Karl Morningstar's POV
After returning from the auction, our sons were clearly exhausted—it was already nighttime—so they went straight to bed. I made my way to my office, hoping for a moment of quiet. But there, I found my advisor, Jakes Tully, still working, hunched over his desk and speaking to someone through a hologram.
He looked tense. The moment he noticed me, he hastily ended the call.
"Why are you so angry, Jakes?" I asked, stepping inside. "And why haven't you gone home yet?"
He shook his head. "How can I sleep, Your Majesty, when you're struggling with the Empire?"
His words struck a nerve.
My thoughts drifted back to the past few months—to the discovery that had changed everything. We had found a dungeon. Not just any dungeon, but one overflowing with mana gems. A treasure trove that could rival the wealth of nations. If mined properly, it would become the largest mana gem source in all of Gaia.
But that discovery came with a curse.
I had become king only because my father died exploring a dungeon. His death forced me onto the throne. And now, fate repeated itself, testing me again.
I learned that the people of Vineta were leaving. With few opportunities for work, they sought better lives in the Empire and other nations. Farming, the Guilds, and our family-run gold mines provided some employment, but it wasn't enough to keep them here.
That's when the mana gems changed everything.
A single estimate put their worth at over a trillion G. Enough to bring prosperity back to Vineta. Enough to restore our kingdom's pride.
But the Empire had laws. Ruthless, unbending laws.
By decree, any mana gems discovered anywhere in Gaia were the property of the Empire. Hiding them—or attempting to claim them—was punishable by death.
Even so, I tried. I confided in a few Imperial officials who were born in Vineta, hoping their loyalty might help shield us. We began disguising the gems as S-rank monster corpses and shipping them through the space portal. It was a risk, but the only chance we had.
There was only one route out of Vineta: the portal. Long ago, our ancestors sailed across the sea to reach other lands—an eight-day journey. But those voyages stopped after the Kraken appeared. An SS-rank sea monster, it claimed the waters as its own, making sea travel impossible. That's why the portal was our only option now.
After discussing more pressing matters with Jakes, I finally urged him to go home. He left reluctantly.
I walked down the quiet hallways toward my chambers, my personal guard following close behind. Arthur Hamilton—only twenty-five and already a B-rank knight. He came from a long line of warriors renowned for their bravery. His loyalty and strength had earned him the duty of guarding me, an S-rank.
"You may go, Arthur. Your duty is done for the night," I told him.
He hesitated, looking like he wanted to protest with the usual 'It's my duty to protect you, sir', but he knew me too well. Instead, he bowed.
"As you command, Majesty."
I made my way alone to my room. When I opened the door, I saw my wife, Luna. She stood by the window in her nightdress, bathed in silver moonlight. She looked breathtaking. Ever since Liam had awakened, she'd grown even more radiant—happier, livelier—just like the girl I met at the academy.
She turned and caught me staring. Her cheeks flushed. "What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked with a smile.
"Nothing," I replied softly, smiling as I sat on the edge of the king-sized bed.
She came over and sat beside me, resting her head on my shoulder. "There's a lot going on in your mind lately, isn't there, Kyle?"
I took a long breath, then nodded. "Yeah, honey. But it's not breaking me. I think it all started when Liam awakened."
She nodded, her voice warm. "Ever since then, it's like we forgot how to be sad, don't you think?"
"Yeah. He's a good son," I said. "So mature for his age."
She laughed. "Even Alex—he goes straight to his room before coming to me now, ever since Liam woke up."
We both chuckled, reminiscing about our boys. But then Luna suddenly grew quiet.
I noticed the change in her expression. "What is it, Luna?" I asked gently.
Her voice was barely above a whisper. "If I hadn't used that, maybe Liam wouldn't have had to sleep for so long… right, honey?"
I turned to her, taking her hands in mine. "Luna, don't blame yourself for what happened. Look at him now—he's smiling, he's alive. If we hadn't adopted him, he might not even be here today…"
Her gaze darkened. "Don't say that."
"I didn't mean it like that. I love him, Luna. I love him like he's my own. When you were pregnant with Alex and couldn't go to Liam, I was there—sitting by his side, watching his face. Seeing his closed eyes broke my heart. I kept asking, Why? Why did this innocent child have to suffer like this? From that day on, I swore I'd make him my son."
Tears welled in her eyes.
"And when you held Alex after he was born," I continued, "you took him to Liam and said, 'Meet Liam, Alex. He's your older brother.' That moment... it made me feel whole. But sometimes I wonder—what if Liam's real parents come looking for him one day?"
Luna's expression turned fierce. She suddenly shouted, "No! He is not their child. He is mine! So what if someone else gave birth to him? I raised him. I cried for him. I prayed to the gods to keep him safe. Karl, I will never let them take him! Never!"
Her voice shook with raw emotion.
"I was now a Morningstar, yes," she said, "but I am born a Lovehood. And the world knows what a Lovehood is capable of."
I pulled her into my arms. "You're right. That day will never come. He is our son."
After a while, her breathing calmed, and she rested in my arms. Then she whispered, "But Karl… what if Liam finds out? That we're not his real parents? What I did… what if he hates me?"
"He won't," I said firmly. "That day won't come while I'm alive. And even if he learns the truth someday… he'll never doubt you, Luna. We'll give him so much love that he'll never feel a reason to question us."
I kissed her forehead and added with a soft chuckle, "Besides, our anniversary is just around the corner. And this year, it's on the same day as the Kingdom's Foundation Day. We have a lot of work ahead, so let's focus on that. Come on, no more tears. Smile."
I made a few more jokes—just enough to pull a laugh from her—and we finally lay down to sleep.
The moonlight filtered through the window, calm and gentle.
Please, gods, I silently prayed. Let everything remain peaceful. Let our children be safe.
And with that final thought, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.