CHAPTER 166: 166. VERY SERIOUS CONVERSATION

I left the others behind in the medical ward, their muffled voices fading as the door clicked shut behind me. Leon was resting, Zyon was watching over him, Freya was tending to Amelia, and I—

—I needed some air.

Logically, I should have gone to Mia. I hadn’t seen her since the rift incident, and I didn’t even know if she was really alright. But if she’d returned with Miss Celia, then she was probably safe.

Besides, Mia hated it when I barged into her space—when I tried to micromanage her life like some overbearing parent. She wasn’t a child anymore. She wanted her independence, and I... well, I was trying to respect that.

So I let her be.

Instead, I walked through the quiet Academy corridors, heading toward the Third Wing Garden. It didn’t take long—less than five minutes—and just like the nurse had said, Kaelira was there.

She was crouched in front of a patch of late-blooming flowers, fingers brushing softly against their petals. Still in the same clothes she’d been wearing the last time I saw her—black tank top, grey hoodie, grey trousers.

I shoved my hands into my pockets and strolled toward her, voice light. "Hey, Kael. How are you holding up?"

She turned her head slowly, her eyes dull and tired. Just... placid acceptance. A long sigh escaped her lips before she finally answered.

"I’m fine. The girl you sent me with—Evelyn? She brought me here. Took me to that weird nurse. The one with the... questionable fashion sense. But at least she’s competent."

I chuckled. "You know, I’m kind of relieved someone finally said it out loud. I’ve been questioning that nurse’s outfit choices for months. Glad I’m not the only one. By the way, why are you so down?"

She didn’t laugh. Not even a smirk. Just stood up slowly, sliding her hands into her pockets. Her gaze dropped to the flowers again. "I don’t know. Everything just feels... empty."

I frowned, stepping closer. "Empty?"

She nodded, expression unreadable. "While I was lying in that bed, waiting, I had too much time to think. And I kept wondering... what now? What am I supposed to do with myself?"

I tilted my head. "What kind of thoughts?"

She shrugged. "Up until recently, I was so sure I wanted to be a mercenary. Travel. Fight. Earn coin. Live rough. That kind of thing. But after what happened with my sister... it all felt meaningless. Then I had a goal—kill Vaylin. That was the only thing keeping me going. Now... there’s just nothing. Just silence."

Her voice cracked slightly at the end. Just the sound of someone slowly being hollowed out from the inside.

I looked into her eyes.

And for a second, I saw myself.

Not literally—metaphorically. That same dull void I saw in the mirror after I was sold. That same quiet despair that didn’t scream, but whispered endlessly.

I sighed, dropping my gaze. "You’re basically asking about the meaning of life. And... I won’t lie to you—I don’t have the answer. No one does."

I paused, watching the wind stir the petals in front of her boots. "Some people live for passion, for hobbies. Some live for their family. Some for patriotism. Others for love. Some people just want revenge, or peace, or glory. You’ve got to find the reason that fits you. Something that gives your life weight."

She stayed silent for a while, then asked, voice soft. "What about you?"

I blinked. "What?"

"What’s your purpose?" she asked again. "Why do you keep living?"

That question hit harder than it should have. I tilted my head back and stared at the sky—blue, calm, deceptively serene.

And then I spoke, my voice quiet but certain. "My sister. My family. That’s it. She is the reason I’m still breathing."

She finally cracked a faint smile—almost imperceptible. "At least someone’s got their priorities figured out."

I rubbed the back of my neck, remembering something. "Actually... there’s something I need to tell you. It’s kind of important."

She looked at me. "Yeah?"

I coughed into my hand, trying to make it sound casual. "By the way, Vaylin is dead."

She blinked. "What?"

"Vaylin," I repeated a little louder. "He’s gone. Dead. Along with everything else in Opalcrest."

Her eyes widened, the dullness replaced by visible shock. "Wait—what? What do you mean? What the hell happened?!"

I scratched the back of my head, a wry smile tugging at my lips. "So... yeah. My father might’ve gone a bit overboard fighting a dragon."

