The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Chapter 65: Back Home

Lucy, pleased to have achieved her goal, quickly sang her friendʼs praises in front of everyone. According to her, her friend was one of the best fashion designers in the Northern Union and even the entire world. She has founded many fashion brands and currently owns one of the top fashion brands in the world—Nucci Fashion Trend X.

Klaus learned a lot about the fashion industry and its trends. Lucy asked if Klaus could be the face of a new brand her friend was about to launch. Klaus didnʼt mind at all. He was eager to integrate into his new life, and if wearing clothes and taking pictures was part of it, he was happy to join in.

To get started, Klaus needed to meet Lucyʼs friend first. They exchanged contact numbers and agreed to meet in two days. Kay and the others were also invited, which they all gladly accepted. Hanna will stay with Lily for the time being and will live with her after they go back to Felin City.

After the arrangements were made, Klaus sold thousands of Zombie cores to Nia and Asha. They were happy to buy them at the agreed price, sticking to the same rules as before. Klaus had asked them not to inflate the prices, but they said it didnʼt matter since they werenʼt the ones paying.

Klaus was delighted to receive over 400 million gold coins from them. Additionally, Anna sent him the cash from his first sale. With this new influx of money, Klaus felt more secure.

After dining together for a while, everyone left and headed to their own homes. Klaus met up with Kofi, who brought the car around, and they drove off together. Along the way, Klaus stopped at an ice cream shop and bought some treats for himself, his mother, and everyone else. He also picked up a special gift for his mother, planning to use it to smooth things over since he knew she would be upset.

When they arrived home, Klaus let out a sigh of relief. ”Mom, Iʼm home!” he called out, as he always did.

His mother, who was in the kitchen with Helen, dropped everything and rushed to embrace him. She had missed him dearly during his week away.

Klausʼs mother held him tightly, her eyes misty with joy. ”Oh, Klaus, youʼre finally back!” she said, her voice choked with emotion. ”Iʼve missed you so much!”

Helen, who had been helping in the kitchen, smiled warmly at the reunion. She knew how much Klausʼs presence meant to his mother.

Klaus returned the hug, feeling a wave of relief and happiness wash over him. ”I missed you too, Mom,” he said softly. He gently pulled away, holding out the ice cream and the special gift. ”I brought something for you. I thought you might like this.”

His mother looked at the ice cream and then at the gift, her expression turning curious. ”You didnʼt have to,” she said, but her smile showed she was touched by the gesture. ”Letʼs see what you got.”

Klaus handed her the ice cream first. ”I figured we could all have a treat,” he said with a grin. He hoped the sweet gesture would help distract his mother from the fact that he had gone against her instructions.

His motherʼs eyes twinkled with amusement as she took the ice cream. ”You little brat,” she said, her voice playful but stern. ”Do you think an ice cream will save you from a good spanking?”

Before Klaus could react, she grabbed his ear and twisted it gently. Klaus yelped in surprise, his face contorting in a mix of pain and embarrassment. ”Ow! Mom, that really hurts!” he cried, trying to wriggle free.

His mother laughed, though her eyes still held a hint of joy. ”Thatʼs for making me worry about you. Iʼm glad youʼre home safe, but you need to be more careful. I was so worried about you.”

Klaus winced but couldnʼt help but chuckle. ”Okay, okay! Iʼm sorry! I promise Iʼll be more careful next time.”

His mother finally let go of his ear and pulled him into a warm hug. ”Iʼm just glad to have you back. But donʼt think youʼre off the hook completely,” she said with a teasing smile.

Klaus hugged his mother tightly, feeling a mix of relief and affection. ”I know, Mom. Iʼll make it up to you,” he said gently.

”In fact, I already have something besides the ice cream that might ease your anger a little.”

He reached into his bag and handed her a small golden box. His motherʼs eyes widened in curiosity as she took the box from him. ”Whatʼs this?” she asked, her voice soft with anticipation.

Klaus smiled. ”Go ahead, open it.”

With trembling hands, his mother carefully unwrapped the box. Inside, she found a delicate bracelet, crafted with fine detail and adorned with small, sparkling gems. The bracelet caught the light, sending tiny rainbows dancing across the room.

”Oh, Klaus,” his mother breathed, her eyes filling with tears once more. ”This is beautiful.”

