Chapter 130: Complementarity

Fenrir gently moved aside the long braid she had kept after her midday training session, letting it fall over her shoulder with infinite care, as though he were handling something precious.

Then his fingers wandered into her hair.

The gesture was almost unreal in its gentleness.

Slow.

Patient.

He absently stroked her red locks, letting the strands slip through his fingers with the faintest hint of a smile, clearly amused by how soft they were. There was nothing ambiguous about his affection. It felt more like that of a guardian finally reunited with his Player after a long battle, relieved to find her safe and unharmed.

A shiver ran down Blanche's spine.

She wasn't used to receiving so much affection from the colossal wolf god.

Ever since he had made her the Queen of the Players, something had changed in his behavior. Fenrir was still the same ancient, mischievous, unimaginably powerful being—but he no longer made much effort to hide how deeply he cared for her.

Uneasy—because she knew the future—she instinctively looked toward Kiyan.

The Shah had witnessed the entire scene without saying a word.

His shoulders remained perfectly straight.

His face was unreadable.

Only his eyes betrayed him.

They slowly followed Fenrir's hand as it slid through Blanche's hair.

Then he closed them.

Just for an instant.

As though that simple sight demanded a level of self-control he refused to let show.

It wasn't jealousy toward Fenrir.

Not really.

He knew the god well enough to understand there was no ulterior motive behind the gesture.

And Fenrir knew Kiyan well enough never to cross that line.

No.

What tightened his heart was something infinitely simpler.

He wished he were the one standing there.

To feel the softness of that fiery hair beneath his own fingers.

To be the one tucking that braid back over her shoulder.

To share that quiet moment of intimacy as naturally as the wolf god did.

The thought escaped him as a silent sigh.

In another world, they were married.

He knew that.

Somewhere, in a place still beyond his reach, gestures like these belonged to him as naturally as breathing. They had become part of their everyday life, to the point where Blanche instinctively sought his arms whenever she needed reassurance.

But here...

He was still nothing more than his daughter's best friend's father.

A man condemned to watch from afar what he hoped would one day become his rightful place.

Fenrir looked up at him.

The god understood immediately.

His smile softened almost imperceptibly.

Without a word, he slowly withdrew his hand from Blanche's hair, as though silently returning something that had never truly belonged to him.

Kiyan opened his eyes again.

Their gazes met.

The conversation resumed.

"The twins illegally infiltrated the vampires' former headquarters. Unfortunately, they had no idea the security had recently been reinforced..."

When Kiyan opened his eyes again, they had returned to their magical appearance: completely black, swallowing every trace of white.

Fenrir continued.

"Jeremy is an exceptionally gifted mage, but physically fragile. He's the brains. Erik is the muscle. He always watched his brother's back."

"So Erik died protecting Jeremy... and that's how he ended up like this," Blanche said, carefully avoiding the words that might upset him.

"Except Jeremy was poisoned while escaping," Fenrir finished.

Blanche immediately understood how she had saved him.

Damn...

She was going to have to smoke like a chimney and drink like a fish if she wanted to save Jeremy. Or rather, consume anything that could help raise her Poison skill.

Well...

If that was all it took...

"After Erik's death, his alter ego found himself in a rather difficult position," Ra continued. "Before him, no Player had ever escaped Pierre."

"Pierre?"

"Sebastian's youngest vampire son. He currently rules the ancient vampire lands of the Otherworld—Dracula's former domain. He's a cruel lord who keeps the Players of his continent beneath his heel."

Blanche blinked.

Oh dear...

Another story that was probably going to cost her another piece of her soul.

Her brain had been overloaded for quite a while now.

"What? I need more context!"

"Before coming here," Ra explained, "Sebastian amused himself by adopting the worst people imaginable. Those with the greatest potential to become vampires. Then he turned them before they reached thirty."

She immediately understood the problem.

Argy.

Panic surged through Blanche.

But Fenrir stopped her with his strength, keeping a firm hold on her hair.

"He won't touch him," he said. "You have my word."

Relief washed over her instantly.

Tears rolled down her cheeks before she even realized she was crying.

Her son...

She already loved him.

Yet the fear still threatened to overwhelm her.

Fenrir was the first to react.

Without saying a word, he stepped closer and wrapped her in his arms with a tenderness that contrasted almost painfully with the image of the gigantic wolf capable of shaking entire kingdoms. His embrace was immense, reassuring, almost paternal, as though he simply wanted to remind her that she no longer had to face the world alone.

One broad hand rested gently against her back.

Slowly.

Without urging her to calm down.

He said nothing.

He didn't need to.

He simply watched over her with genuine affection, caring for the stubborn young woman who had an alarming habit of charging headfirst into trouble.

Blanche felt her heart tighten.

Fenrir truly didn't know how to do anything halfway.

At that very moment, the front passenger door opened.

Kiyan got out of the car without a word.

He walked around the vehicle with brisk, purposeful steps, shut the front door with a firm click, then opened the rear door and quietly sat down beside her.

He hadn't asked.

He hadn't interrupted anyone.

He had simply come closer.

As though instinct itself had told him that this was where he belonged now.

Beside her.

If he had to become Aaron for a few seconds, then so be it.

Fenrir slowly raised his eyes toward him.

Their gazes met for the briefest moment.

No hostility.

No rivalry.

Only the silent understanding shared by two beings who cared deeply for the very same person.

One naturally loosened his embrace.

The other patiently waited until she was free.

The two gods quietly took the opportunity to slip away with almost elegant discretion, leaving behind a silence filled with mutual respect.