Ocean visited Oasis town and also the school which was damaged after the fire, he checked everything with Mana Eyes but couldn’t find anything. He had expected it since the school building was already being repaired.

As he stepped out of the school he noticed the people gathering and some kids among them. They all approached him.

"Master, you’re back!"

Ocean stopped and observed them, they didn’t feel like they were worried or scared. He had been anxious that the people would be married after what had happened right before their celebration but watching them being normal put him at ease. But he still needed to ask.

The kids eagerly latched onto Ocean’s arms grinning widely at him.

*How are you all? I heard of what happened, is everyone safe? Was anyone hurt?" He asked.

"We’re all safe, Master!" One of the kids shouted.

"Thanks to Young Master, we are all safe!"

"We all saw Young Master, he made the big water ball and then slammed it like baaam! Over the school and then gaah! The fire went out!" The kids enacted the scene happily and Ocean couldn’t help but smile.

"Is that so? Then were you all scared?" Ocean asked brushing his hand over the excited child’s head.

"We were scared at first but when Young Master came we were not!" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"I wasn’t scared!"

"Young Master was so cool back then!"

The kids started happily shouting about their new hero and Ocean couldn’t help but feel the swell of pride. He had only heard the report from Roan about what Kai had done but having the people tell him about his act was another thing.

"Young Master couldn’t have resembled you more!"

"Yes, at that time we felt as reassured as when Master had come to save us every time!"

The adults started telling Ocean and he nodded in response stopping himself from smiling any wider than he was. He had brought gifts for Kai from Denril but since he was taking care of the aftermath he hadn’t yet given him those gifts.

"Young Master is really a befitting heir to Master Ocean."

Ocean smiled and nodded, "He is, isn’t he?"

After visiting the town, Ocean bought Kai’s favorite sweets from Randall’s bakery and then flew back to Ryujin estate.

It was evening and the dinner preparations were done so, Ocean invited everyone for dinner.

Davian and Sol noticed how Ocean seemed to be in a good mood despite what was happening. They wondered if he found an evidence about who had instigated rhe assassination and arson.

Ocean had been putting food in Kai’s plate and smiling at him more.

"Here, eat this." Ocean said bringing the bite of fish he just deboned to Kai’s mouth.

Kai also seemed a little surprised because of the attention he was getting but he didn’t refuse it. He liked it when Ocean showered him with so much care and attention.

"Master, you seem to be in a good mood." Davian breached the subject as he watched Ocean.

"Oh, it’s because I am." Ocean said with a smile so bright that Davian and Sol had to cover their eyes.

"Di-Did you find the instigator?" He asked.

"No," Ocean said and the two looked at him.

"Then why are you so happy?" Sol asked bluntly.

Ocean looked at him, "Because I’m happy to have Kai as my child."

The two were speechless.

"That’s... Well, I understand you’re happy with Kai... And well..." Davian couldn’t find proper words and he stopped speaking as he simply watched Ocean showering Kai with all his love.

Sol stayed silent as well, watching Ocean and Kai. He hadn’t ever thought about how it would be having a parent but watching Ocean and Kai he couldn’t help but having this feeling of heaviness in his chest. He had received a lot of love and respect and even fear from the people but, never the kind of doting that Ocean showered over the kids around him. Even though it was obvious that he loved kids, but he also made sure to make his kids feel special. Kai, all those teens from Eldarf and himself were the witnesses to the boundless affection that Ocean showed them.

Is this how it was to have a parent? He wondered.

Dragons were the creatures of solitude and never in their life would they accept the companionship apart from the one of their soulmate but humans were different. They were social creatures, they needed each other to survive. Ocean Ryujin might probably be the only Dragon who was tolerant of humans- no wait, there was one more. The predecessor and the original Supreme Aqua Dragon who had stayed back on earth to help humans purely out of the goodness of his heart. But the result of his kindness was betrayal and murder.

Sol wondered if Ocean would also face such an ending. He didn’t want that, Ocean was smarter. He wouldn’t stand being betrayed, Sol hadn’t experienced it but he knew through the way Ocean planned that though he kept the safety of his people his first priority and would sacrifice himself for the sake of others, he wouldn’t let someone else walk all over him.

"Kai, visit my room after dinner, I brought some gifts for you." Ocean smiled and Kai’s face brightened up.

"Yes!"

Davian and Sol feeling kind of dejected for not having Ocean’s attention trudged their feet as they started heading back to their rooms.

"It feels kind of like child neglect, doesn’t it?" Davian commented as he watched Sol walking beside him.

"What do you mean?" Sol asked and Davian hummed.

