Kaiser's Perspective:
11:37 PM - 1/1/2018
I stared at her, caught between confusion and a strange sense of respect.
Hmm?
Celia slowly sat up straight, her posture shifting from broken to resolute in a single breath. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand—a sharp, decisive motion that left nothing behind but red-rimmed determination.
The tent felt suddenly small. Just the two of us, the worn pillows by the side, our bags tossed carelessly to the side as well. The blizzard outside was a distant roar, muffled by the heavy silence settling in here.
"You want to know what I truly want, Kai?" she asked, her voice steady now, stripped of the pleading tone from moments ago.
I leaned back slightly, crossing my arms. "I'm listening."
"First," she said, holding up one finger, "I want to explore the entire world. I want to see every mystery on that map I used to stare at."
I raised an eyebrow. "Ambitious. Why, though? To prove you can?"
She shook her head. "To know everything. To see the beauty I've long since abandoned as a child. The ones I loved reading about… I want to see it all." Her eyes burned with a cold intelligence.
"Knowledge is the first step to authority. If I know how the world works, I can make it my own."
Interesting.
"Fair enough," I said, keeping my tone neutral. "And the second?"
She held up a second finger. "I want to become the Apex Predator. Strong enough that no one—no ruler, no god, no army—can ever take what belongs to me again."
I tilted my head, studying the sudden hardness in her jaw. "Sounds like you're preparing for a war, Celia. Why the need for such absolute power?"
"Because the weak always get taken from," she replied instantly, reciting the words like a sacred text.
"I learned that a long time ago. I won't be butchered. I won't be discarded. I will have the strength to shatter anyone who tries to steal from me."
She leaned forward then, closing the distance between us. The air in the tent grew heavy, charged with something far more dangerous than magic.
"And the third?" I asked softly.
She reached out, her hand trembling slightly before she steadied it against my cheek. Her touch was warm, possessive, and terrifyingly gentle.
"It begins with you," she whispered, her red eyes locking onto mine.
"The only reason I worked so hard to live when everyone hated me… was to find you again."
Oh? Is that her drive to living now?
I didn't move. I didn't pull away. I just let her hold my gaze.
"I want you all for myself.."
She took a shaky breath, her thumb brushing my cheekbone.
"My goal is to stand by your side forever. To make sure you never walk away from me again. To prove that no power in this world is strong enough to separate us."
I stared into her eyes, seeing her resolve and determination.
"You're terrifying, you know that?" I murmured, a faint smirk touching my lips.
She smiled—a crooked, tear-stained, beautiful smile. "Only fake flowers are flawless, Kai."
"I made up my mind long ago."
Interesting… This should be enough.
"Alright, Princess. You win," I said, leaning back and letting my arms relax. "Do as you please."
Celia's intense expression shattered instantly, replaced by a beaming, childish delight.
"Yippee!" she cheered softly, her hands clasping together as a radiant smile broke through the gloom.
I turned my head toward the tent exit, watching the canvas shudder violently against the wind. The blizzard was still howling, relentless and wild.
"Whatever you say, it's time to sleep," I muttered.
"I'm not leaving the tent even if you told me to!" she declared, puffing her chest out slightly.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it," I waved my hand dismissively.
She blinked, surprised by the easy acceptance. I couldn't help it. A low chuckle escaped my throat, vibrating in the small space.
"Hehehhehe."
I reached out, placing my hand on top of her head—right over the white flower she had imagined there all those years ago.
"You've truly grown, Celia."
She leaned into the touch, closing her eyes with a satisfied hum. "Hmph! Yep, all grown now. I'm capable."
"Is that so?"
Her hand was still lingering on my cheek, warm and soft. I didn't push it away. Instead, I moved my hand from her head, slid it down, and gently grabbed her wrist.
Her eyes snapped open, wide and confused. "K-Kai?"
I didn't break eye contact. I turned her hand over, guiding her palm slowly toward my face, and pressed my lips softly against her knuckles.
