Chapter 260: A Curse.

Chapter 260: A Curse.

Time passed.

Eventually, Kael and Lyra stepped out of the swirling portal, returning from the instance. During the time they had spent inside, Lyra had remained with Ezra for a while, quietly sitting beside her and spending time with her unconscious friend. Kael, meanwhile, had used the opportunity to question Varek about everything that had been on his mind.

There was still plenty he wanted to learn, but for now, he had gotten enough answers.

The moment they stepped out, the portal behind them began to collapse, the swirling darkness shrinking in on itself before disappearing completely.

Kael glanced toward Lyra before crouching down.

"Come on."

Lyra didn’t say anything.

She simply climbed onto his back.

Kael didn’t ask any questions. He knew she was exhausted, and not just because of the workout. The events of the day had taken a toll on her mentally as well.

Without wasting any more time, Kael pushed off the ground.

He shot forward.

By now, darkness had completely settled over the city. The streets were quieter than they had been earlier, with only scattered pedestrians and vehicles remaining outside. Streetlights illuminated the roads while the glow of the city’s buildings stretched into the night.

Kael moved through it all like a blur.

Lyra remained silent on his back.

Soon, the deserted area disappeared behind them, replaced by the familiar streets of their neighborhood. A short while later, Kael finally arrived in front of their apartment building and came to a stop.

Lyra climbed down without saying a word.

Neither of them spoke as they entered the building and ascended the stairs. Their footsteps echoed quietly through the hallway until they finally reached their apartment.

Kael unlocked the door, and they stepped inside. The moment it closed behind them, the apartment fell silent.

Kael looked toward Lyra.

She was still quiet.

Today had been exhausting for her in every possible way. Her body had been pushed to its limit during the workout, and emotionally, she’d been forced to confront something she’d spent the whole day avoiding.

Kael didn’t want to push her any further.

"Are you hungry? Should I make something for you?"

Lyra shook her head.

Kael didn’t insist.

Missing one meal wasn’t enough to cause any real harm, especially not to an Awakener. She needed rest more than she needed food right now.

"Alright."

He paused before continuing.

"Let’s move tomorrow."

Lyra looked up.

"We can bring Mom and Ezra to our house. It’ll be easier to keep an eye on both of them if they’re staying with us."

A faint light appeared in Lyra’s eyes.

After everything that had happened today, it was perhaps the first genuine sign of relief Kael had seen from her.

"Then... sure. Let’s do that."

She hesitated for a moment.

"Thank you."

Kael looked at her.

"Thank you for saving Ezra," Lyra added quietly. "And... thank you for today."

She didn’t wait for his response.

Lyra turned around and walked toward her room. A moment later, the door closed behind her.

Kael remained standing in the living room.

For several seconds, he simply stared at the closed door.

Then his expression slowly became serious.

There was a reason he was so determined to move into their new home as quickly as possible.

And it had everything to do with his conversation with Varek.

More specifically, what they had discussed about their mother.

Kael had already told Varek everything he knew about her condition. He had explained the symptoms, how long she had been suffering, and how the doctors had diagnosed her with Mana Sickness.

He had also told Varek that he had never been completely convinced that Mana Sickness was the real cause.

Varek had agreed.

According to him, the condition looked much more like a curse.

The thought had been bothering Kael ever since.

If Lyra’s words were accurate and their mother had once mentioned that their father was dealing with some enemies, then it was entirely possible that something had happened to her during that period.

A curse would explain far more than Mana Sickness ever had.

But there was no way to know for certain without examining her directly.

And that was precisely why Kael needed Varek to see her.

He could probably sneak Varek into the hospital without anyone noticing. With his control over shadows, Varek could move through the building without drawing attention.

But figuring out the nature of the curse was only the first step.

If their mother really was cursed, whatever method they used to treat her might not be nearly as easy to hide.

It would be much safer to bring her somewhere they controlled.

Their new home would be perfect for that.

A larger and more private residence would give them enough space to examine her properly without dozens of people watching their every move.

They could even bring Ezra there at the same time.

Kael let out a quiet sigh.

There was still a lot to deal with.

He turned and walked toward his room.

Once inside, he stripped off his workout clothes and headed straight for the shower. The warm water washed away the sweat and soreness that had accumulated throughout the day, allowing his muscles to finally relax.

Afterward, Kael dried himself and changed into something more comfortable.

He then walked over to his phone and picked it up.

There was one more thing he needed to take care of tonight.

Kael found the number he wanted and made the call.

The name displayed on the screen was Vice President Jonas.

The Association had offered him a new house, and Kael had already decided to accept it. He needed to let Jonas know that they could proceed with the arrangements.

The call rang for a while with no one picking up. Kael glanced at the time, it was already late, so he was probably already asleep.

He was about to end the call when it was finally answered.

"Boy, you finally called!"

Jonas’s energetic voice immediately came through the phone.

"I heard you got yourself into a lot of trouble this time."

Kael’s eyebrows rose.

He hadn’t expected that kind of enthusiasm from the Vice President.

"Well, it might appear that I have."

"Appear?" Jonas laughed. "You wiped out an entire Guild, and you’re telling me it only appears that you’ve gotten yourself into trouble?"