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Sebek walked slowly across the schoolyard, breaking through the dense gloom of the night. It was the same time his master used to stroll, searching for gargoyles or a moment of absolute silence. At first, Sebek hadn't understood the charm of those nighttime walks, but now, gazing at the sky, he finally understood why his master enjoyed walking at that hour so much. The silence of the night, for the first time, didn't seem boring to him, but peaceful.
"I miss Malleus-sama," Sebek thought, the thought accompanied by a horrible knot in his stomach.
After the collapse of the Overblot, the STYX organization had taken his young master to ensure his recovery; they had also taken Lilia. The large dormitory of Diasomnia suddenly felt immense, cold, and deserted. Now only he and Silver remained, together in an awkward silence. Together, waiting. Sebek knew they would both return soon. He had no doubt about it, because otherwise, he himself would make STYX suffer the consequences of keeping them.
After all, the family took care of each other.
Sebek stopped abruptly in front of one of the stone pathways, gazing at the moon's reflection on the grass. The word "family" echoed in his mind with a bittersweet feeling. He knew there was an unbreakable bond between them; they loved each other, protected each other, and would give their lives for one another. He had no doubt about his feelings. However, Malleus's Overblot and the way they had all fallen apart had opened his eyes to a harsh reality: they loved each other, yes, but it seemed none of them truly knew how to be a family.
Malleus suppressed his torment until it erupted; Lilia kept her secrets silent, affecting everyone else; and Silver retreated into his own world so as not to bother anyone. None of them knew how to let their guard down.
Except for Sebek!
The pride of his faerie blood and the warmth of his human upbringing clashed within him, granting him absolute clarity. Sebek knew perfectly well that the most important pillar of a family wasn't hierarchies, noble titles, or strict discipline. It was affection. Affection shown, expressed with words, felt in everyday gestures.
If his lord, his mentor, and his childhood friend didn't know how to express it, he would assume that responsibility. He would bend his pride, control his defensive reactions, and resolve to show it to them day after day. With Malleus and Lilia's return, Diasomnia would cease to be just a residence; he would ensure it became a true home.
A couple of days had passed since Sebek decided on his new and final objective. Until now, he hadn't done anything about it, but not out of shame or cowardice! Not at all! The young knight was simply waiting for the ideal strategic moment, which required the presence of Malleus-sama and Lilia-sama.
And now, at last, they were there.
The great hall of Diasomnia, which had been shrouded in deathly cold, seemed to spring back to life in the blink of an eye. Malleus and Lilia had crossed the threshold of the dormitory just a few minutes ago, where he and Silver were already waiting for them.
"Father, Malleus-sama, I'm glad to see you back," Silver said in his usual measured tone, with a subtle smile of relief. Malleus, looking somewhat tired but visibly moved, returned the gesture with a bow.
Sebek watched them, his fists clenched at his sides. Yes, she admitted it was a sweet scene... but not sweet enough! Where were the effusive hugs? Where were the tears of relief at having survived such a crisis? Did they plan to act as if nothing had happened, as if they hadn't been on the verge of being lost forever?
His mind screamed that court protocol was important, but his human heart demanded something far more real.
As Sebek struggled internally, hesitating between stepping forward or bursting into tears from sheer tension, a pair of amused eyes fixed on him.
"Hmm, aren't you going to tell us anything, Sebek?" Lilia asked, tilting her head with that iconic mischievous grin that showed that, despite everything he had suffered with STYX, he was still the same old Sebek.
Lilia's reminder drew all eyes to him. Even Malleus looked at him curiously, waiting for the usual imposing welcome shout that shook the walls of the place.
Sebek swallowed hard. His ears burned, and his throat tightened. It was time. If he was going to teach them how to be a family, he couldn't just act like a guard. He had to be honest.
Sebek stepped forward. The weight of so many years of restraint hit him hard in the chest. He remembered the countless times he'd wanted to take Malleus-sama's arm and enthusiastically lead him somewhere in the school, or the times he'd wanted to cling to Lilia-sama's cloak as a child. But he'd always held back. Protocol, respect for the crown, and his own fear of not being a worthy knight had forced him to erect a barrier of icy bows and military salutes.