"Eek!"
The sound that left her throat was less 'Apex Predator' and more 'possessive wife.'
She pulled her hand back as if I burned her, clutching it to her chest. Her face went from pale to nuclear red in a nanosecond.
"K-K-Kai! W-What was— Why did—!"
"Look at you," I teased, leaning forward with a grin. "So grown, yet exactly the same."
"It's not fair!" she stammered, burying her face in her hands, peeking through her fingers. "You... you can't just attack me like that!"
"Attack? That was a greeting, Princess."
"That was not a greeting! That was... that was cheating!"
"All's fair in love and war, right?" I laughed, enjoying the way she was practically steaming. "Adaptable, aren't you? Adapt to that."
"I... You... Ugh!" She swatted the air in my direction, flustered beyond belief. "You're enjoying this too much!"
"Maybe," I shrugged. "You make it easy."
After a while, the laughter died down, leaving a comfortable, warm silence between us. We sat across from each other, the tension of the argument fully dissolved.
I looked at her—really looked at her.
"Celia," I said, my voice dropping the teasing edge. "You should fulfill those dreams. Even the extreme ones."
She lowered her hands, her expression sobering but bright.
"The world, the dreams... everything," I added. "Go for it."
She smiled, a determined, beautiful curve of her lips. The red ribbon I had tied in her hair fluttered slightly as she nodded.
"I will," she said firmly. "I'm ready!"
"Good."
I stretched my arms over my head, feeling my spine crack.
"Well then," I said, eyeing the limited floor space. "Since we're stuck here... you'll have to sleep next to me."
I waited for the blush.
Celia just blinked. She looked down at the space, then back at me, completely unfazed.
"Okay," she said simply. "I've slept next to you a few times in the past. And just a day ago, too.."
I paused. My plan to fluster her backfired spectacularly.
"Tch," I clicked my tongue, sighing. "You're getting too used to it. Where's the shy girl from five minutes ago?"
"She adapted," Celia said with a triumphant little grin.
"Right. Adapted." I shook my head, standing up to grab my gear. "I created a monster."
I tossed a pillow to one side and grabbed a blanket.
"Goodnight, Kai," she chirped, settling down on her side of the makeshift bed, pulling her own blanket up to her chin, watching me with happy eyes.
"Goodnight, Celia."
I lay down on the opposite side, turning my back to her. I closed my eyes, the sound of the blizzard fading into white noise.
Ahh, finally some rest.
I had just managed to achieve that blessed state of near-sleep—the kind where your brain stops replaying everything stupid you said five minutes ago—when I felt a sudden, unmistakable weight settle against my back.
Her arms, small yet surprisingly strong, were wrapped securely around my chest. Her breath, soft and warm, stirred the hair at the back of my head. She was a furnace pressed against my spine.
I sighed, already mentally recalculating my sleep probability.
"Celia," I muttered, my voice thick with exhaustion.
"Hmmmmmmm?" she replied, the sound muffled and deeply satisfied, vibrating pleasantly against my back like a purring kitten.
"I was trying to sleep. You know, that thing people do at night with their eyes closed."
"I know what sleep is," she retorted, pulling me tighter. "I just can't sleep without holding my husband."
I snorted, the sound dry and sarcastic. "Husband. Casual, aren't we? Such a shameless girl."
"Well, you are my objective," she explained with flawless logic. "And I don't leave my objectives unattended. Plus, you're warm."
"I'm also an adult who needs at least four hours of rest before I have to pull us out of this frozen hellscape, you clingy kat."
"You're always making fun of me," she complained, but her tone was pure affection. "But you can't be mad. I keep the nightmares away."
"I appreciate the service, but the sheer possessiveness is draining my aura."
"Good," she replied instantly. "Then you can't run away."
"I am not running," I sighed dramatically. "I am merely seeking optimal alignment for my spine. This is bad for my health."
"Liar," she chirped.
