“Father.”
Igni called in an extremely low voice. Kael, who was sleeping peacefully, did not move.
“Father.”
Igni called again, once again keeping his voice low.
“Father.”
Cirri nudged his head with her soft paw and only then did Kael’s eyelids finally trembled before he slowly opened his eyes.
Even though his Bonds had woke him up, the sun was still down, it was dark outside. Kael however, was used to this. He usually woke up 2 hours before the sun rise to enter the Ancient Call’s Dimension to try and clear the Trial.
Today was also supposed to be the day where he would be able to clear the Trial and he would do it without using [Ascendent of the Ancients].
With a confident and determined look on his face, Kael stood up…
Or so he tried to,
But he then noticed an extremely beautiful woman lying beside him, tightly holding his arm like a drowning man holding a wooden loaf.
“…?”
Kael frowned.
For a moment, he thought about moving his arm and moving away, but suddenly,
“Don’t move, Father.”
Vitaria spoke up, her big purple eyes stared at the sleeping Lavinia.
“It’s been a long time since she has slept… peacefully.”
Kael paused, together with the rest of his bonds, he continued staring at the sleeping Lavinia, not moving.
The sleeping Lavinia also tightened her hug around his arm, as if afraid of letting go, it was completely opposite to how she acts when she is awake.
“She has been through a lot.”
The Fox spoke, she even went as far as walking near the sleeping princess and patting her head, a gesture that surprised Kael.
Even Imperia’s motherly instincts kicked in as she slowly walked towards Lavinia and started rubbing her head on Lavinia’s hair.
From afar, the Ant’s action didn’t seem much, after all, she was too small, Lavinia might not even feel her what she was doing, however, the instant the Ant began, Lavinia tightened her hold over Kael’s arm, made herself even more comfortable and suddenly, a light, small smile appeared on her face.
“Let her sleep, Father.”
Imperia spoke in her usual gentle voice, the Ant had already closed her eyes, it was almost as if she was communicating with her daughter.
“Mhm.”
Kael nodded silently.
This was the first time he had seen his Bonds actively taking care of any other human besides him. Even Cirri, who had previously glared at Lavinia was currently observing the princess, she wasn’t patting or caressing her like Vitaria and Imperia, but she didn’t show any anger, indifference, or hate either.
Even Igni seemed worried about the Princess and the Fire Dragon was there with him in Estwyn, where he had seen humans die right in front of him and didn’t mention them even once.
It was quite… odd.
Or maybe he was being jealous…?
The moment he thought about it, Kael quickly shook his head. Getting rid of that thought instantly.
He wasn’t that selfish.
And it was a good thing that his Bonds seemed to actually care about a human other than him.
Kael nodded to himself as he continued to stare at the sleeping princess as well.
No one in the room did anything, for Kael, it was the first time he had sat silently without doing anything ever since he came here. He wasn’t playing with his Bonds, he wasn’t meditating, he wasn’t training, he wasn’t learning spells, and neither was he eating,
He just… sat there, staring at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, sleeping as she held his arm as tightly as possible.
Honestly, it made him restless, more than once, he thought of meditating, or using Ancient Pulse and learn his children’s magic but,
“She is extremely sensitive to Elementals, Father. If you move them, she will sense it and it might wake her up.”
Igni answered.
“It would wake her up?”
Kael raised his eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
How would his meditation break her sleep?
“As I said before, the Elementals do not interact with the humans on their own violation, when they move, it is mostly because the Humans are either meditating or casting a spell. If she senses their movement, she would think someone is trying to attack her and wake up.
She may be sleeping peacefully now, but that doesn’t mean her guard is completely down. She is loved by the elementals but cannot see or interact with them, so her very body would take their movements very seriously.”
Igni explained, again, keeping his voice down.
Kael nodded at those words, he couldn’t help but be impressed. A part of him wanted to test this theory, however, the moment his eyes fell on the sleeping Lavinia, that thought disappeared.
Maybe…
Maybe for a while…
He wouldn’t do anything and just… stare silently.
Not creepily of course.
After all, he wasn’t the one holding her.
Rather, he was the victim here, forced to watch the most beautiful woman in the world, held tightly by her, unable to move.
