Archive of Our Own ^beta

Winter had arrived, bringing with it the cold that heralded the late snow of that year.

With the end of the war and the end of the White Star threat, everyone was striving to enjoy the days of tranquility they had fought so hard to achieve. Because of this, the traditional festivals and celebrations became even bigger and more anticipated than before, with people wanting not only to celebrate the usual special dates, but to celebrate and give thanks that they were alive, that their families and friends were well, that they were safe, and that they could allow themselves to enjoy their festivities without fearing that any enemies would appear to attack them.

And it was surrounded by this longing to celebrate life and the peace that had finally arrived not only in the kingdom of Roan, but throughout the continent, that Cale and company enjoyed a comfortable dinner in one of the restaurants in Rain City.

They had spent the last few weeks making official visits to war allies, and after returning from a few days' stay in Mogoru, where they helped Rex and Saint Jack organize a winter solstice celebration, they passed through the capital of Roan to meet with Alberu, overwhelmed by the usual paperwork added to that of the end-of-year festivities, before finally returning to Henituse territory.

Cale would have gone straight to Castle Black if his father hadn't sent a message asking him to stop by home when he finished visiting the allied leaders. And since it had been a long time since he had seen his family, he decided to accept the invitation without complaint.

The conversation with Deruth wasn't long, but it was enough for his father to question him about all his habits, wanting to make sure Cale was sleeping, eating, resting, hydrating, and truly relaxing without being involved in work all the time. And Cale had no choice but to be honest, after all, his father seemed to have a special talent for knowing when he was trying to downplay things. His father didn't seem very happy to hear about his current routine, which confused Cale, since he had barely had any work to do in recent months.

Yes, he had to travel constantly, including between continents, but when you had dragons, including an ancient dragon, at your disposal, these trips became much easier to undertake, and he was used to dealing with bureaucracy and official matters, so he didn't mind taking on some official tasks acting as Roan's representative, especially when doing so helped Alberu look less like an exhausted zombie fueled by caffeine and pure determination early in the morning. It was undeniable that his appearance improved greatly after Cale took over a good part of the external affairs. Cale needed Alberu to be perfectly well to be the king of Roan and grant him some ultimate honor that would allow him to be lazy for the rest of his life.

But his father, like the rest of his family, didn't seem convinced by his arguments. In fact, he seemed almost annoyed with Cale, who was truly perplexed that no one could follow his reasoning.

His plan was excellent. Work hard now so you can be a lazy person with peace of mind for the rest of your life. Why didn't anyone understand that?
In the end, Deruth dismissed him with a prohibition against participating in the preparation of any other official celebration, telling Cale to rest and just enjoy the festivities. Wanting to keep his father's words, Cale met with his stepmother and siblings before reuniting with his group, determined to enjoy the night in Rain City before heading to the Dark Forest, where he intended to stay until the end of winter without having to worry about anything.

Since the children were still full of energy and wanted to visit the food fair, the whole group decided to head to the bustling city, which, even though the solstice was still a few days away, was buzzing with all the preparations that were beginning to be made.

They walked through several busy streets filled with people chatting animatedly to music coming from different directions, passing by various food stalls where they bought countless snacks and treats, stopping to admire the work of some artists selling their pieces, and also passing by several restaurants that were beginning to open, setting up tables for dinner, and decided to go into one of these restaurants to eat.

The chosen place was a small but cozy establishment, with light wood tables and chairs, large windows at the front through which it was possible to see the movement of the main street, some plants that remained green even in winter, lights in a buttery yellow tone illuminating the space, and a delicious aroma of freshly baked bread.

As soon as they entered, a gust of warm air greeted them, along with the sound of the bell above the door, banishing the cold street air that clung to them.

The waiter quickly rushed to attend to them, easily recognizing them and seeming much more nervous as he realized who the first customers of the night were.

Not wanting to unnecessarily prolong the conversation, Cale asked to reserve the restaurant just for them that night, tossing some gold coins to the waiter, who widened his eyes as he caught them, looking from the coins to the redhead for a few seconds before nodding quickly and starting to rush to seat them.

In a few minutes, everyone was seated, enjoying the restaurant's good food, chatting and laughing.

Cale didn't get too involved in the conversations, content to simply listen to his family talking excitedly about some new interest or something they had seen around town that caught their attention, occasionally focusing on the activity on the street.

As soon as he finished eating, Ron offered him a cup of lemon tea, which he supposedly asked the waiter to prepare (Cale was sure it was Ron who prepared it) exactly the way Cale drank it every day, because obviously the murderous butler with a fixation on lemons and an aversion to sugar in his tea wouldn't pass up the opportunity to offer him a cup of that terrible drink. At that point, Cale wouldn't be surprised if Ron just walked around with a complete lemon tea-making kit in a space bag. At least he knew who to turn to if he ever needed lemons.

Even reluctantly, the redhead began to drink in small sips, slowly savoring the awful tea he was already used to.

“Did they also celebrate the solstice on Earth?”

Hong’s question caught Cale’s attention, who noticed the boy watching him with expectant golden eyes. His other companions, except for Choi Han, were also watching him curiously.

“Not exactly.” He replied, accessing his Earth records. “On Earth we celebrate Christmas, which is a festival with pagan origins related to the winter solstice that were adopted and reinterpreted by the Church.”

“And is this Christmas very different from our solstice?” Rosalyn asked, the typical mage curiosity shining in her eyes.

The redhead took another small sip of the lemon tea, wishing there were some sweet biscuits to go with it and mask the bitterness.

“There are differences. Christmas is a family celebration where relatives usually get together, have dinner together, and exchange gifts. There are other traditions too, like decorating a tree and putting all the presents underneath, decorating the house, the typical foods, making cookies—”

Cale stopped talking when he saw Raon's bright eyes, too bright for his liking, staring at him expectantly. On and Hong stared at him the same way.

“Human!”

“.....yes?”

“Let’s have Christmas!”

He blinked, confused.

“What?” He asked a little late.

“Let’s have Christmas!” The little dragon repeated, starting to flap its wings excitedly.

“Yes!” Hong agreed excitedly. “I’ve never decorated a tree!”

“It sounds fun. Can we do it?”

Diverting the children’s attention, Cale noticed that the rest of the group also seemed interested in the idea.

“That would be an excellent way to learn more about your old world, young master Cale.” Rosalyn commented with a smile.

“We were already going to prepare a solstice party, young master, why not change a few things to make it more like Christmas?” Ron said as he pulled a teapot out of nowhere to refill Cale’s cup with more lemon tea.

Eruhaben shrugged.

“I’ve celebrated so many solstices in so many different places that nothing sparks my interest in these holidays anymore. It would be nice to see a different celebration.”

To seal his fate, Cale made the mistake of looking at Choi Han. The swordsman looked at him with shining eyes, his expression reminding Cale of a puppy begging for attention. If he tried a little harder, he could easily imagine the floppy ears and the tail wagging excitedly.

Choi Han's gaze practically pleaded with Cale to accept the children's request.

The swordsman probably missed a typical Earth holiday, even if it wasn't one so widely celebrated in Korea.

With a silent sigh, the redhead nodded in relent.

"Alright. I think we can do something that resembles Christmas on Earth."

"Yay!"

The children immediately began to celebrate and bombard him with questions about Christmas.

Cale could feel in his bones how long the next few days would be.

•°•°•°•

When he woke up that morning, the last thing Cale expected was for his breakfast to turn into a fusion of interview and interrogation, accompanied by fluffy pancakes with honey and washed down with the ever-present (and unfortunately loyal) lemon tea. But there he was, trying to have his morning meal in peace while the rest of his family watched him with anxious expectation, with Sheritt sitting across from him with an animated smile and her arms resting on the table with her fingers intertwined, and Eruhaben beside her taking notes in a notebook, with Raon flying around them visibly vibrating with excitement.

Another thing he hadn't expected when he went down to the common area was to discover that in the short time between their arrival at Castle Black the previous night, coming straight from Rain City, and breakfast, Raon, On, and Hong had managed to spread among the rest of the family, who hadn't accompanied them on this last trip, the idea that they needed to throw a Christmas party worthy of any home on Earth, and now Cale had to deal with the seemingly endless barrage of questions the two dragons had to ask about the Christmas festivities, appearing ready to compile all the knowledge Cale possessed about the date to ensure everything went perfectly.

He just wanted to eat his pancakes in peace and go back to sleep.

Cale hadn't agreed to organize a lavish Christmas dinner, with every single detail of tradition he knew present. His idea was just to do something simple, maybe decorate a tree, explain some of the typical dishes to Beacrox, at most make some cookies with the children. His father told him to stay quiet at home and he really wanted to follow that order to the letter. At what point did things get so completely out of control? Not even ten hours had passed since he agreed to have a Christmas party and he was already in this state. He didn't even want to think about what the next few days would be like.

'You should have explained what you intended to do from the beginning, Cale.' Super Rock commented in his usual serious voice.

'Now you'll have to deal with it.' The Stingy One also chimed in. 'The children are already too excited to back down.'

Cale was fully aware of that. One look at Hong, Raon, and On's faces was enough to know that he couldn't possibly suggest not doing one of the things they were excited about.

Another one who was excited was Glutton.

‘I’m so excited! Those foods you described sound delicious!’

‘I’ve never seen a decorated Christmas tree.’ The Crybaby murmured.

‘It must be beautiful, no doubt.’

‘Our first Christmas! And it looks so cool! Good thing that white XXXX was finally defeated so we can have this special celebration!’

The Thief and the Crazy Girl also made their comments.

“So Cale,” Sheritt began another question, “how big does this decorated Christmas tree have to be?”

While biting into another piece of pancake, the soft batter melting in her mouth and filling it with the smooth flavor perfectly combined with the sweetness of the honey, Cale cursed her fifteen-year-old self, who after reading a novel with a hint of Western influence where the characters celebrated Christmas decided to research everything about the holiday. If it weren't for that fleeting, momentary fixation on Western holiday celebrations during his adolescence, he wouldn't know so much about Christmas and wouldn't now be having to answer so many questions, being able to just give some vague answers and leave it at that.

“There isn't a fixed size, Sheritt-nim. Usually, you choose what fits best in the available space.”

The golden dragon let out a low buzz as he continued writing in his notebook.

“That means we can choose a large pine tree to put in the living room.”

“Yes, Eruhaben-nim.”

“Human, let’s choose a huge pine tree! One that reaches the ceiling!”

“And let’s decorate the whole thing, nya!”

Cale could only think about all the work they would have to do to decorate a tree that went from the floor to the ceiling of the main living room of Castle Black. They would need many, many decorations.

Rosalyn, who had been closely following the conversation, put down the teacup she was drinking from, her red eyes focused on Eruhaben’s notes.

“This type of pine tree is typical of the northern kingdoms. We’ll have to go there to get one.”

“No problem, clever Rosalyn! I am a great and powerful dragon who can get a large pine tree and bring it home in no time!”

The mage smiled gently.

“I have no doubt about that, Raon.”

“And if we really need permission, we can just talk to that madman Clopeh!”

The redhead shuddered at the mere thought of that crazy fanatic finding out about Christmas and, due to his lack of information, coming to believe it was some kind of holiday Cale created and starting to spread Christmas wherever he went, using a completely misguided explanation of its origin.

Cale still had nightmares about all the hero nonsense Clopeh spouted; they didn't need to give that man another obsession.

"We're not going to talk to Clopeh," he said resolutely.

"Alright, human. But I'm coming along when we go to get the Christmas tree! I want to choose a really nice one!"

Why was Raon talking as if Cale was going to go get the tree himself when there were so many people who could go get it?

As soon as he was rid of the dragon interview/interrogation, Cale planned to return to his warm bed and stay there until lunchtime, preferably. Once they had all the information they needed to work with, his family could take care of planning and preparing the Christmas party on their own, without needing his direct interference. Cale could just rest and relax as he so desired.

Yes, that seemed like an excellent idea. Perhaps it would be better to finish explaining what would be needed and let them get on with preparing everything.

With renewed enthusiasm, Cale smiled at the Dragon Lord.

"Any more questions, Sheritt-nim?”

Eruhaben raised an eyebrow at the change in his demeanor, but refrained from commenting, merely shaking his head and muttering to himself something that sounded suspiciously like "unlucky bastard."

"You said the tree decorations are traditionally colorful balls?"

"The most recent ones, yes, but in the past there were other items used for decoration, such as fruits, nuts, paper flowers." Cale's records began to flash through his mind quickly. "After a while, decorations made of blown glass began to be used, which were quite fragile and delicate, and since they were expensive, they weren't accessible to the vast majority of people. Colorful ribbons and small wooden sculptures in various shapes were also used, mainly angels and stars."

Cale took another sip of tea.

"Oh, and candles. Nowadays artificial lights are used, but in the beginning candles were used to illuminate the tree."

"Isn't it dangerous to put lit candles on a tree?"

“Since the tree is green, the risk is reduced, but you don’t leave the candles burning all the time.”

Hong nodded in agreement before going back to devouring his breakfast, getting it all over his face, so much so that Cale had to grab a napkin and wipe it off.

“There will be a lot of decorations,” Rosalyn commented. “And I’m not even considering what will be needed to decorate the rest of the Castle.”

The dragons nodded in agreement as Ron refilled their cups with sweet tea.

“We can order the decorations from the artisans in the territory, but there’s no guarantee everything will be ready on time,” the butler said.

“What if we bought some decorations and let the children paint and do the rest?” Choi Han suggested.

Raon flapped his wings excitedly.

“I like that idea, Choi Han strong!”

“We could make the decorations our own way,” On said.

“And we can invite Lock hyung’s brothers and the children from the Tiger Tribe to participate, nya!”

Lock nodded in agreement.

“My brothers would love to participate.”

Sheritt remained thoughtful for a few seconds before nodding slowly. “That’s an excellent idea. That part is settled then, and now—”

As planned, Cale left the division of tasks and resolution of any issues that might arise to his family and simply focused on finishing his pancakes while thinking about his comfortable bed and the morning nap he would soon take, treating the conversation around him about who would do what as background noise. A small smile began to spread across the redhead's face just thinking about how he was going to relax.

•°•°•°•

All of Cale's plans to take a nap after breakfast were wrapped in coats and scarves and thrown out the window into the snow that surrounded him at that moment as he accompanied the rest of his small group in the search for the "perfect Christmas tree" in the white, frozen lands of one of the northern kingdoms.

Cale had even gone back upstairs to his room after finishing breakfast and watching the whole family disperse to go and sort out their part for the Christmas party, and he could even hear the sweet call of his bed and blankets to lie down and just enjoy the soft, warm comfort until lunchtime, but Raon burst into the room with even greater enthusiasm than usual, accompanied by his brothers, and began throwing pieces of warm clothing at Cale, telling him to hurry up and get dressed so they could go look for a perfect pine tree to decorate the castle's living room.