After a few more moments of me debating the benefits of restful sleep versus the risk of having a girl permanently grafted to my back, her grip suddenly loosened. She slid back, sitting up.
Thank the gods. Freedom.
I felt a sharp poke in my shoulder. "Kai! Wake up!"
I groaned, dragging myself back up.
Ugh, my life. I knew this was too easy.
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and looked at her. She was sitting across from me, her back straight, looking at me with a strange mix of nervousness and resolve.
Then, slowly, deliberately, she used two fingers to pull the collar of her dress down, revealing the pale, perfect curve of her collarbone and the soft skin of her shoulder. Her movement was surprisingly graceful, yet it felt heavy with hidden meaning.
My expression remained neutral.
What the hell is she doing? Is this an attempt of seduction? Is she trying to tempt the inner demons I don't have?
She blushed fiercely, her red eyes staring fixedly at me, waiting.
"Say something!" she finally hissed, her voice sounding frantic.
I crossed my arms, maintaining a relaxed posture despite the mental gymnastics. "Why are you doing this now?" I asked, keeping my voice low and steady.
"And please, for the love of the world, put that away before you catch frostbite."
"I—I can't!" she stammered, clutching the fabric, but not letting it go. Her blush deepened, spreading down her neck.
"It's important! Because… because earlier my… my split self took control of you and I… I see she marked your collarbone."
She pointed to the area of my neck where, revealing a faint, pink-tinged bite mark I'd entirely forgotten about.
"So… so if you want, you can mark me too," she whispered, her voice barely audible, the words tumbling out in a rush. "A little bite—just right there—"
This girl.
I didn't even think about it. I snapped my wrist, grabbing one of the soft pillows, and threw it directly into her face.
Thwump!
It connected with a satisfying, muffled sound.
"Absolutely not!" I exclaimed, my voice laced with exasperated affection. "What kind of deranged offer is that, Celia? I'm not a horny guy marking my territory!?"
Celia pulled the pillow off her head, her face a storm of confusion and offense. "It was romantic! It was a commitment!"
"It was a scene straight out of an errotic romance novel!" I got up, walked over, and grabbed her by the ear—gently, but firmly—pulling it slightly.
"Honestly, where do you get these ideas?!"
"Ow! That hurts!" she shrieked, batting my hand away. She instantly leaned forward, quick as a viper, and bit my arm in retaliation—a sharp, quick snap to the skin.
"Agh! What did I just say about biting?"
"You deserved it!" she crowed, rubbing her own ear. "For pulling my ear!"
"I am pulling your ear because you offered me your neck! That's called appropriate disciplinary action for being crazy!"
"It's called showing I'm yours!" she insisted, her red eyes sparkling with mischief and a frightening sincerity. "And you have no right to pull me when I'm expressing my genuine, obsessive feelings!"
"Obsession is fine! Biting is not! Now let me see that ear!"
She wrestled against my grasp for a second, then dissolved into giggles, throwing her arms around my neck in a tight, affectionate squeeze that pinned my arms to my side.
"Alright, alright, I'll be good," she promised, her voice laced with laughter. "No more offers of marking… for tonight."
"Thank you," I gasped, patting her back. "I was getting worried about my safety."
Finally, I managed to disentangle myself. I pulled the blanket up, sighing loudly, and lay back down, deliberately facing the opposite side of the tent.
I heard a loud, theatrical "Hmph!" from behind me, clearly meant to communicate extreme displeasure. She settled down, facing away from me as well, the silence stiff with annoyance.
Three minutes. I gave it three minutes.
Exactly two minutes and fifty seconds later, I felt the inevitable—her arms wrapped around my chest, her body molding perfectly to my back.
Oh my god, I need sleep.
"What is it now?" I asked, my voice a low, gravelly mumble.
Celia squeezed me, her grip possessive but tender. "I just... I wanted to ask about what earlier."
I waited. I knew where this was going.
"The part where I said you were my goal," she clarified softly, her breath warm against my ear.
"That I love you."