To hell with protocol. He'd almost lost them.
"WELCOME BACK!" Sebek roared with all his might, making the windows of Diasomnia's living room rattle.
But before anyone could complain of ear pain, Sebek launched himself forward like a meteor. With sheer brute force, Sebek wrapped his enormous arms around Malleus and Lilia, trapping them in a suffocating, colossal embrace.
The hall fell silent, utterly stunned. Sebek immediately felt Malleus and Lilia's bodies tense beneath his arms. It was a purely instinctive reaction, the reflex of two incredibly powerful and ancient beings, unaccustomed to anyone invading their personal space without ill intent. For a split second, panic and the conditioning of his entire life assaulted Sebek's mind; his brain screamed at him to back down, to kneel and beg forgiveness for daring to touch royal blood. His body almost shrank.
But he didn't.
He gritted his teeth, planted his feet firmly on the ground, and instead of letting go in a panic, he held the embrace for a few more seconds. He let them feel the rapid beating of his heart, the trembling of his hands, and the genuine warmth of his arms. He wanted them to understand, through the raw power of his embrace, that they were safe, that they were home, and that they mattered to him more than any absurd rule of etiquette.
When he finally opened his arms and stepped back, his face felt like a horseshoe fresh from the forge. A deep blush stained his cheeks and ears, and his breath came in ragged gasps. He forced himself to meet their gaze, standing tall like the gentleman he was, without taking back what he had just done.
"Now comes the hard part," Sebek thought, swallowing hard as he mentally braced himself for the impact. "The teasing."
He knew his bedroom like the back of his hand. He knew that Lilia-sama usually masked any trace of seriousness or pain with biting remarks or childish jokes. And Malleus-sama… well, Malleus-sama would probably retreat into his usual impenetrable aura of majestic mystery. Neither of them knew how to react to a genuine display of affection. They were terrible at dealing with their own feelings.
Malleus was the first to move. He straightened the expensive jacket of his uniform, smoothing out the invisible creases that Sebek's imposing embrace had left in the fabric. His face was an unreadable mask of astonishment and bewilderment. He looked at Sebek, then at his own arms, as if he could still feel the physical pressure of the embrace.
“Sebek…” Malleus began, his deep voice echoing off the stone walls. He cleared his throat, looking away for a moment. “Your… strength is, without a doubt, immense.” He stiffly adjusted the lapel of his jacket. “But… I appreciate the welcome.”
It was an awkward, stiff, and absurdly formal response. Anyone would have thought Malleus was offended, but Sebek, who had studied him meticulously since childhood, noticed the subtle glint of surprise in his green eyes and how the tension in his shoulders had dissipated. Malleus didn’t know what to say, but he wasn’t upset. He was touched, in his own strange, solitary way.
Lilia, for her part, let out a sharp giggle, tilting her head as she lifted herself a few inches off the ground to be at eye level with the green-haired man.
“Well, Sebek! I didn't know you missed us so much," Lilia joked, giving him a couple of noisy pats on the shoulder. “If you keep this up, you’re going to make me cry. What’s next? Are you going to bring us breakfast in bed? Are you going to write us a poem?”
Silver took a step forward, letting out a sigh that seemed to dispel days of pent-up tension. He looked at Sebek, then at Malleus and Lilia, his eyes shining with a mixture of weariness and a relief so profound it almost weighed on his shoulders.
“Father, please don’t give him any ideas,” Silver said with a subtle smile that barely concealed the dark circles under his eyes. “Although we do miss you.”
Sebek listened to Lilia’s teasing, Malleus’s awkward formality, and Silver’s unexpected sincerity. At another time, he would have started shouting to defend his honor or apologized profusely, mortified. But not today. Today, Sebek had stripped away all those layers of self-defense.
Two weeks had passed since the leader and sub-leader's return. Of course, there had been no trouble in Diasomnia; no one hated Malleus for what had happened. What's more, some students even seemed to have stopped fearing him, something that undoubtedly pleased their Lord immensely.
Sebek hadn't neglected his duties either. Every morning he greeted everyone with a firm but cordial nod, kept his voice down when Silver dozed off, and made a point of not flinching if Malleus's robes brushed against his uniform.
