Chapter 3780: Hiccups (Part 1) “Don’t say that, Dad.” Keyla tried to hug the Demon, but her arms phased through him. “You have no fault for what happened. Do you mind?” She pointed at the Count and then at Protector. “Sure.” The Skoll replied and stepped forward, but Trequill-Varegrave stopped him. “It’s not necessary.” His face became a mask of focus as he turned his body solid and conjured a hologram that restored his human appearance. “I was just too excited to see you again to remember about my current condition.” He went for a hug, and Keyla burst into tears when she felt her father’s warmth again. “Let’s be real, Dad.” She tried to smile and joke, but she couldn’t stop herself from sobbing. “You didn’t come back for us but for the magic show. I should have known you wouldn’t miss it.” “How dare you, young lady?” Lark clicked his heels and his monocle jumped away in outrage. “Of course, I came back for you two. The magic show was just a nice incentive.” He put the monocle back in place, and it popped out again the moment the Count turned to Protector. “You have talent, young man. Not as much as my protégé, but still.” “Dad!” Jadon joined the hug, his voice too moved to convey the rebuke properly. “Mister Protector saved our lives.” “And for that, he has my eternal gratitude.” Count Lark gave the Skoll a bow as deep as the family hug allowed him to. ‘This is pushing things too far, Lith.’ Protector said. ‘I don’t deserve such praise. It’s my fault if we are playing with the Larks’ feelings. I’m not proud of this and I deserve no praise.’ 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦 ‘I didn’t ask Varegrave to say anything like that.’ Lith replied. ‘Varegrave?’ ‘If it’s not you, who is telling me what to say?’ The Demon asked. ‘Who mentioned Hilya and Pontus to me?’ “As for you, Lith, if you expect to receive my forgiveness for causing my untimely demise, you are sorely mistaken.” The Count continued, and Lith swallowed hard. He could feel something moving along the chains he had used to connect his friends. Someone who hadn’t been there until a few seconds ago. “Not because you don’t deserve it, but because you don’t need it.” Trequill Lark released his children from the embrace and walked in front of Lith. “I know you feel guilty for what happened to me, but you have no reason to. “I never resented or blamed you for my fate. You couldn’t protect me from an enemy you weren’t aware existed. There are only two people responsible for my death. Meln and I.” “Dad, how can you say that?” Keyla asked. “Because I was stupid and naïve.” Lark lowered his head to look his daughter in the eyes. “Back when your mother, Koya, tried to kill us, it should have been my wake-up call. I had rebuilt the Larks’ fortune and restored our house, but I never worried about its safety. “Otherwise, how could a bitter, magicless woman whose noble title was inferior to mine almost succeed in killing me and, most importantly, you and Jadon? “After a mediocre, talentless mage poisoned me, after our entire family became prisoners of our own home and needed the help of a child to survive, I should have learned my lesson. “I should have spent less money on stupid magic books and invested more into our security system. Instead, even after obtaining the Ghishal’s lands, I never spent a copper coin on protective arrays. “I was so arrogantly naïve that I thought my irrelevance was the only defense I needed. That no one would bother killing a mere Count. No matter how many enemies I or Lith made, I never worried that someone might pick things up from where Koya left and succeed. “Meln killed me, there’s no denying that, and I wish he’d burn for all eternity for that, but I can’t stop thinking that it was just a matter of time before something bad happened. The only silver lining in that dreadful night was that you two weren’t with me. “I would have gone crazy with fear if I didn’t know you were safe hundreds of kilometers away. I would have never forgiven myself if anything had befallen you because of my foolish naivety. “I thank the gods for that and for you learning from my mistakes. I also thank you, Lith, for helping my children.” The hand extended to him belonged to Varegrave, but Lith felt the soul of the old Count pulling its strings. “Don’t thank me, Count Lark.” Lith swallowed hard, feeling a tightness in his throat. “It was the least I could do.” “Nonsense.” The monocle popped out of the eye socket almost with a comical timing. “You didn’t leave Jadon and Keyla alone after my passing. You, a Magus, built the very arrays that saved their lives tonight and rushed here to their rescue. “That’s not a small favor. That’s more than any father could ask for his children. So, when I thank you, you should reply ‘you are welcome’, young man.” “You are welcome, young man.” Lith echoed, making the Count laugh. “Gods, I wish Nana were here. It would make it quite the reunion.” Lark said. “I must leave now, children. If you have anything to say to me, do it quickly.” “Do you have to go, Dad?” Jadon asked. “Can’t you stay in one of Lith’s…” “Void Sigils.” Solus hiccupped. “Those.” Jadon nodded. “You could be one of his Demons. You could stay with us. Meet your grandchildren. Practice the magic you loved so much to your heart’s content.” Lark did his best to smile, but he could feel his hold growing weaker by the second. He wasn’t a warrior, and his willpower was far from indomitable. If not for the unique circumstances of that night, if not for Protector’s lie linking Trequill to his children, he would have never made it past the veil. Even now, his soul was still there, only his consciousness had managed to slip through the cracks and cling to Varegrave by the faintest tether. “I can’t, son.” Lark replied. “I moved on, and there is no coming back.” “Are you sure?” Keyla sniffled. “I am, but don’t worry about me. I’m happy there. I have everything I want.” Lark lied through his teeth. “There’s your grandfather with me, and anyone can use all kinds of magic there, even me! “It’s everything I could dream of. One day, we’ll meet there, but don’t you dare rush to join me, young lady. I want you to have a full, long life, so that you’ll have lots of things to tell me.” “Okay, Dad. I will.” Keyla nodded, swallowing her tears. “The same applies to you, young lord.” Lark hugged his son tight. “You’ve become a man I’m proud to call my son. I only wish I told you more often.” “Don’t worry, Dad.” Jadon’s voice cracked as he returned the embrace. “You may not have said it, but you’ve always shown it.” “Thank you, son.” Lark let Jadon go and took a step back. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to say goodbye to you kids. It was the only regret I had left. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Lith.”