143: Downpour

Downpour

KIHO's heart broke while watching Tilly's exhausted face.

After Miss Luna gave a bath to his wife, they immediately changed her into dry and warm clothes. Then, he carried Tilly to the bed and tucked her under the thick blanket. She wanted to be near their now sleeping son so he put the "ice incubator" beside her. Only then did she finally fall asleep.

Rest well, honey, he said in his mind, then he kissed her forehead. He sat on the edge of the bed, right beside his wife. You did well.

"I found this," Saint Forrester said. "I think this is a remnant of Lady Nystrom's communication device."

When Kiho turned to the saint, he saw him holding a burnt piece of a spirit stone. "My wife wears pieces of jewelry with spirit stones, Your Holiness. How do we know if that's the communication device that she wears as an earring?"

"Spirit stones have different aura in them," the saint explained. "I can tell that this used to be a communication device."

"But even if you were right, it's already burnt."

"My divine power allows me to turn back time for a few minutes," he explained without batting an eye. "I can also turn back time to "see" the "memories" of the object in my hand." He turned to him. "Duke Nystrom, you told me that Lady Nystrom received a call from Lord Prescott. If I turn back time for this communication device, we would be able to hear their conversation. Would you like me to hear it?"

"Only with my wife's permission."

"Kiho…"

He immediately turned to his wife and was surprised to see her looking up at him with barely opened eyes. It looked like Tilly's sleep was only light. "Yes, honey?"

"It's okay," Tilly said in a weak voice. "I want you to hear my last conversation with Father. He left a message to you."

He felt gutted when he heard that. Father…

"Father asked me to relay his last message to you. But I think it would be better if you hear it from him," she said in a cracked voice, tears swelling up in the corner of her eyes. But thankfully, her Mana remained stable. "And I want to hear Father's voice again."

Ah, his heart ached for his poor wife.

"We'll listen to it together, honey," Kiho whispered to his wife, then he pulled her closer to his side. "Are you ready?"

Tilly nodded weakly, then she laid her head on his chest. "Thank you, Kiho."

"Then, let's do it," Saint Forrester said, his hand glowing in a golden light. "I'm going to play the "memories" of this communication device now."

***

LUNA immediately pushed Captain Denver when she felt hostile presence around them, then she stood up and got on high alert.

It looked like the captain also felt it because he immediately stood up, not minding the fact that she just pushed him. Instead, he looked around while touching the arm band in his right arm. He looked ready to fight just like she was.

"They're here for the young lord," she whispered to the captain.

"Go inside and protect the servants of the mansion," the captain whispered back. "I'll deal with the enemies here. The Nystroms already have too much on their plates so let's help them as much as we can."

She nodded. "Are you sure you're okay, Captain Denver?"

The captain just lost his father.

She knew that as a captain and as an heir, he was prepared for anything. And yet, to her, Captain Denver was still a child.

"I'm fine, Miss Luna," Captain Denver assured her with a small smile. "In fact, I feel more powerful now because of my father's emblem." He clutched his chest tight with his artificial arm. It wasn't obvious because he wore a long sleeved shirt and a thick cloak. "I know that my father is watching over me."

Of course, she wasn't a fool to think that the captain was 100% okay.

But it was good enough that his mind was clear and he seemed to function well.

"I'll be back to support you later," she said in a hurry, then she ran inside the mansion.

She went straight to the kitchen where all the servants were gathered.

Since she didn't allow them to assist her when Tilly was giving birth, the head maid and the head butler decided to gather the servants to the kitchen instead. The two led a prayer for the safety of the madam and the young lord.

When she reached the kitchen, she saw the servants on their knees with their hands clasped together and eyes closed. It had already been months since she started to live in the mansion so she already knew everyone who was working there.

They're all here.

It was a relief that they were all together because it would be easier for her to create a barrier in the room to protect them.

"Everyone," Luna said seriously. "Stay here– we are under attacke."

***

KIHO felt gutted after hearing the conversation between Tilly and Father.

