And so began my “double life.”

The term may sound odd, but I wasn’t doing anything suspicious.

In reality, it was a fancy way of describing my routine of sneaking off to meet White Wolf in her cave each night.

…Does that sound a bit strange?

The official excuse was that White Wolf needed to check on my well-being for her pack.

If I had simply left for another location, they could have sent me off without worry. But since I was trapped in the volcano, they needed to pass the message along so that Chirang wouldn’t fret.

Couldn’t she just tell them I was somewhere else outside the volcano?

I’d considered asking that, but I didn’t voice it. After all, I was getting a few benefits from these clandestine meetings myself.

"Oh, you’re heavier than you look."

"Gek, gek."

By day, I enjoyed the warmth of the Red Dragon; by night, the coolness of White Wolf.

I had the perfect pillows to choose from based on my preference.

“…Put your tongue back in. You look way too pleased with yourself."

"Gek?"

It wasn’t just a matter of personal comfort—there was a good reason for this arrangement.

The primary forces within my body were fire and frost, likely thanks to the powerful essences from spiritual herbs like Fiery Lotus and Snow Ginseng.

Though the other mystical items I’d consumed weren’t insignificant, Fiery Lotus and Snow Ginseng’s powers were especially prominent, as I actively harnessed them.

And since the Red Dragon and White Wolf controlled fire and frost, respectively, I could absorb these energies from them.

If I took in fire energy during the day and frost energy at night, my internal power would naturally increase.

And this might lead me closer to evolving into a Fire Dragon.

“…It’s fine if you lie there, but why are you constantly snuggling closer?"

“Gek, gek."

“You always act so childlike at times like this.”

The larger the area of contact, the better I could absorb the cold.

So, I lay on White Wolf’s lap, engaging in intense “training,” and happily accepted the meat she’d give me.

Getting food was easy now.

Though I appreciated the meals the Red Dragon provided, I also hunted for myself during my free time.

Ever since I’d defeated the fire rat, more creatures had begun venturing into the volcano, allowing me to hunt a wider variety.

Of course, they’d all hide during the day while the Red Dragon was active, only emerging when she soaked in the lava. This suited me just fine, as my active hours were at night.

Concealing myself in the dark, I’d sneak up, snap a neck, and the hunt would be over.

Though I was occasionally spotted due to the volcano’s bright, fiery landscape, it didn’t affect the outcome.

Even if they saw me, they couldn’t stop me.

I was stronger than ever.

My body constantly urged me to evolve, but I was holding back.

As the saying goes, “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” I suppressed my urge to evolve.

If I became a Komodo-Salamander, I might be crossing a line I couldn’t return from.

The thought of the Red Dragon pouncing on me the moment I evolved was a real risk.

Evolving into a Salamander should only be done after I’d escaped her clutches.

The best course would be to evolve into a Fire Dragon.

While I hadn’t yet found a clue, spending time here seemed to be producing some changes.

By resisting evolution and focusing on training and hunting, I felt power accumulating deep within my core.

I thought of Grandpa Kompy and the other dinosaurs and lizards who’d chosen not to evolve despite reaching that threshold.

I think I understood their reasoning now.

Holding off on evolution itself was a form of training.

“Gek, gek.”

Though sometimes I got a bit carried away with hunting due to my overflowing strength, White Wolf helped me keep things under control.

She’d freeze the meat I caught with her frost, storing extra portions to bring back to her pack.

Not a scrap went to waste—everything was used wisely.

White Wolf, I must admit, is impressively resourceful.

I suppose it’s natural, given she’s the eldest sister of her wolf pack.

Still, her den isn’t exactly close to the volcano, and she visits daily… Doesn’t that tire her out?

Shouldn’t she skip a day or two?

Just as I wondered this, White Wolf yawned and spoke.

“By the way, you mentioned defeating the guardian, right?”

“Gek, gek.”

“Yet your form hasn’t changed? The rumors couldn’t have been wrong… Are you purposely staying in this state?”

White Wolf had many appealing qualities.

Not only was her soft fur enjoyable to touch, and her frost as potent as the Ice Queen’s, but her resourcefulness was commendable.

And most of all, she was sharp-minded.

She wasn’t a leader for no reason.

If she didn’t have her pack and were smaller, like Tus and Pus, I might’ve offered her a scale and traveled together. I could stroke her fur whenever I wanted to relax.

“Gek, gek.”

I gave a light nod.

“Hmm… You’re already big enough as it is. What are you aiming to become?”

White Wolf scrutinized me, her gaze traveling from my head down to my tail, before moving back up.

Then she stopped midway, staring intently.

Gulp.

White Wolf swallowed, and her tail gave a little wag.

"…This is really complicated."

Her face turned slightly red, lost in thought.

“I’m feeling drowsy; should we sleep now?”

“Ge-eek…”

That meant she was about to shift from her human form back into her wolf form.

“You sure seem unusually fond of this form."

But I didn’t mind.

It meant I’d get to sleep wrapped in her soft fur.

I prepared myself for bed.

By day, it was the Red Dragon; by night, White Wolf.

I needed to balance my sleep time appropriately.

If I slept too much during the day, the Red Dragon would question me, and if I slept too much at night, White Wolf might feel neglected.

…

…Why am I even worrying about this?

Maybe it’s because I’ve been here too long, but I’ve started thinking strange thoughts.

Curling up, White Wolf nestled close beside me.

"Ahhh…"

Though it was cooler here than most places, there was no real need to huddle close; this was still a volcano.

But I didn’t comment on it.

After all, it meant I could touch her fluffy fur to my heart's content.

“…Hey.”

“Gek?”

“Sometimes, when you’re asleep, you… nibble on my neck a little, you know?”

Me?

“…Never mind. There’s no way you’d know what that means."

