(Leif’s Awakening—Alvar’s POV— Continuation—Thoren Vald Estate)

BOOM—!!!

The chamber walls shook so violently dust rained from the ceilings.

The golden light around Leif flickered . Not dimming. Not fading. But reacting —to something else entering the world.

The goddess staggered backward, clutching her chest as if pierced.

"N–No... NO...!" she gasped. "He sensed it—he sensed it—!! The Devil has sensed Seraph King awakening."

Caelum’s wings blazed open. Zephyy arched his back, fur electrified. Haldor drew his sword without conscious thought.

I didn’t move.

I couldn’t move.

All the noise — the trembling walls, the crackling divinity, the fading shadow of the devil — disappeared beneath the sound of my own heartbeat.

My eyes were fixed on Leif.

On the light around him flickering...shrinking...softening...Until— FWOOM— The radiance collapsed inward, like a dying sun folding itself into a single point.

And then— darkness.

The room dimmed. The winds stilled. Candles flickered back to normal flame. It was as if nothing had happened.

As if the world had not nearly broken open.

My breath hitched violently.

No — no, no, no please—

"...Why hasn’t Leif woken up?" I asked, voice shaking so hard it sounded foreign.

No one answered.

The goddess pressed a trembling hand to her chest. Caelum’s wings lowered slowly, feathers sparking with leftover divinity. Zephyy padded closer to the bed, tail tucked.

The silence burned.

"Leif..." I whispered, stepping toward the bed on shaking legs.

I reached his cheek — cold... too cold.

"Leif, please..." My voice cracked. "Please wake up... please..."

I didn’t even care who was watching anymore. My knees hit the floor beside the bed, my forehead pressed to his hand. And then—a breath.

So soft I thought I imagined it.

A shift. Faint—barely a twitch—but real. His eyelashes fluttered.

Once.

Twice.

And then those eyes—those familiar, warm, painfully gentle eyes—opened slowly.

Not fully. Just enough for me to see it.

See him.

"...Alvar..." It was a whisper.

Broken.

Fragile.

Soft.

But it was enough to tear my entire world open. I froze. My heart stopped. My throat collapsed.

"Leif...?" The word came out strangled, desperate.

His gaze found me through the haze, unfocused but alive . His lips parted again.

"Alvar..." Softer this time, like he’d been searching for me in the dark and finally found me.

Something in me shattered.

My hand flew to his face—cupping his cheek, pulling him closer, pressing kisses over his forehead, his eyelids, and his trembling fingers.

"You—" My voice broke. "You came back to me—"

A tiny, exhausted smile lifted at the corner of his lips.

"I told you..." he breathed weakly, "I always come back..."

His voice was hoarse, barely audible. But those words—Those words ripped the breath from my chest.

I leaned down, resting my forehead against his—tears falling, unstoppable.

"I thought I lost you," I whispered, voice shaking violently. "I thought—Leif, I thought—I thought you were gone—"

His fingers twitched—lifting weakly—touching my cheek as if wiping my tears.

"You’re...crying..." he murmured, almost scolding. "You look...ugly...when you cry..."

A broken laugh burst from my chest.

"Shut up," I whispered against his mouth. "You nearly died, and all you care about is teasing me?"

"Mm... it’s my job..." he whispered back.

I pressed my lips to his—soft, fragile, trembling—like if I kissed too hard he’d disappear. His hand curled into my collar, faint and weak, pulling me closer.

"I’m home," he murmured against my lips. "I came home to you."

My eyes burned.

"You’re my home, Leif," I whispered, choking on the words. "Always. Always."

He blinked slowly, exhaustion dragging him back under.

"Don’t...let go..." he whispered.

"I won’t," I said instantly.

The goddess stepped back quietly. Caelum exhaled shakily. Zephyy curled up at the foot of the bed, ears flat.

But none of that mattered.Because Leif— my Leif —was breathing in my arms.

Alive.

Back.

And mine.

I pressed my forehead to his again and whispered, barely a breath, "Welcome back, my love."

And for the first time since the wedding fell into chaos—he smiled.

***

[Leif’s POV—Later]

My vision steadied slowly.

The divine glow faded from the room. The ringing in my ears softened. And the first thing I truly saw was Alvar’s face near mine.

Red-eyed.

Tear-streaked.

Trying so hard to look composed even though he was shaking, sitting beside me, holding me tight as if he was scared of losing me again.

Then...

"BROTHEEERRRRR!!!"

Something slammed into me like a tiny missile.

"UGH—!"

Air left my lungs as small but terrifyingly strong arms wrapped around my ribs so tightly I thought the goddess would have to revive me a second time.

Alina.

Her cheeks were blotchy, eyes swollen like she’d cried for hours, nose pink, and lip wobbling. She buried her face into my shoulder and sobbed so hard I felt the entire bed vibrate.

"I—I missed you—!" she wailed, voice cracking. "I was... I was so scared—brother—why did you scare us—"

I softened immediately, lifting a trembling hand to pat her hair.

"Hey... hey... sweetheart..." My voice came out weak, but gentle. "I’m right here. I’m fine."

"You’re NOT fine!" she yelled into my chest, hitting me weakly with her tiny fists. "You didn’t wake up! You scared me!"

Her breath hitched. "I don’t want to lose you brother..."

That last whisper shattered me.

And her arms tightened like she wanted to fuse us together just to keep me from fading again.

"...I’m sorry," I murmured. "I’m so sorry, Alina."

She sniffled so loudly Zephyy flinched on the foot of the bed. Then—suddenly—another voice:

" Lord Leif!"

