Palm Dragon

Today is the night of the full moon.

Sitting on the large terrace on the second floor, Iss played with an agate tail ring in his hand. The agate was as crystal clear as the red wine beside him.

Leighton pushed open the french doors and walked in, changing into mint tea and lemon pie.

Ice gestured for his butler to sit down.

"You're in a good mood." Ice poured a cup of tea for Layton. "Is it because of the full moon?"

Layton—no, it should be Cappadocia who nodded lightly.

"It's been since the last time you spoke to me face to face with your real face... Ah, I don't even remember how long it has been."

The butler opposite Mr. Noble is no longer that old-fashioned look, his gray hair has turned blood red, and his skin looks young and elastic.

"The blood race is in awe of the full moon."

Cappadocia replied after taking a sip of hot tea.

"I think it's not just blood races who have such thoughts. So far, I have seen at least two huge shadows passing over the house tonight. So I had to set up a large barrier around the house." Iss complained.

"Dragon?" The butler raised his eyes.

"Humans often think that only werewolves get their blood pumping during a full moon," Iss said. "Everyone is actually excited."

"...Mr. Adrian is probably not of age." Cappadocia thought for a while and said.

"I understand. But that's not the problem."

indeed.

Cappadocia and Is look under the terrace together.

That "problem" is staying in the garden below.

"I don't understand." The butler said after studying it.

"...Before tonight, I thought only puppies would play after their own tails." Iss took another sip of hot tea.

Cappadocia looked away speechlessly.

In the garden under the terrace, a small black dragon about 6 feet tall was circling excitedly, seemingly trying to turn its head back and grab its own tail with great enthusiasm, surrounded by the remains of roses.

"...After watching it for a long time, I can't help but want to cheer for his behavior that will never see results." Ice consulted the butler a little melancholy. "Is this a form of dementia?"

"In my opinion, you are just a father's love." The housekeeper replied calmly.

Mr. Noble turned his head decisively to focus on the teacup.

They didn't speak for a while, and before another shadow covered the moon, there was only the rustling of the little dragon struggling among the flowers.

Even in the dark of night, that silvery light caught their attention.

It wasn't until the light disappeared that Ice said slowly: "Speaking of fatherly love, I think my housekeeper lacks a little patience for his own children." In fact, Mr. Noble has always felt that the kinship of the blood family is very magical.

Cappadocia didn't speak, just looked at the cup in his hand.

"Can't the little bat come out?" If he hadn't known Cappadocia for so long, Yisi would have thought that he was venting his dissatisfaction on forcing him to save Casey on Casey in a disguised form.

"Exchanging blood is a difficult process for any blood race." Cappadocia did not intend to explain.

The chats between adults are often lacking, so they began to look boredly at Xiaolong who was still working hard downstairs.

Adrian loves the moon.

In the days of the full moon, he was particularly happy at last.

The gentle moonlight made him want to turn back into a dragon.

Usually when there are people, he always restrains his behavior. The experience of being called a monster by other dragons made him very inferior.

But tonight Adrian didn't have those scruples, happily rolled into the flowers, chasing the tip of his tail that he hadn't seen for a long time.

There is only the gentle Iss, the serious Werther and Leighton, the beautiful Ani, and the awkward Casey.

Xiaolong felt more at ease than ever before.

It wasn't until he turned himself dizzy that Xiaolong lay down panting.

There is a scent of flowers and a touch of grass in the air.

Adrian sighed contentedly and started rolling around on the grass.

"Do you want to crush all the roses?"

From a tree by the side of the bush came the voice of lazy talking.

"Ani~" Adrian rolled, the scales were covered with grass clippings.

The elf lay on the tree, very dissatisfied with the little dragon's destructive behavior to the plants, and let the little black dragon shake his feet hanging from the branches under the tree and ignored him.

then--

"Ah!" screamed.

"You actually pulled me down! If I don't have your thick skin, it will hurt if I fall off a tree, do you know that!!!!"

