Kael had 2 weeks to stay on the 24th floor.
And just pretending to rest had already taken up 2 days of his time.
Time that had passed could never be returned.
And Kael didn’t want to waste any more time.
Exhausted, and bored, he got out of bed.
But then paused before leaving the room.
"Hmm... Even if I go out there, what will the result be?"
— Go back to your room and rest! You haven’t fully recovered yet!
That was what Mavis said after seeing Kael leave the room 5 times.
It was obvious that if he went out now, he would be forced to come back here again.
And perhaps Mavis’s favorability towards Kael would even drop a lot.
That was an outcome he couldn’t accept.
So, even though his body was trying to resist, Kael had to return to bed, preparing to endure another boring day.
At that moment, the door opened slightly.
And of course, it couldn’t escape his attention.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
Kael asked while staring at a small figure.
The boy was named Durin, with purple hair, and a small black dragon wing on his back.
That was also Mavis’s son.
The person she valued more than her own life.
The boy didn’t reply, but instead ran towards Kael in a way that couldn’t be cuter.
Then, Durin crawled under his blanket, and handed him a book.
Kael wanted a child so bad!!!!!
He took the book, then glanced at the title.
"Is this a fairy tale?"
The boy nodded several times.
Then, stared at him with a spoiled look.
"...Do you want me to read it to you?"
Durin nodded even more vigorously than before.
The answer was obvious.
"Of course! As long as you’re happy!"
Unable to hold back any longer, Kael gently pinched the boy’s cheek.
He felt really happy.
Any child would feel uncomfortable when their cheek was pinched like that, and would try to escape.
But Durin was different.
The boy was only slightly stunned at first, then immediately broke into an extremely adorable smile.
Satisfied with everything, Kael opened the book.
Good children deserved to be rewarded.
"Once upon a time..."
On the third day, Mavis finally gave in to Kael’s stubbornness and let him roam freely in the house.
"So this is what freedom feels like?"
Kael muttered like a madman while touring the cave with Durin.
The boy’s small hand tightly grasped his index finger.
And to his surprise, the cave was much larger than Kael had imagined.
But, what was even more shocking was that he couldn’t even find a single speck of dust.
The place was spotless.
And the power of the dragon was the most likely answer.
Erza had introduced Kael to the power of dragons, but in truth, he didn’t understand anything.
All he knew was that it was something really powerful.
And Kael must never underestimate a dragon, for it could truly kill him without blinking an eye.
After touring every corner of the cave, Kael headed towards the kitchen, where Mavis was inside.
And was preparing dinner.
He spoke up, causing her to stop chopping onions.
"If you don’t mind, can I cook?"
"Huh? Why? You’re a guest, and guests just need to enjoy themselves."
He immediately interrupted:
"No, I’m not a guest. I’m someone you saved, or at most, a freeloader."
"It seems like you have a habit of putting yourself down, huh?"
Mavis crossed her arms, looking at Kael with an interesting gaze.
"I just want to repay the favor. And just like how you saved me, is that wrong?"
"And since I really have nothing right now, all I can think of is helping you with the housework, helping you lighten some of the burden on your shoulders."
Mavis rubbed her chin, perhaps evaluating his offer.
Realizing that it wasn’t enough, Kael stepped in front of her.
His sapphire eyes met her amber eyes.
"Mavis, please let me repay the favor. If you don’t let me, I might regret it for the rest of my life."
Mavis didn’t respond, simply because she was completely captivated by Kael’s eyes.
It was too pure, innocent, and gentle, without any dark schemes at all.
In the end, as if surrendering to those determined eyes, she had no choice but to agree.
"Alright, if you like to cook that much, then do it. But if your food isn’t delicious, then don’t even think about going into the kitchen again."
Kael replied enthusiastically.
He didn’t take Mavis’s warning seriously at all.
Because he was very confident in his cooking skills, and he really had the right to think that way.
After that, Mavis left the kitchen. The source of thɪs content is novel·fiɾe·net
And that was also the moment the expression on his face shifted.
Turning towards the boiling pot of soup, Kael took out the medicine he had asked Seraphina to make earlier.
Now, there was no trace of kindness left on his face.
Only coldness, and cruelty remained.
Kael took out a pill, but...
At that second, his humanity emerged.
And it was not the right time at all.
Kael pursed his lips.
— It was all for the sake of this world.
His eyelids twitched slightly.
— So, don’t feel regretful, and don’t feel like you were wrong.
The fingers holding the pill tightened slightly.
— To achieve something, sacrifice is necessary.
But then, a cruel glint flashed in his sapphire eyes.
Kael had come this far, so there was no reason for him to stop.
— It’s all for the sake of this world.
That’s how he brainwashed himself into believing that what he was doing was right.
The pill fell into the soup.
And very quickly after that, it melted, dissolving into this fragrant dish.
Seeing such a scene, and thinking about the scenes that would take place in the future, Kael’s heart still didn’t have the slightest ripple.
With a heavy gaze, he opened his mouth, and said in a small voice:
"I’m sorry... Marvis. I’m sorry... Durin."
To defeat a monster, one must become an even stronger monster.