Once the meeting was finished and all the details about the process were defined, they agreed that everything would be finalized. the moment Kael delivered the additional equipment he was preparing, once both teams were ready.

  When they left the office, Caria, Tana, and Zarina had not arrived yet. The guild hallway was relatively calm, with the usual murmur of adventurers talking about missions and the mixed scent of old wood, leather, and beer floating in the air.

  Kael sighed dramatically and placed a hand on his forehead.

  —Ahhh… what a shame, my ladies still haven’t arrived —he said with fake sadness—. So I’ll have to leave alone. Thank you very much for the help, see you tomorrow. Take care!

  As soon as he took the first step to leave, four adventurers stood in front of him. Their expressions were no longer playful. They were visibly worried.

  —Young master —Valeryn said, crossing her arms—, I’m afraid you should wait here for Lady Caria. Otherwise, the entire guild will feel her fury…

  Kael opened his eyes dramatically.

  —But They’re the ones who were late! It’s not my fault! I have matters to handle!

  —I’m sorry, young master —Lyris said with absolute seriousness—. Our lives are worth more than your matters, so you’ll have to stay here and wait…

  Kael puffed his cheeks in frustration, like a child trapped in cosmic injustice. Finally, he turned on his heels and went to sit with another group of adventurers who were watching the scene with amusement.

  —What happened, young Kael? —one asked between laughs—. The ladies won’t leave you alone?

  Several began laughing openly.

  Kael dropped onto the bench and huffed.

  —Not at all! Until I manage to become independent, this will be hell. Don’t get a partner, or your lives will be ruined.

  The adventurers nodded with fake seriousness… and then raised their mugs.

  On the table, there was a beer mug almost full, abandoned. Kael looked at it.

  And that small, treacherous impulse from his old soul that loved beer struck his pride directly.

  His eyes shone slightly.

  Unable to resist, he took the mug naturally and, pretending innocence, said:

  —Well, with this juice, let’s make a toast for the new missions I’ll assign you…

  —Cheers, young master! —they all shouted in unison.

  And just like that, between laughter and applause… Kael drank an entire mug of beer.

  At almost four years old.

  The liquid went down cold through his childish throat.

  Silence.

  Second one.

  Second two.

  And then…

  // -- WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR DAMN PROBLEM YOU LITTLE TROUBLE-SEEKING BRAT LOOKING FOR DEATH!!!!! -- //

  Kael blinked.

  Kael thought:

  Hey, why are you so loud… It was just one beer…

  —Hic…

  Kael thought:

  Oops… I forgot I’m like four years old…

  His cheeks began to turn slightly red. His gaze lost focus.

  —Hic… guys… I think I made a mistake… you still have time to run and hide… I thought it was juice… hic… and it was beer…

  The whole group panicked.

  In less than three seconds, the adventurers disappeared as if a magical bomb had exploded.

  In the hall, only the rank D adventurers… and the rank S one remained.

  The six of them stared at him.

  Bezal was the first to react.

  —Young master! What were you doing? Why do you look like that?

  —Hic… I thought it was juice… and it was beer…

  —Beer? —Adriel repeated in disbelief.

  —You drank a beer? —Lyris exclaimed, horrified.

  And as if fate enjoyed chaos…

  At that exact moment, Caria arrived.

  She entered the hall with firm steps, searching for Kael with her eyes. Her mere presence commanded respect even before she spoke. The air seemed to tighten around her.

  Kael looked directly at her and tried to adopt a serious posture. He straightened his back, crossed his arms with dignity, and frowned as if he were focused on important guild matters.

  But Caria immediately noticed something was wrong.

  —Kael… —she said with dangerous calm—. What is going on? You have the expression of someone who did something on purpose and is now trying to look innocent…

  Kael smiled with unstable confidence.

  —No, Mom, how could you think that? I’m a pure white dove…

  …

  …..

  …….

  ……..

  … Hic…

  The sound betrayed him in the worst possible way.

  Kael, caught in the act, could only raise one hand as if that would save him.

  —No, Mom, nothing is happening… I was sharing with some adventurers and by accident I took a beer instead of my juice and drank a little… hic…

  Caria narrowed her eyes.

