Chapter 1001 A Gift Like No Other Part 1
"Reserving a suite isn't just a good idea, it's Great. I'd like to live the next few days as if we are the last humans on Mogar, with magical domestic staff that conveniently appears only to do the chores for us."
Kamila gave Lith one of her radiant smiles that always made him feel like the luckiest man alive.
She had applied months in advance for a few days' leave on her birthday to be sure that nothing would mess with their plans. Even though she had finished working just for a few hours and was dead tired from the long day, she had dressed up for him.
Moreover, Lith still found it hard to believe Kamila could smile like that despite knowing most of his secrets. She treated him as if Lith was just a regular guy rather than a mysterious hybrid implicated in power games that involved beings older than the Kingdom itself.
Having someone like Kamila by his side, who wasn't bound to him by blood ties or common interests, but simply by sincere affection, was the greatest gift he could ask for.
"Just like home, then. After all, during your days off you sleep all day and leave buying the groceries, doing the chores, and the cooking to me." Lith teased her.
"That's not true. I don't sleep all day, only when you let me." The fact that was the only part she could refute made her blush in embarrassment. "Jokes aside, this place is fairylike. I can't believe they soundproofed the entire building to not disturb the animals."
Even though the Flying Griffon was fully booked, the guests wouldn't hear anything but their own voices and the sounds of nature. Many small animals felt so confident that they would come close to the terraces and accept the snacks the resort provided to each room.
Lith was dolled up as well, wearing a black suit rather than his usual Archmage robe. The first course of their meal was venison stew, a local delicacy, accompanied by red house wine.
Unlike normal hotels, Lith's suite was located on the ground floor. It allowed the guests to watch the local fauna through the reinforced magical glass of the terrace and to take a stroll along the lake simply by walking through a door.
The apartment was made of redwood and was comprised of several rooms. It had a living room furnished with a tea table and sofas to spend some time with friends, a terrace where to dine while enjoying the scenery, a huge bathroom, and an even bigger bedroom.
Even though all rooms were magically heated, most of them had their own fireplace for ambiance and the resort was so quiet that, unless the guests called the room service, they had the impression of living in a mountain cottage in the middle of nowhere.
"What did you want to talk about?" Kamila asked.
"Can't it wait until after dinner? Or at least after I give you your birthday gift?" Lith said, visibly embarrassed.
"Not a chance. Once you say those accursed words, I can't relax until I hear the big secret you decided to share with me and mark it as irrelevant." She replied.
"Am I really so obvious?"
"If after living together for so long I couldn't read you, it would mean that either I don't care about you enough to notice or that you never allowed me to know the real you." Kamila said.
"I get that you're full of secrets and I'm willing to wait until you are ready to share them with me, but please, don't treat me like an idiot. That's something that I couldn't bear."
Lith nodded and then told Kamila about Death Vision in the details, explaining its quirks to her.
"Let me get this straight. So, unless you focus, everyone around you dies, or at least that's what it looks like to you." Kamila said and Lith nodded for her to continue.
"However, if someone is your friend, then they are 'safe' within a few meters, while the members of your family are unaffected by Death Vision as long as they are in your same room, and you ex even from over ten meters (33 feet) distance?"
"Yes. I never mentioned it to you before nor did I have the courage to stop holding Death Vision back in your presence because I didn't want to make you feel like you had to compete with Phloria." Lith said.
"And because you were afraid Death Vision measures not only a person's life span, but also the depth of your feelings for them." Kamila completed the phrase for him.
"Yes."
"Don't worry about hurting my feelings. I would've done the same in your shoes. A mystical power that tells you who you can or cannot love would be a curse even worse than Death Vision already is." Kamila held his hand, forcing him to look her in the eyes.
"What's the verdict?"
Lith took a deep breath to calm down and let go of Death Vision.
"You look gorgeous, like always." He said.
"Great, at least I'm a friend. Now walk to the other side of the suite." Kamila pointed him the farthest place from their table.
"Wait. You told me not to worry. That you would do the same." The sudden edge in her voice surprised Lith.
"I did, but you were also right. Maybe it's not, but Death Vision sure feels like a damn competition. What about now?" Kamila hated to feel so insecure, but she needed to know at all costs.
'For all I know, Death Vision might not measure Lith's feelings towards others but the strength of their bond. It would explain why Phloria was immune from the start whereas even his parents needed time.
'Not only did he open with her before anyone else, but also Lith relied on Phloria whereas he considered his family as something to protect. He always kept them in the dark, deeming them unable to cope with the truth.' She thought.
"You're still fine, but I must say you're taking this too seriously." Lith said.
"So says the man who waited two years before mentioning any of this to me." She sneered while walking through the terrace's door.
"Wait, you're still barefoot!"
"I don't give a damn about some dirt. What about now?" She stood in front of the glass door, about 15 meters (49 feet) away from him, just to be safe.
"You've just terrified several ugly carcasses that I can only guess are actually birds and squirrels. You've also ruined my appetite, but you still look as beautiful as a god's dream." He said.
"I win, I win, I win!" Kamila sprinted back inside the suite, jumping at Lith's neck and forcing him to princess carry her before giving him a kiss.
"So much for winning with grace." He chuckled at her enthusiasm.
"Sorry, I got carried away." Her radiant smile and excited voice were in stark contrast with her words.
After Lith carried Kamila back to her seat and cleaned the floor with first magic, her inquisitive mind that was now free from self-doubt, forced her to ask:
"Is there a reason why you choose to tell me about this right after settling the matters with the Council?"
"You're on fire tonight. Yes. Now that neither Awakened nor humans can mess with my plans, I'm going to Awaken Phloria. Faluel gave me permission to invite her as my plus one for the apprenticeship." Lith said.