The Return of the Betrayed Heir

22

Reyla and Aenys sat in the study, discussing the latest developments regarding the war. They needed to deliberate on their next moves and decide who would be deployed to the front lines. "The elves are advancing rapidly; we must find a way to stall them," Aenys stated gravely. "A dragon needs to be dispatched. Our soldiers will fight with far greater resolve and fearlessness knowing a dragon stands beside them." Reyla’s request was reasonable, yet a critical problem remained: all other dragons were actively engaged in combat elsewhere, leaving only two available—Alex and Baelon. Both had remained behind primarily because they were heirs, kept out of harm's way as a precaution. However, as the elven forces intensified their push, capitalizing on their advantage within the dense forests, Aenys and Reyla were forced to make a definitive choice.

One of the two had to be sent. "I would have preferred to send Corlis, but that is impossible; operations at the Dragon Keep are far too demanding for him to leave, and the same applies to Jocelyn..." Aenys had to act, yet he remained indecisive. Reyla maintained her silence for a moment before locking eyes with Aenys with a stern expression. "Let us send Alex," she declared. Aenys raised an eyebrow. "Why?" "Baelon is your primary heir; you cannot risk him. Alex can go—it will not be a issue for him." "Reyla, the front lines are extremely dangerous. Alex cannot handle that environment alone, especially while his power is still developing." "Does that change anything? Baelon is your heir." As Aenys and Reyla argued back and forth, Alex—who sat just outside the door listening to every word—had already accepted his fate. He preferred being in the thick of battle over remaining here.

A single tear escaped his right eye. His face retained its usual hollow, emotionless expression, yet an unextinguishable fire burned within his chest. He could not fully reconcile with how easily his family had given up on him. Alex stood up, wiped the tear away, and took a deep breath before assuming a composed expression and knocking on the door. He stepped inside. "Is something wrong?" Aenys asked. "I will go to the battlefield, Father..."

***

Alex opened his eyes to find the morning sun streaming into his room. Reliving those dreadful memories from his past life only served to entangle the rage swirling inside him. He walked into the bathroom and washed his face with cold water, desperate to cast aside his past, though it refused to leave him behind. Walking over to the window, Alex peered outside; security had tightened significantly, with three-man patrols sweeping every corner of the courtyard. This posed no real obstacle for Alex—he could bypass them effortlessly—yet he was now doing everything possible to avoid drawing suspicion. Being confined to his room was driving him to the brink of frustration, as his days dissolved into trivial tasks: strolling through the market with Laena, tending to flowers, and spending his remaining hours training. Alex craved a life of freedom, but none of the options available to him aligned with his desires. He wanted nothing more than to break free from this place and return home; he had never missed his home so deeply. "This is entirely your fault. If you hadn't carried out those assassinations, none of this would have happened," the golden dragon transmitted mentally into his mind.

"I had to do it, and I will continue," Alex replied inwardly. "There is only one target left. Once I eliminate him, there will be nothing left to worry about. You know as well as I do that all of them are powerful elves who pose a massive threat in the future. I had to kill them, and I have no intention of letting such an opportunity slip by." "And now you're trapped here," Tessarion countered. 

Alex stepped away from the window and approached the door, sensing someone standing outside. He grasped the handle gently and turned it. Peering through the slight opening, he saw Laena greeting him with a bright smile. "Good morning!" she said warmly. "Good morning," Alex replied, maintaining his customary cold demeanor. "Would you like to walk through the market with me? Mother gave me permission, but only if you come along." Alex let out a soft sigh. "Fine. I have nothing better to do anyway. It's better than sitting here staring out the window all day." 

Laena looked as though she might burst with joy, though Alex couldn't quite understand her reaction. After all, he accompanied her whenever she asked; he felt she was overreacting over nothing. "Then let's go!!" Laena exclaimed, breaking into a run. Alex placed his hands in his pockets and followed her at a measured pace. He was in no rush, preferring to observe his surroundings and calculate his movements carefully—a habit ingrained from his past life, where inspecting his destinations thoroughly allowed him to prepare for any potential danger. Alex had never quite been able to shed this cautious nature. 

When he reached the bottom of the stairs, Laena was already waiting by the entrance, visibly annoyed by his delay. Alex approached her casually, prompting her to sigh. "Can't you move a little faster?" Laena grumbled. "This is my fastest pace. Are we in some sort of rush?" Laena sulked. "Normally, you should be the one waiting for me, not the other way around." "You're the one moving too fast. We can take our time—it's not as if we're going anywhere far." 

Laena grabbed Alex by the arm and began pulling him along. Even as he was dragged behind her with a sour expression, his lips curved into an involuntary smile at her boundless enthusiasm. Upon arriving at the market, Alex scanned the bustling stalls. "It's so crowded today, and there's so much available," Laena remarked. She was right; elves filled the streets, alongside an increased presence of armed guards. Security was noticeably tighter following the recent incidents, a fact Alex noted with indifference. He still had one final target to eliminate, and he fully intended to complete the task. 

It mattered little how long it took; the final person on his list was the most dangerous of them all. In the previous timeline, this individual had brought Alex to his knees, coming closer to killing him than anyone else. Had Tessarion and reinforcements not arrived that day, Alex might have perished on that very battlefield. *I'll never forget that bastard. I will tear him apart. Just wait for me, Godrey... I will find you.*

As Laena browsed the market stalls, Alex trailed behind her, observing everything. Laena was meticulous, inspecting every item thoroughly before making a purchase. Meanwhile, Alex surveyed the area, watching who came and went, paying particular attention to the guard rotations. He memorized their faces and shift schedules, adjusting his future plans accordingly. His meticulous approach stemmed from past carelessness that had cost him dearly. In this life, he left nothing to chance, planning every detail with utmost precision. His primary motive for staying so vigilant was to locate Godrey. Alex reasoned that Godrey might already be a soldier, or perhaps was on the verge of becoming one. That possibility was one of the main reasons he agreed to visit the market—hoping for a chance encounter so he could formulate a swift plan and strike immediately.

"Keep scanning carefully; perhaps you'll find something," Tessarion mocked playfully. Alex ignored him, which only amused the golden dragon further. Tessarion had been quiet for a long while, to the point where Alex had almost grown accustomed to his silence. "What's with you? Weren't you sleeping? Why wake up all of a sudden just to act like this?" "Isn't it obvious? I've left you alone for quite some time, so I felt like bothering you a bit. Or did you actually miss me?" Tessarion teased. "Go back to your training and stop irritating me," Alex retorted. 

Tessarion chuckled, and the two engaged in a long conversation. As Laena shopped, Alex and Tessarion spoke for an extended period—a rare occurrence between them in recent times. As the sun began to set, Alex and Laena chatted casually on their way back. For the first time in a long while, Alex wore a genuine, warm smile—a stark contrast to his usual artificial expressions. Surprised by this sudden change, Laena stopped and reached out to touch his forehead. "Are you alright? You don't seem to have a fever..." "What are you talking about?" Alex asked. "Never mind! Let's just head home, I'm starving." "Alright, let's go."