The redhead even tried to reason with the child, but Raon was more insistent and determined, and when Cale realized it, he was standing on a magic teleportation circle wrapped in layers and layers of winter clothes, accompanied by the children, Lock and Choi Han, the two also seeming more excited than usual, heading straight for the cold lands of the north.

When the teleportation light disappeared, a world painted white revealed itself before them, all covered in soft, freshly fallen snow. Just looking at all that snow was enough to make Cale shiver with cold and tighten his coats even more, even with Raon's magic blocking any cold he might feel.

"Human, are you feeling cold?”

Cale shook his head in denial, more focused on observing his surroundings.

“Alright! But if you get cold, let me know and I’ll use even stronger magic!”

The redhead was sure there was no need for the child to cast a stronger spell, but he nodded in agreement nonetheless.

The cat siblings were already playing and jumping in the snow with Lock, while Choi Han remained vigilant beside Cale.

“Let’s finish this quickly,” he murmured, wishing he could return home as soon as possible.

With that, the group began to move in the direction where they could see the pine trees, with Raon chattering about all the decorations he planned to make while flying nearby.

Each step they took in the fresh snow made their feet sink up to their ankles. Luckily, the snow layer wasn’t thick enough to make them sink any further, but it was still annoying for Cale.

‘Hey, Cale! Let me try something here!’

The Sky-Devouring Water said before starting to move.

The redhead could feel his water power stirring and concentrating at his feet.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Try walking now!’

Cale did as requested, and to his surprise, his foot didn’t sink any further than a normal footprint in the soft snow. Paying closer attention, he noticed that a soft, light blue aura now enveloped his feet like a film.

‘You’re doing this?’

‘Snow is just frozen water.’ The ancient power replied proudly. ‘It’s not difficult to use my power to prevent you from sinking when you walk.’

‘Impressive.’

He was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected his power, always so destructive, to be so delicate.

‘I'm amazing, aren't I?’

‘Yes, you are.’

But as he took a few more steps in the snow as if he were walking on solid ground, another doubt arose in his mind.

‘Isn't this going to tire me out?’

For a few seconds there was no answer, then the Crazy Girl burst into loud laughter so loud that it made him blink a few times.

‘Boy, have you already forgotten the stick you stuck in your heart?’ The Stingy One asked while the Water continued laughing in the background. ‘The power of the World Tree has greatly strengthened you. You can rest easy.’

It was true. After stabbing the White Star, the dagger from the root of the World Tree disintegrated and was absorbed by Cale's body. His ancestral powers told him that the power present in the root had become his, but since the end of the war he had never had the opportunity or reason to test his limits and see how much stronger he had become, so he had no way of knowing how much he had been strengthened.

But even knowing that he was stronger, Cale still preferred to make sure that he wouldn't spit a single drop of blood in front of any comrade, especially the children. He had promised after the war that he would stop hurting himself and would rest, and even if he still couldn't rest the way he wanted, he intended not to hurt himself anytime soon in front of any family member.

'Speaking of which, are you still cold?' The Fire of Destruction asked, sounding a little too anxious.

'Actually, no. I'm quite comfortable.'

'Oh, what a shame.' He seemed genuinely disappointed. 'But if you get cold, let me know! I want to test something!'

'Just because I showed you a useful trick, now you want to do the same?'

'You're not the only one who can create tricks, you know?’

Ignoring the two ancient powers, Cale refocused on his surroundings, noticing that both Raon and Choi Han were watching his feet.

“Are you using an ancient power, Cale-nim?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t abuse your power, human! Or I’ll destroy all this snow!”

Cale stifled a sigh.

“I won’t, you can rest assured. I’m using very little power.”

Raon continued to observe him attentively, even narrowing his eyes at the redhead. After exchanging glances with Choi Han, the black dragon looked back at Cale with a serious expression.

“Alright, but I’ll keep an eye on you, human!”

“Right.”

With that, they returned to the purpose of their trip, beginning to look for the best pine tree to take home.

They passed several pine trees, but none pleased the children. Either it was too small, or too tall, or not full enough, or had a strange shape. Several were rejected after On, Hong, and Raon's rigorous evaluation.

After much searching, Lock pointed to a large pine tree, a good size for the castle room, quite full, with a strong and imposing appearance.

The children needed no more than a few seconds to decide that it would be the one.

Silently thanking them for finally finding what they were looking for, Cale gestured to Choi Han, who walked ahead, drawing his sword and with a single movement of the blade cutting the tree trunk. In conjunction, Raon used his magic to prevent the pine tree from falling and damaging the branches, quickly placing the tree back into its spatial dimension, previously cleared to ensure the pine tree would fit.

With that part done, they quickly returned to the Dark Forest, leaving the freezing cold of the north behind. Not that their home was much different, but at least the snow hadn't yet accumulated enough to make everything white.

As soon as they arrived at the comfort of their home, Cale and the others began brushing off the snow that had stuck to their clothes before venturing further into the Black Castle, with Raon already flying ahead, urging them to hurry so he could put the tree back in place. As Cale walked, he shed the extra layers of clothing, now unnecessary, which Choi Han had offered to hold before being stopped by Ron, who appeared out of nowhere to help Cale with the coats, his usual benign smile on his face.

When they entered the room, whose furniture arrangement had been altered while they were away to make room in one of the corners, they found Sheritt already waiting for them, her eyes shining with a jovial animation that matched Raon's. Beside her was the half-blood dragon, which now, thanks to the continuous research and studies of the dragons always present in the Castle and Mary, could assume a translucent human form similar to Sheritt's, who was also restricted to the interior of the Black Castle like the former Dragon Lord, being able to alternate between remaining in that human form or possessing the Black Bone Dragon.

“Mom, we got a perfect pine tree!”

“That’s great news, my son. Shall we put it in place?”

“Yes!”

Smiling gently at her son, the Dragon Lord waved her hand, and the bright white mana gathered and flowed to the free corner where a large, sturdy white marble vase emerged. At the same time, Raon removed the tree from its spatial dimension and carefully placed it inside the vase, ensuring that the branches didn’t hit anything, which was then filled with soil and stones. With another wave of her hand, all the snow that still accumulated on the branches or fell to the ground disappeared, leaving the verdant pine tree completely clean to be decorated.

For a few seconds they just silently observed the tree.

“It’s really a big pine tree.” The half-blood dragon commented.

Yes, it was indeed big. Too big, in Cale’s opinion. Much bigger than Cale had initially imagined it would be. They would really need a lot of ornaments to decorate that whole tree.

“Hmm, I think you’re right.” Sheritt murmured, carefully assessing the tree.

"But it's a beautiful tree, isn't it?"

"Of course it is, son. You chose very well." The Dragon Lord looked at the redhead. "Cale, is there a budget for this party?"

"Just buy what you need." Cale replied, dismissing the question with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry about the cost.”

He had enough money not to worry about expenses when organizing a Christmas the way the children wanted. And if anything, he only needed to ask his father for more money, or ask Alberu for another golden plate.

‘Hehehe! I love it when you think and act like that, my precious money angel! Hehehe!’

‘Oh, there he goes going crazy again.’

Once again, Cale ignored the nonsense of his ancestral powers.

The dragon's smile widened upon hearing the redhead's response, quickly pulling out a communication device and infusing her mana into the crystal.

“Lord Sheritt, any problem?”

Eruhaben's voice sounded through the device, the muffled, distant sound of people indicating he must be near a busy place.

“Just a small setback, Eruhaben.”

“Did the children manage to get a tree without blowing anything up?”

Sheritt hesitated to answer, looking at them with a silent question in his eyes.

Cale felt a little offended. They went to get a tree, not to loot someone's secret vault, so why would they have to blow something up?

“We didn't blow anything up, Grandpa Goldie! And we got a perfect tree!”

“Impressive, little boy. But what's the problem with you calling me?”

“The problem is that we might need more decorations than we stipulated earlier.”

Sheritt replied in a light voice, while Eruhaben remained silent for a few seconds.

“How much more are we talking about?”

“Double? A little more, maybe?”

This time the golden dragon's silence lasted longer.

“Of course.” Cale sensed a strange resignation in the dragon's voice. “I'll get more decorations.”

“And Cale said there's no need to worry about the cost.”

“That was to be expected. I'll talk to the others. We should be back at Castle Black in a few hours.”

“Right. Happy shopping.”

“See you later, Grandpa Goldie!”

•°•°•°•

When the group that went to town to buy ornaments for the tree and materials for decorating the rest of the Castle returned, the children were so excited that the newcomers couldn't even say a word before being surrounded by the little ones who could barely contain their own eagerness to start decorating everything.

With a few words, Eruhaben calmed the children long enough to take what they had bought to a smaller room in the Castle, which Sheritt had previously prepared so that the children could practice their crafts.

In the time between their return from the north and the arrival of those who had gone to town, Lock had returned to the village on the edge of the Dark Forest to fetch both his younger siblings and the tiger children, all now gathered in the craft room looking with excitement and expectation at the bags that the golden dragon, Rosalyn, and Mary were placing on the covered tables, fully aware of the Christmas party they would help prepare.

Beacrox, who had also gone to town to buy groceries to test recipes for Christmas dinner, went straight to the kitchen saying he was going to prepare snacks for the children.

Raon, excited and proud, insisted on showing everyone the pine tree they had brought before they started making the decorations, and to the little dragon's delight, all the children and even the adults who hadn't yet seen the tree were amazed by his work, commenting on how beautiful it would look when it was decorated.

So, all the children, full of energy and motivation, ran back to the room where the decorations were and began to work under the supervision of the adults who were not busy dealing with other matters for the party.

Cale was one of those responsible for looking after the children, even though he doubted that the children present in that room, all receiving training to become great warriors one day, needed any kind of supervision when they were handling paint, glue, tape, and colored paper. But since all he had to do was sit still, he didn't complain, preferring that to having to do some other task.

Unfortunately, his plans to remain completely still didn't go as expected when one of the younger wolf children ran towards him with a sheet of paper and scissors, asking for help cutting out the shapes on the paper. Cale didn't mind fulfilling the request of the child who gave him a smile with two missing teeth, but when he realized it, he was sitting on the floor between Hong and On, with his hair tied in a high ponytail, courtesy of Rosalyn, concentrating on cutting out the shapes the children needed from the colored paper with his fingers already stained with paint and some sticky parts of glue.

After a while of working, Beacrox called them in for dinner, casting lingering glances at their soiled clothes, including Cale, who was still trying to figure out how he'd gotten all those paint splatters on his clothes and why half of his right palm was stained blue.

Once they were clean enough to be acceptable to the chef, they were allowed to eat, with Cale having to watch the children to make sure they weren't eating too fast in their excitement to get back to finish the decorations.

With dinner finished, a little faster than usual, they returned to the craft room, the redhead practically being dragged along by the children, and went back to work, letting the creativity of their childish minds run wild as they painted, cut out, and glued the ornaments and decorations.

When the children, with the help of the adults, finally finished painting the Christmas ornaments to hang on the tree and the decorations for the rest of Castle Black, the room where they were working looked more like the scene of a paint war or the massacre of an entire group of paint tubes.

Thanks to Eruhaben's prior advice, the floor had been covered with a large, thick, waterproof fabric that ensured there were no stains on the floor, but in return the children were all covered in paint, glue, and bits of paper and tape. Some were so dirty that they seemed to have made a bet to see who could get the most covered in paint, glue, and paper.

As it was already late, Sheritt, with the help of Eruhaben, Rosalyn, Mary, and Choi Han, volunteered to organize and put away all the craft materials and decorations, indicating that the children should go wash up and get ready for bed, with Ron and Lock already going ahead to help the children.

Satisfied that he didn't have to worry about cleaning up all that mess, Cale didn't argue with the Dragon Lord, he just grabbed On, Hong, and Raon and went upstairs to his room, quickening his pace as he passed Beacrox standing near the door, whose left eye twitched as he looked at the lively wolf and tiger children covered in paint and glue from head to toe. Cale didn't want to have to take any responsibility for the children's state in front of the cleaning-obsessed chef, so he didn't even dare look back as he headed to his room.

On preferred to take a bath alone, not that she needed help, after all, besides being older and able to take care of herself very well, among all the children she was one of the cleanest, with only one or two paint stains on her face, arms, and clothes. Cale was dirtier than her, and most of what he did was cut paper.

The same could not be said of Raon and Hong, who seemed to have purposefully painted themselves with a variety of paints large enough to create a complete rainbow. So, while On was showering in one of the other free rooms, Cale grabbed some towels and Hong's pajamas and went to the bathroom in his own room, starting the bathtub to fill with warm water.

"Come here." He rolled up the sleeves of his stained shirt and called to the two boys who were still laughing and playing excitedly.

The two children quickly ran into the bathroom, and Cale began to remove Hong's dirty clothes, also wetting a smaller towel in the bathwater to clean the bulk of the paint and glue from his skin and scales before putting the two of them in the water. Once he was satisfied, Cale turned off the bathtub faucet, which had already filled sufficiently with warm water now covered in foam, and told the two boys to get in.

While Cale thoroughly washed Hong's hair, using a comb to undo the knots that had formed, the kitten washed its own body, stained with paint, taking a little longer to clean all the glue and paint from its hands. Raon, in turn, alternated between washing himself and using his magic to make the soap bubbles more resistant and make them float around the bathroom, the lights creating rainbows on the curved and translucent surfaces, chattering non-stop about how they should also use soap bubbles to decorate the castle for Christmas, with Hong giving his own suggestions. Cale just listened silently, occasionally nodding affirmatively at a question or comment.

With all the paint and glue cleaned, the redhead finished bathing the children, taking them out of the tub as soon as there was no trace of dirt left. While Raon continued playing with the enchanted soap bubbles, Cale helped Hong dry off and put on his pajamas before turning to the dragon. Everyone knew that Raon could only use magic to dry himself, but Cale said nothing as the child remained wet, waiting his turn to be dried, only gently rubbing the soft towel on his black scales until he was sure he was completely dry.

Once dry, Raon flew back to the room, heading towards On, clean and in pajamas, and Hong, who were sitting on the bed with a jar of cookies sent by Alberu in their hands, which they offered to their younger brother as soon as he approached.

Leaving the children playing and whispering amongst themselves, Cale grabbed more clean towels and his own pajamas before returning to the bathroom, changing the bathwater and washing himself until all traces of the afternoon of crafts were gone.

Once clean and dressed in his pajamas, Cale left the bathroom and returned to the room, noticing how the children were still whispering amongst themselves, but they stopped as soon as he appeared.

Cale didn't pay much attention to their behavior, more interested in sleeping, but he stopped when he heard what On said in a voice serious even to her.

"Cale, can we talk?"

Immediately, several scenarios flashed through the redhead's mind, each worse than the last, as he noticed how serious both Raon and Hong also seemed while awaiting his answer.

