Daughter, let me say sorry first!

Karina glared angrily at Lettia.

Lettia trembled in fear, not even daring to look her mother in the eyes. Karina’s breathing steadied, and she looked at Lettia’s face with mocking amusement.

“Leya, do you know how much I’ve suffered looking for you all these years?”

“Mo– Mother, I hope you’ve been well?”

“You still remember I’m your mother, do you!” Karina clenched her fist. “Back then, such a sweet little bride came to your door. Even if you didn’t marry her, that was one thing— but you actually ran away from home? Running away is one thing, but you were gone for five hundred years! How do you expect this mother to hold her head high?”

“Uh… Mother…”

“For this matter alone, how many times have I had to apologize to the elves?” Karina furrowed her brows. “Yes, our Dragon Clan is powerful. No one dares confront us head-on. But things cannot be handled that way, can they?”

“Uh… sorry…”

“You were already engaged to the elven girl. On the wedding day, the bride was waiting— yet the groom was nowhere to be found! When they searched, all they found was your letter saying you’d run away from home. Everyone present was stunned. Their looks stabbed me all over…”

Lettia had no words, only staring at her mother as she vented her fury.

“Tell me— tell me how I could possibly have such a rebellious daughter as you?”

Karina suddenly lunged, swinging her fist straight at Lettia’s stomach.

The furious punch roared past. Lettia barely dodged, making Karina miss, but Lettia had little strength left.

If it came to direct combat, Lettia couldn’t match Karina.

After all, Karina was the Dragon Empress.

For Lettia to fight her on equal terms, she’d need at least another thousand years.

Of course, Lettia was Karina’s own daughter.

Karina wouldn’t truly hurt her— this was just a bit of discipline.

Her punches carried only ten percent of their usual force.

Even if they landed, they wouldn’t normally harm Lettia.

But that was under normal conditions.

Lettia had just given birth to her daughter. Her body was still frail.

In human terms, it was like she was still in her postpartum confinement.

Her body was naturally weak. If Karina hit her, Lettia would surely cough blood and be bedridden for months.

But Lettia didn’t want Karina to learn the truth, so she had no choice but to keep dodging with difficulty.

Karina threw punch after punch, but Lettia slipped away each time. During this “sparring,” Karina grew suspicious— Lettia’s speed had dropped a lot.

“Lettia, what have you been doing all these years? Were you asleep for five hundred years?”

“How could I possibly sleep that long?”

“Then why has your strength dropped so much?” Karina demanded angrily. “Don’t you have the pride of the Dragon Clan? We are the ones who must guard the seal!”

“I… I know…”

“No, you don’t! I’ll make you remember the mission of the Dragon Clan!”

Karina closed the distance in a flash. This time she put in some real effort.

Lettia couldn’t dodge. The furious punch tore through the air.

Lettia tried to summon a magical shield, but Karina was too fast.

The punch struck her abdomen dead-on.

Lettia felt bile rise in her throat. Before she could react, she was sent flying.

She arced through the sky in a sharp diagonal, crashing hard into the crater.

Incidentally, this was the same crater left by the Dragon Emperor’s Explosive Flame Slash.

Lettia’s whole body ached. Blood trickled from her lips.

She tried to stand, but her body shook violently, as if several bones had broken.

Karina landed proudly beside her.

“Hmph, let’s see where you run this time…”

But Karina’s smile froze, her face turning pale.

“Lettia… you’re not pretending, are you?”

“M– Mother…” Lettia called weakly.

“Ahhh, look what I’ve done!”

Karina rushed to her daughter’s side, crouching down to check her injuries.

She wasn’t faking— several ribs were indeed broken, and her shoulder blade was shattered from the impact.

“How could you have become this weak…” Karina was on the verge of tears. “I’m sorry, I hit too hard. Let me treat you right away…”

Karina pulled a Panacea from her dimensional storage, uncorked it, and carefully fed it to Lettia.

Lettia’s half-closed eyes fluttered, and she instinctively swallowed the medicine.

The Panacea tasted sweet, like chilled mixed fruit juice.

A green glow spread over Lettia’s body. Her wounds gradually began to heal.

Her mind cleared somewhat, and she suddenly coughed several times, spitting up a little blood.

“Y– you’re okay, right?” Karina asked with teary eyes.

“Mother… your hand was a little too heavy…”

“I didn’t know you’d gotten so weak… Right, there’s a cave nearby. Let’s go there to rest, shall we?”

The moment Karina mentioned the cave, Lettia’s spirit shot up.

There was only one cave on this mountain— Lettia’s home. If it were just her, that was fine, but Lili and her daughter were living inside.

Karina had long yearned to hold a grandchild. And Lili’s body had been “blessed,” giving birth to a healthy, plump daughter in one try!

Her own mother had taken years to conceive Lettia.

If Karina discovered Lili, she’d definitely treasure her, cradling her in her palms.

Then Lettia’s revenge would be impossible, and Lili could even tattle on her!

Karina was famous for spoiling outsiders.

She might beat her own daughter, but she would surely dote on Lili.

If that happened, Lettia’s place in the family would…

The thought alone left her frustrated.

The great pride of the Dragon Clan must not be trampled by Lili!

“Mother, in fact, I have something I want to show you.”

“Oh? What is it, speaking so seriously?”

“You’ll definitely like this…”

Lettia opened her dimensional storage and pulled out a gray sphere.

Karina took the sphere, turning it this way and that, but couldn’t figure it out.

Just as she looked up, she noticed Lettia had already moved twenty meters away.

“Sorry, Mother, but I must apologize in advance!”

“What…” Karina froze— then the smoke bomb exploded in her hand.

With a loud bang, thick gray smoke billowed out, reeking of gunpowder.

Karina choked and coughed, her eyes watering.

This was the special smoke bomb Lettia had prepared long ago.

She had expected her mother would come searching, so she’d readied countermeasures— non-lethal ones like smoke bombs and other tricks.

Mother and daughter could quarrel, but they would never truly harm each other.

And dragons were naturally resilient— fists and kicks were everyday family affairs.

“This… this wretched daughter!” Karina waved her hand, a fierce wind sweeping the smoke away.

She searched everywhere for Lettia’s shadow, but found nothing.

Lettia had already hidden her presence and fled, leaving Karina stomping in rage.

“Don’t think you can run!” Karina shouted. “Today I will drag you back— and marry you to that little fox bride!”