The Mad Dog of the Duke's Estate-Chapter 130

Five days later, at the World Tree's temple in Galad...

"So... That girl is Etyron's hatchling," the regent murmured quietly, her gaze resting on the small, adorable girl nestled in Caron's arms.

Aqua was fast asleep, her serene smile making her look utterly peaceful, as if nothing in the world bothered her. Just the sight of her was enough to bring a sense of warmth and calm to those watching.

"I was considering placing her under your care," Caron said.

"May I place my hand on her for a moment?" the regent asked gently.

"Of course," Caron replied.

The regent stepped forward and carefully placed her hand on Aqua's head.

Whoosh.

A faint hum resonated as pure mana gathered at her fingertips and was quickly absorbed into Aqua's small frame.

Moments later, the regent nodded and said, "For a hatchling of Etyron, her mana is astonishingly pure."

"Do the elves hold to the principle of inherited guilt?" Caron asked, tilting his head.

"A parent's wrongdoing is their own. It cannot stain the child. We are not like humans," the regent replied firmly.

"Well, that's a relief," Caron said with a soft chuckle, his hand gently stroking Aqua's back. He added, "She calls me her father."

"That would make sense," the regent observed. "I can sense your mana within her dragon heart."

Aqua was seven years old, so based on the timing, Caron figured it roughly aligned with when he had destroyed the Pledge Stone at Azureocean Castle. He wondered if there was a connection between that event and Aqua's birth.

"Do you know why my mana is imbued in Aqua's dragon heart?" Caron asked.

The regent shook her head slowly and replied, "A hatchling is not something Mother could have planned. She may know something, but she has not shared it with me."

"I think she's deliberately keeping it from you," Caron said, his tone speculative.

"Pardon?" the regent responded.

"Well, isn't it possible? If she wanted to push us to revive the World Tree faster, she could be withholding information on purpose..." Caron shared his thoughts.

Kerra, who was standing nearby, gave him a withering look. He asked dryly, "Do you think everyone in the world is like you, Commander?"

Only those present here knew of Caron's reincarnation, which was why Kerra addressed him so casually.

"Did you forget the second principle of the Imperial Guards, Kerra? Trust no one but yourself," Caron quipped with a smirk.

"Oh, yes, Commander. You adhered to that principle so well you got yourself killed," Kerra retorted.

Ignoring his jab, Caron turned back to the regent and said, "Kerra will stay here as well. He's like Aqua's parent."

"Please call me her uncle," Kerra interjected.

"Nope. That'll just mess up the family tree. You're the caretaker. It's better than being cooped up in the mountains, isn't it? Besides, they've got some great fruit wine here," Caron said.

At the mention of fruit wine, Kerra's expression brightened considerably. He was as simple as ever.

The regent gave a faint, amused smile at their childish banter. She said politely, "We would be grateful to have Sir Kerra Acht stay with us. I'll ensure suitable accommodations are prepared so you can be comfortable."

"Oh, and you're free to pass near Etyron's lair now. I've tidied it up on the way here," Caron added casually.

The sight of the monsters swarming around the lair retreating into it at Aqua's single command of "Go inside" had been nothing short of spectacular. The lair of Etyron, long forbidden, was no longer a threat. With its dangers gone, a shortcut between Galad and Eär Village had effectively opened.

Of course, the decision hadn't been made purely for the elves. This was merely a preparatory step for Caron's upcoming "proposal."

"Regent," Caron began.

"Speak freely," the regent replied.

"Now, we and the elves... Well, we're practically kin in everything but blood, wouldn't you say?" Caron said, his tongue already working its charm.

"The battle with the Fragment of Slaughter, I kind of couldn't prevent, but the fight with the Pirate Queen? That was something I could have avoided. However! Driven by a righteous heart determined to save the elves, I willingly took up my sword—" Caron continued, but he was interrupted by the regent.

"Caron Leston," the regent said, her tone sharp.

"Yes?" Caron asked.

"Just tell me what you want. What's up with the complicated explanation?" the regent replied.

Thankfully, she had developed an immunity to Caron's rhetoric, courtesy of the recent "theft of the Dew of the World Tree" incident.

Hearing the regent's sharp question, Caron sheepishly chuckled and said, "I nearly died fighting the Queen. I'm still nursing a few internal injuries. So, if I could just have one more drop of the Dew, I'd be very grateful."

The regent exhaled softly and replied, "...Fine."

