Luceniel and Elunara stepped into their new home in Country A. The moment they crossed the threshold, they were welcomed by a grand hall with high ceilings and an open-concept kitchen that flowed effortlessly into the living space. The house boasted three spacious floors, each with its own rooms, and even a private library nestled on the top floor.
Elunara looked around with wide, sparkling eyes. "Hey Luceniel, don't you think this house is just... perfect?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder.
Luceniel nodded with a soft smile. "Yeah, this place is exactly what we need. Spacious, secure, and serene... though we still have to wait for the others to bring our stuff. I just hope they're all safe."
"They should be here in ten, maybe twenty minutes," Elunara said optimistically.
Luceniel leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "By the way... did you forget what I told you last time?"
Elunara's cheeks flushed pink. She smirked, then replied teasingly, "Let's see who falls asleep first tonight."
They stared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter, their voices echoing gently through the empty hall.
Twenty minutes later, the sound of vehicles and footsteps filled the air. The others had arrived safely and were calling out, searching for Luceniel and Elunara.
The couple stepped out to greet them.
"Sir, Ma'am, how did you both reach here before us?" one of the team members asked in surprise.
Elunara gave a sly smile. "That's not important right now. First, unload everything. I'll show you where to put the boxes."
She turned to Luceniel, her eyes twinkling. "And you, my dear husband, you know what to do, right?"
Luceniel gave a hesitant nod and smiled. "Yeah, I'll grab my laptop and start updating Lily's core... and a few other things."
Everyone began unloading supplies from the vehicles and moving them inside. Meanwhile, Luceniel made his way to one of the rooms, placed his equipment on a workbench, and powered up his laptop.
Singing quietly to himself, he muttered, "If only I had the Ruby of Star, I could finally create the seventh energy core… But looks like I'll have to wait a little longer."
After initializing Lily's core update, he turned toward another project. "Alright, Lily's updating... I should check on my robots. I need them for what's coming—I can't afford any risks. They're not just after me anymore... they're after Elunara too. For the sake of my family, I must complete them."
He got to work. One by one, he assembled and activated the robots. The first stood tall—8 feet of white and blue metal, with a glowing red energy core embedded in its chest.
"Done… but it's only a single-core model," Luceniel whispered. "If I could finally make a five-core robot, it could even manipulate atoms."
Recalling a passage he'd once read, he continued his thoughts aloud: "The human body is made of five elements—Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Space. I've finished four. Only Space is left… and for that, I need the Ruby of Star."
In front of him stood:
The Fire Unit — red and white, blazing with thermal energy.
The Water Unit — sleek blue and white, gently humming with fluidic power.
The Earth Unit — sturdy brown, grounded and massive.
The Air Unit — light sky-blue and white, faintly surrounded by a swirling breeze.
"The Air one… if used properly, it could even generate a micro black hole," Luceniel said to himself. "But I'm exhausted."
He checked the update status. Lily: 1 hour remaining. Robots: 2 hours remaining.
With a sigh, he descended the stairs and found Elunara waiting in the living room. She beamed as she saw him.
"Honey, did you finish updating Lily? I need her help with something."
Luceniel gave a nervous chuckle. "Sorry, sweetheart. She still needs another hour. But tell me, what do you need?"
Elunara looked a little disappointed but tried to smile. "It's alright. Most of the stuff is unpacked now. Don't forget—we have to visit the company tomorrow. You remember that, right?"
Luceniel embraced her gently. "Of course I do. How could I forget?"
Elunara looked up at him with playful eyes. "Can you cook something for us? It's been so long since I had your food…" she added with a cute puppy-eyed look.
Luceniel's heart melted. "Ah, I can't resist when you look at me like that." He grabbed an apron and headed to the kitchen.
Half an hour later, he emerged with a table full of delicious dishes.
Elunara's eyes sparkled with joy. She kissed Luceniel on the cheek and sat down. "You're the best, honey."
Luceniel smiled, pretending to sigh. "Yeah yeah… I had to learn all this because of someone."
Elunara giggled. "Well, I'm glad you did. You're amazing at it."
After dinner, while Luceniel cleaned the dishes, a soft chime echoed through the house. Suddenly, a bright light shimmered in front of Elunara, and Lily appeared, floating slightly above the ground.
"Good morning, Mom!" Lily said in her sweet voice.
Elunara's face lit up with joy. She hugged her tightly. "Lily! Your update is done! I missed you so much."
"I missed you too, Mom. Now I can manage everything around us. I've already upgraded all the security systems in the house."
Elunara smiled and patted Lily's head. "Good girl. I'll need your help tomorrow. Your grandfather is coming next week, and I need to finalize all the company deals before that."
"Don't worry, I'll help you with everything," Lily replied confidently.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Luceniel stood silently, sadness flickering in his eyes.
It's time... I have to tell her now. Or else she'll find out herself in a week.
He walked over to the living room and sat beside Elunara.
"Honey," he began carefully, "what if we delayed our company visit by two days? Just until my robots are ready. It might be safer that way."
Elunara looked at him with concern. "But… you have important meetings, and you need to showcase your inventions."
Luceniel pulled her gently into his arms. "Your father isn't coming to Country A. He left you all his shares and asked me to take care of you."
Elunara frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about? My father… he looked fine before we left."
Her mind flashed back to the night before their departure—her father taking medicine, Kaelron helping him to his room…
"No… please, Luceniel, don't say it."
Tears welled in her eyes. "Please… tell me my father is okay…"
Luceniel gave a silent signal. Lily quietly disappeared into the room where the robots were updating. She glanced back with a sorrowful look. "I told Dad he should have told Mom during the flight…"
Back in the hall, Elunara looked up, trembling. "Please, honey… I need to know. My father looked healthy. Please tell me he's okay."
Luceniel gently cradled her in his arms. "I'm sorry… I should've told you sooner. He doesn't have more than half a month left. He wanted to spend his final days in peace, away from everything. He didn't tell anyone where he went."
Elunara's voice cracked. "But you know where he is, right? Please… tell me…"
"I'm sorry, Elunara. I promised him I wouldn't. Please… forgive me."
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she buried her face into his chest, sobbing and punching softly in frustration.
After a while, her breathing calmed, and she looked up with pain still in her eyes.
Luceniel kissed her forehead. "I'll tell you everything tomorrow. Just trust me, okay?"
At that moment, Lily returned and hugged her mother tightly.
Elunara looked down and asked, "Lily… did you know?"
Lily gave a slow, sad nod.
Elunara didn't say a word. She slowly stood up.
But before she could walk away, Luceniel gently grabbed her hand, then hugged her tightly.
"Please don't blame Lily," he whispered. "She only followed my orders. If you're angry… be angry with me."
Elunara hugged him back, clinging to him. "Just… don't leave me."
"Never," Luceniel and Lily whispered in unison.
Thirty minutes later, a mechanical chime echoed from the robot room.
"Dad!" Lily called. "Looks like your robots are ready!"
Luceniel's eyes lit up. "Ah! I almost forgot. Come on, Elunara—I have a surprise for you."
"I'll… I'll catch up later," Elunara said softly, still curled up on the couch.
Before she could finish, Luceniel swept her up in his arms, princess-style.
"Sorry, but I promised your father I'd make you smile again. And I don't break my promises."
Elunara laughed and kissed him on the lips. "Okay… let's go."
The three entered the room together. As the door opened, the robots, towering and majestic, turned toward them. The moment they saw Luceniel, they began to move—walking forward, recognizing their creator.
The future was uncertain. But in that moment, surrounded by family and invention, there was hope.