Little Joe's laughter echoed through the small house, filling it with a rare kind of warmth. The child clung to Kael as if they had known each other forever. He climbed onto Kael's back, tugged his robe, and spoke endlessly about his favorite toy and stories he'd read from picture books.
Kael didn't smile, nor did he speak — but he followed the boy quietly. Whenever Joe ran, Kael would simply walk after him. When the boy showed him a broken wooden soldier, Kael knelt to look, listening without a word. And when Joe climbed up his back, Kael didn't push him away. His movements were slow, deliberate — but his stillness carried no coldness.
Elric sat quietly on the sofa, her teacup forgotten on the table. She had been worried at first, afraid that the boy's constant chatter would discomfort Kael. But as she watched, she saw a strange calm in him — not quite joy, but not pain either. Just silence… the kind that came from a soul remembering what peace used to feel like.
Lucy, seated beside Elric, noticed her gaze. "I'm sorry," she said with a faint laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "It seems my son has taken quite a liking to your partner. He rarely shows this kind of attachment to strangers."
Elric turned her eyes toward Lucy. "It's fine," she said softly. Her gaze drifted to Lucy's rounded belly, not yet large but gently visible beneath her dress. "Where is your husband, if I may ask? I hope it's alright for us to stay this long. The rain doesn't seem to be stopping."
Lucy smiled faintly, glancing toward the window. The soft drumming of rain against the glass filled the pause between their words. "It's perfectly fine," she replied. "My husband's been away for some time now — working near Delcra City. He's been stationed there for a few months already. Joe misses him dearly. Perhaps that's why he's clinging to Sir Licht so much." Her tone softened, affectionate but tinged with loneliness.
Elric nodded slowly, understanding. "It must be hard, especially after hearing what happened in Delcra," she said carefully.
Lucy exhaled, her smile trembling. "Yes… I was terrified when I heard about the attack." She rested her hand over her belly. "But I received his letter this morning. He's safe. The city's been shaken, but he's alive. That's enough for me."
Relief colored her voice, and Elric felt a faint smile cross her lips. They sat in silence for a while — the only sounds were the soft rain and Joe's laughter as he played.
After a few quiet minutes, Elric spoke again, her tone almost hesitant. "How does it feel?" she asked. "Having a family… living like this?"
Lucy blinked, startled by the sudden question. For a moment, she seemed unsure how to answer. Her eyes shifted from Elric to Kael — to the way the pale-haired man allowed her son to cling to him. The sight made her smile gently.
"At first, I was afraid," Lucy admitted. "I didn't think I could live a normal life again. But when my husband came into my world… everything changed. He's not a hero or a noble, but when he's beside me, I feel like I can do anything."
Elric's eyes softened. The warmth in Lucy's words felt foreign — almost painful in its simplicity.
Then Lucy reached across the table and touched Elric's hand. The gesture was small, but her grip was firm. "One day," she said quietly, "you'll have your own happiness too. Maybe not now… but someday. And when it comes, hold onto it. Don't ever let it slip away."
Elric stared at her for a long moment. Her throat felt tight, her heart caught between envy and admiration.
Lucy's face was calm, radiant even in her modest dress and tired eyes — a woman who had been broken by the world but somehow rebuilt her life with love.
"I…" Elric's voice trembled faintly before she forced a small smile. "I hope so, Lucy. I truly do."
Her gaze drifted toward the window again. The rain had softened into a mist, painting the world beyond in shades of gray. "You're lucky," she whispered, her words almost lost under the rain's rhythm. "To live quietly like this. To be free from all the chains of the world."
Lucy smiled wistfully. "It's not luck, my lady. It's a choice," she said. "I chose to stay away from the palace, from the names and titles that brought me pain. It's not easy, but peace never is."
Elric nodded, her eyes distant. Peace never is.
For a moment, she imagined herself in Lucy's place — sitting by a window with no title, no duty, no name heavy enough to crush her heart. Just a home, the scent of tea, and laughter echoing through the halls.
But she was a duke. A noble bound to politics and alliances. Her engagement to Kael — to the Hero — was never for love, only for the empire's stability. Yet, as she looked toward him now — at the man silently sitting with a child on his lap, rainlight softening the sharp lines of his face — something in her chest ached.
"I wish…" she murmured, so softly that Lucy almost didn't hear her. "I wish I had an ordinary life, like you, Lucy."
Lucy smiled, sadness glinting in her eyes. "Maybe one day, you will," she said gently. "Even if it's just for a short while, everyone deserves to rest."
Elric's lips curved faintly, but her eyes shimmered with something unspoken — longing, regret, maybe both.
The sound of Joe's laughter filled the quiet once again. Kael remained where he was, motionless yet strangely peaceful, letting the boy rest against him as the rain whispered on.
And for that brief, fragile moment, Elric thought —
Perhaps this is what Kael had always wanted. Not glory. Not recognition. Just this.
A quiet life, untouched by war.
