Free Web NovelChapter 37: 72 Hours
The return to the academy after the Church of Order’s attack was much worse than Kael had imagined.
He would have preferred facing another Abyssal Beast.
Or Darius.
Even another speech from the God of Chaos.
Anything was better than this.
The moment he set foot on campus, a crowd of students surrounded him.
"Kael! Is it true you defeated elite inquisitors?"
"Does the Church of Order really hunt you?"
"Are you a heretic?"
"What did you do to anger a thousand-year-old organization?"
"Does the cat devour souls?"
Kael sighed.
"Only once."
The silence was absolute.
Luna hit him on the arm.
"Don’t joke about that!"
"I know. It was a test to see who believed me."
Everyone raised their hands.
"Great. We’re surrounded by idiots."
The situation worsened when several students began to murmur.
"They say the Church only pursues sinners."
"Or forbidden creatures."
"Or people who make pacts with demons."
Kael looked at the Little Fat King, who walked beside him with his tail held high.
"Did you hear that?"
"Meow."
"I don’t think you’re a demon either."
The cat ignored him.
As always.
But he didn’t walk away.
And that was strange.
Very strange.
For the rest of the day, Kael barely managed to survive his classes.
Every hallway was an ambush.
Every break, an interrogation.
Every teacher tried to observe him discreetly.
Even some upperclassmen approached just to look at him.
As if he were an exotic creature.
Or a bomb about to explode.
Maybe both.
When the final bell finally rang, Kael escaped to the rooftop.
His favorite spot.
Or rather, Luna’s favorite spot.
And apparently, Seraphina’s too.
The afternoon breeze blew gently.
The sun was beginning to set behind the academy’s towers.
It was peaceful.
Quiet.
Normal.
Something Kael desperately needed.
He sat on the floor.
Luna took her usual spot beside him.
Seraphina sat across from him.
And the Little Fat King settled next to Kael.
So close that his fur lightly brushed against Kael’s leg.
Kael glanced at him.
The cat closed his eyes.
As if he hadn’t done anything strange.
Kael decided not to mention it.
He took out the bento Seraphina had given him that morning.
It was still warm thanks to preservation magic.
"Thanks for the food."
Seraphina nodded.
"You’re welcome."
Kael began to eat in silence.
For the first time all day, he felt like he could breathe.
Until a blue window appeared before him.
[Preparing arrival of the Second Compatible Entity.]
[Time remaining: 71 hours, 53 minutes.]
Kael sighed.
Luna leaned forward.
"Less time each time!"
Seraphina watched the floating window.
Her blue eyes narrowed slightly.
"Does it hurt?"
Kael looked at her, confused.
"What?"
"The pressure.
The worry.
All of this."
Kael opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
He hadn’t expected that question.
Especially not from Seraphina.
"I guess so."
She lowered her gaze.
"That’s normal."
Luna’s eyes went wide.
Then she slowly turned to Kael.
Then to Seraphina.
And finally back to Kael.
A gigantic smile appeared on her face. freёweɓnovel.com
"Seraphina is worried about you!"
Seraphina tilted her head.
"Yes."
"Huh?"
"It’s normal to worry about my fiancé."
Kael spat out all the rice in his mouth.
Beside him, the Little Fat King spat out a huge hairball.
The two of them looked at it at the same time.
With exactly the same expression of horror.
"Your what!?"
"Meow!?"
Luna jumped to her feet.
"I knew it!"
Kael coughed several times.
"Where did that come from!?"
Seraphina looked at him with her usual expression.
Completely serious.
"Luna said that’s what happens when two people remodel a house together, share bentos, and worry about each other."
Luna nodded proudly.
"It’s the natural next step!"
"That’s not the natural next step!"
"It is in my novels."
"Novels don’t count!"
The Little Fat King began to imagine something terrible.
Tiny versions of Seraphina.
Dozens.
Maybe hundreds.
Chasing him everywhere.
Trying to hug him.
Pet him.
Dress him in tiny clothes.
The cat shuddered.
His fur bristled.
He took a step back.
Then another.
Kael looked at him.
"You imagined it too?"
"Meow."
"Yeah. I wouldn’t survive that either."
Seraphina watched the cat.
"He doesn’t like children?"
The Little Fat King shook his head with a speed uncharacteristic of him.
Luna sat down next to Seraphina.
Her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"We have to think about the wedding!"
Kael felt his soul leave his body.
"We don’t have to do anything."
Luna completely ignored his comment.
"Do you like outdoor weddings?"
Seraphina thought for a few seconds.
"Yes."
"And colors?"
"Blue."
"Perfect!"
Kael raised his hand.
"I’d like to participate in this conversation that apparently is about my life."
No one paid him any attention.
"And how many children do you want?"
Kael choked for the second time.
The Little Fat King spat out another hairball.
Bigger.
Much bigger.
Seraphina looked at the sky.
Thoughtful.
"Two."
Kael dropped his chopsticks.
"TWO!?"
Luna clapped excitedly.
"I can be the godmother!"
"There won’t be children!"
"Three would also be fine."
Kael froze.
The Little Fat King did too.
This time both imagined three tiny Seraphinas.
It was worse.
Much worse.
Luna smiled.
"They could have your hair and Seraphina’s eyes."
Kael covered his face with his hands.
"I need to go to another dimension."
The Little Fat King nodded solemnly.
Seraphina watched them both.
Then tilted her head slightly.
"Did I say something wrong?"
Kael slowly lowered his hands.
And saw something strange.
Very strange.
Seraphina looked genuinely confused.
But also worried.
As if she feared she had upset him.
As if she really cared.
And that left him speechless.
Because all day he had been thinking about the Church.
About the new summon.
About the academy.
About the rumors.
About the future.
But in that moment, he understood something.
He wasn’t alone.
Luna was with him.
Aurelion would probably appear any moment to annoy him.
Darius would surely complain about everything.
Seraphina was worried about him.
And the Little Fat King...
Stayed by his side.
Pretending to be indifferent.
But not walking away.
Kael looked at the cat.
The cat opened one eye.
"Meow."
"Yeah.
I don’t know what’s happening either."
The wind blew gently.
For the first time since the Church’s attack, Kael felt like he could relax.
Just a little.
Then the blue window appeared before him again.
[Preparing arrival of the Second Compatible Entity.]
[Time remaining: 71 hours, 12 minutes.]
Kael sighed.
"Well.
Whatever comes next...
I hope it doesn’t want to marry me."
Luna burst out laughing.
Seraphina stared at him intently.
And the Little Fat King, for the first time in a long while, settled completely by his side.
As if he wanted to make something clear.
That spot was already taken.
