Timeless Assassin

Chapter 1181: I will always be there for you

(A Few Days After The Incident, Mairon’s POV)

A few days after Caleb’s meeting with the Deceiver, Mairon personally decided to visit his elder brother out of concern, as among the small circle of people informed regarding the incident, he was one of the few trusted enough to know the full situation.

"It’s been a while since I last saw you, brother."

Mairon muttered while stepping forward and pulling Caleb into a tight embrace immediately, as Caleb returned the hug warmly without hesitation.

"You haven’t visited me since the wedding.

Seems like you’ve become too busy these days to care about your older brother anymore."

Caleb replied while smiling faintly, as Mairon immediately chuckled and shook his head.

"No, no, it’s not like that and you already know it.

Running the Fundamentalists alone is already difficult enough, however on top of that, father has been training me personally these days like he’s trying to kill me."

Mairon explained while letting out a tired sigh.

"Honestly speaking, the old man’s training feels like absolute hell sometimes, but strangely enough...

I still enjoy it."

Mairon admitted as Caleb nodded in understanding immediately.

"I heard you started drinking recently.

Come.

I’ve got something good hidden away for occasions like this."

Caleb said as the two brothers eventually sat across from one another beside a small table, while Caleb poured drinks quietly into two crystal glasses before sliding one across toward Mairon.

For several long moments afterward, neither brother said anything further, as Mairon simply took a slow sip from his drink while quietly studying Caleb’s expression, waiting to see if his older brother intended to bring up the incident himself.

However, as the silence gradually stretched longer and longer...

Mairon eventually decided to speak first.

"I was training with father recently and honestly...

He seemed disturbed."

Mairon admitted while placing the glass down calmly.

"Did something happen during your meeting with the Deceiver?"

Mairon questioned as Caleb immediately looked toward him with one eyebrow raised slightly.

"Nothing happened."

Caleb replied firmly while leaning back slightly against his chair.

"That’s exactly why I didn’t even bother going personally to the Eternal Garden to explain the situation.

Because there genuinely isn’t anything more for me to add beyond the report I already gave."

Caleb explained while maintaining direct eye contact calmly.

"Sophia was abducted.

I went there alone to retrieve her safely.

Mauriss tried playing his usual psychological games.

Then he returned her unharmed."

Caleb continued while shrugging lightly.

"That’s all."

Mairon quietly listened while slowly swirling the drink within his glass.

"Well...

This is still the same Deceiver who cost father a finger."

Mairon muttered while frowning slightly.

"You already know how that lunatic operates.

Personally, I think he’s too full of himself, but I don’t think he’s the type that does stuff for no reason."

His expression darkened further afterward.

"However, I didn’t expect him to be bold enough to directly abduct Sophia like this."

Mairon admitted as Caleb slowly nodded.

"Yeah...

Honestly speaking, the entire incident made me realize just how weak I still am."

Caleb muttered while staring silently toward the drink resting before him.

"Because at the end of the day, if I genuinely want to protect my family properly...

Then I need to become significantly stronger than I currently am."

Caleb admitted as instantly, Mairon raised one eyebrow.

"My..... family?"

Mairon repeated while intentionally stressing the word slightly, as Caleb immediately realized his mistake and coughed awkwardly.

"Our family.

I meant our family."

Caleb corrected quickly while rubbing the back of his neck.

"I’m married now, so sometimes my thoughts naturally drift toward Sophia and the child first before anything else."

Caleb admitted as Mairon suddenly paused mid sip.

"The child?"

Mairon questioned while staring toward Caleb in surprise.

As realizing what he accidentally revealed, Caleb let out a quiet laugh.

"Yeah...

Apparently Sophia’s pregnant."

Caleb admitted while smiling faintly now.

"I only found out about it when I was talking with Mauriss, but apparently we are having a boy."

Caleb explained as hearing those words, Mairon’s expression immediately shifted slightly.

Not because he disliked the news.

Quite the opposite.

Deep within himself, he genuinely felt happy hearing that he was about to become an uncle.

However what bothered him was something else entirely.

"Wait...

Do father and mother have any idea about this?"

Mairon questioned as Caleb slowly shook his head.

"No.

Not yet."

Caleb admitted quietly, as Mairon instantly shook his head in disappointment.

"Honestly speaking, after everything that unfolded recently, it just didn’t feel like the right moment to suddenly walk into the Eternal Garden and announce good news while father’s already stressed over the whole Mauriss situation."

Caleb explained while looking slightly conflicted.

"I figured I’d wait a few more days until things settled down a little before telling everyone properly.

Then we can celebrate it the way it deserves."

Caleb concluded as Mairon slowly took another sip from his drink while quietly processing those words.

Because throughout their entire lives, Caleb had always been the more composed and responsible brother between the two of them.

And even now, Mairon still did not believe Caleb was acting irrationally.

However lately...

Something about his elder brother genuinely felt different. freewebnøvel.com

As though slowly, little by little, Caleb had begun thinking less like a Skyshard son and more like a man trying to create an independent family separate from the rest of them.

And although Mairon did not necessarily dislike that development...

It still felt strange.

"Looks like the times are changing, brother."

Mairon admitted openly while setting his glass down finally.

"You’ve changed since the marriage."

He continued while Caleb quietly listened.

"And honestly speaking, I genuinely hope it’s for the better.

However, just in case someday you feel yourself drifting too far away from the man you used to be..."

Mairon slowly looked directly into Caleb’s eyes.

"...then just remember that you can always rely on me to drag you back if necessary."

Mairon offered with a completely serious expression, as Caleb raised an eyebrow at those words.

"The bond between us is absolute.

That part will never change regardless of what happens in the future."

Mairon assured, as this time, Caleb frowned slightly hearing those words.

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Caleb questioned while Mairon calmly finished the remaining drink inside his glass before standing up slowly from his seat.

"It means that if something happens someday that you can’t handle alone..."

Mairon began while turning slightly toward the doorway.

"...then stop trying to shoulder everything by yourself like you did during this entire Sophia incident."

He continued while Caleb silently stared toward him.

"You have a brother willing to die for you without hesitation. freёwebnovel.com

And you have a father capable of solving almost any problem within this universe."

Mairon explained while his voice gradually softened slightly.

"So even if marriage makes you start thinking differently now...

Don’t ever forget that your blood still belongs to House Skyshard."

Mairon muttered before finally beginning to walk toward the exit calmly.

"I said what I needed to say today.

I hope you reflect on it without getting angry."

Mairon concluded as although he could feel Caleb frowning silently behind his back...

He found absolutely no reason to soften his words.

Because deep within himself, Mairon genuinely believed Caleb needed to hear them.