Translator: AnubisTL
In the Heavenly Pit Territory, within the iron dragon's nest.
At the top of the steps forged from swords, spears, and halberds, the iron dragon maid lay coiled as usual on her throne, her massive dragon wings draped lazily, obscuring many of the steps.
But as the three young dragons approached...
The iron dragon maid raised her eyelids. Her wings unfurled, casting a dense shadow, and she straightened her posture.
"Mother, the radiance of your scales surpasses that of a thousand morning stars," Garos said first, launching into flattery.
The iron dragon maid blinked in surprise, a pleased expression spreading across her face.
Though her scales were dark, with only a faint silver shimmer on their surface, such exquisite praise was hard to resist.
As for the red dragon sister and the iron dragon brother, these two uncultured dragons simply called out "Mother" in dry, unadorned tones.
"Garos," the iron dragon maid said, her gaze fixed on him, barely glancing at the other two young dragons.
"You are now seven years old, and you have grown faster than I anticipated."
The iron dragon maid paused, then stated plainly and resolutely, "Allowing you to live in my territory was already an exception. Now that a year has passed, it's time for you to face the dust and storms alone."
Her voice clanged like colliding metal, sharp and final, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Mother, I can offer you more precious metal ores," Garos said.
The iron dragon maid shook her head calmly without a word.
Seeing her reaction, Garos understood that her decision to banish him was absolute, and their previous transactions were useless.
In truth, since the Heavenly Pit Territory belonged to the iron dragon maid, the precious ores Garos had ordered his two younger siblings to excavate were, by the territorial customs of dragonkind, inherently her wealth.
Garos had used her own offspring to dig up her wealth, only to offer it back to her in exchange for protection and sustenance.
It was, in a way, like getting something for nothing.
The iron dragon maid was cold and rigid, but unlike the two hatchlings, she wasn't easily fooled. She allowed Garos to stay primarily out of appreciation for this offspring, clinging to a shred of sentimentality.
Over the course of that year, however, Garos's rapid growth gradually made the iron dragon maid feel threatened. This prompted her to resolve to drive him out.
By their nature, evil dragons rarely hold familial affection. There have been countless instances of offspring growing up to covet their dragon mother's territory, attempting to seize and occupy it, and engaging her in fierce battles.
Unless a dragonkind had entered into a servant contract with her, the iron dragon maid refused to allow any dragonkind—even her own offspring—to grow increasingly powerful within her territory.
Formally expelling Garos, and driving out the other two young dragons along with him, would bring her peace of mind. Moreover, she would no longer have to care for young dragons.
A wave of satisfaction washed over the iron dragon maid.
"I understand," Garos said, sensing her unwavering resolve.
His training and growth over the past year, along with his explorations of the wilderness, had given him some confidence in his ability to survive alone.
The young dragon lowered its head, meeting the gaze of the massive iron dragon above. "Mother," it said, "thank you for sheltering me all this time. I will never forget these carefree years spent beneath your wings."
Regardless of his true feelings.
The iron dragon maid had protected him for seven years, providing him with adequate food and guidance.
Though he was being expelled, Garos harbored no resentment.
Meanwhile, the iron dragon maid was momentarily taken aback by the young dragon's sincere words.
Perhaps I should let Garos stay another year? The thought had barely surfaced when she noticed Garos's unnervingly robust physique, immediately crushing the idea.
"Heh heh! You bastard Garos, you can't bully us anymore!"
The red dragon sister and iron dragon brother cheered gleefully.
Heh, don't celebrate too soon, Garos thought.
As expected, seeing the two young dragons jumping for joy, the iron dragon maid's expression turned stern. "Samantha, Gordon," she said coldly, "six lunar cycles are enough for you to shed your soft scales."
Huh?
This sounded strangely familiar, as if he'd heard it somewhere before.
The two young dragons blinked, still dazed and unable to fully process what was happening.
The iron dragon maid didn't bother changing her lines, simply repeating the expulsion words in a cold, emotionless tone.
However, these two were unlike Garos.
They showed no concern about the iron dragon maid's expulsion. Instead, ambition burned in their eyes, and they seemed particularly excited.
Unaware of the dangers and hardships of surviving alone, the two dragons, with the arrogance and self-importance of dragonkind, naively believed that leaving the iron dragon maid's territory would usher in a future of boundless freedom—a future where the sea would be wide enough for fish to leap and the sky high enough for birds to fly. Vast lands awaited their dominion, and countless lesser creatures would bow to their will.
Seeing the ambition in the young dragons' eyes, Garos could roughly guess their thoughts.
They're just too young, he mused, lacking the harsh lessons of reality.
"I will leave your territory before dawn," Garos said, turning to depart.
"Wait."
The iron dragon maid suddenly called out to him.
"Is there something else?"
Garos was somewhat surprised and asked, "Has the iron dragon maid changed her mind?" If that were the case, Garos would gladly remain under her protection forever, until he evolved to surpass her in power.
"My dear Garos," the iron dragon maid said, having made up her mind, "I have seen extraordinary potential and unwavering willpower in you. I have never admired a young dragon so much."
She waved her claw.
Hum!
A dark gold iron ring, its surface etched with intricate runes, slowly flew toward Garos and landed before him.
"This tail ring once accompanied me. Now I give it to you as a farewell gift. The runes etched upon it are not mere decoration. Feel free to explore and study them yourself—I believe they hold a little surprise for you," the iron dragon maid said slowly.
Garos's surprise deepened.
A farewell gift? Given the evil dragon's notorious stinginess and miserliness with her treasures, wouldn't she normally just steal the young dragon's meager collection instead?
The iron dragon maid's eyes were calm and deep, as always. Her thick, steel-like faceplate concealed any expression, betraying no hint of emotion.
Yet, since she was willing to offer a gift, she must have had her own motives.
"Thank you."
Garos extended his tail and accepted the dark gold tail ring.
Dragonkind culture included decorative elements, and tail rings were one such adornment.
Beyond common jewelry like necklaces and bracelets, there were also sashes, horn rings, and the practice of plating dragon horns or scales with intricate patterns or embedding gems.
The dark gold tail ring had a substantial feel without being ostentatious, exuding a sense of understated elegance and stability.
Garos swished his tail, finding it quite attractive.
"Mother, what about us?"
The red dragon sister and iron dragon brother gazed longingly at the iron dragon maid.
Garos speaks so well and shows such limitless potential—he's the only one worthy of my special attention. You two fools can forget it.
The iron dragon maid, too lazy to bother with the young dragons, flapped her wings, creating a gust of wind that sent them tumbling toward the nest's exit.
(End of the Chapter)
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