Dust still hung in the air, even after Raven had restored the tavern as if nothing had happened. The contrast was almost surreal: seconds before, broken beams, crumbled walls, shattered windows; now, everything was perfect, clean, immaculate—except for the tension that still burned in the chest of each person present.

Kael took a deep breath. His aura, which had previously been severe, now slowly receded. The weight of the battle and the argument still lingered on his face, but the tone of his voice changed when he spoke:

"You may rise."

The three, kneeling before Raven, slowly rose. Irelia was the first to stand, her face still hard, but her eyes filled with wounded pride. Sylphie stood soon after, sighing as if the order had been a relief. Amelia finally stood more composedly, keeping her gaze fixed on Kael.

The silence was broken by his voice, firm as steel, but more controlled:

"Now, explain to me." His golden eyes narrowed. "Why the hell did you advance ten years in your own bodies?"

The question fell like a blade over them. None of the three responded immediately. They just looked at each other, as if seeking silent confirmation that they would say the same thing.

Irelia was the one who opened her mouth, her voice low but charged with conviction.

"We will not be left behind." The words echoed through the air like an oath.

Sylphie crossed her arms, completing the statement:

"If you're growing, Kael... we will grow with you. We will not accept being left behind."

Amélia simply nodded, her gaze firm and resolute.

Kael closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a long sigh that felt like it was carrying the weight of the world.

"...You weren't supposed to do this."

The rebuke didn't come with shouts, but with the gravity of someone who truly cared. He opened his eyes again, staring at them one by one, each gaze seeming to penetrate the depths of their souls.

It was Sylphie who answered, with surprising calm:

"Your grandmother authorized it."

The name reverberated like thunder.

"The Witch Queen," she continued. "She trained us, calculated every risk, and ensured it would be safe. This ten-year advancement was approved by her."

Irelia stepped forward, clenching her fists. "We weren't reckless. We didn't do this on a whim. We did it because we want to be your equal."

Amélia added, her voice calm but firm: "Because you carry more than anyone should carry alone."

Kael brought his hand to his forehead, rubbing it slowly, as if seeking patience amidst the chaos that was his life.

"...Sometimes I forget how crazy my family is." He spoke more to himself than to the others, but everyone heard.

Sylphie gave a small smile, as if she'd received it almost as a compliment. Irelia simply maintained her defiant gaze, as if ready to justify every action. Amelia, on the other hand, remained silent, respecting Kael's space.

He sighed again, but when he spoke again, his voice was no longer so harsh. He finally turned to face Sazhara.

The succubus was still leaning against a nearby wall, her torn wings slowly regenerating thanks to the healing energy Kael had used earlier. Her eyes, however, remained fixed on Irelia, filled with resentment.

Kael took a few steps toward her and spoke in a low but firm tone:

"Don't hold a grudge against them."

Sazhara frowned, surprised by the seriousness in his voice.

"How could I not?" Her voice came out almost a whisper. "She attacked me for no reason. She called me an enemy without even hearing me."

Kael nodded. "I know." His eyes flicked to the three girls, who looked away silently. "Those three are stubborn. Stupid enough to attack first and think later."

Irelia gritted her teeth, but didn't retort.

"But," Kael continued, "no matter how wrong they are, I know why they did it. They didn't want to hurt you for no reason. They wanted to protect me."

Sazhara remained silent, her eyes narrowing, as if fighting her own resentment.

Kael stepped closer, until he was almost in front of her. His voice softened:

"I'm going to ask you not to hold a grudge. Because, deep down, what they did, as stupid as it was... was for me."

The silence that followed was thick. Raven, leaning against the tavern door, watched with a half-amused smile. The spectators on the street were already in a near-silent ecstasy, as if watching a rare and forbidden play.

Sazhara took a deep breath, her wings trembling slightly. Her scarlet eyes flickered from Kael to Irelia, who stared back at her with pure obstinacy.

For a moment, it seemed the succubus would reject the idea, spit out her contempt, and turn away. But then she sighed, lowering her gaze.

"…I don't promise to forget," she said slowly. "But… for you, Kael… I'll try not to hold a grudge."

Kael nodded, a faint smile of relief passing over his face for a brief moment.

Behind him, Irelia huffed, muttering something that sounded like "I didn't need that." Sylphie rolled her eyes, and Amelia just sighed.

