"Oh my, aren't you overthinking things?"
Opposite the Silver Dragon sat a 'young girl' with honey-colored skin and a sweet appearance; or, to be more precise, it was the humanoid form of Deborah's mother, the Copper Dragon Serena.
She, for one, did not see any problem with her daughter lingering in The Borderlands.
Serena believed that as they grew older, it was normal for offspring to have a few secrets of their own that they didn't want to share with their parents.
"Deborah has always been a well-behaved and obedient child; this is the first time she has deceived me." The Silver Dragon's humanoid face was flawlessly handsome, though the dissatisfaction in his eyes was almost palpable.
Serena shook her head slightly and said, "She is almost a Young Adult Dragon now; it is normal for her to have her own ideas."
After a pause, she continued, "We should give her enough space, rather than strict control and restraint."
The Silver Dragon frowned.
He said earnestly, "Appropriate restraint is necessary; this world is not safe."
The Copper Dragon chuckled, "My dear Mr. Silver Scales, have you forgotten the time you snuck off to the human world during your youth, used Polymorph to become an adventurer, and used illusions to deceive your father's surveillance?"
Adrie's expression stiffened, then he said, "That is different. The Borderlands is not lacking in chaotic and evil madmen, and I was already a Young Adult Dragon back then, while Deborah is still just a teenager!"
The Copper Dragon Serena was unconcerned.
She said with a grin, "You, really, don't be so serious. The magic scales on Deborah haven't been triggered, which means she hasn't encountered any danger. Since that's the case, why not let her have a good time?"
"Having things she wants to do, having her own opinions, and having her own thoughts—this is precisely proof that she is growing up."
The Silver Dragon listened to his partner's words.
After a few seconds of silence, he said slowly, "You are right; I have been too concerned and too preoccupied."
"It is a good thing that Deborah has her own thoughts."
At this, the Silver Dragon's eyes narrowed and his expression turned stern. He changed his tone and said, "However, I must still go and see for myself what she is doing to ensure her safety and to make sure she hasn't been lured or beguiled by evil creatures."
Hearing the Silver Dragon's resolute words, the Copper Dragon Serena blinked.
"My little Deborah, you'll have to look out for yourself; Mother can only help you this much."
She thought to herself.
Frosttrace Adrie had a rather stern and rigid personality, while the Copper Dragon's nature was lively and carefree. Serena knew very well why her daughter was being secretive, because Deborah had not hidden anything from her.
She knew that Deborah had recently been 'fooling around' with a Red-Iron Dragon.
Even though she had come back crying after being beaten the first time they met, she was now hiding it from her old father and secretly hanging out with him.
She was very clear that Deborah likely had developed unusual feelings for him.
"A half-blood Red-Iron Dragon. I hope you aren't as stubborn and prone to spewing nonsense as other Evil Dragons, otherwise you're going to suffer."
Evil Dragons grew up in harsh environments, and their psyches were generally somewhat twisted. Even when facing Metallic Dragons stronger than themselves, they often spouted wild, insolent remarks.
Based on Serena's understanding of her partner.
When facing this kind of Evil Dragon, the Silver Dragon would inevitably strike with a heavy hand and show no mercy.
"However, judging by the riddles Deborah shared with me, this Red-Iron Dragon should be somewhat different; perhaps he might even make Adrie look at him in a new light."
The Copper Dragon pondered in her heart.
"Serena, let's go together."
The Silver Dragon said.
"Sure, sure."
The Copper Dragon nodded.
"Should we warn Deborah and let her make some preparations?"
At this moment, a mischievous and pleasant smile appeared on Serena's face, "No, that would be too boring."
"If we sneak over, we might just catch little Deborah using her dragon breath to roast a rock lizard for the Red-Iron Dragon's lunch. I'm very curious to see what Deborah's reaction will be when she gets caught red-handed."
She was a standard Copper Dragon, fond of riddles, pranks, and having fun.
Even with her own offspring. No, or rather, precisely because it was her own offspring.
Pranking them brought her even more pleasure and joy.
"Serena, what are you smiling about?"
The Silver Dragon took two steps back and said vigilantly, "You always make that face when you want to do something 'bad'. What prank are you plotting?"
The Copper Dragon shook her head.
She said with a straight face, "Nothing, nothing at all. I was just thinking about how it's been a while since I've seen Deborah, and thinking about our upcoming reunion made me smile."
Hopefully so.