This was something she had anticipated all along. She knew that Caron wasn't the type to do dangerous things out of generosity.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Caron exclaimed, his grin wide.

"Is that all?" the regent asked.

"Haha! Of course not," Caron replied.

Right then, something unbelievable happened. He reached into his coat and pulled out a long scroll. The parchment, covered with writing, was so lengthy that it nearly touched the ground.

"While traveling to Galad, I envisioned a radiant future for the Leston Duchy and the elves working together. Whenever an idea struck, I jotted it down... Haha, it turned out to become quite a list," he said, laughing.

The regent wondered what on earth Caron was up to now, and her expression only grew more perplexed as Caron carried on.

"Take Locassi, the kingdom of the nagas, as an example. Their crown prince, a figure of immense influence, has offered himself as a hostage to uphold the non-aggression pact. This means a route to the seas has opened for us," Caron explained.

"Even if the seas are accessible, that doesn't change much, Caron Leston. We have no intention of interacting with other races for now—" the regent replied firmly, but she was cut off by Caron.

"I wrote down several resources that Galad lacks," Caron interrupted, conveniently ignoring her rebuttal. "Starting off with iron ore, spices... Oh, the list is long. Care to take a look? I even pestered Orion for details. You wouldn't believe how much Galad lacks."

He read his way down the scroll with exaggerated gestures before flashing a dazzling smile.

"Regent, I understand your reluctance to engage with humans. But how does this sound? Just form ties with the Leston Duchy," he proposed, waving the scroll for emphasis.

The regent's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile before she said, "I suspect the list of things the duchy needs from us far outweighs what we need from the duchy. Am I wrong?"

"Do friends really need to tally up every little thing?" Caron countered playfully.

"It sounds like you're proposing an alliance. Such things need to be clear-cut to avoid misunderstandings later," the regent said.

The regent was, indeed, a ruler. She didn't give Caron a chance to take the easy way out. Still, her lack of outright refusal suggested she was open to negotiation—if the terms were right.

Caron's lips curved upward as he replied smoothly, "Be it humans or monsters, I'll ensure no one dares to harm the elves."

"Are you suggesting military cooperation?" the regent asked cautiously.

"Well, that would ultimately be up to the head of my household," Caron said, shrugging lightly. "But I can promise one thing without a doubt..."

He clenched his fist and spoke with a sincerity that even the regent couldn't dismiss. "Anyone who threatens the elves will find themselves torn apart by my fangs first."

The regent nodded slowly, her gaze unwavering, then said, "That will suffice."

And with that, the alliance between the Leston Duchy and the elves was forged.

***

After his meeting with the regent, Caron's group immediately began preparations to return. There was no reason to delay further. From delivering the survival report about Kerra Acht to addressing the alliance with the elves, the tasks awaiting them at Azureocean Castle were countless.

At the western gate of Galad, Caron's group stood before Kerra, Aqua, and Orion, fully ready to depart.

"Dad," Aqua called out.

Caron knelt to embrace Aqua gently, smiling as he did, then asked, "Not asking me to stay this time, huh?"

"Yeah! I know that I can't leave this forest, and I don't want to get in your way," Aqua replied earnestly.

"You are a smart girl," Caron said.

The truth behind the birth of Aqua, the little hatchling who called him "Dad," would naturally come to light once they restored the World Tree.

As Caron hugged Aqua, a ridiculous conversation drifted over from behind.

"If Aqua is Caron and Etyron's child, does that make Caron Etyron's husband?" Utula asked with a bizarre sense of logic.

"Hmm, that makes sense," Leo agreed.

"The husband of a tyrant dragon? That's amazing," Utula said.

"It kind of suits Caron, don't you think—" Leo added, but the sound of a sword sheath cracking against their heads interrupted their musings.

It was, as always, Leon's job to reprimand them with a scowl. She snapped, "You two don't think before saying things out loud in front of a kid!"

Aqua giggled as she watched, saying, "Leon, Leo, and Uncle Utula are so funny! Don't you think so, Dad?"

"Sorry about them. Next time I bring them, I'll make sure they're better educated," Caron said with mock resignation.

"You'll bring them for sure, right? Promise!" Aqua asked, her eyes shining with hope.

"I promise," Caron replied, pinky-swearing with her.

If he could, he would have loved to take Aqua home with him. He was certain his parents would dote on her endlessly. But for now, he had to suppress that desire. Aqua still needed time here in the forest.