He was hurt, sad, and angry. But for some reason, he was still calm even though he wanted to explode from the overwhelming feelings in his chest.

Tilly heard Father being killed on the other line…

He couldn't imagine how painful that had been for his wife.

No wonder she got so mad and gave birth to our little rascal earlier than expected.

"I'm so sorry, honey," Kiho whispered in a voice filled with sadness as he hugged her tighter. "I shouldn't have left the house. I should have stayed with you."

"Don't feel bad, hon," Tilly said in a weak voice. "No one expected that to happen to Father. We should focus on getting back his remains first." She looked up at him with a pleading look on her face. "Let's go to the North, Kiho."

It was hard to say 'no' to that face but he had to be tough despite the situation. "No," he said firmly even though it pained him not to give her what she wanted. "Father clearly said that you shouldn't go to the North, Tilly. He might have discovered something important that caused him his life."

"Do you plan to go to the North by yourself?" she asked in a pained voice. "Are you going to leave me and Winter alone?"

He couldn't answer right away.

Of course, he couldn't leave his wife and his newborn son. But at the same time, he wanted to find his father-in-law's remains.

Lord Prescott was like a real father to me. I can't let his body freeze in the North. And I want to bring Father home and bury him next to Mother. I'm sure that it's what Tilly wants to do as well. But how can I do that without leaving my wife and son?

His thoughts were cut-off when he felt hostile presence around their mansion.

He wasn't the only one who felt that because Saint Forrester (whom they almost forgot there) turned to the window, obviously alert.

Tilly felt it as well because despite the coldness of the ice cube, she still carefully pulled it to her side and hugged it closer to her body– definitely to protect their sleeping little rascal. "I bet they are people working for the princess or the emperor," she said in an annoyed tone.

He was relieved that his brave wife wasn't scared.

That's the last thing I want her to feel when she's with me.

"Kiho," she said, then she turned to him. "Father said that the enemies literally ripped mother's heart out after she gave birth to me. Now that I just gave birth to our Baby Winter, they're probably here to steal my heart, too."

Hearing that made him angrier than he already was.

"I won't let them do that to you," he promised firmly. "I won't even let them lay a finger on you, Tilly."

"I know that," she said with a smile. "As long as you're here beside me, I know that nothing bad will happen to me or Winter."

That was a huge ego booster for him.

He was happy and proud that his wife had that much faith in him. And he wouldn't let her down. He would prove to her every single day that he deserved her and her love.

I won't make you regret marrying me, Tilly.0

"Wait here, honey," he said to his wife. "I'll just "greet" our uninvited guests."

She nodded. "Make sure to give them a "cold welcome," hon."

He smirked– proud that his wife's sassiness was back.

After kissing Tilly on the lips, he leaned forward to touch the ice incubation where Winter was sleeping peacefully.

"Daddy will just greet some intruders, Winter," he said to his son gently. "Take care of your mommy while I'm out, little rascal."

He didn't know if it was just him or Winter really smiled.

Ohh… the little rascal inherited his mother's beautiful smile.

Thank goodness.

"I'm off," he said, then he kissed Tilly on the lips again before he stood up.

"Take care, hon," Tilly said gently. "Don't take too long, hmm?"

Kiho nodded, then cracked his knuckles. "I'll make red snowmen for our little rascal."

***

AINSWORTH, the Golden Tiger, laughed as the rain poured heavily.

It stopped a while ago, but all of a sudden, it was raining again. If he didn't know any better, he'd think it was just a simple downpour. But he just met the Black Serpent a while ago. He bet something happened that made him angry.

"Let me help you, my stinky old friend," Ainsworth said while standing in the foot of the mountain that he was supposed to climb if it didn't rain that hard. Stupid Black Serpent. "I still hate you because the "bracelet" that you gave your dear brother became a shackle to the Beast Gods. But I can't let her suffer in this lifetime again." He stomped his feet on the ground, hard. "After all, Soleil Rosenberg was and will always be the true master of the Beast Gods."

***

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