The Dragon's Singular Dilemma
A fresh and invigorating sense washed over me, yet it carried a certain freshness that made my heart quicken. I found myself immersed in a garden brimming with lush, verdant foliage, each blade and leaf alive with the vitality of nature itself. As the vast plant nursery overseen by a Green Dragon, this was only to be expected.
The air itself seemed to shimmer with the subtle perfume of unseen flowers drifting in from the edges, mingling with the deep emerald of surrounding branches and leaves. I let my mind drift, savoring the natural splendor around me, and only then did consciousness return.
*Now is not the time for such escapism.* The voice echoed in my mind with its familiar sharpness, a phantom reminder that snapped me back to reality.
“…”
I drew in a deep breath, straightening my posture once more. Directly before me stood the woman whose chin barely reached my jawline, her clear eyes meeting mine with an intensity that left me momentarily breathless.
*Is this the so-called clear-eyed madwoman of common lore?*
We live in a world where such inexplicable beings occasionally cross our paths, defying every rule of reason. The enormous lizard-like creature before me, having witnessed over a thousand years of existence, was no exception.
With the most subtle expression I could muster, I directed my first question toward her.
“Have I heard correctly, Principal? That is… what exactly are you asking of me?”
“Mate.”
“…”
The answer came without the slightest hesitation. A sharp throb pulsed through my head, yet I struggled to maintain my composure.
*Before admission, she suggested a simple tea, only to spring this absurd dragon upon me. Now the accelerator is flooring straight into confusion.*
My expression grew more wry as I attempted to regain control and respond.
“You mean the male dragon capable of producing offspring?”
“Precisely.”
“So you wish for me to impregnate you?”
“That interpretation works, or you may view it as a formal proposal. The choice is yours.”
“…A proposal?”
“It’s up to you to interpret. What matters is this: Tiamat seeks a profound bond with you, the headmistress of the academy.”
The words landed like a hammer. Before I could even steer the conversation elsewhere, the decisive blow had been struck. I found myself utterly powerless to deflect it.
*Charlotte…*
An image of Charlotte’s silver-haired face flashed through my mind and vanished just as quickly. Was it because our connection came first? Or did the fear of exposure with another woman feel as if it would physically tear me apart?
Either way, the emotion felt anything but positive. A heavy stone weighed on my chest, leaving me suffocated and restless.
I collected my thoughts briefly, then presented a far more composed face as I faced her.
“Principal.”
“I don’t mind if you call me Tia. It’s an affectionate nickname I usually reserve, but for someone who might become my husband, it feels appropriate.”
“…So… does this proposal carry any coercive force?”
I pressed two fingers to my forehead in inquiry. Tiamat blinked her eyes in evident surprise.
*She hadn’t anticipated such a question.*
“…Why ask that? Of course it’s not coercive, but—”
“Indeed?”
“Would you really reject me, Isaac Havertz…?”
Why did she think I would accept? What basis did she have for believing that?
I stared at her with a neutral expression, and the answer was immediate. Her emerald eyes trembled with shock.
Feeling a pang of embarrassment, I scratched my cheek.
“Even hearing such a sudden proposal leaves me bewildered. Clearly. Proposing to turn me into a mate after cutting straight to the chase… I can’t quite….”
If I responded with doubt—*Why reject it?*—the situation would only grow more tangled. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
“…Um, yes. Of course it’s accurate. I was far too direct, and from your perspective, the shock is understandable….”
Tiamat’s voice trailed off as rationality returned to her tone. The slight awkwardness suggested that while the words themselves held truth, something else was amiss.
*This is impossible to explain. The frustration is mutual.*
“Explain it in greater detail. That way I can at least attempt to understand.”
“…”
With a slightly sharper edge, I pressed the point. Tiamat nodded reluctantly, clearly stung.
“So be it. To make you understand, I must first explain why I need a mate.”
“…There is still time until the entrance ceremony. Proceed.”
“…”
She cleared her throat several times, visibly embarrassed, then slowly began.
“…I’m unsure how much you know of dragons, but at the very least you must realize our species is on the brink of extinction.”
“Yes, I understand.”
I accepted it without great concern. After all, dragons across the entire continent numbered fewer than ten, a critically endangered species.
That was precisely why the Grimoire highlighted dragonkin prominently.
The Tiamat before me was one such example… as was the boss from Chapter Six, the Black Prince.
At that moment, Tiamat continued with a bitter expression.
“The situation is far graver than reported. The population has already fallen below ten, and there are no offspring yet.”
“…Is that so?”
I answered seriously to match the mood, yet internally I thought, *Then why aren’t they simply breeding among themselves?*
*Has this green lizard lost the ability to think rationally with age?*
*Perhaps even great races are not immune to dementia.* A thought as crude as it was dismissive crossed my mind, and I nodded silently.
“…My explanation isn’t finished yet. Why are you drawing your own conclusions?”
“…?”
“I retract my earlier dismissal of your humor. I may lack the wit to mock, but my talent for angering you is boundless.”
Cold sweat trickled down my spine as I watched her. The smile remained, yet it was no ordinary smile…
“…Can dragons read human thoughts?”
I wondered whether the timing was appropriate. As a mage, however, my curiosity proved impossible to suppress.
*Mind-reading.* In theory, it should be impossible, yet dragons might be an exception.
