Time passed.
Malicas was now three years old, and it was finally time for his combat training with his elder sister.
Malicas, Lucia, and Milim were walking through a grand corridor, with the little boy holding onto both of their hands. He didn't know whether he was simply too short or if his sister and mother were just tall, but he only reached their thighs in height. Even if he hugged them from behind, he couldn't reach their hips.
Currently, both Milim and Lucia were slightly bent over to allow Malicas to hold their hands comfortably. The three made their way toward the training arena of Clan Nava's estate.
A few moments later, they arrived.
To Malicas, the arena was massive. It stretched about three kilometers in length and two kilometers in width. In one corner, there were dummies for practicing various weapons: swords, spears, archery, axes, gauntlets, and more. The range and variety were impressive.
There was even a track encircling the arena, likely used for running. The main combat platform, raised above ground level and surrounded by a bluish transparent barrier, occupied nearly 75% of the entire arena.
"How is it, Little Mal? Do you like the arrangements your big sis made for you?" Milim asked, squatting to his level with a bright smile.
"Yes, big sis, this place is really good and big," Mallicas replied, smiling as he kissed her on the lips.
After the "movie incident," affectionate kisses had become quite common in their family. At first, Milim had been surprised by the sudden kisses, but now she reciprocated them with a smile.
"Little Mal, this isn't that big. It's actually a smaller arena, customized to your current size," Milim explained kindly. "The witches helped build this place, so the facilities are top-notch. Don't worry about anything."
The Witches of Elvenorah were known for their neutrality and their incredible magical craftsmanship. For a price, they provided nearly anything one could need. Among them, the supreme Witch Mother, Florencia Rain, oversaw nine Witch Queens. Selene, one of these Queens, was directly associated with Lucia.
Such exclusive, dedicated service wasn't common. Only Lucia, the Dragon Empress, and Queen Agalea Grace of the Elves had Witch Queens assigned to them personally. Perhaps the witches preferred to work with powerful women?
"Train well, dear. Mama will be sitting nearby, cheering for you!" Lucia said cheerfully, kissing Mallicas goodbye.
Milim took his hand and led him to the weapons training section. Mallicas turned back, waving to his mother with a bright smile.
They stopped in front of a table displaying a wide array of miniature training weapons.
"Which one would you like to start with, dear?" Milim asked gently.
Mallicas glanced at the weapons and then up at his sister. "Which ones does big sis know?"
She puffed her chest with pride and grinned. "Your big sis has mastered all the weapons here."
He looked at her with amusement. "I want to learn them all too. But first, sword."
Milim ruffled his hair affectionately, picked two wooden swords, and took him to a nearby dummy. She began teaching him the basics of swordplay while their mother watched from the sidelines, her expression glowing with joy.
The air shimmered with the golden warmth of noon. The sound of clashing steel rang clear, sharp, and rhythmic — the kind of melody born from focus and effort.
Mellicas stood in the center of the stone platform, his young draconic frame steady yet tense. Sweat trickled down his temple as he swung the slender training sword with determination.
Opposite him stood Milim, his older sister — radiant, mischievous, and effortlessly graceful. Her blade danced through the air, correcting his stance with precise movements.
Lucia — watched silently. Her long, silver blue hair shimmered like a waterfall of sunlight, her serene gaze filled with quiet pride. Every motion of her children reflected fragments of her own spirit: Milim's confidence, Mellicas's persistence.
After a few hours of practice, Milim smiled and said, "Great work today, Little Mal. Let's go wash up."
We were lying in a large bathtub, and nothing particularly exciting occurred, except for me admiring my mother's and sister's naked forms and suckling on my mother's breasts.
Milim didn't think much of it and simply nestled into our mother's embrace from the side. She rested her face on our mother's right shoulder and held me with her right arm, while her left arm wrapped around our mother.
She soon drifted off to sleep on her shoulder. Our mother held both of us by the waist, allowing Milim to sleep peacefully and letting me nurse as usual.
Lucia, looking at her two exhausted children, felt a deep sense of pride. She gently kissed Mellicas' and Milim's foreheads and allowed them to sleep. "My children are so lovely," she thought to herself. After ensuring they were both asleep, she carefully carried them to her bedroom and lay down with them on the bed.
Milim woke up to find herself held tightly by her mother, with her little brother Mellicas nestled between them.
She was a bit surprised and embarrassed, as she was now considered an adult among Dragons, reaching 500 years of age.
As a substitute Queen in her mother's stead, taking care of her little brother, this situation felt a bit awkward. She quickly decided to get up, but Lucia, noticing her thoughts, tightened her hold and chuckled.
"Fufufu, you're not going anywhere, dear. Sleep quietly until your brother wakes up, and then I'll let you go."
Lucia never missed an opportunity to spoil or pamper her children. That was the kind of mother she was—a caring, kind, and protective one. Some might even say overprotective, but she was undeniably good for her children.
Anyone in the world who heard this description of Lucia would never believe it, even if they were beaten to death. The world still remembers the terror of Lucia Nava from 10,000 years ago until now.
For the past 1,000 years, Lucia has been dormant, and since her daughter's birth, she rarely involved herself with the external world, bringing a bit of peace to the chaotic world. What made her so terrifying, what did she do, and who exactly was she? That's a story for another time.
For now, her only concern was the two precious dragons in her arms.