"My lady!"
Shouts, part fear and part worry, echoed through the blood-soaked forest. The warriors, unlucky enough to cross paths with a newly born dragon, gazed anxiously at the golden-haired girl lying motionless on the ground.
The sight of crimson blood seeping out of her silver-white armor stung their eyes, making the world seem to spin around them.
The young noblewoman of the Frankel family had accompanied them on this journey, and now they were witnessing her fall in battle. The weight of this failure crushed them. Even if they somehow managed to return alive, they would face a fate worse than death for allowing such a tragedy.
The warriors, aware of the horrific punishment awaiting them, turned their sorrow and guilt into rage. Gritting their teeth, they launched a desperate attack against the monstrous creature that never should have been there in the first place.
"It seems I have no choice but to die here," thought the knights. In an instant, they came to terms with their situation and resolved to die fighting.
Once a being abandons fear of death, their combat potential often multiplies. Though the serpent dragon had just undergone a profound evolution and its very nature had ascended to a higher plane of existence, it suddenly found itself in a bit of trouble.
After all, it had evolved from an ordinary tree snake. While its current power was immense, its intelligence had not yet caught up, requiring life experience to grow.
At this moment, it was like a toddler wielding tremendous destructive power—immensely strong but clueless about how to control or utilize it. It fought purely on instinct.
Even so, its draconic strength and the resilient body granted by dragon blood created an overwhelming advantage. This was the privilege of a superior lineage.
The massive serpent dragon let out a thunderous hiss, intending to crush the foolish ants daring to challenge it. But just as it prepared to unleash its full might, a calm, commanding voice echoed in its mind—a voice it could not resist.
Violent gusts erupted from its scaled, dark-green body like whips, slamming the knights to the ground and leaving deep gashes. Yet the serpent dragon did not follow up with another attack. Instead, it coiled its body mid-air, its golden eyes coldly observing the tiny figures below.
It wanted nothing more than to dive down and crush them, but the voice resonating within its soul forced it to submit.
"Still not awake? Seriously? If this isn't a life-or-death crisis, what is?"
A faint sigh echoed through the silent forest. The remaining knights, barely clinging to life, watched in horror as a black-haired, golden-eyed child, radiating an unearthly presence, appeared atop the serpent dragon's back, his face filled with disappointment.
"Who are you?" Rancher, the seasoned knight, gripped his sword and shield tightly, his gaze wary and cautious.
But the boy didn't answer. Without a word, he vanished from the dragon's back.
The next moment, the knights spotted him kneeling beside their fallen lady, who was coughing up blood. The boy extended a hand, seemingly intending to touch her.
"Stop!"
Without hesitation, several knights raised their weapons and charged at the boy, determined to protect the Frankel family heiress.
"Your luck hasn't changed one bit, has it? My mother!"
Ignoring the knights, the boy crouched beside the barely conscious girl, his tone a mix of exasperation and affection.
The enraged knights, closing in, suddenly found themselves immobilized. It was as if they had been caught in a pool of thick resin, frozen like insects trapped in amber.
What happened next shocked them even more. The black-haired, golden-eyed boy made no hostile move. He simply placed a single finger on the girl's forehead, where life seemed to be slipping away.
Golden ripples spread from his fingertip, and something miraculous occurred. The girl, who had been coughing up blood moments ago, suddenly stopped bleeding. Her deathly pale face regained its color, and her labored breathing became steady and calm.
Witnessing this undeniable miracle, the knights hesitated. They lowered their weapons, choosing to observe rather than act, realizing they were powerless to do anything else.
"Ugh…"
It didn't take long. A faint, groggy moan broke the silence of the forest as the girl stirred. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open.
Her silver-gray eyes met a pair of dazzling golden ones, and she gasped, startled by the boy's extraordinary gaze. With a jolt, she sat up from the ground.
"Who are you?"
Glancing around in confusion, the girl's voice trembled as she asked the question burning in everyone's minds.
"I am…" The boy stood, rubbing the back of his head with a faintly troubled expression. Then, deciding to be honest, he answered, "Your son!"
"What?"
The golden-haired girl froze, utterly stunned. Unmarried and with no suitable partner, the very idea of having a son was absurd to her. For a moment, she seemed to turn to stone, her mind unable to process what she'd just heard.
Her reaction was mirrored by the knights. They exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of how to respond. They dared not say a word, haunted by the memory of this boy standing atop the serpent dragon.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Arina stammered, her voice unsteady. Shocked by his claim, she instinctively scooted backward, putting some distance between herself and the boy. "I haven't even married—how could I possibly have a son?"
"I know this is hard for you to accept, but it's the truth," the boy replied patiently, understanding her disbelief. He had expected this reaction. After all, the personality formed by his mother's reincarnated body couldn't possibly handle such a revelation.
"You must be mistaken!" Arina protested. Though the boy's aura exuded an inexplicable sense of familiarity, she refused to accept his claim. "There's no way I could have a son! I'm only sixteen years old. Judging by your appearance, you must be seven or eight. Even if I matured early, it's impossible for me to have given birth at such a young age!"
Unfazed by her logic, the boy remained composed. "There's no mistake. You are my mother—I'm certain of it. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here in front of you."
Arina's disbelief only deepened. She was a noblewoman from a prominent family, and the implications of suddenly having a son were unthinkable. If she acknowledged such a claim, the rumors spreading through the imperial capital would be endless.
Her father's reaction alone would be catastrophic. Would he erupt in rage? Disown her in shame? These thoughts raced through her mind, spiraling into absurd scenarios.
"No, it's impossible!" she insisted, shaking her head. "You're not my son! This is ridiculous!"
Muria sighed, his patience unwavering. "It's only a matter of time before your true consciousness awakens. When that happens, you'll understand everything."
He had no intention of forcing the truth upon her now. Once his mother's original consciousness emerged, she would remember all that transpired. Any misdeeds he committed now would surely be repaid tenfold once she awakened. For now, it was best to remain cautious and respectful.
"I'm not your mother!" Arina declared firmly, her determination unshaken. Though the boy's words carried an air of mystery and authority, she refused to accept something so utterly absurd.
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