Chapter 10: Ch 9: Establishing pecking order
Both Leon and Seraphina were entering their teenage years, which meant rebellion came naturally to them.
From what Kael recalled, neither child had been particularly troublesome or prone to talking back. But that did not mean they were completely free of dissatisfaction.
If he allowed those feelings to fester, their relationship would slowly deteriorate, and Kael’s goal of preventing the world’s destruction would be compromised.
"To start with, I want both of you to come to me whenever you have a problem. The only other thing I ask is that you be honest with me and not keep secrets. As long as you follow those two rules, you are free to do anything else."
Kael had barely established any rules at all.
"Is that... really all?"
Seraphina asked in a small voice.
"That is all. This place is not the temple. It is your home, and I hope you will come to think of it that way."
Kael chose not to press the matter further. He understood that the children needed time to adjust to their new surroundings, so he decided to give them that time.
That night, he found both Seraphina and Leon wandering through the hallways, testing their newfound freedom.
Kael allowed them to wander freely to show that no restrictions had been placed on them.
[Trust +5]
[You have unlocked a new ’Person’ in your personal list]
[Name: Leon
Title: Hero
Race: ??
Current Trust Rating: 40]
Kael was not sure what surprised him more—the fact that Leon had a trust rating or the fact that he already trusted him so much.
But considering how Leon had been treated like a weapon rather than a human being, it was not difficult to understand where that trust was coming from.
’Since Leon already trusts me, I can begin his training tomorrow.’
...
Kael woke up before the sunlight even reached his face. He wanted to go back to sleep, but his modern life had conditioned him to start his mornings early.
He headed downstairs to begin preparing for the day when he noticed a shadow moving in the kitchen.
Logically, he knew there was no way anyone could break into his house. And even if someone did, his magical wards would alert him immediately.
And yet, his modern instincts warned him to stay cautious.
He had already begun casting a spell before he realized it, and his magic immediately restrained the figure in the kitchen.
"I-I did not mean to—"
Seraphina’s frightened voice made Kael blink, and he quickly realized that there was no intruder in his kitchen.
He had simply forgotten that he was no longer living alone.
"It’s alright. This was my mistake. I forgot that I brought you and Leon here yesterday. Are you alright? Did my magic hurt you?"
Kael gently lowered Seraphina back to the ground and immediately checked to make sure she was unharmed.
Seraphina looked startled but otherwise fine.
"I just wanted to help with breakfast, so I came downstairs. I know I should not have touched your things without permission. I will make sure—"
"Hey, calm down and take a deep breath. It’s alright. I am not angry about what happened."
Kael quickly reassured her, and Seraphina slowly began to calm down. Her breathing steadied, and the tension gradually left her body.
But she still asked again, wanting to double-check.
"You are not angry at me for sneaking around and touching your things?"
Kael shook his head.
"This is your home as well, so you are free to use anything you need. Just avoid my research area, since you could get hurt there."
Seraphina took a deep breath and nodded.
Silence filled the kitchen once more, and Kael decided to break it with an offer.
"It’s still early, but I was about to start making breakfast. Would you like to help me?"
The girl accepted his offer, and the two began cooking together in silence. Occasionally, Kael asked Seraphina to hand him ingredients or utensils, but that was the extent of their conversation.
"Seraphina, can you set the table while I go wake Leon up?"
Kael asked, giving Seraphina small responsibilities so she would start feeling included.
Once he was sure she understood, Kael headed toward Leon’s room.
He knocked once, but the door was already unlocked. He did not want to invade Leon’s privacy, but when the boy still did not come out after several minutes, Kael decided to check on him.
"Leon, are you awake?"
The hero was already awake, sitting quietly on the bed. He was not moving, but his gaze was fixed on Kael.
Kael kept his distance, allowing Leon to decide how much space he wanted.
"Do you need help getting up?"
Leon shook his head and slowly pushed himself upright. Kael did not interfere and allowed Leon to move at his own pace.
By the time they arrived downstairs, Seraphina had already set the table.
Breakfast felt different this time because there were people around to share it with.
The dishes were quickly cleaned with magic, and once everything else was out of the way, it was finally time to begin training.
"We will begin your training now. You are welcome to join us as well, Seraphina. It would be good for you to learn how to defend yourself in the future."
The future saintess looked tempted to join them, but in the end, she decided not to participate that day.
Kael allowed her to sit out for now. He already had a plan to slowly encourage Seraphina to take interest in their training sessions. That way, she would become more capable of protecting herself and also gain more self-confidence.
The key was helping Seraphina feel that she was improving. So Kael decided to give her something productive to do.
"Do you know how to read? You can use the library while we are gone. If you struggle with reading or get confused, use the main thesaurus. It will teach you what you need to know."
Kael instructed Seraphina before leaving a familiar made from his magic behind to watch over her.
That would be enough to keep an eye on her for now.
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