526: PLEASE, TAKE CARE OF HER

PLEASE, TAKE CARE OF HER

Iris was shocked when she heard Haco forgot about her momentarily, though it was only a few second, but she knew that Haco was genuine and didn't fake it. 

"How can you forget about me, Haco…" Iris was dreadful, though the sorcerer simply waved his hand and played it off, as if it was not something important. 

"I am getting old, remember? I am no longer in my prime days, it's normal for me to forget about a thing or two. Do not think too much about that," Haco said offhandedly. 

However, both of them knew, it was the side effect because of the lycan left him. 

"He becomes more and more forgetful."

Both of them turned their head toward the source of the voice and Iris could see the girl that she saw had been with Haco ever since in the funeral. This girl also the reason why the old sorcerer kept coming to the orphanage. 

Iris was not sure why Haco was so fond of this girl in the first place, but seeing how well he actually was with her, she didn't have any complain. From what Iris learned, Celia was a little sister of the young warrior, who died during the mission in the mountain. The reason why Haco took care of this girl, must be something related to it. 

"Good evening, luna," Celia greeted Iris politely, before she continued to spill the bean. "He also forgot about the concoction he made, he put the wrong ingredients and healer Grace was so furious because of that."

"The ingredients look almost the same," Haco retorted, he scoffed. "More so, why do you snitch to her?"

"So, the luna will know that you are not capable to go on a long journey, you need to rest." Celia pursed her lips. 

"You are talking nonsense again. Have you read the book that I told you to read?" Haco shifted the topic. 

"I just learned how to read, how can I read such a thick book with complicated words?" Celia complained. She had been learning how to read from Haco, but she didn't really like it, the words made her head ached.

"Go outside and learn more," Haco pushed the little girl away and gave her another book, which was written in Andel language and this made Iris raised her brows, but she said nothing, because she knew Haco only wanted to get this girl out of the room, knowing Iris wanted to discuss something important, while Celia still couldn't tell the different of the two languages. 

"Huft! You are so mean," Celia grumbled, but she walked out of the room, hugging the book close to her chest. She smiled at Iris politely before she pursed her lips again when she averted her gaze toward the old sorcerer. 

"What is it? Do you want to talk about the lycan again?" Haco asked Iris once it was only the two of them. This was not the hour where they used to meet to discuss the magic that she held and for Iris to learn more about the Holy Kingdom, the Serafim and the power she held, therefore, if she was here right now, there must be something to be talked about. 

"No. Yes…"

Haco frowned. "What is it? Yes or no? What do you want to talk about?" He leaned his back against the backrest of the sofa, looking lazy and exhausted. 

"Probably what Celia said is right, you need to take some rest and do not need to be in this long journey," Iris said doubtfully. "I think I can ask Cane whether it is possible or not, for you not to go."

Iris was worried about Haco and more so, she was still in denial that this old sorcerer was dying. Subconsciously, she still believed Grace could do something about him. The healer could find a way to cure him. 

However, after seeing how Haco's memory was declining along with his body, she knew it was happening. He started to show how his health declining no matter what kind of concoction Grace made for him. 

Iris was mortified, as she felt like she watched a glimpse of something that could happen to Cane. This was what would happen to Cane if the lycan was being separated from him. 

Her heart became even heavier again. 

On the other hand, Haco was silence for a while, before He spoke briefly. "No matter where I go, I am dying Iris. It will be better for me to knot all the loose end as many as possible than to play a grandfather to these orphanage children. No offense to them, but I am still useful to be needed on the journey to the Silver River pack. I have never been there before." He shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly, as if this was not a big of deal for him. 

"Haco…" Iris took his hand and put it against her forehead, as she closed her eyes. "I don't want you to die."

Haco was surprised by what Iris was doing and he was about to answer this lightheartedly, so not to make her worried, but then he decided against it, it would be so rude to take her concern lightly when she looked genuinely sad about his predicament.

"Iris, people will die eventually, it's only a matter of time." Haco caressed her head. "I got the privilege to know my time is near so I can prepare myself and do whatever I want to do before my time comes to end."

"I don't want you to die…" Iris repeated the same thing, she felt the sadness washed over her heart and her whole being, she liked this sorcerer and they had gotten closer, especially during their training together. She thought of Haco as a grandfather that she had never had. 

"I know…" Haco was silent for a while. "Iris, I promised a young warrior, who died during the mission in the Goffa mountain to take care of his little sister." This was the reason why he took care of Celia and now Iris knew that. "But, I think I can't take care of her for long, when I am gone, can you take care of her in my stead?"

Iris bit her lip, as tears rolled down her cheeks. She nodded and her heart bled to have this conversation with Haco. 

Why people that she had grown close to have to die so early? They left too soon. 

"Thank you…" Haco kissed her head. "I know you will be a good luna, Iris. A great queen, if everything went well and Cane's plan sailed smoothly, I have no doubt about it. I wish I can see you sit on the throne one day…"  2

Haco believed Cane could overcome all the diversity and Iris held the power that could help the alpha, unfortunately, Haco's time was not that long to witness all of that… 

After that, they talked about a few things and they avoided the topic. Iris asked about the power that she held, whether it was possible or not to heal Joel's leg, since she could see his wolf spirit. Would it take some effect on the human side if their wolf spirit was healed? 

If there was a possibility of that, how to do it?

And in the end, they talked for more than three hours about this matter, until it was time for dinner and Haco looked so spent, thus Iris cut short of the conversation. 

When she left the room and Haco went to sleep on the bed, saying he would take a dinner later, Iris found Celia was waiting for her in front of the door. 

"She has been waiting for you since she came out of the room, luna," Zephyr informed Iris. "I have asked what she wanted to talk about with you, but she didn't say anything. 

Iris nodded and then approached Celia. The little girl looked at Iris and then to their surprised, she rushed toward her and hugged her tightly, while crying. 

"Celia…" Iris caressed her back and her head, in her attempt to console her, but this little girl was inconsolable, as she kept crying. "It's okay… it will be fine." It seemed, Iris could understand why she was upset. 

Celia was still so young, but it didn't mean she couldn't sense something was wrong with Haco. 

"He is going to die, right? He is going to die and leave me like my brother…" Celia said in small voice, her voice trembled and full of grievances, as she held Iris tightly. 

On the other hand, the seven warriors witnessed all of this, the other four just joined them after they were done with their assignment. 

"What is going on?" Kian was clueless, but Asher elbowed him to keep silence, as they tried their best to make their presence not to be noticed. 

They could see now how the luna was so close with children and how she was well liked among the little one. 

There was no resemblance of Gerald at all on her. If someone didn't know the story about the relation between Iris and Gerald, they wouldn't believe a monster like Gerald had a daughter like her, as they were the polar opposite. 

Now they understood a little bit why some of them were so fond of her as their luna. 

Right at that time, Ania came with Hanna and Aliana, but when she saw Celia was crying, the little girl started to tear up as well and hug Iris too. 

"Why are you crying… hiks, hiks," Ania cried, hugging Iris's leg too. 

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