Chapter 37: The Honest Reunion
Chapter 37 – The Honest Reunion
The air inside the carriage felt still—heavy with something unspoken.
His quiet whisper was not heard by her as it was meant to be.
Leon sat quietly, his silver-white hair now loose, his hoodie pushed back, the makeshift mask gone. His mystic eyes—marked by that radiant white cross in the center and encircled by a prism of shifting colors—met hers without fear.
Seraphine Vael stared.
Her breath caught for a heartbeat.
'He...'
He was right in front of her—alive. Changed, yes. Taller, stronger, older in a way that didn't make sense. His face no longer had the softness of a child, but the sharpened lines of a boy forced to grow too fast.
And yet—
Those eyes.
That quiet stare.
That maddening calm.
It was still him.
Still **Leon**.
The next moment happened without a word.
She surged forward, arms wrapping around him like a storm-made flesh, and pulled him into a fierce, crushing hug. Her face pressed into his neck. She didn't say his name. Didn't scold him. Didn't ask questions.
She just held him.
As if making sure this time—**he wouldn't disappear**.
Leon blinked in surprise at first.
Then slowly... let himself breathe.
Her scent hadn't changed—cold steel, violet petals, and the faint burn of training oil. Her grip was just as strong. And her presence? That overwhelming command that used to make him stand straighter in fear—it felt like home now.
He didn't pull away.
He didn't make a sarcastic quip.
Instead, he wrapped his arms around her back and held her.
Tightly.
As if this time, maybe he needed it more than she did.
'So she really was that worried...'
He let out a slow exhale.
'Guess I really scared her.'
No words passed between them. None were needed.
Seconds turned to minutes.
And still—she didn't let go.
Leon sat there, back against the cushioned seat, arms loosely around her, while Seraphine clung to him like she might lose him again if she so much as blinked. Her hold was firm, her breath warm against his shoulder, and her amethyst eyes—hidden from his view—were quietly wet.
He didn't mind.
Not really.
But still...
'Is she... going to hug me forever?'
He tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable.
'She's not even pretending to be composed anymore... and wasn't she the one who used to scold me for being too clingy in front of the staff?'
His voice came out low, dry—but not unkind.
"Master... how long are you going to keep me like this?"
There was a pause.
Then, from somewhere against his collarbone, a muffled reply came out.
"Until I'm satisfied."
He blinked.
'...That's not a real answer.'
She sounded like a stubborn child refusing to share her favorite toy.
Leon sighed softly, eyes drifting toward the covered carriage window.
'Well... I guess it's fine.'
Even if her arms were a bit too tight. Even if his shoulder was going a little numb.
She had earned this.
'She probably thought I died in there.'
He let her be.
Just this once.
No teasing. No witty remarks. No questions about why her fingers were still digging into his back like he might vanish into thin air again.
He just sat quietly and let her hold on.
Because deep down, even if he didn't say it—
He was glad she hadn't changed.
Not when it mattered most.
Finally, after what had to be ten full minutes, Seraphine let go.
Reluctantly.
Leon felt the weight lift from his chest as she pulled back... only to immediately shift seats and sit down beside him instead—close enough that her shoulder brushed his. She didn't say anything at first, just quietly wrapped both her arms around his right arm and leaned slightly into it.
'Seriously... is she planning to glue herself to me now?'
Not that he minded.
Her presence was warm. Familiar. The air felt lighter with her next to him.
Only then—finally—did she speak.
"Leon," she said softly, "how... how did your body change like this?"
He turned his head toward her slightly, listening.
"You were only about five feet tall before," she continued, almost pouting. "You barely reached my stomach. Now look at you."
Her hand lightly gripped his arm, as if checking again that it was real.
"You're at least five foot five now... You're up to my chest. And your build is different. Your shoulders—your proportions—it's like you aged three or four years overnight."
She hesitated.
"And your eyes..."
Leon blinked slowly.
She leaned in slightly to get a better look, amethyst eyes narrowing in quiet awe.
"They were silver before," she whispered, "but now..."
Her voice trailed off.
He could feel her staring.
Like she was trying to memorize them.
"There's... a white cross in the middle," she said. "And the rest—it's not even one color. It's like... all of them. Every single one, shifting around each other like they're alive."
Leon's breath caught for a moment.
'...A white cross? All colors?'
He didn't know.
