CHAPTER 27: CHAPTER 27 - “BIG BROTHER AS A PRIEST?”

The hut was warm with firelight, the quiet crackle of wood filling the silence between voices.

Kael lounged against the wall, Rue curled lazily against his chest, while Rina dozed at his knee.

Selene sat straighter now, still composed but no longer trembling, while Lyra’s ears twitched every so often, eyes soft as they lingered on Kael, wondering what good she had done in her life to be able to meet him in this one.

After all, since she had met him, only good had happened.

But it wasn’t just her life that had changed since she met Kael, as Evethra was the same.

That Vampire girl had decided to give her everything for Kael, who had saved her life.

Then there was Alenia, ever the poised one, who rested her chin lightly on her hand, her eyes thoughtful as she continued to stare at the demihumans outside the hut.

Most of them were sprawled on the ground, while some children were hopping around.

Yet, despite the relaxing atmosphere out there, Alenia’s expression remained calculating.

Soon, she broke the silence.

"We’ve brought them here," she said, her tone smooth, calm, and deliberate. "But what now? There are more than two hundred souls outside these walls. What will they eat? Drink? Above all—where will they live?"

Selene nodded faintly, wings folding tighter against her back. "This forest is deep, but its resources aren’t endless. If we allow them to wander too far, they’ll get lost. Worse, they might end up becoming food for some beast."

Lyra tilted her head, expression soft yet concerned. "I can teach them how to hunt and what the safe places are, but... with this many people, there won’t be enough."

Silence enveloped the room again, as Rue and Rina, still on Kael’s lap, rubbed their chins, unsure if they could say anything helpful.

No one had given it much thought when they were leaving the city, as all they saw at that time was freedom.

They could see a life free of everything, but now, with more than two hundred people right outside the hut, one had to think: how will they survive?

Kael, on the other hand, merely rubbed his chin, as if thinking hard about something.

Then, he smirked and stretched, his movement unhurried, golden eyes half-lidded.

"All of that, I can handle." His voice flowed like velvet, smooth and self-assured. "Food, water, and shelter are nothing to fret over. The real matter, however..."

He flicked his gaze lazily toward Alenia, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "...is why you kept calling ’Lord Kael’ when I’ve already told you not to."

He had been keeping this question to himself for a while because there were people around before, but now, he wanted to know why.

Alenia didn’t flinch.

Her lips curved, polite but firm. "I am not disobeying you, Kael. I am preparing you. It is one thing for us in this room to call you by name. But beyond these walls, it is different."

She straightened her back, her eyes fixed on his. "You now hold the lives of two hundred people. Whether you wish it or not, they will look to you as their leader. If you present yourself as just another companion, they will take advantage. They will cling, demand, and consume."

Kael raised a brow, amused. "So you’d rather I play at being their lord?"

"You don’t need to play at it." Alenia’s voice was level, cutting yet respectful. "You already are."

A ripple of silence followed her words. Even Selene lowered her eyes, considering carefully before speaking.

"She’s right. If you brought them here, then you must show them you’re above them. If you don’t... they’ll rely on you too much."

Her gaze flicked subtly toward the entrance of the hut, then back to Kael. "I don’t even think that you should provide them with food, as that is something they should work for."

Her voice lowered as she tried to find the right words as she glanced at Rue and Rina. "If their reliance on you grows unchecked... then you will get annoyed, and if that happens, I don’t think the result will be pleasant for anyone."

Rue blinked, tilting her head with childish curiosity. "The result?"

Selene smiled faintly, shaking her head. "Just that everyone would become unhappy."

Kael chuckled softly, golden eyes glinting. "Unhappy, hm? That’s one way to put it."

He was sure that Selene, who could somehow understand his personality, knew that he would kill anything that got too annoying.

She merely found a polite way to say that because Rue and Rina were here.

Lyra’s ears lowered slightly, her tone softer than the others. "But... she isn’t wrong. You already saved them. If they don’t see you as their leader, they may start thinking of you as their servant instead. And that will... hurt them more than help them."

She knew that because, unlike others in this room, she had seen Kael eat humans like they were snacks.

It wouldn’t be strange if he ate all of the demihumans if he were annoyed.

It was then that Evethra finally spoke, her tone calm but reverent, every word aimed only at him.