Pushing away the pessimistic thoughts, Cale walked to the bed, sitting down in front of the children who continued to watch him attentively, the cookies left aside.

"About what?"

The three exchanged glances in a silent conversation before turning back to him.

"Um, human… mmm… do you remember how you said we could ask for anything for Christmas?" Raon asked hesitantly, shifting his weight restlessly between his paws.

"I remember."

Had the children decided what they wanted and that's why they were asking for a conversation? But if that were the case, why so serious?

'Will it finally happen?'

'I hope so!'

‘It’s about time!’

‘That’s right!’

Cale had no idea what his ancestral powers were saying, but he didn’t have time to focus on them while talking to the children.

“Have you decided what you want for Christmas?” he asked when they fell silent.

Finally, On nodded in agreement, fidgeting incessantly with the hem of her pajamas and keeping her head down, which was unusual for her.

“There’s something the three of us want.” The silver kitten said softly.

“It’s a gift for the three of us.” Hong added loudly, even though she also seemed hesitant to speak.

“That’s right.” Raon agreed. “The three of us talked and realized we want this.”

Cale said nothing, waiting for the children to continue and say what they wanted. It wouldn’t be the first time they asked for the same things, even though they usually had different interests.

“And what do you want?” he asked in a gentle tone he didn’t even realize he was using.

Loosening the hem of his pajamas, On reached out to his siblings, holding Raon's paw and Hong's hand before the three of them looked up at the redhead. That action was enough for Cale to understand that whatever the children's request was, it was something more serious than he had initially imagined, so he prepared himself for what he would hear next.

But no preparation was enough for the words that hit him immediately afterward, completely shaking him from the inside.

"We want to be able to call you Dad."

After On spoke, the room fell silent as the four stared at each other without stopping.

Cale couldn't believe what he was hearing.

That request wasn't just the children wanting to call him Dad, it was them recognizing him as that figure in their lives and wishing that everyone else would recognize him as such too.

It was an unimaginable honor, even more so when Cale remembered everything those three children had suffered in relation to their families, especially On and Hong, who knew their parents, lost them in a terrible way, and had to fight to survive, only able to count on each other—very similar, too similar, to what Kim Rok Soo went through in his childhood.

He, as an abused orphan with a story so similar to that of the three children before him, understood better than anyone the weight of placing someone in the position of father and the responsibility of being placed in that position. The weight of trusting that the chosen person would remain, care for, and protect them, and of dealing with the trust placed on his shoulders when he became responsible for someone.

And seeing those three children, whom he had come to care about more than anything, whom he had taken in and strived to rescue from situations similar to those he had experienced when he was younger, saying that they wished he would occupy such an important and meaningful position in their lives, made Cale's chest clench with emotion.

He had considered them his children for quite some time. They were his children in every sense that mattered to Cale. And hearing them reciprocate his feelings was like hearing the affirmative answer to a question he didn't even know he wanted to ask.

There was no point in reflecting or overthinking on a matter that was already decided in his heart.

He loved those children. He would destroy Gods and ravage worlds for them. He was already their father, and perhaps it was more than time to let the rest of the world know that too.

‘Oh, we finally got to that conversation!’

‘The children are finally going to call Cale Dad!’

‘Yay!’

‘It was about time!’

‘These are our boy’s children, and everyone should know that!’

Ignoring once again the animated litany of his ancestral powers, Cale stretched out his arms, affectionately stroking the heads of the children who continued to look at him with a mixture of emotions in their bright eyes, such as hesitation, fear, doubt, apprehension, but also joy, expectation, and a happiness so pure that it seemed to make the atmosphere brighter.

“You don’t need to use a Christmas wish to ask me this.”

Cale’s voice took on an even softer and more tender tone, which he noticed and decided to ignore. He had the right to speak to his children like this in the safety of their room.

“I’ve considered you my children for a long time, even if I’ve never said it or made it so clear.” The children’s eyes widened and began to shine brighter. “That’s why you have every right and freedom to call me Dad if you want.”

On blinked repeatedly to wipe away the tears that were beginning to form in his golden eyes that looked like polished coins.

"You... you like being called that?”

A gentle smile, the kind On rarely saw anyone other than herself and her siblings use, appeared on the redhead's face as he patted the children's heads once more.

"I like it. I'm really happy, actually."

Raon, who also seemed to be holding back tears, let go of his sister's hand and approached Cale.

"So, can we call you Dad in front of everyone, human? Even those who aren't family?"

The redhead tilted his head toward the younger boy.

"Why would you hide that we're a family? I don't care what others might say. You are my children, and that's all that matters. And for me, there's no greater honor than being able to say I'm your father."

The little dragon began to blink even more, seeming to have to try even harder to hold back the tears. Hong didn't share his siblings' concern and began to cry uncontrollably as he threw himself at Cale, who caught him just in time, cradling the redhead against his chest.

As if Hong's emotional crying was the final push, On and Raon also began to cry and were pulled into Cale's lap, who hugged the three crying children tightly, stroking their backs and hair, murmuring words of comfort.

When the three calmed down and the crying ceased, Cale began to settle the four into bed so they could sleep comfortably. His children, still refusing to let go of him for more than a few seconds, snuggled against his body as soon as he lay down on the bed, with the cat children remaining in their human forms, unlike usual where they preferred to sleep in cat form.

But Cale didn't complain, he just wrapped his arms around them, holding them close.

"Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, Daddy."

"Goodnight, Dad."

The three murmured in their sleepiest voices.

"Goodnight, children." He murmured back, swearing he could feel the children's smiles as they heard his answer, his mind recording every second of that conversation.

And as he finally drifted off to sleep, Cale began to think about who he would need to look for soon, after all, he wasn't someone who did things halfway.

•°•°•°•

Mila and Dodori arrived early the next morning, bringing along a grumpy Rasheel, complaining about having his nap interrupted.

And with everyone present at Castle Black, they finally began decorating the Christmas tree, much to the children's delight.

With a snap of Sheritt's fingers, all the ornaments and decorations appeared in the living room, with the children quickly hearing praise for their excellent work with the ornaments, which made them all beam with pride.

Cale was sitting on one of the sofas, nestled among several comfortable cushions, again sipping lemon tea, determined to remain quiet and let the rest of the family take care of the decorating, at most offering a suggestion here and there, which didn't seem like such an impossible goal considering how excited everyone seemed about the idea of decorating. Cale was sure he would end up getting in the way if he got involved.

While the others were sorting the ornaments and decorations, chatting and pointing around trying to decide what to put in each place, Hong ran to Cale's side, skipping around as if his excitement prevented him from staying still for more than a few seconds.

"Dad, which ornaments should we start decorating the tree with?"

Cale could sense the moment when everyone present in the room who didn't yet know about the change that had happened between Cale and the children stopped when they heard the way Hong called him, many eyes turning to the sofa where the two were.

The redhead didn't mind at all and simply indicated a specific part of the ornaments.

"Start with the biggest ones and fill in the empty spaces with the smaller ones."

"Okay!" The little boy agreed before running off to his siblings once again.

The rest of the family seemed eager to ask questions, but they left their doubts for later and focused on finally starting to decorate the tree and the interior of the Castle.

Little by little, everything took shape and gained light and color.

Beacrox brought snacks and hot drinks. The wolf and tiger children began to sing silly songs common at parties and celebrations among the commoners, with Dodori, Raon, On, and Hong joining in soon after, the rest also joining in the songs. Choi Han walked around the room balancing the boxes of ornaments while trying to keep up with Rosalyn, who used her magic to levitate the ornaments to their places on the tall pine tree. Sheritt and Eruhaben watched, especially the children, attentively to ensure that no accidents happened. Rasheel continued grumbling about his lost sleep, glancing enviously at Cale, who remained comfortably seated amidst his soft cushions, drinking tea and eating the biscuits he had received from Beacrox without lifting a finger to help with the decorations, while the gray dragon was constantly being pulled by Mila to help with something.

After a few hours of work, longer than necessary thanks to the various games the children kept inventing amidst the joyful laughter, the decoration was finished. A decoration that, in Cale's opinion, would leave any Christmas lover on Earth crying with happiness, it was so beautiful.

The pine tree, once green and ordinary, was now entirely covered in colorful ornaments, adorned with large bows, ribbons, and strings of metallic beads, with candles, enchanted so as not to melt or set fire to anything around them, gently illuminating each ornament placed on the tree with a delicate warm light. Inverted arches of garlands made of pine and ivy with golden tinsel interspersed in the foliage hung from the top of the windows. A large holly wreath, with its blood-red berries standing out against the dark green of the pointed leaves, hung above the fireplace.

Halfway up the ceiling of the room, tiny balls of light, more like fireflies, floated gently, resembling small moving stars, courtesy of the half-blood dragon, who seemed very proud of his own work as he admired the lights he had created.

Rising from his place on the sofa, Cale began to record every detail of what his family had done with their skill, wishing to keep that moment forever.

As he slowly turned without moving from his spot, a familiar weight settled on his shoulders and two slender, furry bodies rubbed against his legs.

“Huma-….d-dad.” Raon called to him, still seeming embarrassed and hesitant to call him dad.

“What is it?”

“I didn’t ask before, but why do we decorate a pine tree for Christmas?”

Looking down, the redhead realized that the kittens showed the same curiosity as the dragon.

For a few seconds he thought of an answer, reviewing his notes.

“The pine tree doesn’t lose its leaves in winter; on the contrary, it keeps them green as if it weren’t even affected by the cold that made the leaves fall from other trees.” He answered slowly, childhood memories mixing with his notes. “Because of this resilience, because it stays alive even in the season where all other vegetation dies, the pine tree has become a symbol of life, hope, and renewal. A symbol used to celebrate the continuity of life even in the adversity of winter and the fertility that would return with the warm season.”

Cale couldn’t help but remember how his original name, Kim Rok Soo, was chosen by his parents for this same symbolism. To remain green even in winter and to bloom splendidly. To resist adversity and live well.

His parents, in giving him that name, wished that even if he suffered in life, he would still be able to have a good life and find happiness. And for a long time after his parents' death, Kim Rok Soo wondered if the wish behind his name would ever be fully realized, after all, he only continued to face and resist the relentless winter, without ever glimpsing the promised warmth. The only moment he thought he would finally be allowed to bloom, that he found comfort, security, and enough warmth to cultivate hope, was completely ripped away from him without any warning. The warmth he thought was the announcement of the arrival of the summer he so longed for was just a fleeting Indian summer that left behind the biting cold of an even crueler and more merciless winter.

But now, standing in that completely decorated room, in the company of the people he had come to call family and with his children around him, the now Cale Henituse realized more strongly than ever that the winter he had become so accustomed to that he wasn't even bothered by its cold had finally left, allowing spring to slowly settle into his life, bringing with it the light, color, and warmth that had always seemed distant to Kim Rok Soo in his life of survival and constant struggle.

And Cale couldn't be happier.

Bending down slightly, careful not to unbalance Raon, Cale stretched out his arms to the two kittens who quickly jumped into his embrace, snuggling against his chest.

"And the candles? And the other decorations, Dad?" On asked.

“Candles have a similar symbolism, representing life and the light that remains even in the most difficult and dark times, also being a symbol of the hope of the sun that will return, of the warmth, of the summer that returns after winter.” Cale paused. “In fact, all the decorations are chosen to refer in one way or another to this idea of persevering in the adversity of winter and the warmth that will return with the change of seasons.”

The redhead indicated the room around them.

“Christmas is basically a family celebration to celebrate the life that is born and survives even in winter and that will return in its fullness in the warmer season.”

No one said anything after Cale finished speaking, everyone seeming focused on fully absorbing the redhead's words.

“It's a holiday with very beautiful symbolism.” Mary commented, breaking the serene silence, her robotic voice softer than usual showing how emotional she was.

“Indeed, it's a holiday full of beautiful symbols.” Eruhaben agreed, also in a soft voice. “Bringing the family together to celebrate life is the kind of celebration that suits us well.”

None of them disagreed with the ancestral dragon's comment. After the war against the White Star, after all the deaths and tragedies they had experienced, after the destruction they had come so close to, celebrating life seemed more necessary than ever, so they silently thanked Cale for deciding to hold the current celebration and bring them all the traditions and symbolism present in Earth's Christmas. This would certainly be a celebration they would hold every year from then on.

“And what do we do now, Dad?” Hong asked, resting his fluffy paws on the redhead's chest.

Cale thought for a while, his gaze slowly drifting to the excited children surrounding Lock and Choi Han.
“What do you think about some games?”

“Which ones, human?” Raon asked, jumping off Cale’s shoulder and starting to fly around him, his blue eyes shining with excitement.

“You can choose whatever you want. It doesn’t have to be a specific Christmas game.”

“Oh, I have one!” Rosalyn said excitedly, already putting her hand inside her space bag. “It’s a typical board game for the children of the nobility of the Breck Kingdom. I used to play it as a child, and my brothers did too. I decided to bring a copy as a gift for the children.”

The mage raised her bright gaze to the rest of the family who watched her pull out the game board and pieces, placing everything on a nearby table.

“I think we can play this one first.”

The kittens jumped from Cale’s arms and, along with Raon, ran to the mage, carefully observing the game pieces.

“Clever Rosalyn, will you teach us how to play?”

“Of course, Raon-nim, but he might be a little difficult at first.”

A low snort came from Rasheel, who finally managed to sit down on one of the sofas, looking determined not to move again for the next few hours.

“As if a game for human children is going to be a real challenge for a dragon.”

“I wasn’t trying to offend. I know Raon-nim’s abilities well, and I know how exceptional he is. But maybe it’s not possible to understand the dynamics of the game right away.”

“Don’t worry, clever Rosalyn! I’m amazing, but I still have a lot to learn!”

“Alright, then let’s begin.”

After Rosalyn set up the board and explained the game, distributing everything they would need to play, Rasheel had to admit, through grumbling, that it was a more difficult game than he had initially imagined, especially since the difficulty level could be chosen by the players themselves.

Cale, who chose not to play, recognized that game as a version of the Breck Kingdom from Earth RPG. It was a multiplayer game in a hypothetical scenario where they needed to solve and overcome challenges to reach their goal, involving knowledge of politics, economics, leadership, and the ability to make decisions and improvise when necessary. Rosalyn also explained that there were individual versions whose journey was decided through cards, with the outcome and path followed varying according to the player's choices.

The more Cale observed the game, the more he understood why the nobles encouraged their children to play that board game. It was a way to apply in "practice" what the future nobles of the kingdom learned, especially in scenarios more focused on politics and leadership, and to discover what they would be like when they assumed their parents' positions.

But Cale didn't pay much attention to that detail. The children seemed to be having a lot of fun, and that was enough for him.

After some time playing, the half-blood dragon left the room to get something Sheritt had asked for, and taking advantage of the moment, Cale also left, saying he needed to go to the bathroom.

