I Received System to Become Dragonborn

King Gulben looked at Erend and Eccar with an expression that was difficult to decipher. His face remained stern but his eyes showing the depth of gratitude. The king realized that it was clear that the Elves felt deeply indebted to the Dragonborn.

It was a weight that seemed to press heavily on the king's shoulders.

"No," King Gulben said firmly.

Both Erend and Eccar frowned, their brows furrowing in confusion.

"Why, Your Majesty?" Eccar asked with direct tone but still respectful.

He didn't speak to King Gulben with the reverence the Elves did, but none of them seemed to take issue with it. They understood that Eccar and Erend was not one of their own and held no obligation to observe their formalities.

The king shook his head and keep his gaze steady. "What I mean is, I cannot let the two of you do this task. We owe you far too much already."

Erend and Eccar exchanged glances, unspoken understanding passing between them.

"You don't have to worry about that, Your Majesty," Erend began, his voice steady with reassurance. "We—"

King Gulben raised a hand, cutting him off. The gesture was not abrupt but carried the weight of finality.

"I cannot allow my pride to suffer further by relying on you so heavily," the king said with unwavering tone. "This is our kingdom's burden to bear, and we will take this matter into our own hands."

Erend and Eccar noticed the resolve in the king's expression, the way his sharp gaze held no room for argument.

It was clear that this was a matter of pride for him and for his kingdom, and no amount of reasoning would change his mind.

They both sighed quietly, recognizing they had reached the end of the conversation.

"Well, alright," Eccar said, shrugging nonchalantly, though his tone carried a hint of reluctance. After came back from Saulaeran Dragnar, Eccar wanted to just doing the good thing to protect those who needed it. But seeing the king's face, he knows that he can't press this further.

Erend sighed, studying the king for a moment before nodding. "If that's your decision, Your Majesty, we won't press further. But if you change your mind, you know that we will help."

King Gulben gave a small nod of acknowledgment, his hard expression softening ever so slightly. "Your willingness to help will not be forgotten. Thank you."

Without another word, Erend and Eccar turned and left the throne room now that they seem to come to their conclusion. Their footsteps echoing in the quiet hall.

As they walked, Eccar leaned toward Erend with a smirk. "Guess we'll just have to let them stumble a little before they come crawling back to us, huh?"

Erend shot him a look, but the corners of his mouth twitched into a faint smile. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that, though. The last thing we need is for Laston to take advantage of any misstep they will do. He must be become pretty strong right now."

Eccar chuckled, his tone light despite the weight of their situation. "We'll see. Either way, we'll be ready cause we also become much stronger."

As the heavy doors closed behind Erend and Eccar, King Gulben let out a quiet sigh, his shoulders momentarily slumping as if the weight of his decisions pressed down on him even more.

His advisors stood in silence, sensing the tension in the room.

The king's voice broke the quiet, grumbling under his breath but loud enough for all to hear.

"Why did we have to wait for them to come to this idea? Why couldn't we think of it sooner?" His tone carried both frustration and self-reproach. The question seemed aimed at himself and the others in the room.

The advisors exchanged uneasy glances, their silence acknowledging the implicit truth in his words.

It was Aerchon who finally spoke up.

"Because we don't usually play with that much risk, Your Majesty," Aerchon said. "They are Dragonborn. Their way of thinking is different from ours. Their strength allows them to take risks that we cannot afford to consider lightly. To them, as long as the task is accomplished, the cost is secondary."

King Gulben looking at Aerchon for a long moment, his stern eyes studying his son's face. Finally, he gave a reluctant nod.

"I can't think of much to argue against that," he admitted. "But regardless, we can't dwell on it any longer. What's done is done. Now, we all agree on the need to scout that world, correct?"

The room filled with murmurs of agreement.

"Then let's begin laying out that plan," the king said.

The advisors huddled together to discussing more details of the scouting operation. Strategies were drawn, routes debated, and tasks assigned.

Just as the meeting was gaining momentum, a soft chime filled the air. That sound unmistakably emanating from the orb beside King Gulben's throne.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The room fell silent, the advisors exchanging curious glances. Only a handful of individuals held the privilege of contacting the king directly. The unexpected call immediately commanded everyone's attention.

King Gulben walked to the orb with quick pace. Placing a hand on its surface, he allowed his Magic to flow into it and activating the communication spell.

The orb shimmered with a faint glow before a familiar voice resonated through it.

"Fairon?" King Gulben asked, his voice tinged with both surprise and curiosity.

The image of another Elven king appeared within the orb. A tall regal figure with sharp features and the flowing, earth-toned robes of the Forest Elves. It was Fairon, the ruler of the vast and ancient woods to the east.

"Gulben," Fairon greeted, his tone urgent but composed. "I apologize for contacting you so suddenly, but there is a matter we must discuss. Something grave has happened within our borders, and it may soon reach yours."

King Gulben's expression hardened. "What has happened, Fairon?"

King Gulben's expression tightened as he waited for Fairon's explanation. The Forest Elf king's voice was steady, but the urgency in his words could not be ignored.

"Our Archmage detected strange Magic energy probing our barrier," Fairon said. "It didn't breach it, but the intent was clear, someone was testing the strength of our defenses."

King Gulben's eyes widened slightly, the realization dawning on him. The description of the probing Magic matched what had recently occurred in his own kingdom.

"A strange Magic energy probing your barrier?" king Gulben repeated, his tone heavy with concern.

"Yes," Fairon confirmed with grim tone on the other side. "It lingered for a time. It was subtle but deliberate."

"Is it still happening?" Gulben asked quickly.

"No," Fairon replied. "It's gone now. But I felt it necessary to inform you. This kind of Magic is... unnatural. It feels like an external force yet feels familiar. It does not belong to our realm but at the same time… it does."

Gulben exhaled slowly, then said, "Fairon, we've experienced the same disturbance here. It only recently subsided and we are in the midst of discussing how to respond."

Fairon's sharp eyes narrowed, his surprise evident. "The same disturbance? Are you certain?"

"Without a doubt," Gulben said with firm voice. "The probing felt deliberate as if testing our vulnerabilities. It is too much of a coincidence to ignore."

Fairon leaned closer to the orb's shimmering surface, his face etched with worry. "Then this is not an isolated event. It seems that someone, whoever they are, is targeting our kingdom."

King Gulben nodded solemnly. "I agree. This matter requires immediate attention."

"I will come to you soon, Gulben," Fairon said, his tone resolute. "We need to unite our knowledge and resources. I suspect this is not a simple matter."

"I will be waiting," Gulben replied. "Bring your Archmage as well. Their insights could be invaluable."

Fairon gave a curt nod, and with a final shimmer of light, the orb dimmed, signaling the end of the communication.

As the king turned back to his advisors, his face showing the weight of the conversation. Aerchon and Saeldir were already watching him, their expressions tense with anticipation.

"That was Fairon," Gulben began. "The Forest Elves have experienced the same probing Magic energy as we have. It's clear now that this is not an isolated threat. I don't know why, but Laston also probing the Forest Elve's kingdom."

Aerchon's jaw tightened, his fingers curling into fists. "If it's targeting multiple kingdoms, then this is a coordinated effort from him."

"I agree," Saeldir said with calm voicec.

Gulben let out a deep breath, his grim tone cutting through the tension. "That is what we must find out quickly. Fairon will be arriving soon. Until then, we need to finalize our scouting plan and prepare to defend our realm. We maybe will need to involve the Forest Elves for out scouting mission."

The advisors exchanged glances, understanding the severity of the situation.

With the shadow of an unknown threat looming over their lands, the Elves knew that their unity with the Forest Elves would be their greatest strength.

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