“Kael! You’re alive!”
Elira quickly rushed towards Kael as he and Veylara jumped from Inkar’s back. Arlan followed his sister and, without saying anything, he started observing Kael.
Then, he frowned.
“I don’t see any injuries…”
He muttered before turning towards his sister.
“You think she took him to a Healer before coming here?”
“Have you lost your mind? Has she ever taken you to a Healer?”
Elira’s reply was instantaneous.
“Well… I am… me?”
Arlan answered, his tone oozing with a strange confidence.
“I guess you are you.”
Elira nodded as well.
“You were trained to walk yourself to the Healer with a broken leg since you were a child.”
Soon, she raised her eyebrow.
“Does this mean she went easy on him?”
“I highly doubt that. She must have taken him to Lady Sylvie—that’s why I see no bruises.”
Arlan answered.
“Hmm? That would make sense.”
Elira nodded before she looked into Kael’s eyes and narrowed hers.
“But I don’t sense a broken spirit either…
Something doesn’t feel right…
Why does he seem alright after a trip with a monst—”
“It seems the two of you have gotten much bolder since you haven’t seen me in a month, huh?”
Suddenly, a voice was heard, and in an instant, both Arlan and Elira turned silent.
But it was already too late.
Veylara had already appeared behind the two of them and, with her face twitching nonstop, she picked them up by their collars as if they were some sort of polythene bags before turning around.
“Hero Kael, servants will show you to your room. Get some rest—I need to have a ‘talk’ with these two little things here.”
She spoke as she walked away.
“You hear that? She told him to rest.”
“Something definitely isn’t right.”
“Mhm, we need to talk to Kael after we return from the Healer.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve already called her.”
“You did well.”
“Of course, I’m not a brute like you. I already knew this was going to happen. I calculated it all.”
“Stop lying—I know you called her for Kael.”
“Why would I call her for him? Have you lost your mind?”
“You think you can fool me that easily?”
“I don’t have to—you already are a fool.”
“If I’m a fool, then you’re even worse.”
“No, you’re worse.”
“No, you…”
…
…
Yes, even when the siblings were being carried away like polyethene bags, instead of resisting and thrashing against what they knew was inevitable, they decided to bash each other.
True siblings indeed.
“…”
And Kael, who saw this scene, had no words.
Seeing how Veylara was shouting at her children, telling them to ‘shut up!’ while she took them away—looking completely different from the mature and solemn side she presented before—made him chuckle in surprise.
‘I guess everyone has different faces they put on in front of different people, huh…’
Kael smiled, and at the same time, he recalled his conversation with Veylara after Cirri finally slept in her arms after crying about how she loved him and didn’t mean to leave.
…
“She loves you.”
“Of course she does. She’s my daughter.”
“You’re quite lucky.”
“I am.”
“…and she’s quite lucky as well. Unlike others, you don’t see her as a weapon—maybe that’s why she loves you so much.
I never thought I’d see a Dragon cry.”
Veylara smiled.
Kael smiled back, gently patting Cirri, letting her sleep as comfortably as possible.
“Do not mention the content of our conversation to anyone—not even Arlan and Elira. No one should know about the existence of Drakthar Dragons and other things I mentioned. They’re confidential.”
Suddenly, Veylara spoke up with a solemn look on her face.
“I understand.”
Kael nodded.
“And what about Cirri?”
He questioned.
“Talk to the King in private. Show him Cirri, and seek his advice. Make it look like you trust him more than anyone in this world. Tell him that you tried to hide your level from me, but I called you out, and that he was the first person you ran to when it came to revealing your secret.”
“Right, I need to be manipulated by him.”
Kael nodded.
“Exactly.”
Veylara grinned.
“Now act normally—we’re already at Arlan’s.”
“Alright.”
Kael nodded as he placed Cirri back in the Sanctuary before Inkar landed in Arlan’s garden.
…
“Haaah…”
Kael sighed in relief as a servant guided him to his room.
‘Igni?’
He questioned.
‘It’s safe.’
Igni nodded, already knowing what his Father wanted to do.
Kael nodded back as he finally brought out the Dreamveil Kitsune’s Egg he had gotten today. The instant he touched it, the same message appeared in front of him again.
[Ding!]
[Celestial Fox Bloodline Detected.]
[Skill <Ancient Awakening> can be used.]
[Would you like to use <Ancient Awakening> on the selected target?]
[Y/N]
And this time, without thinking anything, he pressed ‘Yes.’
In an instant, the energy in his body moved—this time, the path it took was different than before.
‘Is it because I’m using it on an Egg? Or is it because it’s not a Dragon?’
Kael wondered in his head. He, however, didn’t have much time to think about it as the golden energy enveloped the White Egg. Very quickly, the Egg’s white shade turned brighter and brighter. Then, streaks of purple started forming all around its surface, moving around, forming incomprehensible depictions.
Bzzz
The Egg trembled.
At the same time, purple streaks with a similar pattern as the one Kael saw on the Egg started forming in the sky. Once again, it was a sight witnessed by all—as if the World itself was acknowledging the birth of Kael’s third child.
Not that Kael cared about that right now—his eyes were on the message in front of him.
[Ding!]
[Ancient Awakening completed]
The System informed.
The Egg no longer belonged to a Dreamveil Kitsune—it was now a Celestial Fox’s Egg.
[Ding!]
[Skill <Blood Bond of the Ancients> can be used.]
[Would you like to use <Blood Bond of the Ancients> on the target?]
[Y/N]
‘Yes.’
Kael nodded again as he quickly cut his finger, letting his blood drop onto the Egg’s surface.