Alex slowly opened his eyes.

  The ceiling was familiar, as was the softness of the mattress beneath his back. His gaze wandered around the room until it stopped on a familiar figure—Eliria, curled up asleep in an armchair near the wall. Her head was tilted slightly to the side, and her face looked calm and serene. Alex smiled faintly, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over him.

  Carefully getting up, he walked over to her, took a soft blanket from the sofa, and draped it over her shoulders. Then he quietly left the room.

  Descending to the first floor, he walked through the house—room by room—but there was no one around. Alex sighed.

  "Everyone’s gone again," he muttered, glancing around.

  Realizing there was nothing he could change at the moment, he headed to the shower. Standing under the stream of warm water, Alex closed his eyes. In his mind, scenes from recent events played like slides: the frantic battle with the monster, the overwhelming exhaustion, the return home… and collapsing on the doorstep of the mansion. A short smile touched his lips.

  "Sirena… are you here?" he asked aloud, without opening his eyes.

  "As always, my Lord," came the gentle, familiar voice in his head. "I’m glad you’ve finally come to."

  "How long was I unconscious?"

  "Two days."

  "Two days…" Alex repeated softly, seriously.

  "How are you feeling?" Sirenaa asked with a note of concern.

  "Great, for someone who slept for two days," he replied more cheerfully. "Full of energy—ready to fight again."

  "That’s good," Sirena said gently. A short pause followed. "My Lord… what are you going to do about your family and Eliria?"

  Alex was silent for a long moment as water continued to stream down his face.

  "It seems my first plan fell through." His voice was calm but resolute. "I’ll have to tell them the truth. I don’t know what story could explain what happened in that dungeon. I still don’t want to involve them, but it seems it’s too late to hide anything now."

  "You may not like this decision," Sirena said gently, "but it’s the right one. Now that more people will know your past, it will be a bit easier for you. You won’t have to keep holding back in their presence."

  Alex smiled.

  "Thank you, Sirena. As always—you know exactly what to say."

  "Always happy to help, my Lord."

  After finishing his shower, Alex changed into something more comfortable and returned to the room. Eliria was still asleep, peacefully curled under the blanket he had placed on her. Not wanting to disturb her, he quietly stepped out onto the balcony. The air was fresh, the sky clear, and somewhere below, leaves rustled gently.

  "By the way," Sirena spoke again, "what do you plan to do about Heinrich? He saw your power too."

  Alex paused, turning his gaze to the horizon.

  "I thought about that back in the dungeon. We’ll meet, and I’ll come to an agreement with him. He’s already been given all the credit for sealing the dungeon. I’ll ask him only to keep what really happened to himself. And not to ask too many questions."

  "Are you sure he’ll agree to those terms so easily?"

  "If not—I’ll say I learned dark magic at the Academy. No need for details."

  "I hope your plan works."

  "It will." Alex smiled confidently.

  Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind him.

  "Alex?"

  He turned sharply. Eliria stood in the doorway of the balcony. She was already on her feet and looked a bit shy, but her eyes held genuine joy. Without another word, she rushed to him and hugged him tightly.

  Alex felt her body press against his, her arms wrapping around him with a strength surprising for someone so delicate. He froze for a moment, then gently embraced her in return.

  "I was so scared…" she whispered, clutching his back with trembling fingers. "We all… we thought…"

  "Shh," Alex interrupted softly. "I’m here. It’s all okay now."

  He felt her breathing gradually slow, and the trembling in her muscles subside.

  "Two days…" Eliria said more confidently now. "You didn’t wake up for two days… We took turns watching over you, we…"

  "I’m sorry," Alex said quietly, meeting her eyes. "I’m sorry I made you worry. I used too much mana in the fight, that’s why I passed out. If I had—"

  "No," she interrupted him, squeezing him tighter again. "You have nothing to apologize for. If not for you… If not for you, we’d all be gone. We would’ve died in that cave."

  They stood in silence for a few more seconds, holding each other. Then Eliria slowly stepped back and looked at him with a gentle smile.

  "By the way, you haven’t eaten in two days," she said with a touch of sternness, taking his hand. "Let’s go to the kitchen. I’ll cook something."

  "You’re a guest in my house," Alex smiled, but let her pull him along.