"Alenia and Selene speak wisely, Master. Your kindness will be mistaken for weakness if you let it. But if you stand as you are meant to, they will worship you—as they should."

Kael let the words roll over him, his grin widening with lazy charm. "Worship, hm? You make it sound as though I’m building a church rather than a village."

Rue giggled. "Big brother as a priest? That’s funny!"

Rina shook her head, whispering. "...He’d fall asleep during the sermon."

That drew laughter, even from Lyra. The heaviness in the air softened for a breath.

But Kael, ever smooth, raised his hand lazily, cutting the laughter short with ease. "Fine. I’ll play the part you’re all so fond of assigning me. I’ll be their lord."

He stretched, and before anyone else could say something, he added, "But I won’t be their master, nor their servant. If they want me to lead, they’ll learn what it means to follow. That way, no one ends up unhappy... in the way Selene so delicately put it."

Selene lowered her head, her feathers rustling, but there was relief in her eyes. Alenia, poised as ever, inclined her head in agreement.

Kael then leaned back once more, patting the Rue and Rina on their heads as if it was the most natural thing to do.

The fox girls didn’t shy away from it either.

They inclined closer, giggles leaving their lips.

Once again, the hut was enveloped in a cozy silence as everyone enjoyed the moment.

Kael kept his hands off the girls while his gaze was on the demihumans outside, wondering about future possibilities.

Alenia’s and Selene’s words kept playing in his head as he observed how some parents were feeding their children the food they had brought along.

His attention was pulled to one such mother-son pair nearby.

A hedgehogkin child—with hair so spiky it looked like someone had glued a broom to his head—was bouncing with excitement.

"He was so cool!" The boy blurted, practically hopping in place as he spoke to his mother.

The hedgehog mother, whose own hair resembled a well-kept but equally dangerous brush, giggled behind her hand.

"You didn’t find him scary?" She teased.

"Whaaaaat?!" The child’s jaw dropped so dramatically that even Kael nearly chuckled. "Why would he be scary?! He’s the coolest and strongest person I’ve ever seen!"

Unbothered, the mother handed him a loaf of bread.

"Then eat this and grow up stronger. Only then can you be as cool as him."

The child snatched the bread with both hands and immediately stuffed half of it into his mouth at once, cheeks bulging like a chipmunk.

Through muffled chewing, he managed, "So... mmph! ... I’ll become as cool as him?"

The sparkle in his eyes was so bright it was practically a weapon. His mother hesitated for half a beat, then plastered on a smile and said, "Of course."

That was all it took. The boy bolted off to brag to his friends, spraying crumbs in his wake.

"...Maybe," his mother muttered once he was gone, glancing at the remaining half-loaf in her hand.

Kael, watching the whole exchange, shook his head with a chuckle.

"If bread were all it took, then the bakery owners would rule over the world."

As soon as his words fell, the quiet crackle of fire broke because of a sudden snort.

Lyra, ears twitching, quickly covered her mouth with both hands, cheeks pink. "S-Sorry—I... I inadvertently imagined a king in a crown made of baguettes..."

Selene tilted her head, feathers ruffling as she frowned faintly.

"...Wouldn’t that make the bakers the strongest class of all?" She murmured, clearly taking the mutter far too seriously.

Alenia gave a soft, elegant laugh, shaking her head. "It seems, Kael, even your idle thoughts could rewrite society."

Evethra, on the other hand, looked deadly serious as always, her eyes lowered reverently. "If the world were to be ruled by bakeries, then surely only your bakery would stand supreme, Master."

That was enough to set Rue off. Her tail puffed as she flung her tiny hands in the air.

"Big brother as a baker? Waaah! I can see it now—’Come one, come all, Kael’s Amazing Killer Croissants!’"

Rina, still nestled by his knee, covered her face with both hands, whispering in embarrassment. "...Don’t... call them killer croissants..."

Rue gasped dramatically. "Okay, okay! Then ’The Dragon’s Donuts of Doom!’"

Lyra finally broke into helpless laughter, leaning forward as her ears twitched wildly. Even Alenia hid her smile behind her fingers.

Kael, for his part, only smirked, stretching lazily as his golden eyes glinted with amusement.

"Donuts of doom, hm? At least they’d be worth dying for."