Quickening his pace as soon as the door closed behind him, the redhead went after the half-dragon, finding him quickly.

"Hey."

The half-blood dragon stopped at the sound of his call, turning around with a surprised look.

"Young Master Cale, is there a problem?"

Cale pulled the communication device from his pocket and extended it to the half-dragon.

"Can you connect me to His Majesty?”

A look of doubt crossed the half-blood dragon's face as he glanced from the device at Cale and toward the living room, from where the muffled sounds of loud laughter and complaints seemed to emanate from Rasheel.

A silent understanding dawned on the half-breed's translucent eyes.

"Do you need a shield to block the sound as well?" he asked, infusing mana into the orb and connecting the call to the capital.

"I'm fine as is, thank you."

"You're welcome, young master. If you need anything else and I can help, don't hesitate to contact me."

Responding with a nod, Cale began to walk away, entering a nearby bathroom, as the call ended and Alberu's still-tired face appeared on the screen.

If Cale was going to go ahead with the decision he made the previous night after hearing the children's request, then he needed to do things the right way. And for that, he needed to contact the right people to help him and seek out everyone he would have to involve in his plans.

First on the list was Alberu, who watched him with careful hesitation, as if trying to figure out if this was a call that would increase his workload or not.

“To what do I owe the honor of calling about the precious treasure of the Kingdom of Roan?”

The blond narrowed his eyes at the screen before Cale had a chance to answer, his expression becoming more sullen.

“You’re calling me from a bathroom?”

The redhead ignored the incredulous question, focusing on his objective.

“Your Majesty, I need your help.”

Alberu’s posture changed as soon as he saw how serious the redhead was, to the point of skipping all the usual exaggerated and ridiculous greetings, not even trying to provoke him with the blatant disrespect of contacting the ruler of Roan from inside a bathroom, of all places.

“What kind of help do you need?”

“I want to know how the legal adoption process works among the nobility in Roan.”

Alberu’s eyes widened at the request, but he quickly understood the purpose behind it. A softer smile spread across his face.

“There are a lot of formalities and bureaucracy.”

He admitted, recalling what he had studied about Roan’s legislation, and that was enough to make Cale’s serious expression even more sour as he probably thought about all the paperwork he would have to deal with.

“But I can pull some strings and cut out a good part of this useless bureaucracy, leaving only what is truly essential to carry out the process.” He continued in a gentle tone.

A cheerful smile appeared almost immediately on the redhead’s face upon hearing that.

“As expected from the bright sun of our Roan! We are all truly blessed to have such a ruler—”

“Where should I send the papers?” Alberu cut off the flattery before it became more absurd.

“For the Henituse estate. I intend to speak with my father as well.”

“That’s a good decision.”

It wouldn’t be prudent or acceptable, in fact, to add three more members to a Ducal family without first consulting the Duke Regent and receiving approval for such action. Not that Alberu thought Duke Deruth would refuse to officially have Cale’s three children as his grandchildren, but it was better not to risk it, besides, having the Duke’s approval greatly facilitated the completion of the adoption.

“I’ll get the papers and documents ready as soon as possible and send them to the Duchy.”

“Thank you very much, hyung. And if you could keep it a secret.”

“I’ll do my best here.”

“Thank you.”

“And how are the preparations for the Christmas party going?”

Alberu asked, curious to participate in a typical Earth party after hearing from Rosalyn about how the preparations were going. If he weren't so busy preparing for the solstice festivities, he would have taken a few days off from his administrative work and gone to the Dark Forest to participate in whatever his friends were doing there. Luckily, Christmas would happen after the solstice, which would allow Alberu to go to the party and enjoy some time with his family.

Cale grimaced at the question, taking a moment to answer, thinking about how in less than three days everything seemed to have already spiraled out of control, becoming much bigger than Cale had initially imagined.

"Intense."

He finally said, which was enough to make Alberu start laughing, understanding how everything must be as chaotic as possible, as was to be expected from Cale Henituse's family.

•°•°•°•

“Dad! Wake up!”

“Daddy, come on!”

“Dad!”

Cale would have preferred to stay asleep, hidden under the covers on that cold morning, but his children seemed to have a slightly different idea.

“Hmmm.” He mumbled sleepily as he rolled over in bed, still without opening his eyes.

“Human! It snowed during the night. It’s still snowing now!”

“It’s all white, just like where we went to get the pine tree, nya!”

“Now we can make snowmen, nya!”

“We can make our family out of snowmen!”

While the children chatted excitedly as always, Cale finally poked his head out from under the covers, looking towards the window which already had its curtain open, probably courtesy of Ron, allowing him to see the hazy morning sky and the snowflakes falling gently. Cale definitely wanted to spend the rest of the day hidden under the warm blankets, but the children's insistence led him out of bed and to the main floors of the Black Castle.

Grabbing some bread rolls from the kitchen, Cale accompanied his children to the garden, the castle grounds as white as when the structure resided in the Castle of Light on the eastern continent.

Amidst the snow, the other children were already entertaining themselves playing with the falling flakes and making snowmen of various shapes, with the adult tigers watching and playing along with the children. The rest of the family was also present and celebrated when Raon, On, and Hong appeared bringing a fully bundled-up Cale along.

'Ha! This is my moment to shine!’

The Fire of Destruction roared as the cold wind hit Cale's face, seeming far too excited for the redhead's liking.

"What the hell are you talking about now?"

"You had your chance to pull off your useful tricks up north, now it's my turn! You'll see how amazing I am too!"

"Huh, since when did this become a competition, guys?" Cale wasn't interested in talk of his ancestral powers, only in how he could get even warmer.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Hehehe! Look at this!"

That guy seemed crazier every day, but Cale ignored it as he felt his fire power surge throughout his body and a kind of invisible film cover his skin, cutting through any wind and warming his entire body.

"How about that?"

"Impressive."

"I know. You won't feel cold anymore." "You could even take off all the coats you're wearing and just stay in your underwear and you wouldn't feel a shiver of cold, even in a blizzard."

The Stingy Man seemed very convinced and proud of his own work, and Cale didn't disagree, already thinking about how that ability could be useful to him in the future.

"Please, let's avoid taking off our clothes to verify the veracity of this claim, okay?" Super Rock asked. "We don't want to leave the rest of the family terrified wondering what's going on."

Cale agreed, after all, he never thought about testing the words of the ancestral power in practice, more than happy to trust its assertion. He was too comfortable and warm to risk feeling cold on purpose just because his ancestral power miscalculated the ability.

"Dad, come help us!"

On called him from where she and her younger siblings were making their snowmen, and Cale went to help them.

With everyone working together, the snowman family took shape, each one representing a member of their family, with every detail carefully chosen by the children.

As soon as the large family of snowmen was finished, the children went back to playing in the snow. Some lay on the white ground making various snow angels, others tried to catch the snowflakes that had fallen again, but when a snowball flew towards one of the tiger children from one of Lock's younger brothers, who smiled with the childish mischief of someone who had a good idea for a game to play with his friends, the tranquil atmosphere dissolved into a snowball fight.

When his children, after Raon cast a protective spell around the snowmen, also joined the dispute, Cale silently retreated closer to Castle Black, leaving the snowball fight to his family.

While watching the game, which became more intense and lively by the minute, Ron appeared beside him, arranging a chair and a small portable table so that Cale could sit down, before serving him a cup of lemon tea.

The redhead settled into his chair and began to sip his tea, as sour as ever, sighing with satisfaction as he felt the pleasant warmth wash over him, so much so that he could even ignore the sourness that lingered in the tea.

“The main house sent a message, young master,” Ron informed him after taking a few sips of tea.

“What?”

“Some official documents arrived from the capital addressed to the young master.” Ron’s tone of voice didn’t change, but his smile sent shivers down Cale’s spine. “I hope it’s not more work, young master.”

He could sense the subtle threat hidden in the butler’s words that he would receive even more sour teas in the future if they were indeed documents related to some work.

Taking another sip of tea, Cale returned his focus to the snowball fight that seemed to continue escalating, with Raon and Rosalyn now using magic to build snow forts.

“Don’t worry about it. These aren’t work documents. It’s a favor I asked Alberu for.”

“A favor from His Majesty?”

“You’ll find out soon.”

“Should I ask the main house to send these documents?”

“No need. I’ll pick them up myself and take the opportunity to talk to my father about this matter. I think we can go this afternoon and take the opportunity to buy the gifts.”

“As you wish, young master. I’ll have everything ready.”

“Thank you, Ron.”

•°•°•°•

That afternoon, Deruth was in his office organizing the Duchy's paperwork and trying not to look at the official documents placed in a corner of his desk that had arrived earlier that day, addressed to his son Cale, who, as soon as he learned of the papers' arrival, had said he would come by to pick them up and discuss some matters with Deruth.

He didn't know what to expect from the conversation with Cale, but he supposed, and prayed that, it wouldn't be anything too serious or problematic. Hopefully, it would just be something related to the party Cale was organizing to celebrate a holiday from his old world, and those documents wouldn't mean him taking on more of Roan's official work and further disobeying his order to rest.

And while he was concentrating on his work, a knock sounded on the door, followed by his eldest son's voice.

"Come in."

Cale quickly settled into one of the chairs placed in front of the desk.

"Father."

"Son, it's good that you came to visit. How have you been?"

"Fine. A little busy organizing the party."

“I hope you’re not overdoing it with this party, son.”

Cale shook his head.

“I didn’t do much, actually; the rest of my companions took care of most of the organization.”

“That’s good.” Deruth commented before taking the stack of papers and handing it to his son, wanting to get rid of that matter once and for all. “This arrived early from the palace. I hope nothing serious is happening, Cale.”

The redhead took the papers and broke the wax seal, beginning to leaf through the contents.

“Actually, there’s something I need to tell you, father.”

“What is it?”

“I intend to officially adopt On, Hong, and Raon.”

Deruth blinked.

Cale wasn't sure what to expect from his father's reaction to revealing his intentions. He wished, from the bottom of his heart, that his father would accept his intention and approve the adoption of the children, allowing them to receive the Henituse surname and be recognized as part of the family, because he didn't know how he would handle everything if he disagreed.

Of course, being his father, he would hardly reject the idea of Cale adopting the three children, but the risk still existed, so he was a little apprehensive while waiting for the Duke's answer.

"Adopt? You plan to adopt the children who always accompany you?"

"Exactly, father."

"Does that mean I'm going to be a grandfather?" Deruth asked, a little more excited.

"Hmmm... yes?"

"I'm going to be a grandfather! How wonderful!" Deruth exclaimed triumphantly. "I need to tell Violan. She'll also love knowing she'll be a grandmother!"

"So it's okay to go ahead with the adoption?"

“Of course, my son! Oh, should I keep this matter more discreet?”

The Duke, knowing his son's tendencies, thought it more prudent to ask.

Cale nodded in agreement.

“It would be excellent to keep it a secret until the Christmas party. I want to surprise the children, Father.”

“Of course, my son, don't worry about it. Your mother and I know how to keep a secret.”

The Duke seemed incredibly cheerful as he murmured to himself.

“Should we have a party later to announce the new members of the family? A public announcement?”

“Hmm, I don't think that's really necessary, Father.”

“Nonsense. You have to celebrate when the family grows! We'll need to alter the family tree to add your children. I need to start organizing things.”

Cale wanted to say more, but his father seemed so excited and lost in his own thoughts as he picked up a blank sheet of paper and began writing down names and what needed to be done that he decided to leave it alone for now. He would deal with these issues of parties and public statements later.

At least he got his father's approval to continue with his goal. Now he needed to talk to the others involved.

Saying goodbye to his father, who remained excited as he continued with his work, Cale put the documents sent by Alberu in his space bag and went to meet his other companions who were waiting for him to go shopping in the city, all excited to buy Christmas presents.

And that excitement didn't diminish at all when they finally arrived at the crowded streets of Rain City, which were even more decorated for the solstice than before, with people coming and going about their daily business while vendors advertised their products and tried to attract customers to their shops.

Cale's group decided to set a meeting point and dispersed through the streets in search of the gifts they planned to give to their family, spending hours walking through the shopping streets, visiting countless shops in search of what they were looking for.

When they finally reunited and returned to Castle Black, their arms were full of boxes and bags of gifts that still needed to be wrapped and placed under the decorated pine tree to be distributed and opened on Christmas morning.

Cale would have preferred to leave the wrapping of the gifts for the next day or just ask Ron to do it, but at the insistence of the children he joined them and wrapped each gift he bought in the pretty paper that Mary and Raon had chosen, even making bows with the available ribbons to decorate the packages. And that night everyone went to sleep excited and satisfied to see the piles of presents that filled the area around the large Christmas tree in the living room, eager for the day to give and open all those gifts.

•°•°•°•

Cale opened the outer kitchen door of Castle Black, carefully tapping his boots on the outside of the doorframe to remove the snow stuck to the soles before entering so as not to receive a sharp look from Beacrox as he left a trail of dirt on the floor as he walked.

Outside, it was still possible to hear the laughter and conversations of the children who continued playing with the sleds that Hans and Hillsman had brought with them when they arrived to visit that morning, having fun as they repeatedly slid down the snowy hill of a nearby clearing.

Upon entering the kitchen, greeted by the warm heat thanks to the fire burning on the stove and the delicious smell of the food Beacrox was preparing, Cale noticed that along with the chef were Sheritt and Eruhaben, both dragons having tea and talking with Beacrox about the dishes the chef planned to prepare for Christmas dinner, Ron appearing soon after.

“Ah, that’s good. You’re all here.” He commented, drawing the attention of the four to himself. “I can talk to everyone at once.” “Is there something you want to talk to us about, Cale?” Sheritt asked.

Before answering, the redhead looked towards the door, trying to discern if anyone had followed him.

“There’s no one else around besides us,” Eruhaben commented, understanding his intentions, snapping his fingers immediately afterward and making golden dust rise. “And no one who approaches will hear the conversation.”

Dragons were the best, he thought, satisfied.
Feeling more at ease, Cale approached where the dragons were sitting, taking the documents he had received from Alberu out of his pocket and placing them on the table.

Four pairs of curious eyes fixed on the paper as Cale settled into one of the chairs.

“Official documents from Roan?”

The golden dragon asked, raising his gaze to the redhead who merely gestured toward the papers, his reddish-brown eyes carefully assessing them.

“These are a matter I wanted to discuss with Lord Sheritt, Ron, and Beacrox.”

While the three mentioned watched curiously to see what kind of matter Cale and Alberu was discussing, Eruhaben raised an eyebrow.

“Should I withdraw, then?”

Cale shook his head, denying it.

“There’s no need, Eruhaben-nim. It’s not as if you don’t also have some involvement in the matter.”

Now the ancient dragon was more interested in knowing what those documents bearing the royal seal were about, probably the same documents that the main house of the Henituse had informed Cale the previous day had arrived from the capital.