  "Today, I’m in charge. No arguments," Eliria replied, leading him downstairs. Her tone was warm and confident, and Alex only sighed, allowing himself to feel the comfort he had missed so much lately.

  The kitchen was filled with pleasant silence, broken only by the clinking of dishes. While Eliria set the table, Alex sat quietly on a stool, observing her movements. She moved with confidence and ease, as if she had cooked here many times before.

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  A flicker of surprise crossed his thoughts:

  “How much time has she spent in my house while I was unconscious? She’s finding everything without hesitation…”

  Before long, the table was set: a delicious-looking omelet with large chunks of fried pork, fresh vegetables, and bread. Eliria placed a plate in front of Alex and sat beside him, taking nothing for herself.

  "And you’re not eating?" Alex asked, turning to look at her.

  "I already had breakfast with the others," she replied with a soft smile. "So I’m not hungry right now."

  "I see," Alex nodded briefly and picked up his cutlery. He cut off a piece of omelet with meat and, after swallowing it, suddenly smiled widely—almost childishly sincere.

  "And? How is it?" Eliria asked, closely watching his reaction.

  "Delicious," Alex replied with satisfaction.

  "I made it myself," the girl said proudly.

  "Yourself?" he asked in surprise.

  "Well, not entirely," she giggled. "Alpha and Gamma helped while the others were preparing for the celebration."

  "What celebration?"

  Eliria sighed dramatically and looked at him with feigned indignation.

  "You do realize your birthday is in two days? And instead of helping with the preparations, you decided to just pass out for two days!"

  Alex opened his mouth to respond, but didn’t have time.

  "I’m joking," Eliria laughed. "Actually, according to your parents, everything’s going according to plan. I helped out too, where I could."

  "So you’ve been staying here these past days?"

  "Yes. At first, I said I could come during the day—to help and take shifts watching over you—and return to the hotel nearby in the evenings. But your mom insisted I stay. They even gave me a whole guest room."

  Alex smiled.

  "That’s very much like Mom. By the way..." he added suddenly, "what about that girl? The one we found before heading into the dungeon?"

  "She stayed here. I convinced her to remain until you woke up. And your parents didn’t mind. She’s still a little scared, but being around us has helped calm her down."

  "Good," Alex said quietly. "Where is everyone right now?"

  "Don’t worry," Eliria reassured him. "They didn’t go into the dungeon. They just went into town — to get the last things we needed for the celebration. I stayed behind because it was my turn to watch over you today."

  Alex gave a slight nod, a gentle smile appearing on his face. Being next to her made him feel at peace — a feeling he hadn’t known for a long time.

  After finishing his meal, the boy set down his utensils and looked at Eliria.

  "Thank you," he said sincerely, gazing directly into her eyes.

  The girl simply gave a light nod.

  "You’re welcome," she whispered, not looking away.

  For a few seconds, silence filled the room. Only the faint rustling of branches in the breeze outside the window broke it.

  Alex smiled slightly.

  "You probably have a few questions... after everything that happened."

  "I do," Eliria replied calmly, not hiding it. "And I’m not the only one. I think it’s best to wait for the others, so you don’t have to repeat yourself."

  At that very moment, voices were heard from the living room. Someone clicked the lock on the front door — and a second later, it swung open. Gabriel, Emma, the maids, and the familiar silver-haired girl returned to the mansion. She spotted Alex immediately and smiled brightly, joyfully waving to him.

  Emma was next to notice him. Tears welled up in her eyes — this time, tears of happiness — and she rushed to her son, hugging him so tightly it was as if she feared losing him again.

  Alex hugged her back, smiling gently.

  Gabriel joined them, embracing both Emma and Alex at once, pulling them close. No one said a word — the silence said more than any words could. It held everything: fear, relief, gratitude, love.

  When the embrace ended, Alex looked over at the girls standing a little apart. Some of their eyes were glistening too. Each one of them smiled at him — sincerely, warmly. Alex returned the same smile — honest, grateful.

  "I’m glad to see you all," he said softly. "After such a long sleep... And I guess everyone here wants some answers from me. So... I’m ready to give them."

  He gestured toward the table, inviting everyone to sit. No one objected — they silently, yet calmly and confidently, made their way into the kitchen and took their seats. The little girl hopped onto Eliria’s lap, who, still smiling gently, placed her hand on the child’s head and began to softly stroke her hair. The girl closed her eyes with a blissful expression.

