Chapter 848: The Reunion

Asalina found a quiet corner in the room, away from prying eyes. Slowly, she spread her arms and unleashed the innate power within her.

Illusory flames flickered into existence from the void, gradually engulfing the figure of the Dragonmark Witch. Shadows and light danced within the fire, wavering between the real and the unreal. Mysterious runes began to glow in sequence. Within moments, Asalina seemed to merge with the flames themselves. Her red hair lifted and floated silently like fire in the air, while a chorus of deep, ethereal voices echoed at the boundary between the flames and the mortal world, growing clearer in her mind.

This was a language ordinary people could never comprehend—a “psychic resonance” understood only by Dragonmark Wizards and Witches.

Sir Goloch and several advisors waited quietly nearby, watching Asalina communicate with another Dragonmark Witch far away in Dragon’s Reach Keep. Once the flames stabilized, they knew that Duke Balogur was beside that distant witch. By now, he must have learned about the “new things” the Cecileans had brought forth.

The process lasted about half an hour before the swirling flames gradually subsided.

Asalina exhaled softly, beads of sweat trickling down her forehead. Clearly, maintaining such a long-distance psychic resonance was no easy feat—even for a Dragonmark Witch, it took a heavy toll.

Sir Goloch waited with gentlemanly patience for a minute, then stepped forward once Asalina regained her composure. “Has Duke Balogur responded?”

“We reported in time, and that was the right call. The Duke first acknowledged the situation,” Asalina glanced at Sir Goloch and the advisors, nodding slightly. “Here is his exact message:

‘The Cecileans have their eyes on our mineral resources, while we covet their arcane technology and industrial products.

‘The problem is, arcane tech and manufactured goods can be produced endlessly in their academies and factories, but steel and magic crystals don’t grow from the earth. Trading resources for industrial products carries enormous risks and long-term losses.

‘If the Cecileans set up factories in the Holy Dragon Principality, they might even use our ore to build machines and then sell them back to us at a markup. That’s not a good deal.

‘As for their many investment plans—some may benefit the Principality, but if left unchecked, they could turn us into a mere market and “farmland” in Cecile’s backyard.

‘Overall, the Cecileans show both sincerity and cunning. They may genuinely want to build a more prosperous future, but in that future, they will be wealthier than others. That’s a natural ambition, and in a way, it proves their diplomatic intentions are genuine.

‘We must reject all investment proposals fully or heavily controlled by Cecile, refuse projects involving basic industry, education, or resource development, and treat their railway investments cautiously—we need railways, but they must belong to the Dragonborn.

‘The Dragonborn will agree to open regular trade channels with Cecile, send ambassadors, and allow civilian exchanges. We can trade magic crystals and arcane knowledge for their technology and industrial goods. We’re willing to pay fair prices for their technicians—all prices must be transparent and fair.

‘On this basis of equality and sincerity, the Dragonborn are willing to accept Cecile as a friend—including joining their “Cecile Clearing Zone.”

‘The Cecileans will agree, Sir Goloch. The Holy Dragon Principality lies on the shared border between Cecile and Typhon, and they value that Clearing Zone more than you might think. If we join, many issues become negotiable.

‘Finally, every treasure the mountains grant the Dragonborn has its value—use them wisely.’”

Asalina finished recounting the long message and took a deep breath. “That’s everything, Sir Goloch.”

Sir Goloch listened solemnly to every word. When she finished, he exhaled deeply. “Indeed, Duke Balogur’s vision is far sharper and more far-sighted than ours…”

“Humans are craftier than we imagined,” one advisor muttered, “I’m beginning to doubt their ‘sincerity’…”

“But that’s the way of the human world,” Asalina said, glancing at the speaker. “They will always seek greater gain, and we must negotiate for our own interests. High Lord Cecil may be a noble hero, but the Cecilean Emperor is certainly a sly fox. There’s no contradiction there.”

“Diplomatic exchanges between nations are business deals. Haggling is normal. As long as the final terms satisfy both sides, they can be close and sincere partners,” Sir Goloch shook his head with a faint smile. “Fortunately, I’ve dealt with the Wilde family in the human world enough to handle this.”

“Let’s all get some rest for now,” Asalina said. “Tomorrow afternoon, the real ‘confrontation’ begins.”

The advisors took their leave one by one. Finally, Asalina nodded to Sir Goloch. “I’ll return to my chambers now. If you have any questions—”

Before she could finish, Sir Goloch suddenly furrowed his brow and strode toward the nearby floor-to-ceiling window.

He leaned out, eyes scanning the sky outside. The sunset had faded to a half-glow, the dark mountain silhouettes rolling beneath the lingering light. The vast expanse showed no unusual signs.

