Chapter 555: At My Side or in My Way Part Two

Alister’s eyes lingered on him for a moment longer before shifting, a subtle change softening the tension in the air.

"Good. Now, with that out of the way..." His tone shifted, almost amused, though still carrying a regal weight. "...you are going to have to reintroduce me to my granddaughter. She gave me quite the hard time. I don’t know how I let her get away with so much, because now my pride feels somewhat trampled."

Yu’Keto blinked, his expression flickering with confusion.

"Your... granddaughter?" he repeated, unsure. Then, realization struck him, freezing him mid-breath.

"Aiko..." he whispered, the name slipping out like a guilty admission. His silver eyes darted toward his father, trembling just slightly.

"Ah... Father, she is young and foolish. Please, don’t take what she did to heart."

Alister’s golden eyes gleamed faintly, his lips curling into the hint of a smile.

"I can’t help but wonder what sort of face she’ll make. In truth, I actually look forward to it. But on a side note..." his gaze sharpened with playful reproach, "...how did you raise her to end up like that? I’m certain she didn’t inherit any of those traits from me, so is there a secret side to you you’ve been hiding all this while?"

Yu’Keto gave a weak chuckle, scratching the back of his neck as if trying to deflect the weight of his father’s words.

"She actually takes after her mother... not me."

Alister’s gaze lingered on Yu’Keto, golden eyes narrowing slightly as he caught the faint weariness hidden behind his son’s expression. A knowing smile curved his lips.

"It seems you’ve had a quarrel."

Yu’Keto stiffened, visibly shocked. "How... how did you know?"

Alister chuckled softly, his tone warm yet edged with authority.

"Come now. What sort of father cannot see through his son? I suppose she’s the reason you don’t want humanity destroyed."

Yu’Keto hesitated, his silver eyes flickering away. "I wouldn’t go that far—"

Alister tilted his head, voice pressing firmly. "Really?"

Yu’Keto sighed, shoulders slumping slightly. "...Well, she is. But—"

Alister suddenly threw back his head and laughed, the sound rolling like thunder across the sky.

"To reconsider the importance of an entire species for the sake of one bond... women truly are powerful."

Alister suddenly placed a firm yet gentle hand on Yu’Keto’s shoulder. His golden eyes softened.

"Use this opportunity to make amends. I want to see you smile again... like you used to."

Yu’Keto’s eyes widened, momentarily stunned by his father’s words. For a breath, silence hung between them. Then, slowly, a faint smile broke across his face—hesitant, but genuine.

"...I’ll try, Father."

Alister studied him for a moment longer. He caught the fragile shimmer lingering in Yu’Keto’s eyes, a quiet vulnerability that not even centuries of strength could hide. With a small sigh, he relented.

"Oh, alright then." His tone lightened, carrying just a trace of warmth. "Come. Let’s go home. Our family and our guild are waiting for us down there."

Golden light rippled across the dome as Alister turned his gaze toward the city below.

Both of them descended toward the castle. In the courtyard below, all awaited their return—the dragon generals standing proud, the guild members gathered in anticipation, and among them, Alister’s sister, Miyu.

Yu’Keto’s silver eyes flickered toward her, lingering for a moment before he leaned closer to whisper in Alister’s ear.

"How am I supposed to refer to her?"

Alister stroked his chin thoughtfully, a finger resting beneath his jaw as his golden eyes narrowed in consideration.

"Good question..." he mused, then smirked lightly. "I suppose she’s technically your aunt now."

Yu’Keto blinked at his father’s words, his lips parting as if to argue, but no reply came. His expression twisted, equal parts disbelief and resignation.

"...My aunt?" he muttered under his breath, glancing once more at Miyu as though seeing her in an entirely new light.

Alister’s smirk widened faintly. "Yes. And don’t give me that look. Family ties have their own way of weaving themselves, whether we are ready to acknowledge them or not."

As they set down in the courtyard, the gathered assembly stirred. Dragon generals lowered their heads, their armor gleaming faintly beneath the golden dome’s glow. Guild members of the White Comets stepped back in formation, their faces etched with pride and awe at their guildmaster’s return. And at the center, Miyu stood still, her long hair swaying with the breeze, her sharp eyes locked firmly on Alister.

The weight of her stare was almost challenging, though beneath it lingered something else—a flicker of relief.

"Brother," Miyu greeted, her voice calm but threaded with emotion she carefully kept hidden.

Alister inclined his head, his golden eyes softening ever so slightly. "Miyu. You held the line while I was away. For that, you have my gratitude."

Miyu looked mildly annoyed as she said, "Held what line? You basically delegated me to evac duty. I didn’t land a single attack out there."

"Forget the small details," Alister said dismissively.

"Yeah no, this isn’t what we agreed to. What kind of big brother can’t even keep his words?"

"Umm, the one that loves you and doesn’t want you to die? What, should I have let you charge in headfirst against opponents even I would have had a hard time handling?"

"Now you’re just giving excuses!" she replied sharply.

Yu’Keto watched this exchange quietly, his gaze shifting between the two. A part of him wanted to step back, to let this family moment stand untouched. Yet Miyu’s sharp eyes soon caught his, and for a fleeting instant, he felt the weight of her judgment.

He leaned slightly toward Alister, whispering again. "Aunt or not... she doesn’t seem like the type to understand such change in relationship dynamics easily."

Alister chuckled low in his throat. "Then you’ll just have to prove yourself to her. She values strength, but more than that—resolve." He patted Yu’Keto’s shoulder once more, his voice dropping lower. "You’ve already chosen your path. Don’t falter now."

Before Yu’Keto could respond, one of the dragon generals, Terra, stepped forward, her golden-scaled armor glinting beneath the courtyard torches. "My lord, how are we to regulate the humans? The people await your word."

Alister’s eyes swept across the courtyard, past generals and guild alike, before rising once more toward the shining dome above. His golden gaze hardened, his voice carrying with effortless command.

"Just assign one of the guildmasters to handle it, and they can report to you. No need to make things complicated."

Terra bowed as she said, "Understood, my lord."