However, the real test came one Saturday afternoon when Lilia announced with great fanfare that she would prepare a special stew to celebrate the dorm being complete again.
Traditionally, that announcement would have unleashed a free-for-all in Diasomnia. In the past, Malleus would go for a walk to arrive late to lunch, while Silver would conveniently fall asleep somewhere in the forest to avoid being poisoned. Sebek, for his part, would end up alone at the table, swallowing his tears and enduring a stomachache as he devoured the grayish, bubbling dish, shouting that anything Lilia-sama made was a delicacy fit for the gods.
But not anymore. Sebek had never had any problem telling his brother when he was being silly or his sister when she looked ugly. He was also brutally honest with his parents; therefore, if he considered Diasomnia his family, he should also be honest with Lilia-sama.
“Sebek,” Silver whispered suddenly, leaning towards him. “Malleus is leaving in a few seconds. Say you want to walk with him.”
“I’m sorry, Silver, but I can’t do that,” Sebek replied in a firm whisper.
Silver was surprised, but seeing the resolve in Sebek’s eyes, he just sighed and looked at him with genuine affection. He thought Sebek had been much more affectionate lately and that, of course, he preferred to stay and face the meal just to spend time together.
“Maybe I should stay too,” Silver decided, determined not to leave him alone this time.
“Lilia-sama, with all due respect,” Sebek said loudly, making Silver freeze beside him, “please don’t cook.”
Lilia blinked, completely taken aback by the interruption.
“Why not?”
“We don’t like your cooking.”
Lilia's eyes widened in surprise.
"Hahaha! What are you saying, Sebek?" Lilia laughed, wiping away an imaginary tear. "Wow! Looks like you're finally learning how to joke around! He's so grown up now, trying to develop a sense of humor!"
Lilia puffed out his chest, looking at him with such genuine paternal pride that it left Sebek blinking, confused.
"Sebek, what are you doing?" Silver whispered in his ear, feeling cold sweat trickle down the back of his neck.
At that moment, Malleus appeared in the doorway of the hall, his imposing black cloak already drawn for his walk. Noticing the strange atmosphere, he stopped abruptly.
"Oh, Lilia. I was just about to go for a walk," Malleus announced in his usual solemn tone.
"Of course, go ahead, but remember to be back on time. Sebek just made a hilarious joke about my food!" Lilia said, smiling. However, as he turned to the boys, his smile slowly faded.
Sebek remained firmly in place, his face red but his gaze unyielding. Silver stared at a stain on the floor, completely rigid.
Lilia's brow furrowed, a thin line forming between her eyebrows. The amusement vanished from his eyes.
"...Now that I think about it, none of you are laughing."
The ensuing silence was deafening. Lilia crossed his arms, his analytical gaze sweeping around the room until it settled firmly on the weakest link in the chain.
"Malleus," Lilia stated in a dangerously soft voice. He knew perfectly well that the young master of Diasomnia was incapable of lying. "Look me in the eyes. Is it true? Don't you like my cooking?"
Malleus froze completely in the doorway. His green eyes widened, and he stared at the ceiling, desperately searching for an exit, a gargoyle, anything. He cleared his throat, straightened his jacket, and opened his mouth, but only managed a muffled babble. His silence spoke volumes.
Lilia took a step back, placing a hand on his chest with a dramatic flair worthy of a play.
"It can't be! So many centuries of cooking with love, only to receive this betrayal?” he exclaimed, feigning a tremor in his voice as he floated a couple of inches back. “I raised two children with my own hands and fed the royalty of Briar Valley, only to discover they consider me a poisoner. What a great wound in my old heart!”
Silver covered his face with one hand, resigned, while Sebek stood firm, though inwardly guilt gnawed at him. The truth had come out, and evenings in Diasomnia would never be the same again.
“Although it doesn’t make sense… I always cooked for you, Silver,” Lilia insisted, crossing his arms with a dramatic pout.
“…No, Father. I cooked,” Silver corrected her in a flat, resigned whisper.