Kaelira looked at me as if I’d just told her the sky was made of cheese. "A bit overboard?" Her eyes twitched. "He vaporized an entire kingdom, Cassius."

I gave a nonchalant shrug. "Well... to be fair, the dragon was strong. You know, big, angry, glowy eyes. Ice breath. Besides, we did get out alive, so I’d say it was a net positive."

She just stared at me—mouth slightly agape, soul probably undergoing an existential audit. "What kind of family do you even have?"

While she was clearly having a full-on crisis over the scope of my bloodline’s destructive tendencies, I decided now was as good a time as any to cash in on an old agreement.

I looked her dead in the eyes, voice calm, unapologetic. "By the way, Kaelira. I held up my end of the deal."

Her expression turned sharp immediately. "Huh?"

"I said," I repeated, slower, smoother, with the same level of shamelessness only a professional degenerate could achieve, "I’ve technically completed my side. So... let me fuck you. Or did I stutter, baby girl?"

She reeled back like I’d slapped her with a fish. "Seriously?" Her nose wrinkled in genuine disgust. "I was just having an existential crisis—rethinking my entire life path—and this is where your mind is?! You’re actually trash. And besides that, I didn’t kill him, your father did. Technically you didn’t hold your side of the deal."

I held up a hand in self-defense, though my smirk betrayed no remorse. "Hold on. Not my fault your revenge arc got derailed. You got knocked out before you even touched Vaylin. Then a dragon descended and turned everything into hellfire. I was just doing cleanup duty. Also, let the record show—you were the one offering to be my concubine or wife. I’m being merciful and requesting the reduced reward here. I’m nothing if not generous."

She gritted her teeth, face contorting in silent rage. But the problem was—she couldn’t refute any of that. I could see it in her twitching expression. She had no comeback.

With an audible sigh that carried every ounce of her pride being force-fed into a meat grinder, she crossed her arms and muttered, "Hahhhh... okay. Fine. You did help me. You get your damn reward. Where do you want to do it? And at least make it somewhat enjoyable."

A devilish grin curved across my lips. "Don’t worry. I’m basically a PhD holder in this department."

She rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Fuckboy."

"Hey!" I acted offended, dramatically placing a hand over my heart. "Don’t throw around such heinous accusations. I’m a deeply emotional, spiritually enlightened man."

"Sure," she said, voice deadpan. "So believable. Truly poetic."

I rubbed my chin, actually thinking about it. "Okay... so where are we doing it?"

I stood still for a whole three minutes, genuinely contemplating. I couldn’t bring her to my dorm room—it was technically private, but people were nosy, and the last thing I needed was someone catching me mid-thrust in the name of dorm inspection.

But there wasn’t really a motel or inn inside Rose Academy either... at least, not that I knew of. Which was ridiculous, given the number of hormone-fueled students wandering around this place.

The Academy campus was practically a continent in itself. There had to be a place. I just needed time to search.

"For now," I said slowly, "I don’t have a location in mind. But when I do, I’ll call you. Or, you know—kidnap you."

She blinked. "That’s... not something you casually say, you freak."

I waved her concern away. "Details, details. Anyway, you should look around the Academy more. You might actually find something worth staying for. There’s always a reason to live—even in the worst of situations."

Her brow furrowed. "...What do you mean by that?"

I tilted my head at her. "Why? Surprised that I’ve been in a bad place too?"

She crossed her arms. "No. I mean, it’s not hard to imagine. But it still begs the question—have you really faced despair?"

I let out a short, dry laugh. "Why? You don’t think I’m human?"

She smirked. "I mean... sometimes you act like a demon wearing a school uniform. I’ve met talking swords with more tact than you."

I rolled my eyes. "You say that, but you’re still here entertaining my presence."

"I’m entertaining your delusions," she muttered. "There’s a difference."

I ignored her nonsense fully, shaking my head, I sighed. "Either way, I’m going back to my dorm. Ahh, by the way you can apply for application of admittance in Rose Academy, if you want. Don’t worry about the fees, I will handle it."

I could easily handle the fees myself through my credits. Which were pleasantly seated on a resounding total of 840.

She silently nodded her head. "I will think about it..."