  That hiccup.

  That faint smell.

  That unfocused look.

  Her first reaction was to release a huge amount of magic that made the entire hall vibrate.

  —KAEL!!! —she roared with contained fury—. I can’t leave you alone for a single minute and you’re already doing something that makes me furious!

  At that moment, Kael felt true terror.

  Not the terror of a powerful enemy.

  Not the terror of a magical beast.

  Maternal terror.

  .

  ..

  …

  …..

  ……

  …….

  ……..

  ………

  Back at the Sunglei mansion.

  Garbard was debating some processes and approvals for important city projects with Laret, while Enta stood guard in silence.

  The atmosphere was formal. Documents, maps, and official seals covered the meeting table.

  Until the main doors of the mansion burst open.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  The loud noise echoed through the entire entrance hall.

  The three men startled.

  Before they could react, the doors to the meeting room were also opened violently.

  It was Caria.

  Full of fury.

  And dragging what looked like a sack of swollen lumps, with a kid barely visible somewhere in the middle.

  The three men stood up immediately.

  —Caria! What happened? Why is Kael in that state? —Laret asked, alarmed.

  —Ask him! —she replied, releasing him by the collar and practically throwing him into Laret’s arms.

  Laret held him carefully. When he looked at him closely, he noticed that something was definitely not normal.

  —Kael, are you all right?

  Kael lifted his head with effort.

  —What’s wrong, Dad?… hic…

  Laret turned pale.

  Enta stepped forward.

  —Don’t tell me the young master is… drunk?

  Kael shook his head forcefully… too forcefully.

  —Nnn no, nnn I’m not drunk… What happened is… I fell face-first into a beer mug.…

  Laret almost lost his balance.

  —KAEL, FOR THE GODDESS! Why did you drink beer?

  —I thought it was juice!

  Caria crossed her arms, still trembling with indignation.

  —That was the last straw. You are grounded. You will not go to the city until your birthday.

  Kael looked at her from his father’s arms, with a thoughtful expression.

  —Will you give me a good mug of beer for my birthday… hic?

  Caria exploded again.

  Another precise hit to his head left him unconscious.

  Garbard sighed with solemn gravity.

  —Without a doubt, Kael is the culmination of all the bad habits of the Sunglei…

  Enta looked at him, confused.

  —What do you mean, my lord?

  —Ah… —Garbard answered with resignation—. Laret and Caria were just as undisciplined and troublesome… Kael inherited those habits from both of them…

  Hours later, Kael woke up.

  An intense headache caused by the alcohol was hammering inside his skull. And as if that wasn’t enough, there were also the blows Caria had given him.

  He placed both hands on his head and groaned.

  Zarina was beside him, visibly worried, sitting with her hands intertwined.

  —Young master… are you all right?

  Kael slowly sat up and rubbed his head.

  —Ah… I didn’t expect one beer to leave me like this… Hey, don’t call me young master. Just call me Kael…

  Zarina lowered her gaze.

  —No… I can’t…

  Kael looked at her with childish mischief.

  —It’s an order. If you don’t… I won’t give you more chocolate…

  At that moment, Zarina felt true terror.

  —No! No, no, no! Not the chocolate! Young… young Kael…

  Kael smiled, satisfied.

  —At least you don’t call me young master anymore…

  Zarina looked at him with discomfort, but also with sincere tenderness.

  —Young Kael… why do you make the lady so angry… if she loves you so much?

  Kael froze.

  He blinked.

  He frowned.

  —Well… good question… why am I so spoiled? Give me a moment to analyze it…

  Kael thought:

  Hey, system… I just realized that many times I have attitudes that shouldn’t come from my thirty-four-year-old self…

  // -- Of course, idiot, that’s normal… No matter how “mature” your mind is, you are attaching it to a body that is still developing, full of hormones and working very differently from an adult… -- //

  Kael exhaled slowly.

  He looked at Zarina.

  —The truth is I’m a mess… My mind pushes me to understand and experience new things… The problem is that it worries my mom a lot… She’s also very overprotective…

  Zarina looked at him with a mix of sadness and respect.

