After the Xenthalor Empire's dramatic exit, the vibrancy of the gathering died down, and murmurs and whispers filled the stands. The demonstration of power, the bold declaration of a new era—Selene's words echoed in the minds of everyone present.
Alden sensed that, and therefore, he rose from his seat, gathering everyone's attention.
The entire Arena turned silent, their gazes now on the King.
Alden's gaze swept across the people gathered. His expression remained unreadable, but the tension in his stance couldn't be hidden.
"We will be returning to the Banquet Hall."
The declaration left no room for argument. There were no grand closing words, no attempts to stir morale—just a simple, decisive end.
The nobles exchanged uneasy glances, yet they were obedient. One by one, they began leaving the Arena, their minds, however, still hadn't forgotten everything that had transpired.
Kael was the same, his mind was filled with countless questions. For now, however, he went towards Elira and Arlan, the only two people he somewhat trusted, and stayed silent.
Unlike their usual antics, the two didn't disturb him either. Clearly, they had a lot on their minds as well.
As everyone returned to the banquet hall, the atmosphere was completely different from before. The energy, the laughter, the liveliness—it was all gone, replaced by uncertainty and contemplation. Food remained untouched, drinks forgotten. Conversations were few and subdued, most of them done through Whisperstones.
The banquet was over.
About an hour later, King Alden rose again, looking over the people seated in the banquet.
"This night has given us much to consider,"
He began, his voice low but full of authority.
"Right or wrong, the weight of what transpired here can not be decided in a single moment. A meeting will soon be held to carefully discuss this matter. The future of Drakthar and Nerathis must not be shaped by impulse, but by wisdom."
He paused briefly and,
"Tonight was meant to celebrate the Hero's achievements in Estwyn Town."
The King then turned to Kael, and his heavy expression softened.
"Hero Kael, everyone here knows what you did at Estwyn, so I will not bore you with my words. Just know that for everything you have done, are doing, and will do for the sake of Nerathis, you have my gratitude."
Kael smiled at those words and lightly bowed his head.
The King nodded and continued.
"Tonight was supposed to help you ease your mind and rest, but it turned heavier than any of us expected.
You have already endured much, and I will not ask more of you, at least for tomorrow. You will not train—I want you to rest.
But be ready, as we will meet tomorrow afternoon. There are matters I must discuss with you, and I am sure you have questions of your own."
Kael nodded back, his expression serious.
The King was right. He indeed had too many questions in his head, and seeing how the prince was looking at him, Kael could tell that the father and son had already had a conversation regarding it.
It was highly likely that Prince Edric would be there for the meeting tomorrow as well.
Oblivious to Kael's thoughts, Alden shifted his gaze toward Cedric, Aurelia, and Dorian.
"As for our honored guests, it is late, and the weight of this night is not one that should be carried on the road. I extend the hospitality of Drakthar to you all—stay the night."
Of course, none of the three could go against this request, not that they had any reason to.
With those final words, the King gave a solemn nod to the rest and walked away.
Once he finally left the guests and the nobles followed, leaving the hall in an orderly manner.
The banquet was officially over.
Kael heaved a big sigh of relief as he finally returned to his room.
Honestly, he was missing the days when he simply trained without having to think of anything. Ever since he had returned to Estwyn and tried to uncover the hidden truths, things had become… much more exhausting.
The days had become much longer. Just this party, for example—who would believe that all of what happened occurred in just a few hours?
In the end, Kael just shook his head as he sat on his bed.
He questioned, and just as he did,
Two little Dragons jumped out of the Sanctuary and fell on top of him.
Kael, buried under his two absurdly adorable Dragons, heaved another big sigh. This one, however, was much more… comfortable.
His little children had the power to fill him with endless energy whenever they appeared.
As he lay down on the bed, Kael slowly opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling, but then, the two adorable Dragons appeared in his vision and,
"Ahhh~ I am so glad I have you two with me~"
Cirri nodded, patting Kael's head with her little paws.
It is something her older brother does to her and it feels good, so she was doing the same with her Father.
Igni, who saw that, puffed his little chest in pride. Kael could even see little flames flickering near his nostrils.
The Hero chuckled. He allowed Cirri, who for some reason found it fun to play with his cheeks with her little paws, to do whatever she pleased while Igni watched.
Was it because he was a good big brother who allowed his little sister to play with his father without being jealous?
He may have… played with Cirri enough to make sure she falls asleep soon…
Yes, Igni loved his little sister, but…
Father was still his father first, so he should get to play with him the most!
Igni waited patiently for Cirri to fall silent, but suddenly, his expression changed.
He warned. Kael sat up, and his expression changed.
"It is the mage and warrior siblings."
Kael frowned, wondering why they were here. Igni, on the other hand, took Cirri and disappeared.
This was good. He would use this chance to play with Cirri even more, make sure the little thing is asleep, and once the siblings go away, he would have his father all to himself.