Lilia stared at him silently for a long time, blinking and tilting her head as if trying to delve into her own past memories to verify if it was true. Finally, she sighed in resignation and slumped her shoulders.
“That’s too bad. I was so happy to cook for you…”
Seeing the subtle sadness on his mentor’s face, Sebek could no longer contain himself and stepped forward, puffing out his chest.
“We can cook together, Lilia-sama!” Sebek proposed with overflowing energy. “I learned a ton of culinary techniques during the MasterChef event! I can guide you!”
Lilia raised her eyebrows, and the spark of amusement returned to his eyes in a blink.
"Oh?! Does the student want to become the teacher?"
"That sounds like an excellent idea!" Lilia agreed, her usual energy returning in a flash. He floated in the air and did a pirouette before heading down the hallways. "Come on, Sebek! Show me what you learned in those school kitchens!"
With an enthusiastic smile, Lilia walked away humming in the direction of the dormitory kitchen. Sebek puffed out his chest with pride and prepared to follow her with a determined stride, but before he could take his third step, two hands landed on his shoulders, stopping him in his tracks.
To his left, Silver squeezed his shoulder to restrain him. To his right, Malleus's hand fell like an anvil, giving him a clear warning.
Sebek blinked, looking both ways, confused.
“Sebek,” Malleus began, with a seriousness he rarely displayed outside of official meetings. His green eyes shone with a mixture of genuine relief and pent-up trauma. “I appreciate… your immense courage. You saved our lives tonight, and the lives of all of Diasomnia.”
“We truly appreciate it, Sebek,” Silver echoed, letting out a sigh that seemed to come from the depths of his soul. Then, he narrowed his eyes and looked at him with an almost pleading intensity. “But I beg you… for the sake of my sanity and Malleus-sama’s heart, please don’t ever do something like that again. You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“Mmm, no! Get used to it!” Sebek replied with a radiant smile before turning and walking briskly to the kitchen to join Lilia.
Once there, Sebek not only paid close attention to the ingredients and the stove to avoid a culinary disaster, but he also meticulously watched Lilia’s every move. He observed her out of the corner of his eye as she chopped vegetables and hummed some random tune. Sebek wanted to make sure, with quiet desperation, that he hadn’t actually hurt her feelings with his honesty. However, to his relief, that didn’t seem to be the case.
Or at least, that’s what he hoped.
“I’m fine, Sebek,” Lilia blurted out suddenly, without stopping her impressively agile chopping of carrots. “What’s wrong? Are you so worried about hurting this old man’s pride because he doesn’t like my cooking? It’s nothing, really.”
Sebek tensed, almost dropping the wooden spoon in his hand. He hated that Lilia could always read him like an open book.
"It's not that, Lilia-sama..." Sebek stammered, gritting his teeth. He glanced at the stove's flames and then mustered the courage to blurt out what had been gnawing at his soul. "It's just that... with you, one never knows when one is being honest."
Lilia paused for a millisecond, but resumed chopping in a flash, her ever-present mischievous smile plastered on her face.
"Oh, Sebek! How distrustful," Lilia teased, dramatically waving the knife in the air. "I assure you, my pain at the rejection of my stew is one hundred percent real. I can almost feel the tears!"
"Don't try to change the subject with jokes!" Sebek insisted, raising his voice in frustration at being ignored, though he managed to hold back in time. "You know perfectly well what I mean." You... you hid from us for months that you were losing your magic. You smiled at us every day while secretly planning your departure, acting as if nothing was wrong.
The sound of the knife against the chopping board stopped completely. The kitchen fell into a heavy silence. Lilia put the knife down and sighed, losing her childlike facade for a moment.
"That was different, Sebek. I just wanted to protect you from unnecessary worry..."
"Well, it didn't work!" Sebek interrupted, his eyes fixed on him. "It hurt three times as much to learn that you didn't trust us to share that burden. That's why I keep an eye on you. Because I'm afraid you'll go back to bottling things up and smiling to "protect" us, when inside you're suffering. If we're a family, we're supposed to face the tough times together...even if that tough time is that you're a terrible cook."
Lilia stared at him, his eyes wide with surprise. Sebek rarely acted so serious, much less to lecture him. After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, Lilia's expression softened completely. He let out a small, genuine laugh, free of any mockery.
