When most of the inn's patrons had left, Kevin slowly rose from the old chair. She ascended the stairs with light steps, her stunning face showing a trace of delight—clearly satisfied with the meal.

"Good night, Miss Kevin."

Hearing the sound behind him, Lorin responded despite slight annoyance. After all, Kevin was a good person—just a bit bothersome—but he didn't dislike her. That was all.

On the dimly lit stairs, Kevin paused slowly. She turned her breathtaking face leisurely, the old wooden steps creaking beneath her. A faint smile appeared on her stunning features, and her rosy lips moved slightly.

"Mm, good night."

To Lorin, that smile was an absolutely beautiful sight. Why he kept following Miss Kevin, he didn't fully understand himself. Perhaps it was just a feeling guiding him.

Soon, a heavy door slam echoed. Lorin dragged his weary body back to his room slowly. He collapsed onto the soft bed, finally relaxing.

For some reason, he always felt Miss Kevin resembled Teacher Kevin. But Lorin didn't dwell on it—he just shook his head lightly. After all, there couldn't be any connection between them.

Soon, Lorin's body, drained of magic by Kevin multiple times, drifted to sleep to the sound of light rain outside. He only recalled the image of Teacher Kevin, whom he hadn't seen in fifty years.

……AD 1950……

In the imperial capital, endless rain poured down. With the Demon King's army constantly attacking, prices soared. Residents walked the streets with no smiles. Perhaps in these times, simply surviving was the greatest happiness.

On the sparsely populated street, the clanging of metal against the ground grew louder. Blood dripped from the sword hanging at his side.

A middle-aged man stood in armor stained with blood—some still warm. His handsome face was unkempt, his eyes holding no hope. He ignored the child dangling in his hand, only drinking from his flask.

"Hey, Henry, stop causing trouble. Can't you avoid mischief all day? I have many things to handle."

Gali spoke angrily, completely ignoring Henry's thoughts and feelings. Since his wife's death, his mind held only revenge against the Demon King.

"Mmmph! Mmmph!"

Henry's mouth was sealed by magic, so he couldn't speak. He struggled in protest. His father had been absent since his birth—there was little to say, barely a few words exchanged in a year.

This led to Henry growing up unsupervised. Butlers and maids had no authority to discipline the Hero's son, so he grew wild.

At just ten years old, he was expelled multiple times from the academy. But as the Hero's son, people gave the Hero leeway, which only made Henry more arrogant—until recently, when the Hero himself was called over.

"Hah~" Gali raised the flask to his mouth and drained it in one gulp, the sound satisfying. For ten years, he'd used alcohol to numb himself.

"I'm taking you to my friend's place. I don't have time to take care of you. Don't cause any more trouble, understand?"

These words made Henry feel dejected. His movements slowed, tears welling in his eyes. Perhaps he was just a child craving parental care.

Soon, they arrived at an old house. Scars from magical explosions dotted the area, few people living there. Gali knocked on the worn-out door.

"Who is it? Gali?" A puzzled voice came from inside—Kevin hadn't expected Gali to visit.

"Yes."

"Damn it, I just got two days of rest. I hope you're here to visit me."

Kevin hobbled toward the door with a cane, muttering curses. The floor creaked under his steps. He just hoped Gali wasn't bringing trouble.

After all, three days ago, he'd been ambushed by one of the Four Heavenly Kings. Though he reacted in time, he was badly injured. Of course, he never let himself be at a loss—he made sure the King lost a hand.

But—damn it—the blade was poisoned! Just removing the toxin took ages. Worse, for some reason, healing magic didn't work on him anymore.

Now he was stuck recuperating in the rear. But thinking about it, it wasn't so bad. He pushed the door open gently. There stood Gali, holding a child, reeking of alcohol.

"So what's your situation? Carrying a kid who looks a lot like you."

"Kevin, this is my child with Manna." Gali's voice carried a touch of weariness and sorrow.

"Oh, is that so? Well then, what do you need?"

Kevin sensed something was off. His face was wrapped in bandages, leaving only one eye visible. He observed Gali's troubled expression nearby, then shook his head slightly.

"So what do you want me to do? Given our relationship, no need to beat around the bush."

"Kevin, I want you to take care of my child. You're my best friend, and with your abilities, you can handle it. Please."

"Huh?"

Hearing Gali's sincere tone, and remembering he owed him many favors, Kevin thought it was just an extra pair of chopsticks. He sighed softly.

"Fine."

"Thanks. Don't worry, I'll pick him up soon."

Just then, Gali received a magical communication—urgent. Without another word, he tossed his son to Kevin and dashed off, his body enhanced by magic.

Soon, only Kevin and Henry were left. Kevin slid his hand to dispel the silencing magic on Henry, then set him down.

"For this period, I—"

Before Kevin could finish, he saw Henry walking out on his own. He said nothing, just leaned quietly against the doorframe. Then came the sound of a head hitting something strange.

Henry stumbled back a few steps, clutching his forehead. He turned and glared fiercely at Kevin.

"Let me out right now, or you'll regret it!"

Kevin said nothing, just watched silently as Henry tried everything. He began analyzing the child's situation.

……After a while……

"Hey, Henry, are you hungry? Want some food?"

Kevin placed the cooked meals on the table, then casually called out to Henry, who was still persistently trying to escape outside.

"………………"

But Kevin wouldn't indulge Henry's bad temper. He started eating on his own.

"………………Oh."

Little did Henry know, after stepping in, he would experience two years that would change his life forever.