“How do you turn this thing off?” Heron lifted Lucifer above his head so he could visually search the rabbit’s underbelly, as if to look for a switch or a button.

  Human, I demand you to set me down.

  “Shh, you can’t be talking to me. They’ll hear you in their heads.” Heron whispered as he lowered Lucifer until they were at eye-level so that he could stare Lucifer in the eyes. The rabbit wrinkled its nose as it stared back with its beady, little red eyes.

  Why does that matter? Let them listen, they should feel honored to be in the presence of the great Lord—

  Heron karate-chopped Lucifer on the head as the rabbit squeaked indignantly. That was going to have to suffice as the ‘off-button’ for now, until they could figure out how to get in contact with Serafina.

  Since James had left them to venture on their own, the first thing Heron had done was explore his designated room, ‘Room Nine’.

  The bedroom was modest, clean, and reminded Heron of one of those tourist-friendly cabins that was designed for glamping.

  The walls were made of plain, wooden logs and the space smelled of resin paired with a woody pine smell. The hardwood floor was clean with just a bit of dust around the edges and corners of the room. A large window faced directly across from the entrance of the bedroom with swamp-green colored curtains that were drawn open—revealing distant mountains, a nearby forest, and a grassy clearing as Heron stood at the edge of the doorway.

  The furniture in the space was generous compared to what Heron had been used to on Planet-C5—in consideration that everything in his cabin on that tiny planet was ‘homemade’ and crafted from the ridiculous magic that he was somehow able to wield. There was a real bed with a wooden frame and everything—thankfully, the mattress looked real and not one made from dried grass clippings.

  Besides the bed, there was also a wooden nightstand, a wooden dresser, a wooden desk and chair, and even a wooden bench by the window. Yes, the room was very woody and the color was monotonously woody. Still, it was a nice room with everything considered of the most basic necessities. The bed had a pillow, sheets, and a cover and a red, woolly rug beneath it. On the nightstand and desk, both had a lamp with… no power cord? That was odd, but Heron wasn’t going to question it.

  Currently sitting on the twin-sized bed with plain cotton sheets and a flimsy-looking pillow, Heron set Lucifer down in his lap, stroking the rabbit-dragon’s fur as it quieted down in his mind. Luckily for him, Lucifer seemed to understand their current predicament. With Serafina’s earlier warning about ensuring that Lucifer wasn’t discovered to be a dragon, Heron had decided to heed that warning—in case it led to some sort of precarious situation like pitchforks and torches.

  Serafina had called them anomalies and had mentioned the discovery of Lucifer being a dragon could be problematic—that both Serafina and Alice were doing their best to follow protocol or whatever that meant.

  So what would happen if Lucifer were to be discovered as a dragon? Serafina was a dragon and had waddled through the streets without batting an eye. So why was it a problem if Lucifer was caught?

  Great question, Sir Heron.

  Heron almost flung Lucifer out of his lap when the voice of Serafina vibrated in his mind. Holy moly, where was she!? Certainly not in his room—

  I am currently at the Knight’s Station with Alice who is currently finishing up today’s report.

  He had no idea where Sector Nine was located, but he had a suspicion it was not within the kingdom walls or nearby considering there was a teleportation system set-up between the Farmer’s Guild and the lodge of Sector Nine. It was likely that the farmlands were located on the outskirts of the city in a more rural area with land that was ripe to ensure a bountiful harvest. But if he and Lucifer were a ways away from the kingdom and the Knight’s Station, then how was Serafina communicating with them?

  I am simply sending you a private DM. We need not be in the same room or even the same general area.

  That still didn’t answer his question. But this was the perfect moment he had been waiting for—Lucifer could pick up a lesson or two on ‘how-to-dragon’ with Serafina. Now, how does a dragon privatize their mind-reading capabilities and communication so that the entire house doesn’t listen in?

  Hey, I don’t need any lessons—

  Bonk.

  Lord Lucifer, I beg to differ. Serafina’s voice was seemingly amused. Perhaps I should have prioritized giving you a lesson on private DMs prior to you and Sir Heron running off via the teleportation crystal.

  There is much that needs to be addressed between you and I. You would know exactly what I am referring to. But alas, it is best in the current state of things that the less you know, the better the both of you shall fare.

  What was that supposed to mean?

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

  In the meantime, it would be vital for the both of you to keep up appearances while Alice and I complete the paperwork and records of your existence. That is all I can share for now. As neither of you are clearly trained in certain aspects of utilizing magical essence, it would be a disservice to all of us should I relay the information that I do know for it could be extracted by… unfavorable prospects.

  Most of that DM didn’t make any sense to Heron, but he was willing to give Serafina the benefit of doubt. The only things he could put together from that whole speech was that there was something that Serafina and Alice were hiding, and if shared with him and Lucifer it could cause problems. So the less he and Lucifer knew, the better the outcome?

  Precisely.

  Okay then, keep your secrets. Lucifer snorted before Heron bonked it once more. Until Lucifer learned how to send private DMs, the little rabbit-dragon was essentially an intercom in this place.

  Now, how did private DMs even work so that Lucifer could stop blabbing all over the place?