  —I think Lady Caria is a very good mother… Don’t make her angry, young Kael… She loves you very much… She has so much love that she even worries about me, and I don’t deserve it…

  Kael raised an eyebrow.

  —What do you mean?

  Zarina lowered her gaze, uncomfortable.

  —While you were in the meeting, they took me to several stores… They said it was a girls’ morning… and they bought me a lot of clothes and utensils for my daily life… I don’t deserve them…

  Kael stayed silent for a few seconds.

  He didn’t expect that.

  He didn’t expect them to integrate her so quickly, in such a warm way.

  —Of course you deserve it. Don’t be silly. Tell me, how have these last few days been with the members of the house?

  Zarina took a deep breath.

  —I thought they would treat me like another object… but no one has said anything bad to me… Everyone is very kind… Especially Lady Tana and Lady Caria… They are very kind… Today we had a lot of fun. They praised the clothes I was wearing…

  Kael smiled with an expression that mixed pride and relief.

  —Sounds more like they treated you like the daughter they never had… And because they know I don’t like those kinds of outings… hehe…

  Zarina looked at him again with concern.

  —But, young Kael… don’t make them angry anymore. They love you very much…

  Kael sighed, slightly guilty.

  —Well… yes, you’re right… I went a little too far… —he stayed thoughtful for a few seconds and then smiled with a dangerous sparkle in his eyes—. Then… let’s do something to compensate them.

  Zarina blinked.

  —What will you do, young Kael?

  Kael smiled with childish ambition.

  —Ahhh… something great. You’ll love it too… All the women in the mansion will… Oh yes… I’ll make a lot of money with this!

  After lunch was finished, everyone in the house began to rise from the table. However, Caria and Tana still looked visibly upset. Even though they tried to keep their composure, their expressions remained tense, and the atmosphere still carried a light pressure that did not go unnoticed.

  In a low voice, Holley leaned toward Enta and whispered:

  —Hey, Enta… what happened?

  Enta sighed before answering.

  —The young master accidentally drank a full mug of beer… according to what he said… and came home drunk.

  Holley opened her eyes in surprise.

  But Ken, who never missed a chance to interfere where he wasn’t called, heard the conversation and burst into laughter.

  —The young master drank a whole mug of beer? Ha, ha, ha! And he didn’t invite me! Ha, ha!

  Two fists appeared instantly on the back of Ken’s head.

  PUM! PUM!

  Two huge blows landed as if nature itself reacted to his recklessness.

  —I’m sorry, Tana! I’m sorry, boss! —Ken complained, rubbing his head.

  At that precise moment, Kael appeared.

  He had a hangover.

  He had bruises.

  But he also had overflowing energy and a suspiciously bright smile.

  —MOM!!!

  Caria looked at him with a severe expression.

  —What do you want? You already know you’re grounded. You won’t leave the mansion until your birthday.

  —I know that —he replied, walking forward confidently.

  —Then what do you want?

  Kael approached with small but determined steps. His eyes became big and bright. His expression softened until he looked like a completely helpless creature.

  —My beautiful mom from the bottom of my heart! I love you, I care about you, I adore you, and I want to hug you so much!

  Caria felt the direct impact in her heart. Her expression began to soften. Her shoulders lowered slightly.

  Tana reacted immediately.

  —MY LADY, HE’S MANIPULATING YOU! MANIPULATIVE CHILD! EVIL!

  Caria blinked and snapped back.

  —Oh no, young man! I won’t fall for your tricks!

  Kael looked at her with calm eyes, lowering his head slightly.

  —Ah, Mom… you always think everything is for my benefit… I just wanted to say something nice to apologize and do something special for you now that you finished lunch…

  Caria frowned, confused.

  —What do you want to do?

  Kael’s smile widened.

  —I’ll make you ice cream.

  Silence.

  Zarina appeared at that moment with several ingredients from the kitchen, accompanied by Jacki.

  —Zarina, do you remember the list I gave you?

  —Yes, young Kael —she answered, arranging the ingredients carefully.

  —Excellent. We have everything. Go to the garden with the things. I’ll bring the ice maker.

