Yuel’s reasoning for bringing Rory to the Snow Domain was simple.
The Snow Domain was Xarion’s holand. If Rory went there, she would be completely safe—and at the sa ti, it would give Xarion a chance to return ho and see his family.
Two goals accomplished at once.
Vincent had no objection.
"I can’t leave just yet," he said. "And in my current condition, it wouldn’t be appropriate for Rory to see . You take her to the Snow Domain first. Once my injuries have mostly healed, I’ll co find you."
Vincent didn’t want Rory to see the wounds covering his body, nor did he want her to worry about him.
Back when he had turned into that pitiful "burnt dumpling," it had been out of sheer necessity.
He hadn’t had a choice.
Yuel understood his reasoning. "I know," he said. "I’ll tell Rory that you’re temporarily tied up here. Once you’ve finished your work, you can co join us."
Vincent nodded. With a rare mont of quiet at hand, he quickly opened his light-brain.
He had intended to send Rory a ssage.
But the mont the screen lit up, he saw the photo Nix had posted in the group chat—Rory carving the wooden figurine.
Along with it was Nix’s ssage saying Rory was making a gift. Vincent assud it ant she was making the gift for Nix.
Smiling faintly, he turned to Yuel. "Did you see what Nix posted in the group chat? He said Rory’s making him a gift. Sothing called a wooden figurine?"
Yuel had already seen the ssage on his way here.
His tone carried a faint trace of envy. "Nix really has good fortune. Not only can he stay by Rory’s side, he even gets a gift she made herself."
"I asked Rory for a gift before too," he added with a sigh. "But it’s been so long now... she probably forgot."
"Unlike us," he continued, half-joking and half-bitter, "we can’t stay by her side, can’t receive gifts she made herself—yet we still have to risk our lives fighting. Where’s the fairness in that?"
Yuel sighed softly. "If I’d known, I wouldn’t have beco a commander."
Vincent almost rolled his eyes. "You think your life isn’t fortunate? Rory’s first child is yours."
Unlike him, Vincent still hadn’t even had the chance to formally bond with Rory.
Where was the justice in that?
ntioning the child only made Yuel more miserable. "You think I don’t know the price I have to pay for this child? If I give the child to you—hang it on your vine for three years—so you can’t touch Rory for three whole years... would you want that?"
That kind of "good fortune" was that? He wanted none of it.
***
On the Star Rail
Rory finally set down her carving knife.
She looked at the finished wooden figurine in her hands with satisfaction.
The figurine showed Rory and Yuel leaning gently against each other.
On Yuel’s head, she had carved a deep-blue vine. At the tip of the vine blood a delicate seven-petaled flower, its petals crafted from transparent crystal.
Resting on that tiny flower was Terry—round and chubby, exactly like the little figure Rory had seen in her dream. The baby clung to the petals with tiny hands, and atop Terry’s own head blood a miniature flower identical to Yuel’s.
Rory looked at the tiny Terry perched on the blossom and unconsciously reached up to touch her head.
Ever since she had applied the juice from Yuel’s petals, the itching there had completely disappeared.
But the mont her fingers brushed the place where it had once itched, she felt sothing soft beneath her touch.
Her eyes widened.
Quickly setting the wooden figurine aside, Rory rushed to the mirror.
In the reflection, a tiny deep-blue sprout—no bigger than a green bean—had erged from her hair.
Excited, Rory called out toward the room outside.
"Nix! Co look—I’ve sprouted!"
Hearing her voice, Nix, Jasper, Xarion, and Wen all hurried in at once.
"Rory, what sprouted?" Nix asked.
Rory pointed to the top of her head. "Here! Look—it sprouted right here!"
The four of them stared at the tiny deep-blue sprout growing from Rory’s head.
For a mont, none of them knew what expression they were supposed to have.
Jasper recovered first, stepping forward with concern.
"Rory, do you feel any discomfort anywhere?"
Although Yuel had said that once the vine erged her body would return to normal, Jasper still couldn’t help worrying.
After he spoke, Nix, Xarion, and Wen all looked at Rory anxiously as well.
Compared to the sprout itself, they cared far more about her physical condition.
"I feel completely fine," Rory said. "Honestly, if I hadn’t touched it just now, I wouldn’t have even known it had sprouted."
