A heavy discussion was underway on the bench outside the hospital, one that carried both worry and weight.
"So," the Clan Head began, voice solemn, "who will stay by her side and take care of her?"
He didn't wait for anyone to answer before continuing with exaggerated seriousness.
"I think I should stay here. After all, she'd surely be delighted if her great and kind uncle remained by her bedside."
He folded his arms, nodding as if the matter were settled.
"Rejected," came Caelivisa's crisp reply.
The Clan Head blinked. "Why, Matriarch?"
"Because you're the Clan Head," she said flatly. "If you vanish for even one day, half the clan's operations will crumble."
Vermas, Namgoong Gyo, and Lunaris all nodded in unison like scolded children, while Fremileo just sat quietly, staring at the ground.
The Clan Head sighed dramatically. "Lunaris, didn't you say you wanted to become Clan Head as quickly as possible? Fine then, I hereby declare you the new Clan Head."
A loud thwak! echoed as Caelivisa smacked the back of his head.
"Stop acting childish," she said, dragging him by the collar. "And please, do your work, Clan Head."
"I am on a mission," she continued once she returned, her tone all business again. "So, I won't be able to take care of her myself."
Her gaze shifted to Namgoong Gyo. "You'll depart with Cael in about three weeks when she recovers. Vermas will assign the necessary resources for your journey."
Then to Lunaris, "You, go study for the Clan Head position. And reach Second Rank Verdant Soul as soon as possible. No excuses."
Finally, she turned toward Fremileo, a knowing smile curving her lips.
"As for you, Fremileo, you'll stay here and watch over her. This place will be quite nice for your training as well."
Her smile widened just slightly, amusement flickering in her eyes.
"So, it's a win-win."
Hearing this, a cold bead of sweat rolled down Fremileo's nape.
'How did she know?'
Caelivisa gave a light chuckle, her voice low but sharp enough to pierce his thoughts.
"You don't have to be so flustered. The world is quite vast, Fremileo."
She patted his shoulder twice, firm and deliberate, before turning and walking away, dragging the rest of them with her.
Fremileo stood there with an incomprehensible expression as he walked towards Caelrisu's room silently.
The soft rhythmic sound of her breathing echoed faintly through the doorway, a reminder that she was alive, barely, but alive. Fremileo pulled a chair close, sat beside her bed, and rested his elbows on his knees, staring at her pale face under the dim glow of the healing runes.
'I will have to leave quickly.'
And so, quietly, a week passed, with Fremileo keeping silent watch while he practiced to reach 2nd Rank Verdant Soul.
***
The soft hum of the healing formation filled the quiet room, threads of faint golden and pale blue light weaving around Caelrisu's body.
Fremileo sat beside her, his arms crossed and eyes half-open; he hadn't truly slept in days, only dozed in short bursts between training himself and checking on her condition.
Then, the runes flickered.
At first, he thought it was just the light dimming. But then the golden glow pulsed, once, twice, and her fingers twitched.
Fremileo looked towards her, his fatigue disappearing.
"Cael?" he said with calm eyes.
Her eyelids trembled before slowly parting, revealing dimly glowing crimson eyes that flickered like dying embers. Her breath came out shallow and raspy, as if every inhale burned her throat raw.
"Where…" she croaked, her voice faint and dry.
Fremileo quickly poured water from the jug beside the bed and held it to her lips. "Drink slowly. You are in the hospital. Don't worry, you've been out for a week."
She blinked, confusion crossing her face as she sipped. "A week…?"
"Yes," he said, his tone calm but weary. "You nearly destroyed half your house, burned your essence channels, and bled yourself half to death. You really have a talent for scaring people."
Caelrisu managed a weak smile, her lips pale but her eyes regaining a steady clarity. She activated her Analyst ability, scanning her own condition.
Surprisingly, or perhaps not, her body was in excellent shape, only a little malnourished.
"Well," she murmured, "I've most likely reached First Rate in martial arts. My Essence Paths have been torn apart and rebuilt so many times they're tougher than ever. And the amount of essence I can hold now… it's on par with a Peak Second Rank Verdant Soul. So, I guess it's fine."
Fremileo exhaled and rubbed his temple, torn between throttling her and laughing. "You're insane."
