Sitting with Henry one afternoon, lounging lazily in the gardens, Kaius exhaled deeply before admitting, “As much as I hated every moment of that damn place, now I understand why the elders organize it. It’s more than rankings and tests. It’s a self-discovery journey… like maturing, in a way.”
Henry studied him for a moment before nodding in agreement. “Yeah. You seem… different. Like, more grounded.”
Kaius chuckled. “I feel different.”
There was a pause, and Kaius noticed a strange expression on Henry’s face: excitement, nervousness, something in between.
“What’s going on with you?” Kaius asked, raising an eyebrow.
Henry hesitated before finally grinning. “Livia and I are expecting our first baby.”
For a moment, Kaius just stared, stunned. Then, warmth spread through his chest, and