Nick barreled in next like a panicked mother hen. He grabbed my face with both hands, yanking me gently side to side like checking for cracks.

"Oh thank GOD—oh thank EVERY god—you’re alive—" he hiccuped, wiping tears with his sleeve."I told you not to eat cake at parties—didn’t I tell you—"

"I was poisoned, Nick."

"EXACTLY—CAKE IS DANGEROUS—"

I laughed. Actually laughed. Weak, raspy, but real.

Then came Mother.

She didn’t rush.She didn’t scream.She just walked toward me slowly—hands trembling, lip quivering.

When she reached the bed, she brushed my forehead with her thumb. Like she used to when I was a crying kid in her kitchen.

"Oh my dear child..." she whispered, breath unsteady. "Thank you for coming back."

Her eyes filled instantly—not with fear now, but relief so deep it made my chest hurt.

"Mother..." My voice cracked embarrassingly. "I’m sorry I scared you."

She cupped my cheek gently. "You returned. That is all that matters."

Then—

"Leif."

Father’s voice.

He stood by the doorway at first—arms crossed so tightly it looked painful. Like he was trying to keep himself from breaking in front of everyone.

But then he stepped forward.

Slow.

Careful.

As if approaching someone fragile.

"Son..." He swallowed hard. "You terrified us."

For the first time since I met him, his voice trembled. "I’m... happy you woke up. So happy... I—"

His voice cracked, and he turned away slightly, hiding his face behind a hand. Mother reached for him. Alina kept clinging to me. Nick was still wiping his eyes like a leaking fountain.

Family.

My family.

Even though I wasn’t from this world... they cried for me. Held me. Loved me.

Something warm bloomed painfully in my chest.

"I’m home," I whispered. "I’m really home."

Alvar’s hand slid into mine—warm and solid. He looked at me like I’d risen from the dead.

Maybe I had. But what mattered was—I wasn’t alone.

Not in this world.Not anywhere.

Because the people I loved surrounded me—and I was awake to see it.

***

[Lief’s Chamber—Night—Later]

I was fine.

Absolutely fine.

Okay, maybe not fine-fine , but... alive. Breathing. Conscious. And apparently glowing faintly if the lights were dim.

There was... a strange feeling inside my chest.

Like something was humming under my ribs. Like my soul had a heartbeat of its own. Not physically—but I could feel it.

My divine power had awakened.

Does this mean... I’m basically Spider-Man now?

Can I shoot laser webs?

I blinked at the ceiling.

WHOSSSSH—WHOSSH—

Yeah....defienlty not.

"Cool," I whispered. "I’m a holy superhero."

Then— PLOP!!!

A massive blanket slammed onto my head like a dropped tent.

"W-WHA—?!" My entire world became blanket

. Thick, fluffy, suffocating blanket.

I flailed. Somewhere in the fabric darkness, I yelled, "Help—?? Hello?? Is this an assassination attempt??"

Then a hand yanked the blanket down to reveal a face leaning over mine.

Not the assassin kind.

The Alvar kind.

And he looked... serious.

Very serious.

Too serious.

Like I died once and he refuses to let gravity kill me again serious.

Without saying a word, he slid beside me, pushed me gently down, and spoke in a tone that brooked no argument:

"Lie properly."

I blinked. "I— okay??"

He nodded once—sharp, decisive—and began tucking the blanket around me.

Not tucking.

Stuffing.

I became a burrito. A Leifrito. Completely immobilized from neck to toe. "Alvar... I can’t move my arms."

"You don’t need arms."

"??? I respectfully disagree??"

"No."

He finished the wrapping, leaned back, inspected his work like a craftsman evaluating architecture, and nodded with grave satisfaction.

"You are secure."

"I AM TRAPPED."

"That is the point."

Before I could protest further, he grabbed a sword—HIS sword—and slid it under his pillow. Then he lay beside me. Very close. Arm over my middle burrito section. Eyes forward. Jaw set.

"I will be guarding you all night."

I stared at him. He stared at the door like it personally offended him.

"This feels... excessive," I offered.

He slowly turned to me.

"Leif."

"Yes?"

"You died ."

"Technically I was ’temporarily soul-logged.’"

"So you died."

"...Maybe a little."

His grip tightened. "You are not dying again. Ever."

I wiggled helplessly beneath the blanket. "I’m definitely not dying when you’ve wrapped me like a sushi roll. I can’t even turn over."

"Good." He rested his chin lightly atop my head. "You can’t fall off the bed."

"I WASN’T GOING TO!"

"You also can’t wander off."

"WHY WOULD I WANDER??"

He didn’t answer. He just tucked the blanket tighter.

Tighter.

TIGHTER.

"Alvar... I think my feet stopped existing."

"That means you’ll rest better."

"IT MEANS I’M LOSING CIRCULATION—"

He gently kissed my forehead.

My heart flipped. Oh god. Oh ancestors. Oh grandma deity. He was being cute. Cute AND terrifying.

He tightened his arm around me again—possessive but warm—like he still couldn’t believe I was real and breathing.

"I almost lost you," he whispered into my shoulder. "Let me be ridiculous tonight."

My breath stuttered.

"...Okay," I whispered again. Softer this time.

He exhaled shakily against my neck. The lamp’s glow softened. The room quieted. His heartbeat steadied.

And I?

Wrapped in a blanket cocoon and pinned under a very overprotective husband?

I smiled.

"I guess..." I murmured, "this is the after-effect of almost dying."

The divine power may have awakened—but nothing short-circuited me faster than Alvar being soft.