“Enough of this,” Leo said, his voice calm but firm. “Let me handle this.”

  Without waiting for permission, he stepped closer to the bed where Eva lay unconscious.

  Leo slowly raised his hand, reaching toward her forehead—

  —but Kyel grabbed his wrist.

  His grip was firm. Protective. Unyielding.

  “Kid,” Kyel said coldly, his eyes sharp with warning, “don’t touch her. I don’t care how 'experienced' you claim to be. You are still a child.”

  Leo looked up at him, clearly offended.

  “Your Majesty,” Leo said steadily, “do not underestimate me. I am trying to help your wife.”

  Kyel froze.

  His grip tightened slightly.

  “…Your Majesty?” he repeated slowly.

  A dangerous look crossed his face. “How do you know who I am?”

  He turned sharply toward Luca, his eyes blazing with suspicion. “Did you tell this kid my secret?”

  Luca immediately shook his head. “No—”

  “No one told me,” Leo said calmly, cutting him off.

  Kyel looked back at him. Leo met his gaze without fear.

  “I can see through your disguise,” Leo continued. “Not just yours. I can see through anyone’s disguise, no matter how powerful or perfect it is.”

  Kyel’s expression hardened. “You—”

  “Eyan,” Luca interrupted gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Stop doubting him. That kid is exceptionally skilled in magic.”

  Kyel said nothing.

  Luca continued, his voice more serious now. “You want Sister-in-law to wake up, don’t you? Then let him do what he came here to do.”

  Kyel’s jaw tightened.

  His eyes moved from Leo… to Eva.

  Her pale face.

  Her fragile stillness.

  After a long moment, his fingers slowly loosened. He released Leo’s wrist.

  “…Fine,” Kyel said quietly. “Do it.”

  Leo nodded once. “Thank you.”

  He turned back to Eva and gently placed his hand on her forehead.

  Immediately—

  A powerful light emerged. It glowed beneath his palm, soft at first, then brighter, spreading across Eva’s body like warm sunlight. The light wrapped around her, surrounding her completely.

  The air trembled with magic.

  And then—

  Color slowly returned to Eva’s pale cheeks. Her breathing steadied. Her body relaxed.

  Leo smiled faintly and lowered his hand.

  “There,” he said softly. “She’s fine now.”

  Kyel rushed forward immediately, kneeling beside the bed. His trembling hand brushed Eva’s hair away from her face.

  “Eva…” he whispered. “Can you hear me?”

  Her eyelashes fluttered weakly.

  Slowly, she opened her eyes just enough to see him.

  Her voice was soft. Sleepy. “…Honey… I want to sleep more…”

  Relief flooded his face.

  He smiled gently. “You want to sleep?”

  Eva gave a small nod, her eyes already closing again. “…Hmm.”

  Kyel adjusted the blanket carefully, pulling it over her shoulders.

  “Alright,” he whispered. “Sleep.”

  He stayed there for a moment longer, watching her peaceful face, making sure she was truly safe.

  Only then did he stand and turn toward the others.

  “Let’s talk in the living room,” he said quietly. “She needs rest.”

  Luca and Aranel nodded and walked out first.

  Leo lingered behind.

  He looked at Eva one last time.

  His expression softened, his eyes filled with quiet warmth.

  , he thought.

  Then he turned and walked out of the room.

  __________________________________

  (Living Room)

  Luca and Aranel sat on the couch, their backs straight, their expressions carefully composed. Between them sat Leo, calm and composed, his small hands resting neatly on his lap.

  Upstairs, the bedroom door closed softly.

  A moment later, Kyel descended the stairs.

  His steps were slower now.

  The panic that had consumed him earlier had faded, replaced by controlled seriousness.

  He walked toward them and sat down on the chair opposite the couch, his eyes immediately settling on Leo.

  For a moment, he said nothing.

  Then he spoke.

  “Thank you,” Kyel said quietly. “And… I apologize for doubting you.”

  His voice was calm, sincere. “I do not trust people easily. Especially when it comes to my wife.”

  Leo met his gaze respectfully.

  “Your Majesty,” he said gently, “you do not need to apologize to me. I understand your worry. Anyone in your place would have done the same.”

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Kyel studied him carefully.

  There was something strange about this kid.

  Something he could not explain.

  He turned his gaze toward Luca.

  “Luca,” he said, his tone thoughtful, “where did you find this kid?”

  Luca stiffened slightly.

  “I know every magician in Velmoria,” Kyel continued. “Every noble-born prodigy. Every talented disciple. Yet… I have never seen him before.”

  Luca felt sweat form at the back of his neck.

  “It’s… because he’s new,” Luca said awkwardly. “I found him in an orphanage. His magical talent was extraordinary… so I decided to take him as my disciple.”

  Kyel nodded slowly. “I see. That explains why I have never met him.”

  His eyes returned to Leo. “What is your name?”

  Leo opened his mouth—

  “Alen,” he said.

  “Alex,” Luca said at the exact same time.

