Of Family

He took in a slow breath, sampling the air.

"Still… the environment here is much better than I expected."

With that, he stepped forward and in an instant, hundreds of kilometers passed beneath him.

As a Sixth Order, his consciousness could cover the entire planet in the blink of an eye. He could know everything at once without anyone noticing. But he didn't. He chose to take it slow, moving deliberately, letting only a portion of his awareness spread around him. Observing. Evaluating.

He moved steadily, scanning his surroundings, not in haste, but with the quiet curiosity of someone exploring something unfamiliar. If someone had seen him, it would have looked like a villager wandering through a modern city, but here, it was the opposite. This was his first time on Idilia, and though Laeroth had visited many worlds, the quiet novelty of something new still held value for him.

Everywhere he passed, he paused to observe. Sometimes he looked with thoughtfulness, sometimes with silent disapproval. Once or twice, he offered subtle help to those nearby, though none ever noticed his presence.

And slowly, step by step, he made his way toward Lylva. He continued in the same quiet manner, and with a single step, he arrived on the outskirts of the city. He paused again.

Everything, every tiny, almost imperceptible detail, entered his perception.

Then his attention shifted, drawn toward a quiet, rustic house nestled among trees. On the porch, an old wooden chair creaked as Aeson sat back in it, a storybook open in his hands. Young Vulre sat on his lap, listening intently as Aeson read aloud, his tone calm and steady.

Laeroth froze. He blinked. Rubbed his eyes once, then looked again. That face...

His eyes widened in horror.

It couldn't be.

Even if Laeroth wasn't among the highest circle of elves, the Callis family was powerful enough to know much of the inner workings of elven history. He had seen that face before, carved into monuments.

One of the supreme beings of the elven race, one whose very thoughts could alter the course of the elven civilization, whose will could send ripples through the entire Irylian Concord.

What was he doing here…?

But before Laeroth could gather a single coherent thought, a voice came:

"Then the Knight…"

And suddenly, Laeroth was no longer watching from a distance. He was standing at the edge of the courtyard, right in front of the house.

Aeson sat there still, reading calmly to Vulre in the open space. Sweat began to bead along Laeroth's forehead. He hadn't even realized how or when he got here.

Vulre noticed him first. "We have a guest…"

Aeson turned his head toward him, looking with a neutral expression. "Indeed, it seems so. Would you like to come in?"

Laeroth took a breath and steadied himself. Then he walked forward and knelt in front of him.

"Greetings to the ********."

Vulre tilted his head. "Grandpa, do you know them…?"

Aeson glanced at Laeroth, then back at his grandson. "No. It's the first time I've seen him. But would you go and bring some refreshments? Tell your mother we have a guest."

Vulre hopped off the chair and ran inside without question.

Laeroth remained standing for a moment, his thoughts racing. He might've made a mistake, possibly disturbing the secrecy and peace.

Aeson turned to him and gestured calmly. "Have a seat."

Laeroth meant to refuse, to politely decline, but before he could say anything, he found himself already sitting on the chair beside him.

Aeson looked at him plainly. "What brings you here?"

Laeroth hesitated. "I... I'm here for an inspection," he said, stumbling slightly over the words. But after that pause, he continued honestly, explaining his purpose without hiding anything. Titles, age, status, none of that meant much in front of the being sitting across from him.

Aeson gave a small nod. "So there are still some astute little ones here...."

Laeroth didn't respond. He simply kept quiet, suddenly aware of how much he sounded like a student speaking to a teacher. Aeson's presence had that effect.

While they sat outside, Vulre had gone back inside the house. In the kitchen, Imryll was scolding Xucis, who had just returned a few days ago.

"You barely come home, and now you're already planning to leave again?" she said, arms crossed.

"I have to get back," Xucis replied. "New students are starting this week."

"You always have to get back. Do you think this place will take care of itself? Or that your family doesn't matter once your work calls?"

Xucis sighed. "It's not like that."

"Really?"

Before he could say anything else, Vulre stepped forward. "Mother, we have a guest. Grandpa said to bring something to drink."

Imryll turned to him. "A guest? Who is it?"

Vulre just shrugged. "I don't know."

Imryll gave Xucis one last look, then moved to the shelf. "Fine." She opened a jar of dried Laeriel flowers and began brewing.

"I'll help," Vulre said, standing next to her.

Imryll smiled and ruffled his hair. "So sweet," she said, then glanced at Xucis again. "Much more sensible than you."

Xucis muttered something under his breath and sat down.

A few minutes later, Vulre came walking back out, carefully carrying a tray with two small cups of Laeriel. The soft steam carried a faint floral scent as he stepped back into the courtyard.

Aeson took one of the cups without looking up and said calmly, "Just do your own work… and pretend we never met."

Laeroth nodded silently, like a student being dismissed. He took the other cup, raised it to his lips, and sipped. The warmth spread through him instantly, clearing his mind and settling his nerves.

He set the cup down, gave a quiet bow to Aeson, and stepped away without another word. Aeson simply turned back to the book, continuing to read aloud to Vulre as if nothing had happened.

Once Laeroth was a fair distance away, he finally let out a long breath. His shoulders dropped.