Leaning forward, I asked. Tiamat’s smile grew deeper.
“Not by reading thoughts directly, but by sensing fragments of emotion. From that, I infer your true intentions.”
“Ah…”
The question’s answer cleared my confusion, and I nodded. Tiamat twisted her wrist in a mock threat.
“So why do you look at me as if I have a headache, Duke Havertz?”
“…?”
“If you won’t speak, I could strike you and we can talk again.”
A dangerous green aura began to swirl around her delicate fist.
*If I didn’t prepare, I’d end up unconscious with no second chance.*
I offered a relaxed smile without hesitation.
“…Shall I just become your mate?”
The remark was meant as light banter, but Tiamat’s expression soured.
“If you say that, I’ll seem like a bad woman using force to coerce you. Never mind.”
“…?”
*Girl.*
When her petulant mood threatened to flare again, she sighed and returned to the main point.
“In short… to continue the dragon lineage, breeding is essential. Yet there is a single major obstacle.”
“Obstacle?”
“…?”
I inquired cautiously. Tiamat fell silent for a moment, then slumped with a defeated air.
“Principal…?”
Only when I tilted my head did her lips move.
Tiamat confessed her truth with visible embarrassment, face flushed.
“There isn’t any.”
“?”
“Members of the same bloodline… none exist. Not now.”
“…”
What kind of nonsense was this? I stared at her in disbelief. She covered her forehead with a pained groan.
“Meaning, according to what I know, only seven dragons remain alive. Two black, one green, one red, two gold, one silver.”
“…?”
“Either solitary or only one male or one female. In any case, reproduction itself has become impossible. We perish if we mate across bloodlines….”
“No, what?”
I genuinely furrowed my brow in disbelief. This was the most absurd situation imaginable.
“Then what did they do in the era when dragons still lived in large numbers?”
“…?”
Tiamat’s movements halted once more at my incredulous question.
She slowly raised her head, and her eyes—once bright—now held no life.
*Had I touched a nerve? Stepped on a landmine?*
Before I could finish the thought, Tiamat began walking toward me, each step deliberate.
*Tap… tap…*
“Principal.”
“That was exactly what I wanted to say… What were they doing? Even if I’d lost all kin to extinction, other dragons could at least have paired a male with a female. They had the resources.”
“Headmistress?”
“All of them had brain rot. Every single one of them, thinking ‘they’ll figure it out themselves’ for ten years, fifty, a hundred.”
“…?”
“The result is this mess. The species is on the brink of disappearance, yet everyone turns a blind eye, claiming ‘it’s not our problem.’ Now I have no choice but to find a solution alone. Right…?”
*Thud!!*
The moment she reached my chin, Tiamat grabbed my shoulder. The pressure forced a yelp from me, and I stiffened rigidly.
“So, Duke Havertz.”
“…?”
“I have no methods left either. I can only produce a half-dragon to preserve the bloodline.”
“…?”
“If a human male shares the same understanding collaborates, won’t it be much easier? The duke thinks so too, don’t you? …Heh.”
With a sudden, mischievous laugh, she seized my collar, pulling me down until my shoulder and chest were fully exposed.
“…!”
*Whoosh!!*
Tiamat hurled me backward without warning.
“Ugh…”
I collapsed helplessly onto the garden floor. She then descended gracefully onto my abdomen.
“Don’t worry, Isaac.”
Her voice had returned, yet her cheeks burned crimson and her eyes swirled with emotion.
A soft rustle.
Tiamat’s emerald hair began to tickle my skin teasingly.
“…Counting the ceiling stains, this will end quickly.”
Her words carried embarrassment, yet she covered her face with both palms before sliding her fingers along my pants hem.
She gazed down at me with an anguished expression…
“…”
“…?! ”
Suddenly she buried her head in my neck, nipping at my shoulder. Her tongue followed, tracing the area with unmistakable sensuality.
“…”
I felt my entire body ignite with heat. Blood surged rapidly, then concentrated in my lower body.
*Fundamentally superior species.* Dragons are renowned for their exceptional beauty, and Tiamat was no exception. Though her actions seemed bold, her beauty was exquisite, radiating undeniable allure.
My breath grew rough within moments. I bit my lip and looked up at her; she, too, was flushed with passion, rubbing my cheek.
“I wonder why I chose you, among so many humans… Isaac.”
“…That’s… of course…”
“I’ll tell you everything. So… just once, pour your seed inside me.”
“…?”
“I apologize for the coercion, but I’ll make it worth your while. If you wish, the Emperor of Altmain won’t even dare touch you or your sister. I’ll ensure that.”
With those words, Tiamat lowered her head. She tugged at her white skirt, exposing herself completely before me.
Her face burned as she murmured.
“Now… I’m putting it in…”
“…?”
This was the moment of final conflict for me.
Desire had already pulled her upward.
Should I resist, or surrender?
Reason demanded I push her away, yet desire craved to hold her close. The burdensome reality of battling a dragon species with magic left me paralyzed.
One minute passed.
“…”
“…”
“…?”
I blinked blankly.
“…”
“W-what… it’s… going… in…?”
The thousand-year-long green dragon, even with sweat beading on her beautiful face, failed to receive my seed within her.
“…?”
I watched her in silence as she groaned for a long time.
Then I simply spoke.
“Are you a virgin?”
Tiamat’s body froze rigid.