Heroes and Dragons

6

"What happens to dragons who don't pass the assessments?" I inquired curiously after sipping some noodle soup.

"They never get the chance to even appear in the story," it scratched its head, "let alone become the most formidable villain."

Sounds pretty similar to us ordinary NPCs.

So, even among the villains, there are lead and supporting roles, just like the heroes and us NPCs... Wait, it suddenly dawned on me that many heroes are also destined to be mere cannon fodder.

I looked up at the dragon's head.

Just like mine, it was bare, devoid of anything resembling a hero's aura.

I understood then.

These dragons, much like the kids swinging wooden swords in town, were lured by that grand ultimate goal, thinking they'd be the chosen ones by fate. Only after fate's harsh blows would they realize their lives might be even less significant than those of us mundane, insignificant NPCs.

But having enjoyed its noodles, it didn't seem right to dampen the mood with such thoughts, so I changed the subject: "What about ordinary people like me? Do dragons attack us?"

"No, no, no." The dragon quickly denied, "We have rules against harming ordinary people. It's beneath us."

I felt completely at ease then, finished the last bit of soup in my bowl, wiped my mouth, and looked up, "I don't even know your name."

The dragon glanced at me, seemingly hesitant, but after a moment, it softly said, "Gigima."

So, I really became the first person in the world to befriend a dragon.

And to call it "Gigi" at that.

The more I got to know Gigi, the more I realized what a homebody it was.

Unlike me, who occasionally went down the mountain for a market or a show, Gigi's world was confined to its lair. Apart from dealing with the relentless heroes during workdays, its social interactions were limited to the occasional delivery person or food courier.

So, I was the first one to visit voluntarily, no wonder Gigi was so pleased, even offering me noodles.

And as I was leaving, it hesitantly expressed, through a shy gesture towards its little claw, a hope for me to visit again.

Since I had nothing much else to do, I naturally agreed.