The great hall was deathly silent.

Eliot’s body lay on the cold floor tiles, his wide-open eyes reflecting the ornate ceiling. Blood slowly spread out from under him.

The stench of blood began to fill the air.

Raylo stood several meters away, his expression calm.

Not a single drop of blood had stained him.

He had controlled the terrifying lightning and the lethal sword light with perfect ease and precision.

It was this very nonchalance that sent a chill through the hearts of everyone present.

The power he had displayed was merely the tip of the iceberg, yet it was enough to crush an Earth Knight who had held the rank for several years.

Angmar Duke’s face was ashen.

He looked at his nephew’s body, his eyes first filled with disbelief, then with profound sorrow.

He had come in person, never imagining he would be taking back a cold corpse.

"Take... take the body for burial."

Count Gaius’s voice broke the suffocating silence.

He waved to the Knights outside the hall.

Two Knights walked in swiftly, carefully lifted Eliot’s body, covered it with a white cloth, and then departed just as quickly.

The floor of the great hall was quickly cleaned, as if nothing had happened.

But the faint, lingering smell of blood, and the empty space where Eliot had fallen, served as a constant reminder of the brief, brutal duel.

"Aiden, about this matter..."

Angmar Duke’s voice was hoarse. He seemed to want to say something, but in the end, it was only a heavy sigh.

"Eliot brought this upon himself."

Aiden Duke was expressionless, merely giving a slight nod.

Amidst the heavy atmosphere, Angmar Duke had his subordinates pay Graves’s ransom, preparing to leave Thunder Dragon City.

As he reached the entrance of the great hall, he suddenly stopped.

He turned and gave Aiden Duke a deep look.

"Aiden, as a friend of many years, there is something I must remind you of."

His voice was very low, tinged with a strange weariness.

"Recently, the winds have shifted over at the Holy See. Their attitude toward Giant Dragons... has taken a sharp downturn. Be careful and prepare yourself."

After speaking, he didn’t linger, disappearing into the sunlight outside the hall with his few attendants.

His departing figure seemed exceptionally desolate.

’The Holy See?’

Aiden Duke’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly before his expression returned to calm.

He had, of course, already heard the rumors and had been troubled by this matter recently, but now was not the time to discuss it.

He turned, his gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally landing on Raylo.

His expression was complex.

"Everyone."

The Duke’s voice echoed through the great hall, instantly capturing everyone’s attention.

"Today’s events, I am sure you have all witnessed. My son, Raylo, has defended the honor of the Duchy with his outstanding courage and wisdom."

At this moment, the way he addressed Raylo had changed.

He paused, his gaze turning sharp. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"I, Aiden Thunder Dragon, in the name of the Duke of Thunder Dragon, hereby declare that from this day forward, Raylo Thunder Dragon is officially invested as the Crown Prince of the Thunder Dragon Duchy!"

Crown Prince!

The words struck the minds of all the nobles like a clap of thunder.

The entire great hall was instantly in an uproar.

Although many had anticipated this, the impact of the decision being spoken aloud by the Duke was still unparalleled.

The nobles’ gazes all snapped toward Raylo.

Envy, jealousy, awe—a whole spectrum of emotions.

From this day on, this young man was the future master of the Duchy.

Raylo stood his ground, his expression still calm.

He was not ecstatic over this sudden, immense honor, nor did he make a show of refusing it.

He simply bowed slightly in the Duke’s direction.

"I will obey your will, Father."

He did not refuse and readily adopted the change in address.

’Adults shouldn’t dwell on the past, but look to the future.’

Becoming the Crown Prince meant he would have greater power and more resources, allowing him to do more of what he wanted.

This calmness, in turn, deepened the look of approval in Aiden Duke’s eyes.

’Neither arrogant nor rash, unfazed by favor or disgrace. This is the bearing a Crown Prince should have.’

"Very good."

Aiden Duke nodded.

Raylo raised his head and met the Duke’s gaze.

"Father, the development of Black Stone Territory has only just begun. I wish to return to my territory and continue to guard the Northern Territory and expand our borders for the Duchy."

These words once again took everyone by surprise.

’He was just named Crown Prince, yet instead of staying in the center of power to consolidate his position, he wants to go back to that barren, frontier territory?’

But Aiden Duke revealed a smile that said, ’I knew it.’

He walked down the steps, came before Raylo, and clapped him on the shoulder.

"I agree."

He agreed to Raylo’s request without hesitation.

"Your territory is the future shield of the Duchy. I will support you with all my strength."

With that, he turned to Count Gaius.

"Gaius, select a hundred-man squadron from the Thunder Dragon Knight Order to serve as His Highness the Crown Prince’s personal guard. They are to accompany him to Black Stone Territory immediately."

"Yes, Your Grace."

Gaius bowed and accepted the order.

After the investiture ceremony, Raylo took his leave of the Duke.

Before he left, Aiden Duke stopped Raylo in the castle courtyard.

At this moment, there were no other nobles here, only the father and son.

"Raylo."

The Duke looked at his son, a hint of expectation in his eyes.

"I saw the duel just now. You have an astonishing affinity for and control over the Lightning Element."

He paused, then changed the subject.

"The young Thunder Dragon in Thunder Dragon City has yet to find a suitable partner. Would you... be willing to try the bonding ritual one more time?"

Clearly, Raylo’s masterful Lightning Magic had rekindled the Duke’s hopes.

The Duke of Thunder Dragon with a Thunder Dragon partner—this was the glory of their family’s heritage.

If Raylo could bond with a Thunder Dragon, his position as Crown Prince would be completely unshakeable.

Upon hearing this, Raylo gently shook his head.

"Father, I have already found my own path."

Raylo’s voice was firm.

It wasn’t that he was unwilling, but he knew that Moonlight would surely not allow him to bond with another Thunder Dragon.

Aiden Duke saw the Golden Dragon Sun waiting for Raylo to one side of the Royal Palace.

In the sunlight, its golden scales shimmered, radiating a powerful aura far beyond that of an ordinary Giant Dragon.

The Duke was silent for a moment, then laughed in understanding.

’That’s right, there’s more than one path.’

’Who says the partner of a Duke of Thunder Dragon must be a Thunder Dragon?’

’A powerful Golden Dragon as the Crown Prince’s partner... seems acceptable as well.’

When a Knight and their Giant Dragon partner are perfectly compatible, the result isn’t simple addition—it’s a sublimation of their power.

For example, the Duke himself, after reaching the Domain Level and mastering the Frenzy Domain, was able to fuse it with his Thunder Dragon partner’s Thunderbolt Domain. This fusion resulted in a direct sublimation of power, giving him the confidence to face even a Catastrophe Level threat.

This was the effect achieved when a Knight and a Giant Dragon partner were sufficiently compatible.

In contrast, Gaius, who had grown up with him and also reached the Domain Level, was powerful in his own right and had also bonded with a Thunder Dragon partner. However, because his Iron Wall Domain and his partner’s Thunderbolt Domain were not compatible enough, they fought as separate entities. While powerful, they could not achieve a qualitative transformation.

"I understand."

The Duke nodded, no longer insisting.

"Go. Let the entire Continent see your brilliance."

Raylo bowed again, then turned and strode toward the exit of the Royal Palace.