Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls-Chapter 434: Good morning

Morning arrived slowly, filtered by the soft light streaming through the bedroom window, scattering pale tones across the still-disheveled sheets.

Kael awoke with a heavy body, that pleasant tiredness that didn't come from battle or training, but from a night that had demanded more than just strength.

He blinked a few times, trying to organize his thoughts, until he felt the warm weight on his chest.

Eva slept soundly, completely naked, entwined around him as if it were the most natural place in the world.

Her body was relaxed, her full breasts pressed against his chest, her breathing slow and regular, her face too tranquil for someone who normally seemed always ready for the next conflict.

There was something almost unreal about that image, as if the woman who faced empires and monsters was, at that moment, just someone who needed to sleep a little longer.

She murmured something incomprehensible, her voice low and drawn out with sleep, then stirred slightly, pressing herself even closer to him before grumbling, with a lazy clarity: "Just five more minutes…"

Kael smiled unconsciously, bringing his hand to her hair and stroking it slowly, careful enough not to wake her.

The white strands were soft under his fingers, and he felt a strange tightness in his chest, a mixture of affection, calm, and that dangerous sense of belonging that he rarely allowed himself to feel. With slow, almost ceremonial movements, he began to move, carefully sliding her body until he could free himself without breaking the spell of the moment.

Eva grumbled again, but didn't wake.

Kael adjusted her carefully, pulling the pillow closer, cradling her head and partially covering her body with the sheet, not out of modesty, but instinct, as if he wanted to protect her even while she slept.

He stood there for a few seconds, watching her, memorizing that serene expression that few people in the world had the privilege of seeing.

Then, he took a deep breath, stood up, and dressed silently before leaving the room, closing the door with the care of someone treading on sacred ground.

As he descended the stairs, the soft creaking of the wood seemed too loud in the silence of the house. The morning light already filled the downstairs, revealing the living room and kitchen more clearly than the night before.

Kael entered the kitchen and paused for a moment, looking around with a half-smile. There was something welcoming there, despite its simplicity, as if the space carried echoes of past moments.

He opened one cupboard, then another, and another, searching for ingredients, utensils, anything that could become a decent breakfast.

The idea of ​​preparing something for Eva suddenly seemed too important to ignore.

As he opened the doors, however, reality set in. The cupboards were almost empty, some shelves completely clean, others with items clearly forgotten there for months.

There was no bread, no fruit, not even enough coffee for a decent cup. The refrigerator confirmed his suspicion: that place wasn't exactly stocked for visitors or quiet mornings.

Kael chuckled softly, running a hand through his hair, more amused than frustrated. This suited Eva too well to be an accident.

"Of course…" he murmured to himself, shaking his head. "Hidden house in the forest, magic… and zero domestic planning."

He carefully closed the refrigerator and rested his hands on the counter for a moment, already making up his mind.

The city wasn't that far, and Veirona would certainly have everything she needed. Besides, the idea of ​​returning with bags in hand, waking her with the smell of fresh food and perhaps eliciting a surprised expression from her seemed… strangely appealing.

With one last glance around the kitchen, Kael smiled again, already heading for the door, certain that this morning still had much to offer, even before the world demanded too much of him again.

Some time passed without her noticing.

Eva woke slowly, still enveloped in that warm mist between sleep and wakefulness, instinctively stretching even before opening her eyes. The first thing she felt was the emptiness beside her body. The warmth that should have been there wasn't. The arm that had held her during the night had disappeared. She frowned, opened her eyes fully, and looked around the room, her heart giving a short, uncomfortably short leap.

"Kael…?" she called, her voice still hoarse.

Silence.

For a moment, something unpleasant crept into her mind—quick, irrational, but intense. She sat up abruptly, pulled the sheet around her body, and hurried to her feet, grabbing whatever she found along the way. The knot in her chest grew with each step she descended, almost running, prepared to find the house empty, the echo confirming a fear she didn't want to admit even to herself.

Then she reached the bottom of the stairs.

