"I REFUSE!"

"..."

"Ahem…As I mentioned," Thyra was momentarily taken aback and chose to pretend not to hear his refusal. "...You're now the Lord Commander of the Frostguard Keep, your job is—"

"I said I refuse," Aron reiterated just to ensure his stance.

Frankly, he wasn't entirely clear on what Thyra and the Queen of Avaloria were proposing, though he trusted Thyra and knew she wouldn't suggest or do something detrimental to him or his family. Yet, his gut was telling him that this position of The Lord commander was not going to end up well for him. So he refused since he had more pressing matters at hand.

Thyra let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. "Well… I didn't anticipate such an immediate refusal without at least considering what I had to say. Would you mind explaining why you turned down the position of Lord commander?" she inquired, genuinely curious about his rationale.

The two young women standing behind him, Pethra and Elina, shared the same curiosity, though they secretly felt relieved that he hadn't accepted. Like nearly everyone else, they were well aware of the Frostguard Keep's purpose.

Aron intertwined his fingers and rested his elbows on the table, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "I appreciate the offer despite not fully comprehending it. However, I cannot accept at this time as I need to journey to Avaloria in search of the memory witch."

There was a look of understanding and empathy on their faces; Pethra, Elina, and even Kasumi, who lingered in his shadow, couldn't fathom living without even knowing one's own name.

Yet for Thyra, with her longer life experience, there was a touch of envy towards Aron, wishing to be in his position—not to the extent of forgetting everything, including her own name, but desiring to bury certain scars and painful memories forever.

"Are you certain, Aron?... Sometimes, ignorance can be a blessing."

"Not in this case…I need to know. NO! I must KNOW!"

CRASH!

Aron slammed his hand onto the table, breaking it and emitting a surge of his aura. Just remembering the smirk on Sol's face was enough to set his blood boiling.

"Sorry Thyra, but I have a memory to recover and a six-winged chicken to hunt"

Taken aback by the sudden outburst, Kasumi immediately emerged from Aron's shadow and attempted, along with Pethra and Eline, to approach Aron offering some comfort. However, Thyra raised her hand, halting them in their tracks.

Instead, she approached and sat beside him. Resting her head on his shoulder, she gently ran her fingers through his smooth black hair.

Thyra understood her disciple better than anyone else; three months of living together had forged a strong bond based on trust and honor. Master and disciple, comrades willing to lay down their lives for each other without hesitation.

Thyra herself was surprised by the deep connection she felt with Aron, given that only three people in the world shared such a bond with her—her sister and two nephews. Yet, there was something about Aron that stirred a sense of kinship within her, a shared understanding transcending mere words.

"Aron," Thyra spoke softly, her voice a calming presence amidst the storm of emotions raging within him. "I know the weight of your memories weighs heavily on your soul. But remember, you are not alone in this journey. We are with you, every step of the way."

Aron's tense shoulders relaxed slightly at Thyra's reassuring words, her touch a reassuring anchor amidst his swirling thoughts. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to bask in the warmth of her presence.

"I apologize for my outburst," he said, tapping his index finger on the broken table.

"Restore," he uttered in draconic, and instantly, as if time rewound back, the table's broken parts and fragments were pulled back to their original place.

"There is nothing to forgive, Aron," Thyra replied gently, her azure eyes reflecting understanding and compassion. "Tell you what, give me three months of your time, and I'll aid you in finding the witch."

Aron widened his eyes in surprise, turning to the beauty resting against his shoulder. "I'm listening."

The three girls behind them sighed in relief, seeing Aron had calmed down. Thyra on the other hand displayed a wide smile as she explained her offer and the reasons behind it.

"Avaloria is on the brink of a civil war between my sister—the queen—and her asshole husband—the king—she's in a weak position since few of her noble supporters and commanders were assassinated. Due to this, she cannot spare a commander and troops to man the Frostguard Keep."

Aron listened carefully, forming a picture of the situation, "What's so special about this Keep?"

