"They are quite intriguing, are they not!"
Hearing this, we five little ones were momentarily stunned, then curiously congregated before the "swollen" Ball Little Dragon and observed it meticulously.
The audacious Billy even extended his paw and prodded it once more.
To his bafflement, the Ball Little Dragon, even after being nudged away by him, evinced no inclination to swell up anew.
"Billy, they have already inflated themselves to their maximum capacity!"
Hearing this, Billy's gaze shifted to those other Ball Little Dragons that had not yet swelled, but were gleefully engaged in hunting.
The three more serene dragons—Celine, Ao, and Dinnett—were initially somewhat reserved.
However, when they witnessed Billy repeatedly poking three Ball Little Dragons until they inflated, they joyfully joined the activity.
Only I remained, staring, my large eyes meeting the small eyes of the Ball Little Dragon that Winters had initially prodded into swelling, which now floated before me.
The inflated Ball Little Dragon possessed an overall transparent appearance.
Moreover, only the abdomen of the Ball Little Dragon swells, causing them to resemble a quaint, balloon-like caricature floating in the air—ah, that is how it would be described in the parlance of that other world.
Seemingly sensing that the young dragon before it harbored no ill intent, the inflated Ball Little Dragon in front of me emitted a long exhalation, and its swollen belly swiftly returned to its original dimensions.
Overall, it still resembled a scaled-down version of a True Dragon.
"How did they accomplish that?"
Hearing my soft exclamation, Winters said with a smile, "That is because..."
However, before she could conclude her sentence, a cry of surprise emanated from Celine and the others.
Winters and I looked over, only to behold Billy with his mouth agape, and crammed within it was an inflated Ball Little Dragon.
It appeared to be lodged in Billy's mouth, its eyes wide with panic.
Equally panicked was Billy, who kept frantically scratching at the Ball Little Dragon's swollen body with his claws.
But that layer of seemingly transparent integument was far more resilient than we young dragons had imagined, showing no signs of damage whether bitten or scratched.
Winters sighed with an air of helplessness.
"Billy, you still have not taken my words to heart.
Not everything is meant to be stuffed into your mouth!"
Saying that, Winters carefully pinched Billy's tail and gently shook it.
Of course, it was gentle from Winters' perspective, but not for Billy, who felt as though all his joints were being stretched.
The visual effect was that after the Ball Little Dragon was dislodged, Billy lay upon the ground, resembling a snake that had been caught and swung about several times, utterly bereft of strength.
"Although Ball Little Dragons are small, their skin is exceedingly tough.
At the very least, you cannot harm them with your meager strength.
And when Ball Little Dragons perceive an external threat, they absorb a large quantity of wind elements and inflate their bodies.
In this state, they will be carried far away by even a slight force!
This is their method of dealing with external dangers!
Also, the most crucial point is that Ball Little Dragons possess no discernible meat upon them, so you need not include them in your dietary considerations!"
Hearing Winters' words, Billy embarrassedly covered his eyes.
Celine, Ao, Dinnett, and I could not help but chuckle.
After the laughter subsided, Winters continued, "Alright, little ones, the uninvited guests who arrived so suddenly have brought you a considerable amount of amusement.
"However, your task for today is not merely to recognize them!"
Hearing this, Billy's interest was piqued anew.
"Winters, is our task today not to fill our stomachs?"
"Assuredly not.
The most important objective for us today is to comprehend magic!"
Hearing this, the eyes of Celine, Billy, Ao, Dinnett, and myself lit up.
Winters continued, "The prerequisite for wielding magic is learning, and the prerequisite for learning magic is understanding!
Only when you truly comprehend magic can you advance further upon the path of magic.
Of course, I am also aware that within your inherited memories, there exist detailed accounts of the origins of magic and the fundamental knowledge required for its use.
But I reiterate: the knowledge contained within inherited memories does not entirely belong to you; you must still endeavor to learn!"
Hearing this, my eyes dimmed slightly.
In my inherited memories, there is no foundational knowledge concerning magic, and I cannot yet learn magic.
So, is it truly necessary for me to learn these things?
Seeming to divine my thoughts, Winters turned to look at me.
"Vet, can you answer a question for me?"
Taken aback, I quickly nodded.
"Of course!"
Winters smiled.
"Can you tell me, what is the most crucial action you must undertake before vanquishing your opponent?"
As she spoke, Winters turned to the other four young dragons.
"Naturally, if you are so inclined, you may also attempt to answer."
I pondered for a moment, then tentatively inquired, "Is it to train oneself and become stronger?"
"I believe it should be magic!"
Billy interjected immediately thereafter.
When the topic shifted to magic, Ao reverted to his previous aloof demeanor, merely lying on the ground, observing coldly.
As if it were not he who had been chasing a Ball Little Dragon and flitting about.
Dinnett hesitated for a moment.
"I concur with Vet's perspective.
We should prioritize making ourselves stronger.
After all, there are means beyond magic to achieve greater strength!"
I was momentarily stunned, then looked towards Dinnett, only to see that she also happened to glance in my direction and offered a friendly nod.
After a moment's hesitation, I also nodded in response.
Having regained my composure, I naturally no longer believed that Winters harbored any ill will towards me, so the notion of escaping Desidero had faded.
Moreover, reflecting upon the scenarios I had previously imagined, I felt an urge to find a fissure in the earth and bury myself.
Fortunately, no one was privy to my thoughts.
Furthermore, after my contest with Celine, I understood that possessing my own Dragon's Den was essentially a forlorn hope.
In this circumstance, my most prudent course of action was to cultivate amicable relations with the other four dragons.
If I did not wish to be solitary in the future.
But the proud nature of the Dragon Clan influenced me, preventing me from taking the initiative to display goodwill.
However, since Dinnett had taken the initiative to offer a gesture of amity, I would not refuse it.
"Nay!
I believe the prerequisite for vanquishing an opponent is to understand the opponent!"
Celine still held her draconic head high, her milky white form exuding an aura of sanctity.
Winters praised, "A most rational answer!"
Saying that, she looked at me again.
"Of course, your responses are not incorrect either, merely somewhat general!
Additionally, the reason I posed this question is to impress upon you, Vet, that although you cannot currently release magic, magic is knowledge that you absolutely must acquire.
Magic is the prevailing force in this world; even the Terrestrial Dragon Species, with the poorest magical aptitude, can still utilize magic.
Understand magic, learn magic, and then you can defeat magic!"