And she froze.

The kitchen was bathed in the soft, golden morning light streaming through the open window. On the table lay a scene that seemed straight out of an inappropriately domestic dream: fresh bread, cut fruit, a pitcher of juice, butter, jams, all arranged with almost excessive care. The smell was what disarmed her most—eggs, bacon, something warm and comforting too much to ignore.

With his back to her, standing before the stove, Kael wore a simple apron. His long red hair fell down his back, gleaming in the sunlight as if on calm flames. He moved calmly, turning something in the pan, completely oblivious—or pretending to be—to the impact of the scene.

Eva blinked a few times, as if it could disappear if she confirmed she was awake.

"You…" her voice came out lower than she intended. "…disappeared."

Kael turned his head slightly, noticing her in the reflection of the windowpane, and smiled before even turning completely.

"Good morning," he said, in a simple, almost casual tone, as if he hadn't just completely shattered her expectations.

Eva remained silent for a few seconds.

"I woke up and you weren't there," she finally said, crossing her arms, trying to look annoyed and failing miserably. "I thought you had… left."

He then turned, resting the spatula on the pan and looking directly at her.

"It never crossed my mind," she replied matter-of-factly. "The house was too empty for that. And you seemed to need food when you woke up."

She opened her mouth to retort.

She closed it.

She looked at the table. Then at him. Then she sighed, running a hand over her face.

"You know," she said finally, "that this is dangerously effective, right?"

Kael chuckled softly.

"Good. That was exactly the idea."

She approached slowly, still somewhat suspicious, until she stopped a few steps from him.

"…It smells very good."

He raised the spatula as if it were a victory.

"I waited for you to wake up so it wouldn't get cold."

Eva shook her head, surrendering, and pulled up a chair to sit down.

"Next time," she murmured, "let me know when you're going to disappear."

Kael placed the eggs on the plate and approached the table.

"I promise," he said, setting the plate down in front of her. "But only if you promise not to imagine catastrophic scenarios before breakfast."

She looked at him over the cup he had just poured.

"I don't make promises I know I can't keep."

He smiled.

And, for some reason, that felt like the beginning of something dangerously good.

Kael finished serving the food with almost exaggerated care, placing the plate before her as if he were presenting something that could explode at any second. Eva watched for a moment before picking up her cutlery, still somewhat suspicious, but the first bite was enough for her expression to change completely. Her shoulders relaxed, her brow softened, and a low sound, too satisfied to be contained, escaped her lips.

"…This is very good," she said, after chewing a little more, now without any attempt to hide her pleasure. "Too good for someone who clearly doesn't do this often."

Kael chuckled briefly, rubbing the back of his neck, visibly relieved.

"Thank goodness," he replied. "It's literally the first time I've ever actually cooked. I was afraid you'd pretend it was good just to avoid embarrassing me."

Eva looked up at him, playfully offended.

"I would never lie about food," she said, pointing her fork at him. "This is serious business."

She ate a little more, slowly, savoring each bite as if determined to prove a point.

"You have a natural talent," she concluded. "Either that, or the fact that I haven't eaten anything decent in days is influencing my judgment."

"I prefer the first option," Kael said, pulling up a chair and sitting down opposite her. "Sounds better to my ego."

She smiled, but there was something thoughtful behind her gaze as she continued eating. The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable, just heavy with the kind of awareness that comes when both know that the calm has an expiration date. The sun rose slowly outside, and the house seemed too big to contain that tranquility.

"We won't be able to stay here much longer," Eva said finally, resting her elbows on the table. "Not the way things are."

Kael nodded without surprise.

"I know," he replied. "The capital won't wait. And, after everything you've said… neither should I."

She observed him for a few seconds, assessing something he had already decided before even saying it aloud.

"You really are going to speak with the Emperor," she commented.

"I will," Kael confirmed, without hesitation. "Not because I trust him. But because, if there's something big enough to put you in this position… I need to understand. Even if it's just to disagree."