Shut Up, Malevolent Dragon! I Don’t Want to Have Any More Children With You

Vol 8. Chapter 21: Max-Level Boss Dragon Wandering the Novice Village - UPDATED

That little pink-haired one was obviously sharp, so there was no way she’d just blurt out her “secret.”

Orion didn’t press further.

And since Hefei had only herself to blame for carelessly stepping into the trap, it counted as part of the exam. Orion, as proctor, wasn’t going to interfere.

Aurora turned back toward Hefei.

“Alright then, I’m taking your point cards now~”

Of course Hefei wasn’t about to give up. She tried to gather dragon flame in her palm and burn through the rope on her ankle. But strangely, no matter how she drew on her power, nothing formed—not even the tiniest spark.

She stared in shock at her hand.

“How could this be...”

“Give it up, Hefei. This isn’t an ordinary rope. It’s a binding rope. I dug it out from my mom and dad’s bedroom storeroom.”

Aurora spoke in a casual tone, like someone showing off trinkets from a corner stash.

“I don’t know why that storeroom’s always filled with weird stuff, but whenever I—or my sisters—need handy little tools, I go rummaging there. And every time, I find something fun.”

Hefei had no choice but to yield. This pink fluffball had even gone so far as to raid her family’s things just to catch her.

What more was there to say?

“Take the cards then!”

Her eyes brimmed with tears of resignation as she sighed.

“Fine, I slipped up. I admit defeat. Aurora-sis, take my point cards.”

Accepting loss with dignity—this was a hallmark of Constantine’s family.

Aurora smiled, and without hesitation reached into Hefei’s pocket. She pulled out a few cards, then glanced over them. A crooked, self-mocking smile tugged her lips.

“Look at my luck. They’re all three-pointers. This is way too little.”

Hefei peeked at the cards in Aurora’s hand.

Sure enough—four cards, each worth only three points.

Altogether twelve points, barely a scratch for Hefei, who had been first place in the ranking.

“Aurora-sis.”

“Mm?”

“I’ve done lots of tasks. I still have plenty more in my pocket—”

“Eh—” Orion, hearing Hefei about to hand over cards voluntarily, wanted to stop this silly, straightforward girl.

But she was too slow.

“There are still plenty in my pocket.”

Aurora smirked, lightly tapping Hefei’s cheek with the cards.

“The academy rules say that even if we catch you hatchlings, we can’t take all your cards. You need to take some losses, and learn a lesson—but it’s supposed to be just a small setback. A warning to patch your defenses.

Basically it’s a way to control the exam’s difficulty. Sure, the Youth Division elites can easily find clever ways to scam and trap the Hatchling Division juniors.

Especially since the moment they meet, the Youth Division already knows they’re here to steal cards, while the hatchlings think the upperclassmen are coming to ‘encourage them.’ That information gap alone creates a heavy imbalance.

So I’ll just take four cards and leave it at that. Whether I was unlucky and only got the lowest-value ones, or whether I was secretly going easy on you with a new ability, well—that’s for you to wonder.”

“Anyway, I’m off to scam some other juniors.”

Aurora pocketed the cards, turned, and dashed into the bushes.

She’d barely gotten far when Hefei shouted from behind:

“Let me down from the rope, Aurora-sis!”

“Oh, right, almost forgot.”

Aurora braked on the spot, turned, and flicked out a dragon flame. The fireball shot over, severed the rope, and freed Hefei at last.

When Hefei scrambled to her feet and looked, the pink-haired girl was already gone.

Hefei let out a breath. She wasn’t too discouraged. The exam had plenty of time left, and she hadn’t lost much.

Besides, Aurora had probably gone easy on her. With her prankster’s personality, she’d have taken more if she’d wanted to. Four lowest-value cards was nothing.

Orion stepped up beside her.

“Next time you run into someone you know, be more cautious.”

“Mmhm, I know, Orion-sis.”

Orion’s thoughts stirred. She recalled her earlier questions—Aurora had given no real answers, only that it was a secret.

Her curiosity nagged at her, so she hesitated, then asked Hefei:

“By the way, Hefei, how did that Aurora know your name? And... she only set one trap under that tree, yet you stepped into it as if she’d... predicted it?”

Hefei blinked and scratched her head.

“Predicted... actually, Aurora-sis has been obsessed with fortune-telling lately. Like guessing what the cafeteria will serve at lunch, or whether it’ll rain in a few minutes...”

“Is it divination? Or some other kind of magic?” Orion asked.