“What are these papers about, Cale?” Sheritt inquired, interlacing his fingers on the table.

Cale looked intently into the Dragon Lord's blue eyes, very similar to Roan's, taking a deep breath before explaining the goal he had set for himself the night the children began calling him father.

"I intend to officially adopt On, Hong, and Raon," he said with a firm and decisive voice.

Four pairs of eyes widened simultaneously at Cale's statement.

For a while, no one said anything, only looking at the papers or at the redhead who remained seated with a more serious expression.

Sheritt's blue eyes went back and forth between the papers and Cale's serious expression. Ron didn't take his eyes off the redhead, while Beacrox alternated his gaze between the papers on the table, his father who remained silent, and his young master, still serious. Eruhaben, on the other hand, watched him with satisfaction, as if approving of the redhead's decision, completely setting aside his previous surprise.

"Are you sure about this?" Sheritt finally asked, fixing her gaze on Cale.

"Absolutely."

“And what do you want from me?”

Cale frowned, a little confused by the question.

“You’re Raon’s mother. I want to make sure there’s no problem with me adopting him.”

Sheritt observed the redhead for a few more seconds before letting out a clear, joyful laugh, full of affection.

“What kind of problem could there be with that, Cale?” the Dragon Lord asked, smiling. “You’ve been taking care of my son for years, being a true father to him, so much so that he even calls you that now. How could I deny you the right to make it official if that’s your wish?”

“So, is it okay if I proceed with the adoption process?”

“Of course, Cale. It doesn’t bother me at all to know that Raon will legally be your son, quite the opposite, I’m genuinely happy.”

Sheritt’s smile was bright in a way that only appeared when she spoke of her son.

“I suppose neither the little boy nor the kittens know about your idea,” Eruhaben commented.

“No. I’m trying to keep it a secret from the three of them.”

The elder dragon nodded in agreement.

“It will be an excellent Christmas present.” Dragons were truly the best, Cale thought as he watched Eruhaben once again understand his intentions perfectly without needing further explanation.

“That’s wonderful news, young master.” Ron commented, drawing attention to himself. “But where do my son and I fit in?”

“I told you you would soon know the contents of the favor I asked of His Majesty, didn’t I?” Cale asked, indicating the papers. “Take a look.”

Ron hesitated as he looked at the documents, seeming uncertain whether he should actually read them.

“Read them.” Cale insisted. “The matter they deal with is related to you and Beacrox as well.”

How would the adoption of the three children be related to the Molan duo?, Ron wondered internally as he observed his young master, who seemed more like an adult than ever in his eyes.

Yielding to the insistent, resolute gaze that demonstrated complete certainty in what he was doing, Ron pulled the stack of papers toward him and began to leaf through its contents, with Beacrox, who had set aside preparing lunch for a few minutes, reading over his father's shoulder.

When Ron stopped at a page, father and son's eyes focused on a specific part of the document, rereading the same passage several times.

“Young master, this—”

“I think it’s about time to make things official, don’t you agree?”

Ron remained silent for a few seconds before letting out a low laugh.

“Yes, it’s about time.”

Turning to his son, a silent conversation took place between the two Molans, before Beacrox nodded in agreement.

“It’s something we’ve discussed before, and if the young master agrees, there’s no reason not to move forward with this decision.” The chef said.

“Great.” Cale replied, feeling much more relieved inside. “I’ll fill out the paperwork and send it to Alberu as soon as possible to make the adoption official as soon as possible.”

Sheritt’s smile softened as she reached across the table to shake Cale’s hand.

“It’s very kind of you to make this decision, Cale.”

“I’m just doing the bare minimum for the children.”

Suppressing a long sigh, Eruhaben simply shook his head, thinking about how Cale’s bare minimum would be considered the maximum by other people, but he knew it was useless to argue about the matter with the redhead who always had a very distorted idea of what he was supposed to do and assume.

“The children will be very happy when they find out about this.”

“I hope so.” The redhead murmured, finally allowing himself to relax and return to his usual expression.

With the conversation resolved, Beacrox returned to the stove to continue preparing lunch while Ron put the stack of papers back on the table and got up to make a cup of tea.

Eruhaben drank from his half-full cup of tea again, and Sheritt pulled out the adoption papers, beginning to leaf through the pages, her eyes lingering longer on some specific sections, sometimes seeming to well up, especially when she reached the part where the children’s full names were listed.

Satisfied that he had managed to speak with everyone he needed to in order to resolve the issues surrounding the adoption of his children, Cale relaxed, leaning back in his chair, his gaze wandering to the window from where he had a good view of the snow-covered trees of the Dark Forest and the sky beyond. In the distance, it was still possible to hear the excited shouts of the children playing with the sleds, seemingly in a race, judging by what Cale could discern from the cries he heard.

A soft smile appeared on his lips as he heard the pure joy in those shouts. An unconscious smile for the redhead, but one that did not go unnoticed by the others present in the kitchen. A genuine, pure, soft, delicate smile, full of affection and gentleness that Cale didn't even realize he was showing, and that his family always appreciated when it appeared. Wishing that peaceful smile would linger a little longer, Ron placed the steaming teacup before the redhead, who picked it up without paying much attention, already bringing it to his lips, blowing on it for a few seconds and taking a small sip.

As soon as the hot liquid entered his mouth, Cale noticed that something was different, quickly realizing that it wasn't the lemon tea he expected, but a sweet chamomile tea.

The redhead cast a suspicious glance at the butler, who remained standing nearby with his usual benign smile on his face, wondering if the matter involving the adoption of the children had affected the old assassin so much that he had made a mistake when preparing the tea. Choosing to leave the matter aside, Cale concentrated on enjoying the rare sweet tea, which spread a comfortable warmth across his chest, oblivious to the amused look Ron was giving him.

The tranquil silence that settled in the kitchen was comfortable, bringing with it a sense of peacefulness that helped calm Cale's agitated mind.

“Hum, Beacrox?” He called to the chef, already halfway through his cup of tea.

“Yes, young master?”

“Would it be a problem if I used the kitchen tomorrow?”

Beacrox stopped mid-chopping, turning to look at Cale.

The redhead shuddered inwardly.

Could that intimidating chef not look at him that way when he was holding an extremely sharp knife?

“For what purpose?”

“To make traditional gingerbread cookies with the children.”

For a few seconds, which seemed much longer to Cale, Beacrox observed him intently, seemingly judging the veracity of his request.
That intimidating, territorial, torturing chef.

“I think it should be fine.” He finally replied, resuming chopping the vegetables with enviable speed and precision. “If you could tell me the ingredients you’re going to use, I can check if you have them all or if you’ll need to buy them.”

Cale nodded before taking a pen and paper from his space bag and beginning to write down the gingerbread cookie recipe he had memorized, leaving the paper within the chef’s reach as soon as he finished listing all the necessary ingredients.

It didn't take long for Beacrox to finish his preparations in the lunch kitchen and pick up the paper, his eyes quickly scanning the list of ingredients before heading to the pantry to check if they had everything.

Meanwhile, Cale continued drinking his tea, accepting when Ron offered another cup of the same sweet tea, which once again made the redhead wonder if there was something wrong with the older man.

"Young master, we have all the ingredients, but this one here," Beacrox indicated one of the ingredients on the list, having checked everything in the pantry, "I've never heard of it.”

Cale looked at the indicated item. Ginger. He knew there was a certain difference between the vegetables of that world and those found on Earth, with some that he had come to eat daily being exclusive to his new home while others he knew from Earth did not exist there, not to mention how some vegetables had different names depending on the region they visited. Part of him already expected this, so he decided to try another approach.

“Ginger is a perennial plant that has a knobby root that is the part used both in cooking and in medicine. It is aromatic and has a strong flavor, being spicy and slightly sweet.”

The chef considered the description before shaking his head negatively.

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“The root has a rough, brownish peel, is fibrous, and can be used fresh, dried, powdered, crystallized, and even preserved.”

He described a little more, hoping to get something, but once again Beacrox just shook his head.

“I don’t recognize it, young master.” “Maybe it’s not a plant that exists in this world,” Ron pointed out.

Sheritt tapped her chin thoughtfully.

“I don’t remember ever seeing a plant like that while I was alive.”

“I think I might have seen something similar in my youth, but I’m not sure.”

The peace Cale was feeling slowly faded.

How could he make gingerbread cookies without ginger or an equivalent?

He needed to find a substitute as soon as possible.

Cale had promised his children they would make gingerbread cookies. He couldn’t let them down.

•°•°•°•

A feeling of disappointment washed over Cale as he tasted another spice the vendor offered and realized it wasn't close enough to what he was looking for to replace the nonexistent ginger in that world.

This one was too sweet and mild.

"Didn't you like it, young master?" the vendor asked nervously.

"It's not what I'm looking for."

The young woman, a few years older than Cale, looked agitatedly at the selection of spices and seasonings they had for sale, wringing her fingers incessantly.

"It's a very specific flavor you described, young master. Unfortunately, what I showed you is the closest to your description that I have at the moment."

"I understand."

"But I can talk to my suppliers and see if I can find what you're looking for."

"No need to bother." Cale replied before placing a gold coin in the young woman's hand and starting to walk towards the door.

"Thank you for helping me."

"W-wait! Young master Cale! That's a lot of money! You didn't even buy anything!"

“You can stay. Consider it a payment for the good service.”

The young woman seemed stunned, blinking repeatedly, not seeming to believe what she was hearing, before bowing deeply.

“Thank you very much, young master! Come back anytime! And have a happy solstice!”

Cale left the interior of the shop, which smelled of a unique and singular mixture of seasonings and spices, returning to the cold streets.

-Did you find the spice you’re looking for, human?

Raon’s voice filled his mind as soon as he set foot on the sidewalk, soon followed by the familiar weight on his shoulders and the sweet smell of the caramels the children had bought earlier.

“No.” He replied, letting some of his frustration show in his voice.

Choi Han and the kittens waiting outside the store, having taken advantage of the time Cale spent searching for ginger in yet another place to buy more sweets at one of the capital's busy shops, approached the pair.

"What do you intend to do now, Cale-nim?" Choi Han asked, smiling gently as he accepted one of the caramels On offered him.

The redhead swallowed a sigh as his gaze wandered down the busy street in one of the capital's commercial districts.

Ever since Beacrox said he didn't know what ginger was, Cale had begun a search for the spice, turning to everyone he could reach, talking to Lock and the wolf pups, to Gashan and the tigers, to Mila, to Rasheel, and even to the half-blood dragon, but none of them knew the spice the redhead needed to make his cookies. However, he didn't give up, and in the company of Choi Han and the children, he decided to go to Rain City to search the city's markets and shops. When he found nothing even after visiting every shop he could, he decided to go to the capital hoping for a different result, but he remained in the same situation after searching in several different places.

He was already beginning to convince himself that the task of making gingerbread cookies would be much more challenging than he could have imagined when he promised the children a gingerbread house.

"Are we still going to make cookies if we don't find this ginger, Dad?" Hong asked, his golden eyes standing out along with his rosy cheeks.

"Of course we will," he replied immediately.

After seeing how committed and excited everyone was about Christmas, he wanted to make the traditional gingerbread cookies and provide a real Christmas for his family, but he wouldn't deny his children something simply because it wasn't exactly what he planned or imagined doing, even if it displeased him.

However, this didn't stop him from feeling terrible.

He fought against the White Star.

He sealed the God of Despair.

He won countless battles with very little damage and practically no casualties.

He stopped the Indomitable Alliance and practically unified the western continent, which was on the brink of a general war, while gathering extremely powerful allies.

But he was losing a battle he never thought he would be fighting, against a stupid spice.

Cale refused to give up. He promised they would have a gingerbread house, and he would keep that promise, even if he had to scour the world to find a worthy substitute.

"Raon, let's visit some friends," he said, making his decision.

And so the small group set off on a pilgrimage in search of ginger or something similar.

They visited Litana in the Jungle, who was delighted to receive them, being hospitable as always, immediately calling Bin to arrange rooms for them to rest and to notify the kitchens to prepare various dishes, which, judging by the description and quantity, made Cale believe that the queen intended to offer them a banquet.

Before Litana could continue issuing orders to her subordinates, Cale interrupted her, explaining the reason for the visit and what he was looking for, and she quickly ordered Bin to bring the condiments available in the Jungle that most closely matched the description.

Unfortunately, nothing Bin brought was ginger. Some were similar in flavor, but they weren't exactly what Cale was looking for.

Thanking Litana and Bin for their help, the redhead said goodbye, promising to visit again in the future, and the group set off for their next destination.

Chief Harol was surprised and alert to see the unexpected group appear before him, relaxing only after seeing that it was Cale, Choi Han, and the children. Toonka, on the other hand, was euphoric to see his friend again.

Without wasting time, especially when Toonka started talking about having a party and gave not-so-subtle signs of wanting a friendly fight with Choi Han, the redhead explained the purpose of his visit to Harol.

Once again, Harol seemed surprised to hear about his motives, but nodded in agreement, assuring him that he would try to make the best possible selection of spices and seasonings from the Whipper Kingdom that approximated what Cale described.

But not even Harol's good will and Toonka's toothy grin, which sent shivers down Cale's spine, changed the fact that they hadn't found what they were looking for once again.

Leaving the Whipper Kingdom and a sad Toonka behind, they continued traveling, passing through Mogoru, the Caro Kingdom, the City of Life, the Breck Kingdom, and in none of them could Cale find a spice or seasoning that he could use to perfectly replace ginger.

Without many more options on the western continent, Raon took them to the east, where they spoke with the bandits at the inn in the free city, with Bud, and even with Queen Jopis. None of them knew of a spice like the ginger Cale described, but they tried hard to find something close.

Finally, the group ended up in the Endable Kingdom, having tea with King Fredo, who as always was very excited to receive Cale, trying to flatter him in every way he could and insisting on calling the redhead his son even with Cale's warnings.

"That's an unusual request, my son," Fredo commented after hearing Cale's explanation of the purpose of his visit. "What do you want this spice for?"

"To make cookies with the children."

"Oh, how lovely of you to bake cookies with my grandchildren!”

The vampire cooed, looking at the two cats and the dragon, who returned disgusted glances.

“We are not your grandchildren, you weird vampire.” Raon retorted, stuffing cookies into his mouth, with the two cat brothers agreeing.

Fredo merely smiled kindly at the children before turning back to Cale, who was growing increasingly irritated with the vampire. Choi Han, vigilant about his overlord's every micro-reaction, fiddled with the hilt of his sword, ready to respond immediately if necessary.

Ignoring the master swordsman whose aura exuded menace, Fredo continued speaking cheerfully to Cale.

“I can’t guarantee I’ll find exactly what you’re looking for, my son.” The redhead grimaced at being called son again. “But I’ll do my best. Is there anything else you desire that I can help you achieve?”

