Aden remained on the floor, his back against the cooling wood, listening to the rhythmic sounds of a house trying to settle. In the kitchen, the soft clink of ceramic and the slosh of water signaled Lorelei's attempt to salvage breakfast. In the corner, the low, synchronized breathing of the three boys created a fragile layer of normalcy.
But beneath the floorboards, Aden could feel the city waking up in a panic. The Resonance spike from Eren's breakthrough hadn't just been a light show; it had been a physical blow to the local atmospheric aether.
"Master," Lorelei's voice drifted from the kitchen, devoid of its earlier sharp edge. "The tea is steeping. It is not the high-grade leaf from the inner courts, but it will settle your nerves."
