"Tiel."
As Tiel heard her name being called, she turned around. Her hair, cascading down to her waist, fluttered about like beautiful, white snowflakes.
Now grown beyond the years that one might call her a girl, Tiel stood in place, gazing at Karsus with eyes shining golden.
"Dad!"
Knowing who had called her even before she turned, Tiel ran into Karsus's arms with a wide smile. Karsus held her as he did when she was a child.
Tiel had grown significantly, and while she could no longer spend hours in Karsus's embrace as she did in her youth, she could still leap into it.
"What were you doing?"
Karsus asked affectionately. Tiel glanced sideways at the newspaper she had been reading just moments before.
Then, turning her body so Karsus couldn't see it, she embraced him and responded.
"I wasn't looking at anything! Just sitting here by myself. What about you, Dad? What were you doing?"
Tiel chattered away in an excited voice.
However, Karsus had already seen what she was reading.
Tiel had looked at the newspaper's headline, and Karsus, swallowing a sigh, stroked her hair.
"Tiel, don't look at that."
Karsus pulled her head closer to his chest as he spoke.
The headline of the newspaper Tiel was reading stated:
[Nights grow longer, calamity descends upon Crassion!]
Below it was a lengthy article about how the balance of day and night in Crassion had been disrupted, and that such events occurring after the birth of the child of light were ominous signs.
This had led Tiel to develop the habit of checking the daily newspaper every day.
Ever since the temple first announced that the length of days and nights had begun to change, nights had been growing longer and days shorter.
Years had passed, and now the shortening days in the Crassion Empire had everyone trembling with anxiety.
The temple continued to strive for an oracle, but no further oracles had come since,
Tiel's Light Ability remained strong, but this issue was not something that could be solved by Tiel's ability alone.
Until now, Luminarie events were held regularly where Tiel showcased her Light Ability to calm the people's fears, but it was uncertain how long this would continue to work.
In fact, the citizens of the empire were extremely anxious, doubting even whether Tiel's 'Light Ability' was genuinely a power of light.
Tiel had once brought light to the Land Without Morning, and there were those who pushed the girl to somehow resolve this situation.
Because of this, Tiel had long since cut off contact with everyone except Olivia, Ian Dross, and a few friends.
Fortunately, the people of the Asterian estate cherished and cared for Tiel...
Tiel peeked up at Karsus.
Karsus was looking down at her with eyes full of concern. Tiel smiled awkwardly and said,
"I just looked at it once, really! And I'm not affected at all. Rather, I feel sorry that there's nothing I can do for them..."
"Tiel, no one owes you anything, and you don't have to do anything for anyone. You don't have to participate in the Luminarie if you don't want to, just like when you were a child."
Karsus continued to speak.
"I allow you to use your Light Ability at the Luminarie just because it seems to ease your mind a bit. If it starts to stress you out too much..."
"Don't worry, Dad..."
Tiel's voice trailed off as she hugged Karsus again.
Honestly, it would be a blatant lie to say that Tiel wasn't stressed by these events.
After all, Tiel herself was most closely involved in this matter.
Moreover, since Oshian's death, Jae had not been found, and Nestian and Iker had suspiciously no reaction.
The oracle had ceased, and the citizens were anxious...
'Is my power weakening too?'
Tiel's Light Ability was still functioning well. Yet, lately, she had felt as if her light was slightly weaker than before.
Though the difference was so subtle that even Tiel was unsure, she faintly felt that her ability had weakened just a little.
How could she not be anxious?
Yet Tiel knew well that the Asterians and Ian Dross were deeply worried about her, so she never let it show in front of them.
"I'm really fine, Dad looks after me every day! Later, Ferdie and Ludian are going to have tea with me. And Ian said he'd visit the estate."
Tiel spoke with a voice as melodious as a songbird's.
Thinking back to when Tiel first arrived at the Asterian estate, speaking in a whisper and watching everyone's expressions, it was truly amazing how much she had changed.
Love changes a child.
The love of the Asterians had changed Tiel...
And it would give her the strength to endure all of this. At least Tiel had no doubt about that.
Karsus listened quietly to his daughter chattering away for a long while before he leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"Yes, my daughter. Remember, never overdo it. The peace of Crassion and the well-being of the Asterians aren't as important to me as you are, Tiel."
"Yes, Dad."
"Now, shall we get to the main point? What would you like for your twenty-second birthday present?"
Karsus asked. Tiel looked up at him with wide eyes.
"Right! Is my birthday coming up?"
"Yes, did you forget?"
Tiel pursed her lips and nodded vigorously. She had been so preoccupied lately that she had forgotten.
Karsus chuckled as if he had expected that and pinched Tiel's cheek lightly.
"Tell me what you want. I'd like to throw you a grand birthday party, but I know you'd hate that..."
"Yes, Dad, I don't like that..."
Tiel had never liked parties, or to be more precise, she had never liked parties attended by many strangers celebrating her.
The kind of parties Tiel enjoyed were with her loved ones—the staff of the Asterian estate, her family, and friends like Ian.
She had no interest in having a party now, and it wasn't the right time for one either.
"I'll think about the gift slowly! Honestly, with Dad, Grandfather, Ian, and my brothers sending me gifts whenever they're bored, I don't know if there's anything else I want..."
Tiel's voice faded. Karsus nodded; indeed, finding something Tiel didn't already have was more challenging.
Thanks to Ian's whims, Tiel's room overflowed with rare items from all over Crassion.
Ferdie, Ludian, Karsus, and Alpheus were no different, so Tiel had to have a separate warehouse just for gifts.
Even Karsus had decorated and jeweled the key to that warehouse as a gift.
"So I came to ask, but I should have just decided on something to give you..."
Karsus pondered whether it was time to gift Tiel a beautiful villa or a piece of the Asterian lands.
"As I always say, I really don't need any gifts, Dad."
Tiel looked up at Karsus. Her curly white hair sparkled beautifully like light whenever she lifted her head.
"I just need you, Grandfather, and my brothers. As I've always said, my family is the greatest gift to me..."
Tiel spoke dreamily, her voice full of love.
"Every day I spend with everyone feels like a gift, like I'm living in a dream..."
Karsus quietly listened to her, gently stroking her back.
"I feel the same, my daughter."
And he whispered softly,
"Every day with you feels like I'm dreaming too, and it makes me happy."
Karsus thought it was slightly sad that Tiel had grown up so much.
If she were still a child, he could have carried her around all day and fed her cookies...
***
With her head buried in Crassion's weekly newspaper, Tiel suddenly looked up with an excited voice.
"Did Ian come?"