0028. Shattered Chains, Unseen Bonds

As Nile smiled weakly, Jessica sighed, muttering under her breath, "Three idiots…" She rubbed her temples, a small smile tugging at her lips despite herself.

The air in the room began to calm, the oppressive aura of the heavenly presence slowly fading away. Lyra wiped her eyes, and Arin straightened his posture, finally letting out a shaky breath. Nile glanced at each of them, relief evident on his face, and all four seemed ready to embrace the rare moment of peace.

But just as they all began to relax, the atmosphere shifted again—violently this time.

A new presence descended, far greater in magnitude than the one before. The pressure was overwhelming, suffocating, and it swallowed the remnants of the heavenly aura as if consuming it entirely.

Nile, Lyra, and Arin froze, unable to move as the immense force enclosed them like an unbreakable barrier. Jessica gasped audibly, her knees buckling under the sheer weight of it. Despite her best efforts to resist, she found herself kneeling on the floor, her body trembling from the oppressive energy.

"What… is this?" Jessica managed to whisper, her voice barely audible as her wide eyes darted between the three children.

The siblings and Nile were equally stunned. Their breathing became labored, their bodies instinctively tensing under the scrutiny of this unknown entity. It felt as though this presence was scanning them—not just their physical forms but the very essence of their beings.

The pressure lingered for what felt like an eternity, each second stretching unbearably long. Then, suddenly, Nile let out a pained groan, his hand instinctively clutching his chest. His face contorted in agony as a radiant glow emerged from his ASD.

Two petals, intricately designed and glowing faintly, were forcibly extracted from his body. Lyra and Arin gasped in unison, their eyes widening in disbelief as they recognized what those petals were.

"The slave seals…" Arin whispered, his voice trembling.

Jessica's mouth fell open, her eyes glued to the petals as they hovered in the air, now detached from Nile's ASD. The glow surrounding the seals intensified as they floated higher, reaching nearly two meters above the group.

Then, without warning, the dense aura seemed to crush the petals in its invisible grip. The seals shattered into countless tiny fragments, disappearing into nothingness.

The sudden release left the room in stunned silence. All four of them were frozen in place, their minds reeling from what they had just witnessed.

Before anyone could speak, a deep, otherworldly voice resonated in their ears—a sound so profound that it bypassed the physical realm entirely, speaking directly to their souls.

"Such deep trust has no place for trivial bindings."

The words carried both a divine authority and an undeniable warmth. It was as though the voice was commending them, yet its presence alone was enough to make their hearts race.

With those final words, the overwhelming presence vanished as abruptly as it had appeared, leaving the shop eerily quiet.

Jessica remained kneeling, her breath shallow and rapid. Lyra and Arin clung to each other, their faces pale but their expressions unreadable. Nile, still clutching his chest, slowly sank to the floor, his body trembling from exhaustion.

Minutes passed, but no one spoke. The weight of what had just occurred was too immense for words.

Jessica was the first to break the silence, her voice hoarse and shaky. "What… what was that?"

No one answered. They had no answers to give.

The four of them sat down in the middle of the shop, their backs against the walls or counters, their minds racing but unable to make sense of the event. Hours passed in stunned contemplation, their thoughts looping endlessly.

What kind of presence could have done this? How could it break the slave seals with such ease, and why?

And above all, what did it mean by "Such deep trust has no place for trivial bindings?"

Though the answers eluded them, one thing was clear to all four: what had just happened was something far beyond their understanding—and it would change everything.

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The four sat in stunned silence, their thoughts swirling in a storm of confusion and awe. None of them could find the words to express what they had just experienced, let alone make sense of it. Hours passed as they sat together in the quiet of the shop, their minds locked in contemplation.

As the evening deepened, the shop bell rang from the first floor, breaking the silence and snapping the children out of their thoughts. They exchanged startled glances before scrambling to their feet, hastily making their way downstairs.

To their relief and joy, Veena and James were there, standing amidst a pile of bags laden with their purchases from the market. James was struggling to balance the weight of several parcels, while Veena carried only a few, looking amused by his predicament.

"We're back!" Veena announced cheerfully, but her smile faded slightly as she caught sight of the children's faces. Their expressions were strained, their eyes filled with unease.

James raised an eyebrow. "What happened here?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

Seeing their hungry, tired faces, Veena immediately knew something significant had occurred in their absence. She gently set her bags aside and gestured for the children to sit. "Tell us everything," she urged, her tone calm but firm.

The children took turns recounting the events of the day—the Dao Oaths, the heavenly presence, and the overpowering aura that shattered the seals. They described the voice that had spoken to them and their inability to comprehend its true nature.

Veena and James listened intently, their expressions unreadable as the children poured their hearts out. When they finally finished, Veena placed a comforting hand on Nile's shoulder.

"You've all been through a lot," she said softly, her voice filled with warmth. "But everything is fine now. You don't need to worry."

Her reassuring words seemed to ease their tension, and she smiled. "Now, let's get some dinner. You all must be starving."

At the mention of food, Lyra's eyes lit up, and without waiting for anyone else, she bolted toward the kitchen. "I'll cook!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Not again," Arin groaned, chasing after her. "You're going to burn the whole kitchen down!"

Nile turned to Veena, his lips curving into a small smile. "I want to learn how to cook too," he said before following Lyra and Arin.

Jessica watched the scene unfold with mild amusement before deciding to explore the house. "I didn't get a chance to look around earlier," she said, walking off toward the other rooms.