Zayne sat up straight, his head propped up on his knuckle as he gazed out the window. The seemingly endless ocean gradually gave way to a vast expanse of land. They flew hundreds of meters above the massive continent.
"Marcus," Zayne called. Marcus stepped forward at once. "Sir?"
"Tell Nevia to drop the camouflage function so the countries we pass through know we're from the Arur Family."
"Yes, sir." Marcus left for the cockpit quickly.
Zayne turned his attention back to Nox. The boy was still asleep, which was weird. Then again, he is a Vessel. Containing a God Fragment takes a lot out of any Vessel. He's been doing this on his own since his accident in Hanag... Zayne sighed, a look of compassion softening his eyes.
"... He is a child after all..."
Hours passed as Nero waited at the private hangar on the estate, flanked by what could only be described as a fleet of security personnel dressed in crisp black suits and dark visors. He tapped the communication device on his ear.
"Command, what's the situation with the Young Master's jet? Are they arriving late, or should we expect something terrible?"
"Responding to the First Deputy Retainer: the Young Master's jet is approaching the runway and will be landing within the next ten minutes."
Nero hummed, then gazed up at the sky.
Ten minutes later, a sleek black jet broke through the heavy clouds and descended. The aircraft smoothly approached the runway, coming to a controlled halt. Slowly, the exit door unlatched and hissed open. Ground crew in black suits quickly moved toward the jet, positioning a movable staircase at the threshold. A contingent of bodyguards filed out first, sharply scanning the area for threats before descending.
Next came a red-eyed Nox. His hair was a bit of a mess, but the unmistakable air of arrogance remained fully present, even in his sleepy state. The evening air was chilly; he stretched and shivered. A thick, long coat was immediately draped over his shoulders as a familiar, playful voice spoke from behind him.
"We've arrived, Young Master!"
Nox hummed, then descended the aircraft stairs. He was followed closely by Zayne—who carried the pet carrier—Nevia, and the rest of the bodyguards. As they stepped onto the tarmac, Nero led his reception group forward. They all bowed in unison, greeting him warmly: "Welcome home, Young Master."
Nox was a bit startled by the grand scale, but he quickly composed himself. "You are?"
Nero lifted his head slightly. "Responding to the Young Master: I am Nero Lancaster, the First Deputy Retainer of the Main Branch of the Arur Family."
Nox furrowed his eyebrows and glanced at Zayne, who only offered a wide smile. "He's my son!"
Nox looked at the Dark Elf, narrowing his gaze. "... Crazy..." He turned back toward Nero.
"What arrangements have been made for me?"
"Responding to the Young Master: the Chairman has instructed that you be situated in the North Wing. Food has been prepared in advance. The Chairman also noted that he will not be meeting you today, but tomorrow, as he has important business to handle."
Nox hummed in response. The arrangements were perfectly fine by him; he didn't particularly want to see that man's face tonight anyway. "Alright then, lead the way."
Nero turned and walked forward as the reception group flanked Nox's entourage from behind. As they moved through the estate, the large crowd naturally thinned, almost as if the bodyguards were melting into the architecture.
"... Where did they go?" Nox asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Responding to the Young Master: the security personnel have returned to their respective patrol positions to minimize the group size."
Nox hummed in acknowledgment, and they continued their march. They walked for a while until they reached a beautifully polished sandalwood door equipped with a digital biometric screen on the wall. The remaining bodyguards had peeled away, leaving only Nero, Nevia, Zayne, Nox, and Meimei standing before the entrance.
Nero pointed to the screen beside the frame.
"Young Master, you need to place your finger on the screen. I assume you are exhausted, so the rest of your biometric data will be recorded tomorrow."
Nox pressed his right hand onto the glass. It scanned his print briefly before glowing a vibrant green. The heavy doors glided open to reveal a massive, Victorian-style room. Nox stepped inside. "I will be eating in my room."
"Yes, Young Master."
The doors clicked shut, leaving the remaining three standing in the hallway in silence.
"... Dad..."
Nero adjusted his glasses, looking at his father with a slight frown. "How do you deal with him so easily? I've only just met him, and I'm already annoyed."
Zayne chuckled softly. "He seems that way on the surface, but he's actually a good kid."
Nevia scoffed. "A spoiled kid..." she murmured under her breath.
Zayne promptly smacked the back of her head. "Behave like a proper lady for once."
Nevia clutched the back of her head, her eyes watering as she let out a quiet whimpering sound.
"Anyways, let's get you settled," Nero continued. "We'll escort you to the dining room in about an hour—"
"No, it's okay," Zayne interrupted. "Bring both my food and Nox's straight to our rooms. He won't want to move an inch once he's unpacked... Oh, and bring some food for this cat."
Zayne lifted the pet carrier slightly. Nero glanced at the carrier and acknowledged the order with a nod. They split up, heading toward their respective quarters in the North Wing.
------------------------------
Meanwhile, inside his new quarters, Nox lay flat on his back across the plush bed, staring up at the grand bed canopy. He had kicked his shoes off, shed the trench coat, and discarded his suit jacket, sprawling out like a starfish.
"... Veil," he called out quietly.
The ball of sentient darkness emerged from his chest, its voice echoing in his mind.
"'What is it, child?"'
"... What happens now? What do I do?"
"'Well, for now, you rest. We will talk about everything else tomorrow. You need proper sleep, or your mortal body will perish before One's divine power even has a chance to do anything.'"
"... You said your divine power is all-consuming, right?"
"'Precisely. That is why it is highly volatile for a mortal who is not under a binding Covenant with One. You will face the slow, agonizing erosion of your body. That is also the reason why you can never have a romantic partner in this lifetime. A Vessel naturally overflows with its god's divine energy. It can become so concentrated that merely existing in the same room as another living being can cause their life force to slowly drain away..."'
Nox furrowed his brows. "You're a god, right? Why do you even need a Vessel? Are you just lazy?"
Veil chuckled, a low, resonant sound. "'According to the Rule, no god may directly descend into the Physical Plane. If we do, the fabric of reality will be destroyed.'"
Nox sucked in a sharp breath, then gradually calmed his breathing. "... I'm going to sleep..."
"'Alright. Sleep well, Vessel.'"
And with that, Nox closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.