"That was intense…" he muttered to himself. The pressure he'd felt was unlike anything he'd ever known. But still… to see that person in such a quiet place, he couldn't help but feel it was a blessing just to be the presence.

"About time I meet little Reina," Laeroth said quietly to himself.

In the apartment, Ian, Myrra, and Reina were sitting in the living room. Ian had already cleaned up, and Myrra was in the middle of discussing with Reina, the party plans. They all looked relaxed, the air light.

Outside the apartment door, Laeroth appeared. He could have entered directly, but after the earlier encounter with Aeson, he decided to approach more respectfully this time. He raised a hand and rang the doorbell.

"I'll get it," Ian said, standing up.

He walked over, unlocked the door, and opened it. The figure standing there was tall, graceful in that quiet elven way, with crimson hair that shimmered faintly. His features were elegant but carried an odd weight.

"Yes?" Ian asked, keeping his tone polite.

Laeroth smiled lightly. "Could you call Reina for me?"

"She's inside. Please, come in."

Laeroth stepped in with a quiet nod. The moment Reina saw him, her eyes lit up. "Fifth Grandpa!" she exclaimed, hurrying over to give him a warm hug.

"What are you doing here? When did you arrive?" she asked, surprised and smiling.

Laeroth chuckled softly. "I was passing through on some work and thought I'd visit you while I was here. How have you been?"

"I've been good," Reina replied warmly.

She then turned to introduce the others. "This is Myrra, and that's Ian; my friends."

Laeroth gave them both a polite nod. "It's good to meet you. Thank you for keeping Reina company."

Myrra smiled. "Of course." Ian nodded as well.

Reina looked to Myrra, who gave an understanding nod. Ian added, "You should go."

"Alright," Reina said, then smiled to the both of them. "We'll talk later."

They left together, the door closing softly behind them.

A few moments passed. Ian and Myrra returned to the couch, Ian's arm slid around her waist. She leaned into him naturally.

Ian gave a small smile. "Fifth Grandpa, huh? First time we've seen any of Reina's family, right?"

Myrra nodded. "Yeah. She doesn't talk much about them."

Ian exhaled quietly. That was true. Even though Rhys once said Reina was his cousin, Ian still didn't know how that relation worked or where it came from. She'd never brought it up.

Myrra smiled faintly, shifting the topic. "So, how was the trip? Did you see anything interesting?"

Ian nodded slowly. "Yeah. Relt was… a lot. I'll tell you everything."

And he began to talk about the trip, his promotion of the Eldritch Path, and all the strange and quiet things in between. Myrra listened, arms still around each other, the soft afternoon light filling the room.

Next morning, Ian woke up with Myrra's naked body tangled around him, her leg hooked over his. Her breathing was slow, face peaceful, cheek pressed faintly against his chest.

He smiled to himself, brushing a few strands of hair off her forehead.

He had more than made up for the missing days, working her over until she had clutched him and begged him to stop, only for him to push her over the edge again. And again. And again.

Now she was limp, clinging to him like a lifeline.

Myrra slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the light. Then she saw him, the same face that had tortured her the entire night, and gave his lower lip a firm bite.

"Ow—"

Myrra gave a quiet, satisfied hum. "Who told you to bully me so much last night?"

Ian grinned. "You weren't exactly stopping me."

Myrra didn't answer, just pushed her face into his neck and groaned.

Eventually, she rolled out of bed with a sigh, stretching. "We have class."

After washing up and grabbing something quick to eat, Ian left for the academy, he attended the morning lectures as usual.

Later in the day, after class, Ian made his way across the polished walkways of the campus toward the upper levels where the senior offices were located. He was headed to meet High Scholar Durlan.

He stopped in front of the office, knocked lightly, and stepped in after hearing a muted "come in."

High Scholar Durlan looked up from a floating projection. "Ah, Ian. How was the vacation?"

Ian gave a small nod as he sat. "It was good."

"I heard you went to Relt," Durlan continued, leaning back. "How was it?"

"Yes. Although there were… a few misadventures, overall it was good."

Durlan raised an eyebrow. "What kind of misadventures?"

Ian hesitated, then gave a brief account, carefully leaving out the more dangerous encounters.

Durlan listened, then shook his head. "Things like that aren't uncommon in regions like Relt. When there's no proper local governance, things slip through the cracks."

He turned back to the projection and dismissed it with a flick. "Anyway, now that you're back, we can continue with the work. There's something new I'd like your thoughts on."

Afterward, Ian spent some time discussing the ongoing project with High Scholar Durlan. Once they were done, Ian excused himself and made his way down the wide stone corridors, out of the upper halls, and toward the overlook where he knew Yeonelyth would be.

She was there, as always, sitting quietly at the edge of the balcony, overlooking the endless stretch of ocean beyond the cliffs. The breeze was calm, carrying the scent of salt and distant blossoms. Her long coat rippled faintly with the wind.

She turned her head slightly as Ian approached. "You're back," she said softly, her voice calm as ever. "Judging by the looks of it, I'd say the trip was… successful."

Ian stopped beside her, giving a small nod. "Yeah. It was. Thank you," he added, more sincerely than usual. "Your information helped a lot."