Book 6: Chapter 31: Gently - Even If I’m Reborn as a Cute Dragon Girl, I Will Still Make a Harem

BOOK 6: CHAPTER 31: GENTLY

“Looks like Cornelia won’t be able to come back for a while.” Lilith let out a long sigh.

Given the extent of Cornelia’s realm, she had likely traveled far by now, lost in some unfamiliar place after running for so long.

“I’m really a terrible mother.” Lilith smiled wryly.

Though she took on the title of a “mother,” she had never fulfilled a single responsibility that came with it. If anything, it had always been Cornelia who helped her, not the other way around.

“I hope that somewhere beyond the distant stars, you’ll find someone who truly loves you.”

Lilith gazed up at the sky, praying silently. There was nothing she could do now—much less set out to find Cornelia. She was still a butterfly caught in a spider’s web. How could she possibly chase after the blossom that had fled home?

The only consolation was that, with Cornelia’s divine realm strength, she shouldn’t be in any real danger…

◆◇◆◇◆

Time passed quickly. Lilith wandered the streets into the evening as the sun dipped below the horizon.

The streets were bustling once again, but unlike the midday rush, this was a different kind of energy. After a long day’s work, people emerged from their homes, eager to unwind and wash away their fatigue.

With the Great Celestial Rite coming to an end, the streets were lined with hawkers and vendors.

Each street hosted a festival with its own unique theme. There was Brave the Demon King, The Stepmother Queen, The Sleeping Princess, and a grand heroic epic celebrating the Founding Emperor.

People sang, danced, and performed in line with these themes, while street vendors—dressed in strange costumes—sold all sorts of unusual snacks and themed merchandise.

After nearly half a month of celebrations, only the best of the best festival themes had managed to stay on the streets.

Even Lilith, usually indifferent to such things, found herself slightly dazzled by the spectacle.

“Strange…” As she strolled through the festival, she suddenly noticed something off. “With all this excitement, why haven’t those guys shown up?”

Knowing them, wouldn’t this be the perfect time for some absurd, over-the-top surprise?

Shouldn’t they be taking advantage of the atmosphere to stage an even bigger, more ridiculous festival—just to catch her off guard, grin, and yell “SURPRISE!” before promptly getting their a̲s̲s̲e̲s̲ kicked?

Yet tonight, everything was oddly… normal. She had wandered through countless streets all afternoon, but still, there was no sign of them.

“Strange. Did they leave? Or…?” There were questions Lilith didn’t want to dwell on—like the fact that, according to Ciel, her mother was the culprit and the cause of everything.

Then what role did the other dragons play? Had they just been playing dumb all this time, or were they victims too, kept in the dark by her mother?

“Ughhh, this is so annoying. My head’s going to explode from overthinking.” Lilith gave up on trying to reason it out. Some answers couldn’t be found by thinking alone.

It was best to ask the people involved. She glanced up at the sky, in the direction of Dragon Island. It had been a long time since she’d gone back. Once she finished up here, she’d return—and get the answers herself.

With that decision made, Lilith waded through the sea of people.

The crackle of fireworks echoed in her ears, yet in that moment, the world around her seemed strangely silent. Time itself felt as if it had paused. Every face she passed wore a smile—some broad, some subtle, but all undeniably touched with happiness.

“Mommy, Mommy, look! Fireworks!” A little girl brushed past Lilith, tugging eagerly at her mother’s hand. She jumped excitedly, pointing at the sky where bursts of color bloomed in radiant patterns.

“Hey, slow down. You’ll trip.” The young mother gave Lilith an apologetic smile, before turning to scold her daughter. Yet beneath her words, there was only warmth and concern.

How nice.

Lilith found herself smiling unconsciously.

◆◇◆◇◆

The festival was winding down, and the night was settling in.

Lilith followed the widest road in all of Jeorgetown City, weaving left and right, until she finally arrived at a grand, imposing structure.

Towering palace walls, crimson bricks, and majestic arched gates loomed before her, like an ancient beast lying in wait, ready for its prey to step into its maw.

This was the heart of power in the entire Holy Dragon Empire—the palace. It was also the final stop on her little journey today.

In the shadows of the palace wall, someone was already waiting. Their voice, grating like a duck’s cry, called out, “Excuse me, are you Lady Lilith?”

“Yes, I am.”

“I was sent by someone who knew you would be arriving. Since you might be unfamiliar with the palace grounds, I was asked to wait here to ensure you didn’t get lost.”

“I see. Thank you for the trouble.”

“It is my honor to serve you. How could it be considered trouble?” The figure in the shadows gestured invitingly and continued, “Well then, please step into the carriage, Lady Lilith.”

Beneath the palace wall, a carriage was indeed parked—but oddly, it had been left in such a dark, inconspicuous spot that, if not for Lilith’s exceptional night vision, she might not have noticed it at all.

Lilith raised an eyebrow. “A carriage? This is the palace, isn’t it?”

“Of course, my lady. But the palace… is quite large. To ensure you don’t tire yourself as an esteemed guest, we have prepared this carriage for you,” the man in the shadows explained.

“Oh.” Lilith’s face remained expressionless.

What kind of extravagant household was this? Even she, the Dragon Princess, had to admit she couldn’t compare.

Without further comment, Lilith entered the carriage. With a soft jolt, the ride began. As expected, the palace’s horses were well-trained—silent and efficient.

Inside the carriage, Lilith could hear only the steady rhythm of hooves against the stone path and the steady breathing of the coachman.

She gazed out of the carriage window, watching the towering palace walls blur past.

The carriage sped through the palace grounds. Yet, for a place meant to entertain guests, the route it followed felt unusually remote and almost desolate.

Occasionally, a hunched figure carrying a lantern would pass by, leading a row of palace maids. Strangely, their direction was completely opposite to that of the carriage.

Lilith suddenly spoke to the coachman through the window.

“I heard there exists a breed known as the Dragonscale Horse—a subspecies with a hint of dragon blood. These horses can travel ten thousand miles in a single day and run for ten days and ten nights without stopping.”

Due to their dragon bloodline, they possessed remarkable combat prowess. A fully grown Dragonscale Horse rivaled a peak Rank Nine martial warrior, and a single kick could kill a Demon Beast as tall as a small mountain.

But this type of horse faced difficulty in reproduction. Even when they did give birth, ensuring the offspring inherited a pure bloodline was even harder. This was the reason Dragonscale Horses were rare, expensive, and highly sought after.

Many royals, nobles, and dignitaries took pride in owning them as a symbol of prestige.

Yet here, in the heart of the Holy Dragon Empire, in the royal palace itself, the horse pulling this carriage was not a Dragonscale Horse fit to display the royal family’s majesty.

Instead, it was merely a Thousand-Mile Colt—well-trained and of fine quality, but ultimately ordinary.

For the Holy Dragon Empire, and especially for the royal family, who carried the dragon’s bloodline, it was something sacred. Even the faintest trace of it was too noble to be used for something as menial as pulling a carriage.

A cool voice came from outside the carriage. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Lilith’s voice turned cold as she said, “What I’m saying is—if even a lowly Dragonscale Horse, with just a trace of dragon blood, is treated with such reverence by the royal family, then you… or rather, all of you… are being far too bold to think you can toy with me.”