I felt her chest rise in a deep, shaky breath. "You said I should pursue my dreams, Kai. You didn't say anything about the biggest one."
She shifted closer, pressing her face into the curve of my neck.
"I want you. I want to stay with you. Forever."
The bluntness of her ambition, even layered with affection, never failed to surprise me.
"That's... quite the proposal, Lia," I murmured.
"I told you I was adaptable," she countered, her voice dropping to a low, vulnerable whisper. "Just tell me what the answer is."
I sighed, the sound resigned. "Can you give me until morning to say my answer? My really exhausted right now."
She immediately eased her grip, then pulled me close again, tucking her head under my chin. "Okay. Morning it is."
Then, a small, tentative pause.
"But... Can I hold you to sleep?"
"Since you're already doing it, asking now feels like a formality," I sighed, relaxing into her hold. "Sure. Just... try not to mark your territory again."
"No promises," she mumbled sleepily.
I felt her move up suddenly. I braced for another pillow fight, but instead, she reached over my shoulder and gently pulled me. I rolled over, facing her, and before I could orient myself, she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled my face directly onto her chest.
My entire field of vision became white cloth and the sound of her rapid heartbeat.
My confusion was instantaneous. "Celia, what is this?"
She held me firm, her arms strong around my shoulders. Her legs even shifted, crossing over my waist like a subtle, protective cage.
"I'll protect you tonight, Kai. Just sleep," she said, her voice surprisingly deep and calm.
"I'll keep everyone away."
I tried to push back slightly. "I'm fine, Lia. I don't need—"
"I know you aren't," she cut in, her voice soft but absolute.
I froze.
Her hand started moving, slow and steady, rubbing comforting circles on my back. Then, her fingers brushed through my hair, a tender, soothing touch.
"I've noticed it, Kai," she said, her voice a low murmur above my head. "You always wake up before us. You're always sitting up, watching the tent door when I finally open my eyes."
I shifted, uncomfortable. "I'm an early riser. It's how I live."
"I don't think so," she replied, her tone gentle, not accusatory. "I've seen your eyes, even after a full day of traveling and a long night's rest. They're tired. The circles are faint, but they're there."
She paused, the fingers in my hair briefly stroking my scalp.
"And when you lay down, your body is often rigid. You're good at hiding it. You're used to keeping everything tense, I think. But I watch you, Kai."
Her voice was almost a whisper now. "You have problems sleeping, don't you? You never truly relax."
How can she tell?
Even so... why do I feel so incredibly comfortable in this state?
"Are you scared, Kai?" she asked.
Perceptive. My expression was still hidden. "Hardly, Lia. I'm completely fine."
She didn't argue. Instead, her grip tightened, pulling me even further into the safety of her embrace, my cheek resting exactly over her sternum.
"I have this feeling, though," she murmured, her words deep and maternal. "You're scared that someone will hurt you in your sleep…
"That you won't wake up again."
My eyes widened slightly. A small, involuntary flinch in my chest. I fought to keep my composure.
"You're overthinking it, as usual," I dismissed, attempting a dry tone.
She rubbed my hair again, soothing. "Maybe I am. But I want to protect you, Kai. I want to prove to you that your safety is my only priority."
"I'll keep watch until you sleep, okay? Nobody can hurt you when I'm holding you. Nobody can even touch this tent without my permission." She sounded like a benevolent, terrifying queen.
"You will have a good rest tonight, my honey."
I stopped arguing. The exhaustion was a lead weight in my limbs, and the foreign, potent sense of safety was addictive.
I was drowsy.
"Sleep, sleep," she began to hum, a soft, monotonous tune without lyrics, her fingers never stopping their comforting pattern on my hair and back.
This is a weird feeling. This safety.
My mind, usually a chaotic torrent of thoughts, fears, and existential dread, was slowing down. I didn't understand why I felt so safe with her, but the reason was painfully clear: what she said was true.
My mother used to hold me to sleep… and I felt safe only during those times as a child.
