Return of the Youngest Son with SSS-Rank Talent-Chapter 185: Just a young man and a girl holding hands

The sun began to rise slowly the next day. The darkness of the sky receded, fading like a veil torn apart by the rising glow.

The first rays illuminated the great city of San Martín, and the four districts began to awaken. The wide cobbled streets gradually filled with life: merchants opening their stalls, apprentices hurrying to their workshops, and newly arrived travelers still weary from the night.

In Zone 1, inside a two-story house where the light of dawn filtered gently through the windows, Kael slowly opened his eyes—the night had been quiet. His breathing was steady, his gaze serene. There was no trace of emotion on his face; indifference enveloped him like a second skin.

He sat up calmly, pushed aside the sheets, and walked over to the closet. He opened it, took out a black priest's robe and a silver crucifix. He put them on with precise, unhurried movements and went downstairs to the first floor.

Some of the children were already awake, washing their faces and brushing their teeth in silence.

Kael watched them for a moment and then imitated their movements, following the routine with the same serenity with which he faced any other task.

After that, he went to the kitchen. There, he began to prepare breakfast. The sound of the knife cutting the potatoes mingled with the bubbling of the boiling water. He took a piece of blue beef, cut it into equal cubes, and carefully selected the spices he would use.

He observed them for a few seconds, analyzing their aroma and texture, before adding them to the meat.

With calculated movements, he placed everything except the meat in a pot. Then he took another pot, coated it with a little oil, and let the meat sizzle on the hot metal. The sound filled the room, a constant, rhythmic crackling that Kael listened to carefully, tasting and adjusting until he reached the exact point.

After a few minutes, the food was ready. He served all the children, ten in total, with precision, making sure that each plate had the same amount.

When everything was in order, Kael sat down in a chair by the window, a book in his hand.

The golden morning light fell on his body, bathing him in a peaceful glow. It was a serene image... and yet beneath that stillness lay something unfathomable, a mind that never stopped.

The hours passed. When the sun reached its highest point, the heat became unbearable.

"Rosan," Kael called softly.

A girl approached. She was the one who had become his assistant.

"You called me, Mr. Rasen," she replied, stopping beside him and looking him in the eyes.

Kael reached out and stroked her hair with an almost paternal gesture. "I called you to ask if you would help me with something."

Rosan tilted her head thoughtfully. "Hmm... and what is this something you need my help with?" she asked curiously.

Kael smiled. There was no warmth in his expression, but there was an unsettling peace.

"It's something that will help many people," he said slowly. "We're going to help those who need it most. Will you help me?"

The girl nodded with a slight smile, not fully understanding the weight of his words.

Kael looked at her silently, and for a brief moment, the reflection of light in his eyes seemed deeper.

With the girl's confirmation, Kael nodded slowly. His gaze softened for just an instant before returning to its usual impenetrable calm.

"Go brush your teeth," he said in a quiet voice. "Then we'll go out."

The girl obeyed without asking questions. As she left, Kael remained silent, his mind spinning with precision. As soon as they were ready, he would begin the plan he had mentioned to the three cardinals.

The time had come to act.

The first step was clear: observe Zone 1 in its entirety. He needed to see every corner with his own eyes, feel the flow of people, the hidden movements, the weaknesses of the terrain. Only then could he decide how to execute his strategy with precision.

While the girl finished getting ready, Kael stood in front of the window. From there, he gazed at the city skyline. The afternoon light filtered through, casting long, cold shadows.

Everything was ready to begin. The plan was not just a simple proposal to the cardinals: it was the beginning of a calculated movement.

"I'm ready." Rosan appeared at the door, already dressed. She had changed out of her nun's habit into a clean one and had carefully arranged her hair. Her face reflected happiness and curiosity.

"Okay. Let's go for a walk." Kael spoke softly and without hesitation, taking her hand.

They both left the two-story house. Outside, the streets were alive: a constant stream of people, carts loaded with goods, and the constant murmur of voices filling the air.

Kael strolled, guiding her through the crowd.

Rosan, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy everything, looking around with bright eyes. She walked beside him, taking small jumps, her black habit swaying slightly in the wind.

Shortly after, they both disappeared into the crowd. From a distance, they were just two more figures.

Just a young man and a girl holding hands.

...

After walking for a few minutes, they arrived at a part of Zone 1 where the houses looked like ruins, with windows, if they still existed, covered with precariously nailed wooden planks or simply empty, revealing the dark and gloomy interior.

The streets were littered with trash, there was a strong smell of rot in the air, and you could even see some decomposing corpses, with only a few flowers that had been worked by releasing flickering sparklers.

Kael observed everything with a neutral expression. His eyes calmly scanned every corner, analyzing, as if he were evaluating simple pieces on a board.

At his side, the girl Rosan wore a dark expression. Her childish face had hardened, and her small fingers clung tightly to Kael's hand, as if she feared that letting go would allow something terrible to drag her away.

The silence of the place was heavy. Ragged people moved slowly through the dirty streets, their eyes empty, their bodies consumed by need. Every corner seemed to be a reminder of the misery that dominated that place.

They kept moving forward. Kael, as he walked, had already made a decision.

This place, steeped in despair, was perfect.

Those in need were the easiest to influence. Deprivation robbed them of their judgment, made them docile. If given a spark of hope, they would follow whoever offered it without question.

In his mind, the thought formed with absolute clarity: fertile ground to begin his work.

And best of all... no one would notice they were being used.

"What do you think of this place, Rosan?" Kael leaned slightly toward the girl as his gaze swept around the surroundings.

"This place is really scary... and everything smells awful." Little Rosan was completely honest. Her voice trembled a little, but not because of shyness, but because of the harshness of the environment.

That place was terrifying to her. Everything around her was gray, dull, saturated with heavy, humid air. Nothing resembled what she knew near the two-story house where she lived.

There was no laughter here, no life... only misery and silence.

Kael nodded slowly, without taking his eyes off his surroundings. "And you don't want to help all these people in need?" he asked again, this time in a soft tone, as he looked around.

Rosan was silent for a moment, not knowing how to respond. Her gaze swept across the faces of those present: men and women with dull eyes, hunched figures that seemed to move only by instinct. More than people, they looked like shadows that refused to disappear.

The girl's heart sank. Then something changed in her expression: her eyes, previously fearful, filled with a light of pure conviction.

"Yes! I want to help them! Just like you and Sister Mily helped me." There was not a trace of hesitation in her voice. It was an innocent but firm promise, born of the most sincere gratitude.

Kael watched her silently for a moment. Then he smiled. It was not a broad smile, but a slight curve of the lips.

"Well said," he replied calmly. "We will help all these people who need help, just as Sister Mily did for you when you needed it most. Will you help me with that?"

"Yes!" Rosan replied, her voice firm and clear.

Kael nodded, satisfied. Around them, the air was still thick with the smell of poverty and despair, but in the girl's eyes shone something that contrasted with the whole landscape: hope.

And he, observing that spark, thought silently.

So, without further ado, Kael and the girl Rosan left the place.

The dead eyes of the people followed them until their silhouettes were lost in the distance. No one dared to stop them, no one uttered a word. Only silence remained floating in the air, heavy, motionless.

Kael walked calmly. The girl beside him followed, not fully understanding the magnitude of the destiny that accompanied her.

Together, they continued their journey through Zone 1, oblivious to the seeds they were planting.

That walk, so ordinary and silent, would be remembered long afterward. Because that zone would one day change completely because of those two figures.

A girl who was still unaware of her role and a young man whose name would become legendary.

A young man who, in the future, would be revered as a saint by all of them.