Chapter 9: Ring

Morning Light

Soft morning light spilled through the swaying white curtains, painting gentle ripples of gold across the room. The air carried the quiet rhythm of sleep — calm breaths, the occasional rustle of sheets.

On the bed lay three figures, bundled together beneath the linen.A woman with long, silvery-white hair held a small child close, her arms protective yet tender. Beside them, a man with the same snowy hair had his arms wrapped around both his family as though afraid that if he let go, the morning would take them away.

Cecilia. Siegfried. And nestled between them, their daughter, Kiana.

The warmth of their embrace, however, was a little too much for the smallest one.Kiana stirred, her tiny brows furrowing as she squirmed in the cocoon of affection. Her blue eyes fluttered open, dazed from sleep. She rubbed them clumsily, blinking at the sight of her parents pressing close on either side.

No wonder it feels like an oven... she thought, puffing her cheeks.

Before she could even move, Siegfried shifted in his sleep and nuzzled his face against her. The prickly rasp of his stubble brushed against her cheek.

"Ugh! Daaad!" Kiana squeaked, raising her little hands to push him away. But strength was not on her side — no matter how hard she tried, the scruffy chin of doom returned for another rub.

Her muffled protests only stirred Cecilia awake. The woman's soft chuckle filled the air as she leaned over, pinching Kiana's cheek with maternal fondness.

"Mom!" Kiana cried, immediately diving into her mother's arms — her safe haven from the sleepy monster beside her.

"Shh," Cecilia whispered, placing a finger to her lips. "Let your dad sleep a little longer."

Kiana nodded obediently, lips pursed in mock seriousness. When Cecilia rose from the bed and began tying her hair, Kiana turned back to her father.

He looked so peaceful... too peaceful. Mischief glimmered in her eyes.

She poked his cheek. Once. Twice.

Big mistake.

Without warning, Siegfried's arms shot out, pulling her back into a crushing hug. The stubble returned for vengeance.

"Sticky daddy! Stop—! Your face's all prickly!" she yelped, wriggling helplessly.

From the doorway, Cecilia paused, a soft smile tugging at her lips as she watched the scene — her husband snoring, her daughter struggling, the sunlight warming them all.

"Honestly…" she murmured fondly, shaking her head. Then, with a quiet sigh, she turned and left for the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her little family.

Back in the bedroom, Kiana was still pinned under her father's arm, her expression full of despair.

It seemed she wouldn't be escaping any time soon.

------------------divide-----------------

The scent of toast, eggs, and freshly brewed coffee drifted through the Kaslana home. Morning sunlight spilled across the dining table where Siegfried and Kiana were already seated, waiting expectantly.

Cecilia appeared from the kitchen carrying a tray laden with food — enough to feed a small battalion. Knowing the appetites of both her husband and daughter, she had long since learned to prepare extra.

“Woah! As expected of my wife — your cooking’s out of this world!” Siegfried declared proudly, already reaching for a slice of toast.

Cecilia chuckled, setting the tray down. “You’re quite the flatterer, dear.”

“Mom, where’s mine?” Kiana piped up, staring at the table. There was no plate in front of her.

Cecilia turned toward her with a knowing smile. “Did you wash your face yet?”

Kiana froze. “I—I did!” she said, though her voice cracked with guilt.

“Really?”

Kiana bolted from her chair and ran straight for the bathroom. “Okay fine, I’ll wash!”

Siegfried paused mid-bite. He hadn’t washed his face either. Slowly, he looked up — and met his wife’s calm, smiling gaze. That same dangerous smile that promised no escape.

“I, uh... should probably... help Kiana,” he muttered, abandoning his plate and following after their daughter.

Cecilia sighed, amused, and finally sat down. Resting her chin in her palm, she allowed herself a quiet moment of stillness. Her eyes wandered to her hand — the one that should have been wearing her wedding ring.

A few days ago, Siegfried had asked for it back. For a brief moment, she’d been worried — until he explained, in his usual clumsy but heartfelt way, that he wanted to improve it. Make it even more special for her.

She smiled faintly at the memory. Always so sentimental, that man...

The sound of footsteps drew her from her thoughts. Both Kiana and Siegfried returned, freshly washed and ready to eat.

“By the way, dear,” Cecilia began, as she refilled his cup with coffee, “when will I get my improved ring back?”

“Soon,” Siegfried replied with a grin — then paused, noticing the faint pout on her lips. “What’s wrong, Cecilia?”

“It’s nothing... My hand just feels a little empty without it,” she said softly.

Siegfried reached across the table and clasped her hand. “Then let me hold it until it doesn’t feel empty anymore.”

Cecilia laughed, shaking her head. “How flirty of you, Ziggy.”

“If it’s for my wife, it’s worth saying,” he replied, eyes glinting with warmth.

Across the table, Kiana sat motionless, staring at them with the deadpan expression only a child could manage. Watching her parents exchange flirtatious lines this early in the morning was more than her stomach could handle.

“Ugh... you two are so embarrassing,” she muttered under her breath.

Her mother caught the expression immediately and leaned over to pinch Kiana’s cheek, smiling sweetly.

“Eat your breakfast, young lady.”

Kiana puffed her cheeks and began eating — though her expression screamed silent suffering as she watched her parents feed each other between bites, whispering little things only they could hear.

For Kiana Kaslana, breakfast was less about food and more about enduring the battlefield of love between her parents.

Siegfried leaned back in his chair with a mischievous grin. “Oh, right! Cecilia, let’s spend the day outside together — just the three of us.”