"The Frostguard is one of the oldest structures on the continent. Its origins are shrouded in mystery; some say the Aspects built it, but no one truly knows. And what's so special about it? well…" Thyra raised her hand slightly, using her metal magic to sculpt two mountains connected by a wall on the table.

She continued, "Every year, during a specific month, monsters from the frozen lands of Fenris beyond the wall, enter a berserk-like state with the sole aim of venturing south to slaughter anything in their path." Thyra paused, allowing her words to sink in.

"Fortunately, Fenris is separated from the rest of the continent by a series of mountains, the only way to the south is through the Frostguard Keep. It serves as the only defense against the onslaught of these berserk monsters. Without it, the entire continent would be vulnerable to their rampage."

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Aron nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I see…but why am I being asked to assume command of such a crucial place?"

Thyra lowered her hand, removing the metal sculpts from the table. "As I just mentioned, some of my sister's commanders have been assassinated. including the Lord Commander of the Frostguard. Since she cannot spare a replacement, I suggested you to my sister and she agreed"

Aron pondered over Thyra's explanation, his mind racing with the implications of her proposal. Taking command of the Frostguard Keep meant assuming a position of significant responsibility, one that could potentially alter the course of Avaloria's future and the entire continent. Despite his initial refusal, Aron couldn't ignore the gravity of the situation.

"Just three months?" he finally spoke, his voice tinged with determination.

Thyra's grin widened "Yes, you have two months for preparations after that it would be a full month of nonstop waves of monsters coming at you, If you succeed in defending the keep, my sister will personally reward you, and you may retain or relinquish your titles as you see fit."

"Very well," Aron said, his voice steady despite the weight of the responsibility that now rested upon his shoulders. "I accept your offer, Thyra. I will take command of the Frostguard Keep and defend it with everything I have. My only reward will be to find a way to recover my memories. Do we have a deal?"

Thyra's grin widened further at his acceptance, a glimmer of pride shining in her aura eyes. "I knew I could count on you, my dear disciple." She ruffled Aron's hair affectionately. "We depart at dawn, okay? The journey is long but with my wyverns, I can drop you close to the Keep in four to five days"

Thyra stood up to leave, but Aron called out to her. "Thyra, there's one thing I don't understand. Could you enlighten me?"

Thyra tilted her head in confusion."Sure? What is it?"

"Why didn't you assume command of the keep yourself and more importantly why don't you intervene with that conflict and help your sister? I mean with your strength you could destroy the other party with ease"

"..."

Thyra's cheerful demeanor instantly turned somber. Aron's question touched on a sensitive subject, prompting her to avert her gaze.

"I can't intervene in Avaloria even if I want to," she resumed her walk, reaching the door and grabbing the handle. "One day I'll tell you about it, Aron." With those cryptic words, she exited, leaving Aron to ponder.

Once Thyra had left, the three girls gathered around Aron, concern evident in their eyes.

"Are you sure about that Master? Forstguard is a dangerous place," Elina voiced her concern.

Pethra echoed her sentiment. "Please reconsider, Aron. You have no obligation to Avaloria."

Only Kasumi remains silent, since she's connected to him on a soul level, everything about him is visible to her—thoughts and emotions.

"Do you want me to go back on my WORD?!" Aron's voice cut through the air, firm and unwavering, silencing the girls.

He stood up, regarding them with a furious gaze. Pethra, Elina, and even Kasumi lowered their heads in submission.

"We apologize, Master," they said in unison.

Aron's gaze softened as he addressed his servants "I appreciate your concern," he said, his voice gentler now. "But do not question me again. Understood?"

""Yes Master""

"Good, now Kasumi, go and pack your bags, You and Raum are accompanying me."

Kasumi nodded and immediately used the shadow to slip under the door and move freely within the mansion.

"Pethra, Elina; go and ask Mia to prepare for us some supplies for the journey and a three-month stay, especially clothes and healing items, take some girls to help too."

"Understood," The two nodded and swiftly made their way looking for Mia.

Meanwhile, Aron focused on the magical seals he had placed on the former Rats, concentrating on a specific one.

"Viper"

"KYAAAA!"

