Chapter 67: Marcus Can Make A Joke?

Kael woke to the soft, restless sounds of Noah stirring in his crib.

Blinking away the heaviness of sleep, he reached for his phone and glanced at the screen. It was just past seven in the morning. When he shifted against the mattress, a dull ache pulled at his injured shoulder—still stiff and quick to protest any sudden movement, though noticeably milder than the day before.

Beside him, Sera remained fast asleep, her breathing slow and even.

Moving carefully so as not to disturb the bed, Kael eased himself up and padded across the room to the crib. Noah lay on his back, kicking gently and waving his small arms in the air, his wide eyes fixed on the mobile suspended above him.

"Good morning, little man," Kael whispered, leaning over the rail.

At the sound of his voice, Noah turned his head and let out a soft coo.

A quiet smile tugged at Kael’s lips. Sliding his hands beneath the baby, he lifted him with practiced care, supporting his head and back before checking his diaper and carrying him over to the changing table.

"You seem to have plenty of energy this morning," Kael murmured, reaching for a clean diaper with his good hand. "Your father, on the other hand, would have appreciated another hour of sleep."

Noah answered with an enthusiastic gurgle.

"That’s not a very convincing argument."

Once the fresh diaper was fastened, Kael cradled his son against his chest and carried him out to the living room. He lowered himself onto the sofa, adjusting a cushion beneath his injured arm to keep the joint supported while Noah settled warmly against his shirt.

He had barely gotten comfortable when quiet footsteps approached, and Sera appeared in the bedroom doorway, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"You’re already awake?" she asked softly.

"Noah decided it was time to start the day."

Sera crossed the room and looked down at their son, her expression softening. "Did he give you any trouble?"

"Not really. He woke up in a good mood."

"That’s good." Her gaze shifted to the bandage beneath Kael’s loose shirt. "How is the pain?"

"Better than yesterday."

"Did you take your medication?"

Kael hesitated for half a second.

Sera’s eyes narrowed immediately. "Kael."

"I was about to."

"That means you forgot."

"I didn’t forget," he said evenly. "I was waiting until after breakfast."

"Then make sure you take it right after you eat. And don’t try to convince yourself that feeling a little better means you’re completely healed."

"I won’t," Kael promised, nodding.

Sera sat beside him on the sofa and brushed the back of her fingers gently across Noah’s cheek. The baby leaned into the warmth of her touch, drawing a tender smile from her.

"I’ll go make breakfast," she said, rising after a moment. "You stay here with him."

"Are you sure? I can put together something simple."

"You’re supposed to be resting that shoulder. Let me handle the kitchen."

Kael didn’t press the issue. Sera had been carrying the weight of the household throughout his recovery, and he knew better than to test her patience by ignoring the doctor’s orders.

While the quiet clatter of pans drifted in from the kitchen, Kael remained on the couch with Noah. Using one hand, he pulled up the baby’s feeding log on his phone, noted the morning’s times, and sent a quick message to the clinic to confirm their next routine checkup.

Before he could lock the screen, a familiar translucent window flickered into his vision.

[Family Man System][Daily Family Care Task Completed.][Reward: None.]

Kael read the prompt once and dismissed it without a second thought.

He had long since stopped expecting a prize for every ordinary task. Caring for Noah wasn’t a quest to be farmed for rewards—it was simply his life now, and a responsibility he was grateful to hold.

A few minutes later, the scent of toasted bread filled the room, and Sera called him to the table.

Breakfast was simple and warm: soft scrambled eggs, crisp toast, a small bowl of sliced fruit, and a steaming mug she had set right by his plate.

Kael eased himself into his chair, keeping his posture straight. "Did you sleep well?"

"Better than yesterday," Sera replied, setting a prepared bottle for Noah within easy reach. "I woke up once during the night, but you were already up tending to him."

"He wasn’t even hungry then. I think he just wanted the company."

Sera smiled as she sat across from him. "He seems to enjoy having you around."

"I just hope that lasts when he’s old enough to realize how annoying I can be."

"That might happen sooner than you think."

Kael let out a quiet laugh.

As they ate, the conversation naturally turned to the day ahead. Sera wanted to go through the enrollment packet she had received for her design course, while Kael needed to check in with Marcus regarding his recovery and his postponed hunter assessment. More than anything, he wanted to know when he would be allowed back on the training floor.

"Don’t rush it," Sera said, catching the look in his eyes before he even voiced the thought.

"I know."

"You keep saying that, Kael, but I can tell you’re already picturing yourself back in the training hall."

He set his fork down and met her gaze. "Marcus made it clear my evaluation wasn’t finished. My fundamentals still have too many gaps."

"And you’ll fix them. Just not while your shoulder is still healing."

"Fair enough."

True to his word, Kael took his medication as soon as they finished eating and returned to the sofa. After clearing the dishes, Sera joined him in the living room, carrying her laptop and a thick, worn sketchbook under her arm.

She settled at the opposite end of the couch, flipped open the laptop, and pulled up an email that had arrived the previous evening. Kael watched the way her posture tensed slightly as she leaned toward the screen.

"Is that from the design institute?" he asked.

"Yes. They sent over the syllabus and the list of required documents for admission."

"Have you gone through all of it?"

"Most of it." Sera scrolled slowly down the page, her brow furrowing. "There’s an introductory evaluation before the formal classes begin. Along with the paperwork, I have to submit a small portfolio of previous work."

"Your sketches?"

"Yes, though I don’t think what I have is good enough to submit yet."

Kael glanced at the worn notebook resting against her knee. "Why not?"

"Half of them are years old, and the rest are just scattered ideas I jotted down whenever I had a spare hour. They’ve never been organized into anything cohesive."

"Then that gives you a clear place to start."

Sera cast him a skeptical look. "Putting a portfolio together isn’t as simple as it sounds."

"I know. I’m not saying it’s easy—just that you already have the foundation right there."

She looked back at the glowing screen, her fingers resting lightly on the trackpad. "I also have to narrow down my focus. Interior design is what draws me in the most, but I’m hesitant to box myself in before I’ve even started learning the broader craft."

"Then don’t lock yourself into a single path yet," Kael said gently. "Use the introductory course to explore first."

Sera remained quiet for a moment, turning the thought over, before giving a slow nod. "That’s probably the smartest approach."

Kael watched as she opened a blank document and began typing out a checklist of the materials she would need to gather. Seeing her take concrete steps toward an ambition she had shelved for so long brought a quiet warmth to his chest. He never wanted her to feel as though she needed his permission to chase her own life; his job was to make sure the ground beneath her was steady enough that she could reach for it.

"Do you want a hand organizing the application files later?" he offered.

"I can manage the paperwork," she said, glancing up with a small smile. "Though I might borrow your eyes when it’s time to select the sketches."

"Whenever you’re ready."

"I’ll hold you to that."

Later that morning, Kael’s phone vibrated on the coffee table. Seeing Marcus’s name on the screen, he shifted into a straighter seat before answering.

"Good morning, sir."

"How’s the shoulder?" Marcus asked, skipping the pleasantries entirely.

"Improving. The sharp pain has mostly faded."

"Which does not mean you’re cleared to start swinging a weapon again."

A faint smile crossed Kael’s face. "Sera already gave me the exact same lecture."

"Good. Listen to her. She clearly has more common sense than you do."

"I won’t argue with that."

Marcus let out a gruff bark of a laugh before his tone settled back into business. "I went over the latest report from the medical division. Once the attending doctor signs off on your mobility, we’ll schedule a follow-up exam. Until that paperwork is on my desk, you are off heavy exertion. Completely."