Another month passed.
After a brief flurry of activity, the forest returned to its quiet state.
This seemed like good news… The villagers Winna had wounded showed no intent to return, branding the valley the "domain of an evil god." They believed a malevolent deity had granted Winna her power, corrupting her into a fiend.
Thus, Alaric's domain became the "forbidden zone" in village tales... those like Winna, with white hair and blue eyes, were seen as proof of "evil." Shunned and ostracized by their unchanged kin.
According to Winna's latest report, the white-haired tribespeople had left the village together… likely to a hidden place to form a new tribe.
"Let them go."
Alaric dismissed the plans of these "dragon remnants."
You don't become a stray dog's master just for tossing it scraps of meat, nor bear a lifelong duty to care for it. Likewise, he didn't see these people as his kin... despite the fragment of his power in their veins, which would pass to their descendants.
"Merlin told me they might become a new magus family."
"But more likely, they'll fade into history's dust over time."
It was a starry night.
Artoria brought a lavish spread... bread studded with raisins, honey-glazed lamb, and a mildly tart fruit wine.
The feast was so grand that Alaric wondered if it was his final one.
"After this meal, I might not visit for a while."
"Sir Ector is taking me to a rural pasture for intensive sword training…"
Well then.
It was a final feast.
…
Artoria felt glum.
Another separation loomed.
It was routine... she'd already gone two months without seeing the baby dragon before.
But for some reason, this parting weighed heavily on her.
Perhaps she sensed something... after all, she was now fifteen, an age deemed "adult" by ancient Celtic custom.
She was in a state of readiness, poised to embrace her destiny as king at any moment.
And thinking along those lines, Sir Ector's sudden intensive training likely stemmed from that.
"Who knows how I'll appear when we meet again?"
"If I'm king by then, will you still recognize me?"
Artoria reached out, gently stroking the baby dragon's head with a mix of reluctance and anticipation.
But faced with her sentimental gaze, Alaric merely glanced at her. Ignoring the suddenly melancholic dummy sister, he buried himself in the meal.
"Not recognize you? Impossible."
"As long as that ahoge's there, I'd know you even if you were ashes."
"And…"
As if struck by a thought, Alaric paused chewing and looked back at the wistful girl.
His blue eyes sparkled like gems, clear and pure.
"What's up?"
"Nothing, just thought of something amusing."
Alaric blinked, feigning innocent simplicity.
... What bad intentions could a baby dragon have? Just a bit of greed for food!
…
As usual, Artoria left before dawn.
But unlike before, after her departure, Alaric didn't return to his cave to rest.
Instead, he spread his wings, soared over the cliffs, and flew toward the distant forest.
"Break time's over."
"Time to get serious!"
After some searching, Alaric found a lake and dove in like a blue-white missile... the cool water roused his sluggish spirit, and the dark shadows lurking within made his dragon blood boil.
[Water Beasts].
The forest held Magical Beasts, but the lake hid Water Beasts.
Broadly speaking, these creatures, descended from Leviathans, could be considered "dragonkin"... with long, serpentine bodies and broad backs that flared midsection. They'd surface suddenly, water cascading from their flanks like waterfalls, or dive swiftly, stirring waves that capsized boats.
Their strength was undeniable.
But more crucially, these Water Beasts held a higher concentration of Mystery.
Monsters, after all, surpassed mere "beasts." Evolving into low-tier "Phantasmal Species."
The lowest tier, but still.
"No idea if I can win… Let's find out."
Truthfully, facing such creatures for the first time, Alaric felt nervous.
Their numbers were many, and fighting underwater... their domain... put a dragon like him at a disadvantage.
But… time was short, no room for overthinking.
"Go big or go home... fight if I can, flee if I can't!"
"Either way, fight first!"
A faint light gathered in Alaric's mouth.
It was feeble, barely illuminating the deep lake, insignificant against its dozens of meters.
But the aura of destruction in that white light… even these low-tier Water Beasts froze, as if wondering whether Gabriel had sounded the apocalyptic horn.
"White Light of Annihilation!!!"
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