Chapter 49: Arrival of the Second Entity I
The clock marked the end of the afternoon.
The academy, normally noisy at this hour, was strangely quiet.
Not because the students were studying.
But because everyone knew something was about to happen.
Even though no one knew exactly what.
On the rooftop of the main building, the wind slowly moved the academy’s flags.
There were only four people there.
Well...
Three people.
And one extraordinarily fat cat.
Kael lay back on a stone bench.
Deep bags under his eyes.
Hair completely disheveled.
His breathing was slow.
Heavy.
He had been almost two days without sleep.
Every time he closed his eyes...
The whips appeared on their own.
Every time he tried to rest...
The System window opened again.
As if it wanted to constantly remind him that time was running out.
[Estimated arrival: 00:27:43]
Kael let out another sigh.
"Shut up already..."
The window, obviously, didn’t respond.
Beside the bench, Luna watched the countdown, invisible to everyone except Kael.
She couldn’t see it.
But she already knew the expression he made every time it appeared.
It was enough to worry her.
"Big brother...
Are you sure you’re okay?"
Kael let out a tired laugh.
"No.
But I don’t have the energy to worry anymore."
Luna lowered her head.
She wasn’t used to seeing him like this.
He always made jokes.
Always found some absurd remark.
But now...
He looked completely exhausted.
In front of the bench, the Little Fat King sat with his tail wrapped around his paws.
He was staring fixedly at Kael.
Not sleeping.
Not yawning.
Not pretending indifference.
Just watching him.
Luna slowly turned to the cat.
Then back to Kael.
Then back to the cat.
She frowned slightly.
"That’s weird..."
The Fat King immediately looked away.
"Meow."
"No, don’t play dumb.
You’re worried."
"Meow."
"Yes, you are."
The cat proudly lifted his head.
As if that accusation were absurd.
But he didn’t move an inch.
He kept watching Kael.
Seraphina appeared a few seconds later, carrying a small wooden box.
"I brought tea.
And food."
Kael barely lifted his head a little.
"Thanks..."
She placed both things on the bench.
Then she looked at the boy’s exhausted face.
Without saying anything at all...
She sat down beside him.
Kael looked at her, confused.
"What are you doing?"
"Come."
"Huh?"
She gave a small pat on her thighs.
"Rest."
Kael opened and closed his mouth several times.
"I don’t think..."
"Kael."
Her tone was still calm.
As always.
But there was a firmness impossible to argue with.
He ended up giving in.
"Alright..."
With an awkward movement, he finally rested his head on Seraphina’s lap.
The world felt...
Strangely comfortable.
Much more comfortable than he expected.
Seraphina began to gently stroke his hair.
Slowly.
Without hurry.
As if she wanted to convince him that, for a few minutes, it was okay to rest.
Kael closed his eyes.
"This...
Is dangerously relaxing..."
"That was the goal."
Luna watched the scene completely still.
Then she discreetly took out a small notebook.
She wrote a sentence.
"Brother defeated by comfortable thighs."
She nodded, satisfied.
The Fat King watched her write.
Then turned his gaze back to Kael.
He still didn’t look away.
Silence stretched for several minutes.
Only the wind.
And Seraphina’s caresses.
Kael began to relax little by little.
Until...
He frowned slightly.
"..."
"Is something wrong?"
asked Seraphina.
Kael was quiet for a few seconds.
"I hear...
something."
"What do you hear?"
"Barking."
Luna tilted her head.
"Barking?"
Kael nodded slowly.
"Very far away.
Like someone is...
looking for me."
The Little Fat King perked up one ear.
Then another.
His expression changed for just an instant.
As if he had also perceived something.
Then he went back to pretending absolute indifference.
"Meow."
Kael sighed.
"I think I’m hallucinating now."
"You’re not hallucinating."
Seraphina kept stroking his head slowly.
"You’re just very tired."
He let out a small laugh.
"You’re incredible..."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Why?"
Kael opened one eye just enough to look at her.
"Because...
The man you fall in love with someday...
Is going to be the luckiest guy in the world."
Seraphina stopped moving her hand for just a second.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because..."
He smiled tiredly.
"You’re beautiful.
Smart.
Kind.
Strong.
Patient.
And you also do this..."
He adjusted himself a little better on her lap.
"This should be considered healing magic."
Luna started nodding very quickly.
"Confirmed."
Seraphina seemed confused.
"But...
I’ve already found that man."
Kael took several seconds to process the sentence.
His brain tried to react.
It couldn’t.
He was too tired.
Too stressed.
He ended up letting out a small defeated laugh.
"I think...
Under normal conditions...
Right now I’d be panicking.
Or screaming.
Or thinking I won the lottery.
Or that I found a professional-rank dungeon treasure."
Seraphina smiled very slightly.
"Then I’ll rest until you can react."
Kael closed his eyes again.
"Thanks..."
Silence returned.
Only interrupted by the wind.
And by a sound that only Kael could hear.
Woof.
Very distant.
Woof.
Closer each time.
His breathing quickened again.
He slowly opened his eyes.
The window appeared again.
[Estimated arrival: 00:00:10]
Luna felt a chill.
"What’s wrong?"
Kael didn’t answer.
He was looking at the sky.
Seraphina also looked up.
The wind disappeared.
Completely.
The Little Fat King was already standing.
His tail moved slowly.
He didn’t look scared.
He looked...
Expectant.
[00:00:05]
The clouds began to spin.
As if the entire sky were a giant whirlpool.
Students from all over the academy came out of their classrooms.
Teachers looked up.
Even in the nearby city, alarm bells began to ring.
[00:00:03]
The air began to distort.
The walls seemed to ripple.
Light lost its color.
For an instant...
Everyone felt an indescribable pressure.
As if reality were holding its breath.
[00:00:02]
The barking inside Kael’s head no longer sounded distant.
Now it seemed to be right behind him.
The Little Fat King narrowed his eyes.
For the first time since Kael had summoned him...
His expression showed no laziness.
No pride.
No annoyance.
Only immense curiosity.
[00:00:01]
The screen changed.
[Second Compatible Entity... synchronization complete.]
The sky tore open.
And all of reality began to distort.
Kael looked at the sky and sighed.
"Shit... Is this some kind of punk joke?"
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