Chapter 386: Before the Vision, Before the War

The night slipped away from Trafalgar without him truly noticing when it ended.

Morning arrived quietly at first, then all at once, carried by the growing noise outside the window — hurried footsteps on stone, distant voices calling instructions, metal shifting, carts rolling, the sound of a city preparing itself for something it could no longer avoid. The world was already moving toward war, while the small room around him remained suspended in a calm that felt almost unreal.

Trafalgar stood beside the bed, already dressed.

His posture was straight, his expression serious, his eyes fixed on Aubrelle.

Trafalgar stood beside the bed, already dressed. His eyes fixed on Aubrelle.

She was still asleep beneath a single white sheet, her body completely relaxed, her breathing slow and steady. Only the thin fabric covered her, rising and falling softly with every breath. Her face looked peaceful, untouched by fear or urgency, and the contrast struck him more sharply than he expected. Her blonde hair was spread across the pillow and the mattress in a loose, natural mess, catching the pale light of the early morning.

He watched her in silence.

In a few hours, they would leave.

Three hours.

Three hours to be ready. Three hours to be in position.

There would be no surprise attack.

The Thal’zar already knew what was coming.

’Seven families against one,’ he thought quietly. ’And two of those seven belong to the Eight Great Families.’

The weight of it settled in his chest, slow and heavy.

Today, the Thal’zar family would fall.

’Today is the day of the vision,’ he told himself. ’Today is the day of the war.’

Trafalgar moved closer to the bed and gently brushed his fingers along Aubrelle’s cheek.

She reacted immediately, even in her sleep, shifting toward his touch, her head turning slightly as if searching for more without fully waking.

Aubrelle’s eyelids fluttered.

She did not look at him directly.

Instead, Pipin’s shared sight quietly opened, the small familiar perched at the head of the bed, and through that borrowed angle she saw Trafalgar standing beside her, his hand resting against her face, his expression softer than it had been moments ago.

"...Good morning..." Her voice was still heavy with sleep.

"Good morning," Trafalgar replied softly. "How did you sleep?"

Aubrelle smiled faintly before answering.

"I didn’t sleep much," she admitted after a second, her gaze following his hand through Pipin’s eyes, "but... I feel good. Lighter. Like... the night took something away from me."

Trafalgar let out a small breath through his nose and tilted his head slightly.

"Really?"

She nodded slowly against the pillow.

He smiled to the side, the corner of his mouth lifting in a way that made the teasing arrive before the words.

"...I think we both know who kept asking for ’one more time’ last night."

Aubrelle froze for half a heartbeat.

Then color rushed into her cheeks.

"...That’s not fair," she murmured, embarrassed, but she did not deny it.

After a brief pause, she added honestly, her voice softer,

"It just... felt really good."

Trafalgar’s smile eased.

Aubrelle slowly pushed herself up in bed.

Only then did she realize she was still completely naked.

She paused for half a second.

And immediately noticed Trafalgar’s eyes on her thanks to Pipin.

"...You’re staring," she said softly, a faint teasing note slipping into her voice.

Trafalgar did not look away.

"I am."

Aubrelle smiled.

She tilted her head slightly and asked, clearly trying to provoke him,

"Didn’t you get tired... after last night?"

Trafalgar’s answer came without hesitation.

"How could I get tired of your beautiful body?" There was no exaggeration in his tone.

No playfulness. Just quiet, honest admiration.

Aubrelle’s cheeks warmed again.

She reached for the clothes resting on the chair beside the bed and began to dress slowly, piece by piece, slipping into her shirt, then her skirt, adjusting the fabric with small, unhurried movements.

Trafalgar sat on the edge of the bed, watching her.

Neither of them rushed.

They spoke softly while she dressed, about nothing in particular at first, letting the moment exist as it was, as if both of them were silently trying to remember it before the day erased its calm.

After a brief pause, Aubrelle spoke again.

"Trafalgar..."

He looked up.

"...Do you think I could get pregnant?"

Trafalgar straightened slightly. "...It’s possible," he said honestly.

Then, after a short breath,

"You told me you wanted it inside... so I didn’t stop."

He met her eyes.

"But don’t worry. It’s fine."

Aubrelle hummed softly.

"Hm... I’m not really worried, to be honest."

She finished fastening her clothes and turned toward him.

"More than one person has ended up pregnant at the academy before. I wouldn’t be the first."

She shrugged lightly.

"And... it doesn’t scare me."

Trafalgar watched her in silence for a moment.

’She’s stronger than she realizes,’ he thought.

Aubrelle took a final breath, then walked back toward the bed.

Trafalgar was still sitting there, his posture relaxed but his expression serious, the weight of the coming hours clearly resting behind his eyes.

She stopped in front of him for just a moment.

Then sat down on his lap.

Her hands came up to his face, steady and warm, and she leaned in to kiss him. It wasn’t a hungry kiss. It carried intention rather than desire.

When she pulled back, their foreheads remained close.

"Today..." Trafalgar began, his voice lower now. "Don’t put yourself in danger."

He rested his hands at her waist, holding her there.

"I’ll cover you as much as I can. I won’t let anything happen to you."

Aubrelle didn’t smile.

She answered him with the same seriousness.

"And I’ll cover you too," she said firmly. "With Pipin... and the others."

Trafalgar blinked.

"The others?" he asked, surprised.

Aubrelle nodded once.

"You don’t really think Pipin is my only familiar, do you?" she said calmly.

There was something almost playful in her tone, but the certainty behind it was real.

Before he could ask anything else, she leaned in again, pressing her forehead against his.

"We should hurry," she added softly. "It’s time to go."

Trafalgar let out a quiet breath and nodded.

"Right," he said.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The sound broke the quiet of the room.

Aubrelle straightened at once, slipping off Trafalgar’s lap and walking to the door before he could even react.

She opened it.

Standing in the corridor was her father.

Lord Thaleon au Rosenthal.

For a brief, unspoken second, everything was clear without a single word needing to be said.

Aubrelle, her hair still slightly messy despite having just dressed. The bed behind her, the sheets completely undone. And Trafalgar, sitting on the edge of the mattress, already dressed, watching the scene unfold in silence.

Thaleon’s gaze passed through the room in one slow, effortless sweep.

Then he smiled.

"Good morning, Aubrelle," he said warmly.

"Good morning, Dad," she replied naturally. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes," Thaleon answered at once. "Everything is prepared."

His eyes returned to her face.

"Remember to be careful today."

Then, with a soft, knowing tone, and a small amused curve to his lips, he added,

"I came to wake you up... but it seems that wasn’t really necessary." His gaze flicked briefly toward the bed. "...And it looks like you had company."

Aubrelle did not try to deny it.

She only smiled.

Trafalgar stood up immediately.

He straightened his posture and bowed his head politely.

"Good morning, father-in-law."

For a moment, Thaleon simply looked at him.

Then his smile widened.

"...Good morning, Trafalgar."

There was no tension in his voice. Only quiet approval.

He placed one hand on Aubrelle’s shoulder. "I’m glad to see you well," he said softly. "Both of you."

The warmth in his expression made it clear that he was not only relieved, but genuinely happy to see his daughter like this.

"I’ll be waiting outside," Thaleon added. He stepped back, giving them space. "We don’t have much time."