2026-02-28 21:38:34
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 233
General Rita looked at all of them,at the four young people laughing and talking about her old friend, at her son walking among them with something approaching ease on his face and her expression settled into something quiet. Content.She'd missed this, maybe. This feeling. Being around people who made the world feel a little lighter just by existing in it.The dorms came into view ahead of them.A long building of warm sandstone and dark wood, tucked against the edge of the academy grounds where old trees cast long shadows across the pathways. The afternoon light caught the upper windows and turned them gold.Jabber's pace slowed as they approached. Something in his posture changed,his shoulders pulled in slightly, the ease from the conversation draining away. Asta noticed it immediately. The way Jabber always did when they got close to their room. Like the dorm was a place where real life started again, and everything outside it was just... delayed.They stopped in front of a door o
Chapter 232
He trailed off, not quite sure how to finish the question without it sounding disrespectful.Rita's expression answered before her words did."Kid." She said simply. "Your mother was terrifying."The word landed with weight. Not hyperbole,statement of fact."She was fast. Faster than anyone else in our year, probably faster than half the people a year above us. But that wasn't even the thing that made her scared." Rita held up a finger. "The thing that made her scared was how she saw fights.""Saw them how?" Flora had moved closer, her curiosity clearly getting the better of her."Like a game." Rita said. "A game she'd already figured out the rules to while everyone else was still trying to learn them." She waved her hand vaguely, trying to find the right words. "She'd look at an opponent and just... know. Know what they were going to do before they did it. Know where the weak points are. Know exactly how to take advantage of every single opening."She shook her head, a small
Chapter 231
They kept walking. The corridor opened up into one of the academy's wider hallways, the kind that connected the main buildings to each other. Tall windows lined one side, letting in thick slabs of warm light that fell across the stone floor in golden rectangles.General Rita fell into step beside Asta without making it obvious. Just kind of drifted over, like it was an accident of positioning rather than something deliberate. Jabber was a few paces ahead now, his sisters pulling him into some kind of quiet argument about something Asta couldn't quite hear.The silence between Rita and Asta lasted about ten seconds."So." Rita said, her voice easy. Relaxed. Like they were old friends picking up a conversation they'd left off somewhere. "You want to know about your mum."It wasn't really a question.Asta turned to look at her. "Yeah." He said. "I do. You said you guys were squadmates?"Rita nodded, a small smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. "Squadmates. For two years. Spent
Chapter 230 THE STORY OF ASTA'S MUM
Jabber looked back at his squad. Then at his mother's. Then at his sisters. His expression went through about four different emotions in rapid succession before settling on something that looked a lot like mild dread.He sighed. The deep, full-body kind of sigh that said he'd rather be fighting another flame beast than doing this."Right." He cleared his throat. "Okay."He shifted his weight, adjusting his younger sister on his shoulder. The girl grinned, clearly enjoying watching her brother squirm."So." Jabber gestured toward Asta first, his hand moving in a vague circular motion. "This is Asta. He's my squadmate. We've been on the same squad for…" He paused, doing the math in his head. "...a while now. He's..." Another pause. Jabber's jaw worked for a second, like the next words were stuck somewhere and needed to be physically dislodged. "He's my friend. My best friend, actually."The admission came out quieter than everything before it. Jabber's gaze dropped to the floor f
Chapter 229
The corridor stretched out before them, warm afternoon light cutting through the windows in golden strips across the marble floor.General Rita walked ahead, her pace easy and unhurried now. Nothing like the fierce woman who'd blown through two guards like they were made of paper. The green flames were gone. She looked almost normal. Almost.Jabber walked beside her, his younger sister perched on his shoulder like she'd been glued there. Both her small hands were tangled up in his hair, gripping tight as she balanced herself. She swung her legs back and forth against his chest, completely unbothered by the height.His other hand,his free one,hung down at his side. The older sister had slipped her fingers into it without a word, her smaller hand disappearing almost entirely inside his. She walked quietly, matching his pace step for step, her eyes drifting up to his face every few seconds like she was checking to make sure he was still there.Jabber's thumb moved instinctively, rubbing
Chapter 228
Jabber hesitated, then nodded. "Oh. Okay."His gaze shifted to the Empress. Some of the warmth drained from his expression, replaced by apprehension.The Empress met his eyes steadily. A long moment of silence stretched between them.Then she spoke, but her words weren't directed at Jabber."General Rita." The Empress's voice had cooled several degrees. "I'm sure you're aware that your son almost killed a member of an elite squad during his last mission."The words landed like bombs in the middle of the room.General Rita went very still. Her head turned slowly toward the Empress, and when she spoke, her voice was carefully controlled."I don't believe you."The statement wasn't aggressive. Just... flat. Certain."My son wouldn't hurt a fly." She continued, her hand tightening protectively on Jabber's shoulder. "There must be some mistake. Some misunderstanding.""Mum."Jabber's voice was quiet but it cut through everything else.General Rita looked down at him. He was staring at
You may also like
Rise of Ryan Conner
Alvin Sam16.6K viewsSwordbound Chronicles
Jimmy-Chuuu27.8K viewsThe Founder Of Qi Cultivation, Reincarnates?
TSETH117.4K viewsReincarnated With A Badluck System
Perverted_Fella49.9K viewsBeneath the broken sky
Eighth.constellation546 viewsChronicles of the Cycle: When the Sun is Blue
Sayd397 viewsChances to Another Life
Helios2.3K viewsAshes Of The War God
Jon Bell424 views