  I shall not explain the collective detail on the fundamentals of magical essence as there is a time and place for everything, but not now. At this current time, the only thing Lord Lucifer needs to know is how to control the flow of magical essence when it comes to communicating.

  At baseline, dragons are highly compatible with magical essence. Fundamentally, as high magical beasts, we are able to see, hear, feel, even breathe magical essence. It is our way of life and is completely natural. Now, I am uncertain of Lord Lucifer’s upbringing or connection with the Dragon’s Order, but I find it strange that…

  Serafina trailed off before continuing.

  Never mind that, I shall explain the process of private DMs. Lord Lucifer, in the atmosphere, the abundant blue, crystal-like fragments are magical essence. You have surely witnessed the interaction of these fragments towards objects and beings.

  Imagine magical essence as a thread. You are able to maneuver them into becoming a connection. When weaving these thin threads of connection together, you can create a taut rope by tightening the bond between you and whatever you wish to connect.

  By limiting and targeting a connection, it activates the magical essence between you and a specific party. For private DMing, there are few limitations. You must be familiar with the one that you wish to connect with and the general location of them. Hence why I am able to speak to both you and Sir Heron at this current time.

  The way Serafina described private DMs, it reminded Heron of telephones and texting—it was ironic DMs existed in both his original world and this one with the same acronym. Though he would suspect they didn’t have phones given the lack of technological advances he had yet to witness.

  TELL-A-FOAM? Lucifer’s voice boomed louder than a blaring alarm, making Heron wince.

  Too tight, Lord Lucifer. A taut rope, not a strangling one. Serafina’s voice sang. I cannot see how tightly you wound the threads since I’m too far, but careful with the manipulation of magical essence. Humans are more fragile than they appear to be.

  Better? Lucifer’s voice was no longer blasting Heron’s mind-drums.

  Better. With loud private DMs, it made Heron’s brain feel like it was being jostled around like a jellybean being shaken in a jar which probably wasn’t good for brains.

  With the communication dilemma solved, Heron’s mind was eased—the chances of them getting caught about Lucifer being a dragon were slimmer now. They could speak privately instead of having the entire sector listen in. They were less likely to get caught unless Lucifer decided to rat them out by spilling the beans on being able to read minds, which Heron thought was safe to assume was a characteristic unique to dragons.

  That is correct, Sir Heron. Creatures that have magical essence compatibility have the chance of becoming a familiar. Whether it is a rat, a wolf, or a dragon, as long as the beast is compatible with magical essence, they will be able to bond with someone. Depending on the potential and strength, it determines the power the creature has.

  It is perfectly normal for a dragon to be able to shapeshift at will and communicate with the mind. It is rare for a lesser being, such as a rabbit, to be able to speak mind-to-mind. While a lesser creature may speak with its mind, it can only respond to what is said aloud–unlike dragons and greater beings.

  It will be crucial for Lord Lucifer to not divulge the things he knows. Not only will he need to focus on private DMs, he will also need to control his thoughts and how his thoughts impact the magical essence around him.

  I am Lord Greatest of All Time, must I do this? Lucifer complained to the both of them as it wrinkled its nose.

  If you would like to have a safe and comfortable time while staying by Sir Heron’s side, then yes, you must. The consequences of being discovered is not something you want to find out.

  Yes, yes, warnings and all. Heron wasn’t too worried, what was the worst that could happen?

  For a moment, he thought about returning to the Farmer’s Guild by using the teleportation crystal. He hadn’t meant to leave abruptly while Charles had been explaining the usage of it. But he also didn’t want to risk returning to the Farmer’s Guild only for the crystal to not work on the way back—what if there was a limit to how much he could use the teleportation crystal?

  I would not bother returning to speak with the guildmaster this evening. Before you and Lord Lucifer disappeared, I had read his mind. He was fine and dandy with your disappearance as he was looking forward to his wife’s cooking. He has been long gone.

  So James was right and Heron would need to wait till morning to speak with Charles once more.

  “Thanks, Serafina.” Heron grinned as he gave Lucifer a pat on the head. No more head bonks needed.

  You are most welcome, Sir Heron. It is in everyone’s interest that I assist you and Lucifer during your transition to becoming citizens of the kingdom of Morningstar.

  Everyone’s best interest?

  I assure you, both Alice and I do hold gratitude for what you did for us when we landed on Planet-C5 even if it does not appear so. There are things that you do not know and would be better off not knowing. I must disconnect, Alice is waiting for me. Farewell, we shall meet again soon.

  With the absence of a telephone click, Heron could no longer hear Serafina’s voice in his head. Overall, a productive and helpful discussion. The terms and conditions were clear, and he was more than happy to follow them.

  First, Lucifer must not be discovered as a dragon. Second, be a good farmer to the Farmer’s Guild and lie low as a provisional citizen in the kingdom of Morningstar. Sure, he had to report for community service once Judge Julie sent it in, but the objectives were clear.

  Fulfill the two criteria, then Heron could start to brainstorm just how the hell he was going to return to Planet-C5 for his buddies Melvin and Charcoco.

  With his and Lucifer’s stomachs growling up a storm, it was time to get a move on.

  To the kitchen?

  To the kitchen.