Losing my mother years back hadn't just taken away my family; it had given me a debilitating fear of sleep—the ultimate moment of vulnerability. The fear that something would attack me mid-rest, or that I wouldn't wake up to fight back.
I had difficulties sleeping. At best, four to five hours a night, most of it shallow, dream-ridden rest.
I felt safe with Elfie back at the orphanage, especially when she used to put thick, unbreachable Celestial barriers around our sleeping space. Even at the Academy, sometimes. But once she was gone, I hadn't had a proper, deep night's rest in years.
Yet, here I was, melting.
Sleep, sleep, sleep, her humming continued, low and hypnotic. Her hand ran down my back and stayed there, pressed firmly against my spine.
"I'm really sleepy," I muttered, the words thick on my tongue.
"Sleep well, Kai," she said, her voice full of soft, triumphant love. I felt her smile against my hair as she pulled me closer, fitting my body perfectly into the curve of hers.
"I love you."
I didn't know why I felt safer with her. Even compared to Elfie, who could throw up magical barriers thick enough to withstand a siege, Celia's simple, physical embrace was more effective. Or was something in the environment that influenced it too?
My body felt safer which was unnatural for my instincts.
My eyes finally gave way, dozing off, as my last thoughts drifted into the blessed darkness.
I feel safer around Celia.
Celia's Perspective:
I continued the gentle, rhythmic stroking motion, running my fingers through his thick black hair. I felt his body relax against mine, the tension slowly draining from his shoulders and back.
He was here.
He is finally sleeping.
The humming continued—a wordless, lullaby that felt pulled from the deepest, most protective parts of my soul. I kept my lips close to his ear, whispering soft, unintelligible words against his skin..
My arms tightened possessively. My heart swelled, a dark, sweet, overwhelming surge of love and absolute ownership.
They can burn the flowers. They can steal the memory. They can't steal the person.
My mind drifted inward, a silent command reaching out to the shadows waiting patiently outside the tent.
Crownless, Ronan. Status outside.
[ My liege, we have taken out twenty-eight monsters in the surrounding perimeter thus far, and there are no clear signs of a major threat, ] Crownless, my grotesque demon general, replied.
[ Mirage has successfully lured the stragglers away from the immediate area, allowing us to maintain the quiet perimeter, ] Ronan, added.
Good boys.
A genuine smile touched my lips, hidden in the darkness. My hand remained buried in Kai's hair.
[ Mistress, should I instruct Veil to cease the blizzard? It serves no purpose now that the area is clear, ] Mirage inquired respectfully.
No.
I held Kai tighter, pressing my lips to his forehead.
He is sleeping.
Tell Veil to make it slightly colder, but only within the tent's aura boundary. Just enough so Kai can sleep better.
The temperature around us dropped a subtle, refreshing degree, enveloping us in a cocoon of cool, fresh air against the lingering warmth of our bodies.
[ Acknowledged, my queen. Is the Kaiser asleep? ]
Yes.
I couldn't help the fierce, satisfied smile.
[ We shall continue to guard the whole night. Rest well, my liege. We will alert you immediately if even a snowflake moves improperly, ] Ronan promised.
Mirage.
I focused on the fairy demon, whose illusion magic managed the light.
Turn the lantern off.
Instantly, the entire tent plunged into perfect darkness—for him. For me, with my Cursed vision, the tent remained softly illuminated, allowing me to watch his face, his serene breathing, his vulnerability. I continued to affectionately lull him and trace the contours of his ear with my thumb.
He shifted slightly, a soft, sleepy movement against my chest.
He really is relaxing.
"You are going to sleep so soundly tonight, my honey," I whispered, pressing a kiss into his hair. "No more waking up early, no more worried eyes. I'm here. I'm not leaving."
I rubbed his back, pushing all my protective intentions into the gesture. The physical comfort was a beautiful contrast to the deep, possessive longing churning inside me. .
Nobody touches my Kai.
