Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls-Chapter 423: A calm conversation about feeling

The morning light timidly filtered through the thick curtains, its soft hues painting the room a pale gold. The silence was comfortable, broken only by the tranquil breathing of three bodies sharing the same space.

Kael woke slowly.

There was no startle, nor that instinctive reflex of alertness that usually accompanied him. Just consciousness returning, slow, heavy… and warm.

He noticed the weight first.

One on each side.

Irelia was entwined in his left arm, her face buried in his chest, her golden hair spread like strands of sunlight across his skin. Amelia, on the other side, slept with her forehead resting on his shoulder, her dark blue hair contrasting with the light sheets, her arm crossed over Kael's abdomen as if she had decided, even unconsciously, that this was her place.

Both naked, relaxed, without any trace of tension.

Tired.

Kael didn't move immediately.

He simply stood there, feeling their real weight, their warmth, the undeniable proof that this wasn't a dream or a distorted memory from the coma.

Carefully, he raised his hand and began to stroke Irelia's hair, running his fingers slowly, almost afraid of breaking the moment. She stirred slightly, letting out a low sound, something between a murmur and an involuntary purr.

His other hand went to Amelia, his fingers gliding through her bluish strands, shorter, softer than he remembered. She reacted too, frowning slightly before snuggling even closer.

"...Is it morning already?" Irelia murmured, her voice hoarse with sleep, without opening her eyes.

Amelia made a sound of agreement, her forehead pressing a little harder against his shoulder.

Kael smiled slightly.

"I think so," she replied softly. "Or at least it should be. I… completely lost track of time."

Neither seemed to care about the vague answer.

There were a few seconds of comfortable silence, until Amelia stirred first, stretching slowly, her eyes opening little by little. Irelia did the same soon after, blinking like someone who hadn't yet decided if she really wanted to wake up.

They began to rise, sleepy, unhurried, still trapped in that warm state between sleep and wakefulness.

Kael instinctively looked away.

Not out of shame—but because there was something almost overwhelming about seeing them like that. It wasn't just physical beauty. It was naturalness. Absolute confidence. The fact that there were no masks, armor, or titles there.

When he looked back, he saw clearly.

Irelia, with her strong and elegant body, marked by years of training and discipline, each movement carrying an unconscious grace. Amelia, more slender but equally firm, her posture naturally composed even upon waking, as if control never truly left her.

Both… beautiful.

More than he remembered.

More than he thought fair.

Kael let out a long sigh, one of those that came from deep within his chest, and without saying anything, simply threw himself back onto the bed, stretching on his back and staring at the high ceiling of the room.

The sheet moved with the gentle impact.

"...Kael?", Amelia called, confused.

Irelia tilted her head, observing him from above.

"What is it?", she asked. "Does something hurt?"

He laughed.

A short, sincere laugh, almost relieved.

"No," he replied. "Not at all."

He brought his hands to his face for a moment, then let them fall to his sides.

"I just…" he paused, searching for the words. "I'm happy."

The two exchanged glances.

Amelia was the first to approach again, sitting beside him, her gaze attentive.

"Happy… how?"

Kael took a deep breath.

"To be back," he said. "Truly."

Irelia sat on the other side, resting her elbow on the mattress, watching him with silent attention.

"In the coma…", he continued, his voice lower now, "I had no dreams. No voices. No light."

He swallowed hard.

"It was just a black, endless void. No pain… but nothing. I was trapped there. Alone. Just with my own thoughts."

The two didn't interrupt him.

"And the worst part," he finished, "is that, at some point… I got used to it. That solitude turned into silence. And the silence turned into… comfort."

The room fell silent.

"That scared me," Kael admitted. "Not the emptiness. But the fact that I felt… right there. As if disappearing was easier than continuing."

Amelia reached out, holding his hand firmly.

Irelia did the same on the other side.

"But now," Kael smiled slightly, finally looking up from the ceiling to face them, "I'm awake. And you were there. Really. Real. Noisy. Complicated."

Irelia smiled slightly.

"Bold of you."

"Brave," Amelia corrected.

Kael laughed again.

"And I realized that…," he took a deep breath, "I don't want that silence anymore. I don't want to be alone anymore, not even with myself."

