I Received System to Become Dragonborn-Chapter 1252: Breakfast

Silence lingered after their descent, filled only by the distant wind brushing across ruined ground.

For a few moments no one spoke because they were all just too tired, too drained, and still trying to accept that the pressure crushing the world moments ago was truly gone.

Billy finally let out a shaky laugh, rubbing his face with both hands.

"I thought... I really thought that was it for us."

Adrien nodded. "I feel the same. The air feels different and lighter now."

King Gulben looked up at the sky, his expression solemn but relieved.

"Whatever that battle above cost, it saved this world. For that, you have the gratitude of the Elves... and more than that, our lives."

Erend inclined his head slightly. He did not smile. The weight of Krono’s absence still pressed against his chest.

"Well, it’s over now," he said. "That’s what matters now."

Aurdis drifted closer to him, her eyes lingering on Erend longer than necessary.

She did not speak but the concern and relief in her gaze said enough.

Arty also stood beside Erend, exhaling slowly as if only now allowing herself to relax.

Aesa glanced around at the others, and choose to keep silent.

"There will be a celebration for tonight," King Gulben said quietly. "Everyone is exhausted."

No one disagreed.

They moved soon after, descending fully to the ground.

On the ground, healers were already tending to the collapsed soldiers and people. Fires were extinguished. Broken terrain slowly settled as lingering Magic faded away.

Thar’Zul-Vekar remained nearby, silent and watchful, their presence no longer oppressive but calm, like a forest after a storm.

By the time portals were opened and the group returned to the Elf Palace, night had already claimed the sky.

The palace stood illuminated by soft crystal light, its towers rising calmly as if untouched by the chaos beyond its borders.

The contrast felt unreal. Servants and guards froze when they saw them arrive battered and drained, before hurriedly moving to assist.

There were no speeches or formalities.

They were given rooms, clean water, and space to rest. Their armor was removed. Their weapons were set aside. One by one, they collapsed into sleep almost immediately after having dinner. Their bodies gave in to exhaustion the moment they felt safety again.

Erend lay awake a little longer than the others, staring at the ceiling as faint moonlight filtered through the windows.

Inside him, something new and unfamiliar flowed quietly. Krono’s time power rested there, steady and patient. It did not speak. It simply existed.

"We’ll use it well," he thought silently. "I promise."

Sleep eventually claimed him.

When dawn came, it did not come with thunder or dread.

Across the world, people began to wake with confusion rather than fear. Farmers stepped out of their homes and noticed the air no longer pressed against their lungs.

Merchants sensing the strange absence of the constant unease that had haunted them for days.

In human cities, people gathered in streets, murmuring softly. Some looked to the sky with unsure looks about why it seemed different.

The darkness had not vanished completely, but it had thinned. Where the sky had once been choked with hostile clouds, patches of pale blue now showed through.

Among the Aarakocra, wings stretched cautiously as they tested the air. The violent currents and warped winds were gone. Flight felt natural again.

In the Dwarven halls, runes that had glowed erratically finally dimmed, stabilizing into familiar patterns. The stone felt quiet and safe again.

No one truly understood what had happened.

There were no proclamations or universal announcements. Most would never know the name Zerathul the Gravebringer, nor the sacrifice of a Time Dragon who erased himself to protect existence.

But everyone felt the result.

The Magic in the air no longer felt heavy or poisoned. It flowed gently again, as it should. Crops that had wilted began to recover. Beasts that had grown aggressive calmed. Even the nights felt less suffocating.

By the second day, travelers began moving again. Trade routes reopened. Life resumed cautiously at first, then with growing confidence.

The danger was gone.

—

Back at the Elf Palace, the Dragonborn and their allies rested, healed, and slowly returned to themselves. Conversations would come later. Mourning too.

For now, at least they knew that the world had survived.

And somewhere within three Dragonborn, the time power flowed quietly onward, carrying the memory of one who gave everything so that all others could keep moving forward.

—

Erend woke as soft morning light filtered through the palace windows. His body was still painful in some places, but the crushing exhaustion from the battle no longer weighed him down.

After cleaning himself and changing into fresh clothes provided by the servants, he followed the familiar paths toward the palace garden.

The garden had been prepared for them. Long tables rested beneath blooming trees with branches filled with glowing leaves. Food covered every surface, some dishes Erend did not even recognize.

King Gulben had clearly spared no effort.

Eccar had already claimed his place.

He sat at the center of one table, eating with frightening enthusiasm. Plates emptied rapidly around him as servants hesitated nearby, unsure whether to intervene.

No one dared to say anything. Not even the king.

King Gulben simply watched with an amused smile, hands folded calmly in front of him.

"Erend!" Eccar called through a mouthful of food. Crumbs flew as he spoke. "This is good. Come on!"

"I am already here," Erend replied as he took a seat beside Arty. "Stop shouting with your mouth full. You are eating in front of the king, you damn barbarian."

Eccar swallowed loudly. "The king doesn’t mind," he said confidently. "Right, King?"

King Gulben let out a quiet sigh. "Yes. Do what you want."

That only encouraged Eccar further.

Some of the elven servants exchanged uneasy looks. To them, Eccar’s behavior likely seemed rude, almost offensive.

But Eccar was a Dragonborn, and when a Dragonborn decided to eat, etiquette became optional. No one tried to stop him again.

The rest of them began eating as well.

Billy leaned back with a satisfied groan after his second plate. Adrien ate more slowly, clearly savoring the calm. Aesa remained quiet, her expression distant, but she ate enough to regain her strength.

Saeldir and Aerchon spoke softly with Gulben, discussing repairs and recovery efforts across the kingdom.

Aurdis sat not far from Erend, her presence steady and comforting. She said little, but her occasional glances toward him carried warmth and reassurance.

For the first time since the battle, the atmosphere felt normal.

When breakfast finally ended, the tables were a mess of empty plates and half-finished cups. Everyone leaned back with full stomachs, letting the quiet morning settle around them.

Erend exhaled slowly and said. "I’ll be going home."

Arty, seated beside him, nodded without hesitation. "Yeah. Me too."

There was no argument. Everyone understood that they wanted to go home after what happened.

King Gulben inclined his head.

"You will always be welcome here," he said. "The Elf Palace and this world owes you more than words can express."

"Thank you, your majesty," Erend said.

A faint smile touched the king’s face.

Adrien and Billy, who also came from the same world as Erend, also get ready to go home.

For now, the problem is over.

—