"You're so so cute!"
The initial awkwardness had completely dissipated.
Presently, Naira was holding her baby in her arms, squeezing it tightly, sticking her cheek to his, and covering him with kisses.
'I'm the one feeling awkward now!'
Naira deposited another kiss on the baby's forehead, and the latter decided that enough was enough.
He slapped her in the face.
"What is it, cutie?" Naira asked with a baby voice, smiling widely.
Unfortunately, his physical strength was so low that it basically just felt like he had laid his hand on her cheek.
'Ugh! Let go of me! I'm not used to this much physical contact! Especially not with a stranger! Or a woman! Or a female stranger… Or a strange female!'
"Hahahaha!" She laughed radiantly at her baby's facial expressions. "Whaaaat? You're already all grown up? Already wanna move away from your mother? I might just cry, you know?"
'Yes, that's exactly right!' The baby let his head sway to the side. 'In the first place, how can I think of a random person as my mother? Kain could have literally taken me to anyone…'
"I'm really sorry, sweet angel." Naira whispered as she rotated her baby's body so that its back would rest against her stomach. "To bring you into such a dark and filthy place… You don't deserve this. You deserve better…" She was holding him with her arms while staring dead ahead as she talked. "Much better…"
The baby slowly raised his gaze so as to look at her face, which caused the back of his head to push against Naira's breasts.
'Ugh… Sorry about that.'
Just as he attempted to move away, Naira pulled her baby closer.
"It's my fault. If I hadn't been captured, I wouldn't be here. Stuck in this place… Although it's been years already…"
For a moment, Naira seemed somber.
A second later though, her face lit up and she showed her baby the brightest smile.
"But then you wouldn't be here either! So it's actually a good thing I was captured! Don't you think? Hahahaha!"
'Is it…?'
Naira chuckled at the baby's raised eyebrow. All of a sudden, she became aware of how tired she was. A long yawn followed.
"I can't sleep… Not when I have so much to tell you…"
'Is telling things to a baby really important? It's not like I'm supposed to understand anything.'
***
He was seated at the center of a large and empty room. The stones that made up the walls, ceiling, and ground were covered by strange engravings from which emanated a faint light.
The blonde man was seated on the ground with his legs crossed.
While keeping his eyes closed, he took a deep breath in. A second later, a golden aura started oozing out of his body. Brilliant and dazzling, it lit up the whole room. A blinding light was emanating from his body.
Seconds passed, and the light only grew stronger. The quantity of aura increased and increased, until half of the room was filled by it.
With his eyes still closed, he slowly and gracefully stood up. The aura surrounding him oscillated and swayed as he moved.
His hand moved towards the sheathed sword at his side. He lay an open palm on the hilt, before taking a breathing out.
The man's eyes opened suddenly. His fingers tightened around the hilt and pulled the sword out in an instant. As his blue eyes glowed fiercely like full moons, the sword was swung vertically, cutting the sea of golden aura in two.
He held the sword up above, and took another deep breath.
A second later, the sea of aura started moving, and the sword started glowing.
It didn't take long before the previous silvery sword became golden.
All of the aura that filled the space around him was absorbed by the mighty sword.
The swordsman took a long breath out.
Once there was no more air to exhale, everything froze.
Silence and stillness.
***
Thousands and thousands of kilometers away from the Capital.
On the outskirts of the Kingdom.
"So this is it, huh?"
"Your post is right here. My shift ends in a couple of minutes. You're new, right?"
"Yeah…" The new recruit nodded, impressed by the view. "I didn't know the forest on this side of the Kingdom was so vast."
From the top of the watchtower, kilometers upon kilometers of land could be seen.
"The forest isn't even the most impressive part." The Guard pointed behind him with his thumb.
"Huh… I didn't know there were any projects that involved leveling part of the forest."
"Only one project does." The Guard smiled knowingly. "You can see that right there, can't you?"
"That's… Are those magical engravings?"
"They are. That pillar is the reason for the huge hole in the forest."
"..." The recruit scratched his chin. "So our job here is to watch that pillar, right?"
"No." The veteran Guard shook his head. "Our job is not to make sure no one gets close to the pillar… Or the whole area surrounding it."
"That's-"
"Any second now." The Guard interrupted while pointing at the pillar. "Blink and you'll miss it."
The recruit frowned silently and stared at the stone pillar.
His frown deepened as the magical engravings that covered the pillar's stones started shining more brightly than earlier.
The next second, he felt like his heart had suddenly stopped beating.
Out of nowhere, a crescent wave of golden light appeared. The curved wave of energy slammed into the ground, cleaving the earth beneath it. The ground split open and a deep fissure was carved forward as the golden aura moved away from the stone pillar. It cut through the air with a deafening roar, and tore the trees standing in its way, turning them into dust.
The light vanished into the distance, disappearing just as suddenly as it had appeared.
"W-Was that…?"
"Yes." The Guard nodded with his arms crossed. "Our King seems to be training."
"Light Magic… The Magic Type that only the Royals can use! That's what it was, wasn't it?!"
"Correct, young recruit!"
The recruit's eyes were shining, dazzled by the display. He couldn't keep his hands from shaking though.
'An attack like that could easily destroy a village, if not...'
***
"Hmph…" The blue-eyed King sheathed his sword. "A bit sloppy."
"Your Majestyyyyy!"
The King turned around with a silent sigh.
"Loooord Kain is here, at your service!"
"How can you be at my service when you're the one who came to me? When I didn't ask for you?"
"No need to be so cold, your Majesty!"
The King studied his brother for a moment.
"You're not hiding it behind your back, are you?"
"Whatever do you mean?"
"The Demon child your cursed mind talked me into making."
"..." Kain scratched his chin. "I think what you meant to say is 'Where is my boy? Can I see my boy?', isn't it?"
"It's not. If it were up to me, I would-"
"No need to go there, your Majesty! Depictions of child murder are forbidden!"
"Demon child extermination is recommended."
"Well, about that…"