The vine had grown out so quietly that she hadn’t noticed at all.
She reached up again, gently touching the tiny sprout. "Yuel said that seven days after the vine appears, it will bloom."
Now the question was—how many days had it already been growing?
Judging by its size, it had probably just sprouted. Maybe a day or two at most.
Thinking of this, Rory quickly turned to Nix.
"Nix, how much longer until we arrive?"
Nix answered imdiately. "We’ll reach our destination by noon tomorrow."
Hearing that, Rory relaxed.
Since she would arrive so soon, there was no need to worry.
She lifted her communicator, snapped a photo, and sent it to Yuel.
Rory:
Yuel, I’ve sprouted.
Rory:
I’ll arrive tomorrow at noon. I miss you so much.
When Yuel received the ssage, he felt both happy and strangely close to tears.
The First Commander—who could devise countless strategies and sches in war—found himself staring helplessly at the tiny vine sprouting from Rory’s head.
For the first ti in his life, he could not think of any plan to stop sothing from happening.
Yuel:
Rory, I miss you too.
Judging by the size of the vine, it probably just sprouted.
How is your body? Do you feel any discomfort?
Rory replied imdiately.
Rory:
I feel great. Don’t worry.
Just wait for —I have a surprise for you.
A surprise?
Yuel read the ssage again, the corners of his lips lifting despite himself.
Yuel:
Alright. I’ll wait.
anwhile, Wen had been standing by the table for quite a while, quietly studying the wooden figurine.
When Rory finally finished ssaging Yuel, he looked up at her.
Wen finally spoke up.
"Master... is this the wooden figurine you made?"
He pointed to the carving resting on the table.
The figurine Rory had crafted was exquisitely detailed. She had even painted it, giving the tiny figures lifelike color and expression. At a glance, it almost looked like two miniature living people frozen in place.
The mont Wen spoke, Rory knew exactly what he wanted.
"You want one too, don’t you?" she asked directly.
Over the past few days, Xarion, Jasper, and Nix had all asked the sa thing.
She had already expected Wen would ask sooner or later.
Blushing slightly, Wen nodded. His gaze was fixed on her, nervous but hopeful.
"...May I?"
"Of course."
Rory had always been generous with those she considered her own.
***
anwhile, in the Water Domain
Ethan Gabriel, the Second Elder, watched Paros with growing concern as the Dragon Lord continued reviewing and arranging postwar matters.
"Dragon Lord, please rest for a while," Ethan urged. "You’ve been working nonstop ever since returning from the battlefield. You’re still injured. If you keep pushing yourself like this, your body won’t be able to handle it."
Paros kept his eyes on the docunts in his hands. He quickly scanned the contents, confird everything was in order, and signed his na before passing them to the subordinate standing before him.
"The Fire Domain suffered severe losses this ti," he said calmly. "Follow the First Elder’s recomndation. Prioritize rebuilding the Fire Domain."
"Yes, sir!"
The subordinate accepted the docunts with both hands and hurried off to carry out the orders.
The First Elder was already overseeing the Fire Domain, easing much of Paros’s burden—but the rest of the work still had to be coordinated by him personally.
Paros could already feel it.
His spiritual power was slowly collapsing.
If the beastfolk of the Four Domains were not stabilized quickly after the war, chaos would spread.
He had to finish everything before his spirit completely broke.
"Dragon Lord, please," Ethan spoke again, his voice nearly breaking. "At least take a short rest."
He knew just how badly Paros had been injured in the battle. If Paros kept working like this without proper treatnt, sothing terrible might happen.
Then Ethan quickly added, "Dragon Lord, I’ve just received news—Rory is coming to the Four Domains. You’ve been thinking about her this whole ti, haven’t you? You’ve wanted to go see her. If you rest and recover a little, you’ll be able to et her."
At the ntion of Rory’s na, Paros finally reacted.
"...I will see her." He nodded slowly. The hard edge in his voice softened. "Yes. I will go see her."
But unfortunately... This ti, he would not be able to appear before her.
Perhaps the Beast God had shown him a small rcy.
At least, before death ca...
He would still have the chance to secretly glimpse the person he had longed for day and night.
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