“Gek-ek?”

What? She brought it up herself.

“Forget it. Just go to sleep.”

“Ge-eeeng…”

I curled up and drifted off.

When I woke up, I’d often find bits of fur clinging to me, but I figured it was no big deal.

---

At night, I was with White Wolf.

And during the day?

“Hey, why do you keep snuggling up against my thigh?”

With the Red Dragon.

After absorbing White Wolf’s frost, it was only natural to seek out the Red Dragon’s fire.

It was definitely for training, not for personal comfort.

In an ideal world, I’d keep the Red Dragon and White Wolf together, lounging happily. But that was nearly impossible.

White Wolf might be fine with it, but the Red Dragon would never allow it.

This was, after all, her domain.

White Wolf was an intruder here.

For now, White Wolf stayed in a cave near the midsection of the mountain and avoided the peak during the day, so they hadn’t crossed paths.

But what if, by chance, they did encounter each other?

It wouldn’t end well.

The fate of anyone intruding on a dragon’s territory was all too predictable.

Every so often, I’d see brave spiritual creatures make it to the volcano’s peak despite their fear of the Red Dragon.

There were flame-covered horses and massive snails whose bodies were made of lava.

Thanks to them, I discovered what horse and snail meat tasted like.

In a single breath, the Red Dragon reduced them to crisp embers.

They were spiritual creatures with control over fire, yet the Red Dragon’s power was beyond imagination, allowing no one to trespass on her domain.

Thus, White Wolf and the Red Dragon could never meet.

Only because it was me did she tolerate this much. If the Red Dragon saw White Wolf, she’d swallow her whole.

And I’d likely join her as an appetizer.

“Gek.”

“Can you say something other than ‘Gek’?”

It felt strange that this terrifying dragon was now trying to teach me how to speak.

“Grrooooong.”

“…Not that.”

“Arf! Arf!”

“What’s that supposed to be?”

Could learning to speak be a condition for evolving into a Fire Dragon?

If not, why would a simple gecko find speech so difficult?

“Grrrroooong…”

"Your vocalizations have become more varied, but…”

“Ge-rrrrrrr…”

“Why can’t you speak?”

The Red Dragon gazed at me, looking rather serious.

"Especially since you keep saying that ‘gek’ sound. Is there something I don’t understand?”

She grabbed me under my armpits and lifted me up.

Considering her size, it wasn’t easy for her to lift me.

“The strangest part is that I feel like I’m beginning to understand your sounds over time.”

“Geeek?”

Isn’t that a good thing?

“This has never happened before… Spiritual creatures like you are usually

 able to speak.”

Lost in thought, the Red Dragon suddenly clapped her hands as if an idea had struck her.

“Oh, could it be because of faith?”

Faith?

“Gekka faith?”

“If it’s related to faith, this is going to be troublesome… If you had learned to speak before gaining faith, it’d be fine. But since it’s the other way around…”

“Ge-eek?”

Could faith really be the issue?

Given how “Gekka” kept influencing my evolution, it wasn’t an impossible idea.

“Faith isn’t something that forms easily. Besides, it’s extremely rare for a lizard to become the subject of faith.”

“Gekek.”

“This complicates things. Teaching you to speak might be pointless.”

What’s that supposed to mean?

“Gekek!”

Then why am I even here?

Laying my head on her thigh and occasionally rubbing my face against her warmth pocket… does any of this have a point?

…Does it?

If what she said was true, it’d be extremely disappointing.

Would I have to spend my life as a “geking” lizard?

Sure, a lizard’s natural sound is “gek,” but still… I want to speak, if only once.

“There’s still a way, though.”

“Gek!”

Of course—the Red Dragon would have a solution.

If there was a way, this changed everything.

“You should be able to communicate with your followers.”

That was true.

My spider friends understood me quite well.

Tang So-Yeong couldn’t fully comprehend me, but she got the gist.

“In that case, maybe I should become your follower?”

“Gekegek?”

Sorry, Pus.

It looks like I might have to give the first follower spot to the Red Dragon.

“…Haha, just kidding.”

I could almost hear Pus crying in the background.

“I mean, really, me, a follower? How ridiculous.”

She lightly tapped my back with her palm, but to me, it didn’t feel light at all.

“Ge-eeek!”

It wasn’t light from where I was standing.

“Honestly, you’re so cute.”

“Gee-eeeeng…”

She reached down and began pulling my cheeks.

“Would you like it if I became your follower?”

“Gekegek!”

The Red Dragon smirked mischievously.

"Too bad, though; it’s at least a hundred years too soon.”

“Gekek.”

Let me go, you…

It hurts.

"Maybe if you stay with me for fifty years, I’ll consider it?”

“Gekegek!”

Fifty years?

By then, an average lizard would’ve long died of natural causes.

…Hold on.

What is my lifespan, anyway?

Well, I’m a spiritual creature, so I should live longer than an average human, right?

Surely I didn’t inherit the lifespan of a regular gecko?

“Aww, so you want to stay with me too!”

The Red Dragon suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace.

With me unable to speak, she seemed to interpret things however she liked, but if she kept going, I couldn’t let this slide.

If she didn’t let me go…

Nibble.

…Just this once, I’ll let it slide.

“Oh, you’re just adorable.”

She buried her face into my scales, rubbing her cheek against me.

I felt like a pet, which was a bit unsettling.

Not bad, but it felt like my dignity as a mystical creature was fading.

“Geeeeek!”

It was time to put a stop to this!

At my shout, the Red Dragon actually froze.

They say even a temple dog can learn the Buddha’s teachings after three years, so it seemed she was finally starting to understand my “gek” sounds.

"…Hey.”

The Red Dragon’s grip on me tightened.

And then I realized.

She hadn’t understood me at all.

“There’s a scent of another female on you.”