"You're right. You got me," Lilia admitted, giving him a light pat on the arm. "I promise that from now on, if something hurts, I'll tell you. But I assure you, I'm happy today. It makes me happy to see that my little sprout has finally learned to speak from the heart. Now, show me what I'm supposed to do."
A couple of days later, Sebek strode purposefully through the halls of Diasomnia, searching for Silver for morning training. Not finding him in the gym, he decided to check the common room.
There he was. Silver had fallen fast asleep in one of the armchairs, his head tilted slightly to one side, a book about to slip from his grasp.
The impulse that had always been with him surged through Sebek. He stood before him, puffed out his chest, and opened his mouth to unleash his usual roar.
"SILVER, GET UP RIGHT NOW...!!"
The shout was cut short, dying in his throat with a muffled sound. Sebek abruptly covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes widening.
"...Hmm? Sebek?" Silver stammered, slowly opening his eyes, startled by the echo of the interrupted shout. He glanced at the clock on the wall and then at his partner. “Oh, it’s training…”
Silver settled back in the armchair, rubbing one eye with the back of his hand. He noticed Sebek’s odd posture, his hand still pressed to his mouth, his face flushed.
“Is everything alright?” Silver asked, a little sleepy.
Sebek slowly lowered his hand, swallowing his embarrassment. He forced himself to meet Silver’s gaze and modulate his voice to sound as calm as possible.
“Yes. Are you alright?”
Silver stared at him, completely paralyzed by the unexpected question. He blinked a few times, searching for any hint of sarcasm or a trap in the green-haired man’s face, but found only a worried expression.
“…Yes?” Silver replied, drawing out the word with complete distrust.
“Why do you doubt it?” asked Sebek, breaking the usual distance between them to sit on the edge of the armchair next to him, close to him.
“I’m not doubting you,” Silver clarified, shaking his head to fully wake up. He straightened his back in the armchair and glanced at his companion sideways, one eyebrow slightly raised. “It’s just… a strange question, coming from you. Are you trying to upset me somehow?”
Indignation coursed through Sebek's body like an electric shock. He felt heat rush to his cheeks, and his brow furrowed reflexively, offended to the core.
"Of course not, you blockhead! I was just... just making sure you were okay," Sebek exclaimed, raising his voice before remembering to control himself and bite his tongue. "That’s all!”
"That's why I can't be nice to you, stupid Silver!" Sebek thought to himself, crossing his arms and looking away with a dramatic snort. He was trying his best to be nice, and this other guy was treating him like he was a suspect. It was infuriating.
Silver, far from calming down, sat up straight in the armchair and looked at him with genuine concern. He leaned forward and, before Sebek could complain, placed the palm of his hand directly on his forehead.
"You don't have a fever," Silver concluded, frowning. "Sebek, talk to me. Did they give you something strange to drink at the riding club? Did Riddle cast a spell on you? Did you make a deal with Azul?"
"GET YOUR HAND OFF MY FACE!!" Sebek thundered, swatting his hand away, completely forgetting his promise to modulate his voice. "I'm fine! Can't a gentleman worry about his comrade-in-arms' health without you thinking he's been poisoned?!"
Silver blinked, rubbing his hand where it had been hit, but instead of getting angry, he seemed relieved.
"Ah, there it is.I knew it," Silver sighed, rising from the armchair with his usual leisurely pace. "For a second I was genuinely scared. If you're going to scream again, let me know so I can cover my ears. Come on, training awaits."
Sebek put his hands to his head, suppressing the urge to yell. This was definitely going to be much harder than he thought.
"If you're tired, we don't have to train," Sebek said, following Silver briskly down the corridor.
"I'm not tired, you know that's not why I fall asleep," Silver replied without looking at him, maintaining his steady pace.
"...I thought your curse was broken," Sebek blurted out.
Silver stopped dead in the middle of the corridor. His shoulders tensed beneath his uniform jacket. Sebek stood beside him, crossing his arms to hide the slight trembling of his hands.
