The Kingmaker System
Chapter 361 - 360. In The Name Of Family (1)

Chapter 361: 360. In The Name Of Family (1)

While talking, we hadn’t even noticed how late it had gotten. Time had slipped away, carried by the warmth of conversation.

"Father, you really must sleep now. It’s too late," I gently urged, glancing at the dimly glowing mana stone in my hand.

"It’s fine, Reina. I feel great now that I’ve talked to both of you," Dad said, his voice carrying a lightness that hadn’t been there earlier.

I could sense the vibrancy returning to him, the happiness that had been missing in his tone. It was subtle, yet unmistakable—like the lifting of a quiet weight he hadn’t voiced. This man, our father, loved both of us from the bottom of his heart. Yet, the cruel irony was that despite that love, the burdens we carried, the responsibilities thrust upon us, often kept us apart. We were his children, yet we were also warriors, bound by duty more than by time spent as a family.

"You should cherish your health more, Father," Rune spoke up, his voice firm yet filled with a quiet concern. "Please rest for now. We’ll be back soon, and then we can talk as much as you want."

A soft chuckle came from the other end of the mana stone. "All right, all right. I’ll wait for you two," Dad relented, the warmth in his voice unmistakable. "Good night, kids. Take care of yourselves."

"You too!" Rune and I spoke in unison, the synchronicity bringing another chuckle from him. The sound was comforting, familiar—like the echo of a home that had always been waiting for us, no matter how far we strayed.

Then, slowly, the soft glow of the mana stone faded, leaving behind a gentle silence.

As the silence settled between us, I glanced at Rune and spoke, my tone light but laced with concern.

"Well, you should also catch some sleep while you can, Brother."

He turned to me with a quizzical look, his brows slightly raised in question.

I smirked before adding, "Don’t you have to meet your soon-to-be mother-in-law tomorrow morning? Will you be going without proper sleep?"

Rune’s expression tensed almost instantly, his body stiffening as if I had reminded him of something he’d been trying to push to the back of his mind. I chuckled softly, placing my hands over his shoulders in reassurance.

"Don’t be so worried," I said gently. "You’re the best husband in this world that a girl could ever get. Duchess Konstantinos will see that too, I’m sure of it. That’s why you just need to trust yourself and face her with confidence."

He stared at me for a long moment, his golden eyes searching mine for certainty. Eventually, he gave a slow nod, though the tension in his shoulders had yet to fully ease.

"All right then. Good night," I said, pushing myself forward slightly to stand.

As I moved, the pendant hidden beneath my shirt slipped free, the delicate chain allowing it to dangle into view. Rune’s sharp gaze immediately latched onto it, his eyes narrowing slightly in recognition.

His frown deepened as he pointed at it. "That pendant..."

I smiled faintly, understanding his unspoken question. Slowly, I pulled it out from beneath my shirt and cradled it in my palm, letting him see it clearly. The once-clear stone still cradled the single petal of a purple rose—untouched by time, frozen in perfect preservation.

Rune’s eyes widened as realization set in. He looked from the pendant to me, his expression caught somewhere between disbelief and quiet emotion.

"Y-You still have it," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.

"How could I not, Brother?" I murmured, my fingers tightening around the pendant’s smooth surface. "It was a gift from you."

Something unspoken passed between us in that moment. I could see the emotions swirling in his eyes—nostalgia, regret, gratitude. They all reflected in the golden hue of his irises, and for the first time in a long while, I felt that familiar warmth of family.

Without another word, Rune closed his eyes and pulled me into a tight embrace, his arms wrapping securely around my shoulders.

"I missed you, Reina," he murmured, his voice raw with sincerity.

I exhaled slowly, patting his back with quiet understanding. "I missed you too, Brother."

He held me a little longer before pulling back, his gaze soft yet tinged with sadness. "You’ve grown into a full woman now... and I wasn’t even there to see you grow." His voice carried a weight of regret, one that I could feel pressing against my chest as well.

I met his gaze and smiled faintly. "I could say the same, Brother. And... it was partly my fault that it happened this way. I’m sorry."

Rune immediately frowned, his grip tightening on my arms as he pushed me to arm’s length. "Why would you say that?" His voice was firm, almost reprimanding. "It was my and Eric’s fault for angering the Golden Serpent and getting ourselves sent to the battlefield. You, on the other hand, made sure that none of us were harmed. You did everything you could to make us stronger for our battles. It was never your fault—it was ours!"

