Chapter 3739: Exclusive Club (Part 2) "Nobody taught her." Leegaain’s albino skin was paler than usual. "We never leave her alone and always change bad words into harmless ones." "Did she just swear in Dragontongue?" Raaz asked, obtaining several nods in reply. "If nobody taught her, how did she do it?" "Not all swear words are vulgar." Salaark explained. "Some are just a combination of normal words that aren’t socially acceptable. Elysia basically suggested Shargein to consume the contents of his diaper, were he to wear one." "And with a colorful wording at that!" Kamila said. "This is not how you must use your ingenuity and creativity, young lady." "Mama." Elysia sniffled in apology. "Sasa ba! Sasa ba!" "Shargein was just playing with you." Kamila replied. "He’s not bad, and your reaction was excessive. No,w apologize to your friend and promise never to say something like that again." "So-y." Elysia bowed her head, and Shargein accepted her apology. Then, he turned to his parents, who patted his head. "Never say those words, okay?" Leegaain asked. "Yes, Dad." "And maybe go easier on Elysia." Salaark said. "She’s younger than Valeron, and her human nature makes it hard for her to speak as well as you. She doesn’t like feeling left behind, and you mocking her for it only makes her feel worse." "Sorry, Ely." Shargein trotted to her side, hugging her. "Love you." "Sasa." The baby Tiamat nuzzled against the Wyrmling, licking his snout. "Glad this is resolved. Let’s hope we don’t have any more surprises for today." Lith sighed. "Yeah, right." Solus kept feeding Valeron and grunted at Lith. "I sure had more than enough of that for today." "Why are you grunting at Lith?" Rena asked. "Didn’t he tell you?" Solus replied with a joyful tone that sounded as genuine as a three-dollar bill. "When Lith and Valeron made up, our baby boy got his membership in the exclusive wings embrace club." She put Valeron on Lith’s lap, making the membranous wings pop out and wrap around him to emphasize the concept. "At first, it was just Kami, and I was okay with it because they are married. Then Elysia also got her wings-hug, and I was okay with it because she’s special. Then it was Elina’s turn, and now it’s Valeron’s." She sighed. "I wonder if my turn will ever come. I feel left out." "Welcome to our club." Raaz grumbled. "It’s not exclusive, but we have plenty of chairs." Tista glared at Lith. "Yeah, apparently it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve changed Lith’s diaper, sung him a lullaby, or read him a bedtime story. My little brother is stingy even about whom he hugs." Rena lowered her gaze in sadness. "Why don’t you love me, big bro?" Aran asked. "I do love you, little brother." Lith felt under a firing squad of disappointed gazes. "Also, it’s not something I do on purpose. My wings must have a mind of their own." "Indeed. You don’t have to feel bad about this." Elina’s wide smile and happy face didn’t match her words, making it clear she was bragging. "Dad!" Valeron giggled, his membership in the wings-hug club boosted his confidence. "It’s nice to see you smile again, Val." Raaz couldn’t stay mad for long at Lith. "It’s also a bit sad, though. Your frown was almost identical to Lith’s when he was your age." "Your father is right, sweetie." Elina nodded. "It was awful seeing Valeron so angry, yet it also made you two look like father and son." "Dad!" Valeron felt as happy at those words as Lith felt awful. ’Good Bohr, what kind of face did I do as a baby? How many people noticed my grumpy disposition?’ He looked around the table, discovering from the warm expression on his sisters’ faces that the answer was everyone. *** The following day, Protheus and Thrud’s Divine Beasts left the Verhen Mansion and returned to the Hydras’ secret lab. "Feel free to call us anytime, little brother." Protheus said. "Even if you just want company or to talk about Mother, we’ll come running." With the secret of Thrud’s and Jormun’s deaths exposed, the Divine Beasts didn’t have to worry about what they said or did anymore. They had willingly kept themselves away from Valeron the Second to protect him from the truth, but that was no longer necessary. Faluel, Ajatar, Bytra, and Zoreth, instead, came to visit Valeron now that the storm had passed. "I’m so sorry you had to go through so much, Uncle Val." The Hydra said. "I’m also sorry for not coming to your rescue. My communication amulet was off, and by the time Solus managed to contact me, everything was already over." "No pro!" Valeron shook his head, happy for the company and for being called an uncle because it made him feel important. "Don’t worry, Master Faluel, there was nothing you could have done." Friya sighed in embarrassment. "When Solus brought me to the remnants of the Warp Steps, the traces of the arrival point’s dimensional coordinates had been wiped out." "Are you saying I’m more useless than my own Harbinger?" Faluel grunted. "Now that I have seven heads as well, yes." Friya had the serpentine necks pop out of her neck and shoulders. "I’m a dimensional mage, you’re just heavy." "At least I didn’t let my temper expose my secrets to Dawn." The Hydra replied. "You were supposed to keep your powers as a Harbinger hidden until you needed them. You’re lucky she’s trustworthy. Sort of." "I’m sorry, Master Faluel." Friya’s cockiness crumbled at the mention of her blunder. "That was stupid of me." "I’m glad to see you are alright, my little nephew." Zoreth held the baby boy in her arms, using the Dragon Scales to share her relief with him. "You knew Dad?" Valeron asked. "Sadly, no." Zoreth replied. "We’ve never met, but I’m a firstborn of Leegaain, just like Jormun was. We are family, little one. We carry the same blood, and you can always count on your auntie." "Auntie!" Valeron hugged her, feeling a bit less alone. "Ti!" Elysia tried and failed to call for her aunt. She had met Zoreth first, and the Shadow Dragon was her godmother, whatever that meant. Elysia was certain she had the right to pull rank on her older brother. "Of course, baby girl." Zoreth adjusted Valeron in her left arm and lifted Elysia in her right. "You too can always count on me. I’ll always be there for you." "Ti!" Elysia puffed her chest out with pride after successfully calling dibs, making Valeron laugh. "What have you planned next, Lith?" Ajatar asked. "To enjoy this peace until it lasts." Lith replied. "There’s not much I can do until Meln shows up again, so I’m going to bring everyone to eat out tonight. We need to relax. Also, don’t worry, Val is willing to provide you with the Life Maelstrom for your experiments." "That’s not what I was asking." The Drake lied through his teeth. "Sure. And I believe you." Lith replied in kind. *** Meanwhile, in the park of the Mansion, Protector sat cross-legged on the ground with his children on either side, forming a semi-circle. Syrah, the Hati Queen, sat in front of him, forming the other half of the circle with her pups.