He hadn't looked in a mirror since the merge. He'd felt the change in power—his body, his senses—but this?
'So even my eyes changed that much...'
He paused for a beat.
'Must've been from fusing with the Orb. Makes sense...'
He accepted it with a calm breath, though a flicker of surprise still lingered beneath his skin.
Then, casually:
"...You done staring?"
Her arms didn't move.
"No."
She hadn't taken her eyes off him.
Not once.
Leon could feel her stare drilling into his skin, unwavering and sharp like always. He sighed, knowing full well she wouldn't stop until she got her answers.
'Should've known this was coming.'
"There's a reason, Master," he said, meeting her gaze directly. "It's because of the class I awakened into. That's what caused the change."
It wasn't the truth. Not entirely.
But he couldn't tell her about the Orb—not yet. That part of his journey needed to stay sealed, for now.
Seraphine blinked once. Then nodded.
No suspicion. No doubt.
Only quiet trust.
Of course, she believed him.
But her curiosity wasn't satisfied just yet.
"So... what rank?" she asked softly, her fingers still loosely clinging to his arm.
Leon paused, pretending to think, then shrugged with practiced nonchalance.
"High enough to trigger this," he said.
She didn't push further. Not out loud, anyway. But in her thoughts, she was clearly piecing things together.
'He was five feet tall just three days ago. Barely reached my stomach.'
Now?
Now he was nearly eye-level with her collarbone. At least 5'5", maybe taller if he stood completely straight. His body had lengthened, sharpened—defined in a way no ten-year-old should be.
And those eyes...
They weren't silver anymore.
They were something else entirely.
A white cross etched in the center, surrounded by irises filled with countless shifting colors—like stardust trapped in glass.
Even Seraphine had to admit: that they were beautiful.
Hypnotic, even.
And maybe it was just the emotion from earlier, but for a moment—even she had gotten lost in them.
She blinked the thought away.
'No. Not like that. It's just... his eyes. That's all.'
Still, she couldn't help but think:
'He's still cute. But now he's handsome too. Dangerous combination. If the noble girls see him now...'
Chaos. That's what it would be.
Seraphine's hold on his arm tightened slightly.
She wasn't ready to deal with that. Not yet.
Chapter 38 – The Family
Seraphine hadn't looked away from his face even once. Her arm still curled around his as if he might vanish the second she blinked. The warmth of her presence was oddly grounding—but also mildly suffocating.
Leon sighed.
'She's not letting this go, huh.'
He could already see the question forming in her eyes again, that flicker of intense curiosity barely masked by her usual calm.
Sure enough—
"What class did you get?" she asked, soft but persistent.
It wasn't a demand. Just a quiet need to know. As his master. As the person who had trained him, watched him grow, and perhaps most of all—believed in him long before anyone else did.
He paused.
A breath passed between them.
Then he gave her a small smile—just enough to disarm, just enough to redirect.
"I awakened an A-rank class."
There. Quick. Clean. Not too low. Not too high. Just believable enough.
Seraphine blinked—staring at him for a long moment.
"...A-rank?" she echoed, voice touched with disbelief.
Leon nodded once, keeping his expression neutral thinking to himself.
'I figured it's better this way. Less attention. Fewer questions. It's strong enough to stand out, but not enough to attract the wrong kind of people.'
'Or the right kind,' he added silently. 'Depending on how you see it.'
She went quiet.
In their entire kingdom, there wasn't a single person known to hold a class above B-rank. Even she, one of the most feared and respected figures in all the kingdom around them, had only ever reached that mark.
And yet here he was.
A boy she'd trained with her own hands.
Claiming an A-rank class like it was nothing.
Her heart skipped a beat.
But then she smiled.
Her arm tightened around his slightly, and her tone softened.
"You really are special, Leon."
She leaned her head gently against his shoulder.
Leon didn't speak.
He just let the moment pass, quiet and unchallenged.
Because right now—A-rank was more than enough.
____
Seraphine shifted slightly beside him, her expression soft but thoughtful. She seemed to hesitate for a second, then spoke.
"You know," she began, her tone light but meaningful, "now that you've awakened your class... I suppose it's fair if I tell you mine."
Leon glanced at her, curious.
She smiled faintly. "My class is B-rank."
He blinked. 'Wait... what?'
