Olympus Villa

Since the day Leila had been brought to the safe zone, Aurora had taken it upon herself to guide her through the trials of motherhood. It was not merely an act of kindness—it was a refuge from her own grief. The loss of her youngest niece, Avlynn, along with so many others, had left wounds too deep to heal. But in the fragile new life Leila had brought into the world, Aurora found something to hold onto.

Octavius, who had always known her as a reserved and composed woman, was astonished by the warmth she now extended to his mother. He had never expected her to open up so completely, yet there she was, sitting beside Aurora in the hanging gardens, a tenderness in her gaze that was so unlike the cold, guarded expression she wore around him.

Avlynn's death had left the entire family reeling. The young girl had succumbed to the burns inflicted by a Fifth-Class Demonic Beast, and her passing had cast a long shadow over them all. Melody remained in shock, barely speaking in the six months since the tragedy, her body still bearing the scars of the same fire. Aria, once the most vibrant among them, had grown silent, burying herself in the affairs of state to escape the weight of her grief.

Aurora, however, worried most for her second son. He was still on the battlefield, fighting alongside his father and uncle, far from the sanctuary of home.

She turned her gaze to Leila and the child in her arms, the small bundle wrapped securely in soft linen. "What have you named her?" Aurora asked gently.

Leila froze. A crushing realization settled over her—she had never named the baby. Shame welled up inside her, and she lowered her head, her fingers tightening around the edge of the cloth.

Sensing the distress in the young mother, Aurora reached out, her voice warm with reassurance. "It's alright, my dear."

"I… I'm not good with names," Leila admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aurora let out a soft gasp. "Oh!" A flicker of excitement crossed her face. "Then… may I name her?"

Leila's breath caught as she met Aurora's kind gaze. An unfamiliar warmth stirred within her, something foreign yet achingly familiar. Is this what it means to have a mother?

She swallowed past the lump in her throat and nodded.

Aurora's face lit up with quiet joy. "Oh, can I? I've never had the chance to name a child before. My sons received their names from the Grand Temple, and…" Her voice softened. "I was never blessed with a daughter of my own."

Leila listened intently as Aurora studied the baby, her expression reverent. "She has eyes more brilliant than rubies," she murmured. "And hair that gleams like molten gold. Someday, she will reflect the radiance of the great Saintess of Apollon."

Leila barely noticed the presence behind them until she caught a shadow shifting from the corner of her eye. She turned her head slightly and saw Octavius standing nearby, clad in full armor. He had paused upon seeing them, his gaze lingering on the warmth in Leila's expression—so unlike the distant and guarded woman he knew.

"Apollonia," Aurora finally whispered, her voice filled with quiet reverence.

Leila looked down at her daughter, the name settling into her heart like a whisper of fate. She traced a gentle finger over the baby's soft cheek, her chest tightening with an emotion she couldn't name. Yet beneath that tenderness, a sliver of fear remained—fear of the man her daughter resembled so hauntingly.

The baby stirred at her touch, letting out a soft, contented moan.

Aurora cooed, reaching out with a tender smile. "Oh, our sweetest Apollonia."

A deep voice cut through the moment.

"Mother."

Aurora and Leila turned to see Octavius standing before them, his helmet tucked under his arm, his dark gaze steady. The sight of him dressed for war sent a ripple of sorrow through Aurora's heart.

She rose slowly, taking in the gleaming gladius at his hip—a replacement for the blade he had lost in battle. A mother's instinct told her this would not be the last time he would need one.

"Must you go?" she murmured, reaching up to smooth his hair as she had done since he was a boy.

Octavius offered her a small, weary smile. "You know I am a soldier." He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Aurora sighed, the sound heavy with unspoken fears. Her husband and second son were already fighting, and now, another of her children would leave her side. Avlynn was gone, Melody hovered between life and death, and the one she loved most had vanished without a trace.

"May the blessings of the gods be with you," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him in a final embrace.

Octavius stood still, letting her hold him, knowing she was silently weeping.

When she finally pulled away, his eyes found Leila's. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The concern on her face was unmistakable.

"Please come back safely," she said softly.

Octavius nodded, his grip tightening around his helmet. He turned away, his steps firm and steady as he walked toward the battlefield once more.

As he passed the courtyard, he caught sight of Tiberius kneeling by Avlynn's grave. The boy had not moved for hours, lost in grief.

Pausing, Octavius reached down and ruffled his younger brother's curls—a silent promise, a gesture of comfort neither of them could put into words. Then, without another word, he walked away.

Aurora and Leila stood at the edge of the garden, watching him disappear beyond the gates.

Leila clutched her daughter closer, as if shielding her from the weight of the world.

Aurora exhaled a quiet prayer. "Dear gods… when will this catastrophe cease?"