“Sir Goloch?” Asalina frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“I sense Maggie’s presence…” Sir Goloch’s gaze swept repeatedly through the clouds high above. “No mistake—it’s definitely her. And… it seems she’s deliberately revealing herself…”

Asalina knew about Maggie—a rebellious young woman much like herself in her youth. And Sir Goloch, in some ways, reminded her of her own father back then—a daughter running away and a father with a stubborn heart. This strange coincidence almost felt like a tradition in Dragonborn society, making Asalina’s expression subtly complex.

She leaned out to scan the sky and land, murmuring softly, “Maybe she really is nearby. After all, we received news…”

Before she could finish, a shadow suddenly emerged from the clouds above the Autumn Palace.

As the distance and angle shifted, the shadow became clearer, tracing a graceful arc through the air as it descended toward the ground. Asalina’s eyes widened, momentarily forgetting what she had been about to say. Within a few breaths, she took in the details—

A massive dragon armored in steel, a terrifying creature tearing through the crimson dusk sky with an imposing presence.

It swept beneath the clouds, heading toward the Autumn Palace. Its wings were edged with blades and bones of steel, runes flickering with magical light across its armor, shimmering alongside the last rays of sunset. On its head, covered by a strange mask and forehead plate, a pair of confident eyes scanned the palace without hesitation.

Those eyes finally locked onto Sir Goloch.

The dragon let out a roar midair, then suddenly shifted course, skimming close past the palace balcony before heading toward an open field behind the palace.

Asalina blinked twice, realizing she’d been staring with her mouth agape. She finally found her voice: “That’s… Maggie?”

Sir Goloch was just as stunned, even slower to react. Hearing Asalina’s words, he seemed to wake from a daze, mouth opening in disbelief. “That… that must be her, but…”

“She’s flying—not gliding, real flight—and that’s clearly some kind of arcane device,” Asalina quickly regained her analytical composure, speaking rapidly. “Looks like that’s what she gained in the human world—Sir Goloch, is she showing off for you?”

“I don’t know…” Sir Goloch said instinctively, then suddenly turned and strode toward the door. “But I know she’s finally willing to meet me!”

On the way here, the knight had lectured Asalina about education, rehearsing how he would maintain dignity and composure if he met his daughter in the Cecile Empire. But now, all his rehearsed pride seemed to vanish.

Asalina watched his brisk retreating figure and suddenly recalled the day twenty years ago when she received news of her father’s illness and had to return from the human world to the Holy Dragon Principality. She remembered pushing open the long-unseen door and seeing her father—who had claimed in a letter that his condition was critical, that drinking water was difficult, and that his days were numbered—running toward her in the courtyard, his face flushed with health.

—To this day, she still couldn’t best him. Her father looked healthy enough to live at least another five hundred years.

“Are all fathers this stubborn?” the Dragonmark Witch murmured softly, then quickened her pace to catch up with Sir Goloch, who had already stepped outside.

No one stopped them.

Soon, Sir Goloch found his daughter in an open field near the Autumn Palace.

Maggie had landed there—this space was prepared for her dragon form and also served as a parking area for several dragonrider aircraft under the administration’s control. It was her personal landing pad. Since mastering her steel wings, this was where she rested after her evening flights.

She remained in her dragon form to bolster her confidence. Watching her father approach along the lamp-lit path, with a red-haired woman following behind, she recognized the woman—Asalina, the idol of many young Dragonborn. Asalina had traveled the human world, and her adventures had partly inspired Maggie’s decision to leave the Principality.

But today wasn’t the time to mention that, and Maggie felt bringing it up now might embarrass Asalina.

“Maggie,” Sir Goloch said as he reached her, stepping forward despite the glow of the magic crystal lamps. He seemed to want a clearer look at his daughter’s current form. “It really is you…”

“Father…” A low rumble came from the dragon’s throat, tinged with an unspoken emotion. She lowered her head. “It’s been a long time.”

A massive, sharp, and chillingly imposing iron chin came crashing down like a giant axe toward Sir Gorosh—so fast and fierce that for a split second, the knight actually wondered if his long-lost daughter had come back just to take him out.

Fortunately, he reacted just in time, raising his hand at the last moment to catch the cold, unyielding steel. With a loud bang, he stomped hard enough to crack the ground beneath his feet. From above, Maggie’s slightly flustered voice called out, “Ah! Sorry!!”

“I guess you didn’t mean to…” Sir Gorosh’s voice trembled a little from below. He released his grip, calmly pulling his foot out of the crater, then tried to compose himself into the stern, authoritative father figure he wanted to be. He was about to ask Maggie about her strange outfit and that bizarre iron chin contraption—he really tried—but just as he lifted his other foot from the hole, Asarena burst out laughing.

“S-sorry…” Asarena said, half holding back, half helpless, “I just couldn’t help it…”

The Dragonmark Witch’s laughter completely shattered Sir Gorosh’s dignity and aura.

But in a way, it also saved this awkward father-daughter reunion.

Sir Gorosh looked at Maggie, and Maggie lowered her eyes to her father. Finally, they both couldn’t help but laugh.

(The End of This Chapter)