Only Kallion's time had stopped, while the world around him flowed on like a river.
Denian had grown into a man, while Kallion had grown old and weary.
Born with both the dark energy of Valdormer and the fiery energy of Heister, Denian became known on the battlefield as the Infernal Flame of Hell.
He resented and hated his father, Kallion, for being so cold and cruel to Yuliana. Because of that, there was almost no bond between father and son.
"Don't expect me to act like your son. Not that you ever wanted that in the first place."
After passing the family headship to Denian, Kallion lived alone in a separate residence, consumed by loneliness and emptiness.
Ironically, he had become just like his own father, whom he had once hated.
Denian's suffering over his mother's death reminded Kallion of himself as a child—lost and grieving. Kallion pitied him, but just like with Yuliana, he didn't know how to show his feelings.
He didn't know how to express love to his son.
So he withered away alone.
His powerful dark energy kept his body from aging, but his spirit and soul grew dull and faded.
At sunset, he often thought of Yuliana's red eyes and stared endlessly at the sky.
Sometimes his chest ached without reason.
If I die like this, will you welcome me?
No—he thought she would curse him, spit at him, and he would have no excuse. He had only ever been cold and harsh to her.
He could have smiled at her once.
He could have told her "You've worked hard" just once.
If he had, would this hollow pain in his chest be gone?
No… he realized he had been too foolish to know, not while she was alive.
That she had been a part of his life.
That even though he was broken by hate and resentment, she had embraced him.
She hadn't chosen to be born a Heister, yet he had stubbornly refused to see past that.
A bitter smile twisted his lips.
It was all useless now.
A light shone before his eyes.
For the first time in his life, deep drowsiness overtook him—an eternal sleep from which he would not wake.
Just as he was fading into the dark, a voice rose up from the depths.
"Pitiful master…"
It shook his very soul.
"If I gave you the chance to return to the past… what would you do?"
On the edge of death, Kallion thought:
Then I would smile at her. Just once, I would tell her…
You worked hard.
That even though I never showed it, I was grateful for your unconditional warmth.
He closed his eyes, thinking he would sell his very soul just for that one chance.
***
"AAAHHH—!"
A piercing scream jolted Kallion awake.
Clutching his aching head, he looked around.
It was his office—but not in the small residence. It was the office of the Valdormer main estate.
Puzzled, he listened again. From outside came cries of pain—so familiar.
Drawn as if in a trance, he left the office and followed the sound.
Servant girls rushed frantically through the hallways.
"Just a little more! Push harder!"
Through a half-open door, he heard the physician's voice.
When Kallion stepped inside, the startled maids quickly bowed and made way.
"Almost there! One last push!"
"Aaahhh—!!"
With one final scream, the physician beamed as he lifted a small, bloody bundle.
"It's done!"
Snipping the cord, the maids quickly cleaned the baby and wrapped it in cloth.
They placed the tiny newborn in Yuliana's arms.
The physician, wiping his brow, noticed Kallion and said calmly:
"It's a boy."
Kallion just stared blankly at Yuliana, cradling the child.
Exhausted, her face streaked with tears, she managed a faint smile when she saw him.
"It's our baby, Kallion."
Her red eyes trembled, both joyful and fearful, as if bracing for his reaction.
In the past, he had turned away without a word.
Now he realized—it wasn't rejection, but fear. He had been afraid of Yuliana's light, so different from his own darkness.
But this time… this time he could say it.
If this wasn't a dream… if this wasn't just a vision before death…
Kallion slowly stepped forward, crouched down to meet her gaze, and laid his trembling hand over hers.
For the first time, he looked her in the eyes and smiled.
"You… worked hard."
The words were so unlike him that Yuliana froze, staring at him in disbelief.
But as she met his sorrowful smile, tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
Kallion gripped her delicate hand tightly.
And at last, he understood this aching feeling.
It was fear—fear of letting anyone into the fortress of stone he had built around his heart.
But also longing—the desperate wish to keep her by his side.
Respect. Regret. Gratitude.
All tangled together, filling the hole in his chest.
He no longer pushed it away.
"Kallion…?"
Yuliana looked at him in confusion, startled by his change.
He only held her hand tighter, bowing his head as if afraid she might vanish if he let go.
***
From then on, everything began to change.
Kallion came to see Yuliana every day.
He wasn't openly warm or talkative, but his concern was obvious—whether she was comfortable, whether she was well.
Yuliana, half shocked and half delighted, didn't know what to make of it.
Sometimes he even held Denian, though awkwardly.
"Am I holding him right?"
"No, a bit more—support his neck."
"Like this?"
With his massive frame, he cradled the tiny baby clumsily, terrified he might break him.
Yuliana laughed behind her hand at the sight.
"Yes, that's close enough."
Embarrassed, Kallion smiled back at her.
It felt unreal, seeing her warm smile again—so he just kept staring at her.
Flustered, Yuliana turned away, her face red. She wasn't used to this man—who had always been cold—looking at her with such gentleness.
Before the birth, he had been like an icy storm. Now, she thought, perhaps having seen his own child had softened his heart.
***
One night, Denian fell ill with a fever.
Even with medicine, the fever wouldn't break, and he wailed endlessly in his mother's arms.
It was late, and Kallion should have still been working in his study.
Anxious that the baby's cries might disturb him, Yuliana whispered soothingly:
"Hush, hush… it's okay, baby. Once you wake up, you'll feel better."
She struggled for hours, drenched in sweat, when the door opened.
Kallion stood there in the doorway, silhouetted by light.
Startled, Yuliana quickly blurted the words she always said around him:
"S-sorry, Kallion. I'll calm him down soon, so don't mind us."
Her exhausted face and fearful eyes made his chest ache.
"Why are you apologizing to me?"
"…What?"
He stepped closer and gently took the baby from her arms.
Like magic, the child stopped crying.
"You look tired. Go rest."
"Then… the baby…?"
Dazed, Yuliana glanced at him.
Kallion gave a soft smile.
"Seems Denian prefers my arms to yours tonight. So don't worry about him."
That gentle smile left Yuliana stunned, staring at him in a daze.