Chapter 195: Invitation [2]
Breakfast passed in the blink of an eye. Aunt Clara took her leave shortly after to look after her husband, leaving Soren and Ethea alone once more.
Soren didn’t waste the opportunity and immediately leaned in to speak with her. However, before jumping into the important matters, he decided to share the details of what had occurred during the attack. He walked her through the sequence of events, explaining exactly how they had been saved and tracing the timeline all the way up to his encounter with the man who had turned the tide, saving not only them but the whole city.
However, before he could pivot to the core of the matter, a knock sounded at the door. Soren stood up, walked over, and slid it open.
"I hope I did not interrupt."
The visitor standing in the doorway was none other than the savior himself.
"Good morning, Sir," Soren said, bowing his head respectfully before shaking it to dismiss the apology. "No, you didn’t interrupt at all. Please, come in."
Emperor Hector nodded and walked inside. The moment he stepped past the threshold, his eyes fell directly on Ethea. He paused for a brief second, a warm look softening his features before he smiled.
"It is nice to see you again," he said softly.
Ethea looked stunned at first because Soren had not yet revealed their savior’s identity, but upon seeing the familiar figure before her, the pieces instantly clicked into place. Her shock quickly gave way to recognition, and her lips curled upward into a genuine smile as she greeted him back.
"I’m glad to see you as well, Teacher Hector," she said, her voice weak but filled with genuine warmth. "Thank you for coming."
Hector nodded before taking a seat in the empty chair beside the bed.
Soren moved quickly, pouring a fresh cup of the herbal tea he had prepared earlier, placing it carefully on the side table for the Emperor before reclaiming his own seat.
Hector picked up the cup, took a measured sip, and set it down. He turned his attention back to Ethea. "...How have you been?"
"I’ve been doing well," Ethea replied softly, giving him a reassuring look. "More importantly, was your seclusion fruitful?"
"It was." Hector nodded, though a quiet seriousness settled over his features. After a brief pause, he exhaled quietly. "Ethea... I am sorry for not visiting sooner."
Ethea shook her head faintly, dismissing the apology without hesitation. "It is alright, Teacher. I already heard the details from my husband. You have already helped us a great deal."
Hector accepted her words before adding. "If you need more help, do not hesitate to reach out. Although I cannot promise to protect you at all times, I will at least do my best to give you the support you need."
Ethea nodded in return, her expression filled with gratitude. "We will, Teacher. Thank you for the reassurance."
"Mmm..."
The conversation flowed naturally.
Soren watched silently from the side, observing the dynamics between the two. He realized that Ethea and Emperor Hector shared a remarkably good relationship; even though they were not exceptionally close in daily life, a deep, mutual respect connected them.
Before long, the exchange began to wind down naturally, as both the Emperor and Ethea ran out of immediate topics to discuss.
Soren was just about to jump in to steer the conversation toward his planned topic, but Hector spoke up first. "Soren, when are you two going to be discharged?"
"...Probably tomorrow," Soren answered, recalling the updates the doctor had given him before.
"Then, where are you going to stay? Your house... was destroyed during the attack, right?"
Soren nodded grimly. As the Emperor said, their apartment, along with the entire building, had been completely destroyed during the chaos. Given that the structure had sat directly at the epicenter of the assault, it would have been stranger if it had survived. Fortunately, Soren was thankful they hadn’t lost anything irreplaceable, since he habitually kept all their important belongings secured within his inventory.
"I was planning to book a hotel," Soren answered, keeping his tone measured. "After all, we are going to leave the city soon anyway."
Hector went quiet for a moment, processing the response, before looking between the young couple. "What about staying at my place then?"
Soren blinked, caught off guard by the sudden invitation. "That... we would be imposing too much on you, Sir."
Emperor Hector didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he simply continued to stare at Soren, his sharp gaze weighing the young man’s hesitation. The silence stretched for a few seconds before the Emperor added calmly, "I was going to help you with your spearmanship too."
Soren’s eyes widened in surprise. The unexpected offer threw his mind into immediate conflict. Learning directly from a powerhouse like the Icebreaker Emperor was an invaluable opportunity, yet he still felt reluctant to intrude on the man’s private space. Seeking guidance, he glanced toward the hospital bed.
Ethea caught his eye, a soft, encouraging smile gracing her lips as she gave him a reassuring nod.
Seeing her approval, the lingering hesitation vanished from Soren’s mind. He turned back to the Emperor and gave an appreciative bow. "Then we will gladly accept your hospitality, Sir. Thank you."
"Don’t mention it," Emperor Hector said, a rare smile appearing on his face. "I am doing it for myself as well. I simply felt uncomfortable leaving you two like this."
They exchanged a few more casual words before Hector glanced toward the door and then back to Soren. His expression grew slightly more practical. "Actually, see if you can be discharged today. If you can manage it, leaving now would be even better."
Soren recognized the wisdom behind the suggestion. Or more like, he was excited to learn from the old man. He nodded without hesitation, stepping back from the bedside. "I will go and check right away."
With a final glance at Ethea, Soren slid the door open and stepped out into the corridor, leaving the Emperor and Ethea alone to talk in privacy.
"Hm..." Hector’s gaze lingered on the closed door for a moment before he turned back to Ethea. "Your husband... He is a good man."
"Mmm..." Ethea nodded, a touch of quiet pride gracing her features.
Hector chuckled softly, a look of mild amusement dancing in his eyes. "I must admit, I never envisioned the day the legendary Ice Empress would actually lose her heart to someone."
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