Chapter 73: One Piece

He dropped to one knee, bringing himself down to her level, and gently took the paper lotus from her hands.

His hands were shaking.

"You are apologizing to me," Julian whispered, a single tear escaping and tracking down his flawless cheek. His voice was thick with emotion. "After all you have suffered... You crafted this for me. You truly are an angel, Lady Seraphina. You are the brightest light I have ever seen."

He looked at the paper flower as if it were carved from sapphire.

He clutched it gently to his chest. "I shall treasure this forever. I shall have it encased in crystal and placed in my treasure vault."

From his desk, Duke Kaelus von Nacht watched the incredibly touching, wholesome exchange.

And immediately, the Reaper of the North felt an irrational, burning spike of pure, petty jealousy.

’He is crying,’ Kaelus thought, his violet eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. ’He is kneeling in front of my daughter, weeping over a piece of folded paper, and she is smiling at him. She called him a good person. I am the one who sits in the chair! I am the one who buys the sugar dragons! Why is she giving that shiny southern dandy a flower?!’

The Archduke’s possessive instincts rebelled.

He stood up, the heavy leather chair scraping loudly against the floorboards, intentionally breaking the tender moment.

"That is sufficient, Julian," Kaelus barked, his voice dripping with icy territoriality.

He strode across the room, closing the distance in three long strides.

He reached down, grabbed Seraphina under the arms, and hoisted her swiftly back into his arms, pulling her firmly against his chest. "The Lady needs to rest her core. You are being overly emotional. It is unseemly."

Julian, still kneeling on the floor, hastily wiped the tear from his cheek.

He looked up at the towering, glaring Archduke, and then at the small child safely tucked against his shoulder.

The Marquess, despite his tears, was not stupid.

He saw the possessive grip, the dark, warning glare in Kaelus’s eyes.

Julian let out a wet, genuine chuckle, shaking his head as he stood up.

"My apologies, Kaelus," Julian said, his golden eyes dancing with amusement. "I did not mean to encroach upon your territory. Though I must admit, seeing you act like a hoard-dragon guarding its gold is entirely fascinating."

Kaelus scowled, his aura bristling. "I am not a dragon. I am just ensuring her security."

Seraphina, recognizing the sudden, rigid tension in Kaelus’s chest, realized what was happening.

The terrifying warlord was pouting.

He was genuinely jealous that she had given someone else a gift.

It was simultaneously the most ridiculous and the most endearing thing she had ever witnessed.

’He really is just a big, grumpy hedgehog,’ she thought, her heart swelling with affection.

She turned her head, leaned forward, and pressed a loud, slightly sloppy, and affectionate kiss directly onto Kaelus’s rough cheek.

Mwah!

Kaelus froze instantly.

The dark, bristling aura of killing intent vanished with an audible pop, completely short-circuiting.

His violet eyes widened slightly, staring blankly at the opposite wall as his brain tried to process the physical affection.

"You’re still the best Papa," Seraphina whispered loudly, patting his armored shoulder consolingly. "I’ll make you a whole flock of ducks tomorrow. A big army of ducks!"

Kaelus swallowed hard, his throat bobbing.

The fierce, territorial scowl on his face melted into an expression of helpless defeat.

He wrapped his arms tighter around her, burying his chin in her hair, utterly conquered.

Julian watched the exchange, a soft, wistful smile crossing his face.

The jealousy he felt wasn’t petty; it was a deep, melancholic yearning.

"You are truly blessed, Kaelus," Julian murmured, looking at the father and daughter. "I confess, seeing the two of you... It makes me envious. Perhaps it is time I ceased focusing entirely on my territory. Perhaps it is time I considered marriage. To have a daughter as bright and cute as Lady Seraphina... it would be a life well-lived."

Kaelus, having recovered from the cheek kiss, immediately bristled again.

The Archduke’s legendary arrogance returned in full, overwhelming force.

He lifted his chin, looking down his nose at the Marquess.

The pride radiating from Kaelus was almost blinding.

"Do not waste your time, Julian," Kaelus sneered, his voice dripping with unshakable superiority. He held Seraphina closer, like a king displaying his crown jewels to a peasant. "You could comb-search the entire continent. You could cross the oceans and search the Eastern Empires. You could petition the gods themselves."

Kaelus looked down at Seraphina, his violet eyes glowing with absolute devotion.

"There will never be a second piece of Seraphina in this world," Kaelus declared proudly. "She is a singular, unique masterpiece. And she is mine."

Seraphina buried her face in his coat, a cascade of bright, bubbly giggles erupting from her chest.

The arrogance of his statement was so incredibly ’Kaelus’ that she couldn’t help but laugh.

Julian Myer simply smiled, shaking his head in fond resignation.

He bowed deeply, clutching the paper lotus to his chest.

"I concede the point, Your Grace," Julian laughed. "I concede entirely. There is only one Sovereign of the North. May she reign long and happily."

As the Marquess exited the study, leaving the Archduke to his triumphant, petty victory, Seraphina smiled against the cold leather of Kaelus’s coat.

The monsters were still out there.

The mystery of the red-eyed anomaly remained unsolved, and the journey to the Capital loomed on the horizon, fraught with political daggers and unseen threats.

But as Kaelus carried her over to the velvet sofa, sitting down and letting her curl up against his side as he returned to his tactical maps, Seraphina felt untouchable.

She was a Supreme Dark Archmage, protected by a Vanguard of devoted uncles, a holy Marquess who baked her cookies, and a terrifying, jealous Reaper who would burn the world to ash if anyone tried to take her away.

She was ready for anything.