SON OF THE HERO KING

“This is quite the show you have put on just after coming back.”

After all the nobles and nuns were made to leave the hall, the only people present were Sol, Camelia, Lilith, Lilin, Setsuna, and Milia.

The one speaking those words with a slight chuckle gracing her lips as she looked at Sol with a mischievous glint, was none other than Camelia herself. Her words, as she had accurately predicted, made Sol blush slightly in embarrassment as he coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment.

“I thought that coming on strong would give a more lasting impression. After all, I don’t have enough feats to back up my authority for now.”

Camelia smiled brightly as she approached him before taking him in a tight hug. She had really missed her beloved even in the short time he was away from them, and Sol could feel that in the way she hugged him. It was a hug full of love, passion, and the longing she felt for him., “Welcome back.”

She had to look up as she hugged him. She didn’t notice it at first but as she hugged him, she was startled to realize that Sol had become taller and more muscular than she remembered him to be.

Sol nodded to her words and hugged her back with tender affection. Soon, he shifted his gaze to all of his loved ones. As he stretched his gaze and encapsulated their forms in his vision, he couldn’t help but say, “It’s good to be home.”

He was particularly happy to see that Lilith could stand and walk to come and see him. It meant that things hadn’t deteriorated to the last stage yet.

“You have become strong, Sol.”

This was all Lilith said when she felt his gaze on her but that was enough for his face to break into a broad grin full of pride and delight. Being recognized as strong by someone on her level was a compliment beyond anything one could imagine. It was a testament to his strength and a reminder that his hard work had borne fruit.

“I still have a long way to go.”

“You have the right mindset.”

She nodded and chose to remain silent after that as she watched Lilin run and jump in his arms with a fervent expression on her face while Setsuna advanced toward him in a calm and stoic way. It was just like them to do something like this.

They were obviously both very happy to see him back. After all, while it has only been two weeks in the mortal realm since they regularly trained in Medea’s world, their sense of time was quite distorted as well.

Sol ended greeting all of his loved ones by hugging Milia, who had stayed silent until now and was simply observing him from afar. Out of them all, she was perhaps the happiest and most relieved about seeing him back but she didn’t want to show her weak self to the others, not even in such a situation where she wanted nothing more but to jump in Sol’s embrace and spend the whole day there by his side.

Thankfully Sol would have none of that.

Milia had been one of the people he had really wanted to see. After all, he knew that she was one of the most unstable of his girls in the mortal world. Not unlike Nefertiti.

The warm reunion was interrupted as one young girl, approached them and gave a curtsey.

Sol was quite displeased at first but this changed into a look of surprise, as he took a careful look at the appearance of the one interrupting them,

‘Blue eyes and Golden hair.’

“You are…?”

“Forgive me, your highness. I am Aurora Castitas, from the Highland family.”

“So you are his granddaughter…”

Sol couldn’t help but direct a complicated glance as he looked at the very reason why a father figure in his life decided to betray him. It was even more surprising to know that she was the goddess Castitas’ Holy Daughter of this generation.

A Holy Daughter had been missing until now, but now that there was a new one… Sol frowned inwardly.

This seriously didn’t bode well for Camelia. It seemed that this young girl's sole reason for existence was to create trouble for him. First with Gerald and now with Camelia.

“I am happy to meet you Aurora and I believe we will have more time to discuss later. But right now I am quite tired and would like to rest a little.”

Aurora knew that Sol was asking her to leave with those subtle words of his but she showed no frustration nor anger on her face.

She was well in her right to say no to him. After all, the church was her territory and Sol's authority did not surpass her in this place. Even if he were to become the King of Lustbutg. But she did not try to fight back and simply nodded her head, acknowledging his request.

“Very well, I hope that in the next few days we will be able to have a good conversation between us. After all, it’s necessary for the Church and the Royal family to maintain a good relationship.”

She chuckled as she said those words, and a mysterious glance toward Sol, one whose meaning was even beyond him, he who could even manipulate Fate itself. Soon, she took a step back before walking away from this gathering.

Looking at her departing back, Setsuna growled softly, “I do not like that woman.”

“You aren’t the only one.”

Lilin showed the same reaction as Setsuna. Perhaps it was because Aurora was of the same generation as them. They were quite unhappy about the unbridled confidence she was showing before them and the way she talked to Sol just now was particularly displeasing.

“Why don’t we forget the unpleasant matter? We have so much to catch up on. Sol, you have so much you need to tell us. Also, why don’t you tell your friend to come down?”

Sol nodded but advanced toward Lilith and held her hand, “Isis is a little shy so forgive her for not coming down and greeting everyone, right now. She will come down as soon as she calms herself. We will have all the time in the world for me to tell you what happened to me during my adventure in the Astral Realm. But now, I believe we have a more important and pressing issue at hand.”

As he said so, he squeezed her hand lightly, “I believe we need to do something about your problem, dear aunt of mine.”

Sol was able to procrastinate when he was in the Astral Realm because of the difference in the flow of time between the two worlds. But now that he was back here in the mortal realm, it was time for him to accomplish one of the main reasons he even started that whole trip.

It was time to heal Lilith and if he wasn’t wrong, Hathor should already be in Lustburg right now.

With her help and his own powers, he refused to believe that they could not save her.

———

Meanwhile, after Aurora left the hall, the bright smile brimming on her face slowly vanished until it was replaced by a simple expressionless face. As if she was simply a doll having her strings pulled from someone high above.

She massaged her cheeks slightly, trying to put back her usual smile. She had been spending hours in front of the mirror, every day, as she trained her expressions, the way she spoke, walked, or stood by herself.

It was quite a boring routine but it was one she enjoyed. It helped her keep order in her life and maintain the idea of being a pure and smiling saint. There were so many things she was still lost about as the world had changed so much since the last time she was awake.

But today, her mask nearly fell. After all, the disregard Sol showed her was quite obvious. Aurora didn’t want to be petty but for the life of her she could not understand why Sol basically ignored her like that,

“Well, at least the first contact was established.”

She was in no hurry. She would slowly build their relationship from there. As the holy daughter, she will always have one step on Sol’s side. This was her duty as the overseer of the church’s side of things.

‘I wonder what will his face be like when I tell him the truth.’

She chuckled, awaiting that day with impatience. For now, though, they simply needed to become friends or whatever step there was that needed to be established for a gradual advance in their relationship. Then everything would go as she intended.

‘I need to use my time well.’

With those thoughts, she completely left the place and went to her quarters. Patiently biding her time for the right moment to strike. After all, time was the last thing she needed to be worried about.

(AN: After 200+ chapters since Sol learned about Lilith's situation, he is finally about to heal her. As for Aurora, let’s just say I have my plans for her.)

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