The two leaned on him again, supporting themselves once more.

"Then don't be," Irelia said simply.

"You don't have to," Amelia added.

Kael closed his eyes, feeling their weight again, now awake, now conscious.

The emptiness seemed distant.

Kael kept his eyes closed for a few more seconds, breathing deeply, as if he wanted to imprint that sensation on his own body. Then he spoke, his voice low, almost too careful for the moment.

"I… want to go see Sylphie."

The words weren't spoken hastily. Nor urgently. Just honestly.

The weight beside him shifted.

Irelia was the first to react. Her body stiffened slightly for a moment, imperceptible to anyone who didn't know her well. Amelia also shifted, the grip around him becoming more restrained.

The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable—it was sad.

"Kael…," Amelia murmured after a few seconds. "You know that…"

"I know," he interrupted softly, opening his eyes. "It's going to take a while."

Irelia let out a slow sigh, resting her chin on his chest.

"It's not a matter of days. Or months," she said. "Sylphie is in a deep cycle. When someone like her enters it… the whole world slows down around them."

Amelia nodded. "Even if she wanted to come back now… she couldn't. Not without serious consequences."

Kael ran his hand through Irelia's hair, the gesture automatic, comforting.

"I know," he repeated. "I'm not talking about bringing her back. Or interrupting anything."

He hesitated for a moment, then continued:

"But… Yggdrasil owes me a favor."

The two moved at the same time.

Irelia raised her head. Amelia rested her elbow on the mattress, looking directly at him.

"…A favor?" Amelia asked suspiciously.

"A big one," Kael confirmed. "An old one. Uncollected."

Irelia frowned slightly.

"Yggdrasil doesn't 'owe' favors. It negotiates balances."

"Exactly," he replied. "And I've been part of that balance more times than I'd like to admit."

He sat down for a moment, leaning back on the pillows.

"I don't want to demand anything. Just… talk. Know if Sylphie is alright. Feel that clearly."

Amelia crossed her arms, thoughtful.

"And how do you intend to do that?"

Kael took a deep breath.

"There's a forest north of the capital. Ancient. It's not a sanctuary, but its roots connect with the living lines of the world. If I speak to the trees…" — he gave a half-smile — "…they listen."

Irelia's gaze darkened slightly.

"Kael…," she said carefully. "We've already tried."

He blinked.

"They tried?"

"Several times," Amelia replied bluntly. "Messages, minor rituals, natural resonance. Nothing. The trees listen, yes… but Yggdrasil chooses when to respond."

Irelia nodded.

"When Sylphie left, I went to three different forests. I spoke to roots, to lesser spirits, to living cores. All I received was silence."

Kael closed his eyes for a moment.

"I figured."

"Then why insist?" Amelia asked, her voice softer now. "You just got back. Your body is still… strange. Too strong. Unstable."

He opened his eyes and looked at the two of them.

"Because…" he hesitated, searching for the right words — "...the silence doesn't scare me anymore. But it still reminds me of things I don't want to forget."

Irelia moved a little closer.

"Do you think that if you hear Yggdrasil… you'll feel complete?"

Kael thought for a few seconds.

"No," he answered honestly. "But I think I'll feel less divided."

Amelia observed his face, as if searching for invisible cracks.

"And if she doesn't answer?"

He shrugged.

"Then I'll go back. I'll keep training. I'll keep living." A small smile appeared. "At least I will have tried as someone alive, not as someone trapped in the void."

The room fell silent again.

Not heavy. Reflective.

Irelia was the first to give in, letting out a resigned sigh.

"You've always been like this," she murmured. "When you decide something, the world adjusts."

Amelia rolled her eyes slightly, but there was affection there.

"I still think it won't work."

"Probably not," Kael agreed.

She looked at him.

"Even so, you're going."

"I will."

Amelia leaned forward and rested her forehead on his shoulder.

"Then don't go alone."

Irelia nodded immediately.

"If the trees decide to answer…" she smiled slightly, "…it's better that they find you well accompanied."

Kael felt something warm expand in his chest.

"Thank you," he said softly.

The two settled around him again, not as barriers, but as anchors.

Outside, the world continued.

And, for the first time in a long time, Kael felt no rush.

Only direction.