Chapter 280: I-I sleep better when I am with you.
“We should sleep early today.”
Kael spoke as he then turned towards Lavinia and,
“Although the chances of that happening are low, there are still a few who might try to attack us during the night, so I won’t be returning to the Sanctuary.
But you can sleep on the bed if you want, we will sleep on the floor.”
Igni had already chosen a spot that would be enough for everyone and had taken his position as the family’s pillow. Cirri was floating in the air, closely staring at her little brother sleeping.
Imperia was still on Vitaria’s head, and the Fox…
The Fox facepalmed in disappointment when she heard her father’s heartless words. Soon, however, she was pleasantly surprised.
“I-I sleep better when I am with you.”
Lavinia answered boldly. Her boldness, however, instantly vanished when Kael blinked at her in surprise and—
“I-I meant your Bonds! Lord Igni’s presence makes me feel safe. Lady Vitaria is good to me as well, and I sleep well knowing that Lady Imperia will know everything before it even happens and wake us up. Lady Cirri is adorable too. She still doesn’t allow me to touch her, but I am making progre—what I am saying is!
I sleep well when your Bonds are near me! It feels comfortable!”
“Right…”
Kael nodded, still a little taken aback.
For now, however, he had to take care of his sleeping son, so he stopped thinking about it and,
“Come sleep with me then.
The closer we are, the better.”
He shrugged as he then walked towards Igni and tried to place Nyrri on the floor right beside him.
Yes, tried to.
The sleeping Laviatharid, however, did not leave his father’s side and stuck to him like a giant koala. No matter how much Kael tried, he just couldn’t get the not-so-little guy to get away from him.
“He doesn’t wish to leave your side, even in his sleep.”
Imperia chuckled.
“I guess I have no other choice then, do I?”
Kael shook his head as he smiled helplessly. Of course, he was acting like this, but inwardly, he was enjoying every moment of it.
What father didn’t like his children clinging to him as tightly as they could?
With Nyrri now in his arms, he lay down.
“Will you be fine, Father?”
Igni questioned in worry. After all, Nyrri was just a bit shorter than him. Igni could tell he was heavy; it wouldn’t be easy for Kael to sleep with Nyrri on top of him.
“It’s okay. He doesn’t feel that heavy.”
Kael nodded. Once again, he had to thank his increased strength for this. Once Kael lay down, the others came as well, all taking their respective positions—Cirri and Vita on his left, Imperia on his head, and Lavinia on his right.
To an outsider, this may look extremely uncomfortable, but to Kael, this was the most comfortable he could ever be.
“Good night, people.”
He spoke lightly as he closed his eyes.
“Good night, Father.”
Igni answered as he and everyone else closed their eyes, entering the dreamlands.
…
“…so it happened.
Took him long enough.”
While Kael was awakening Nyrri’s Egg with his ability, far away from him, Veylara, who saw how the night sky had turned oceanic blue, smiled lightly, instantly knowing why it was happening.
Most of the time, Kael only activated his ability when most people would be asleep, so not many witnessed these strange occurrences in the sky. Yes, those who saw it did report it and the rumors did spread, but not many believed in them.
But now, it was different.
It wasn’t very late at night.
Most people were witnessing the oceanic blue sky at night with their own eyes, pointing at it with awe, reverence, and… dread.
There was confusion; many people started different rumors.
Some called this the sign of the world’s end; others called it Feraos’s blessing.
Veylara expanded her senses and heard the chaos, but then—
“Who are you talking about?”
She heard another voice.
The Demi-God turned around and saw her daughter walking into her room.
“Nothing, I was just talking to myself.”
Veylara shook her head.
There weren’t many who had linked this phenomenon to the time Kael forms a Bond yet. Veylara was probably the only one who had, partially because it also happened when she gave Kael the Duskmarch Ant Queen’s Egg.
Veylara wasn’t a fool. The number of times this happened and the timing of when it happened all matched with Kael forming new Bonds—it was obvious they were linked. She just did not question him because he seemed like he wanted to hide it.
