Kaelu returned to the estate without hiding, unlike before. His body still carried some cuts from the fight, but nothing that truly hindered his movements. What bothered him most wasn't the pain, but the fact that he hadn't been able to finish what he started. As he entered, he found the other three already gathered. Darian was holding some papers, Selene sat beside him as always observing everything, and Voren leaned further away, his gaze fixed on Kaelu from the moment he entered.
"You took your time"
"I couldn't finish it"
The answer came directly, without trying to hide anything, which made Darian slowly lower the paper he was holding and focus entirely on him. There was no visible irritation, but his interest had increased. Selene didn't move, but her attention shifted as well, while Voren simply kept watching, waiting.
"What happened?"
"I was intercepted inside the house"
"And you couldn't deal with a common knight, from what I see"
Kaelu looked away for a moment before answering, not out of hesitation, but organizing what needed to be said without wasting time on unnecessary details.
"He didn't seem common at all"
"Explain"
"He used something that turned his own vitality into power… it wasn't natural. I realized while retreating that even as he got stronger, his life was decreasing"
Selene tilted her head slightly, this time showing genuine interest. The atmosphere became more attentive after that, not out of surprise, but because it indicated something outside the expected pattern, especially coming from subordinates. Voren uncrossed his arms, now paying closer attention.
"And that was enough to stop you?"
"For long enough, at least"
Kaelu made it clear he didn't consider it a complete defeat, but he also wouldn't downplay what happened. Darian watched him for a few seconds before placing the papers on the table, as if he had finally lost interest in them.
"So you were stopped by someone who was already dead"
"He only died afterward, and by my hands"
"That means his knights don't retreat even knowing they'll die… how annoying"
Darian leaned back against the wall, his expression slightly irritated by the failure. Still, this son of his was quite impulsive. His order had only been to go to the house and return once he confirmed what he wanted. For now, he would let it pass.
"Did you see the woman?"
"I didn't, but—"
"Just confirm what I asked"
"She's there, and it doesn't seem like Leon captured her, so she's there by her own will"
At first, they had thought Leon had captured that woman. That was because it was how their entire family acted when they liked something—they became extremely obsessed with having it only for themselves. So they assumed Leon would be no different, since he shared their blood. Darian nodded slightly, absorbing the information calmly, while Selene brought a hand to her chin, clearly connecting the points faster.
"He seems purer than us… how disgusting, he really fell in love with someone"
"Isn't that useful for us? I'm sure this is the opening we were waiting for"
"And that's why you were so impulsive as always, little brother"
Kaelu kept his gaze on Voren for a few seconds, clearly annoyed, but didn't respond. He was already used to that kind of comment, though it didn't make it any less irritating. Looking away, he focused again on Darian, who was still processing the information, while Selene already seemed to have reached a conclusion, her expression slightly amused.
"If she's there by her own will, then that's better than we expected"
"Better because it makes things easier"
"Exactly"
Selene's mind was already several steps ahead of the conversation. For her, that eliminated a series of unnecessary complications. They wouldn't need to deal with initial resistance or forced adaptation, making any future approach cleaner. Voren spoke while adjusting his posture, without looking directly at them.
"But it also creates a problem. Leon isn't someone who loses interest easily. If he brought her there, then he has already decided to keep her in the safest way possible"
"You're right. Even if he's a bit different from the family, she still has our blood, so he'll keep her protected without giving others a chance to get close"
"Then we act indirectly"
Kaelu answered without hesitation, now aligned with what the others were already thinking. He didn't intend to repeat his earlier mistake, especially after seeing how that place operated.
"If we try to take her from inside the house, we'll face resistance. But if she leaves on her own…"
"And if she refuses, mother?"
"Even if she wanted to refuse, I wasn't planning to ask her"
The response came from Selene, simple, without the need for further explanation. Everyone there understood exactly what that meant. Kaelu exhaled lightly, now more satisfied with how the conversation had progressed.
"Then I'll handle it"
"No, leave that to me. I'm good at this part"
All three men watched as the woman stood up and prepared to leave. Once she decided to act, there was no point in opposing her, and honestly, none of them intended to. As she had said, Selene was perfect for this. Kaelu nodded without objection. He had already moved too early once; he wouldn't make the same mistake again, at least not in this situation.
"Alright, I hope you don't fail, Selene"
"Don't worry, Darian, I will succeed"
Before leaving, she gave a small dark smile while looking at Darian. Closing the door behind her, her mind was already working on a plan. Her thoughts drifted to Leon, the son she had abandoned for thinking he would be useless. As she thought of him, her mind shifted to the woman he had chosen.
'Anyway… I think it's time to meet my daughter-in-law… let's see if she's a good choice'
If Leon has her blood, then they must share similar tastes. The only difference is that she likes men, but even so, it should be similar to the kind of person she herself would choose.