  Once everyone was seated, Alex took a deep breath, ready to begin...

  But Gabriel raised a hand, stopping him.

  "Let me say a few words first," his father said, standing.

  To Alex’s surprise, everyone else stood as well — the maids, Emma. Only Eliria and the little girl remained seated, which puzzled Alex.

  "As the head of this family," Gabriel began in a calm, even voice, "I failed in my main duty — to protect its members. And the fact that we are all still alive... that’s not because of me. It’s thanks to you, Alex, and to Eliria. If it weren’t for the two of you — we’d all have died in that cursed cave."

  Everyone standing bowed their heads slightly.

  "Thank you," came the unified chorus from all corners of the room.

  "Please... rise," Eliria blushed immediately. "I was just doing my duty as a healer..."

  "You are my family," Alex added. "Protecting you isn’t an obligation. It’s... natural. It’s what any son would do. There’s no need to thank me."

  He looked at his father.

  "And you did fulfill your duty. You bought us time. Without you, I wouldn’t have made it in time. So... thank you."

  Gabriel looked at him, and something in his expression changed — the heavy burden he’d been carrying for days seemed to dissolve. He smiled warmly, sat back down, and after a short pause, continued:

  "While you were asleep, all of us kept circling around the same question. And we wondered whether we truly wanted the answer."

  Gabriel’s gaze turned serious again.

  "Your power... it’s not normal, Alex. You’re the first vampire who wields dark magic. Your mana... your physical strength... they surpass anyone else of your level. We’ve all seen it. And if you kept that kind of power hidden even from us..." — he paused, wrestling with his thoughts — "then you must have had a reason. A serious one. Because if you didn’t, the whole continent would already be talking about the vampire who commands darkness."

  He stopped. His eyes rested on his son’s face — silent, slightly guilty, the faint lines of worry near his eyes.

  "And I see... that it’s true," Gabriel added in a near whisper. "You’re carrying a burden."

  He got up, walked over to Alex, and placed a hand on his shoulder. The touch radiated warmth — not physical, but emotional, deep. Looking into his son’s eyes, Gabriel crouched to his level.

  "We won’t demand explanations from you, son. We trust you. If one day you decide you can tell us everything — we’ll listen. But if not... we’ll accept that too. We’ll simply be here. As we always have."

  It wasn’t a permission, nor a gesture of mercy — it was a promise. A vow of unconditional love.

  And in that moment, as something started to glisten in Alex’s eyes — as if on the verge of tears — Emma spoke. Her voice was soft, but filled with quiet strength.

  "But I’ll ask you for two things, dear," she said with a smile, though tears once again threatened to spill from her eyes. "First — be careful. Always. And second... don’t try to carry it all alone. I know you’re strong, but even the strongest need a shoulder. You have us. We may be weaker, but we are your family."

  Emma trembled slightly as she spoke those words. She knew her son was tied to something far greater than all of them. But she was still his mother.

  "If you’re hiding this power — it means you’re already involved in something far too serious. I..." — she lowered her gaze for a moment — "I won’t ask what it is. I don’t want to put you in an uncomfortable position. But you must remember — we’re always ready to help. Always."

  Alex looked around at them. Their faces. Their tear-filled eyes. Their smiles through the worry.

  And only then did he realize just how afraid he had been of this moment — and how deeply he had underestimated their love.

  "Thank you," he whispered. "I... promise. I’ll be careful. And I won’t forget I’m not alone."

  Gabriel smiled warmly. He held his son’s gaze for a moment longer, then tousled his hair, just like when Alex was a child.

  "That’s better," he said gently. "Now... enough with the formality!"

  He clapped his hands loudly.

  "In two days, we’ve got a birthday to celebrate, and there’s still so much to do! One hour of rest — then back to work!"

  "Well said," nodded Alpha, smiling subtly.

  "I never do things halfway," Gabriel replied with a confident grin.

  Alex turned his gaze to Eliria and the little girl.

  "While everyone’s resting... Eliria and I will head upstairs. We need to speak with our guest."

  "Alright," Emma nodded.

  Alex, Eliria, and the girl stood. They left the kitchen together and headed upstairs — where a quiet conversation awaited them.