Why Won't It Move?

The food ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the new apprentice heroes brought was these things called Ddukku cookies. They were tiny and round, small enough to fit in the palm of my hand in polymorph form. They looked just like rice cakes—way too small to make a dent if I ate them in dragon form.

Poof...!

So I had no choice but to polymorph and eat them... Nom nom.

"Waaahhh, so goooood!!"

"Over here! Look this way just once! Smile for us? Pleeease?"

"...They're out of their minds."

What the heck are these guys? I stared in disbelief at the two heroes fidgeting restlessly around me, trying to glom onto me somehow.

It hadn't started out like this. They'd presented me with Ddukku cookies and all sorts of other foods, and in return, I was supposed to help with their training.

"Then get circling~"

"Pardon?"

"Circle the nest. Right now."

Well, "helping" just meant ordering them to patrol the nest, but still.

The party of two guys and two girls exchanged glances at my words, and then it split up. The two aggressive-looking guys, fired up with some rivalry, started sprinting around the nest at full speed. Meanwhile, the two girls slyly gauged my reaction and crept closer.

"? Not running?"

"How's a person supposed to do 1,000 laps?"

"If you can't even handle that, you gotta go."

"We're kinda..."

"We're just here to hang out. Hehe. Can we watch those guys from the side?"

"Whatever."

Something told me more idiots like this would show up, so I upped the lap requirement. That's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠how I settled on 1,000. Of course, it'd go higher if more came, but even 1,000 wasn't that many. Compared to proper training, it was pretty light—and the real intensity waiting for them was way tougher.

I wasn't thrilled with these apprentice heroes who'd given up without even trying, but since they'd brought food, I let it slide.

Anyway, they plopped down nearby and started chattering away...

"How do you eat this?"

"Oh, the Ddukku? You hold it in your hand, but since you're so huge, Dragon-nim, you just swallow it whole..."

"Hold it?"

Poof!

"Like this?"

"Huh? Whoa?"

"Whoa, insane."

When I polymorphed and grabbed a handful of Ddukku, their expressions changed. Up until now, it'd been curiosity and interest, but seeing my transformed self, raw affection and possessiveness poured out. Just like Haring...

"So cute! So cute! Gotta post this on my profile!"

"Can I just hug you once? Pretty please?"

"No."

Who do you think you are? Whack! Whack!

I swung my staff to smack the two apprentice heroes who were sneaking closer. Clutching their heads, they teared up and backed off.

"Eek... So mean."

"Ddukku sis gave it to us! Flame Dragon!"

"You offered it as tribute. And who's 'sis'?"

I'm young for a dragon, sure, but way older than these apprentices. Don't treat me like a kid just 'cause I look it. And they'd been crossing lines from the start—if they kept it up, food or no food, I'd kick 'em out.

They seemed to sense it instinctively; after one smack, they didn't come near.

"Tch. Ddukku's hard to make. You know how tough it is to make it here? Ingredients are rare too."

"But it's tasty, right?"

"Yeah, tasty yep."

"We really put in the effort~"

It is tasty. It looked exactly like a chocolate cookie—or chocolate rice cake—but inside was something crunchy and nutty. Kinda like sand or finely chopped straw at a glance?

But weirdly addictive.

Somehow it shouldn't go together, but it did. I kept popping them one after another nonstop, and before I knew it, I'd demolished the whole batch they'd brought.

Yawn...

"Hm."

"You ate 'em all."

"Must've been super good. Shall we bring more next time?"

"Yeah."

"Then could you maybe do a little aegyo just once..."

Whack!

All four apprentice heroes were gone. The two girls had left early, rubbing their swollen lumps. The two guys declared desertion, saying they couldn't hack it.

Quitting after just 50 laps? Pathetic.

"No stamina. None at all."

Haring hadn't lasted long at first either, but she'd never quit, even if it meant passing out.

Yet these healthy-looking punks bailed at 50 laps.

"Next time, just chase 'em off."

If they'd collapsed from exhaustion, fine—but declaring quit? No reason to accept them twice. Quitters like that chase lucky breaks and ruin the training vibe for other apprentices. No matter how good the tribute, out they go.

I wrapped up my thoughts, stood, and headed to the secret storage.

The 'flying staff' was super useful, but for tomorrow's training with Haring and Yongba, I needed better tools. They wouldn't demand much at just the second stage, but...

Then I'd have to move myself.

Automation for even the little stuff was best. Rummage rummage.

"Lemme see... Pretty sure I stashed it around here..."

The automated photosynthesis golem from the Magic Kingdom 70 years ago should be...

"Found it!"

Clunk clunk!

There it was, emerging from a pile of gold coins and jewels, covered in rust. Three times my polymorph size, body of gray mana-condensed stone, a high-purity mana stone embedded in its chest. The crystal orb eyes faintly glimmered.

Dormant now, but a bit of sunlight and it'd perk right up. I spun it like a toy and set it in the sunlit yard.

Thud thud!

"Alright! Activate!"

Thud thud!!

"Hey?"

Why won't it budge no matter how much I smack it? Machines are supposed to work when you hit 'em.

I picked it up, dropped it, even injected mana directly into the chest stone—but only a flicker, no movement.

"What the. Why won't it move?"

Send it in for repairs? But trekking to the Magic Kingdom across the continent sounded like a huge pain. And this golem came from the Tower Master himself. A gift handmade by the Tower Master 70 years ago.

"...He's probably dead."

Mages live longer than regular humans, but even back then, the Tower Master was middle-aged teetering on old. No way he lasted another 70 years.

I poked at the golem absentmindedly, scratching my head.

"Maybe my disciples can fix it?"

It was cutting-edge back then—no one matched the Tower Master's tech. But 70 years later? Probably outdated tech now. Fixing might be doable, but still a hassle to go out...

"Hmm... Guess I just train 'em myself, huh?"

Rowdy.

"Over here!"

"This is the dragon's nest! Come on, everyone!"

"You... No, dragon! Wait right there!"

Again?