Klaus watched her reaction, feeling a sense of accomplishment. ”Iʼm glad you like it. I wanted to get you something special to show how much I care. I know Iʼve been away, and I hope this makes up for it.”

His mother looked at the bracelet with a mixture of awe and gratitude. ”Itʼs more than I could ever have hoped for. Thank you, Klaus. Youʼve always known how to make me feel loved.”

She hugged him again. ”Iʼm sorry for being upset earlier. Iʼm just so relieved youʼre back safe and sound.”

Klaus hugged her back, feeling a deep warmth in his chest. ”Itʼs okay, Mom. I understand. I just want you to be happy.”

Helen, who had been quietly watching, smiled at the touching scene. She could see how much Klausʼs mother appreciated the gift and how much Klaus cared for his mother. Their bond is a little too deep.

After the emotional moment, Klausʼs mother slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, admiring it with a bright smile. ”Iʼll wear this all the time,” she said. ”It will remind me of you and how much you mean to me.”

Klaus grinned. ”Thatʼs exactly what I hoped for.”

They settled down to enjoy their ice cream and chat about the week. The room was filled with laughter and the comforting feeling of being together. Klaus felt a renewed sense of purpose and happiness, knowing that despite the challenges he faced, he always had his mother to come home to.

As the evening came to a close, Klausʼs mother began preparing a special dinner to celebrate his return. Klaus, who was strictly not allowed in the kitchen, decided to step outside for a bit and visit Kofi and the others. After a while, he handed each of them three Tier 4 monster cores and three Tier 4 zombie cores.

The security guards and maids were overjoyed by this gesture. For the first time, they felt treated as more than just servants. Their faces lit up with happiness and gratitude, and they thanked Klaus profusely. Klaus simply smiled, feeling pleased to have brought some joy to them, and then he quietly returned inside.

After dinner, Klaus spent the night deep in conversation with his mother. He told her about his plan to join the selection process for Celestial Mountain Academy, and to his surprise, she wholeheartedly supported him. ”Iʼve always known you had great potential, Klaus,” she said warmly.

She then handed him a parcel that had arrived while he was away in the forest. Klaus opened it carefully, curiosity piqued. Inside, he found something that stunned him—a formal letter of recommendation from the Celestial Mountain Academy itself.

Klausʼs eyes widened as he read through the letter. He couldnʼt believe it. He didnʼt need to search for a backer or do favors for anyone in exchange for a recommendation. The academy had recognized his potential and was officially inviting him to join.

At first, Klaus had been planning to visit the Royal Gold Reserve Bank to secure a recommendation, but now, holding the letter in his hands, he felt a wave of relief and excitement. He smiled to himself, realizing Ohema had been right all along.

ʼMake some waves, and everything will fall into place,ʼ she had told him. And now, it seemed things were aligning in his favor.

Klaus sighed, feeling a mix of satisfaction and anticipation. Although he could technically join the Celestial Mountain Academy as a master stage expert, Ohema had warned him not to rush it. So for now, he held off leveling up, with his current EXP points sitting at:

[Next Level Up: 18,900,000/21,228,800]

He had stopped pushing for a breakthrough, but that didnʼt mean he would stop accumulating EXP. He knew he would need every bit of strength when the time was right.

After a peaceful night of eating and chatting with his mother, Klaus went to bed early and woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. He wasted no time and headed straight for his training room. He now has to bridge the gap for the exp required to level up before the City Selection. There, he started consuming the monster cores he had collected during his hunts.

[You have consumed a Tier 4 Dark Monster Core. 20,000 EXP earned.]

Klausʼs eyes widened in shock. He had expected the monster cores to provide some EXP, but he hadnʼt anticipated they would reward him the same amount as when he killed the monsters himself. This discovery was a game-changer. He realized that consuming these cores could accelerate his progress without needing to battle constantly.

”This is incredible,” Klaus thought, his mind racing with possibilities. If he could gather more of these cores, he could steadily increase his strength without exhausting himself in constant fights. Although he craves battles, he also prefers peaceful moments like this.

He continued consuming a few more cores that morning, allowing the energy from each to fuel his cultivation. After two days, he was able to bridge the gap immensely, requiring him only 500,000 more points to break through. However, he didnʼt continue to consume the core, he stopped and left to meet Lucy and the others to go to the Fashion Designer Lucy wanted him to meet.