* * *
‘Could the baby have been startled? No, this was entirely different from the usual kicks.’
As Ed furrowed his brow, trying to make sense of it, the Grand Duke’s heart sank.
“Ed, what’s wrong? Are you in pain?”
Even in the face of life-or-death battles, the Grand Duke was an unshakable figure. Yet any slight change in Ed’s expression seemed to unnerve him completely.
“Is it because of the baby? Or are you hurt?”
Unable to bear waiting for an answer, he added anxiously, “This won’t do. I’ll send you somewhere safe right now.”
Ed quickly raised his head.
“No, it’s not that. I just… felt something strange.”
“Strange?”
“Yes, I’m not hurt or anything! It’s just that…”
The Grand Duke’s tense expression relaxed slightly upon hearing Ed wasn’t in pain.
Still, Ed wanted to explain what he felt more clearly.
As he searched for the right words, a loud roar erupted from the sky.
A black dragon, reveling in the power it had regained by absorbing a magic core, suddenly let out a piercing cry, almost like a beast warning an intruder in its territory.
Startled, Ed muttered, “Why is it doing that all of a sudden?”
The dragon, which had been bellowing aggressively, suddenly turned its gaze downward.
“…!”
Ed wrapped his arms protectively around his stomach.
He could only hope he was imagining things, but it felt as if the dragon had just looked directly at the child within him.
The black dragon arched its back, inhaling deeply, as though preparing to unleash fire.
Everyone on the ground instinctively knew what was coming—the dragon would exhale flames aimed at the earth.
The Grand Duke and Ed braced themselves to summon their strength once more to shield the people.
Ed bit his lip nervously.
‘We don’t have enough water. Even with Your Grace’s help, the barrier won’t last long. And despite my training… I’m already… What should I do?’
As Ed worried about his diminishing strength, the dragon unleashed its fiery breath.
At that exact moment, Ed’s eyes widened as a brilliant light streaked through the air.
Roar!
A familiar sound accompanied the dazzling light.
As Ed began drawing moisture from the damp soil for a barrier, the golden light illuminated the scene before him.
A golden dragon had appeared, its vast wings shielding the Grand Duke’s barrier.
Ed stared up in awe.
“A golden dragon…”
Its massive form shimmered as if dusted in gold, radiating beauty, might, grace, and majesty all at once.
But this wasn’t Luan, the dragon the Grand Duke had summoned at the royal palace.
‘Then who is this dragon?’
The golden dragon, having shielded them from the flames, crouched low and gently brought its snout near Ed’s belly.
It nudged lightly, as though seeking praise.
Startled, Ed reached out and stroked the dragon’s cheek and snout.
The dragon purred contentedly.
‘I’ve heard this sound before…’
Almost as if in agreement, the baby stirred and delivered a firm kick.
For a moment, Ed’s belly visibly protruded where the tiny foot had pressed.
The sensation was eerily similar to when young dragons played on his stomach back in the North.
“Could it be…?”
The Grand Duke, sensing Ed’s thoughts, spoke.
“Ed, it seems the one meant to guard the Northern Fortress has arrived.”
Ah, Ed, who had let out a soft sigh, couldn’t hide his amazement as he recalled the little dragon frolicking above Ronen’s head.
Somehow, that very dragon had flown over, grown in size, and spread its massive wings to shield them both.
“How… how is this possible? Ah! Did His Grace embed a dragon’s teleportation magic in the necklace?”
“That’s true,” the Grand Duke replied, drawing out his words while placing a hand on Ed’s belly.
“But I didn’t make it grow this big.”
Even in the dire situation, the Grand Duke answered calmly.
The dragon, now much larger than the Grand Duke’s height, seemed to smile as its mouth curved upward.
“It must’ve bonded with our child. It used to play so well with Ed’s belly, and now, it seems it’s grown with our child’s strength,” he added.
As soon as the Grand Duke finished speaking, the golden dragon affectionately nuzzled its cheek against Ed’s belly.
Ed chuckled softly at the ticklish sensation and gently stroked the dragon’s jaw.
“To think the dragon would seem so dependable now… Back at the northern castle, it was too busy playing tricks.”
The child, seemingly delighted by this connection, started kicking softly inside Ed’s belly again.
