Chapter 193 - : 193 : Acceptance!

Chapter 193: Chapter : 193 : Acceptance!

The street was finally quiet.

Not peaceful—just quiet in that exhausted, aftermath way. Broken stone everywhere. Smoke drifting. People peeking from doorways like scared cats.

Kael didn’t stay.

He turned his back on the battlefield, greatsword resting against his shoulder, boots crunching over rubble as he started walking away without a word.

Renn blinked. "Ah—wait!"

She jogged after him, waving awkwardly. "H-Hey! You’re just gonna leave like that?!"

Behind them, Aiden took a step forward.

"Sir."

Kael stopped.

Didn’t turn at first.

Aiden walked closer, then bowed. Deep. Proper.

"Thank you," Aiden said sincerely. "For saving my daughter."

Kael’s jaw tightened.

"I don’t save demons," He said flatly.

Then he kept walking.

Renn winced. "Oof... he’s really bad at conversations."

She waved nervously at Aiden. "U-Um! Sorry about that! He’s... like that."

Then she hurried after Kael again, half-running. "Hey! Kael! Wait up!"

Aiden watched them go for a moment.

Then—

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

Aiden turned.

Sylas stood there, relaxed as ever, arms crossed, smiling like the whole city hadn’t almost died ten minutes ago.

"Sir," Sylara purred. "Your daughters are really cute. Especially the little dragon one!"

Leona giggled.

Aiden smirked. "Leona is... actually a handful."

Leona puffed her cheeks immediately. "Hey!"

"That’s one word for it," Sylas chuckled.

Leona crossed her arms, wings flaring. "I am going to tell mummy."

Aiden flinched hard. "Whoa—hey—now—Leona—Daddy was joking. No need to involve mummy."

Liri and Noir stiffened at the word mummy.

Sylas burst out laughing. "Sir, your daughter is already one step ahead of you."

Aiden sighed. "I know. That’s what scares me."

Leona grinned smugly.

Noir shifted closer to Aiden’s side, fingers curling lightly into his coat.

"Daddy..." She said softly.

Aiden looked down. "Yeah?"

"...You really meant it, right?" She asked. "When you said... I’m your daughter."

Aiden knelt instantly so he was eye level with her.

"Hey," he said firmly. "I don’t joke about stuff like that."

Noir’s eyes trembled.

"You’re mine," Aiden continued. "Same as them. Doesn’t matter what you are. Doesn’t matter where you came from."

Liri nodded quickly. "You’re my sister. That’s it."

Leona stepped closer and hugged Noir’s arm. "Yep. Sister."

Noir’s lips shook.

"...Okay," She whispered, smiling through tears.

Sylara watched quietly, her grin softening.

"...You’re dangerous, you know that?" She said to Aiden.

Aiden blinked. "Me?"

"Yeah," Sylara said. "People who mean what they say? Scary."

Sylas shrugged. "World’s gonna have trouble with you."

Aiden laughed lightly. "Wouldn’t be the first time."

A guard’s voice echoed from the far end of the street. "Secure the area! Medical teams, move!"

Civilians started creeping back out.

Whispers spread fast.

Noir tugged Aiden’s sleeve. "Daddy... are we in trouble?"

Aiden shook his head. "Nah. We’ll be fine."

Leona yawned suddenly. "I’m tired."

Aiden chuckled and hoisted her up. "Yeah, yeah. You earned it."

Noir looked around, hesitant. "Um... what happens now?"

Aiden thought for a second.

"Now?" He said. "We go home. Meet your new mummies. Eat something. Rest."

Liri smiled. "That sounds nice."

Sylas stretched. "We should probably report this mess."

Sylara waved lazily. "Later."

Aiden adjusted his grip on Leona and started walking.

"Alright," He said. "Let’s move."

Noir stayed close. Liri held his coat. Leona rested her head on his shoulder.

---

As they walked, Noir tilted her head up.

"Daddy...?"

Aiden hummed. "Yeah?"

She hesitated, then asked in a small, careful voice, "How many... mummies do I have?"

Leona’s eyes snapped open immediately.

"A lot!" She declared proudly, lifting her head just to grin at Noir.

Noir blinked. "A... lot?"

Aiden chuckled. "You’ve got fifteen mums."

Noir stopped walking.

Actually stopped.

"What."

Aiden took two more steps before realizing she wasn’t beside him anymore. He turned.

Noir was frozen in place, jaw dropped, red eyes wide enough to see her soul.