"It's not my time yet," Aqua said, gripping Caron's hand tightly as she smiled. "Someday, I'll be able to help you, Dad. Don't worry about me. I'm just happy I got to see you. And I'm really good at waiting!"

"I'm so proud of you," Caron said, his voice filled with pride. Her resolute words gave him renewed strength.

After tousling Aqua's hair, he turned to Kerra and said, "I'm counting on you to take care of 'my' Aqua."

With wide eyes, Kerra said, "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of her just fine."

"Oh, anything you want me to pass on to my grandfather?" Caron asked with feigned politeness.

"Forget your grandfather. Just come here," Kerra replied with a big grin before pulling Caron into a bone-crushing hug. He said teasingly, "Turn on your noise-canceling function, kiddo."

"You ask for too much," Caron muttered as Pluto enveloped both of them in a faint veil of darkness.

"It was good to see you again, Commander," Kerra said, his sincerity evident.

Caron gently pushed him away and smirked, then said, "Getting sentimental in your old age, huh? That's gross, you bastard."

"Getting old makes you shameless," Kerra retorted, scratching his head with a laugh. Then, in a softer tone, he added, "Keep in touch. It gets boring around here."

"Just take good care of Aqua," Caron said firmly.

"Oh, and... May I ask a favor?" Kerra added, his tone unusually cautious.

Caron nodded slowly and said, "Of course, anything."

"If you happen to find Hugo and Beatrice, please give them my regards. Seeing you reminded me of them," Kerra said.

"I was already planning to look for any traces of them once I got back," Caron replied.

Seeing that Kerra had survived, it seemed likely the other two were alive as well. Since he would be traveling to restore the World Tree anyway, searching for them along the way wouldn't be too difficult. Records of their last known locations should still be in Azureocean Castle.

"Don't worry too much about them," Kerra said with a faint smile. "Those two could survive even if you threw them into the middle of a desert."

"Didn't they actually get stranded in a desert once during a mission?" Caron teased.

"Hah, did they? My memory's getting fuzzy in my old age. Maybe it's time I finally croak," Kerra replied, chuckling.

The two exchanged lighthearted banter before falling into a brief, comfortable silence.

"Go on, Commander," Kerra said softly.

"Alright, I'm leaving now," Caron replied.

The shadowy veil that had enveloped them dissipated, and Caron turned to rejoin his group.

Leo glanced over his shoulder and asked, "What were you talking about with Sir Kerra?"

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"He said to make sure you're better trained the next time I bring you along. Apparently, you're too cocky," Caron replied, smirking.

"What?!" Leo gasped.

Caron quickly summed up Leo's meddling; he then turned to look at Orion, who was standing nearby, and said, "You didn't need to see us off this time."

Orion's eyes widened in surprise as he asked, "What are you talking about? Didn't you hear? I'm coming with you to Azureocean Castle."

"...Why?" Caron asked, confused.

"I've been tasked with delivering a personal letter from the regent. It's a good opportunity to get a sense of the continent's current climate. Oh, and I plan to bring Neria along. Lady Foina mentioned she's been keeping her safe," Orion explained.

"Ah, Neria," Caron murmured, recalling the elf he had rescued in Reben. It seemed she was doing well with Foina.

"Why does it feel like I gain an extra tagalong every time we stop somewhere?" he muttered.

"Caron! I am not a tagalong!" Utula protested.

"Utula, I wasn't even talking about you," Caron shot back.

"Ahem," Utula feigned indifference but fell silent.

And so, Orion officially joined the party heading to Azureocean Castle.

Howl.

The group mounted the wolves Orion had prepared in advance, their reins in hand. As they began to move, Kerra suddenly saluted Caron.

"...That bastard," Caron muttered under his breath, smiling as he returned the salute.

Moments later, Aqua's cheerful voice rang out. "Dad! Leon! Leo! Uncle Utula! You all have to come back to visit!"

The group waved enthusiastically at Aqua, their smiles wide and warm.

"Cuteness is the best," Leon muttered.

"Can I just be her dad instead, Caron?" Leo said.

"I'm still just 'uncle,' huh? Next time, I'll make her call me something better," Utula added dramatically.

"Hmm, I'll admit, hatchlings are quite endearing," Caron said.

Each of them left a parting remark; Caron chuckled softly, nodding to himself as he said, "Let's head back."

With that, the farewells were complete, and Caron's group set out once more. Thus ended their journey in the Southern Great Forest.

"To Azureocean Castle," Caron declared.

With their oversized, explosive task in tow, the group set their sights on home.