The Silver Dragon rubbed his forehead and sighed inexplicably.
His Copper Dragon partner and his descendants with Copper Dragon Bloodline were just too much for a Dragon to worry about.
"Let's set off now."
The Silver Dragon stood up abruptly.
"What's the rush? We haven't gone out together in a while; we can take a stroll on the way and enjoy the scenery of The Borderlands," the Copper Dragon said leisurely.
Immediately after, the two left Red Maple Valley together.
Because the Copper Dragon could not resist the urge to wander, they made their way toward Deborah's location at a leisurely pace.
Meanwhile.
The morning light pierced through the leaden clouds, and the flags of the Molten Iron Tribe had been planted all over the Black Iron Plain.
After finishing his daily exercises, Garros was patrolling his new territory. His gaze fell upon the Alchemy Workshops emitting black smoke and heat waves, and after circling slightly, he landed in front of the roaring, operational Golem Workshop.
This place was once the lifeline of the Golden Tooth Tribe and is now an important asset of the Molten Iron Tribe.
The conveyor belts flowed like rivers of steel, carrying unfinished golem skeletons. The air was filled with the pungent smell of high-temperature metal, coolant, and black oil mixed together. Alchemists, as well as trained Gnolls and Kobolds, were working hard here.
The Kobolds' fingers were nimble and slender, their wrists flexible, and they were adept at assembling those tiny parts.
The Gnolls were born anatomists; with precise claws, they could carve basic Alchemy Runes with decent skill.
Core tasks such as energy infusion and soul-awakening were carried out by the Alchemists.
Every step on the assembly line was as precise as clockwork. Whenever an Alchemist's Demonic Energy was exhausted, or whenever a Gnoll or Kobold collapsed from exhaustion, a replacement immediately stepped in, running almost without pause.
"Thriving and prosperous; what a wonderful sight."
The Red-Iron Dragon nodded with satisfaction.
The territory of the Molten Iron Tribe was gradually expanding toward the entire southern part of The Borderlands. The vast territory required many guards. The previous accumulation of Golems from the Goblins had been almost completely destroyed, and relying solely on Molten Iron warriors was not enough to defend the territory, so it was necessary to manufacture Alchemy Golems.
After the Alchemy Legion was destroyed and routed, the remains of those Alchemy Golems were not discarded.
They had now been collected; the completely scrapped ones were melted down into basic Materials, and the parts that could still be used were dismantled, repaired, and kept for assembly.
In this way.
Although it still required a certain amount of time, it was faster than building Golems from scratch.
Once there were enough Golems, the defense of the Molten Iron territory would not be so strained.
Most importantly, it was to be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.
After the Molten Iron Tribe annexed the Golden Tooth Tribe, it had become the largest force in The Borderlands.
The vigilance of the humans, snake-men, and orcs had turned into concrete actions.
The patrol guards of the Molten Iron Tribe had repeatedly intercepted scouts from the Dawn, Poison Tail, and Ironblood Tribes; their tracks were spread across the border like a spider web.
The conquest of the Golden Tooth Tribe was merely the prologue to the storm.
The balance that this land had maintained for hundreds of years was now gradually crumbling due to the rise of the Molten Iron Tribe.
The smell of gunpowder in the air had never truly dissipated, and the other tribes were certain that the Iron Hoof of the Molten Iron Tribe would never stop at the south.
"Strike first to gain the advantage? That is not suitable for the current situation."
"Digesting and consolidating the fruits of victory is the most important thing. Now, with each passing day, the Molten Iron Tribe is becoming stronger; it is the other tribes who should be anxious now."
"Meet every challenge as it comes."
"Prepare response strategies and just wait for things to ferment; that is enough."
Garros estimated that the three major tribes would definitely not sit and wait for death.
He could imagine the expressions of those tribal leaders at this moment.
The snake-man warlock's scales turning pale with anxiety; the orc warriors repeatedly wiping their sharp spears and swords; the human shamans frequently performing divinations for good or ill.
However, no tribe that could carve out a path in a place like The Borderlands was a pushover.
They must already be planning how to deal with the Molten Iron Tribe.
×=×
PS: Requesting Power Stones!
15PS = 1 Extra Chapter. ✓
30PS = 2 Extra Chapters. ✓
50Ps= 3 Extra Chapters.✓
75PS = 4 Extra Chapters. ✓
100Ps = 5 Extra Chapters. ✓