"quack--"

"Still laughing! Stop!"

The crushed roses in the garden suddenly increased a lot.

Cappadocia stood up.

"Stop basking in the moon?" Yi Si smiled.

Cappadocia picked up the empty teapot. "It's midnight."

Kathy opened the curtains wide, and the moon outside the window was extraordinarily bright.

The moonlight of the full moon has special meaning for the blood race.

So usually when the full moon is full, Casey is in the territory of the blood clan, turning into a bat and hanging quietly on the tree opposite the gorgeous mansion, looking at the reverse cross on the roof.

Friends laughed at him: Only the full moon can temporarily cool down Cassie's lower body.

They didn't know that it was because the people of Lan didn't usually go out during the full moon, and they didn't use a coffin, but asked the blood servant to move the bed to the balcony of the room to sleep in the moonlight.

Kathy would stare at that patio all night from a distance.

But this time around the full moon he just felt sad.

Even if he goes back, there probably won't be any room for him in that house.

I'm not his child anymore... Kathy thought.

So the once so lovely full moon night will not look hideous.

Just as he closed the floor-to-ceiling curtains and was about to fall asleep, the door of the room was knocked open.

Kathy glared at Leighton, who was poisedly carrying a large tray. "Isn't it too late to prepare afternoon tea?"

Layton didn't answer, and another head poked out from behind.

"Cathy—"

Adrian rushed in happily holding a large crystal plate.

There was a mess of things on the plate: melons, grapes, figs and jiggies.

Casey stared blankly at the group of people following Adrian.

Ani pouted and held an oak barrel filled with wine, and Werther and Iss held two large silver trays with lids in their hands.

A large group of people ignored the inexplicable Casey and began to busy themselves in the room.

"That table~ move it to the bedside~"

"Why are the curtains drawn? Then how can I see the moon!"

"Ed! Did you wash the fruit well after all? Why are there mud spots on the grapes?"

……

After everyone quieted down and he was dragged to the table to sit down, Casey found the opportunity to speak: "Can I ask what this is doing?"

Xiaolong smiled and pushed a bowl of pea puree in front of Casey: "We think the moon is very beautiful, so we decided to appreciate it together." By the way, he scooped up the marzipan pie in front of Casey and put it in front of him. "Eat more~"

"Look why the moon came here..." Casey was interrupted by Mr. Noble before he could finish speaking.

"Ed, don't be picky eaters."

"..." Xiaolong slowly withdrew his paws that were reaching for Aini's portion of pie.

Only then did the elf discover Adrian's little action: "Ah! Despicable~ Pay me your pudding——hmm, my pudding?!"

"I said..." Casey's voice was drowned out again.

"Dragon! Give me back my pudding—"

Adrian was shaken by the elf's neck, shook his head with difficulty, and pointed to the necromancer.

"Ahhhhh—White spit out the pudding—"

"It was eaten by milk."

"..."

Casey didn't have time to interject, so he had to pour down a big mouthful of fruit juice bitterly.

"Yi——" the little bat let out a mournful cry.

"Sour sour - what is this!"

"Bell Juice." The tone of the old man butler beside him did not fluctuate.

Casey wrinkled her face from the sour taste in her mouth, and was about to flip the table when something was stuffed into her mouth.

The flavor of sweet candied strawberries spreads all at once.

The old butler withdrew his hand expressionlessly.

"..." Casey wanted to yell, but the sweet taste in his mouth greatly soothed his emotions.

He decided to finish chewing what was in his mouth before speaking.

In the quiet night of Wan Lai, this small house is extraordinarily lively.

"Ah!" Adrian, who was chatting with Aini, suddenly raised his head. "The clouds parted."

The bright moonlight slowly soaked into the night, and everyone looked out of the window.

A large silver full moon hung in the sky.

Mr. Noble smiled and raised his glass.

"Dessert? Werther and the bat?"

"On such a night, family members, lovers and friends should all be together, and the full moon will be more beautiful."

"You're right, Ed."