Elder Achilor's gaze did not waver as he looked at Elder Rivik, his expression calm yet heavy with expectation, as if he was weighing every word that had just been spoken.
"…They truly like him?"
The question was simple.
But the weight behind it was not.
It was not merely curiosity.
It was judgment.
It was evaluation.
Because what was being discussed was no longer just a private matter of affection, but something tied directly to the future of the vampire race itself.
Elder Rivik did not hesitate.
He nodded once.
"…They do."
His voice remained steady, but there was something deeper behind it now, something that even he could not completely hide.
"And not just in passing… not just in temporary affection…"
He took a slow breath, his eyes lowering slightly as if recalling past events.
"…They are attached to him in a way that cannot be easily undone."