"F-Fifteen?" She squeaked.

Leona giggled. "Daddy forgot the rest!"

Aiden sighed dramatically. "And three in waiting."

Noir’s brain visibly crashed. "...And more to come?" She whispered faintly.

Aiden shrugged casually. "Probably."

Her knees almost gave out.

Liri caught her arm instantly. "Noir?! Are you okay?!"

Noir stared straight ahead, completely blank. "That’s... that’s a whole army of mums."

Leona nodded seriously. "They’re scary too."

Aiden snorted. "Hey."

"They are," Leona insisted. "But they give hugs. And food."

Noir slowly looked back up at Aiden. "Will...

Will they accept me?"

Aiden didn’t even slow his step. "They will."

Her fingers curled into his coat again. "Will they... hate me?"

Aiden stopped this time.

He shifted Leona slightly, then crouched just enough to look Noir in the eyes while still holding her sister.

"Hey," He said calmly. "Every single one of them married me knowing exactly who I am."

Noir swallowed.

"And that includes you," He added gently. "They’ll love you. Some will smother you. One will probably cry. A few will fight over who gets to spoil you first."

Noir stared.

Then—

She smiled. Small. Shaky. Real.

"...Okay."

They started walking again.

A few steps passed.

Then Liri suddenly gasped.

She looked down at her empty hands.

Her face crumpled.

"D-Daddy..."

Aiden glanced over. "What’s wrong?"

She turned toward him slowly, eyes glassy. "The sweets..."

His brow furrowed. "The sweets?"

"I dropped them," She whispered. "When everything happened. I-I was holding them and then there was noise and running and—"

Her lower lip trembled.

"Now what?" She said, voice cracking comically hard. "I wanted to give it to maama. Together."

Her eyes flooded instantly.

Leona peeked down at her. "Liri’s gonna cry."

"I am not—!" Liri sniffed loudly. "O-Okay maybe I am!"

Aiden stopped walking again.

He shifted Leona fully onto one arm, then reached out and rested his palm gently on Liri’s head.

She froze.

Slowly looked up at him.

Her eyes were red, watery, shining.

"Liri," Aiden said softly. "Let’s go buy something better."

She blinked. "...Better?"

"For maama," He added, smiling.

Her mouth opened.

Then closed.

Then opened again.

"R-Really?" She asked, voice hopeful and fragile.

He nodded. "Together."

Her tears vanished instantly.

"O-Okay!" She said brightly, nodding hard. "Okay! Let’s do that!"

They turned down a side street, away from the damage, toward a row of shops.

A sweet shop stood at the corner, its windows warm and golden.

Liri froze again.

"There!" She pointed. "That one!"

Inside smelled like sugar and honey and warmth.

The shopkeeper looked up, startled at first—then smiled when he saw the kids.

"Oh! Welcome, welcome!" He said. "You’re lucky—just restocked."

Liri stepped forward carefully, hands clasped tight. "Um... what’s good?"

The man chuckled. "Depends. For who?"

"For... my maama," She said seriously.

Aiden smiled behind her.

The shopkeeper leaned in conspiratorially. "Ah. Then something special."

He started pulling boxes out—candied fruits, layered pastries, jewel-like sweets wrapped in paper.

Leona’s eyes sparkled. "Shiny!"

"No touching," Aiden warned.

She pouted. "I was just looking."

Liri stared at everything like it might vanish if she blinked.

"Noir," She whispered, tugging her sleeve. "Help me choose."

Noir leaned in, eyes wide. "I’ve... never bought something before."

"Then we’ll do it together," Liri said proudly.

They debated.

A lot.

"This one smells good."

"But that one is prettier."

"What if maama likes soft ones?"

"What if she likes crunchy?"

Leona added, "Get all."

Aiden sighed. "Absolutely not."

Eventually, they settled on a neatly wrapped box—layers of sweets inside, tied with ribbon.

Liri held it with both hands like it was sacred.

Outside, she pressed it to her chest.

Her smile was blinding.

"Thank you, Daddy!" She said happily.

Aiden smiled back. "It’s alright."

Noir looked at the box, then at him. "Do I... need to get something too?"

Aiden shook his head. "You being there is more than enough."

She nodded, cheeks warm.

They started walking home again.

Leona yawned, tail flicking once. "I’m sleepy again."

Aiden kissed the top of her head. "Almost there."

Then he told Noir, "Nour, you’ll meet someone cute."

"Huh?"

"Yeah. You’ll love him." Leona added excitedly.