From the deranged emperor, the menacing black dragon, and the puppets enslaved by the black smoke to the desolation that had spread like wildfire—everything seemed to change in an instant as the organized northern knights and the radiant dragon arrived.
“With reinforcements like this, I feel invincible.”
Ed envisioned himself leaping over the ruined garden’s fence, which the emperor had devastated, alongside the Grand Duke.
No, it wasn’t just a fantasy—it was a reality soon to come.
“They’re truly reliable. Since our child is urging us to head home, let’s wrap this up quickly and return to the north, Ed.”
“Yes.”
In response, the golden dragon above Ed’s head flapped its wings as if in agreement.
Each movement of the dragon’s beautiful wings cast shadows across Ed’s face, only to vanish as the gusts surged outward.
The emperor’s hair was swept violently by the wind, and the sheer force pressed his body into the throne.
Though his face twisted in pain from the oppressive shock, he clung to the scepter in his hand with all his might.
The golden dragon cast a brief glance at the sky before locking eyes with the Grand Duke.
Spreading its wings wide, it signaled its readiness, and the Grand Duke nodded in response.
Without hesitation, the golden dragon pierced through the dark night sky, its wings slicing through the air as a fierce storm raged.
The sudden surge of energy condensed the atmosphere before it exploded outward, sending the Grand Duke’s cloak billowing dramatically.
Ed’s gaze followed the long trail of the dragon’s tail, its scales glimmering under the protective barrier.
His golden eyes shone with the same brilliance as the dragon’s light.
When the golden dragon, now high in the night sky, lashed its tail at the black dragon, a deafening roar echoed, and a dazzling golden wave painted the heavens.
The light was so radiant that anyone living in the imperial city could witness the majestic form of the golden dragon.
Every motion of the golden dragon seemed to pierce the black dragon, its shimmering brilliance streaking across the dark sky like cascading rivers of light.
The heavens roared with a deafening crash as the black dragon let out a piercing cry, drawing all eyes skyward.
Even the Grand Duke fixed his gaze on the battle above, his expression calm but sharp beneath the gusts whipped up by the dragon’s every move.
‘The dragon is larger than I anticipated… but can it truly handle the black dragon alone?’
The young dragon, pre-enchanted in the north to prepare for emergencies, showed more promise than expected.
Yet the Grand Duke wasn’t entirely convinced it could prevail.
He wasn’t one to gamble lives on chance.
Sliding his fingers between the binding cuffs on his wrist, he calculated his options.
If the young dragon, along with the golden scales left by Luan, attacked together, they might overpower the black dragon.
However, to destroy the cursed shackles steeped in dark magic, he’d have to summon power from his already strained body.
And that meant… The Grand Duke’s gaze shifted to Ed.
He could already see Ed exhausting his strength to heal his injured body again.
Though Ed had reassured him, the fatigue in his expression was unmistakable.
The Grand Duke made his decision.
For now, he would leave the skies to the young dragon, which, though impressive, was still half the size of the black dragon.
They had the upper hand for the moment.
If the tides turned, he would destroy the shackles.
‘Besides, I have another method to break them.’
His eyes fell on the emperor.
Empowering the young dragon had been a tactical move, meant to hold the line until Luan could be summoned.
There was no deviation from his original plan.
The emperor, who had utterly lost control of the situation, was an unexpected variable.
For now, the priority was to buy time for Ed to recover his strength.
‘If the young dragon defeats the black dragon, that would be ideal.’
The Grand Duke had never relied on mere good omens or hunches.
But this time, he wanted to believe in the chance the child had created and the strength that the child’s power had given the dragon.
Before meeting Ed, he had seen dreaming of a future as a luxury.
All he’d done was obsess over the past and chase the memory of the lost Ronen.
But since meeting Ed, he’d started living in the present and daring to dream of a future.
The child, their shared miracle, had gifted him with this opportunity.
The child had amplified the measures he had prepared, transforming them into powerful aid.
Watching the dragon born of this bond, the Grand Duke felt as though he had glimpsed the path he and his family would tread together.
A path of trust, connection, and ultimate triumph.
At that very moment—
‘Clang!’
A sharp metallic sound broke through his thoughts as he raised his sword to deflect an attack aimed directly at him.
The clash of the sword and the scepter’s tip sent sparks flying.
* * *