-----------------------------------------
Their gentle conversation came to an abrupt stop when little Joe came running back to the sitting room, his cheeks flushed from excitement.
"Are you done playing with Sir Licht?" Lucy asked softly, patting her son's head as he clung to her skirt.
The boy shook his head firmly, his small finger pointing toward his room. "He's sleeping over there. I called him, but he didn't wake up."
Elric's eyes widened, her chest tightening with sudden dread. Without another word, she rose from the sofa and hurried toward the room the child pointed out.
The moment she stepped inside, she froze.
Kael was lying on the wooden floor, his white hair scattered across the ground like snow. His hand clutched weakly at his chest, his face pale and damp with sweat.
"Kael!" Elric dropped to her knees beside him, her hands trembling as she shook his shoulder. "Kael, are you alright?!"
There was no response at first, only the faint twitch of his fingers as she continued to shake him. His breaths came unevenly, short and shallow.
Lucy, who had followed behind, gasped when she saw the sight. "My goodness! Should I call for a physician?" her voice trembled, panic seeping into her tone.
Elric leaned closer, pressing two fingers to his neck. The pulse beat steady beneath her touch, not faint, not erratic—just… weary. Relief mixed with worry in her chest. She shook her head quickly.
"No. He's not injured… It seems he's simply exhausted. He rarely leaves his room, and today he's pushed himself too far."
Lucy hesitated, biting her lip in guilt. "I'll bring some warm water and a towel." She turned quickly and left, her son following behind.
Elric carefully eased Kael onto the bed, arranging him with a tenderness she rarely showed to anyone else. She reached for the towel Lucy had left behind earlier and wiped the sweat from his face. As she pressed the damp cloth against his temple, Kael stirred.
His lashes fluttered, and his eyes opened weakly, dull red glinting faintly under the dim light.
"Kael…" Elric's voice softened as she leaned closer, her face inches from his. "Are you alright?"
Kael blinked slowly. His pale lips parted, and though his voice was barely above a whisper, she caught every word.
"…I'm sorry… I just suddenly… remembered something…"
His hand lifted with effort, fingers trembling as he reached for hers. Elric immediately clasped it, startled by how weak his grip was yet how determined he seemed not to let go.
Her heart clenched. "You remembered something?" she asked quietly, brushing back the strands of damp hair from his forehead. "Is it your head? Does it hurt? Can you tell me what you remembered?"
Kael's eyes closed again, his brow furrowing as if a sharp headache pierced through him. No words followed—just silence.
Elric exhaled slowly, realizing he wasn't ready to speak. She gave him a faint smile, her thumb gently rubbing against his knuckles.
"Then… Did you have fun playing with little Joe?" she asked softly, changing the subject, her tone light as if coaxing a child. Her fingers brushed lightly through his hair.
Kael's eyes closed for a few seconds, then reopened. He gave the faintest of nods—just enough for her to understand.
Elric's lips curved into a sad smile. "I'm sorry… for making you push your body too much. Just rest for now. We'll return to the carriage this evening. You don't need to force yourself."
Kael blinked once more, then weakly nodded before his breathing evened out again. Within moments, he drifted back into sleep.
Elric adjusted the blanket over him, her expression soft, then turned as Lucy returned with an extra one draped over her arm.
Lucy froze for a moment, looking at Kael's resting figure on the bed. "I'm truly sorry," she whispered, guilt heavy in her voice. "It seems my son played with him too much and wore your companion out. Is he going to be alright?"
Elric took the blanket from her hands and tucked it gently over Kael's shoulders. She shook her head lightly. "Don't blame yourself. He's been recovering from a long journey. This isn't your fault—he only needs rest."
Lucy let out a small sigh of relief but still couldn't hide her worry. She looked at Elric, then at the man on the bed. "In that case… why not stay here for one night? Both of you can rest properly. It's the least I can offer after troubling you."
Elric paused, tempted by the warmth in her tone, but she knew she couldn't. "It's kind of you, but we cannot stay for long. I'll call the others from my company. We have to continue to Vaelthorn, even if the rain delays us."
Lucy lowered her eyes, accepting the refusal. Still, guilt lingered on her face. "The rain will stop soon enough… forgive me, I only wanted to help."
Elric touched her shoulder gently, her voice calm yet firm. "Don't trouble yourself. You've done more than enough for us already."
But Lucy's eyes lingered on Kael's face. Her brows knitted together as though something tugged at her memory. That pale skin, that hair, those faint scars she glimpsed beneath the collar of his robe…
For a fleeting moment, she felt she had seen this man before.
Elric noticed the way Lucy stared and her gaze sharpened slightly. She knew this woman was clever, perhaps more perceptive than most. Elric herself had no rumors of scandal; her reputation was that of a stern, untouchable duke's daughter. Few even knew she had once been engaged to the Hero Kael.
And now here she was… sitting in a modest home, beside a man no one should recognize, yet whose fate could not keep hidden forever.