"Master is only attending to Kai and not us, I feel love deprived." Davian groaned making Sol stare at him with a strange look.

He opened his mouth to comment but then closed it back, he wondered what Davian would react like if he got to know that Ocean and Reina were the same person.

Davian who noticed it smiled thinking maybe Sol too was feeling deprived so, he scooped him up into his arms. Sol was taken aback but then he just let it be as he was carried by Davian.

"Say, Your Highness," Sol started cautiously, "if you got to know that the two people whom you like the most... are hiding a big secret from you... Then what would you do?"

"A big secret? Are you talking about Master?" Davian asked and Sol hummed.

Davian tilted his head a bit, pondering over it, "Well, I know for a fact that Master is hiding a lot of secrets from me... And well, everyone. It’s not really a big deal."

Sol watched Davian shrug and couldn’t help but feel pity for him, he licked his lips and decided to drop a little more hint for the doubt. Sol had gotten closer to Davian in the time that they were in Denril and he found Davian to be a good person. He was the future Grand Duke but he was kind of innocent at times.

"... You have seen that... mana stone that Ocean wears on his ear all the time, right?" Sol spoke and Davian hummed.

He remembered as how Sol had slapped his hand away when he had tried to remove that earcuff the last time. He had been a little suspicious about it since then but then again, Ocean had told him that it was for disguise so, what else could it be?

"Master told me that it’s for disguise." Davian said and Sol looked up at him slightly surprised.

"He told you that?" Sol asked and Davian shrugged.

Sol frowned a bit, he knew Ocean wouldn’t have told him what kind of a disguise that earstud was responsible for and Sol himself also couldn’t go ahead and tell him about it.

Davian himself was still thinking about it now, he knew Ocean was the Master of Disguises and he knew that he had a lot of secrets. Considering that it’s Ocean he had always thought that even if he grew close to Ocean there would still be a lot of things that Ocean would hide from Davian. It was natural, Ocean probably was never transparent for anyone. It kind of made him feel as if Ocean might one day just disappear, with all the secrets and fabrications around him. If one day, Ocean Ryujin thought that his work was done then, he might just disappear and just like those five years he might not be able to see him.

And what if Ocean decided to not see anyone of them ever again? How would he find him then?

Davian stopped as he thought of that possibility, a chill running down his spine. Sol looked at him.

"What’s wrong?"

Davian’s face paled as he asked, "Sol... What if Master one day thinks that his work is done and then disappears?"

Sol’s eyes widened, "Tha-That’s not possible."

Davian looked at him with eyes wide and strained, "It is... I have experienced it. If Master deems that his work is done in a certain place then he might never show himself there again."

Sol shook his head, "That’s knot possible, Ocean wouldn’t leave his family back."

Davian wanted to think that but he recalled the time when he pushed Ocean away and never received even a single word back once he disappeared. He had sent him countless letters but no response ever arrived. He had to forcibly confront Ocean to reconnect again. But that was because he knew that it was Ocean. What if someday, Ocean Ryujin changed his name and form and ceased to exist?

Sol could see the fear in Davian’s eyes and he couldn’t help but feel even more pitiful of him.

"Don’t worry, Ocean’s task isn’t going to end so soon. He has a war to lead and win. Even if he tries to, he can’t escape that." Sol assured him and Davian frowned.

"War? You mean the war against the Golden Serpent?... Or do you mean those demons?" He gasped and Sol pursed his lips before nodding.

"Ocean is a Dragon so, the demons will target him relentlessly. And it is his destiny to fight them and protect his people. He might die doing that but he wouldn’t run away from it."

Davian started walking again as he thought about it and asked, "Would it be possible that I could stand beside him and fight?"

Sol observed Davian for a moment, "If you could become stronger then you may."

Davian looked down before he asked, "Could I become stronger though?"

Sol observed him, he knew Davian was a passionate person and he respected Ocean a lot so, it was only natural for him to want to stay by Ocean’s side andhelp him as much as he could. Besides that, he was madly in love with Reina so, he would do everything he could to protect her. So, growing stronger was his only way to stay by their side.

"Do you yearn to be stronger?" Sol asked after contemplating it and Davian looked at him.

"Of course." He spoke as a matter-of-fact.

Sol hadn’t imagined it but now he knew that since he couldn’t fight so, what he could do was make a weapon for Ocean. The demons would only keep coming now so, Ocean shouldn’t only be the one to face it.

"Then, meet me at the training ground at 5 tomorrow morning." Sol said.

Davian stared at him for a moment before he smiled.

"All right."