Evening had descended upon Frostbound Coast.
The golden glow of sunset stretched across the northern horizon.
Snow-covered rooftops reflected the fading light.
The magical street lamps that Kel had designed were slowly awakening one by one across the city.
From above.
Frostbound Coast resembled a constellation resting upon the earth.
Roads of light connected districts.
Warm settlements radiated gentle heat into the cold environment.
Merchants continued their business.
Travelers still entered the city.
The territory no longer resembled the frozen wasteland Kel had inherited months ago.
It was alive.
And for once.
Kel wasn't looking at it.
Inside his study.
The last report was finally completed.
The ten Aura Pens slowly finished writing.
One by one.
Their glowing bodies dissolved into countless particles of light.
The room became silent.
Kel leaned backward in his chair.
For several moments.
He simply remained there.
Listening.
Not to voices.
Not to reports.
Not to requests.
Silence.
A rare thing.
His silver eyes slowly moved toward the nearby window.
Darkness was already approaching.
He frowned slightly.
"When did it become evening?"
The Count stood.
His joints released faint sounds from sitting too long.
Several muscles protested.
Which Kel completely ignored.
The young lord opened the study door.
A servant immediately straightened.
"My Lord."
Kel nodded.
"What time is dinner?"
The servant bowed respectfully.
"The kitchen informed us that dinner will be ready shortly, My Lord."
Kel nodded.
"Good."
Then he paused.
Lyra.
The serpent woman had likely returned to her room hours ago.
After the battle.
After the healing.
After the endless questions from the knights.
She had probably been resting.
Kel turned.
Then began walking toward the residential wing.
The mansion corridors were peaceful.
Servants moved quietly.
Magical lamps illuminated the hallways.
Paintings decorated the walls.
Everything felt calm.
Perhaps too calm.
Especially compared to the chaos of the training grounds earlier.
A few minutes later.
Kel stopped before Lyra's room.
Then knocked.
No response.
He waited.
Still nothing.
The Count tilted his head slightly.
Then opened the door.
And immediately froze.
Not from fear.
Not from surprise.
Pure awkwardness.
The room was warmly lit.
Several magical lamps glowed softly.
The fireplace crackled quietly.
And near the bed.
Lyra stood with her back partially turned.
The serpent woman was replacing her bandages.
Several old wrappings rested nearby.
Fresh bandages were scattered across a table.
The scars from today's battle remained visible across portions of her shoulders and back.
Not ugly scars.
Battle scars.
Proof of effort.
Proof of growth.
Proof of survival.
The moment Kel entered.
Lyra immediately sensed him.
Her golden eyes widened.
The blanket nearby flew into her hands.
WHOOSH!
Within a fraction of a second.
The serpent woman wrapped herself completely.
Only her face remained visible.
"..."
"..."
Several moments of silence followed.
Then Lyra spoke.
"Why do you keep entering rooms like this?"
Kel blinked.
Then considered.
"Because the door wasn't locked."
"..."
"..."
That answer somehow made things worse.
Lyra covered her face.
For the first time in centuries.
She questioned whether humans were naturally this ridiculous.
Or if Kel was simply special.
Eventually.
She sighed.
"What do you want?"
"Dinner."
"..."
"..."
"I came to call you for dinner."
The serpent woman stared.
Then slowly relaxed.
Only slightly.
"I'll come in a few minutes."
Kel nodded.
Then prepared to leave.
Yet his gaze suddenly shifted.
Toward the discarded bandages.
Toward the injuries.
Toward the healing wounds.
The battle earlier had been brutal.
Far more brutal than most spectators realized.
Lyra noticed where he was looking.
Then became silent.
Meanwhile.
Kel slowly pointed.
Toward the medical supplies.
"May I?"
The question surprised her.
Genuinely surprised her.
Not because of what he asked.
Because he asked.
Kel usually acted when necessary.
He rarely sought permission for trivial things.
Yet now.
He waited.
For her answer.
Lyra looked away.
The room became quiet.
Several thoughts crossed her mind.
Then eventually.
She nodded.
"...Fine."
Slowly.
The blanket loosened.
The serpent woman sat near the bed.
The injuries became visible once more.
Cuts.
Bruises.
Impact marks.
Most had already begun healing.
