Miles stared at the baby dragon, who was currently chewing on a chunk of chain as if it were a chew toy. It was adorable, in a kind of way.

  "Okay, buddy," he said, hands on his hips. "Time for some teamwork. You see that wall over there? The big, ominous one that’s clearly hiding our way out? I need you to smash it down."

  The dragon tilted its head, the chain dangling from its mouth like a particularly aggressive piece of licorice.

  "Observation: Subject lacks comprehension of complex instructions. Suggest simplifying communication or rolling for persuasion."

  "Rolling?" Miles groaned. "Why does every major decision in my life boil down to this dice game? Fine. Roll for persuasion, system."

  "Result: 4. Status: Barely Passable. The dragon is intrigued but uncertain."

  Miles sighed and crouched down to meet the dragon's molten gaze. "Listen, if you smash that wall, we both get out of here. And if we get out of here, I promise to find you...I don’t know, a mountain of gold or a cave full of treasure. Dragons like treasure, right?"

  The dragon blinked slowly and then resumed gnawing on the chain.

  "Observation: Subject remains skeptical. Recommendation: enhance the offer."

  “Enhance it how? It’s not like I can offer free Wi-Fi or a Netflix subscription,” Miles hissed.

  The dragon, as if sensing his frustration, let out a puff of smoke that smelled faintly of charred regret.

  “Okay, okay,” Miles said, throwing up his hands. "How about a mountain of treasure? Gold, jewels, whatever dragons like! Deal?"

  The dragon finally stopped chewing, tilted its head again, and let out a thoughtful rumble.

  "Observation: Subject appears to agree. Note: Probability of compliance still uncertain."

  "Great," Miles muttered, running a hand through his hair. "All I have to do now is rely on a baby dragon’s mood swings. What could possibly go wrong?"

  He pointed to the wall again. "Alright, big guy—or girl. Smash that wall like your life depends on it!"

  The dragon let out a triumphant roar, reared back, and then...swung its tail directly into a completely different wall, causing a massive hole to form.

  "No! Not that one!" Miles shouted, waving his arms.

  The dragon turned to look at him, clearly proud of its handiwork.

  "Observation: Subject executed task incorrectly but remains confident in performance."

  "Yeah, thanks, system. I got that," Miles grumbled. He pointed again. "That wall! The one with the ominous glowing edges that screams ‘secret exit.’ Got it?"

  The dragon gave a little huff, turned back to the correct wall, and slammed into it with full force. This time, the wall crumbled like a cookie under a toddler’s fist. Light spilled into the room, illuminating their way out.

  Miles grinned. "Yes! Teamwork makes the dream work!"

  The dragon chirped, clearly basking in the praise.

  "Observation: Subject is unusually cooperative. Note: this behavior is unlikely to last."

  “Gee, thanks for the optimism,” Miles muttered, stepping toward the opening.

  But as they emerged from the hole, Miles froze in his tracks.

  They weren’t in some dark, secluded corridor or a quiet back alley. No, the dragon had broken them into the .

  Rows upon rows of spectators filled the seats, all of them dressed in gaudy attire that screamed "I’m richer than you." The auctioneer, a tall figure in a ridiculous hat, was mid-sentence, holding up what looked like a glowing crystal.

  Every single head in the stadium turned to look at Miles and the dragon.

  For a moment, there was complete silence.

  "Uh..." Miles raised a hand awkwardly. "Hi?"

  The dragon, sensing the attention, puffed up its chest and let out a deafening roar that rattled the entire arena.

  The crowd erupted into chaos.

  "DRAGON!" someone screamed.

  "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" another shouted, toppling over their chair in their haste to flee.

  Within seconds, the elegant auction house turned into a scene of absolute pandemonium. Guests scrambled for the exits, shoving each other aside and trampling their overpriced shoes in the process.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Miles stared at the chaos in disbelief. "I’m starting to think dragons might not be welcome here."

  "Observation: Hostilities are escalating. Suggest immediate retreat."

  “Retreat to where? Back to the pit room?” Miles shot back, dodging a panicked nobleman who ran past, clutching a tiny lapdog.

  The dragon, meanwhile, looked entirely unbothered. If anything, it seemed to be enjoying the chaos it had caused. It let out another roar, which only made the crowd scream louder.

  "Stop that!" Miles hissed, grabbing the dragon’s snout. “We’re supposed to be escaping, not auditioning for a villain role!”

  The dragon gave him a confused chirp.

  "Observation: Subject lacks understanding of subtlety."

  "Gee, you think?" Miles muttered, dragging the dragon toward the nearest exit. “Come on, let’s get out of here before they send in reinforcements.”

  As they weaved through the crowd, Miles couldn’t help but notice the occasional petrified guard frozen in place.

  “Great security you’ve got here,” he called out to no one in particular. “Top-notch work, really!”

  The dragon, apparently inspired by his sarcasm, let out another roar.

  "Will you stop that?" Miles snapped.

  The dragon huffed, a small puff of smoke escaping its nostrils.

  They finally reached the edge of the stadium, where a massive set of doors stood wide open. Miles grinned. Freedom was just a few steps away.

  And then the auctioneer, now looking much less dignified, stepped in front of them with a small army of guards.

  "Hold it right there!" the auctioneer shouted, pointing dramatically. "That dragon belongs to the auction house!"

  Miles blinked. "Oh, really? Because it looks like it belongs to me. You know, since it’s following me and all."

