"No way, he really bent time to create a loop? That's crazy!" Blaze's eyes were as big as saucers. "I have so many questions."
"I doubt I have any answers. But if you want to write them all down, I can ask Kakuja when I see him." Noble wasn't exactly prepared to field her son's insatiable curiosity.
Blaze would eventually fill his stomach with the delicious food Fort had prepared, but his mind was always hungry for more knowledge.
"Do you think he will still be teaching when I get to the Academy?" Brock asked around a bite of food.
Fort's emotions spiked, but his face remained calm. "I suppose that depends on how soon you plan to go."
"Why? Is Awakened Kakuja leaving soon?" Brock tilted his head.
"He has no plans of changing positions as far as I know. But I think your father was referring to your timeline, not his. Have your plans changed?" Noble articulated her husband's concern.
"Every day," Brock shrugged. "But I still will graduate before I try anything, and then some intensive training at the Dreamer Academy. I won't enter the Nightmare before the end of the year, so I won't be visiting the waking world before this solstice, don't worry."
"Keep us updated if that changes." Noble knew what was on the horizon, and as much as she wanted to hold him to his word, she would rather be informed if he had a change of heart.
"I will," Brock promised.
"Me too." Blaze's plans were seldom chaotic in the same way as his brother. Noble wasn't sure if he was talking about his own further or his brothers, but communication was always welcome.
"Thank you."
If another child left without warning, Noble wasn't sure if her heart could take it.
Her Kingdom Crafter Attribute involuntarily reached out to her absent daughter. Rain's emotions had shifted only slightly. Frustration, exhaustion, and determination mixed with underlying panic still permeated the connection between them.
'She's still out in the wilderness. I had hoped she would make it to a citadel today. They have to be getting close to somewhere. I hope they have enough food and water.'
Rain was lean and muscular, and her mundane body needed sustenance to maintain itself. Surely Sunny wouldn't let her die of hunger or thirst.
'If she stays out much longer, I'm going myself. I hate giving Fort the same report day after day.'
Fort had not been sleeping well. The circles under his eyes said that much. Fortunately, he was in a good mood today. Noble would help him take his mind off his troubles as much as she could.
She decided to change the subject.
"I heard from one of the guards at the gate that the crops have brought in an extra large yield this month. It seems that a combination of the fields and the seeds they have been using has worked brilliantly."
"The production increased almost twenty percent over the last attempt," Blaze confirmed. "I overheard some of the farmers at the market say so. The credit for part of that goes to some of their most fearsome pests disappearing, and the rest was their improvement in their methodology."
"He's right. Saint Kai spent most of the day yesterday balancing the imports from the waking world with what was produced here to ease the overall burden. But he found that with the influx of people in the city, it was just about balanced on its own." Fort shook his head.
"Are you saying the increase in Awakened is the equivalent of that much of our population?" Noble knew there were many, but surely not that many!
"When it comes to food consumption, yes." Fort nodded. "They don't have to eat as much or as often as mundane people, but that doesn't mean they won't or don't. Some of them eat like teenage boys who have discovered non-synthetic meat for the first time."
"Hey!" Brock held up his fork. "I resemble that remark!"
"I think you mean resent." Blaze pursed his lips.
"I said what I said." The elder twin stuffed another bite of food in his mouth to punctuate his point.
"However you look at it, there are too many extra people in town. At least the conference will be over next week." Blaze's statement received confused looks from his parents.
"Conference?" Fort tilted his head.
"Why else would so many Awakened gather? They are talking about the problem with Lady Changing Star, aren't they? I'm surprised they didn't invite you too, Mom, since you were there."
"That is very curious indeed," Noble cleared her throat, "but I'm more curious about why you think this conference will be over next week."
"That's easy," Brock answered before his brother could. "Nail's dad was repairing one of the clan's broken wagons, and they insisted it needed to be working by Wednesday. Why else would they demand that unless they planned to leave?"
"Why, indeed…" Fort pressed his lips together.
'So much for improving the topic…' Noble lamented the turn the conversation had taken.
Her husband shook his head. "No use worrying about what we can't control, especially after the amazing dessert I have in honor of your mother's grand accomplishments as the new provost!"
Fort rose from the table and uncovered a cake smothered in strawberry icing.
"As much as I would like to take credit for this glorious confection, Sarai sent it over. Now, who wants a piece?"
Dinner ended with pleasant conversation and delicious dessert.
It wasn't until the couple was in their room and getting ready for bed that Noble finally broached the concerning topic from earlier that evening.
"Fort, if the Awakened really are heading out, then that means…"
Coming close, the ambassador pressed his finger to her lips. "I already said there is no use worrying about what we can't control. Unless you have been holding out on me, next week will come with or without our input. Instead of fretting, I would much rather enjoy this evening with you."
"I would like that too." It had been a good day, and there were so few of those left on the horizon.
The waking world was being consumed by nightmare gates, and before that it would be torn apart by war. And what could Noble do about it tonight? Absolutely nothing.
So she gave in to her husband's embrace. His kisses washed the world away, and his soft words were water to her parched soul.
For a moment, the entirety of existence lay within those four walls and the population of humanity was two. It was perfect.
Noble resolved to never let that moment end.
But it did.
As Noble lay her head against her husband's chest, she could feel his calm, even breathing. Noble soaked in the silence of their bedroom, careful not to let the outside world leak in.
Not yet.
When it did, it was subtle at first. In a dreamless sleep, Noble felt the restlessness grip her, pushing its way into her consciousness. And then, the world crashed down around her, throwing her from her bed like a wrecking ball.
Noble's eyes went wide as she hissed and floated from the floor.
Only one woman could elicit that level of response from the floating Saint.
"Rain!"