  In the garden

  The terrace dining area was ready. The air was fresh, and the soft scent of the garden flowers mixed with the breeze.

  Everyone waited with curiosity.

  Minutes later, Kael appeared pushing a device made of wood and copper.

  It was a kind of copper plate mounted on a thick wooden base, with an empty internal compartment. He also carried two strange tools that looked like small garden shovels… but sharp.

  Laret was the first to ask, crossing his arms.

  —Kael… what is that?

  Kael puffed out his chest proudly.

  —This is my personal ice maker. And these are my steel spatulas to work the ice cream better.

  He quickly called Jacki and Enta.

  —Could you cut the fruit with your cutting wind magic into these containers at the finest level possible? Almost until the fruit is crushed.

  Both nodded.

  They began cutting cherries, apples, watermelon, melon, and strawberries. The magical wind spun with exact precision, reducing the fruit into smooth, shiny pulp.

  The sweet aroma began to spread through the garden.

  Kael then looked at his father.

  —Dad, could you fill this container of the ice maker with water?

  Laret, though confused, agreed. He took a large jug and poured water into the internal compartment of the device.

  Kael became serious.

  His expression changed.

  —Now comes my part.

  He approached the container filled with water and extended his hand.

  —Ice is produced through cold… Cold is the absence of particle motion. Unlike creating fire, which activates by agitating particles… ice is the opposite… If I remove the movement energy from the water particles… it will freeze…

  He began to sweat slightly.

  His breathing became heavier.

  He focused his magic with microscopic precision.

  The water vibrated.

  Then it stopped vibrating.

  And slowly… it began to crystallize.

  The water froze completely.

  Everyone remained silent.

  With their mouths open.

  He had already used fire.

  He had used water.

  And now… ice.

  // -- This last year you really improved using the different elements, it almost didn’t cost you anything… -- //

  Kael smiled proudly, though slightly out of breath.

  Then he took a handful of salt and spread it over the ice to intensify the cooling. On top, he placed the copper plate.

  —Everything is ready. Time to make ice cream.

  He took the strawberry pulp and poured it onto the plate. He added milk and sugar.

  He began mixing with the spatulas. The metallic sound against the copper was constant and rhythmic.

  As he pressed the mixture, it began to freeze.

  Everyone watched carefully.

  The texture changed.

  It became thicker.

  Firmer.

  Kael finished the first batch, scraped the frozen layer, and began forming small perfect rolls.

  He placed them into small containers.

  He handed them out one by one.

  Everyone took spoons.

  They tasted it.

  And they were amazed.

  —Aww… how delicious! —Caria exclaimed, her eyes shining—. Kael, this thing you call ice cream is incredible!

  —Young master, this is spectacular! May I try making it? —Enta asked, excited.

  Kael handed him the spatulas.

  Soon more flavors started to come out.

  More fruits.

  More combinations.

  The atmosphere filled with laughter.

  Then Kael brought a deep steel cup.

  —While Enta prepares more ice cream… I’ll add the final ingredient.

  Everyone looked at him expectantly.

  Kael placed a generous amount of chocolate inside the cup and looked at Jacki.

  —Aunt Jacki, could you help me with some air to keep my flame steady?

  —Yes, young master.

  Kael lit a small flame under the cup. The chocolate began to melt slowly.

  The sweet, intense aroma mixed with the garden air.

  When it was completely liquid, Kael took Caria’s container and poured the chocolate over the ice cream.

  The chocolate, when touching the cold surface, solidified immediately, forming a crunchy, shiny layer.

  He also handed her some cookies.

  —Now, Mom… enjoy a good ice cream.

  Caria tasted it.

  And exploded in happiness.

  —KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! This is incredible!

  Within seconds, everyone asked for chocolate and cookies.

  Laughter.

  Joy.

  Magic.

  And sugar.

  // -- wow, you’re so good and helpful… -- //

  Kael thought:

  Hehehe… with this I reduce my punishment by at least two days…

  // -- you manipulative brat!!!!! -- //

  And just like that, Kael brought into this world a new consumer product that could generate a great fortune for the house and for the city.

  But more importantly…

  A product that allowed the members of his home to enjoy a beautiful moment of peace and calm.