"I'll keep watch, I'll keep the monsters away, and I'll keep the world away," I continued, the words now barely more than breath. "No one can hurt you when I'm here with you."
He trusts me with his most vulnerable moment.
The cold truth of his sleeplessness resonated deep within me.
He was always watching, always ready for anything. He has insomnia. He was afraid of being killed mid-sleep—the same fear that drove me to seek absolute strength.
But he never noticed it himself, did he? He just called it being an 'early riser.'
He is safer with me.
My fingers moved to his cheek, gently tracing the outline of his jaw. I leaned down and pressed another kiss to the top of his head.
It doesn't matter how long she knew him. It only matters who he needs.
He needed someone ruthless enough to hold the world back while he rested. He needed someone obsessed enough to never look away.
He needed me.
I pulled his head closer, resting my chin on his hair. His life was now truly bound to my ambition. I would become the strongest creature in this reality, not to conquer it, but to build an unbreachable wall around this tent, around this moment, around him.
I don't care if I have to manipulate the world, use every demonic pact, or slaughter every human who stands between us. I will keep you, Kai.
That was my childhood wish, and now it is my eternal truth.
The fierce, biting winds outside were necessary, darling. They were my reasoning.
I couldn't risk you waking up and deciding to walk out of this tent when you needed my protection the most. The world tried to take you once; I won't let it try again.
I used the blizzard to justify my presence, to make my care undeniable.
My loyal soldiers—Crownless, Ronan, every demon I command—will guard this perimeter. Let them kill every creature, every wandering human, every curious Celestial who stumbles near. Their worthless deaths are the trivial price for your sound sleep.
I like watching those animals walk into my graveyard.
This moment is my absolute power.
I will kill your previous lovers and any current admirers, silently and efficiently. They are not worth your beautiful, exhausted attention, my honey. You only need me.
You only ever needed your Celia.
A chilling clarity settled over my final plan.
And once that 'Elfie' of yours is revived, she will make the perfect, subservient demonstration. I'll break her soul and raise her as my highest-ranked demon, a loyal servant and soldier. It will be so cute to see her serving me, powerless and bound.
My possessive grip intensified, pulling him until our bodies were pressed together like two sides of a singular, dangerous coin.
You're mine, Kai.
Third Person Perspective:
The scene shifted abruptly.
It was night over Sylvaris. The air here was sharp, cold as the deep night continued..
A girl walked across the wide, cobbled thoroughfare, her simple, thick cloak trimmed with light fur. Her vibrant, pink hair, tied back in a braid with a cheerful silver clasp, flowed gently in the cold wind.
Her eyes, wide and perfectly pink, looked across the town's massive fountain, where something unknown awaited.
It was the fateful crossroads of reunion.
This girl was Eve.
She paused beneath a cold gaslight, her hand suddenly flying to her chest, right where her heart was hammering a furious, uneven rhythm.
"Oh my gosh," she murmured, her face twisted in a look of confused distress. "Why is my heart so heavy? It feels like… like I am jealous, but I am not…"
She looked up at the indifferent, starry night sky, a faint tremble running through her petite frame.
"Why do I feel so furious and scared right now? I don't understand… I was just thinking about buying cake for dinner… just excited a moment ago."
"I don't even know what I'm supposed to be scared about."
Then, her gaze dropped. Her lips moved, but the words that escaped were not the bubbly, cutesy tones of Eve. They were older, deeper, and filled with a raw, hateful jealousy.
"I truly hate curses." She shuddered violently, then spoke again, softer, almost a plea.
"I hate the color Red."
Above her, the night sky cracked—not physically, but the very mana weaving of the atmosphere convulsed. A pulse of immense, pure Celestial energy surged outward from her small body, amplified and amplified by her inner, unnamed jealousy, cursing the atmosphere above the industrial city.
The cosmic silence was broken by the narrator's final, echoing questions.
Even if bonds are forgotten by their creators... Can their souls forget their love?
Can The Soulpack Kaiser and Elfie share...
...be forgotten?