Chapter 139: Breakfast
Now in the breakfast area, Ank was sitting quietly with the plate placed in front of him, yet his mind was far from calm because even though the atmosphere looked peaceful on the surface.
He knew very well that too many things were happening at the same time, and he had already wasted a lot of time doing nothing while his body was slowly recovering, reaching nearly sixty percent of its full condition.
Which meant that he could no longer afford to sit idle, because every second now mattered not only for his survival but to protect all of them that were now connected to him.
And to get access to quests as soon as possible,he had to make the decision.
He picked up the food, but before he could even take a proper bite, Maya's voice came from his left side, soft yet filled with expectation as if she had been waiting for this exact moment.
"So Ank, how do I look?" she asked, leaning slightly toward him with a confident expression, yet her eyes betrayed a hint of nervousness that she herself did not realize because she cared deeply about his opinion.
Ank paused.
For a moment, he did not know what to say, because although the question seemed simple, the situation around him was anything but simple.
Yet even then, he remembered something from his past, something small but important, the way one should speak to a woman without hurting her feelings.
"You look pretty," he replied.
Maya's face instantly turned red, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks as she straightened slightly, trying to maintain her composure while clearly pleased with his answer, and with a small smile filled with confidence, she responded.
"Then why is she sitting in your lap?" she asked, pointing directly at Celestia.
Ank froze.
Celestia blinked.
"Me?" she said, a visible question mark almost appearing above her head as she tilted her head slightly in confusion.
"Yes, you," Maya replied without hesitation.
Celestia did not move.
Instead, she simply looked at Ank for a moment before speaking in a calm tone, as if what she was about to say was completely natural.
"I don't know why, but whenever I touch my Ank, I feel different and comfortable," she said slowly, as if trying to explain something she herself did not fully understand, "so I am not leaving."
Her words were simple.
But their meaning was not.
Then her gaze shifted toward Freya, who was sitting on the right side of Ank, holding his hand quietly without saying anything.
"Sorry Freya," Celestia added, her voice softer now, "but I cannot stop myself from being attracted toward Ank."
Freya did not reply.
She only tightened her grip slightly.
Celestia, however, was not lying, because ever since that moment, she had developed a strange and unfamiliar feeling, a constant desire to feel Ank's presence.
To touch him, to stay close to him as if his existence itself brought her a sense of peace she had never experienced before, and even her dreams, those strange visions that used to disturb her, had stopped appearing, as if something inside her had settled the moment she chose to stay by his side.
Celestia already told her about the visions to Ank and Ank wanted to ask more about it .
He wanted to understand what was happening to her.
But every time he tried, she refused, because deep inside her mind she was afraid if Ank finds the solution ,the only things that connect him with her would break.
And the last words of the small girl in her last vision were still fresh in her mind and kept repeating in her mind again and again.
"Never leave Ank."
Those words had now taken root in her heart, becoming something she could not ignore, something she did not even want to question anymore.
Even she did not want to find out why these visions came to her mind.
She did not fully understand what those visions meant, she knew one thing.
They were important.
Meanwhile, Ank was now stuck in a situation that he did not know how to handle, because on one side Maya was watching him closely.
On the other side Freya was silently holding him, and on top of that Celestia was sitting in his lap without any intention of moving, making it impossible for him to act normally.
"So Ank," Celestia said suddenly, breaking the silence again, her tone playful yet carrying a hidden meaning, "tell me, whom do you like more, me or Maya?"
Before Ank could even react, she added another line with a mischievous smile.
"I already know Freya is at the top, so now we just have to decide who is second."
The air became tense.
Maya stood up instantly, her chair moving backward with a sharp sound as her expression turned serious, ready to respond, ready to argue, ready to fight if needed, but before she could say anything, another voice interrupted the situation.
"Celestia, enough."
Seraphina entered, holding a tray of food in her hands, her expression calm yet firm as she looked at both of them.
"Stop messing with Maya," she said, placing the tray down before turning her gaze toward Maya.
"Maya, sit down," she added, and surprisingly, Maya listened.
"Eat first," Seraphina continued, her tone now carrying authority, "we can talk later."
Then she looked at Ank again, her eyes softening slightly.
"He has not eaten properly for more than a week," she said, "he needs energy."
Her gaze shifted toward Freya.
"And Freya, eat your food," she added, noticing how Freya was doing nothing but watching Ank's face.
"We will talk after dinner," she concluded, "until then, all of you just focus on eating."
Ank felt relieved.
For the first time since the conversation started, he was able to breathe normally,
He had escaped from a situation that could have easily turned into something far more complicated but he can't imagine.
Yet even then, something felt strange.
He did not understand why he could not complain.
Why could he not reject them?
Why could not push them away from himself.
Why could he not even scold them?
It was as if something inside him was stopping him, something that refused to let him push them away, no matter how chaotic the situation became.
He can't understand why he was listening to their words ,why he cannot do anything to stop their fights.
But despite this condition deep inside he was happy.
Because it had been ages, a time so long that even he could not even remember ,since he had sat like this, surrounded by people, listening to voices filled with life, sharing a moment that felt normal.
Time passed.
Slowly.
The noise settled.
The food was finished.
Everyone returned to silence.
But that silence did not last.
Because Maya, who had been holding herself back the entire time, was about to stand up again, ready to confront Celestia, ready to continue what had been interrupted, but before she could move,
Ank spoke.
"Everyone," he said, his voice calm yet serious enough to stop all of them instantly, "I have something to tell you."
All eyes turned toward him.
"So listen carefully," he continued, his gaze moving from one to another, making sure each of them understood the weight of his words.
"I am going to tell you everything about my past," he said, his tone steady, "how I became like this, how I gained my power, and what sins I carry."
Silence.
Heavy and unavoidable.
"And what will happen if you choose to be involved in my life," he added, his voice slightly lower now, "because once you hear it, things will not remain the same."
He paused.
Looking at them one by one.
"You may not like me after my story ends," he said, "But I hope you will listen to the end."
"If after hearing everything, none of you, including you, Seraphina are not affected by it," he continued, "then I will give you the answers you all want."
Their hearts began to race.
But he was not done.
"So wait until tomorrow morning," he said and then added.
"I am going to do some training,my body is aching for training."
Before anyone could respond..
He stood up.
And left quickly.
As if staying any longer would make things harder.
No one stopped him.
Because none of them could.
They were all blushing.
All silent.
All thinking the same thing.
They only had to wait.
Twenty four hours.
And the answer they had been waiting for would finally be revealed.
And just like that a silent countdown began.
Not for Ank but for all of them.