Kael spun on his heel, his golden gaze resting on the three of them again.

"You still have much to learn." The firmness in his voice returned. "Power without control is as dangerous as weakness."

The three finally fell silent, without replying.

Raven, for her part, clapped her hands slowly, the sound echoing ironically through the quiet street.

"Bravo, Kael," she said, smiling. "You speak like a king trying to tame three storms at once."

Kael sighed, but didn't respond.

The street was already emptying. The chaos had passed, but curious eyes still hid behind curtains and half-open windows. Kael took a deep breath, controlling the aura that still enveloped him like dying embers, and nodded.

"Let's go in."

The three girls followed him in silence, the weight of their recent scolding still echoing within them. Sazhara followed close behind, her wings now nearly regenerated, but her expression remained thick with barely concealed resentment. Raven, however, led the way as if she were the hostess of a show that was just beginning.

The tavern was completely empty. Silence echoed between the impeccable walls, as if the destruction they had all witnessed had never occurred. The tables were in place, the chairs lined up, the bar cleared, but there wasn't a soul around.

Raven threw her hands up in the air, her expression almost theatrical.

"Look at the results of your mess." Her voice was laced with sarcasm. "You did it. Congratulations. You scared away all my customers."

Sylphie, still a little dejected, stepped forward. Her voice was quiet but sincere. "We apologize, Raven. It was... our fault."

Irelia huffed but said nothing. Amelia just watched silently, her gaze flickering between Kael and Raven.

The tavern owner let out a bright laugh and shook her head.

"Well, well. One apologizes for all of them? Now that's new." She leaned against the bar, resting her chin on her palm and staring at Sylphie with eyes bright with amusement. "Well, if you really want to make up for the damage, tell me... what are you going to drink?"

The silence that followed was cut by Kael's sigh, as he plopped down in one of the chairs, crossing his arms.

"I'll take anything strong."

"And you girls?" Raven raised an arched eyebrow, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

Irelia pulled out a chair with more force than necessary, sitting down with her arms crossed.

"The same as him."

Sylphie smiled nervously, trying to ease the tension.

"Just some wine. Nothing strong."

Amélia hesitated for a moment, but then spoke calmly:

"Herbal tea, if you have it."

Sazhara, who had remained silent until then, raised her hand with a cheeky smile.

"I'll have mead."

Raven laughed.

"Perfect." He snapped his fingers, and within seconds, bottles and glasses magically appeared on the counter, gliding to their table as if they had a life of their own.

Time passed, and the atmosphere in the tavern gradually lightened. Between sips of wine, beer, and mead, Kael began recounting the events of the past few years: the battles, the places he'd been, the enemies he'd faced, and even the unexpected encounters.

Sylphie listened with shining eyes, as if absorbing every word like something precious. Amelia listened silently, her expression one of someone analyzing every detail. Irelia maintained a serious posture, but it was impossible not to notice how her eyes fixed on Kael, following his every move.

Sazhara, for her part, listened with a smirk, sometimes interrupting with a provocation or cheeky comment, just to see the others' reactions.

Raven, of course, enjoyed it all, pouring more drinks and letting out a laugh or two whenever tensions threatened to flare again.

A few hours passed like this, until Sylphie, after a careful sip of wine, frowned. Her gaze shifted to one of the nearby tables, where a figure no one had noticed until then sat, watching discreetly.

An elf.

Her golden hair fell in waves over her shoulders, reflecting the candlelight like threads of gold. The red witch's hat hid part of her face, but there was no denying the mysterious air surrounding her. Her eyes were fixed on the glass in front of her, but every now and then they quickly shifted to the group.

Sylphie leaned forward, drawing everyone's attention.

"Who is this elf?"

All eyes turned at once. The elf slowly looked up, meeting Sylphie's curious gaze, then Kael's.

Kael blinked, as if remembering something. Then she answered simply:

"Ah... her?" Her voice was calm, but with a hint of caution. "She's looking for her mother."

The three of them looked at her... "Hey, is your mother Alice?" Sylphie asked.

Klee's gaze shot up like lightning and looked at Sylphie.

"Oh, judging by her reaction, it must be. I don't know what she has planned, but she's probably playing with you. She's in the witch kingdom," Irelia said calmly.