CHAPTER 51: CHAPTER : 51: THE GOBLIN KING’S WARNING!

The knock lingered like a drumbeat. Firm. Heavy.

Everyone turned toward the door at once.

"Sir... may I enter?" came the voice.

It was gravelly, old and worn but still iron-strong.

Aiden chuckled weakly. "Guess I don’t get a break, huh?"

Luna sniffled against his shoulder, refusing to let go. "If it’s who I think it is, Master, then he’s the last person you should joke with right now..."

The door creaked open.

Throk Grimclaw stepped through.

He wasn’t in his grand battle armor—no shining steel, no cloak of trophies—but the air around him was no less suffocating. Even in lighter gear, a simple leather harness and steel greaves, he looked every bit the king. His scars showed clearer this way: the long slash across his cheek, the twisted claw-marks at his neck, and the milky cloud in his left eye that never quite dulled his stare.

His one good eye swept the chamber in an instant. He saw everything: Luna clinging like ivy to Aiden’s chest, Ivy perched beside him with puffed cheeks, Lysandra seated with her gown still neat despite exhaustion, Leona in the center of the bed gripping Aiden’s blanket, and Fluffynugget puffed up like a sentinel at the foot.

Throk grunted. It wasn’t anger, wasn’t joy. Just acknowledgment.

"Hmph. So the boy wakes. About time."

He didn’t wait for an invitation. He strode in, boots heavy, and dropped onto the nearest chair with a sound that made the wood groan. His presence filled the room like smoke.

---

Checking on Aiden

Throk leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands like boulders clasped together. He fixed Aiden with that lone, piercing eye.

"You alive enough to stand if I ordered it?"

It wasn’t gentle. Not a "how are you feeling?" or "are you in pain?"—just the blunt tone of a commander measuring another soldier.

Aiden smirked, "Well, y’know... being crushed by a dragon-boss is just a scratch."

Lysandra’s crimson eyes narrowed, her lips tight. "You think that’s amusing?"

"Master!" Luna smacked his chest lightly, tail lashing. "That’s not funny! You scared me half to death!"

Even Ivy frowned, wagging a small finger. "Onii-chan, jokes don’t heal bones."

Aiden groaned dramatically. "You all sound like my doctors."

Throk’s eye glittered, and the corner of his scarred mouth twitched upward. A smirk. Small, but unmistakable. "Hah. Still got your tongue. Good. Means I don’t have to bury you yet."

Aiden scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Appreciate the vote of confidence, Your Majesty."

But Throk’s humor didn’t linger. His shoulders squared, and his tone shifted low.

---

"You kissed her," Throk said suddenly, his gaze sliding toward Lysandra.

The room went quiet.

Aiden didn’t flinch. Instead, he nodded. "...Yeah. I did."

Lysandra’s face lit crimson. "F-Father!"

But Throk didn’t stop. His voice was steady, like a hammer striking an anvil. "Then you know what that means, boy."

Aiden exhaled slowly, meeting Throk’s gaze head-on. "I do. In your culture... a kiss is a vow. A binding promise of marriage." His eyes flicked toward Lysandra, softening. "And I accepted it."

Lysandra froze, her hands trembling as she covered her lips. Her heart pounded loud enough she was sure everyone could hear. "...S-Sir Aiden..."

Luna’s eyes widened, her grip on Aiden tightening immediately. She practically climbed into his lap, hugging him possessively. "Master’s mine too!" She puffed her cheeks, glaring at Lysandra like a cat ready to hiss.

Aiden sighed but didn’t shake Luna off, instead resting a calming hand on her head. "Luna... you’re my wife too."

Throk’s grin spread wide, teeth flashing. "Two wives, eh? You’ve got guts, boy. I like it."

Luna pouted fiercely, tugging at Aiden’s shirt. "I’m wife too! I was here first! Hmph!"

Aiden chuckled softly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "...Guess I’ll just have to take responsibility for both of you."

Lysandra’s breath hitched, her heart fluttering. Luna flushed scarlet but didn’t let go.

Throk threw his head back, laughter like rolling thunder.

Throk’s laughter faded, rumbling into silence. His lone eye shifted to the small figure curled against Aiden.

Leona, the little dragonkin, was nestled by his side, her tiny claws tangled in the blanket as if afraid someone might take him away. Her small wings gave a faint twitch, and she peered up at the towering goblin king with wide, cautious eyes.

Throk’s tone softened—not much, but enough to make the room still. "Lysandra tells me you have taken her in."

Aiden blinked. "Taken her... in?"

Before he could piece it together, Lysandra stepped forward, her chin lifted though her hands trembled faintly at her sides. "Yes. I did it. She is ours now. I already claimed her as my daughter while you slept."

Her words struck like a declaration, firm and unshakable.

Throk studied Leona for a long moment, his scarred face unreadable. Then, with surprising care, he extended one massive, battle-worn hand. Slowly. Almost reverently. His palm lowered until it rested gently atop the little dragonkin’s head.

The whole room tensed—Aiden, Luna, even Ivy, who had been clinging quietly at the edge of the bed. But Leona only blinked, then let out a soft, instinctive hum, leaning into the touch.

Throk’s scarred mouth twitched—not quite a smile, but close. His voice rumbled low, carrying weight. "Then she is blood. And if she is blood... then she is my granddaughter."

A hush fell over the chamber.

Leona tilted her head, blinking at Lysandra. Slowly, carefully, she formed a word, her tiny voice uncertain but clear: "...Mummy."

The single word struck harder than any axe.

