Stepping though the Gate.

"I'm back." I say.

"Yes… Mom. Is it okay to call you… Mom?" asks Anikia.

Hmm? Isn't mother good enough?

"Why? Don't you want to call me Mother?" I ask.

"I do but… I feel like I should call you Mom." She says.

"You can do whatever you want, Anikia. Nobody will stop you." I say.

"Mom…" she says looking at me with eyes that show immediate affection and sense of reliability.

"Yes?" I say.

"Do you have a family…?" she says.

"Family?" I ask.

"Do you have… A Family?" she says again.

I don't… No. I do have one. A big one.

"I do. You're gonna meet your aunt soon." I say.

"Really??" she asks with excitement, hands clenched to her chest.

"Well. You've already met one of your aunts." I say.

"how many aunts are there??!" she says with surprise.

"You've met her already. Carmine." I say.

"Carmine?? She's my aunt??" she asks.

Ah. This expression is too cute. She feels conflicted and embarrassed 'cause she called Carmine by her name. I wonder what she'll look like when she meets Lucy. I don't consider Albart and Caryl to be my parents. I'm not being rude but they just don't give off a feel like that. They seem to be more like friends, rather than a parental figure.

"Yup. There is another one. Her name is Lucy. Hmm… you could say that she's old as you…" I say.

"She's old as me…?" she asks.

"Yes. How old are you anyway?" I ask.

"Me? I'm 800." She says.

"Wha-?! Ah. Hm."

"What's wrong Mom?" she asks.

"I feel bit… stung." I say.

"Why is that…?" she asks.

Hmm… I can't tell her that. Her mom being younger than her? Heck.

"Ah. It's nothing. Don't worry. Anyway, looks like Carmine and Felia are about to arrive." I say.

I can sense them. They're getting close. The amount of mana in the air doesn't affect my perception anymore. Must be because of that handy skill. I can sense 20 miles in a radius so that's pretty broken.

I turn around to get a glimpse of the way where they are coming from and see them getting close.

"But Mom… How did you know they were coming…?" she asks.

"Hmm? I can sense everything." I say.

"Really…? That's amazing…" she says.

"Right? Ah. They're here." I say.

I look again and see that both of them are descending on the tower. They were flying to be exact. Not floating like I made them to be.

"So? what took you so long?" I say.

"Not everyone is fast as you, Velkra." Says Carmine.

That's a pretty good point she made. Not everyone can be as fast as me. I could be even considered an anomaly here. That is what I think though. It could be different and someone could be even stronger than me.

"I know." I say.

I look back at Anikia. She looks at me with a confused face, trying to find out why I'm looking at her.

"Let's show you the human realm shall we?" I say.

Carmine and Felia come up behind me.

"Really? Can I really go with you? But what about The Demons here…?" she asks.

Carmine and Felia must be asking the same question since they are looking at me with a face that wants to determine my intent.

"Well, Carmine and Felia are gonna stay here. They're gonna take care of the people here until we come back." I say.

"What..? Well… I don't mind it though." Says Carmine.

"Me neither. I think it would be best if you took her and introduced her to Master Albart and Lady Caryl. I'm sure Willis will be the one most happy to hear that you have taken her in." says Felia.

Willis will be? Well, I don't know what kind of a person he is on the inside. But the way Felia said that about him must make him very fond of children. I've never seen him being affectionate to Lucy before.

"Is it really… okay? For me to go…" says Anikia in a timid and restricted voice.

"You don't need to worry about stuff anymore. Just do as I say and you'll be fine. Carmine and Felia are old enough that they can handle things here. We will Go out and tell your army to stay inside the barrier." I say.

"But Mom. It is your army now. What is mine is also yours, Am I not right?" she says.

Hoooh~ look at that serious face! That determination!.

"Well, What is mine is yours too then. Everything I have and will have in the future." I say.

"You sound like you're proposing to someone. But it's your daughter then it's fine I think?" says Carmine.

"What? Do you want to be proposed?" I say.

At that her face goes bright red and she moves her hands frantically.

"N-No! W-What do yoy think you are s-saying!" she says.

"Nothing. I just had a hunch that you might want to be proposed." I say.

"S-Shut up alright??!" she say.

" 'Kay~" I say and turn back to Anikia.

"Back to the topic at hand, We'll go out and get the supplies necessary for the people here. Then we'll head back and take the Army with us inside here? Okay?" I ask.

Anikia thinks for a moment. Then she looks up and says,

"Then we'll have to send some supplies for them as well. Can we do that? They must be tired and hungry after all this time…" she says.

She really does care about her people. The responsibility passed onto her wasn't just a burden. But she actually carried it out with utmost sincerity and dedication for her people.

"Of course. I'll send someone from Albart's people with the supplies." I say.

