Chapter 1: Encounter with the Dragon Girl, and the Beginning of the Journey

  Episode 1: Encounter with the Dragon Girl

  When I opened my eyes, I was no longer in Japan.

  Still in my school uniform. Still wearing the plain navy blazer I always wore, the mask I put on out of habit more than need. One Bluetooth earbud was missing. The other still played a pop song from a playlist I didn’t remember queuing up.

  My black school backpack was slung over one shoulder—textbooks, notes, a half-graded English quiz, my math homework. A bottle of tea. A bacon-cheese bun and a cream bread from the convenience store. I hadn't taken a plastic bag, but I did accept the receipt. I think I stuffed that in there too.

  Everything was normal. Right up until it wasn’t.

  Because now, I was standing in a vast space—about the size of a gymnasium.

  No windows. Just softly glowing walls. Not dark, but not bright either.

  And in front of me… something huge. Towering. Pale. Reflecting the blue-white light, glittering like a mountain made of snow.

  I didn’t realize what it was at first.

  Then I heard it. A slow, rhythmic hissing—like breathing.

  The snowy shape moved.

  Alive. Massive.

  I pulled out my phone and killed the upbeat music still playing in my ear. Pulled out the last earbud. Took off the mask. Shoved them all into a pocket.

  I should’ve been scared.

  This thing was big enough to crush me with one breath. But oddly, I wasn’t afraid. My heart raced, but my feet moved forward—one step, two.

  The mountain twitched.

  Then, with a noise like an avalanche, it stirred.

  It lifted its head, settled on its forelegs, and looked down at me.

  A dragon.

  Its scales shimmered silver-white. Its eyes, deep and blue like a mountain lake, stared right into mine.

  Around its bent neck was a ring of glowing light. A collar?

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  Could you even keep a dragon as a pet?

  Rings shimmered around its forelegs, too. They didn’t look right.

  It looked like it was hurting—but I didn’t know how I could tell.

  It lowered its head toward me. Carefully. Cautiously.

  Its mouth was wide enough to swallow me whole.

  But I knew it didn’t want to.

  And then I heard it. Not in words. Not really.

  Like a song in a language I’d never learned—like a meaningless hum that somehow made perfect sense.

  “Help me.”

  That’s what I felt it say.

  I didn’t question it. I raised both hands.

  There was a dragon in front of me, asking for help.

  So I helped. It felt natural—right.

  “I’ll help you.”

  The words came out small, uncertain. But the dragon responded.

  It brought its head closer. I reached forward and gently touched its nose.

  And in an instant, the glowing rings around its neck and legs shattered.

  A burst of light. Blinding. I covered my eyes and closed them.

  “I’m happy.”

  The voice again. Light and bright.

  Relieved.

  And when I opened my eyes, the dragon was gone.

  Standing in its place was a girl.

  She had silver hair, tinted faintly blue, that flowed past her waist.

  It shimmered under the ambient light, strands catching and scattering it like starlight.

  Her skin was pale. Smooth-looking. Fragile, almost translucent.

  She looked human—but too perfect. Too unreal.

  Her eyes were the same deep lake-blue as the dragon’s.

  She stared at me with them, curious and calm.

  Her face was soft, youthful. Beautiful in a way that made my brain stutter.

  Her lips were lightly colored, slightly parted, as if she was about to speak—or smile.

  She was about my height. Maybe a little shorter. Slender neck. Long limbs.

  A girl.

  Or at least, she looked like one.

  And—oh. Right.

  She wasn’t wearing any clothes.

  I froze.

  Just seconds ago, a massive dragon had filled the room.

  Now, standing there in front of me, completely exposed, was a girl about my age.

  A gorgeous, naked, completely unexplainable girl.

  I couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. My brain short-circuited, then caught up all at once.

  And when it did, I screamed.

  “UWAAAAAAHHHHH!”

  She flinched, blinking in surprise, her expression dazed and a little hurt.

  I snapped out of it, tore off my blazer, and rushed forward.

  It was all instinct. I wrapped the jacket around her before I even realized what I was doing.

  Which, of course, meant I ended up holding her.

  Like, actually holding her.

  Her skin was cool to the touch. Not cold—just lightly chilled, like porcelain.

  Her face was right in front of mine. Those lake-blue eyes blinked slowly.

  She didn’t pull away. She just… watched me.

  I swallowed hard.

  That was how I met her.