"I've never told anyone outside the military," she continued, gaze turning to the window, "but yes. Even among all the commanders, I'm one of the only B-rank class holders in the entire kingdom."
Leon's expression didn't shift—but inside, he felt a small thud of realization.
'So... A-rank is actually above everyone else here?'
He'd aimed for subtle. Understated.
But apparently, he'd still overshot it.
'...Maybe I should've said B-rank. That would've been enough.'
He kept the thought to himself. Seraphine was watching him now, her eyes warm.
"And that's why," she said gently, "you should be careful who you tell. From this moment on, just say you're B-rank. Nothing more."
Leon stilled.
She didn't have to do this.
Didn't have to help him cover his tracks.
Didn't have to hand him a perfect excuse wrapped in quiet trust.
But she had.
He turned his head slightly, looking at her through the curtain of his tied hair. She was still gazing forward, arms loosely wrapped around his.
'So even now... you're protecting me.'
He didn't say thank you.
But the look in his eyes softened.
And deep inside, a quiet respect settled further into place.
Seraphine had always been strong.
But it was moments like these that made her irreplaceable.
----
Leon leaned back, eyes flicking toward the ceiling of the carriage.
'The Lesser System... I was supposed to be connected to it, right? Everyone else is.'
But then came the Orb.
The moment he'd merged with it, that strange notification appeared—[Error: Connection Override]—and the Cosmic System had replaced everything. He didn't even know how to _use_ it yet. What did it mean to be connected to something the world itself didn't seem to understand?
He sighed softly. Not now.
He know Seraphine would know how to use lesser system, the cosmic system might be similar so once he get home he would ask her, he did have some idea's too but he was too exhausted right now.
He could feel it—the bone-deep exhaustion creeping in. His body might've changed, but that didn't make him immune to fatigue.
"I'm gonna sleep," he murmured, glancing at the empty cushioned seat across from Seraphine. "That one looks good enough. Wake me when we reach the mansion. If you have more questions... I'll answer them once we're home."
Seraphine stilled for a moment.
'Home.'
Her chest tightened just a bit. That single word, said so casually, felt warmer than anything she'd heard all day.
But instead of agreeing, she narrowed her eyes and held his arm tighter.
"No."
Leon blinked, confused.
"No?"
She smirked. "You're not sleeping over there. That seat's too cold."
"...What?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she shifted her posture and gently tugged his arm.
"Rest here," she said. "Use my lap as a pillow. It's softer."
There was teasing in her voice, playful and smug. She half-expected him to scoff or shoot back a snarky comment. Maybe even get flustered.
Instead—
"...Okay."
Her breath caught.
Before she could even register it, Leon had moved—quiet, fluid, relaxed. His head rested gently on her lap. His arms tucked in. His eyes already closed.
"...Wha—"
Her expression froze.
She stared down at him, blinking.
Completely silent.
Then, after a moment—her features softened.
"...You really just said yes," she whispered.
A small, stunned laugh escaped her lips as her hand slowly rose. She brushed back a strand of silver-white hair from his forehead.
Those mystical eyes of his—crossed with light, blooming with color—were hidden now beneath his lashes. His breathing had already begun to steady.
He was asleep.
And her heart, once anxious and tormented, now only felt one thing.
Peace.
She smiled quietly to herself and gently began to stroke his head.
"...Welcome home, Leon."
_____
Along the way in the journey to their home, Seraphine gazed down at him, her fingers still gently moving through his hair.
'Family...'
She had almost forgotten that word still meant anything.
Since the day she'd stepped into the army, she'd cast off everything else. Name. Lineage. Emotions. All of it—left behind on the blood-soaked roads she marched through. The only thing she'd held onto was purpose. To climb. To grow. To become so strong that no one else would ever suffer the same kind of loss she had.
That was all she lived for.
Until now.
Until him.
Every time her hand moved through Leon's soft, silver-white hair, every time she felt the quiet weight of him resting against her—
A strange warmth bloomed in her chest.
Slow. Steady. Unfamiliar.
Like a frozen heart learning how to beat again.
She looked at his peaceful sleeping face and felt something settle deep inside her.
'This... this feels like family.'
She tightened her grip on him just slightly. Protective. Present.
And for the first time in years, the cold commander didn't feel alone.
She felt whole.
'I didn't think someone like me could feel this again.'
But the boy resting on her lap had changed everything.
And this time—
She wasn't going to lose it.