"Really? That is good… But who is this… Albart?" she asks.

I haven't told her have i? she doesn't know people other than Carmine and Felia.

"Hmm… Albart is the Noble who is my subordinate. He's Carmine's Father and Felia's Former master." I tell her.

"I see… so he is Big aunt's Father…" she says while thinking to herself.

Hearing that, Carmine walks up to us and says,

"Big Aunt…?" she says.

Ah. She's hearing it for the first time. Heck, even I'm hearing it for the first time but I already had an idea.

"Don't you like it Carmine? She's gonna call you Big Aunt from now on." I say, teasing her and poking with my elbow.

"Umm… I don't… Mind." She says and turns around.

As she turns around, I can't see her face but Felia seems to. Felia is chuckling with a hand to her mouth so I get the idea from Carmine's red ears that I can see. She's happy.

"So. we keep going on tangents. You sure you don't have anything to do here? We'll be gone fot a few days you know?" I say.

She thinks once again and then shakes her head side by side. Her waving straight Pure-Black hair are cute too. But most of them, her crimson red eyes in all this black stand out more. Her pale and smooth skin. Her face with Pointy-teeth and a single sharp one poking out. Her small and cute horns that protrude out from far back sides of her head.

You can't ask for anything more than this. She might even be cuter than Lucy herself. Her small stature. I love it. This is my daughter huh??

"So nothing to do here then. We'll probably be meeting Other Elder Dragons. So you can call them Aunt and uncles too? Maybe? Probably? Ah. We'll just decide that when we call the bridge." I say.

"You have more siblings mother…?" asks Anikia.

"Well, They are not my siblings but… They are in a different way. From what I heard, All the Elder Dragons are siblings or do they consider each other to be…?" I say.

"I see… then should we go…?" she asks.

Heading out right away would be the best choice since we don't know how long the lan could hold.

Yeah. The Land beneath the castle is getting weaker. The castle will soon collapse onto a crater. I sensed it way long ago. The moment I woke up from that illness, I knew that this was the case.

Finding out a way to settle these people somewhere fast is better.

"Let's go then. Carmine, Felia. Be sure to take care. And yeah…"

Twixie? Can you hear me?

[Yup]

Can you stay in contact with these two?

[No problem. Leave it to me.]

Thanks.

"Twixie will stay in touch. Be sure to report to her every now and then." I say.

"Okay. This is a sudden departure but be careful yourself." Says Carmine.

"Indeed. Since you first arrived at the Mansion, You have been tangled up in every kind of mess. Be sure to not overdo it." says Felia.

That much is true. Ever since I came to this world, it's been one thing after another. I would love a break.

"Thanks Felia. But I probably don't get tired." I say.

"That is not the case. Even if you wont get tired, your mind will. So be careful." She says.

"I got it. Thanks once again."

I turn back to face Anikia.

"Let's go. To the human realm." I say.

Anikia gives me a faint yet relieving smile. I guess she's happy to see some new stuff.

"Riding on me wont be an option yet but I can carry you." I say.

As I said that, I kneeled down and held out my arms.

"Let's give you a princess' carry." I say.

At that, she looks at me surprised and comes closer. I yeet her into my arms and hold her tightly.

"Will you be fine…?" Asks Anikia.

She's such a nice girl.

"Yup. Don't worry." I say.

I face Carmine and Felia. Then I start walking toward the edge of the wall of the tower. I step on the wall.

"[Flap]"

I manifest my wings. They come out with an Audible flap. Anikia turns her head to look at them.

"That's cool…" she says to herself.

I'M BEING COMPLIMENTED!!

[SHUT UPPPP! LOUD!!]

Ah. Sorry.

"Let's go. And One… Two… Three. Take off! [Whooosh]!" I count down and flap my wings hard in the moment. I take off with speed and head for the gate we came through.

"By the way, Anikia. How many men are out in the army." I ask.

"900." She says.

"Only nine hundred?" I ask.

"They were the only ones that could fight." She says.

Hmm… I see.

I keep flying until I see the gate from far.

"Tell me. Is this fun?" I ask.

"Yes… Very much. But it would have been better if I was on you in your dragon form…" she says.

"Hmm… Next time maybe?" I say.

"Okay."

We arrive at the gate and get ready to walk through. We step on the walkway and then jump into the swirling space inside it.

The vision goes wobbly for a moment and then the next thing we know is that we're somewhere else. I step forward and walk. I don't see Anikia.

"Stay right there! Don't you dare move!" I hear.

Out of now where the whole army comes out of hiding and arms themselves up against me. Swords, spears, shield, and staffs. All pointed at me waiting for me to move and blow me up.

"Halt. This is your queen's order." Comes a sweet and light voice.

Ah. She got delayed? Why?

"That is my Mother."