Caelrisu tilted her head, Analyst turning gears in her mind, and a playful glint appeared in her tired eyes. "Hmm… look at you, Fremileo. You look like you haven't slept for a week. Wait, were you taking care of me this whole time? Aww… how sweet. Did you fall in love with me or something?"
"Don't joke around," he muttered. "I don't ever want to deal with a headache like you."
He stood, turning for the door, but a faint smile tugged at his lips despite himself. As he stepped out, the weight he'd been carrying seemed to ease, as if a long-held burden had finally lifted.
***
The soft hum of the healing wards faded as the evening light filtered through the curtains, tinting the room in hues of gold and lavender.
Caelrisu sat upright on the bed, draped in the simple white robe given to patients. Her hair fell over her bed like a black waterfall, still faintly damp from cleansing. The nurses had forbidden crowds, so her visitors were to come in one at a time. She waited, heart quietly thrumming.
The door slid open.
Vermas entered first.
Vermas's steps halted halfway into the room.
His breath caught when he saw her, sitting on the bed in a white robe meant for patients, looking pale, fragile, and weak (she was not). Vermas heart shattered as he almost teared up.
"My child," he whispered hoarsely. "Why did you have to do something so reckless? Do you know how worried all of us were?"
Caelrisu bowed her head, her voice small but sincere. "I'm sorry, Elder Vermas. I… I won't ever do something like that again."
Her eyes glistened, and that single tear broke whatever remained of Vermas's resolve. He sighed deeply, shoulders sagging.
"Oh… it's all right," he said softly, stepping closer and brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You don't need to carry the blame. You're young; foolishness is part of that. What matters is that you're safe now."
A smile bloomed on her lips, fragile, luminous, and grateful.
Vermas felt the words he had prepared, the stern lecture, and the lines he'd written over and over in his mind fade like smoke. In their place, only warmth remained.
They spoke for a long while. He asked about her recovery and her Essence circulation and even scolded her once or twice in a grandfatherly tone, which only made her chuckle weakly.
When the telepathic buzz of the Clan Head's voice echoed in his mind for the third time, [Stop chatting and send her reports later.], Vermas sighed and reluctantly stood.
He left with a proud yet weary smile.
The door opened again.
The Clan Head entered, his presence heavier and colder, unlike his casual self. The air seemed to tighten as he stepped forward, calm but commanding.
"I'm sorry for worrying you, Uncle," Caelrisu said before he could speak.
"You should be." His tone was neither harsh nor gentle, just steady. "The budget was already tight, and then you destroyed your entire pavilion."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Ah… that happened."
"Yes, that happened," he continued, rubbing his temple. "I told you to devour the Soul Beast core slowly, gradually stabilizing your Essence flow. But no, you had to consume it all at once."
He paced slowly to her bedside, each step punctuating his words. "Had your mother not been present, we'd be holding your funeral right now."
Caelrisu's throat constricted. "I… I just wanted to close the gap. I thought I could handle it."
"That thought," he said sharply, "is exactly what gets young ones killed."
She bowed her head again, unable to meet his eyes.
After a long silence, he spoke once more. "Do not repeat this mistake. You will receive punishment for this incident once you've recovered."
Her heart clenched. Not because of fear, but because of disappointment in herself.
When he turned to leave, the faintest sigh escaped him, too soft for her to hear.
The last visitor arrived as dusk deepened into night.
Lunaris entered without preamble, his footsteps quick, his expression a mixture of anger and relief.
"You dumb girl," he muttered the moment he saw her. "Why did you do it?"
Caelrisu's lips parted, but no sound came out. She knew any excuse would sound hollow.
"I know you wanted to grow stronger," he continued, arms folded. "I know it's for your revenge. But don't destroy yourself for it. It's just the Solisrisu Clan. I'm already working on that."
Her eyes snapped up. "You are? Then, take me with you!"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you're reckless and weak," he said bluntly. "You've got potential, Caelrisu, more than any who are participating, but potential doesn't mean control. You'll just make things worse."
She clenched the blanket in her hands, trembling. "You're not being fair."
"I'm being realistic." He turned toward the door, then paused. The edge in his voice softened slightly. "When you've recovered, meet Namgoong Gyo. He can't visit you here; he doesn't bear the Aurelis name."
The door slid shut behind him.
Silence filled the room once more.
Lunaris sighed as he walked down the hall.
'I don't want you caught in this, sister. Please forgive me. Especially when I know what could happen to you.'