Chương 60: A Place to Come Back To

Velkaris, late morning. The streets were already full. Coachmen waited for customers, dock workers headed to the port, and street sellers were setting up their stalls. Adventurers set off toward dungeons while apprentice mages and young knights made their way to the academies. Children chased each other with sticks held like swords.

"Hehe! Catch me if you can!" A child ran past Kyle, taunting another child behind him. Kyle and Luke moved with the crowd, heading toward Doyle's place. Kyle looked around, finding himself appreciating something he hadn't expected, the ordinariness of it all. As they walked past the residential district, large stores of various types, restaurants, and taverns lined the streets. However, what caught Kyle's attention the most was the number of churches.

He didn't notice this yesterday, but he felt there were too many churches. One of them especially caught his attention.

"What church is that?" Kyle pointed at the largest church he had seen so far in Velkaris. It was a moon-white classic church, but it was almost 10 stories tall.

"Ah, that one? It's the church of the goddess of the moon." Luke followed Kyle's finger and replied casually.

"I see," Kyle nodded and took another glance at the church before walking away. He was just a bit curious due to the size and style of the building. He wasn't that interested in the deities of this world. After another 30 minutes of walking, they soon arrived at a relatively serene and beautiful neighborhood, stopping in front of an elegant three-story stone house. Luke knocked on the door and waited. Soon enough, footsteps approached, followed by the click of a doorknob turning.

Dane peered through the gap, and seeing that it was Luke and Kyle, he quickly opened the door.

"It's you, Luke! Please come in." Dane opened the door and waved for the two to walk in.

"Excuse me," Kyle said, taking off his shoes and walking in. The house was warm and well-kept. The entrance opened into a wide living room with polished wooden floors and sturdy furniture. A large stone fireplace dominated one wall, its mantle lined with small carvings and a few dried flowers. Above it hung a mounted shield, battered and scarred from years of use. Kyle recognized it immediately; it was Doyle's tower shield, the one he used during the battle against the abomination.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Even the huge dent from its last strike was still there. The kitchen was visible through an open archway, where the faint smell of something cooking drifted out. A child's drawing was pinned to the wall beside it, a stick figure holding an oversized shield, with "DAD" scrawled above it in uneven letters. Doyle was sitting on the sofa next to the fireplace, reading a story to a little girl on his lap.

He turned his head and greeted them with a smile on his face.

"Good afternoon, Luke, Kyle." He said, nodding at Luke before turning his gaze to Kyle. He placed the little girl down and waved for her to go play with her brother before asking, "How was your day in Velkaris? Did the city live up to your expectations?" Kyle glanced at the little girl before walking to the empty sofa next to Doyle and sitting down.

"It was nice. This city offers many surprises, completely exceeding my expectations." Kyle leaned back and said.

"Hahaha! That's Velkaris for you! It's a city that will never leave you bored!" Doyle laughed loudly and said. He picked up a cup of water from the table in front of him and took a sip.

"It's a pity I can't take you to the dungeons now. That's the true place for all adventurers." Doyle shook his head and said with a hint of regret in his voice.

"Clang!" A sharp clang suddenly rang from the kitchen, like steel striking stone, silencing the room. Doyle shrank into his seat, looking as if someone had pinched his throat. Even Luke looked terrified; sweat beaded on his forehead. Kyle curiously looked at them before glancing at the kitchen. A few moments later, a beautiful middle-aged lady walked out of the kitchen, holding a tray of drinks and snacks. She placed the tray on the table, causing the wooden table to shake.

She shot Doyle a glance, then walked back to the kitchen without a word. She had a sweet smile on her face throughout, yet both Doyle and Luke looked terrified, as if they were facing a world-ending monster. After a few awkward seconds, Doyle coughed.

"That was my wife, Lilia. Don't let her demeanor scare you. She's a sweet woman. She's just upset." Doyle said with a bitter smile on his face.

"Is that so?" Kyle said, looking between the two trembling men. In fact, he could understand why the lady seemed so upset. Her husband came back crippled, and her son seemed adamant on following his father's path. Anyone would be upset. This was especially the case since they were part of her husband's side that she seemed to detest. In the end, he just shook his head and dropped the topic. It wasn't his place to get involved. Kyle's gaze drifted to the drawing on the wall. Doyle followed his gaze and grinned.

"That's my daughter's drawing. Amazing, right?" Doyle said with a doting grin on his face, almost bragging.

"It's indeed very sweet. Your daughter must love you."

"Of course, my Anna is the cutest in the world!" Doyle responded proudly, his face filled with a toothy grin. A faint smile crossed Kyle's face as he looked at the doting father. This was a side of Doyle he hadn't seen before. His thoughts drifted to his own father. Darius wasn't as doting as Doyle, but Kyle never felt slighted. Darius raised him rather strictly, yet never left him hungry or cold, despite his injuries and how little they had. The corners of his eyes involuntarily teared up.

Kyle rubbed his eyes and swallowed hard. He had only himself to rely on. He couldn't show weakness.

"Knock-knock!" Knocking came from the front door.

"I'll open it!" Dane darted from another room, running to open the door.

"Good afternoon." Tina and Aaron walked in, greeting everyone before taking their seats. Kyle keenly noticed that Aaron seemed much more disheveled than usual. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was pale. He barely managed to utter a greeting before slumping on the sofa. Tina silently glanced at Aaron, then shot a glance at Doyle and Luke before standing up and walking to the kitchen.

"I'll go help Lilia." Doyle and Luke exchanged a glance before looking at Aaron.

"What happened to you, Aaron?" Doyle asked worriedly.