Golden Dragon: Six Thousand Years of Empire

"I'm going to be a grandfather?!"

"Yes, you are now already a grandfather."

Terramus spoke calmly, yet his dragon eyes betrayed an uncontainable anxiety.

"Why are you telling me just now?"

A trace of displeasure showed on Noah's face.

He wasn't overly controlling. Once he'd taught what needed teaching and given what needed giving, he would let things be. After all, how bad could dragons get? Their bloodline was sufficient as a safety net.

Still, just because he let things go didn't mean he was indifferent. In this life, he'd merely found a partner, and he was unaware until the dragon egg was laid.

"My partner is not a Golden Dragon, but from the Gemstone Dragon Clan."

Terramus raised his head, mustering the courage to respond.

He wasn't sure if his father valued bloodlines, but he was certain that his father was very demanding and strict about offspring.

Otherwise, he and his brother wouldn't have suffered so much back then. Even the most beloved sister didn't escape the fate of going to the Academy for ninety years of education.

The siblings were only allowed a limited degree of indulgence. Any real mischief was out of the question; they never even had the chance.

Thus, for the partner he chose, Terramus decided to keep it hidden, because he had only inherited part of the Ancestor Dragon's power.

If he chose to bond with a member of the Gemstone Dragon Clan, whose bloodline potential was weaker, the resulting dragon egg would hatch a weaker Dragon Species, essentially continuing to degrade his father's bloodline.

He knew it wasn't the optimal choice and could even be deemed foolish, but how could matters of the heart be weighed purely on such interests?

"The Gemstone Dragon Clan, you've got a keen eye!"

To Terramus' surprise, when Noah heard that he had found a Gemstone Dragon partner, he did not show any anger. Instead, he seemed pleased.

"When I established the Gemology Society years ago, I considered inviting the Gemstone Dragon Clan. Unfortunately, I couldn't find them. It's quite the surprise that you filled that little gap I had back then."

"Father, you're not upset?"

"Why would I be upset?"

This time, it was Noah who was confused.

"The bloodline power of the Gemstone Dragon Clan is weaker. The offspring from my union with them will also be weaker."

"What nonsense is that? When did bloodline potential become the key to choosing a partner? If I'd thought like you back then, I might as well have stayed lonely forever without seeking a partner. You and your siblings wouldn't have been born either."

Noah's displeasure became evident. He never thought in his offspring's eyes, he'd appear as a dragon who undervalued others based on bloodline power.

After all, he was an Ancestor Dragon, incomparably strong in bloodline. In this Material Realm, who could compare with him in bloodline prestige? To be blunt, no creature had the right to mention noble bloodlines in his presence.

Any combination with a creature would weaken the bloodline, and that's how it was. No matter who he bonded with, the reduction in bloodline power was inevitable.

Even if Terramus found a proper Golden Dragon to mate with, the resulting offspring would still be weaker. Of course, they'd be stronger than those from the Gemstone Dragon Clan, but not by much.

The difference was negligible in Noah's eyes, so what's wrong with his child finding someone he likes? It's perfectly fine.

"Looks like I was overthinking it."

Hearing his father's words, Terramus breathed a sigh of relief. The worry he carried all along didn't exist, making him feel both relaxed and amused.

"Bring the dragons home and let me meet them. You've already laid eggs with them, yet I haven't even seen the dragons. That's unacceptable."

Noah demanded sternly,

"Does your mother know about this?"

"No, I haven't told any dragon yet. You are the first to know after I decided to go public with it."

"Hmm."

Noah nodded somewhat reluctantly, and then something else came to his mind, prompting him to ask again,

"You haven't told me which kind of the Gemstone Dragon Clan you chose?"

"All kinds."

"What do you mean all kinds?"

Noah sensed something amiss and raised his voice a bit.

"Jade Dragon, Purple Crystal Dragon, Yellow Jade Dragon, Blue Gemstone Dragon, I have one of each."

Terramus hesitated for a moment before replying with a hint of shyness.

"~"

Noah fell silent for a moment, identifying a key point,

"What about the Crystal Dragon?"

"I'm pursuing her. She's about to agree."

"!?"

Noah was completely speechless, and as he faced his father, engulfed in silence, Terramus realized he might have said something wrong, prompting him to break the oppressive silence with a question,

"Father, have I done something wrong?"

"You haven't done anything wrong, but neither have you done anything right."

Noah felt an indescribable emotion building up inside him, needing an outlet, so he pressed further,

"You're about to be a father, with children and partners. Why are you still pursuing a Crystal Dragon? Don't you find anything inappropriate in this behavior?"

The love ideals among the Metallic Dragon Race are rather pure and simple; many Metal Dragons have only one lifelong partner, unwavering until the end.

"I haven't hidden my identity, nor have I concealed my children and partners. Camilla knows my past; she's aware that I have multiple partners and still chooses to be among them."

In response to his father's inquiries, Terramus seemed completely candid.

He didn't believe he'd done anything wrong because he hadn't lied or deceived any females he pursued, fulfilling everything in willingness, aligning with the Metallic Dragon Race's code of conduct.

"Your other partners know about this too?"

"They do. I haven't concealed anything from any dragon. They all know of each other; in fact, my partners all live together."

"How did you manage that?"

Noah couldn't help but ask.

Because, to this day, his partners were in a non-communicative state. Noah thought he'd coordinated matters quite well, but looking at his son, it was simply outrageous.

"What?"

Terramus evidently hadn't caught on.

"I mean, why did you seek out multiple partners simultaneously?"

"Didn't you do the same?"

"Me? We didn't…"

Noah held back the words he instinctively wanted to say. Most Golden Dragons only have one mate, but he was an exception. His son imitating his actions wasn't an issue, logically speaking, though exceeding expectations, truly surpassing the master,

"How did you meet them?"

Noah changed the topic.

"I first met the Yellow Jade Dragon, Shelley. I was drawn by her spellcraft at the time..."

With his concerns eased, Terramus candidly recounted his romantic liaisons underground.

The Gemstone Dragon Clan wields mental powers but possesses exceedingly peculiar personalities that often discomfort others, making them very hard to deal with.

Terramus first encountered the nest-building Yellow Jade Dragon in an underground lake, and after an unpleasant confrontation, he decided to subdue her, which led to their union.

It was with this Yellow Jade Dragon that Terramus gradually reached out to those reclusive, underground Gemstone Dragons, savoring the sweetness and gratification, systematically conquering each one.

"Are you seeking partners or subordinates? Do you genuinely have feelings for them?"

Listening to his second son recount his tales of love, Noah interrupted once more, expressing concern over this son's mental state.

"Of course, I deeply love each of them. Though my feelings are not purely authentic, it doesn't negate my sincerity.

Moreover, they each possess an irresistible allure, and I don't wish to make a choice."