I sighed softly before raising a hand to cup his cheek, my fingers resting against his warm skin. "I guess we could settle by saying that we just weren’t meant to live the life of a normal family, then."

Rune stared at me for a moment before exhaling through his nose and nodding. "Yes... I suppose we could say that."

Still, the thought lingered in my mind. If we had been born into a normal family—without wars, without politics, without the weight of fate pressing down on us—would we have been happier? Would we have spent our days laughing, arguing over small things, and simply living? The thought was fleeting, but it left behind an ache I couldn’t quite describe.

[Goddess of Wisdom reminds you that ignorance can be bliss, but it does not save you from dangers.]

[Defender of Divine Glory corrects you, saying that knowledge makes you stronger.]

I sighed, shaking my head slightly. "I know, you don’t have to give me a reality check all the time."

Rune chuckled lightly, though his smile remained wistful. As he let go of my shoulders, he glanced at me once more. "You should return and get some sleep too, Reina. You’ve been working too much."

I merely shrugged, brushing off his concern. "I’ll be fine. Besides, don’t worry about tomorrow’s breakfast—I wish you luck that you’ll be victorious, Brother."

Rune let out an amused huff. "Well, if I have your luck, then I can win this world. So, this breakfast isn’t a big deal, is it?"

I chuckled at his words, shaking my head at his newfound confidence.

With that, I stepped onto the balcony, adjusting the invisibility brooch fastened to my cloak. The night stretched out before me, endless and quiet. As I turned back, Rune raised a hand, giving me a small wave.

I returned it with a faint smile before leaping off the balcony’s edge, disappearing seamlessly into the embrace of the night sky.

The next morning, I lay sprawled across my bed, staring at the ceiling with a pensive expression. The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting shifting golden patterns across the room, but my mind was elsewhere. Lyall sat nearby, rhythmically slicing an apple with precise, measured strokes. The soft snick of the knife against the fruit was the only sound filling the silence.

We had returned to Damon’s residence the previous night, and now, I was simply waiting for the afternoon, when I would have to return to the palace for the peace treaty signing. Once that was done, we could finally go home.

"Aren’t you going to check if everything is going all right, Master?" Lyall asked, breaking the silence.

"About what?" I asked without shifting my gaze from the ceiling.

"Your brother," he clarified, handing me a freshly cut slice of apple. "You said he was meeting Duchess Konstantinos this morning. I think he might need your support."

I took the apple and bit into it, savoring the crisp sweetness. "I don’t think so," I replied, my voice nonchalant. "He’s capable of handling himself."

Lyall studied me for a moment, his sharp gaze dissecting the lie I wasn’t even bothering to hide. "But aren’t you worried?" he pressed.

I was. And I was trying not to think about it. Because if I did, I knew I wouldn’t be able to sit still.

"He was on the battlefield for five years, Lyall," I reasoned, forcing my voice to remain steady. "He survived countless battles unscathed. This is just a meeting."

"With Duchess Konstantinos," Lyall reminded pointedly.

I paused mid-bite, frowning.

"And you know she’s like you," he continued, his voice calm but firm. "At least in how she deals with enemies—or anyone who dares harm her daughter. If she misunderstands Lord Rune even slightly, it could become troublesome."

I exhaled heavily, dragging a hand over my eyes.

I knew. Of course, I knew. Duchess Konstantinos had Ocean’s ruthless personality when it came to protecting her people—especially her daughter. She wouldn’t hesitate to crush anyone she deemed a threat. That was exactly why I wanted her as an ally.

And yet, the thought of Rune facing someone with a mindset so similar to my own sent a gnawing unease through my gut.

Damn it.

Without another word, I sat up abruptly, tossing the apple slice in my mouth as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed.

Lyall’s brows furrowed as he watched me. "Master, where—"

"I’ll be back in the evening after the treaty is signed," I cut him off, already reaching for my cloak. "Stay with Damon when you come to the palace."

I barely finished fastening my cloak before I strode toward the window. With a swift motion, I pushed it open, the cool morning breeze rushing against my face.

I couldn’t just sit back while my brother was facing a version of me who could be dangerous for him.

And so, without another thought, I leapt into the open air, disappearing into the city beyond.