"This..." Muria arrived on one of the cloud islands he had chosen as part of the Dragon Academy. From his senses, he could tell that this island gathered a large number of dragons.
He saw a dragon standing on a high platform, passionately and enthusiastically explaining spells. Below the platform were nearly a thousand dragons, all listening attentively. Among them, Muria even spotted a few ancient dragons, also paying attention to the lecture.
The dragon giving the lecture was quite unique. Its face was surrounded by fine white fur, and its scales shimmered brilliantly under the light. Its tail ended in a wide, fin-like shape, resembling a giant fish.
"A Scroll Dragon!" Muria quickly recognized the true identity of the dragon giving the lecture. Scroll Dragons are guardians and collectors of knowledge. Their strength lies in spellcasting, especially in enchantments and divination magic.
"When did he arrive?" Muria asked curiously, looking at the ancient green dragon Fiona who had come over to his side.
"During your wedding, Your Highness. He came to Synapse right after it ended, toured the Dragon Academy, and then stayed here to teach."
"He voluntarily became a teacher?" Muria's expression was intriguing. He could sense this Scroll Dragon's power. While not a Dragon King, this dragon was still extremely formidable—definitely not someone to be easily provoked, at least in Muria's perception.
"Has he mentioned leaving?" Muria glanced at the ancient green dragon behind him, an oddity he had intentionally placed among the academy's faculty. Given that most of the faculty were metallic dragons, her rejection was inevitable.
"He hasn't said anything like that."
"Alright, after his lecture, have him come see me. I want to talk to him." Muria instructed the green dragoness, taking another glance at the Scroll Dragon.
The Scroll Dragon had noticed Muria's arrival but chose not to interrupt his lecture, treating Muria as just another student.
This behavior made Muria appreciate the dragon, as he recognized a scholarly pride similar to that of human academics.
"The Starshine Dragon King is also here." Muria sensed another presence on a different cloud island and smiled slightly as he walked away from the lecture, attracting little attention from the dragons.
"Your Majesty, Starshine Dragon King!" Muria found a refined-looking dragonman in the academy's grandest building—the library. The dragonman wore a long, purple robe adorned with sparkling gems, resembling a starry sky.
"Muria, you've finally decided to come out," said the dragonman, standing over three meters tall with a slender, handsome appearance. His eyes seemed to reflect a vast cosmos.
"Ah, I apologize for keeping you waiting, Your Majesty," Muria said with a slightly embarrassed smile.
"It's alright. Your library here is quite impressive. For your age, you've gathered an admirable collection of books."
"Most of the books are copies from my mother's library. Only a small portion was collected during my travels," Muria admitted with an awkward smile.
"Collecting books is something many metallic dragons do. But what truly impresses me isn't that you've gathered so many, but that you're willing to make them available to everyone in the academy. Such generosity is rare among dragons."
"I'm sure there are others who do the same."
"How many?" The Starshine Dragon King smiled warmly. "I certainly didn't. Can you tell me what made you decide to do this?"
"Knowledge is the discovery and summary of those who came before us. If everyone hoarded it selfishly, then this knowledge would be lost, which would be a disrespect to those who first discovered it. I believe that only by spreading this knowledge can it be properly passed down."
"A noble sentiment indeed. Did this belief drive you to create the Dragon Academy? To teach without discrimination? Even many Dragon Kings don't have such a mindset."
"Haha, Your Majesty, you flatter me. It's not as grand as you make it sound," Muria laughed, shaking his head. "The academy was mainly established to train dragon kin for myself. Part of it is for my own benefit."
"But you still opened it to all dragons, didn't you? Any dragon can study here—that's the rule you set. You could have kept it private."
"I opened the academy because most of the teachers are metallic dragons, while the students are primarily chromatic dragons. To ease their conflicts and tensions, I made the academy open to all dragons."
Muria explained his reasoning to the Dragon King. His actions weren't as noble as they appeared—he was simply going with the flow, doing what was practical. Still, the results were unexpectedly positive.
"Do you think I care about the process?" The Starshine Dragon King was unfazed by Muria's pragmatic motives. The mere establishment of such an academy, filled with vision, was itself significant, and the results mattered most.
"I only care about the outcome. If your academy continues to operate, more ancient dragons will join as teachers, and they will raise stronger, more talented dragons. Our entire species will grow stronger and more united because of it."
"If the dragons grow stronger because of this academy, that would be the best outcome. After all, I am part of the dragon race." Muria, a half-blood Titan and Dragon King, stated this simply.
"Indeed. But your academy is still too small, and the library's collection too limited. That's why I've decided to donate part of my collection to your library."
"This... How can I accept?" Muria's face lit up with joy, though his words were modest. In reality, he had no intention of rejecting the offer.
Muria had seen the sheer volume of books a Dragon King could amass—his grandfather, even newly crowned as a Dragon King, possessed a vast collection. The Starshine Dragon King, who had lived for fifty thousand years, must have an unimaginable number of books. Even a fraction would be enormous.
"No need to refuse. These physical books hold little value to me anymore. I've already memorized the knowledge within them; I don't need to read the physical copies to recall it," the Starshine Dragon King said with a smile.
"Oh, and I almost forgot—it's not just me. Four other Dragon Kings have also decided to donate part of their collections. They're even sending their descendants to serve as professors at your academy."
Muria was stunned for a moment, then smiled brightly. "That's wonderful. But if the descendants of Dragon Kings are teaching here, I'm afraid my qualifications as headmaster might not be sufficient. I should step down."
"That's unnecessary. You founded this academy; you are its rightful headmaster. No dragon will challenge your position."
"If any descendant of a Dragon King has an issue with you, let them take it up with one of your three grandfathers—be it a Dragon King, an Epic Titan, or a Seraph. If that's not enough, they can come to me. Among all Dragon Kings' descendants, you are the most suitable headmaster. This isn't just my opinion; the other Dragon Kings agree."
"I understand. I will do my best as headmaster to ensure every dragon receives the best education possible." Muria nodded in acknowledgment.
"I'll be off now. I'll have the books delivered to you," the Starshine Dragon King's figure slowly faded. "Stay true to your original intent in founding this academy—teach without favoritism, and ensure all dragons receive the best and fairest education."
"It seems the Dragon Kings have discussed this extensively. They must see great potential in the academy's future," Muria mused, his expression calm once more.
The fact that he remained headmaster was clearly the result of balancing interests among the Dragon Kings. They were sending their descendants as professors, extending their influence into the academy.
While the headmaster's position held symbolic power, it was clearly something the Dragon Kings were competing for. However, since none could claim it outright, Muria became the compromise, allowing him to retain his position. After all, none of the Dragon Kings could overtly strip him of his authority.
"Even Dragon Kings compete with each other. They will never fully unite." Muria sighed, reflecting on the conversation with the Starshine Dragon King. This was the true reason dragons could never become the world's third major race.
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