Chapter 142
Meanwhile, inside his office...
Kaiden Valkheim stood silently by the window.
His hands were clasped behind his back as he sank deep into thought.
"Family Head... no, Father."
A man behind him spoke carefully.
"Is Sister Lea coming as well?"
"...No."
Kaiden's voice was low.
"Not Lea."
"It's Lea's child who's coming."
"Then Sister...."
The rest of the sentence never came.
If only the child remained...
And if that child had to rely on a human for help...
There was only one conclusion.
Lea was dead.
"We never should've let her leave alone!"
The man's voice trembled.
"She was frail to begin with, and then she went to live in some remote place. Of course something like this would happen...!"
"If we'd only stepped in more back then and protected her-"
"Enough, Bellian."
Kaiden cut him off.
"You know better than anyone that the decision we made back then couldn't be undone."
"Keugh...."
Lea Valkheim.
Sylvie's mother.
The only Grand Princess House Valkheim had ever had.
Bellian lowered his head.
His expression was complicated.
Guilt.
Or perhaps anger at himself for having been too powerless to do anything.
"...I'll go greet the child."
He turned toward the door.
"I'll take my leave, Family Head."
Bellian left the office.
Kaiden glanced toward the closed door.
A bitter look crossed his face as he turned back toward the window.
Before long...
The arguments he'd once had with Lea began echoing in his ears one by one.
Why?
Why are you carrying a human's child?!
I told you again and again not to meet that human bastard!!
...
Do you even understand how great a disgrace it is for the Grand Princess of House Valkheim to have relations with a human?
This won't affect only you!
Even those who followed you will suffer because of it!!
There was one absolute taboo in dragon society.
Dragons were required to marry within their own race and produce descendants only with their own kind.
Marriage with another species was strictly forbidden.
Even the ruling Black Dragons were not exempt from that law.
The council will be convened tomorrow.
Every dragon will condemn and blame you.
And eventually...
That blame will fall on our family.
Kaiden had cornered his own daughter with those words.
And Lea had endured every one of them in silence.
I will not give up this child.
Even if that means betraying everyone else...
I will protect this child myself.
...I knew you'd say that.
I've already settled the matter.
You will be expelled from the family and permanently forbidden from entering the Sanctuary.
I see.
If I hadn't done that, this wouldn't have ended with only you and your child dying.
This is the final affection and mercy I can offer you as your father.
They were cruel words no father should ever have said.
An ordinary father would've stood on his daughter's side.
But Kaiden hadn't been allowed to do that.
Before he was a father...
He was the leader of all dragons.
And the man responsible for protecting House Valkheim.
He had been forced to prioritize the family's interests.
The prosperity and interests of the race.
And yet...
He had loved his daughter dearly.
Why wouldn't you listen to me...?
Do you truly not regret the choices you've made...?
His words had been full of regret.
Regret that he had been unable to stop her.
But Lea had looked straight at him without the slightest trace of remorse.
Then she smiled.
I don't regret it.
Even if he's already dead...
I will give birth to this child and raise her.
Father...
I'll miss you very much.
And so...
She had been exiled from the Sanctuary.
For decades afterward...
No one knew where she had gone.
Kaiden stared quietly at the carriage arriving in front of the estate.
People began stepping out.
Then he saw his granddaughter being carried in one man's arms.
Kaiden turned away.
"...In the end, regret belongs to those who are left behind."
When they arrived at the estate...
Several people were already waiting to greet them.
Standing in the center was a black-haired man.
The moment he saw Sylvie in Suhyeok's arms...
His eyes trembled violently.
He clearly wanted to rush over and hold her immediately.
But too many people were watching.
So he restrained himself.
Suhyeok looked as though he'd already recognized him.
[Trait Plunder is available for this target.]
It's been a while, Bellian.
Lea's younger brother.
And the man destined to become the next leader of the Black Dragons.
Bellian Valkheim.
[Trait - Bellian Valkheim]
Mana Heart (S)
Polymorph (S)
Dragon Tongue (S)
Dragon Knight (S)
His Traits were impressive enough.
But even his basic stats were absurd.
Judging by stats alone...
He was probably comparable to Suhyeok, if not stronger.
Before the regression, Suhyeok had formed a certain bond with him.
Back then too...
Bellian had cried while thanking Suhyeok and Kim Mihyeon for bringing Sylvie home.
"...So this child is Sister's daughter."
His gaze was filled with sorrow.
He was trying not to show it in front of his subordinates...
But his eyes had already reddened.
Perhaps he could sense traces of Lea in Sylvie's Mana.
When Lea had still been the Grand Princess...
Bellian had adored and followed her.
And she had always taken good care of her younger brother.
That made Sylvie's existence even more special to him.
Human blood or not...
She was the only family left behind by his dead sister.
"What is the child's name?"
"Sylvie."
"Ubuuu?"
("Who are you too, Mister?")
"Sylvie...."
Bellian gave her a faint smile.
Then he looked back at Suhyeok.
"What was my sister like at the end?"
"She was already in spirit form when I arrived."
"She was protecting Sylvie."
"And even that didn't last long."
"I see...."
Bellian had probably already guessed the truth.
Dragons possessed powerful maternal instincts.
They would never entrust their hatchlings to humans unless they had no other choice.
If Lea had done so...
