The Monster King's Legacy - Chapter 148

Chapter 148: Farewell
The cool morning breeze swept through the dragon lands, carrying with it a sense of change. Lance stood at the edge of a jagged cliff, gazing out at the sprawling valleys and peaks that had been his home for over two years and a few months. Aelyndra stood beside him, her golden eyes filled with both excitement and a tinge of melancholy as they prepared to leave, though, the later was negligible.

Behind them, Kaelthara approached in her human form, her towering figure of almost 8 feet radiating strength and authority as always, towering over Lance and Aelyndra. Her black hair whipped in the wind, and her piercing gaze was softened by a rare, almost maternal warmth.

“Leaving already?” Kaelthara’s voice broke the silence, laced with mock disappointment.

Lance turned and smiled faintly. “Seems like it. Can’t stay here forever, right?”

Kaelthara smirked, crossing her arms. “True enough. But I’ll admit, I’ll miss seeing your sorry face struggling through training every day.”

Aelyndra laughed, nudging Lance with her elbow. “See? Even my mother’s grown fond of you.”

Lance raised an eyebrow, his tone playful. “Fond? That’s a generous interpretation.”

Kaelthara chuckled, stepping closer. “Fond enough to make sure you don’t embarrass me or yourself out there. The world might be full of weaklings, but don’t let your strength go to your head.”

She glanced at her daughter, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. “And you, Aelyndra. You’ve finally learned discipline, don’t lose it the moment you step out of these lands.”

Aelyndra almost rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. “Yes, Mother. I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Kaelthara’s smirk widened, looking at Lance. “Good. Don’t forget to keep her in check. She might be strong now, but she’s still prone to doing something stupid. You’re stronger than her, I grant you permission to spank her if she ever does anything stupid.” She said, drawing a laugh from Lance and an almost shocked expression from Aelyndra.

As they walked toward the border of the sacred dragon lands, Kaelthara grew uncharacteristically quiet, her gaze thoughtful.

Finally, she spoke, her voice softer than usual. “Lance, you’ve earned your place here, and you’ve earned my respect. That’s no small feat. But remember, the world outside isn’t as forgiving as these lands. The strength you’ve gained, use it wisely.”

Lance nodded, smiling sheepishly before his expression turned more serious. “You’ve made your point Kaelthara. I will. And thank you, for everything.”

Kaelthara’s lips curled into a small smile.

Her gaze shifted to Aelyndra, and for a moment, her tough exterior softened completely. “And you, my daughter… I’m proud of you. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Aelyndra’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she smiled brightly. “Thanks, Mother. I won’t let you down.”

As they reached the edge of the Sacred Dragon Lands, where the clouds flowed like a sea of smoke, Kaelthara turned to face them fully, her hands on her hips. She studied them for a moment, her gaze sharp but affectionate.

“Well,” she began, her voice turning faintly mischievous, “since you two have spent so much time together, I expect you to bring back some grandchildren the next time you visit.”

Aelyndra’s face turned crimson, her wings flaring slightly as she sputtered. “Mother!” She had just turned back to her dragon form ready for the flight, only to hear that.

Kaelthara laughed heartily, clearly enjoying her daughter’s flustered reaction. “What? It’s only natural. You’ve got a fine partner here as I see it. It’s about time you put all that admiration to good use. Besides, you now have a suitable form.”

Lance rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, though a grin tugged at his lips. “Not sure we’re quite there yet.” He said.

Kaelthara raised an eyebrow, her smirk growing. “Oh, don’t sell yourself short, Lance. You’ve been through worse challenges than my daughter, haven’t you? You can handle a weakling like her.”

Aelyndra groaned, covering her face with her claws. “This is exactly why I didn’t want you coming to send us off.”

Kaelthara’s laughter echoed through the valley, rich and genuine. “Lighten up, Aelyndra. It’s not every day I get to embarrass you.”

As the laughter subsided, the mood grew more somber. Kaelthara then stepped back, her golden eyes lingering on them one last time. “Safe travels. And don’t forget—you’re always welcome here.”

With that, Kaelthara turned and took to the skies, disappearing into the horizon with one leap.

As Lance and Aelyndra prepared to leave, the tension lifted slightly. Aelyndra sighed dramatically, shaking her head. “She’s impossible sometimes.”

Lance chuckled.

After setting himself on her back, Aelyndra didn’t lift herself into the air, instead, after getting the confirmation that Lance was ready, she fell into the sea of clouds, and after a couple of seconds, they burst out into new skies under the sky, doing a free fall for a while before stabilizing and shooting off, marking the start of their journey back to the Goblin city.

…

The journey back to the goblin kingdom was long but uneventful, allowing Lance and Aelyndra to reflect on their time in the dragon lands as they never seemed to run out of things to discuss.

Though he hadn’t made enough time for it because of his constant training, one thing that had captivated Lance was the idea that he could learn to cast magic spells through learning spells. He did try it a little, but it was a complete failure, and that was most because of the immense amount of theoretical knowledge which he lacked. Now that he had some time, he would try to learn as much as he could, even that alone, kept the journey interesting.

Now that they didn’t make a lot of detours, they were set to return sooner.

As they neared the borders of the goblin kingdom, Lance’s heart swelled with anticipation. It had been over a year since he last saw the place he had come to call home on his arrival to this world.

When they left, a city, or rather, a town, had barely started to take shape, now, Lance and Aelyndra could spot a particularly huge wall that ran through a very large area.

Lance laughed, his golden eyes glinting in the sunlight. “I used to dream of seeing the goblins thrive like this, but I never imagined it would happen so quickly.”