"I'm right, aren't I? The Overblot is over,” Sebek insisted, staring intently at him. “But that damn sleep magic is still there, bothering you. Go to your room and sleep. I’ll train by myself! I don’t need you passing out in the middle of a fight.”
“No,” Silver declared, turning to face him with that gray gaze that, despite being peaceful, could be incredibly firm. “I’m not going to lock myself in my room, Sebek. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine if you fall asleep reading a book in the common room!” Sebek retorted, completely forgetting to modulate his voice. “You almost dropped the book! What if you fall next time? What if you fall asleep and… and don’t wake up for days like last time?”
Sebek’s tone shifted from fury to genuine anguish in the blink of an eye. Silver noticed, and his serious expression softened. She let out a short sigh and took a step towards him.
"I know you're afraid that what happened at Overblot will happen again, Sebek. We all are," Silver said softly. “But Lilia-sama and Malleus-sama are back. And you told me so yourself when we were fighting in there… you said I’m part of this family and that I’m loved here.”
Sebek felt his face burn at the memory of his own sentimental words from the past. He looked away, snorting dramatically.
“D-don’t repeat things I say in the heat of the moment, you blockhead!” he complained, his ears turning red.
“I’m just reminding you that if I’m part of this family, you can’t force me to hide,” Silver smiled, giving him a gentle, friendly nudge on the arm to get him walking again. “Training with you is what keeps me awake. If you leave me alone in bed, the curse wins. So get moving, and see if you can outrun me today.”
Sebek blinked for a second, processing Silver's argument. Finally, he straightened his posture, puffed out his chest, and let out a smug smile.
"Ha! You wish, you stupid Silver! Prepare to bite the dust!"
A couple of days later, Sebek was in his room, wiping down the frame of Malleus's portrait that hung on the wall. He was cleaning with such fury and precision that it seemed he wanted to wear the wood down. However, his mind was elsewhere.
He had to admit it: lately, he'd been having serious trouble talking to his lord. Which was very strange, because if there was one thing he was good at in life, it was listing Malleus-sama's three thousand virtues at the top of his lungs. He had always told him how incredible, magnificent, and perfect he was... but now, thinking about it, he realized that might have been a terrible mistake.
Had he repeated so many times that he was perfect that Malleus felt obligated to never make a mistake in front of him?
Sebek took it for granted that his young master knew that, even if he made a mistake, he would still be the greatest being in the world to him. Well... to be honest, if Malleus were to fail at something, Sebek would most likely blame Silver, Yuu, or the weather, which didn't exactly encourage Malleus to be honest, did it?
That realization hit him like a punch to the gut. If he truly wanted to be his family and not just his guard, he had to bring Malleus down from his pedestal. He had to learn to talk to him like a normal person.
Sebek took a final breath, finished polishing the glass of the portrait, and carefully hung it back on the wall. He made sure it was perfectly straight, took a step back, and puffed out his chest, filled with a newfound determination.
"I can do this," he told himself. He left his room with a determined stride, resolved to find Malleus and have a real conversation with him, no matter the cost.
He walked down the corridor straight to his lord's room. With any luck, he would be there; Otherwise, he'd have to start searching the entire school, which was always torture because Malleus was constantly breaking his cell phones, making it impossible to locate him.
"My lord? Are you here? May I come in?" Sebek asked after knocking. The door opened almost immediately, welcoming him.
"Sebek. Is something wrong?"
"No!" he replied abruptly, perhaps too quickly. "I just wanted to... talk." His voice faltered slightly at the end. "Sevens, this is incredibly embarrassing," he thought. He felt his face burn immediately and tried to fix his gaze on any corner of the room to avoid Malleus's eyes.
"Tell me about your day, then," Malleus said, sitting down with his characteristic elegance.
Sebek obeyed, but as he spoke of trivialities to fill the silence, his gaze inevitably drifted to Malleus's head. He froze. His lord's horn, the one that had been completely destroyed during the battle at the Overblot, was whole again.
"Hmm? My horn?" Malleus ran a hand through his hair, dismissing it. "It's just a bit of illusion magic, nothing to worry about."
"But, my lord! You must rest!" Sebek complained, momentarily forgetting to modulate his voice. "We're alone here; there's no need to strain your magic to maintain appearances."