---

Aiden barely had time to step inside before Lysandra was already there.

She took one look at him—dusty coat, tired eyes, Leona half-asleep in his arms—and her eyes softened.

"...You’re late, and did something happen? You look hurt." She said softly.

Aiden opened his mouth. "I’ll tell later."

She kissed his cheek first.

Hard.

Then hugged him.

"Welcome home, Sir," Lysandra murmured. "You smell like blood."

Leona lifted her head. "Mummy!"

Lysandra immediately switched targets, scooping Leona into her arms. "There’s my little dragon. Did Daddy scare you again?"

Leona nodded seriously. "Very."

Aiden sighed. "I didn’t even say anything yet."

Behind Lysandra, the rest of the house was already filling up.

Nyxion leaned against the wall, smiling knowingly. Arisha hovered nearby, hands clasped, eyes soft.

Luna stepped forward with regal curiosity, Ivy peeking from behind her shoulder.

Aiden cleared his throat.

"Alright," He said, raising his voice slightly.

"Everyone—line up. I bought stuff."

That did it.

"Stuff?" Nyxion perked up.

"For us?" Lysandra asked.

"Presents?!" Ivy gasped.

Aiden waved a hand, opening his storage.

Boxes. Bags.

He handed them out one by one.

"For you."

"And you."

"Careful, that one’s fragile."

The reactions were instant.

"Oh, this fabric—!"

"Aiden, you didn’t have to—"

"This is adorable!"

"He remembered my size?!"

Lysandra watched from the side, smiling sweetly.

Then Aiden turned his head. "Edda. Come here."

Edda blinked. "Hm?"

Liri called too, urgently. "Maama! Come!"

Edda walked over, confused, kneeling down automatically when Liri stopped in front of her.

Aiden gestured. "Go on."

Liri held out the sweets box with both hands like it was the most important thing in the world.

"We chose it together," She said proudly.

Then, softer, shy. "Thank you... for always taking care of me, Maama."

Edda froze.

Then her eyes welled up. "Oh—Liri..."

She pulled Liri into her chest, hugging her tight, kissing her cheeks again and again.

"Thank you," Edda sniffed. "Thank you for being born."

Liri giggled, squished but happy. "You’re welcome!"

Aiden let the moment settle.

Then he clapped once.

"Alright. Girls," He said. "I want you all to meet someone."

The room went quiet.

Luna tilted her head. "...A new wife?"

Aiden nearly choked. "What? No!"

Lysandra crossed her arms. "Then what?"

Aiden turned toward the hallway. "Noir. Come in."

Noir hesitated at the doorway.

So many eyes.

So many powerful presences.

She swallowed and stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "H-Hello... my name is Noir."

Silence.

Her heart sank.

Then—

"She’s cute."

"Really cute."

"Those horns—!"

"Oh my gods, look at her hair."

Noir blinked.

Fluffynugget suddenly zipped in from nowhere, circling her head excitedly, glittery motes raining down.

"Mii~!"

Noir’s eyes widened. "W-What is that?"

Aiden chuckled. "Told you. Someone cute."

She laughed softly as Fluffynugget landed in her hand. "He’s adorable..."

Ivy stepped forward and held her hands. "Hello, Noir! I’m Ivy. Onii-Chan’s little sister."

Noir nodded shyly. "N-Nice to meet you."

Then Selvara approached.

She knelt to Noir’s level and rested her hands gently on her shoulders.

Noir stiffened.

Then relaxed.

"...You’re a demon," Noir said quietly. "Like me."

Selvara smiled warmly. "Yes."

Noir flushed hard. "You’re soo beautiful."

Aiden rested a hand on Noir’s head. "She was a slave. Cloth shop. Got beaten."

The room’s mood shifted instantly.

"She’s my daughter now," He finished. "Hope no one minds."

Xylendra burst into tears. "Of course not!"

Valeforia nodded firmly. "She’s ours."

Murmurs of agreement filled the room.

Selvara looked back at Aiden. "My Lord... let me take care of her."

Aiden smiled. "Alright."

Selvara turned back to Noir, opening her arms. "So... Noir. Please call me Mummy."

Noir’s lips trembled. "M... Mummy."

Selvara hugged her gently.

"Mummy," Noir said again. Louder.

Again. "Mummy."

Again. "Mummy."

She buried her face against Selvara, sobbing.

Selvara held her tight.

---

END OF Chapter : 193 : ACCEPTANCE!

---