"Experience." Faluel said with a sigh, wrapping the babies in warm cloths before handing them to Rena. "You seem to be an interesting young lady, dear Lith's sister. I hope we'll meet again in warmer circumstances. Bye!"

Faluel disappeared so fast that Tista could only choke on all her questions while Rena found herself thanking empty air. She felt chipper and energetic as if instead of giving birth to triplets she had just returned from a day in a spa.

"Lith, how do you think I should call them?" Rena asked.

"Why do you ask me instead of Senton?"

"Well, because I got four Healers to thank for this miracle but only three babies. Someone has to be left out this time." Rena replied.

"Only three? This time?" Lith didn't know whether to be more horrified at his sister belittling the workload the little monsters in her arms demanded from the whole family or the idea she might get pregnant again.

"On one hand, I already named Leria after you, but on the other, it's you who brought Faluel here and even helped me in the delivery. I'm not going to lie, I have no clue what part Quylla played in the procedure, let alone that guy whose name I don't even remember." Rena kept thinking out loud, uncaring of the noise that the babies and the members of the family who had finally had access to the room made.

Elina was crying with joy, Senton was asking the Healers of the family if everyone was alright, Tista was demanding answers about Faluel's identity, and everyone wanted to hold the children.

Even Aran and Leria wanted to help with the newborns.

"Look, I don't care who you name them after, the only thing that matters is that all of you are alright. Just some friendly advice, we can't have the whole family starting with the L, so you should name a kid after Zekell." Lith pointed his finger at Senton without him noticing.

"I disagree." Senton said to Rena. "I love my parents, but it's not because of them that we were able to marry and I can't forget all the help your family gave to us so I'd rather name one of our children after Elina, if that's okay with you."

His words made Elina cry harder and the babies, scared by the noise, decided to tag along in a choir that crushed Lith's ears.

After a long debate that Lith avoided by asking Zinya for sanctuary, the three new members of the Verhen family received their names. Falco was the baby boy suffering from the Strangler disease, named after the person that had allowed him to survive against all odds.

The baby girl was named Teryon after Tista and Nessa after Nalrond who had kept her safe during the procedure. Rena chose Teryon as first name to thank her sister. It was only thanks to her loving care that nothing bad had ever happened during Lith's absence.

Last, but not least, Lenart Quontar was named after his uncle, for having made the impossible possible time and time again.

***

One week later, Ernas Mansion.

The gala associated with Lith's birthday took place the evening before the private party, so that on the stroke of midnight the two events overlapped and both took place on the correct date.

The gala would usually be held at Marchioness Mirim Distar's Household since she was the ruler of the Marquisate of which both Lutia and the White Griffon were part. That year, however, Orion had insisted to be the host and guarantee the safety of all the guests.

Marchioness Distar didn't let him repeat his offer twice, glad to leave the burden to someone else. Between her duty as ruler of the Distar region and Supreme Commander of the Queen's Corps, she had barely seen the light of day ever since the undead invasion had begun.

"It's been a long time since we could have a friendly chat, isn't it?" She said.

The Marchioness was a woman in her early forties, but even without the perfect make-up she wore, it would have been hard to consider her a day older than thirty. She had a beautiful face with great proportions, eyes brimming with intelligence and curiosity.

She wore her waist-long hair straight down, with only her golden cloaking hairpin and a diamond tiara to adorn it. She had dark brown hair with shades of blue all over that made it almost hypnotic to look at her whenever the Marchioness shook her head.

Her evening dress was of a pale red, showing a shallow neckline and covering her shoulders, but leaving her arms exposed.

"I'd like to take full credit for it, but you're a hard woman to find." Lith took two glasses of red wine from a waiter, offering one to his old patron.

"That's true." She said while resisting the temptation to drink the wine in one gulp. Just the idea of the workload waiting for her back at Distar was giving her a headache.

"Have you thought about the direction you want to give your career once you are done with the military service? I know for sure there are a lot of open positions in the army and the Mage Association that would be a perfect fit for a man of your talents." The Marchioness tried to sound casual, but it was part of the duty that Queen Sylpha herself had entrusted Mirim with.

The Queen was attending the gala as well, but she couldn't afford to make such direct questions. Only a fool would say no to a Queen and every one of her words might be mistaken for a threat.

"I did." Lith nodded. "I'm interested in pursuing magic so I've already found a mentor that will allow me to bring my specializations to the next level."

"Is it someone I know?" That wasn't the answer the Marchioness was hoping for.

Lith becoming a member of one of the two forces under the direct command of the Royals was in the Kingdom's best interest, but even if he married into an ancient magical bloodline it would still leave the Crown some leeway.

Especially if his in-laws were people of proven loyalty, like the Ernas.

"With all due respect, I doubt you know all the Emperor Beasts of Kingdom." Lith decided it was better to leave Faluel's name out of the conversation. With all that there was at stake, he couldn't afford any meddling in his private affairs.

"Emperor Beasts? I believe that the Royal Forgemasters or one of the six great academies can offer you more than any beast can." It was only thanks to years of experience receiving bad news that the Marchioness managed to not spit her drink all over the priceless silk carpet at their feet.

"Indeed, but for a price that I'm not willing to pay, at least for now." Lith made sure to leave room for negotiation. It was better to not burn bridges he could later use.

"Price? What price? The Kingdom would provide you with lands, wealth beyond your imagination, and all the rarest ingredients you might need." The Marchioness performed her best pitch.

"And in exchange, it would ask my time, put my loyalty to the test, and give me so many responsibilities that I would be dependant on the Kingdom's support even to blow my own nose. Thank you, but no thank you." Lith's smile was kind, yet it had 'I don't believe in free meals' written all over it.