“That was a good hunt.”
Kael spoke as he and Lavinia sat in front of the fire and ate what they had hunted. Today, they managed to kill six Magic Beasts, one for the two of them, the rest for Kael’s children.
Yes, those little things ate a lot, especially Igni. He loved eating meat, and Kael made sure that his firstborn brushed his teeth so that his mouth didn’t smell.
“It was.”
Lavinia nodded at his words as she stared into the fire.
“You were quite good.”
Kael praised openly. Honestly, because she was a princess, Kael believed that Lavinia would have a difficult time adjusting to the forest and hunting, and while it was true to some level, she adjusted much quicker than he expected.
In these past few days, no matter how weak or uncomfortable she felt, she never complained, not even once, and followed Kael’s instructions without holding him back. She was much more resilient and strong-willed than Kael expected.
Even today during the hunt, because of her magic, the hunt became much easier than what Kael expected. Her Silence Magic allowed him to go all out without having to worry about the Beasts’ allies.
Her Magic also restored the surroundings, making it look like nothing happened here. This, combined with Imperia, who constantly told him the location of isolated beasts, it had become almost impossible for them to fail.
“Thank you.”
Lavinia answered. Again, her answers were short, giving Kael the cue that she was no longer interested in talking since they were done with work.
He sighed and ate in silence. Since they had hunted and cooked the meat together, Kael no longer had to be the tester, and Lavinia ate her fill without problems.
Thunder Thunder Thunder
Suddenly, the clouds roared. Kael looked above and noticed the dark clouds had covered the sky.
“It will rain soon.”
He realized it.
“Eat fast.”
He instructed, and Lavinia nodded.
Luck, however, was not on their side. As they continued to eat, the first drop fell, and before they knew it, the rain got heavier and heavier.
In the end, they had no choice but to take shelter. Lavinia used Water Magic to put down the fire. Kael grabbed the uncooked meat and walked in, Lavinia followed.
Their cloaks were a little wet, but it wasn’t a big deal since they acted with haste. Lavinia used Fire Magic to quickly dry their cloaks, making sure they were not cold. She also cooked the rest of the uncooked meat, and while it wasn’t perfect because it was done using magic and not the suggested methods, it was still eatable.
Thunder Thunder Thunder
Outside, the clouds roared again. The rain got even heavier. Kael and Lavinia ate in dead silence. This was much more awkward because they weren’t in an inn where they could see other people eating around them.
Now, it was just the two of them, inside a small hut, in the middle of a forest, with no settlements nearby.
To hide his awkwardness, Kael looked around, observing the hut.
It was small and old, barely standing. Dust covered everything inside, from the floor to the walls. It had only one room, with no windows and just a single wooden door that creaked when opened. The roof was made of rough wood and dried leaves, and small gaps between the planks let thin beams of light and water in.
There was no furniture except for a short wooden bench and a shelf nailed to the wall. An empty bowl and a rusty spoon sat on the shelf, along with a cracked mug. A rolled-up blanket lay in the corner, showing that someone once used this place to sleep.
It was clear this hut had been used by a scout. It wasn’t built for comfort—just a place to rest, eat, and move on. The space was so small that even with just the two of them here, the space felt cramped. It was barely bigger than a king-sized bed.
Kael ate quickly. The silence was thick, almost uncomfortable, and he didn’t want to make it worse.
However, just as he summoned the Portal,
“Where are you going?”
Lavinia, who had been silent for a while, questioned. With how surprised she acted, it seemed like it was an unconscious action.
“I’ll go inside my Sanctuary, it will be more comfortable for both of us.”
Kael answered.
“…Okay.”
Lavinia nodded, but her eyes didn’t meet his. Instead, she looked down, her fingers tightening around the edge of her cloak. Kael noticed that and frowned,
“Don’t worry, as I said before, if something happens or if you need me, just say my name and I’ll be back. You are safe here.”
He spoke to ease her mood.
“I understand.”
Lavinia nodded, her head still hung low.
Kael paused for a moment, but in the end, he decided to enter his Sanctuary. He couldn’t sleep without his children anyways, plus, Lavinia was always more uncomfortable when he was not around.
The hut was also safe. Imperia’s Ants were spread all over the space. He would be alerted about the possible danger far before it could ever become a threat.
Everything was perfectly fine.
However, just as Kael was about to walk in, Vitaria, who was in his arms, jumped out and landed right in front of Lavinia.
“Father.”
The Fox called out.
“Vita?”
Kael frowned. Even Lavinia stared at the Fox with a slight frown.
“It is raining.”
She spoke.
“I like rain.”
“You do?”
“Yes.
I wish to sleep here.”
“Huh?”
Kael frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
He didn’t understand.
“I want to stay here.”
Vitaria repeated.
“But…”
Kael turned silent.
He obviously couldn’t let Vitaria be alone. He needed all his children in order to sleep. Obviously, Vitaria couldn’t sleep without him either, so…
Did she want them to not sleep in the Sanctuary?
While Kael looked at his daughter, the little Fox stared at Lavinia, making the princess frown. Kael, on the other hand, instantly understood what his daughter wanted.
“Vit—”
He tried to deny, but,
“Father, I wish to sleep here,” she repeated a third time. This time, her eyes gleamed with a meaning far deeper than her words.
Kael turned silent. He still had some reservations around Lavinia. This was the reason he hadn’t revealed all his Bonds in front of her, but then,
“I trust her, Father.”
Knowing what her father was thinking, Vitaria spoke up. Again, her voice sounded much more mature than it should be,
“Father should trust me as well.”
She spoke, and hearing her mature voice and looking at her meaningful eyes, Kael…
He gave in.
“Come out, all of you.”
He decided to reveal his biggest secret.