The Dragons Heir

Arc 2/final part: My Knight

ALEX

I don't know how long I was asleep, but I woke up to Emilia gently shaking me awake with a worried expression on her face. Her eyes were wide with concern as she whispered urgently, "Alex! Alex, are you alright?! You are bleeding!" She spoke softly, so as not to wake Ram up.

Confused and disoriented, I slowly opened my eyes and tried to make sense of her words. I tilted my head for a moment before looking down at myself. To my shock, my usually shiny armor was now stained with dark, dried blood. My once vibrant blue cloak was now completely brown, and even my dark hair had dried monster blood in it. The realization of what had happened sent a shiver down my spine.

I quickly looked up at her, trying to ease her worries. "Don't worry, it's not my blood," I said as I stood up. I gestured towards the front door, meeting Emilia's gaze. She seemed to understand and nodded. We made our way outside, and to my surprise, I noticed it was already morning. Closing the door cautiously, I turned around to find Emilia looking at me with concern. "So, what happened?" she inquired, reaching out to touch my bloodied hair. I gently took her hand and held it, locking eyes with her as she looked at me with her vivid purple eyes

I let out a heavy sigh, mentally preparing myself to recount the events of the previous night to her. "When we arrived at the village, the villagers were already in a state of panic, preparing a search party to look for the missing children. I quickly gave them instructions and we ventured into the dense forest," I said, making sure to maintain eye contact with her to ensure she understood the gravity of the situation. "As we delved deeper into the woods, we were suddenly ambushed by dozens of Wolgram's, . I managed to dispatch the Mabeast's with relative ease, but the attacks persisted. After what felt like an eternity, I noticed the children lying unconscious in a clearing." I paused, taking a moment to gather my thoughts, when I heard Emilia gasp. "The curse... that's why Ram sent for Beatrice," she said, her expression filled with concern.

I gazed at Emilia and gave a confident nod. "Yes, as soon as I spotted the children, I immediately instructed the group to escort them back to the safety of the village," I recounted. "Just as I was on the verge of vanquishing the final attacking MaBeast, a bone-chilling roar froze me in my tracks," I elaborated, recounting the intense encounter with the Chimera beast. Throughout my explanation, Emilia listened attentively, her expression a mix of concern and relief. Her worry visibly eased as I described how I triumphed over the monstrous creature.

"Following that, I located Ram, and together we made our way back to the village," I concluded, letting out a weary sigh. Emilia appeared content with my account, and as she prepared to speak, the sound of the door creaking open interrupted us. "You forgot to mention the part where you bravely leaped in to rescue me from the colossal Wolgram," Ram chimed in as she emerged from the house.

I turned to her with a weary smile. "And let's not forget the part where you fought off an entire horde before I had to step in," I replied, wanting to give her credit. She just shook her head in amusement. "I would have been done for either way. Quit being so modest and accept the praise," she shot back with a grin.

I gazed at her for a moment, trying to come up with a response, but her stern expression made me give in. "Fine. Anyway, should we head back to the mansion or is there anything else we need to take care of here?"

Emilia looked at me, tapped her chin, and seemed lost in thought for a moment. "Hmm, I think we can head back," she finally conceded.

As we made our way toward the dirt road leading out of Arlem, the fading sunlight cast long shadows across the village houses. The air was filled with a sense of relief and gratitude as we prepared to leave. Just as we were about to cross the village boundary, a weathered voice called out, "Sir Alex." Startled, I turned around to see an elderly villager, supported by a cane, making his way toward us. Soon, the rest of the villagers emerged from the shadows, forming a small crowd behind him. "Thank you for coming to our aid!" the village chief said, bowing deeply, his voice filled with sincerity and respect. The rest of the villagers echoed his sentiments, expressing their gratitude in various ways.