And of course, since Kael wanted to hide it, Veylara didn’t say anything to her daughter either.
Elira raised her eyebrow at that answer, but she didn’t question it any further.
It was never easy for her to read her mother anyway; she had stopped trying a long time ago. Rather, she glanced at the magical sky through her window and,
“It is happening again, huh…”
She muttered.
“It is.”
Veylara nodded.
“I wonder what it means…”
“Who knows?”
“…some say it is the sign of the world’s end.”
“Some also say it is Lord Feraos’s blessing.”
At that reply, Elira turned towards her mother and questioned,
“Which one do you think is true?”
“I think it’s a blessing.”
“A blessing, huh…”
Elira momentarily lowered her head. Then, a wry smile appeared on her face and,
“It feels strange to think that way, especially when Feraos’s real blessing is nowhere to be seen.”
“…”
Veylara only stared at her daughter in silence.
She knew how much Kael’s disappearance had affected Elira. The girl had also stopped reading that strange book she used to read because she couldn’t focus.
Elira was worried that something might happen to Kael. After all, he was out there alone. There were too many eyes on him even when he was here; now that he is out, he has become an open target.
Veylara knew that Elira was trying to look for him using her own contacts. She even wrote to his Sigil every day, just like her, but…
None of them got any replies.
Kael had truly disappeared.
“Actually,”
Suddenly, Elira raised her head, her mouth twitching in annoyance.
“It is good he is hiding, because if I find him,
I will burn that kid alive.”
Veylara laughed at those words.
“He is probably stronger than you now, you know?”
She teased.
“As if! I don’t even have to use any spells to defeat him. I will punch him to death!”
Elira clenched her fists, as if she were prepared to punch through the world.
“You need to stop staying with your brother.”
Veylara sighed.
“Huh? What do you mean? Don’t you know how stupid he would become if I do not stay with him? He needs me, else he will turn into a typical muscle-headed warrior with brawns for brains.”
“Huh?”
Veylara suddenly raised her eyebrow.
“!!!”
Elira’s body trembled, realizing her mistake. However, before Veylara’s hand could reach her—
“He needs to be like you! A warrior who is not just strong but also intelligent, graceful, and beautiful.
But obviously, he cannot do it on his own, so he needs me by his side. Even if only 1% of my intelligence rubs off on him, it would be more than enough for someone like him.”
The Court Mage nodded continuously, completely believing her words.
Veylara laughed again,
“Where is your brother anyway?”
She questioned.
“Training.”
Elira answered, and Veylara’s face turned grim.
“Again?”
“I told him to rest, but he doesn’t listen.”
Elira answered; her face had turned grim as well.
Arlan had been training nonstop ever since Kael left, to the point it was detrimental to his health. He said it was because he wanted to distract himself from everything going around, but the mother and daughter knew the truth.
Arlan blamed himself for Kael’s disappearance.
Arlan was no fool either. He knew Kael was training her just fine. He didn’t go out to ‘train’—he had escaped.
For Kael, the Royal Palace of the strongest Kingdom in the world—a place that was supposed to be the safest—was more dangerous than roaming in the wild.
And for Arlan, this was similar to saying that he wasn’t strong enough to make his student and friend feel safe.
An absurd thought, but that was what the warrior believed and locked himself inside the training hall.
“How long has it been since he slept?”
Veylara questioned.
“Four days.”
“Tsk, that fool.”
Veylara snorted.
Her son’s thinking annoyed her even more because…
She felt the same.
And what’s worse?
She couldn’t do anything about it because she knew there was no way for her to get any stronger than she already has.
It was frustrating. For now, however, she needed to deal with the bigger problem,
“Let’s go.
I will beat him to sleep.”
“Yes!”
Elira laughed. This was definitely one of her favourite activities, watching her brother get beaten senseless.
It was therapy—a therapy that eased her mind.