Afterward, Logan made his way back to the balcony where his parents and the others were seated.
The moment he arrived, Alice rushed up to him and wrapped him in a tight embrace again. "You were incredible, honey. I can't even put into words how proud I am," she said, her voice trembling as tears filled her eyes.
For Logan, this tournament had been nothing more than a stepping stone, a calculated move toward a much larger goal. To convince the other kingdoms so that they would stop dungeon raids for the moment, he had to do this. But for his mother, it meant something far more profound.
It was what every parent longed for, to see their child grow, stand tall, and shine brightly before the world.
It was an unspoken dream shared by all parents: to watch their children walk ahead of their peers, to see them achieve what once seemed impossible.
