With his business concluded, Sylas departed, feeling the chill of the weather as he left the territory. He calculated the date—it had been precisely one year since he'd left his family. Watching the snow fall from the sky, Sylas smiled.
"Well, it's about ti to return."
It was a triumphant return.
At the lord's castle of the Corleone family, Count Bill Corleone sat in his office, repeatedly rubbing his temples.
"Is this really true?" he muttered.
"There's no doubt, my lord. It's not hearsay; everything has been personally verified."
"Is there any chance of exaggeration?"
"Unlikely. Both nobles and commoners alike gave identical accounts."
"Hah…" Bill exhaled heavily. A few months after Sylas had left, the Count had sent a trusted knight to investigate his son's activities. He had been curious, after all; how could he not be, with the potential of his son's future unfolding? But the reports he'd received defied all expectations.
"So, in the west, he installed Sir Ray as Count, rescued the Elven Princess, and established a trade route that revitalized the region? And as if that wasn't enough, he then went north, involved himself in a royal succession dispute, swallowed the heart of the dragon left by the hero Godfrey, and earned the title of Dragonslayer by slaying a hydra and six fla dragons?"
Count Bill's eyes trembled as he read the report. Could this truly be an objective account, or had soone ripped pages out of an old heroic novel?
"My son… Just what on earth have you been doing?"
Count Bill reflected on the past year. When he'd first received reports of Sylas's exploits in the west, he'd assud there must have been so misunderstanding. The scale of the achievents was simply too vast.
"There's probably so exaggeration or contributions from others mixed in," he had thought. He trusted his knights, of course, but it was possible they had misinterpreted or overstated events. Bill believed he'd get a clearer picture once Sylas himself returned.
But things quickly escalated from there.
"What? He participated in a succession dispute in the north?"
"Yes! He consud a dragon's heart from an ancient ruin and slew three dragons…"
"Be reasonable! A dragon sighting is a once-in-a-lifeti event. And you're telling he killed five of them? And what is this about a dragon's heart in a ruin?"
Bill was convinced there was soone embellishing the reports. He ordered a thorough investigation to root out any fabrications, but the knights who had been summoned swore on their honor.
"We swear we've never spoken a word of falsehood!"
"How could Your Excellency doubt our chivalry?"
Bill was struck speechless by their genuine distress. These were loyal knights who would never lie. So, were the stories simply wild rumors that had spiraled out of control? Yet the scale of the tales was too grand to be dismissed as re gossip.
"Conduct a ticulous investigation," he ordered. "Don't rely on hearsay. Bring back solid information!"
But before the investigation team could depart, visitors arrived from the north.
"I greet you, descendant of the great Red Dragon. I have co on behalf of Prince Bjorn, the new king of the north."
"The pleasure is mine. Convey my congratulations to His Highness on his ascension. But may I ask, what brings you all the way to the east?"
"It is because of the hydra that Sir Sylas vanquished. Such an achievent deserves recognition, so we've brought one of the hydra's heads as proof."
"…!"
Bill gaped as nine massive skulls, each from one of the hydra's heads, were presented before him. Each head was larger than most wild beasts. While Bill and his household stood speechless, the visiting noble apologized with a bow.
"I'm sorry. We actually wished to bring one of the six fla dragons Sir Sylas also defeated, but it was impractical to transport…"
"W-wait a mont. Six? Sylas killed six fla dragons?"
"Didn't you know? I thought you were already aware."
"I'd only heard about three…"
"It was six. Including the hydra, he's slain seven dragons in total. It seems the rumors have been greatly understated."
Bill nearly collapsed in shock. He managed to maintain his composure in front of the guests, but the full impact of what he'd heard left him dazed.
"We plan to reassemble the bones of the six fla dragons slain by Sir Sylas and put them on display in the north. Perhaps you'll visit us one day to see them."
The northern envoy went on, explaining how they'd had to strip away decayed flesh and carefully preserve the bones, though they regretted not being able to bring a full dragon as a gift. Bill quickly arranged a welcoming reception for the envoy and sent him on his way. But soon after, another report arrived from the investigation team he'd dispatched. This one contained even more astonishing details.
"Honestly, I don't even know what to think anymore," Bill sighed, setting the report down. By now, he couldn't tell where the exaggerations ended and the truth began.
"I still can't fully believe it. If not for those hydra skulls, I'd be doubting everything."
"Indeed, I feel the sa," agreed the knight beside him.
Who wouldn't? Killing even one dragon was a legendary feat. But Sylas had slain seven. Among them was a hydra, a creature far beyond the ordinary, and he had cut down six fla dragons in battle.
"I wonder what kind of journey he's been on to experience such grand adventures."
"Well, you'll be able to ask him directly soon. He's set to return."
"Good. To be honest, I'm dying of curiosity."
While Bill was astounded by his son's incredible deeds, he was also filled with pride. For now, he simply looked forward to hearing the tale directly from Sylas.
"At least there's one bit of good news."
"Good news, my lord?"
"I an that there's nothing left that could surprise now."
The knight gave him a puzzled look as Bill chuckled.
"I've had enough shocks to last a lifeti in just one year. I doubt anything else will astonish for quite a while."
"Haha, well said, Your Excellency."
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