be destroyed by it.

"Are you sure, Edna? Aren't you worried this house will be destroyed?"

Edna covered her mouth with the back of her palm and chuckled. "What do you think I am? A dragon?"

"Ugh? Aren't you?"

"Of course not!"

Not a dragon?

"Okay. I haven't shown this form in a long time, so it might be a little strange for you to see the transformation process. Can you close your eyes for a moment?"

"Are you sure you want to do it here, Edna?"

Edna nodded and smiled.

"Okay." Nathan nodded and took a few steps back. He looked at her with a worried look, then closed his eyes.

'What should I do if my house gets destroyed by her transformation.' He was really worried.

Nathan waited a while.

"Aaagh!!!" Edna was heard groaning in pain.

"Edna, are you okay?"

"Oops, sorry. No, I'm okay."

"Are you sure, Edna?" Nathan still had his eyes closed.

"Kyaaa!!!" Edna screamed.

Nathan was surprised. He was worried and immediately opened his eyes. And he saw Edna's exposed front body without the maid outfit she had been wearing.

He gulped and immediately closed his eyes again. "I'm sorry, Edna."

"No, no, no, I'm sorry, young master. I was careless."

Nathan saw only a little, a small part of Edna's naked body. He didn't do it on purpose! Which suddenly made his face turn red for an unknown reason.

"Young master, I have finished. But I'm so shy."

Nathan still hesitated, but he slowly opened his eyes.

He faced Edna, who now saw a pair of horns sticking out of her forehead. There is also a pair of white dragon-looking wings that cover the front of her body.

"I apologize, young master. My attire was destroyed during the transformation process."

Edna explained with her face down and avoided looking at Nathan's eyes.

Nathan swallowed. "Edna, is this not your final form? Do you have any other form of this? Like a second form or a final form?"

"No, this is my true form, a dragonkin. I know it sounds funny when there is the word dragon in my race, but we truly can't be compared to the most powerful race of the past."

"Dragonkin?"

Edna raised her head, her expression sincere. "Yes, this is indeed my true form. Dragonkin were hunted to extinction in the past, and so Lady Diana asked me to keep this form a secret. But that doesn't mean I didn't trust you all this time."

'Is it possible that my mom is a dragon when Edna is only a dragonkin? Dragons and Dragonkins didn't have a good relationship in the past.'

Another question popped up in his head when he got another fact, but it didn't match his expected prediction.

Nathan turned to Luna, who also seemed to have no idea about the puzzle they'd found.