Chapter 497: Level 20!
Vlad and Freya soared through the sky atop Fafnir’s colossal, flame-wreathed head. The biting wind whipped away by walls of heat dancing around them. Yet in spite of the majestic display—crimson fire blazing against the heavens—the atmosphere between them was hushed and tender.
They clasped hands silently, standing close as if neither required lofty proclamations nor grand gestures. It was enough simply to be together. Weeks or months earlier, they had endured the crucible of war, driving themselves to the point where every breath was a roar of power and desperation. Now that the Leviathan threat had subsided, tranquility felt like a luxury of immense value.
For a long while, neither Vlad nor Freya said a word. Fafnir, gliding with wide sweeps of his wings, focused on the distant horizon, determinedly scanning the clouds and land below. At last, the massive fire dragon’s gaze flicked back to the duo, his curiosity clearly piqued.
"You two are in love?"
His blunt question broke the silence like a hammer striking an anvil. The two warriors—who had faced endless waves of enemies and monstrous abominations—instantly found themselves blushing, as though they were inexperienced youths caught in an intimate moment.
Vlad recognized at once that Fafnir was not trying to embarrass them; he was an inquisitive newborn life form striving to understand the complexities of people’s hearts.
After several seconds in which neither Vlad nor Freya could find words, Vlad ultimately let out a small laugh, turning his gaze toward Freya with a calm and honest smile.
"Yes, we are."
Those simple words carried astonishing weight. Freya’s eyes glowed with warmth, love, and relief. She leaned her head against Vlad’s shoulder as a rush of affection passed between them.
However, the serenity of that tender scene lasted only a heartbeat before Fafnir’s next question arrived. "So when are you going to start making babies?"
Freya and Vlad practically choked on their own breath. They had only just formally acknowledged their mutual love moments ago—now the towering draconic figure was inquiring about procreation, an enormous leap forward.