"..." After the dubious position I got into with Kaelan, he went back to doing his work normally while I watched, trying to read but not being able to.

I don't understand what's written on the papers, so I could only wait on his lap until Mei came to call us for lunch. Then Kaelan just put me on the floor and told me to follow.

Following him, I ended up being taken to a fancy dining room, very beautiful and with lots of food for lunch. He sat in one place and gestured with his wrist for me to sit in another, facing him.

At least he's not really treating me badly. I sit in the spot and watch him being served by maids. Soon, I look at my "plate" a bowl with some kind of reddish, slightly cold porridge.

'What the heck is this?' I look at the food, I didn't even get a proper plate, just a bowl like I'm some kind of animal. It seems that even the extra care still has limits he let me sit at the table, but the chivalry ended there.

"..." I just stare at him, since I have the muzzle on, I can't eat. Plus, he didn't even give me utensils to eat with, so I just wait, looking at the food, at least it smells good.

'What is this made of?' I wonder, looking at the food, my tail swishing as my stomach rumbles slightly from hunger.

"They can take the muzzle off her, and get the collar," he tells one of the servants, who quickly leaves the room while Mei comes to remove that thing from my face.

"Listen, dragon, you've been behaving well, so I've decided to give you a vote of trust in one respect the collar I'm going to use on you is an artifact. It will show your location, shock you if you try to remove it, and tighten around your throat if you try to spit fire."

"With all that, escaping is quite difficult, in my view, so I hope you'll accept the collar without problems, and I won't put the muzzle on you again."

"But...if any servant is bitten by you, you can be sure they won't be without that muzzle for long," he threatens, while I nod my head. It's not like I'm just going to bite someone for no reason, he's insulting me this way.

"..." As Mei takes this thing off my face, the servant who left returns with a collar, but it's not like a dog's collar as I expected. It's metallic and divided into two parts.

It's as if they've cut a circle in two, and I see two connectors to close the circle. Mei grabs the two sides and snaps them onto my neck, and with a loud metallic sound the two parts come together as one.

"As you can see, it's a rather unique 'collar' a powerful artifact to tame dangerous beings like you. It can't be removed without my permission, and the only way you'd pull it off is by tearing your head off along with it," he says as I touch the collar.

'It's...perfectly closed...' Not tight enough to choke me, but tight enough to be impossible to pull up and remove, as he said, the only way would be to rip my head off.

"Now you can eat," he says, but no one gives me any utensils. I look at the bowl, deciding to just accept it for now surviving long enough for Nyzz to get the items from this world is the goal.

"..." I lift the bowl and put it to my face, "drinking" this thing that is a slightly pasty liquid. The flavor is...surprisingly good, it reminds me of chicken and something else.

"I see you like that," he says, seeing me drink the contents of the bowl quickly, not expecting to be so hungry.

"You don't need to hurry, if you need more, I might serve an extra meal as a reward for good behavior," he says as, after drinking everything, I put the bowl on the table.

"...I'd like some more..." I say, but he looks at me confused, so I remember he doesn't understand.

"Tsk, the language barrier is a terrible thing," I mutter irritably, but my frustrated expression seen by Kaelan may have seemed like something else, as his gaze became more critical.

"..."He just goes back to eating while, hungry, I lick the bowl, unable to control it, it just happens automatically.

'I really wonder what that is...but I feel it's better not to try and find out...'

...

...

...

I watch that dragon licking the food bowl, it's a bit strange. I tried to treat her in a human way by letting her sit at the table, but seeing her licking a bowl like an animal creates an odd impression.

'Isn't she uncomfortable?' It hasn't even been 4 days since I captured her, and 3 of those were just on the trip, and today is the fourth day, yet she seems so comfortable here.

'Oh...I think I understand, she must be stupid.' That's the answer she's stupid, like a newborn little animal that doesn't understand it's in danger and just stares at a predator stupidly.

'Who would have thought I'd find a female alpha that's stupid...' My luck just keeps getting better. With her being this stupid, training her shouldn't be too difficult, considering she's not even trying to escape and just accepting everything.

"Hey, Mei, come here," I call, and Mei quickly approaches.

"I think she's a bit stupid. Put some security in 'dangerous' places so she doesn't get herself killed by wandering in," I whisper to Mei as she looks at the dragon in front of us.

"Ah...that...well, if you think she's stupid, then so be it. I'll do it as soon as possible, but if she's stupid, couldn't you try to seduce her?" Mei says, and I glare at her.

"Don't try to pair me up with a fucking fire-breathing wild beast," I say coldly.

"Well, I don't see the Dragon Lady that way. She seems quite human, you know, and master, you've been alone for so long and so distrustful of normal women, because they've always been fake and just wanted to find your weaknesses," Mei says, referring to the past.

I've tried many genuine relationships instead of just casual sex with girls, but they were all forged and controlled by the kingdom. I thought they were real, that it was love, until I discovered they were just whores who served the princess and the king.

It happened 3 times, which made me stop being a fool. There's no point in trying to have a relationship with a girl when the kingdom is always controlling the girl and using her against me as a way to control me.

"Think about it, master. She's someone the kingdom can't control. She's someone who doesn't even speak, so she can't pass on information, and a well-trained dragon becomes loyal," she says, putting ideas in my head.

"Haaa...you're always so difficult," I say, getting up from the table.

"Take the dragon to my room," I say, while starting to leave, with Mei following me.

"Mei, I don't need you trying to put me in a relationship, especially not with a dangerous beast," I tell her, trying to get this idea out of her head.

"Master!! I've taken care of you since way back. I know you're lonely. You're a young, strong man! You need romance in your life, you know? Not just fucking random whores you buy temporarily," she says coldly to me.

"...You're the only one who would talk to me that way. Aren't you afraid of being fired?"

"Never. I know you wouldn't do that, master, and I'm the only one who can take care of you the way I do. Besides, can't you admit that you found the Dragon Lady somewhat tempting and attractive?"

"..."

"I won't force you to anything, master, but I believe that if you don't want relationships with normal girls, then maybe you need an unusual partner that the nobility would never expect. Plus, I bet the high-ranking nobility would be furious, but powerless to do anything about it," Mei says, stopping to follow me.

"I'll go check the accommodations for the Dragon Lady, since you said she's stupid, she might end up messing with dangerous things in your room," Mei says, quickly running down the halls.

"...Damn it...Mei, you can be so persuasive..." I imagine the face of that bitch the princess seeing me in a relationship with a dragon. It would infuriate her, as it would be considered bad for the nobility's image.

"Beautiful body, loyal, too stupid to try and escape, it would piss off the nobility, and has the advantage of greatly increasing my military power...only advantages..." I weigh the options. Initially, I'd just treat her like a trained pet.

I'd give her the basic affection you give an animal, train her to obey commands, and use her power occasionally if necessary for something. But a relationship with her comes with 3 good advantages.

"Mei...if you weren't almost like a mother to me, I'd really cut your head off..." I mutter with a smile. What kind of servant tries to get their master to pair up with something that would sully their image?

Only Mei, that's why I like keeping her around so much. She's the only one who speaks her mind without fear of me doing something to her.

'I wonder if a dragon girl's body is better than a human's in bed.' Can't deny her body has charm, but still...it's something to think about.