Chapter 228: The Soft Launch That Wasn’t

“Hmm…”

Riley squinted suspiciously at their current direction. Something about this didn’t add up.

For someone who had been so eager to drag him off to meet the guardians, Kael’s chosen first destination after their bath was surprisingly not what Riley expected.

It was the kitchen.

Or rather, the makeshift kitchen and dining area they had set up after Kael brought over his family, who had originally been staying at the dragon lord’s private estate.

He blinked. “We’re actually eating first?”

Kael gave a simple, unbothered “Yes.”

“Really?”

They were walking side by side, or rather, the dragon was walking as slowly as he could while Riley was hobbling along like someone who had aged twenty years overnight. Kael had wanted to carry him, of course, but the mortal refused, insisting he needed to “walk it off.”

He regretted that decision about every three steps.

Still, he managed to tilt his head up to look at the dragon lord, who, in turn, raised one perfect eyebrow at him.

There was a pause. A long, suspicious pause. Riley could tell Kael was about to say something profound.

Then Kael said, completely straight-faced, “Had you been someone who used mana for sustenance, then what you had this morning would have been more than enough.”

Riley’s brain tried processing this early in the morning.

“…Huh?”

“But weren’t you very particular about needing food for your body? So unless there’s something in my spe—”

“!!!”

It clicked belatedly.

But when it did, the scandalized mortal practically jumped in panic, slapping a hand over Kael’s mouth before the dragon lord could finish that horrifying sentence.

And of course, that was exactly when the door to the makeshift kitchen swung open—revealing one overly excited human and one dragonling who both froze where they sat, their curious faces lighting up at the sight before them.

Oh hell.

Riley stayed frozen in place, hand still clamped over Kael’s mouth, body on tiptoe like a startled meerkat who had accidentally touched a live wire.

But if he was shocked, everyone else was worse.

Lord Karion stood stiffly with a serving spoon still in hand. Lady Cirila, who had been ruffling Liam’s hair while the boy carried Orien in his arms, went completely still, her eyes going wide and bright like she had just stepped into a scandalous drama.

Renee Hale, who had been plating food, nearly dropped a spatula. Lawrence Hale blinked twice, slowly, with even his cough just freezing in his throat. The kids froze mid-breath, pupils blown wide at the sight of Riley literally surviving the dragon lord.

The scene out the doorway looked like a still frame of disbelief.

And then Kael, because he did not fear death, raised a single eyebrow and slowly licked Riley’s palm.

The human reacted like the floor had shocked him. He yelped and snatched his hand back.

“Nope! Nothing on your spe-SPECIAL schedule! We can totally eat!” he blurted, voice cracking on the word “special.”

Then he laughed. A high, nervous, dying-lobster kind of laugh. And Kael just looked amused enough to do it all over again.

Thankfully, Renee seemed to sense her son’s impending meltdown because she clapped her hands lightly and said, “Come in, you two. Breakfast is ready.”

Actual bacon. Actual eggs.

The moment the smell hit him, Riley felt his soul rise from the grave. His heart swelled, his stomach growled loudly, and Kael had the utter audacity to look at him with a silent, smug expression that clearly said, See?

Riley opened his mouth to retort, but sweet, concerned Liam tugged at his sleeve first.

“Brother, do you want to bring my snacks with you?”

That simple, earnest offer almost made Riley tear up. He crouched slightly to pat the boy’s shoulder. “No need. I’m really okay.”

Kael then decided to contribute in the least helpful way possible.

“He’s just tired.”

Riley wanted to sock him, preferably with the frying pan.

He threw Kael a glare sharp enough to shave stone, then grabbed his cup and took a long sip of orange juice, hoping the citrus would help quell his trembling heart. When he finally turned back to his brother with a strained smile, he froze.

Because instead of seeing Liam, he found three dragons staring at him like owls in a trance.

Lord Karion. Lady Cirila. Orien.

Not eating. Not breathing. Just staring at Riley with a mixture of shock and… calculation?

“???”

Just as panic began to spark behind Riley’s eyes, Orien spoke up. Calm. Wise. Disturbingly serious.

“I do not think snacks would do it, little sprite. If anything, we should really start looking for good beads.”

Liam blinked. “Huh?”

Orien nodded sagely. “The stork. The stork might be coming soon.”

Riley choked on his orange juice. Hard.

He slammed the cup down, eyes watering. He would need a lobotomy to erase the words beads, stork, and the implicit lecture on the birds and the bees from his memory.

But then Kael, who probably wanted to finish the job by sending everyone in that household to the hospital, stood up when his magical orb for the MBE reacted.

“I’ll step out to take this.”

Perfectly normal.

But then he bent down and kissed Riley on the head. Right on his hair. In front of the entire family.

Gasps erupted around the table.

Including Riley’s.

No. No, no, no. That crazy bastard.

Forget about soft launching. That was a full rocket launch. Fireworks included.

The scandalized mortal’s eyes darted everywhere, scanning the crowd of shining, curious, expectant faces. Every single person looked like they were ready to burst with questions.

There was only one way to survive this.

Etiquette.

He grabbed his fork and shoved food into his mouth at top speed. No breaks. No talking. No eye contact. Just food. All food.

Waaah! At times like this, he really should have just gone straight into the archives and lived there with the giant snake forever!

Then again, maybe if he hadn’t been hell bent in eating for his dignity, he would’ve noticed something.

Well, not the way Kael walked out looking a little too smug.

Or the way the dragons stared at him like they were uncovering some ancient secret.

Not even the way Orien kept nodding sagely at Liam as they tried to plan for storks and beads.

But maybe he would’ve seen the quiet exchange happening just a little to his left.

Lawrence shot Renee a small nod, and she pressed her lips together, fingers trembling faintly as she lifted a hand to her cheek.

It was subtle enough not to draw attention, the same quiet subtlety that had carried them through all those years.

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