  “Max,” Aranel added.

  Silence.

  Heavy.

  Awkward silence.

  Luca and Aranel froze.

  Kyel’s eyes slowly moved between the three of them. “…Which one is it?”

  Luca laughed nervously. “It’s… Alen Alex Max.”

  Kyel stared at him. “You expect me to believe this kid has three names?”

  Luca nodded quickly.

  “Yes. He didn’t have a name before. So… different people at the Magic Tower started calling him with different names. He simply responds to all of them.”

  Kyel looked at Leo. Leo gave a small, polite nod, playing along perfectly.

  Kyel sighed faintly, deciding not to question it further. “…Very well.”

  His gaze returned to the kid. “Then what should I call you?”

  Leo answered calmly. “Alen. You may call me Alen, Your Majesty.”

  Kyel gave a small nod. “Very well, Alen.”

  He leaned back slightly. “I do not have enough gold here to properly reward you,” he said. “Come to the Royal Palace tomorrow. I will reward you personally. You may ask for as much gold as you desire.”

  Leo shook his head. “I do not want gold, Your Majesty.”

  Kyel frowned slightly. “You do not want gold?”

  Leo shook his head.

  “No… but there is something else I want.”

  Kyel leaned forward slightly, curiosity now clear in his eyes.

  “…Then tell me,” he said. “What is it that you want?”

  Leo slowly lifted his eyes and met his gaze directly. “Your face,” he said. “Let me see your .”

  Silence fell.

  Kyel froze for a fraction of a second—truly caught off guard. It was the last thing he had expected.

  Beside him, Luca and Aranel exchanged a brief glance, both equally surprised.

  Kyel studied the boy carefully.

  “You want to see my real face…” he repeated quietly.!“That’s it? Is that truly your wish?”

  Leo did not hesitate. “Yes.”

  Kyel exhaled softly and ran a hand through his hair.

  “Fine,” he said. “I’ll show you.”

  He lifted his hand and flicked his finger. The disguise spell shattered instantly. His silver hair spilled free like liquid light, and his crimson eyes glowed with quiet authority.

  The room itself seemed to still.

  Leo’s eyes widened.

  Eyan looked down at him.

  “Alen,” he said calmly, “are you satisfied?”

  For one second, Leo didn’t move.

  Then suddenly—

  He lunged forward.

  Before anyone could react, Leo climbed straight onto Eyan.He planted his knees on his thigh, settling himself directly in front of him.

  Eyan froze.

  His entire body stiffened in shock. “What are you doing?”

  Leo didn’t answer immediately.

  “Your Majesty, please excuse me for a moment,” he said seriously, as if requesting permission for something completely normal.

  Then—

  He grabbed Eyan’s face with both of his tiny hands.

  He turned his face left.

  Then right.

  Then closer.

  Then farther.

  He squinted.

  He leaned forward until their noses were almost touching.

  His fingers pressed lightly against Eyan’s cheek.

  Meanwhile—

  Eyan was completely frozen.

  Out of pure disbelief.

  “…Hey.”

  Leo ignored him.

  Eyan’s eyebrow twitched. “…Kid.”

  Leo leaned even closer, inspecting his eyes now.

  “…Kid.”

  Still no response.

  Eyan finally lost patience. “Hey. Stop touching my face.”

  Luca inhaled sharply.

  Aranel froze.

  “Alen,” Luca said sharply. “That’s enough.”

  Leo turned toward him instinctively.

  Luca gave a small shake of his head. His eyes screamed the warning loud and clear—

  Leo understood.

  Slowly, he released Eyan’s face and climbed down.

  He stepped back and bowed his head respectfully.

  “Forgive me for my rudeness, Your Majesty,” Leo said. “I got a little excited… because this is my first time seeing His Majesty in person.”

  Eyan shifted slightly in his chair, still processing the strange encounter.

  “It’s fine,” he said. “But don’t do that again.”

  Leo nodded obediently. “I’ll keep that in mind, Your Majesty.”

  But inside—

  His heart was still racing.

  Because for the first time in his life—

  He had touched his father.

  .

  .

  .

  Leo quietly returned to his seat. He sat properly now, hands folded on his lap.

  Across from him, Eyan remained still. Their eyes met for a brief second.

  Then both looked away. Awkward. Unspoken.

  Suddenly—

  The magical communicator resting on the table began to glow with a soft but urgent blue light.

  Eyan immediately turned his head toward it, his expression sharpening. He stood up and activated it.

  “Yes,” he spoke calmly.

  From the other side, Hans’s respectful voice echoed through the device.

  “Greetings, Your Majesty. There is an emergency meeting scheduled in fifteen minutes to address the attack that occurred three days ago, and all the generals and council members are already present and waiting for your arrival.”

  Eyan’s gaze darkened slightly as he processed the information, his responsibility as emperor weighing heavily on his shoulders even in this moment.

  “I’m coming,” he replied shortly before closing the connection.

  He then turned toward Aranel, his expression firm yet trusting.

