As the family began their lunch, the clatter of utensils and soft chatter filled the room. A warm breeze drifted through the open windows, carrying with it the scent of blooming flowers from the villa gardens.
Kallus paused between bites, glancing at the empty chair near his mother.
"Mom… where's Dad?" he asked casually, though the question had been on his mind since he entered the villa. He could've easily reached into the Universal Plane and sensed his father's location—but he chose not to. It felt too invasive. Some questions, he felt, deserved to be asked directly.
Amelin, who had been enjoying her hearty lunch with a soft hum, paused briefly and looked at her son with a fond smile.
"Your father's gone out to train," she said warmly. "He told me this morning he's getting very close to breaking through to the next realm of Word-Building."
Kallus blinked.