Cale thought for a moment, a certain memory resurfacing as his gaze focused on the cookies that Raon and Hong continued to devour.

“Those cookies that White Star sent when I was disguised as Naru.” Fredo raised his eyebrows at the unexpected comment. “Is there any way to get the recipe for those cookies?”

The redhead felt several eyes focus on him when he uttered his request.

The others could say whatever they wanted about the fact that Cale wanted the recipe for that white bastard's cookies, but it was undeniable to him that those were the best cookies he had ever tasted in both worlds, surpassing even the delicious cookies that his hyung always had available in his office.

(In his office at the royal palace of Roan, still bogged down in paperwork, Alberu felt inexplicably indignant for absolutely nothing. For some reason, probably the instinct developed after so much time spent together, his mind quickly visualized a certain redhead as the culprit. He hoped not to receive any more work soon.)

“Of course, my son.”

The vampire king replied with a soft laugh, gesturing to his assistant Solena, who bowed respectfully before leaving the room to provide what had been requested.

To Cale's dismay, however close the condiments Solena brought might be to ginger, none were close enough to what the redhead desired, but he still kept the closest ones, just as he had done everywhere they had been. Regardless of what happened, Beacrox would receive a large increase in its stock of spices and seasonings when Cale and company finally returned home.

However, not everything was a loss, because he also got the complete recipe for the most delicious cookies and could ask Beacrox to make them whenever he wanted. Maybe he should send a copy of the recipe to Alberu and thus guarantee delicious cookies whenever they had to meet to discuss some important matter.

(Now Alberu was trying to understand why looking at his cookie jar made him feel offended.)

Carefully storing the recipe in his space bag so as not to even crumple the paper, Cale focused on the spice jars placed on the table next to the plate where there had once been cookies but now only the crumbs left by the children remained.

It was complicated trying to find something to replace the ginger when he didn't know how the different spices would react when placed in a cookie. It could be as good as the original, or it could become something completely different, which wouldn't necessarily be good. That's why Cale was taking so long to find something that really pleased him, but without success.

His frustration at not being able to do what he wanted only increased. Who would have thought that making a gingerbread house could be so challenging? He just wanted to find the powder from a fibrous, sweet, and spicy rhizome to put in his dessert. It shouldn't be something so absurd or impossible to achieve.

As if sensing his frustration, his children gathered around him, rubbing against his body until Cale began to stroke their heads.

"It's okay, Dad. It's alright if we don't make a gingerbread house," On said as calmly as ever.

"Yeah, Dad! We can make other kinds of cookies!" Hong agreed excitedly.

"Yes, Dad! We can make all kinds of cookies! And use them to make a huge house! A life-size house!"

Cale grimaced at Raon's excited comment, imagining the work they would have to do to make a life-size gingerbread house. Not only would they need many, many more ingredients, but they would also have to build a larger oven, or rather, several enormous ovens to handle baking so many cookies. And the amount of icing for decoration? The engineering required to structure and keep everything standing?

He shook his head, pushing away the absurd thoughts. They wouldn't make a life-size gingerbread house.

“You don't need to put in so much effort to do this, Cale-nim.” Choi Han commented gently, looking from the spice jars to the redhead. “As long as we do it together, it will be special.”

“Choi Han is right, Dad!”

“Yes, nya!”

Cale listened attentively to his family's comments, understanding their intention to comfort him and feeling an indescribable sense of warmth welling up in his chest.

He knew they weren't wrong and that he was probably making the whole gingerbread issue bigger than it needed to be, but he was committed to making a proper Christmas for his family and promised the children they would have a gingerbread house. Even though they now said they didn't care if they were gingerbread cookies or not, Cale remembered how excited the three of them were when he talked about that specific tradition, eagerly awaiting the day to bake the cookies, and he wanted to live up to his children's expectations.

And above all, deep down, Cale wanted his first Christmas with his family to be perfect, a desire that grew even stronger as he watched the celebration take shape around him and realized how excited everyone was about celebrating a different holiday, always eagerly anticipating what would come next.

He wouldn't give up seeing his family enjoy all the Christmas traditions, including the silliest and most unnecessary ones. And he definitely wouldn't lose to a gnarled root that decided not to grow in its new world.

And with no other options, Cale turned to the last being who could help him, a certain God who had been very silent since their last conversation after the end of the war. The redhead hadn't forgotten what he discovered in that conversation, nor the fact that the God of Death hadn't said another word about the matter in recent months, which only served to increase the antipathy he felt for the pathetic and whiny deity.

He could very well use that meddlesome and inconvenient guy to get what he needed and perhaps force him to divulge more information about what he wanted to know.

Reaching into his space pouch, Cale pulled out the black book that had knocked him out in the past, resting it on his crossed leg.

“Are you really going to talk to him?” Choi Han asked, looking at the book with a hint of disgust.

“It doesn’t hurt. Besides, this guy still has a lot to tell me.” Cale replied, tapping the book cover with his index finger. “Isn’t that right, God of Death?”

There was no answer. Absolutely nothing.

The redhead frowned even more as the children looked suspiciously at the object, which emanated an aura of death.

“Is he ignoring you, Dad?”

“Apparently, yes.”

But Cale wouldn’t give up so easily.

“Hey, Raon?”

“What is it, human?”

“Do you still have some bombs?”

The little dragon flapped his wings excitedly.

“I always have bombs! Shall we blow something up?”

“That will depend on how willing a certain someone is to talk.” He answered, staring intently at the book, which after a few seconds began to vibrate, growing stronger until it opened on its own, words appearing on the blank page.

‘Alright! I’ll talk to you, you cruel redhead!’

“Who’s being cruel here? I just wanted to talk, but you kept ignoring me.” Cale spoke in a sweet voice.

‘You… *sigh* ahhh… I guess I asked for this by getting so involved with you. But don’t you think you could be a little kinder to me after everything I’ve done for you? *sob*’

“I don’t have time for your complaints. Are you going to help me or not?”

‘Insensitive. Do you realize how much work this will take?’

“Yes or no?”

No words appeared on the page.

“Do you really want us to visit one of your temples to test the bombs Raon created?”

‘Okay! We don’t need to go that far! I’ll help! But you’ll need a time limit!” I don't want Equilibrium to come after me anytime soon!’

"How long?"

‘Fifteen minutes.’

"Three hours."

‘Half an hour.’

"Two.”

‘One hour! That’s the most I can manage! And just you. If there are more people, it’s less time I can keep you hidden from the eyes of other gods.’

Cale didn’t like the idea of them being closely watched by a bunch of meddling deities, but unfortunately it wasn’t something he could prevent from happening at the moment, maybe in the future. And leaving his companions behind, however unideal, was still something Cale could handle. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d moved alone, and this time he wouldn’t be heading towards a pool of dead mana or the statue of an evil god, so everything should be alright.

“Alright, we’ll take an hour. Now, when?”

‘Give me ten minutes to get everything ready, okay?’

“Are you going to do anything, Cale-nim?”

“Just a quick solo exploration.”

“Are you going to be alright, father?” Hong asked worriedly. “Of course. It’s not like I’m going to face some enemy. Besides, the God of Death wouldn’t let me get hurt, would he?”

‘Yes.’

“How long will you be gone?”

Cale’s gaze shifted to the notebook where new words were already forming.

‘Time will pass the same way.’

“An hour, at most.”

Sitting beside him on the sofa, Raon nodded with a serious, chubby face.

“An hour, human. If you don’t return within an hour, I’ll take my brothers, Strong Choi Han, and go to the nearest Temple of Death to test my bombs.”

‘What a cruel child!’

Cale thought the same as the God of Death, but he didn’t reprimand the boy for his promise, only patted him on the head, which made a smile appear on his reptilian face and the kittens start rubbing against his body again, begging for attention.

‘All set!’

"Be back in an hour."

"Don't be late, human!"

"Be careful, Cale-nim."

"Don't do anything stupid, father."

Cale simply nodded before a bright light began to emerge from the black book and everything around him changed.

•°•°•°•

Kim Rok Soo was standing in his new kitchen, sipping a good cup of coffee to fully wake up and have enough energy to start his workday, when he felt an aura of death surge and a familiar redhead appear on his sofa, materializing out of nowhere.

For a few seconds they just stared at each other without reacting, until the Korean pointed to the nearby coffee maker.

“Want some coffee?”

Cale shook his head in denial as he stood up from the sofa, his reddish-brown eyes scanning the entire space and absorbing every detail of the new apartment.

“No, thank you.” The redhead refocused on the brunette. “I need ginger.”

Kim Rok Soo didn't even blink or ask questions at the absurd request, he just took another large gulp of strong coffee before nodding.

“Just let me change and get my wallet.”

“I'll wait, but I can't take too long.”

“Do you need to be somewhere else?”

“It’s more like a time limit to avoid problems.”

With a nod of understanding, Kim Rok Soo finished the rest of his coffee in one gulp and went to his room to change.

“How much time do you have?”

“One hour.”

“That’s not much.”

“It’s all the Death God managed to arrange.”

“I figured.”

No matter how powerful and solicitous the God of Death was, he always had the strange ability to fall short in many of the things he set out to do, even if he always fulfilled his promises in one way or another.

“Have you been in this apartment for a while?”

“A few months.” The Korean replied, buttoning his shirt. “Bigger apartment, safer area, closer to work and my niece’s school.”

“It’s a beautiful apartment.” Cale commented. “How are things with your niece?”

A happy smile appeared on his face, reflected in the mirror as he combed his messy hair.

“Better than ever.” He replied, satisfied. “She slept at Kim Min Ah’s house last night.”

“She made friends with Kim Min Ah’s daughter?”

“Yes. If they could, those two would always be inseparable.” Kim Rok Soo replied, coming out of the room with some extra clothes in his hand.

“You’re smiling like an idiot.”

Cale commented, sitting back down on the sofa. The Korean took the opportunity to more closely examine the redhead's clothes, confirming that although they weren't as flashy as those he usually wore at that age, they still stood out from what everyone else was wearing.

"Don't blame me for acting like this. You'd be surprised how idiotic someone can become when talking about a child."

The redhead remained silent for a few seconds, and Kim Rok Soo could swear Cale's ears and cheeks were turning red when he looked away.

"I know that well. From personal experience."

The Korean took a few seconds to process the words before being hit hard by their meaning.

"You have a child?"

"Three, actually." The redhead tilted his head. "Or fourteen, depending on your point of view.”

There was a significant difference between three and fourteen children, so much so that Kim Rok Soo wondered if he was hearing correctly.

“I need more details, Cale.”

“It’s a long story.”

“As always.” He sighed softly, realizing that once again they wouldn’t have a chance to have a proper conversation. “Did you adopt them all or…?”

In his view, Cale never seemed like the type of person interested in romantic relationships, but who knows what direction his life would have taken in the new world?

“I adopted them all.” The redhead answered directly. “Or more precisely, I just accepted that they were my baggage and that I needed to take care of them.”

“Ah! You took them in out of moral obligation and now you present them as your children to everyone and give death stares to anyone who dares to say otherwise?”

Kim Rok Soo asked provocatively, to which Cale responded with an eye roll and a low grumble that sounded a lot like an idiot, eliciting a low laugh from the Korean.

“So, what are your children like?”

Almost immediately, Cale's expression softened, his eyes acquiring a gleam that Kim Rok Soo had grown accustomed to seeing reflected in his own eyes since his niece appeared in his life.

"Well, eleven of them are Lock and his siblings, who survived thanks to my intervention, probably." The older man nodded in agreement, happy to learn more about the changes his fellow transmigrant had made to the dark future/past he knew. "I took them in and became their guardian, but we haven't yet decided where our relationship stands, so for now, I'm just their guardian, not their father."

Rok Soo nodded in agreement.

"I understand. It's not an easy process. And the others?"

"Two are blood brothers, members of the cat tribe, On and Hong. They were orphans living on the streets of Rain City whom I took in." In all the years that Kim Rok Soo lived as Cale, he never imagined, much less knew, about two cat brothers living in his city. "My youngest, Raon, is a dragon.”

He choked hard after hearing the last part, looking with pure disbelief at the redhead who remained calm, as if he were talking about the weather and not about having a dragon as a son.

“How did you…? Wait. Is it the black dragon?”

Cale’s gaze darkened.

“Himself.”

“I see. Right. I’m glad you managed to save him too.”

“Me too.”

The redhead nodded softly before pulling a black book from his coat pocket, emanating the aura of the God of Death, checking something on the first page.

“I really wanted to talk more, but as I said, I have limited time.”

“Right. No more stalling. Here, put this on.” Kim Rok Soo said, extending the black jacket he was holding. “Your pants and boots can pass, but this coat and shirt are too flashy to avoid stares.”

The younger man’s gaze dropped to his own clothes, his face taking on an air of someone who had just realized something.

“I think you’re right, but this jacket is going to be too big for me.”

“It’s not my fault you managed to lose all the muscle I left in this body. After all, how did you get so skinny? Are you eating right?”

Cale rolled his eyes again, which irritated the Korean more than he thought he would, before grabbing the jacket and putting it on over his coat, looking like a child wearing his father’s clothes, but still managing to make it work well enough. To further hide his appearance, Cale also concealed his striking red hair with a cap and put on a face mask.
With both dressed in their coats, they left the apartment and headed for the elevator.

“There’s a market two blocks from the building, where they have plenty of fresh produce,” Rok Soo explained while they waited for the elevator. “You’ll probably find ginger there.” Cale nodded. “And speaking of which, why do you need ginger to come all the way here to get it?”

“To make Christmas cookies.”

The Korean was silent for a few seconds.

“Cookies?”

“It’s the first Christmas we’re celebrating, and I promised the kids. And there’s no ginger in the other world. I looked for it.”

“Ah, that explains everything.”

Promises were promises and needed to be kept, even more so when made to children. However, hearing about Christmas, a holiday that didn't exist in his original world, made him realize that Cale might have made a decision that he himself didn't know if he would ever have the courage to make.

"Does the family already know?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Yes," Cale replied carefully.

"How did they react when they found out the truth?"

"Better than I expected," the redhead admired. "Of course, Dad had about three kinds of existential crises at the same time and cried a lot. Mom managed to keep her composure better, but she was also shaken. Basen and Lily… they had various reactions. Anger, frustration, sadness, pain, and a lot of confusion."

As much as Cale tried to maintain his usual indifferent tone, he could perceive the subtle touch of emotion present in every word about their family, very similar to the way he had spoken about them in the conversation they had in a dream months ago.

“I was worried they would hate me when they found out the truth,” Cale admitted.

“But they didn’t,” Kim Rok Soo stated confidently, knowing well who his family was.

“They didn’t. In fact, they accepted me as their son and brother. They understood his reasons for doing what he did and regretted not having had the chance to have one last real conversation.”