  The auctioneer’s face turned an alarming shade of red. “You have no right to take our property!”

  "Property?" Miles glanced at the dragon, who was now growling menacingly. "Yeah, good luck convincing guy he’s your property."

  The guards hesitated, clearly reevaluating their life choices.

  “Attack!” the auctioneer screamed, flailing his arms.

  The dragon didn’t wait for them to decide. It lunged forward, sending the guards scattering like bowling pins. Miles grabbed onto its tail, holding on for dear life as it barreled through the crowd.

  "This was not part of the plan!" he yelled, dodging a flying chair.

  "Observation: Escape is proceeding successfully. Collateral damage: significant."

  “Yeah, I noticed!” Miles shouted back.

  The dragon smashed through the final set of doors, and they tumbled out into the open night. Miles collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.

  The dragon chirped happily, nudging him with its snout.

  “You,” he wheezed, pointing a shaky finger at the beast. “Are going to be the death of me.”

  The dragon crooned softly, its golden eyes shimmering with innocence.

  "Observation: Subject appears pleased with its performance. Suggest reinforcing bond for future cooperation."

  Miles groaned, dragging himself to his feet. “Next time, I’m rolling for a normal pet. Like a goldfish. Or a cactus.”

  ______

  Amelia sat in her private lounge, sipping from a delicate porcelain teacup while her underlings scurried around like headless chickens. She relished moments like these—calm before the storm, power in her every word. But her moment was shattered when a frazzled subordinate burst into the room, gasping for air.

  "Ma'am! There's... there's been an incident!"

  Amelia raised a brow, carefully placing her teacup on the table. "An incident? Do elaborate before I lose my patience."

  The subordinate swallowed hard. "A dragon, ma'am. There’s a dragon loose in the stadium. It broke through the walls and caused mass panic!"

  The room seemed to chill despite the warmth of the crackling fireplace. Amelia's usually calm expression darkened. "A ? "

  "Y-yes, ma'am. A young one. But that's not all..." The subordinate hesitated, visibly trembling under her icy glare.

  "Out with it," she snapped, her voice like a blade.

  "It... It seems the dragon has bonded with one of the escaped captives. A human male."

  Amelia’s teacup shattered as she clenched her hand into a fist. "Bonded?" she hissed, her tone venomous.

  "Y-yes, ma'am. He—he seems to have established a parental bond with the creature. It follows him."

  For a moment, Amelia said nothing, her sharp nails tapping against the armrest of her chair. Then she rose, her elegant movements betraying the fury simmering beneath her composed exterior. "A dragon— dragon—has been bonded to a ?"

  The subordinate nodded meekly.

  "Where are they now?"

  "They escaped into the night, ma'am. The guards are in pursuit, but..."

  "But they are incompetent," Amelia finished coldly. She straightened her posture and gestured for her cloak. "Prepare my transport. If they think they can waltz out of auction house with dragon, they are sorely mistaken."

  When Amelia arrived at the wreckage of the auction house’s once-pristine arena, her eyes narrowed at the scene of utter chaos. The once-orderly establishment was a warzone of overturned chairs, trampled velvet carpets, and scorch marks that could only come from dragon fire. Her prized operation, her reputation, lay in ruins.

  "Report," she barked at a nearby guard, who flinched at her presence.

  "Ma'am, the dragon and the escapee broke through the outer walls and fled into the forest. The escapee—he’s not ordinary. He somehow managed to calm the dragon and use it to escape."

  Amelia’s sharp gaze cut through the guard. "Do you think I am interested in excuses?"

  "N-no, ma'am! But... there’s something you should know."

  She crossed her arms, her patience razor-thin. "Speak."

  The guard hesitated. "The dragon—it didn’t just escape. It imprinted on him. He’s bonded to it like... like family."

  The fire in Amelia’s eyes blazed brighter. A human? Bonded to a dragon? That was no mere coincidence. She clenched her jaw, her thoughts racing.

  “Interesting,” she murmured, her tone dangerously soft.

  "Shall we, uh, kill him and retrieve the dragon, ma’am?" the guard ventured.

  Amelia shot him a glare so icy it could have frozen fire. "Idiot. Killing the human will sever the bond, and that dragon will become a feral weapon of destruction. Do you want to be responsible for explaining why our entire operation burned to the ground?"

  The guard paled and quickly shook his head. "N-no, ma’am."

  “Good,” she said, turning away and pulling her cloak tighter. “Capture them both—alive. I’ll handle the rest personally.”

  As her convoy made its way through the forest, Amelia’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. Dragons were not just rare—they were the ultimate prize. Their scales, their blood, even their breath held immense power, each capable of commanding a fortune beyond imagination. A dragon bonded to a human was an even greater anomaly.

  But what bothered her most was the human himself. How had he managed to bond with such a creature? Dragons were notoriously selective, and they didn’t just bond with anyone.

  “Ma’am,” her second-in-command ventured cautiously from the seat beside her, “what if the human has some sort of... unique ability?”

  Amelia’s lips curled into a cold smile. “If he does, all the more reason to bring him back alive. Perhaps he will prove useful in ways beyond the dragon.”

  Her eyes gleamed with determination as the convoy pushed further into the forest. This wasn’t just about recapturing her prize. It was about asserting her dominance, ensuring that no one dared to defy her auction house—or her will.

  And if she had to crush a few escapees and their ridiculous dragon-parent fantasies to do it, so be it.