  “Lady Aranel, I must return to the palace immediately. Can you stay here with Eva until I return tonight? I don’t want to leave her alone in this condition.”

  Aranel straightened her posture and placed her hand respectfully over her chest.

  “Of course, Brother-in-law. Please don’t worry about Eva. I will stay here and take care of her until you return.”

  Eyan gave a small nod before shifting his gaze toward Luca.

  “And you, Luca? Will you stay here or return to the Palace?”

  Luca adjusted his posture nervously before answering.

  “I’ll stay for some time to make sure everything is fine, and then I’ll leave later.”

  Eyan nodded once again, satisfied with their answers.

  Without another word, he lifted his hand and reactivated his disguise spell. He walked toward the door and placed his hand on the handle, but before opening it, his eyes instinctively drifted upward toward the stairs, toward the bedroom where Eva lay sleeping peacefully.

  His gaze lingered there for a moment longer than necessary. Then he opened the door and left.

  The sound of the door closing echoed softly throughout the house, leaving behind a suffocating silence.

  Luca and Aranel remained completely still, their eyes fixed on the door as if afraid he might suddenly return and discover everything they had been hiding.

  Only after several seconds passed did Luca finally release the breath he had been holding.

  “Ahh… I can breathe again,” he said, his voice full of exaggerated relief.

  Aranel also placed her hand over her heart, her shoulders relaxing.

  “I was so afraid his majesty would notice something… my heart hasn’t stopped racing since Leo touched his face.”

  Leo watched them with innocent amusement, unable to understand their fear.

  “Uncle, Aunty, you were both so nervous the entire time,” he said with a small laugh. “Father isn’t scary.”

  Luca stared at him with disbelief before sighing deeply.

  “My dear nephew, you truly don’t understand your father yet,” he said seriously. “No one touches Eyan’s face without permission, and you climbed on him like he was your personal playground. You were unbelievably lucky today.”

  Aranel nodded in agreement.

  “If that were anyone else, they would not have walked away unharmed.”

  Leo only smiled, completely unconcerned.

  Then suddenly, as if remembering something important, he jumped off the couch and ran toward the stairs.

  Luca blinked in surprise. “Where are you going so suddenly?”

  Leo turned back toward them, his face glowing with pure happiness and longing.

  “To Mother.”

  He ran upstairs without waiting for their response and gently opened the bedroom door, careful not to make any noise that might wake her.

  Eva lay peacefully on the bed, her breathing calm and steady.

  Leo climbed onto the bed carefully and crawled beneath the blanket, moving slowly until he reached her side. Then he wrapped his small arms around her and pressed himself close to her warmth, resting his face against her shoulder with deep comfort.

  “Mother… I missed you so much,” he whispered softly.

  Downstairs, Luca and Aranel had followed him and now stood at the doorway, watching the scene unfold before them with silent emotion.

  A gentle, tender smile formed on Aranel’s lips.

  She stepped a little closer, her voice soft, careful not to disturb the fragile peace in the room.

  “You wanted to sleep while hugging your mother… didn’t you?”

  Leo nodded slowly against Eva’s shoulder.

  “Yes,” he said quietly. “After my mother died in my timeline… there wasn’t a single night when I could rest like this. It has been three long years since I last slept in her arms.”

  His fingers tightened slightly in her dress.

  “I missed her warmth more than anything.”

  The words were simple.

  But the pain behind them was not.

  Aranel’s vision blurred instantly as tears filled her eyes, and she covered her mouth to stop herself from crying out loud.

  Luca gently pulled her into his arms, holding her protectively as he comforted her.

  “Don’t cry,” he whispered softly.

  Leo peeked at them from the bed, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

  “Wait… Uncle, why are you hugging Aunty Aranel like that?”

  Both Luca and Aranel froze instantly, their faces turning bright red as Aranel quickly stepped away from his arms in embarrassment.

  Leo smiled knowingly, clearly understanding more than they expected.

  “Are you two in a relationship or something?”

  After a moment of awkward silence, both of them nodded shyly.

  “Yes… we are.”

  Leo smiled warmly and rested his head back on Eva’s shoulder.

  “I’m happy for you both.”

  Then he closed his eyes, holding his mother tightly, afraid to let go of the warmth he had longed for across time itself.

  For the first time in three years, the lonely child finally found his way back into his mother’s arms.

  .

  __________________________________

  by Moawar

  He, Life, had a simple job.

  His responsibility as an Overpower was to make sure that fiction stories and the characters in them follow their dictated path. He always did his job well enough, not more or less than was needed.

  His latest assignment, however, would, in retrospect, prove to be his most challenging one of all.

  He would find himself in a unfamiliar world. There he'll have to quickly adapt to guide Nozomi.

  The strongest magical girl with the potential to accidentally destroy those she seeks to protect in her fight against evil.

  What to Expect:

  -If you like the psychological aspects of Madoka Magica and the mixing of different genres a crossover story brings then this story is for you