SPLASH!

Suddenly hearing Aron's heavy voice in her head, Viper shrieked, stumbled, and fell into the bath within the ruined castle.

"M-Master?"

Aron sighed, shaking his head at her antics. Each time he spoke in her mind, she reacted with panic, dropping whatever she held or stumbling over herself.

"Viper, gather your belongings and come to my residence. You're joining me on a journey."

"R-Right now?" Viper asked, bewildered.

"Of course not; first take a nice warm bath, a delicious meal, and some beauty sleep. Once you're ready, come to my residence. I'll be waiting."

"Really master?"

"MOVE YOUR ASS HERE NOW OR I'LL BREAK YOUR NECK!"

"Hiii!" Viper squeaked in terror at Aron's sudden change in tone, scrambling out of the bath as fast as she could. Hastily gathering her belongings, she threw them into a bag with trembling hands.

"Yes, Master! Right away, Master!" she stammered, her heart pounding in fear. With a hurried nod, she darted out of the bath chamber, leaving a trail of water in her wake.

Meanwhile, Aron let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head as he walked out of the guest room. He spent the rest of the day preparing for the journey, gathering supplies and essentials for the Keep. Potions, herbs, and repair tools were among the items he deemed necessary.

He also withdrew some gold coins from the mansion's vault after depositing The White Falcon's seized wealth. After that, he spent two hours filling empty vials with his blood, and since he was going for a long time, Aron was preparing these blood vials from Aurora.

He calculated that Aurora could stay in a Normal mind state without experiencing thirst with just one vial in a week.

However, being the doting father, he prepared double that amount—24 vials, surprisingly he didn't suffer from excessive dizziness or weakness from the bloodletting process, a testament to his resilience and the new dragon heart.

As the evening descended upon the mansion, Aron found himself in the main hall sitting at the table with Raum and the rest of the girls. For the first time, Viper was also present, sitting quietly on the table like a good little girl, the previous threat worked like magic on her. The other two individuals sitting at the table were Thyra and Victoria.

Victoria was sitting, chatting with her sister, while Thyra sat next to Aron at the head of the table.

Aron and Thyra had a small dispute over who would sit at the head of the table, each insisting they had the right. Before the disagreement escalated, Victoria suggested they sit next to each other. And since Thyra is dense as a black hole in matters of love she agreed. Sitting next to Aron like a good wife, or at least that was how the other girls saw it.

At the dinner table, Aron told everyone about his sudden departure, which caused a new problem, a cute one but a problem nonetheless.

Aurora.

She adamantly refused to leave his side upon hearing that her father was about to leave again, especially for a longer duration than the previous time.

Aron found it challenging to calm her down, but he managed by promising to speak to her every night using the communication orb. This assurance seemed to placate Aurora, who reluctantly agreed to let him go on his journey.

However that didn't stop Aurora from shooting death stares to Thyra, whom she blamed for her father's departure.

"Huh?" Thyra turned to her left, sensing the gaze of someone. She saw Aurora staring at her with visible hostility.

Understanding why Thyra smirked at the little dhampir "What's wrong little one? If you have something to say just say it"

Aurora didn't like the smirk and the tone of Thyra to the point that her face turned red. Until she burst out with unexpected words

"Stupid Lady"

"Pffff…cough…cough" The unexpected insult nearly caused Victoria to choke on her drink, much like the rest of the girls when they heard Aurora's words.

Thyra's smile froze for a moment as she processed Aurora's unexpected outburst.

"Pffftt…." Aron struggled to contain his laughter, gently patting Aurora as he said "Now, now, Aurora…cough… that's not a very nice thing to say. Thyra is trying to help you know."

"Humpf" Aurora turned, burying her face in her father's chest.

The remainder of dinner passed in a mix of laughter and light-hearted banter, especially after Aurora's outburst, leaving Thyra wondering how a little girl had managed to silence her.

Eventually, the time came for Aron to retire for the night. He bid everyone goodnight and went to his room with Aurora, who refused to leave his side, sleeping soundly for the first time in her father's embrace.