Leo and the family returned home after a week, Elvin had confessed to Cherry, and just as Leo predicted, Cherry knew about it all along. She had seen the mail on Elvin’s phone and read through them. Elvin didn’t feel bad that Cherry read his email, because she was using his laptop for work at that time. He felt bad because his wife knew exactly what was happening to him, but she had to handle it all alone.

When the family came back home, the people got busy with their daily lives. Snow took over the office and Lily went back to the school. She was taking part in many things at the same time, because she wanted to be friends with capable people who would later grow up to be the pillar of the society and so, this was her way of saying, "I will have rich and well versed friends, and not like Uncle Elvin because he took away my sandwich to pamper his wife."

Leo was left speechless by this, because he knew that his daughter would not spare anyone, and specially those who dared to be affectionate towards her father. Yes, she disliked the brotherhood because she wanted to have that.

The young man’s tasks were simple, take the Little Ancestor to the school and then come back home to tend to the twins. He would cook food for them, and then he would take them to shower, and the whole cycle would repeat everyday. Many times Leo would take them to the public events where he was invited, and at the side, he was researching about the history of the Repteline and the Goddess of mercy.

After two weeks, of coming back home, it was his birthday, and Snow asked, him what he wanted to do. Leo thought about it and said, "I have no idea, it has been really long since I have planned for my own birthday."

Snow smiled and said, "Fine, then leave that to me."

Leo nodded and said, "I will be going out in the morning, gonna see Mom and Dad been some time, and I also want to visit the shrine of the Goddess and ask the High Priest about a few things."

Snow nodded and then asked, "Also, Cherry sent a message."

The young man asked, "What is it?"

Snow smiled and replied, "She asked you to go a little easy on Elvin, these days he is going back home with more bruises than fair skin."

Leo chuckled and said, "If she wants me to do that, she needs to request her Goddaughter. The little goblin bribed Kyle and Jock with the caramel she made the other day. She told them that Elvin bullied her when he met her. The guys are more protective of her than me."

Snow was surprised and she asked, "Seriously?"

Leo nodded with a smile on his face. Snow stood up from the bed and went out to deal with Lily. Then a laughed naughty laughter erupted down the corner followed by a loud call, "Lily Cardinal! You little goblin!"

Leo smiled as he turned to look towards the cradle and the twins were sleeping soundly after a night message.

When Snow came back after teaching Lily a little lesson by a tickling session, she found that Leo had fallen asleep while sitting on the bed.

...

The next morning, Lily rushed up to her parents bedroom, and she saw Leo changing diapers of her sister, and she crept up to him slowly, and hugged his waist. Leo smiled and patted her head and Lily said, "Baba, happy birthday."

Leo smiled and replied, "Thank you my darling."

Lily asked affectionately, "Baba, what do you want as a gift?"

Leo’s heart warmed, this little girl never spent her pocket money on things like candies or stuff, she would save it all. After thinking about it, Leo replied, "I just want you to grow up safe and be a good human."

Lily giggled and said, "That goes without saying. But I still want to gift you something."

Leo picked her up in his arms and said, "You can start with giving me a kiss, and then whatever you like, I will cherish it." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Lily gave him an exaggerated cheek kiss, and then she asked, "Was I the first one to wish you?"

Leo smiled and said, "Your Ma wished me last night but it was at eleven fifty-nine. And if you ask about the morning, then yes, you are the first."

Lily smiled knowingly and then she kissed him again before she said, "Baba, I have to go to school, will you come and pick me up in the noon?"

Leo nodded and replied, "Yes, I will."

Lily left his embrace and then went off to freshen up and head to school with Snow, who had just come out of the bathroom with slightly damp hair. She kissed Leo and replied, "You diplomat."

Leo knew she was complaining about how he tried to make sure that Lily feels happy about her wishing him. This was the role of a father, and a husband. After changing the twins, Leo said, "I will be taking these two with me."

Snow nodded, then she watched Leo pull out two harnesses and then tie one on his chest and the other on his back. She knew that he would use these harnesses to carry the children up the mountain and the rest of the time they would be in the car strapped to their seats. They were not yet One, but they have grown healthy enough to sit in the baby car seats for protection and comfort.

The first stop they made was at the cemetery. Had Martha, Leo’s mother been alive, she would have scolded him for visiting such a place on his birthday, but he didn’t care. He loved his parents deeply, and so he wanted to come and visit them because he could. Julian was on his back and Elena was in the front and he carried a bottle of wine and flowers from the front garden that had freshly bloomed and along with that he brought a small bag of things too.

Once they reached the place, Leo opened the bag and took out a think padded sheet of cloth with a folded soft quilt, and spread it all on the ground. Then he let down the kids and said, "Elle, Jules, stay here, don’t get off the sheet, Baba has to do some work, and you can talk to Baba, okay?"

The two nodded very curiously looking at what Leo was about to do. Then they watched the young man take out a small hoe and dug a hole on the side of the graves, and planted the flower stalks that he had taken from the front garden. After a few minutes, he washed his hands and the took out the wine bottle before he said, "I am now twenty six years old, and I have been missing you guys a little every day. Hope you have been well over their too."

Then he poured the content a little on his father’s grave and took a sip himself. Julian looked at him and asked, "Baba, why are Grandma and Grandpa there?"

Leo paused and then said, "There comes a time when people stop living and then they are put in the ground. Someday I will be placed there too."

Elena pouted and looked at Leo before she said, "No!"

The young man smiled at her innocent defiance, but even after the system aiding him, the young man could not be so confident. He placed the bottle on the ground and picked up Elena in his arms and kissed her cheek, before he coaxed her into calming down. Then he asked Beta to pack up the stuff before they headed out to the Shrine of the Goddess Of Mercy. The drive was not long but the children kept talking to Leo about the various things they thought when inside the cemetery.

After an hour when they reached the foot of the mountain, he tied the kids back to his harness and began to climb, and this time he left Beta in the parking and only took the kids with him. After a few minutes, when they reached the top, Leo was surprised to find the old monk in the white habit waiting for him.

Leo bowed slightly and said, "Greetings, Sir."

The old monk smiled and replied, "You are later than my expectations, Mister Cardinal."

Leo was surprised and then he took a deep breath before he replied, "I didn’t expect you to be waiting for me, Your holiness."

The monk smiled and replied, "We have been waiting for you, for a long time, Mister Cardinal, please come along, we have somethings to discuss."

That said, he led the man inside the shrine and this time pushed a section on the wall, causing it to slide away and reveal a corridor. Had it been someone else, they might have been scared, but Leo was calm, and he followed the man inside.