Rok Soo felt the same, wishing he had had the chance to say goodbye to his family, a wish he carried with him for over twenty years. But if the reward for never having fulfilled that wish was knowing that his family was alive and well, then it had been worth it.

“Dad even tried to figure out how to fit Kim Rok Soo into the Henituse family tree.”

“He tried to do that?”

“I’m almost certain he succeeded.”

Another laugh escaped him as the elevator arrived and they both stepped inside, fortunate that it was just the two of them.

“I’m glad to hear that.” He commented, genuine relief bubbling in his chest. “So now everyone knows about the transmigration?”

“Only the closest ones.”

Rok Soo nodded in agreement. This wasn’t a subject to discuss openly.

“Is the family doing well?”

“Yes. The Duchy continues to prosper, Besen is being even more recognized as the successor, and Lily is even better with the sword.”

“I’m glad to hear that. And thank you for continuing to take care of them.”

“They are my family, of course I will take care of them.”

A more discreet smile appeared on the Korean’s lips, who slightly changed the subject, deciding to ask more objective questions due to the limited time they had to talk.

“And the Roan Kingdom?”

“On its way to becoming an Empire under the command of His Majesty, Alberu Crossman.”

“Impressive.” He whistled, admiring but not surprised. “Untamed Alliance?”

“Destroyed before it could cause any significant damage.”

“Arm?”

“Eliminated. Any remaining fools foolish enough to continue acting under that name will not have a peaceful end.”

“The White Star?”

That was the most important question. Kim Rok Soo had no doubt that Cale would have won, but he needed to be sure that that damned bastard would never return.

However, the redhead's silence made him look to the side, his mind racing towards answers that wouldn't please him. But it only took noticing that Cale was smiling, in a very malicious way, beneath his mask for any doubt he felt to evaporate instantly.

"That bastard got exactly what he deserved. His soul was completely destroyed and his body reduced to dust. Nothing remained of him."

Hearing those words, which seemed to come accompanied by a chorus of angels, made an equally malicious smile, the kind Raon would ask who they were going to loot, appear on the Korean's face.

"Good. Very good to know that."

Shortly after, the two left the elevator and the building, beginning to walk through the streets as small snowflakes began to fall gently from the misty clouds above, heading towards the market that Kim Rok Soo had mentioned earlier.

All along the way, Cale carefully observed everything they passed, his eyes shining discreetly and peculiarly as he registered what he saw. Some people looked at him for longer, noticing his different features, but not to the point where he bothered to show any kind of reaction.

Rok Soo didn't interrupt the redhead, leaving him in peace while he revisited his old world.

Upon arriving at the market, the conversation resumed, with them exchanging information as objectively and clearly as they could about what had happened in the last two years in their respective worlds, clearing up the doubts they still carried with them about what had happened to what and whom they knew.

And as expected, they found the much sought-after ginger.

"Since I've come all this way, I'll take advantage of it.”

Cale murmured before grabbing a large quantity of the spice, in different processed forms, ranging from fresh to powder.

“Are you going to make cookies for an army, by any chance?” Rok Soo asked, seeing the amount of ginger the redhead was buying.

“I’m making sure I don’t waste the trip.”

“If you say so.”

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the redhead also picked up some bottles of Soju, creating an interesting and peculiar combination in his purchases.

The way back to the apartment was also filled with more conversations about what happened in their worlds, with Kim Rok Soo becoming increasingly surprised as Cale recounted his exploits, wishing he had more time to talk with the redhead and receive more details about the last two years.

“Thank you for your help today, even though I showed up out of nowhere.”

“Don’t worry about it, Cale. I actually appreciate the visit and the gift you gave me today.”

The redhead blinked, confused.

“But I didn’t give you any gift.”

The Korean simply smiled without giving further explanation.

Perhaps Cale didn't realize it, but everything he said in that short period of time, explaining how he had managed to completely change the dark and terrible future that Rok Soo had lived, thus saving his family and the world, was one of the best gifts he had received in years.

Everything Cale told him was proof that he had made the right decision when he accepted the deal with the God of Death on that doomed battlefield.

"I don't think we have much time left."

Picking up the black book from before, the redhead checked the page once more, nodding slowly.

"Yes. Just a few more minutes."

"That's a shame. I still had a lot I wanted to talk about. Maybe another time."

"Same here. But if I take more than an hour, there will be temples being blown up."

He couldn't tell if it was a joke or not just looking at Cale's expressionless face.

"Is this a joke?"

"Ah, no. I'm being quite literal.”

He even considered asking how that was possible, but remembered that his colleague's youngest child was a dragon, who probably had more than enough ability to blow up a temple.

"Right."

It was best not to insist on certain matters.

"Here. Keep this since I couldn't pay for what I bought." Cale said, placing a pearl and silver brooch on the kitchen counter.

"Don't you think you're exaggerating?"

The redhead shrugged.

"I have several of these."

"I know. But I'm not charging for what I did today."

Cale disregarded the Korean's words.

"Just keep it. Use it to buy a gift for your niece for me."

"I just want to see when I try to sell a jewel like this."

"Say it's a family heirloom."

He laughed at how relaxed and comfortable the redhead seemed handing over a jewel, which was probably worth a fortune, in such a casual way. Cale might not have been born a Henituse, but he had acquired the family spirit after so long.

“If that’s the case, then thank you. I’ll buy her the best gift possible.”

The younger one nodded contentedly.

“And speaking of gifts,” Kim Rok Soo commented, going to the refrigerator and taking out a jar. “Consider this my Christmas gift.”

Cale looked from the jar of kimchi to the Korean who remained watching him with a smile.

“No need to bother.”

“I accept it right away, Cale. How long has it been since you ate real Korean food? Choi Han must also be missing the food here. Take it.”

After some further consideration, the redhead finally took the jar.

“Did you buy it or make it?”

“This is Kim Min Ah’s special kimchi,” he explained, which made Cale look at him as if he thought he was crazy.

“And you’re just going to give me this? Do you have any idea how many fights have broken out in the office because of this kimchi?”

“Don’t worry.” Rok Soo leaned forward as if to share a secret, even though it was just the two of them in the apartment. “Just between the two of us, but I got extra kimchi this year because of my niece who loves it.”

The redhead let out a low snort, shaking his head at the older man.

“If the others find out about this, they’ll start a strike.”

“Ah, I know that. That’s why I can’t brag about getting more.”

Looking completely convinced, Cale put the kimchi in the space bag along with the rest of his purchases, the clothes he borrowed earlier folded and placed on the sofa.

“Looks like my time here is coming to an end.” He commented, looking at the book that was slowly beginning to light up.

“It was a good conversation, however brief it may have been.”

“Yes, it was.” Cale sighed. “We really need to meet up one day without a time limit to have a good conversation.”

“I agree. But until then, take care.”

“I can say the same to you.”

“I’m almost certain that my tendency to run towards danger is less than yours.”

“I don’t run towards danger. It comes after me.”

“Still in denial?” He provoked, receiving a furious look from the redhead who seemed to want to throw something at him.

“Idiot.”

“Happy Solstice and Merry Christmas, Cale.”

“To you too, Kim Rok Soo.”

“Take good care of our family.”

“And you take good care of our subordinates.”

“You can count on it. And good luck with your cookies.”

“Thank you. I hope I can convince Raon not to make a life-size gingerbread house.”

“Good luck with your cookies.”

With that, the time that continued ticking on the timer printed on the first page of the black book reached the end of the waking hour, and the same light from before shone again, and when Cale could see again, he was back in the room where he had left his children and Choi Han.

“Human!”

It didn't take a second for Raon to collide with his body, slightly taking his breath away and making him stumble a step.

"You arrived three seconds early, Dad!" declared the boy.

Great. At least the God of Death got that perfectly right.

"Did everything go well, Cale-nim?"

"Are you alright, Dad?"

"Did you get the ginger, Daddy?"

Choi Han and the two kittens also surrounded him with attentive and worried looks.

A satisfied smile appeared on the redhead's face, who looked at the black book still in his hand as an idea began to take shape in his mind. Maybe he could make that God even more useful.

"Everything went well, yes. Now, shall we make these cookies and assemble our house?"

"Let's go!"

The children agreed immediately, their previous excitement returning in full force.

•°•°•°•

After much arguing, Cale managed to convince Raon to give up the idea of making a life-size gingerbread house, and after repeatedly promising Beacrox that they would be very careful and avoid burning, setting fire to, or breaking anything in the kitchen, assuring him that he could go about his business without worry and that Cale would keep everything under control, they were able to start making the long-awaited cookies.

Following Cale's guidance, the children helped to separate the ingredients and make the dough, with lots of flour flying everywhere amidst the amused laughter of the little ones, who seemed to be having a lot of fun while creating a little chaos.

Cale prayed that Beacrox would be possessed by the Christmas spirit and overlook the mess in his kitchen.

With the dough ready and cooled thanks to Raon's magic, and many flour stains scattered across their clothes, they rolled out the dough and began cutting out the cookies, using the various molds the children had chosen when they previously went to the city, with Cale focusing on cutting the dough to make the gingerbread house, using one of his registers as a guide.

With the cookies baked (Cale was very proud of himself for not burning any batches), the icing ready, and the sprinkles separated, it was time to start decorating the cookies, with all the children gathering around the large kitchen table to let their artistic talents flourish once again amidst the cookies and icing.

While the little ones laughed at their own creations, clearly having a lot of fun as they decorated more cookies and got covered in icing this time, Cale, with the help of his children, focused on decorating the parts of the gingerbread house and assembling it, sometimes needing to resort to Raon's magic to make sure everything would stay upright.

But in the end, all the work was worth it, and they finished the day with a pile of decorated gingerbread cookies, which, however covered in icing and sprinkles some might be, were undoubtedly delicious, and a large gingerbread house that, even though it was a little crooked in some parts, remained standing and was undeniably beautiful. Raon, Hong, and On had even made a family of candy snowmen in the gingerbread house's garden, which perfectly imitated the snowmen visible through the kitchen window.

Of course, as everything had a not-so-good side, the cookies came at the cost of a kitchen where it looked like a bag of flour had exploded, piles of dirty bowls and molds stacked in the sink, and a bunch of kids who looked like they'd gotten into a fight with bags of icing and colorful sprinkles.

And even with all the chaos and mess, the children's smiles made it all worthwhile.

Of course, hearing Beacrox's heavy breathing and Ron's low laugh at the kitchen entrance made Cale rethink all his choices and curse himself for not cleaning the kitchen before the chef returned.

Turning slowly towards the entrance, the redhead saw the father and son duo standing in the doorway, looking at the state the kitchen was in, at the children who continued laughing and getting messy with the leftover icing, and at the finished cookies on the table.

"We didn't burn, set fire to, or break anything." Cale hurried to speak, swearing he saw the chef's left eye begin to twitch.

"I see." Beacrox replied slowly while Ron continued smiling, looking very amused by what he saw.

The children, finally noticing the arrival of the two, began to greet them excitedly, the wolf children especially commenting one after another about the cookies they had made with Cale.

Hong, in boy form, with his face smeared with flour, cookie crumbs and icing around his mouth, and his fingers stained and colored from the sprinkles, climbed down from his chair and ran to the Molan duo with a plate of cookies prepared by On in his hands.

"Grandpa Ron, Uncle Beacrox, do you want cookies?" the kitten asked with a wide smile.

The chef looked at the smiling boy for a few seconds before picking up one of the cookies and taking a bite, with the butler doing the same.

“It’s delicious.”

Ron commented, making the children vibrate with excitement, all proud of their own work.

“Yes, it is.” Beacrox agreed, still looking at the state of the kitchen. “But I need my kitchen back to prepare dinner.”

Cale let out a low sigh.

“Sorry about the mess. We got a little carried away.”

The children agreed, looking more embarrassed than moments before, promising they would help clean everything up even though the chef said it wasn’t necessary.

‘Hey, Cale, I think I can help a little with the cleaning.’

The Sound of the Wind commented in the redhead’s mind, making him wonder what it could be talking about.

‘Wave your hand a little.’

The ancient power guided, and when Cale obeyed, a gentle gust of wind swept through the kitchen, gathering all the flour scattered across the surfaces into one spot. Faced with the sudden silence that surrounded him, he looked around to find all the children staring at him in admiration, as if that minimal display of power was one of the most interesting things they had ever seen.

“That’s so cool!” One of the younger tiger children exclaimed, jumping up and down without moving from the spot.

Cale didn’t understand. It was just wind sweeping flour. What was so interesting about that?

“Don’t just stand there staring at me,” he said, wanting to make the children stop looking at him that way. “Help clean up the kitchen.”

“Yes!”

As if previously trained (perhaps the wolf children really were after so much time near Beacrox), the little ones began to help clean the kitchen and put away the cookies, with Raon placing protective spells around the gingerbread house to ensure it remained intact until they could show it to the whole family.

Within minutes the kitchen was ready to be used again, with jars and more jars of cookies occupying a place on the counter, right next to the new stock of ginger and other spices that Cale had created on his recent pilgrimage, and they were politely ushered out of the kitchen by Beacrox, instructed to go clean up and wait for dinner, with Ron always nearby seeming to enjoy the whole situation.

Cale didn't argue with the chef, he just guided the children with Ron's help and prepared to give the children another bath.

•°•°•°•

The Winter Solstice came and went with its traditional festivities, which Cale and his family participated in in Rain City. They also made a brief appearance at the capital's party to fulfill Alberu's request, and had a more intimate family dinner where Cale made sure to serve the Soju he had bought, explaining what the drink was and the tradition behind it. He also let his family try the kimchi he had received as a gift.

Feeling the familiar taste of a typically Korean food, which seemed tastier than any of the times he had tasted it when he was Kim Rok Soo, left Cale with a strange feeling of nostalgia, but it didn't compare to the pure emotion that Choi Han showed when he tasted the kimchi after so long away from Korea. An emotion that seemed to increase even more when Beacrox said he would try to replicate the dish in the future.

And right after the solstice, it was time for them to celebrate Christmas with Cale's entire family gathering at Castle Black, which shone with all the delicate lights that the half-blood dragon and Sheritt conjured and scattered throughout the rooms and corridors, as if the stars themselves had descended from the sky to illuminate their home that night.

As the afternoon passed and night approached, the snow began to fall once more, further deepening the cold that permeated the Dark Forest, causing them to gather in the living room to enjoy the warmth of the crackling fireplace and the hot chocolate with gingerbread cookies that Ron served, all snuggled up with warm blankets and comfortable winter-themed knitted sweaters.

Little by little, stories began to be shared, some more absurd than others, with the dragons standing out when narrating their past deeds, which sometimes became the target of provocative comments or jokes from the elders. Other stories were lighter, told only with the intention of making everyone laugh, and some recalled small sweet moments from the past, maintaining a light and cozy atmosphere.