Cecilia blinked, tilting her head. “Hmm? Wasn’t that already the plan for today?”

“Yes, but I mean only the three of us,” he said with mock seriousness, leaning forward as if declaring something deeply important.

Cecilia raised an amused brow. “Oh? And what about Theresa? Isn’t she family too?”

Siegfried groaned dramatically. “She is, but... Cecilia, my love! That chibi is always around! It’s so rare for just the three of us to have time together. So please, just this once!”

“Theresa, did you hear that?” Cecilia said suddenly, her voice playful.

Siegfried froze mid-protest. His expression stiffened. Don’t tell me... she’s already here?

He looked around the dining room, eyes darting toward the doorway, half-expecting to see a tiny nun standing there with her arms crossed. But there was no one. Only the sound of Cecilia’s soft chuckle broke the silence.

He turned back toward her, realization dawning on his face. His wife was teasing him again.

“Ceciliaaa, my loveee!” he cried dramatically, lunging forward to wrap his arms around her, acting as if his heart had been wounded beyond repair.

Cecilia laughed softly, patting his back. “I can’t help it,” she said between giggles. “I really don’t understand why the two of you can’t get along.”

“Impossible!” Siegfried declared with theatrical intensity. “She’s my mortal rival! If I drop my guard, she’ll steal you away!”

“Oh? Is that so?” Cecilia replied with feigned curiosity, then smirked. “In that case... maybe I should give her a call.”

Siegfried froze again. “Cecilia, you wouldn’t—”

Meanwhile, Kiana continued eating silently, pretending to ignore her parents’ antics. Her father’s plate, however, sat untouched — and full.

Her eyes flicked toward it.

Dad’s distracted... perfect.

Without hesitation, Kiana reached over and began eating his breakfast piece by piece.

When Siegfried finally turned around, he noticed his plate was empty. His jaw dropped. “You little gremlin! Don’t eat your dad’s food!”

But it was too late. Kiana had already stuffed the last bite into her mouth, cheeks puffed like a squirrel.

“Too late!” she mumbled, her words muffled by the food.

Siegfried pointed at her in mock fury. “You—!”

Cecilia simply chuckled into her hand, her eyes glinting with amusement as her husband looked to her for backup.

She only shrugged.

Defeated, Siegfried sighed and slumped back into his chair. “I swear, there’s always my little white cotton ball stealing from me.”

Kiana, now finished with her heist, stared back at him seriously — as if daring him to do something. One wrong move, and she’d call for the ultimate weapon, Mom.

Siegfried’s eye twitched.

Kiana smirked smugly, confident in her victory—

Until Cecilia spoke.

“Mom won’t help you this time, Kiana.”

The world froze.

“E-Eh?”

Siegfried’s grin stretched wide. “Oh, I’ve been waiting for this moment. This time, Dad’s going to teach you not to mess with his food!”

“NOOOO!” Kiana yelped, leaping from her chair.

But Siegfried was faster. He grabbed her and started tickling mercilessly.

“Ahahahahaha! Stop! Hahaha! Dad! I can’t breathe! Hahahaha!” Kiana shrieked between fits of laughter, squirming helplessly in his grasp.

Cecilia just stood at the counter, shaking her head with a smile that was equal parts fondness and exasperation.

she murmured, gathering plates into her arms. “Those two will never grow up.”

But even as she said it, her expression softened. The sound of their laughter filled the house, wrapping it in warmth — a fleeting, precious peace she wished could last forever.

---------------divide---------------

Within the quiet inside the Cosmic Juggernaut, also known as the Divine Key of Infinity, time itself seemed to lose meaning. Dim light shimmered against the metallic walls, and the air carried a stillness that only eternity could hold.

Siegfried stood alone at the center.

He was older now  lines of time carved gently across his face, each one a testament to the battles he had fought, the losses he had endured. His eyes, weary yet steady, lingered on the simple ring glinting faintly on his finger.

It was their ring  the matching pair he had once with Cecilia.

He turned it slowly, the flower metal catching the faint glow of the Divine Key’s inner light. For a long moment, he said nothing, merely watching it in silence. And as he did, memories began to stir  soft, vivid, and bittersweet.

Laughter around a breakfast table.

Cecilia’s gentle smile beneath morning light.

Kiana’s childish laughter echoing through their home.

Moments that now felt like fragments of another lifetime.

Siegfried’s hand trembled. He clenched it into a fist, pressing the ring against his palm as if afraid it might slip away again. A drop of water  a tear  slid down his cheek and fell soundlessly to the ground.

“…Cecilia,” he whispered, voice roughened with emotion.

After all these years  ten long, aching years  he would finally see her again.

At first, he hadn’t dared to hope. When the reports came that she might exist in a world bubble, he had dismissed them as cruel fantasy another lie the world played on him. But then… Kiana and Bianca had returned with proof.

A photo.

A smile he knew better than anyone.

The moment he saw it, the world seemed to blur. The weight in his chest, long buried under regret and longing, shattered  replaced by something pure and overwhelming.

Joy.

Not the fleeting kind born of relief, but the deep, soul-stirring joy of knowing that the person he loved most still breathed somewhere out there.

He laughed softly to himself  a sound that was half sob, half smile  and wiped his eyes.

Behind him, another presence stood silently.

Theresa watched him, arms folded, though her usual sharpness had softened. She didn’t speak. She didn’t need to. The small smile tugging at her lips spoke enough.

For her, too, this was a day she had never thought would come  to know that her dearest friend, the one she had lost so long ago, was alive.

(A/n: enjoy)