Malleus's expression hardened in an instant, and his green eyes gleamed with a dangerous coldness.
"I am not a child, Sebek," Malleus stated, his annoyed tone freezing the air in the room.
Normally, that—even a far less severe look—would have been more than enough for Sebek to back down, lower his head, and apologize profusely. But not today. Today, Sebek was also angry.
Why on earth was it so difficult for everyone in this dormitory to accept someone's affection and concern?! First Silver treating him like he was cursed, and now Malleus-sama!!!
Frustration overcame his fear. Sebek took a step forward, clenching his fists.
"I know perfectly well he's not a child! Don't put words in my mouth, my lord!" Sebek complained, raising his voice purely out of reflex before forcing himself to modulate his tone, though his breath caught in his throat. "Just... let me take care of him. For once."
The ensuing silence fell like a slab of cement.
And, in that millisecond, it dawned on Sebek what he had just done. The adrenaline evaporated, and regret hit him like a bucket of cold water. "What on earth did I just say?" he thought, panicking. He had shouted at his lord, told him not to put words in his mouth, and, to top it all off, offered to care for the most powerful being in the world. It was the end of his career as a knight. He could already see himself banished from Diasomnia and living in the woods.
He was about to throw himself to the ground and beg for mercy when a low, deep, and strangely soft laugh pulled him from his chaotic thoughts.
Malleus was looking at him with bright, amused eyes, an expression Sebek hadn't expected at all.
"Take care for me?" Malleus repeated, tilting his head with a slight smile. "You, Sebek?"
“Please, don’t make fun of me, Malleus-sama!” Sebek pleaded, shrinking back in his tracks. His face felt like it was burning volcanically, and he covered half his face with his hand, wishing the earth would swallow him whole. “I know it sounds ridiculous… I know I don’t have the power to protect you from real threats, but…”
“I’m the eldest here, Sebek. I’m looking after you,” Malleus interrupted, crossing her arms, but her tone was now devoid of any annoyance. It was that same measured, ancient voice she used to speak to Sebek when he was just a child tripping over his own sword. “It’s been this way since the day you were born, and it remains my duty as the leader of this place. You don’t need to bear the burden of my health.”
Sebek slowly lowered his hand, revealing his bright red cheeks, but he didn’t look away. His mother’s stubborn humanity resurfaced.
“I know, my lord. I know you look after us all,” Sebek insisted, with a seriousness that made Malleus’s smile fade slightly. “But families don’t work in only one direction. You’re always breaking your phones because you don’t want to charge them, you walk alone at night, and now you’re wasting your magic on an illusion just so I don’t see that your horn is still broken. You don’t have to be perfect twenty-four hours a day in front of me. If you can’t show that you’re tired in your own room, then where can you?”
Malleus was completely speechless. He stared at Sebek as if, for the first time in centuries, someone had told him a truth so direct that he had no way of refuting it.
Several seconds passed, the only sound the wind rattling the window. Finally, Malleus’s shoulders slumped in a gesture of surrender that was extremely rare for him. With a subtle green flash, the illusory magic vanished from his head. The horn was broken again, incomplete, but real.
"You're incredibly stubborn when you want to be, Sebek," Malleus murmured, touching the damaged horn with a tired but relieved sigh. "Fine. If you insist so much... I won't do any more magic today."
"It's the least you can do!" Sebek blurted out, feeling his heart leap with pure joy, though embarrassment flew back as soon as he realized how intimate the moment had been. He turned quickly before collapsing. "With your permission, my lord! I'm going to train to... to be a guard worthy of your trust!"
He practically ran out of the room and slammed the door. Once in the hallway, he leaned against the wall, covering his face with both hands as he tried to catch his breath.
He had done it. He had survived all three. Now he just had to keep it up for the rest of the school year, for the rest of his life.
Sebek slid backward against the wall until he was sitting on the hallway floor, burying his head in his knees as he felt the echo of his own screams in his head. The mere thought of having to repeat this every day sent shivers down his spine.
"Is it really worth going through all this damn embarrassment?" he wondered, on the verge of a mental breakdown. Being the only mature one in the family was fucking exhausting.