Yet several remained serious.
Kel approached calmly.
Taking fresh bandages.
Preparing healing ointments.
The atmosphere became strangely peaceful.
No politics.
No administration.
No negotiations.
No battles.
Just silence.
The Count carefully applied medicine.
His movements were steady.
Precise.
Experienced.
Not the movements of a noble.
The movements of someone accustomed to treating injuries.
Lyra quietly observed.
Then asked.
"How many times have you done this?"
Kel continued working.
"A lot."
"On yourself?"
"Mostly."
That answer made her pause.
The serpent woman suddenly remembered something.
The monster hunts.
The expeditions.
The endless work.
The sleepless nights.
Kel never complained.
Yet she had never actually asked.
How much pain did he carry?
The thought lingered.
Then disappeared.
Because Kel suddenly spoke.
"Does it still hurt?"
His voice was calm.
Gentle.
Unexpectedly gentle.
Lyra glanced down.
Toward the wounds.
Then nodded.
"Yes."
Kel became silent.
Several moments passed.
Then he quietly said.
"Sorry."
The single word surprised her.
She turned.
"What?"
The Count adjusted another bandage.
"Because of me."
Another.
"You had to suffer like this."
The room became silent.
Completely silent.
For several moments.
Lyra simply stared.
Then suddenly laughed.
A soft laugh.
A warm laugh.
A genuine laugh.
The first one that day.
Kel blinked.
Confused.
"What?"
The serpent woman shook her head.
"You really don't understand, do you?"
The Count looked even more confused.
Which somehow made her laugh harder.
Eventually.
Lyra calmed herself.
Then looked directly at him.
Golden eyes meeting silver eyes.
"I was the one who wanted to learn Sovereign's Orbit Sword Arts."
Kel remained silent.
"You didn't force me."
Another.
"You didn't trick me."
Another.
"You didn't push me for your benefit."
The serpent woman smiled faintly.
"You simply showed me a path."
Kel quietly listened.
The room became peaceful once more.
The fire crackled softly.
Snow tapped gently against the windows.
Lyra lowered her gaze.
Thinking back.
The endless basic stances.
The corrections.
The restrictions.
The frustration.
The battles.
The defeats.
The victories.
Everything suddenly made sense.
Then she spoke again.
"Now I understand."
Kel paused.
"Understand what?"
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"Why you restricted me."
Another.
"Why you didn't allow me to use my powers."
Another.
"Why you forced me to rely only on swordsmanship."
The Count remained silent.
Listening.
Carefully.
Lyra looked toward her own hands.
The same hands that had created ten Blood Swords.
The same hands that once relied entirely upon overwhelming physical power.
Then she smiled.
A proud smile.
A satisfied smile.
"Because if I relied on my serpent abilities..."
Another.
"If I relied on mana."
Another.
"If I relied on transformations."
The smile deepened.
"I would never have discovered my own path."
The room became quiet.
Not awkward quiet.
Comfortable quiet.
The kind of silence shared between people who understood one another.
Eventually.
Lyra continued.
"And when you finally allowed me to use Aura..."
Another.
"You weren't giving me power."
Another.
"You were giving me freedom."
Kel's hands paused briefly.
For a moment.
Just a moment.
The Count looked genuinely pleased.
Not proud.
Not satisfied.
Pleased.
Like a teacher watching a student finally understand.
Then Lyra spoke one final time.
Softly.
Sincerely.
"Thank you."
The words hung within the room.
Warm.
Honest.
Real.
For a few seconds.
Neither spoke.
Then Kel resumed adjusting the final bandage.
When he finished.
He stood.
Looking at his work.
Then nodded.
"Good."
The serpent woman blinked.
"That's your response?"
Kel tilted his head.
"What else am I supposed to say?"
"..."
"..."
Lyra stared.
Then laughed again.
Because somehow.
That answer was perfectly Kel.
Outside.
The last light of sunset disappeared beyond the horizon.
Across Frostbound Coast.
The magical street lamps awakened completely.
One by one.
Like stars appearing throughout the night.
And within a quiet room inside the mansion.
Two people sat peacefully.
One a young lord.
One an ancient serpent.
Neither speaking.
Yet somehow.
Understanding each other better than ever before.