The Ballad Of A Semi-Benevolent Dragon

A dragon lounges atop his hoard, content to let the world burn—unless it inconveniences him. He’s semi-benevolent, after all, not *stupid*. When marauding soldiers threaten a village, he intervenes—not out of kindness, but because dead peasants pay no tribute. When a tyrannical kingdom hoards riches that could be his, he topples it without hesitation. His motives are selfish, his methods ruthless, yet the results often align with the greater good. But balancing greed and grudging altruism grows complicated when a cunning human scholar arrives, offering knowledge in exchange for protection. The dragon finds himself entangled in schemes far beyond plunder, where power isn’t just measured in gold. Now he must decide: is playing the reluctant hero worth the trouble, or should he burn his problems to cinders and walk away?