Lysandra froze, crimson eyes wide. Her lips parted, but no sound came. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth as tears welled up despite her will to hold them back. When she finally found her voice, it cracked, trembling.

"...She... she called me mummy."

Her composure—always regal, always firm—crumbled to pieces in that instant. Tears slipped between her fingers as her shoulders shook.

Leona turned again, tugging faintly at Aiden’s blanket. Her bright eyes searched his, steady this time. "...Daddy."

Aiden’s throat closed. He reached out slowly, brushing her cheek with the back of his hand, his voice rough but gentle. "Yeah, kiddo... Daddy’s here."

The raw emotion in the room might have stretched forever—if not for Luna.

The wolf-girl puffed out her cheeks dramatically, her ears twitching furiously. "Master! It’s not fair! I want a baby too!"

The silence shattered like glass.

Ivy broke into squeaky giggles, clutching her belly. Fluffynugget squeaked so loud it sounded like a broken flute. Even Throk, the scarred goblin king, barked out a booming laugh that rattled the walls.

Lysandra covered her burning face with both hands, utterly mortified. "F-Father! Don’t laugh at this!"

When the laughter died down, Throk leaned forward again, his eye sharp.

"Boy," he said flatly. "She may be your wife now... but she is still my daughter. If you break her heart, I’ll take your head myself."

"Father!" Lysandra nearly toppled out of her chair, face as red as her eyes. "Don’t say such things in front of him!"

Aiden chuckled weakly, raising a hand in surrender. "Fair enough, Your Majesty. I promise—I’ll protect her. Always."

Throk studied him. Long. Hard. The silence stretched.

Finally, Throk gave a grunt. Approval.

"Now," Throk said, his voice turning grim, "to the matter at hand."

The warmth of family drained away, leaving only the weight of his words.

"The Hobgoblin Kingdom has learned of your... Interference."

Aiden smirked. "Ohh."

Throk’s jaw tightened. "Worse. The Hobgoblin Prince has long desired Lysandra as his bride. Years. He has pursued her as a claim of power. The moment he heard she chose another—worse, a human outsider—he declared war."

Silence.

Lysandra’s face went pale. Luna hissed under her breath, tail lashing. Ivy looked from face to face, confused but catching the tension. "War? Onii-chan... war means lots of monsters, right?"

Aiden asked. "...How long?"

Throk’s voice was iron. "One week. They will meet us on the field in seven days. We could hold them... but with you, boy, we could win."

Aiden’s chest tightened. He looked down at Leona, at her tiny hand curled into his blanket. At Luna clinging stubbornly to his side. At Ivy’s worried green face. At Lysandra, crimson eyes trembling with both fear and trust.

Slowly, he reached out and took Lysandra’s hand in his. Her fingers froze, then curled tightly around his.

He smirked, though his eyes burned with resolve. "You’re my father now too, aren’t you?"

Throk blinked. "...Hah."

"Then I swear—on my wife, and my child—I’ll protect this family. And I’ll protect your kingdom."

Leona squeezed his arm, whispering, "Daddy."

Luna hugged him tighter, tail swishing furiously. "Master... we’ll fight too!"

Ivy puffed her chest, though her lip trembled. "Onii-chan isn’t allowed to go without me."

Fluffynugget squeaked proudly, hopping in circles.

Lysandra’s eyes shone. Embarrassed, yes. But also deeply moved.

Throk’s booming laugh filled the chamber. "Good! Then let’s see if you’ve got the strength to back that mouth of yours."

---

Throk slowly rose to his feet, towering over the group with his usual imposing presence.

"...Thank you," he rumbled, his scarred features softening for just a fleeting moment. "For listening."

He gave a curt nod to each of them—Aiden, Luna, Lysandra, Ivy, Leona, and even the fluffy creature curled on the bed—before turning toward the door. Without another word, he left, his heavy steps echoing down the corridor until silence reclaimed the room.

The moment the door closed, Aiden exhaled and leaned back into the pillows, the tension leaving his shoulders.

"Finally," he muttered. "I thought he was going to start preaching again."

Luna snorted softly, nuzzling against his chest. "Be nice. He’s trying."

"Mm, maybe. But I think he just likes the sound of his own voice," Aiden teased.

Lysandra gave him a mock glare, her green eyes narrowing. "Careful, husband. That ’sound of his own voice’ kept me alive for years."

Aiden smirked, tightening his hold on both her and Luna. "Oh, don’t worry, I’ll be careful. Careful enough not to upset either of my scary wives."

Both women immediately flushed—Luna burying her face against him to hide the smile, Lysandra looking away with a huff that didn’t quite mask her embarrassment.

"Scary..." Luna murmured under her breath, pretending to pout.

"Don’t lump me in with her," Lysandra said at the same time, her ears twitching furiously.

Aiden chuckled, clearly pleased at how easy it was to get them both flustered. "See? I didn’t even need Throk. Teasing you two is all that I’ll ever need."

Leona let out a small, sleepy giggle from his lap, whispering "Daddy..." before curling tighter against him. Fluffynugget puffed up proudly as if to agree with Aiden’s statement.

The warmth of his family wrapped around him, and for a moment, he allowed himself to forget battles, dungeons, and war.

"Yeah..." he whispered with a grin, eyes drifting shut. "This is the kind of fight I actually enjoy.

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END OF Chapter : 51 : THE GOBLIN KING’S WARNING!

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A/N: Thank you, Dark_Xion_ and everyone who is still reading this novel. I am grateful for all of your supports.

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