A victim indeed.
This continued for a good few hours, the sun that hadn’t risen yet was now up, sunlight entered the hut through little cracks on the roof, Kael could also hear non-threatening birds chirping silently,
It was quite a cosy environment, until…
“She is awake.”
Imperia spoke as she backed away. The moment she did, Vitaria and even Cirri backed away as well, it was almost as if the Bonds didn’t want to be caught caring for a human.
Under everyone’s eyes, Lavinia’s eyes trembled, she slowly opened them up and the instant she did, the first thing she saw was Kael and his Bonds staring at her.
“What are you doing?”
She questioned, somewhat intimidated.
Of course, Kael was prepared.
A man and his children, staring at a sleeping woman, he could tell how bad it looked. If he was back in his own world, there would be people ready to jump at him and drag him to court.
He had to be a cautionary man,
And what does a cautionary man do?
He shifts the blame.
“What are you doing?”
He questioned back, staring at how the woman was holding his arm without any shame.
“!!!”
The moment Lavinia realized that, her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly moved her arm away and backed herself towards the wall, her face was red with embarrassment.
An amusing sight, but Kael couldn’t react to it.
Of course, Vitaria had no such restrictions.
“Fufufu~
How adorable~”
She chuckled.
Lavinia glanced at the Fox and seeing her grin, her face turned even redder.
Vitaria however, wasn’t done yet,
“Fufufu~
I didn’t think you would make a move on my father the moment you got the chance. You are quite bold, Human Girl.”
The Fox laughed.
“M-M-Make a move? W-What a-are you talking about?”
She stuttered, a reaction she would have never shown if she hadn’t just woken up.
“Oh? You still deny it?”
Vitaria’s grin widened. A grin that made Kael gulp, after all, he knew better. He knew not to play this game with his daughter.
“D-Deny what? I cannot deny anything when I do not know what I am being accused of.”
Lavinia answered, prepared to have a debate with a few days old Fox, just that…
She was never going to win.
“Fufufu~”
Vitaria laughed as she then jumped on her father’s arm,
“So you deny doing… this?”
She questioned as suddenly, a screen appeared in front of him, where a sleeping Lavinia, slowly moved towards Kael and held his arm.
The screen also showed Vitaria, who seemed to be sleeping on Kael’s left, opening her eyes, witnessing this scene and grinning like a devil.
Heck, she even nudged the rest of her siblings awake, showing them what was happening, and while Imperia seemed like she was scolding the Fox for a moment, the Fox convinced her after a moment as the siblings continued to watch the entire thing.
“This part’s even better.”
Suddenly, Vitaria laughed as she nudged her shocked father to stare at the screen.
Then suddenly, everyone saw how Lavinia, who had already held Kael’s arm, had now started rubbing her face on his shoulder.
“!!!”
Lavinia’s eyes widened in surprise.
“T-That’s not me!”
The Princess then glanced at the Fox and,
“I know you have the power to create illusions! That must be it! This must be one of your illusions!”
She defended herself.
Imperia, however, just smiled at those words and,
“If it was an illusion…”
The Fox began as suddenly, she waved her paw again and the screen flickered. The Lavinia on the screen suddenly woke up, her face turned red when she realized what she had done, she glanced at Kael, wanting to explain herself, however, the moment she looked at his face, she froze.
She stared at him for a good five seconds and then…
She sealed his lips.
“!!!”
This time, both Lavinia and Kael widened their eyes in shock.
“Fufufu~”
Vitaria, on the other hand, laughed, amused by her father and future mother’s reaction as she then turned back to Lavinia and,
“This is what I would have done if it was an illusion.”
“That only proves my point, you can show whatever you want using your ability and make it look real,
Why should I believe that what you have shown me is real?
What if the entire thing is an illusion?”
Lavinia questioned back, this time, her counter was better since she was now awake.
But…
Her opponent was simply too strong,
“Did you forget how the state you were in when you woke up?
Or do you think that’s an illusion as well?
Of course, you are welcome to think that if you wish,
Whatever eases your mind~
Fufufufu~”
The Fox laughed.
She was definitely enjoying this.