Alberu arrived a little later, coming straight from the capital and bringing Tasha with him, both in their dark elf forms and looking more radiant than ever as they were able to act in the way that made them most comfortable, without having to worry about appearances or decorum as they enjoyed a winter celebration with family and friends, quickly integrating into the group that gathered in the fully decorated room and receiving their own sweaters that matched those of the others and their cups of hot chocolate accompanied by the cookies that Cale and the children made.

Even the Henituse family was present, taking the opportunity to get to know the eldest son's friends and companions better, discovering a little more about how Cale met and helped each of them.

And little by little, amidst the laughter and conversation, the delicious aroma of the supper that Beacrox was preparing began to reach them, making them salivate as they smelled the spices and roasts, hunger beginning to creep in as they waited for dinner time, a wait that was worth every minute when they could finally sit around the large table in the dining room filled with the most varied dishes, many made following the descriptions that Cale provided to the chef about traditional Christmas dishes from Earth, all with the most delicious appearances that perfectly matched their smells.

And as expected, each dish prepared by Beacrox was absolutely delicious, making them want to repeat several times and leave the conversations aside, until they were completely full and satisfied.

After ensuring the children's faces were clean and that they were satisfied with what they had eaten, Cale tapped the side of his wine glass with his knife to draw attention to himself, standing up as soon as everyone was focused on him.

"First of all, I would like to thank everyone for coming today and for so readily accepting the idea of celebrating Christmas."

Several people raised their glasses in response, commenting on how beautiful the party was and that they wouldn't miss it for anything.

"And I would also like to thank you all." His tone became more serious. "I know it was a shock when you found out who I really was, and how and why I came to live here as Cale."

No one disagreed with the redhead, the memories of when they learned the truth still vivid in their minds. Many still found themselves thinking about everything that would have happened differently if it weren't for Cale being there with them, fighting and doing everything possible, and sometimes the impossible, to change the future that awaited them.

“But I will always be grateful that everyone accepted me and allowed me to continue calling them friends and family.”

A wide range of emotions filled everyone’s hearts as they heard those words, because they too felt an enormous, almost immeasurable gratitude for all the sacrifices Cale had made for them since he awoke in that world.

“Cale.”

Deruth called, rising from his chair with his wine glass in hand, his gaze completely fixed on his eldest son.

“It was undoubtedly a shock to discover that you weren’t exactly who we thought you were.” The Duke said, his voice becoming a little more serious. “And it was even harder to comprehend the fact that we would have to face such a dark destiny that the gods needed to intervene on our behalf, bringing you to us.”

Memories of the war and everything they had faced in recent years returned to the minds of all those present, who looked at the redhead with renewed gratitude and admiration.

“It was even harder for us,” Deruth looked at his wife and children, “knowing that the Cale we watched grow up was no longer with us.”

Amid the silence that filled the table, Deruth offered a gentle smile, full of paternal affection, much like the one Cale showed his own children.

“But I’m glad to know that wherever you are, the son I raised is well and happy. And Cale,” the redhead held the Duke’s gaze, feeling a slight apprehension tighten in the pit of his stomach, “even if your origins are different and we’ve only known each other for a few years, you are and always will be our son.”

Deruth and Violan raised their wine glasses toward the redhead.

“And you will always be our brother!” Lily added, raising her glass of juice, followed by Basen.

“Therefore, Cale,” Deruth continued, “we are also grateful that you chose us as your family and that you took care of us all this time.”

Deruth raised his glass higher toward his son.

“To Cale.”

“To Cale!” echoed the others, raising their own glasses.

The redhead, the target of the toast, looked at everyone raising their glasses in his name and felt his chest tighten as if enveloped in a strong, affectionate embrace, feeling as if he were free from any danger or threat and could simply relax. It was a feeling he hadn't felt in years, so much so that it seemed more strange than familiar, bringing back memories of a life he no longer lived, but which made him wish he could continue feeling it.

And, above any comfort and security, there was gratitude for being accepted exactly as he was, without reservations or judgments, something Cale had doubted for years would happen.

In the end, it seemed that the gratitude he felt was reciprocal and shared by everyone in that room.

"Thank you," he murmured finally, bowing his head respectfully to everyone he had come to call friends and family, and whom he cherished more than anyone else.

"We also thank you for being a part of our lives, Cale," Eruhaben replied with a weak smile, which everyone agreed with.

Each person in that room had their life changed in one way or another by Cale, whether by being saved or receiving help from the redhead. That's why they couldn't, or couldn't help but be grateful to the young master who continued fighting against every enemy, no matter how challenging and dangerous, so that everyone could be there that night enjoying that delicious dinner and each other's pleasant company without major worries filling their minds and hearts.

Taking a deep breath, Cale struggled to calm his agitated heart and regain his composure so he could finish what he intended to say. He still needed to give his gift to the children.

On, seated in the chair beside him, as if sensing the confusion of emotions pulsing in his chest, squeezed his hand in a silent gesture of support. And the warmth and stability conveyed in that simple gesture helped Cale even more to focus his thoughts and resume speaking, casting another glance at everyone seated around the table.

"I was thinking about the best time to reveal something I've prepared for tonight, and I think there's no better time than this."

Cale said, taking the finalized adoption documents he was keeping in his space bag and extending them to the children who were watching him with attention and curiosity.

"This is one of my Christmas presents for you three," he explained as On carefully took the papers.

Those who knew the contents of the documents smiled kindly at the small group of father and children, waiting to see how the three children would react to the surprise, while the others who didn't know about the adoption process waited to find out what kind of gift it was.

Amidst the expectant silence, On began to read the document silently, flanked by her two younger brothers who settled around her so they could read as well.

They said nothing as their eyes scanned the lines of text faster and faster, seeming eager to read everything. Their silence was making Cale uneasy, wondering if he had really done the right thing, even more so when he noticed tears forming in the corners of their eyes.

“H-human.” Raon called out, his voice trembling as he looked up from the document. “I-is this true?”

“Of course it is.”

He responded by crouching beside On's chair, whose hands trembled slightly.

"Hey." He called softly, also checking on Hong, who remained staring at the paper with wide, golden eyes. "Did you like it?"

The question came out hesitantly and in a lower voice than he intended, but he couldn't help showing this insecurity when his children seemed about to cry or showed no reaction other than shock.

But before he could ask another question, On dropped the document on the table and threw herself against Cale, burying her face in his chest as she began to cry softly. Hong and Raon, both emerging from the stupor of shock at their sister's action, also began to cry, more noticeably and audibly, and threw themselves into Cale's arms, who, with the combined weight of the three children, ended up falling on his backside with the children piled on top of him.

"It's okay."

The redhead continued murmuring softly as he stroked the three crying children, trying to comfort and calm them while the rest of the room just watched, with most not understanding anything that was happening.
In the midst of that unexpected confusion, Cale looked to Alberu, turning to his ever-reliable hyung for help, and as expected, he did not disappoint him.

"Cale has formally adopted On, Hong, and Raon," Alberu explained with a gentle smile as he watched his younger brother dealing with the emotional children. "That paper is the official document."

Alberu's explanation clarified everything they needed to understand to realize the origin of the emotion the three children seemed to feel at that moment, and soon everyone began to celebrate the news and congratulate both Cale, who remained fallen on the floor, and the three little ones who continued crying, clinging to their father as if afraid to let go.

"Yes," Cale agreed, rubbing the children's backs. "Now they are On Molan Henituse, Hong Molan Henituse, and Raon Miru Henituse.”

Several eyes turned to the Molan duo, who watched the scene of the redhead and his children with affection.

Neither Ron nor Beacrox gave much explanation about the two cats receiving the Molan surname, but those present that night knew their relationship with the children of the cat tribe well enough to understand that explanations were unnecessary. Just as On and Hong had a strong bond with Cale, they were equally close to the two Molans, with Ron even taking them as his pupils and training both children in the arts of stealth, so it was no surprise that the two brothers would also receive the surname of the ancient family of assassins.

And while the Molan duo remained calm, Deruth seemed to be in an ecstasy of pure happiness, with eyes so bright that it would not be surprising if he started crying at any moment.

"I'm so happy to have grandchildren! I've already arranged for all three to be added to the Henituse family tree."

"The Henituse family is lucky to have such talented children carrying their name." Violan agreed. “And we’re even luckier to be able to say they’re our grandchildren.”

“I’m an uncle.” Basen murmured in a light, admiring tone.

“And I’m an aunt!” Lily exclaimed excitedly.

No one bothered to even comment that Lily was younger than her own niece.

“Yes, yes, it’s incredible.” Cale commented, lying on the dining room rug, seemingly having given up on remaining seated while holding his children. “Now, what do you think about finishing dinner and opening the rest of the presents?”

The children, still clinging to the redhead, laughed through their tears.

•°•°•°•

While everyone gathered once again in the living room, distributing and opening the various gifts, Cale, much happier than before after receiving yet another golden plaque as a gift from Alberu, left the children, now calmer and full of smiles, busy with all the gifts they had received from the family and called Ron aside.

"Ron, can you tell my parents and younger siblings that I have a gift I want to give them in particular?"

The butler nodded in agreement, already starting to walk away when the redhead stopped him.

"And call Beacrox too." Faced with Ron's arched eyebrows, Cale shrugged. "It's a gift that can also be for both of you."

Ron seemed to want to ask more, but kept his questions to himself and walked away to fulfill the orders he had received, heading towards where the Henituse family was sitting talking with Eruhaben and Sherrit.

"Cale, what do you want to show us?" Deruth asked curiously a few minutes later as Cale led him, his stepmother, his brothers, and the Molan duo to a room more secluded from the rest of the party.

“I prepared a gift and thought you would prefer to enjoy it in more privacy.” The redhead replied, pulling a communication orb from his pocket and the black book.

That communication device was different from the others, not only in appearance, which had an opaque black color with gray veins, like freshly extinguished charcoal amidst the ashes, but also in the death energy it emitted, very similar to that of the black book, one of the sacred objects of the God of Death, as well as in its purpose and capacity.

The communication orb was a request Cale made to the God of Death after returning from his brief visit to Earth, an idea born from the desire to give a genuine gift to the people he cared about, even those on other worlds. He also believed that certain things needed to happen, such as a conversation that never had the chance to take place due to unfavorable circumstances.

And after much insistence and a certain amount of threat, Cale managed to convince the God of Death to create a means for his request to be fulfilled, which unfortunately culminated in the poor, excommunicated priestess Cage being tormented by the God of Death's litany, who only knew how to complain about the injustices of the world and how her beloved children never reciprocated her affection, and needing to curse/bless a communication orb to allow a connection between worlds through the power of death to be established.

Cale still remembered how indignant Cage had been when she handed him the orb, constantly complaining about how annoying the God of Death was and how he cried in his dreams, and now he seemed to be treating her like a poorly paid employee. The redhead, who didn't want to be the target of that dissatisfaction, pretended to listen to the priestess's complaints and offered her all the best quality alcohol he had.

Now, under the gaze of his family, Cale held the orb in one hand and tapped the cover of the black book with his finger.

"Can you connect?”

He asked the God who should be listening, and in seconds an aura resembling black vapor rose from the book and seeped into the orb, which began to hum and lit up, revealing a screen where the face of a familiar and very surprised man appeared.

“Cale?” Kim Rok Soo asked, confused.

“Hi. Can you talk now?”

“I can. I’m alone in the office right now.”

“Working late?”

“Just finishing some reports.” Rok Soo replied, dismissing the question with a casual wave of his hand. “And you’re not in a position to criticize me for working overtime.”

“I know.”

Cale’s gaze shifted from the orb to his family, who remained standing nearby, all completely rigid as they stared at the orb as if it were about to explode or disappear at any moment. He could see how his father, mother, and siblings had tears in their eyes as they listened to Kim Rok Soo’s voice. Ron and Beacrox, even though they seemed more composed, still looked very surprised.

"But I didn't call you to talk about work." The redhead paused as the Korean completely set aside work to focus on what he was going to say. "Actually, I don't even intend to talk to you."

"Then why did you call me? No, more importantly, how are you managing to call me? Have you been threatening the God of Death again?”

"Something like that."

The redhead's vague and nonchalant answer made Kim Rok Soo let out a low laugh as he leaned back in his chair.

"Then why did you contact me?"

Before saying anything, Cale placed the orb on the coffee table between the sofas in the room where they were, turning the screen towards the family who remained in the same place.

"Because I thought you deserved to have a conversation.”

For a long time, no one said anything, they just stared at each other through the screen in a silence that spoke louder than any words, that conveyed all the feelings accumulated and kept to themselves over time, a silence that made the seconds last an eternity.

“I think you two have a lot to talk about.” The redhead said, walking towards the door.

“Cale.” Deruth’s trembling, emotional voice made him stop, his hand on the doorknob, and look back. “I… how…”

The Duke seemed unable to form a complete sentence while dealing with his own heightened emotions, without taking his eyes off the screen of the orb.

“How can we thank you?” Violan spoke for her husband, also with red eyes.

Cale gave a weak smile, shaking his head negatively.

“You don’t need to. This is my Christmas present. Just enjoy it without worrying about compensation.”

“Hyung… thank you.” Basen said, struggling not to start crying.

With another nod and a final glance at both his family and the Korean man who seemed shocked, Cale left the room, leaving them free to talk in peace, walking calmly towards the main living room from where the sounds of laughter from the rest of his family escaped.

But as he walked, the black book that was once again tucked away in his pocket began to vibrate and heat up, so much so that Cale had to stop and pick it up to see what the God of Death so desperately wanted to say.

‘I’ll try to maintain the connection for as long as possible.’

“Is that all?” Cale asked, wanting to return to his family.

‘I also wanted to give you a Christmas present, my son.’

“I’m not your son, and unless it’s something I’ll really like, don’t even bother trying to give me a present.”

‘That hurts me.’

“Finished?

‘Endable.’

For a few seconds, the redhead just stared at the name of the kingdom of creatures with the attribute of darkness, now ruled by Fredo.

“What’s so important about Endable?”

‘It’s where Lee Soo Hyuk was reborn with all his memories of life in Korea. I intended to tell you before, but there were some logistical problems and—’

Cale ignored the rest of whatever the God of Death was saying, his uncontrolled heart focusing only on what mattered to him.

Lee Soo Hyuk had been reborn in Endable and possessed all his memories.

He could see him again.

His old friend, companion, and brother was just a teleportation away.

It seemed so unbelievable that Cale reread what remained written in the book several times to be absolutely sure he wasn't imagining things, but no matter how much he read, the words didn't change.

A genuine smile spread across his face as a pure and almost uncontrollable joy filled his chest, a feeling that came accompanied by a gentler affection when Cale heard his children's voices calling him to see what they had received as Christmas presents.

Taking a deep breath, he put the book away and resumed his walk towards the room where his family awaited him, thinking about how soon his family would grow by at least one more member.