The lively birthday party gradually quieted down, and guests departed one after another.
Only scattered ribbons and the lingering sweet scent of cake remained in the courtyard, telling of the recent joy.
Little Kiana was tired from playing, yet still excited, refusing to get down from Kael's arms, her small hand clutching the "Haxxor Bunny Captain" doll.
Kael held her, gently swaying, humming an off-key but exceptionally tender lullaby.
The golden glow of the setting sun enveloped him and the little one in a warm halo, creating a heartwarming scene too precious to disturb.
Theresa sat on a nearby swing, rocking slowly, watching this scene with a mix of softness and a touch of sourness in her heart.
She touched the soft new scarf around her neck and felt a little more balanced—after all, Kael's most special gift was hers!
Kiana looked up, her clear blue eyes like the purest gems, gazing unblinkingly at Kael's gently smiling profile.
She suddenly reached out her chubby little hand, touched Kael's chin, and with her milky, yet surprisingly clear voice, uttered something astonishing:
"Uncle Kael... is the best-looking! Kiana... likes Uncle Kael the most!"
She paused, seemingly trying to organize her thoughts, then loudly declared, "When Kiana... grows up! I want... I want Uncle Kael to marry me!"
The air instantly froze.
Kael was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, finding the innocent child's words utterly adorable.
He lowered his head, gently touched his forehead to the little one's forehead, and said with doting affection: "Oh? Then Uncle will have to wait patiently for Kiana to grow up."
It was entirely the playful tone used to humor a child.
Siegfried, who was drinking a beverage nearby, almost spat it out upon hearing this, then erupted in hearty laughter: "Hahaha! Good! My good daughter has ambition! She knows to pick the best even at such a young age! Your dad supports you!"
He simply found it amusing and joined in the teasing; after all, if he took it seriously, he might have unsheathed the Divine Key: Judgement of Shamash directly at Kael... Cecilia also couldn't help but smile, gently stroking her daughter's head: "Kiana, do you know what 'marry' means?"
"I know!" Kiana nodded vigorously, her little face serious, "It means... always being together! Never separating! Like Daddy and Mommy!"
As she spoke, she hugged Kael's neck even tighter, as if declaring ownership.
"Hahaha!" Siegfried laughed even harder. Cecilia also smiled and shook her head, finding her daughter innocent and utterly charming.
No one would take a one-year-old's words seriously, seeing it only as the most direct and pure expression of affection for someone they like.
However, not everyone thought that way.
Theresa, sitting on the swing, instantly froze her smile.
If earlier she was just a little jealous, now it was a full-blown alarm blaring!
Although she knew Kiana was still young and didn't understand matters of love, hearing words like "always together" and "never separating" from her, directed at Kael, still made Theresa's heart clench sharply, and a strong sense of crisis swept over her!
This little brat!
It was one thing to compete for hugs and attention, but now she even dared to directly "propose"?!
Although it was unintentional, but... but what if Kael really found her cute, and later... Theresa's mind instantly conjured up ten thousand terrible possibilities, and the swing chains in her hands creaked as she gripped them.
She abruptly jumped off the swing, walked a few steps to Kael's side, forced a smile, and tried to change the subject: "Oh, Kiana is still young, what does she know! Kael, don't listen to her nonsense... Right, Kael?" She looked at Kael, her eyes holding a hint of imperceptible tension and anticipation.
Kael, however, was still smiling, finding the serious little one in his arms extremely amusing, and casually replied: "Yes, Kiana is still young. But our Kiana is so cute, many people will surely be vying for her when she grows up."
He was completely unaware of Theresa's instantly dimmed eyes and clenched fists beside him.
And at this moment, no one noticed that at the corner of the fence in the distance of the courtyard, a figure quietly paused.
Otto Apocalypse had originally just wanted to sneak a peek, and incidentally "accidentally" run into Kael, to see his state after the birthday party.
But he didn't expect to just happen to hear that earth-shattering "marriage proposal" and Kael's dotingly smiling response.
Although there was a distance, with his hearing, every word was heard clearly.
At that moment, Otto felt as if his Honkai heart had skipped a beat!
An extremely complex and bitter emotion instantly surged into his heart, mixed with disbelief, a hint of absurdity, and... a jealousy and possessiveness so strong it startled him!
That little squirt with kaslana and Schariac blood... dared to...?!
And Kael actually smiled and agreed?! Although it was a joke... but that indulgent and gentle attitude... Otto's emerald eyes instantly darkened, and the atmospheric pressure around him dropped a few points.
He almost couldn't control himself from walking forward. But he ultimately held back.
After all... he didn't want to see Kael looking troubled or sad.
He seemed to really like that child.
He could only stare intensely at that dazzlingly warm scene, watching Kael gently hold the little girl, watching Theresa beside them, pouting and helpless, his fingernails almost digging into his palms.
"...Heh." In the end, he only let out an extremely soft, cold, and ambiguous chuckle, took a deep look at Kael's profile, then turned and quietly left, his golden hair tracing a cold arc in the setting sun.
He had noted this down.
But not now.
As for that granddaughter Theresa, who also had impure intentions... a cold glint flashed in Otto's eyes. It seemed he needed to find her some "serious business" to do.
In the courtyard, Kael, completely unaware of the silent storm in the distance, finally handed the yawning Kiana over to Cecilia.
Cecilia, holding her drowsy daughter, smiled and said to Kael and Theresa: "Thank you both so much today, Kiana had a wonderful time."
"It's nothing," Kael said with a smile, waving his hand.
Theresa also forced a smile, her gaze still fixed on the sleeping Kiana, her eyes complex.
When the kaslana family went inside, and only Kael and Theresa were left in the courtyard, Theresa finally couldn't hold back. She grabbed Kael's arm, her voice filled with an unprecedented tension and seriousness:
"Kael!"
"Hmm?" Kael turned to look at her in confusion, meeting her blue eyes filled with anxiety and grievance.
"You... what you just said... about waiting for Kiana to grow up..."
Theresa's voice trembled slightly, "That was a joke, right? You won't really... wait for her, will you?" She asked directly and clumsily, exposing all her anxieties.
Kael looked at her, appearing as if facing a great enemy, as if the sky was falling. He was stunned for a moment, then suddenly understood and couldn't help but laugh.
He reached out and vigorously ruffled her hair, messing it up:
"Silly, what are you thinking? How old is Kiana? Those are just a child's words, how can you take them seriously?"
His tone was light and a little amused, "In my eyes, she's like a little sister, a little niece. What kind of strange things are you thinking about all day?"
Hearing Kael's clear denial and the words "little sister, little niece," Theresa's suspended heart instantly settled, followed by a pang in her nose.
She suddenly pounced, hugging Kael's waist tightly, burying her face in his chest, her voice muffled: "...Don't lie to me! It's settled! You're my... you're my best friend! No one can steal you away!"
Best friend... really?
Kael felt the girl's slight trembling and complete reliance in his arms, and his heart overflowed with tenderness.
He gently hugged her back, patted her back, his voice more gentle and affirming than ever:
"Yes, I won't lie to you. No one can steal you away."
The setting sun stretched the shadows of the two embracing figures long, as if to engrave them forever in this courtyard where warmth and undercurrents had just subsided.
Theresa hugged him tightly, thinking silently: Best friend... that's not the ultimate goal! Kael, you big dummy!
And Otto, who had already walked far away, seemed to sense something, looking back at the embracing shadows, the coldness in his eyes slightly softened, but became even more profound and unfathomable.
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