Tbate: Kal-El

Part 24: A Wish

3rd Person POV:

*Flashback: 1 year ago*

The Helstea Auction House event is in full swing. The featured items have already been showcased on the main stage, and participants are already mingling with each other.

As the owner/organizer of the event, it is obvious that Vincent Helstea would purposefully greet the more important and influential nobles. Some nobles don't show up every year, which even includes the royal family. However, in recent years, a particular family has taken to participating in the auction every year...

Vincent Helstea, with his wife and daughter following him, enters one of the VIP boxes. An older-looking woman and a young boy sit inside, both of them with vibrant red hair.

"Greetings to the noble Bladeheart family." Kaspian slightly bows and welcomes the VIP guests. "Are the items for sale to your liking, Lady Bladeheart?"

The woman gets up and greets Vincent respectfully. "Yes, thank you for assembling a great collection once again this year." She beckons to the boy beside her. "My nephew, Kaspian, who I'm training to become a fine adventurer, will no doubt put the gear acquired here to good use."

She notices Lilia and Tabitha behind Vincent. "Oh, this is the first time I've met your family, Mr. Helstea. Nice to meet you!"

Tabitha curtsies. "Greetings, Lady Bladeheart, I'm Vincent's wife, Tabitha. This is our daughter, Lilia."

Lilia follows the motions of her mother, and bows her head down.

Lilia takes a furtive glance at Kaspian, and their eyes meet. Lightning strikes their hearts. They blush, and quickly avert their gazes from each other.

As Vincent starts mumbling about the items that have been ordered, Kaspian's aunt notices Lilia's subtle change in body language. She sees that Lilia has no mana core inside her, and then glances at Kaspian's enamored face. She internally sighs.

"Anyways, thank you once again for your patronage, Lady Bladeheart, young Lord Bladeheart." Vincent finishes up his VIP customer service treatment. "Please feel welcome to shop here again, I am confident that my auction house can continue to provide practical goods."

As Vincent and Tabitha begin to turn to leave, Lilia suddenly speaks up. "Wait!"

"Lilia?" Vincent questions his daughter.

"Umm...young Lord Bladeheart...I would like to ask you a question..." Lilia mutters timidly. "Would you...like to have tea with me sometime? Sometime during the next week, perhaps?"

Before Kaspian can accept Lilia's request, his aunt cuts in, while placing a hand on Kaspian's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, young miss, but I have to take my nephew on an important quest in the Beast Glades very soon, he won't be able to make it."

"Auntie, I-"

Kaspian shuts up abruptly as his aunt squeezes his shoulder tightly.

"Alright, no problem, perhaps some other time." Lilia nods meekly, and leaves with her parents.

*Back to the present day*

One day after his fateful reunion with his family, Arthur Leywin is completely exhausted after a long day of shopping and being used as a mannequin.

In his room inside the Helstea mansion, Arthur is lying facedown on his bed. Urayne is hovering above him, lightly massaging Arthur's back.

"Urayne..." Arthur weakly whispers to his bond. "Can't you cast some healing magic on me? I don't remember the last time I felt this tired..."