The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Chapter 65: Back Home

Lucy, pleased to have achieved her goal, quickly sang her friend's 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 didn't 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 Lucy's 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 didn't matter since they weren't 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, I'm 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.

Klaus's mother held him tightly, her eyes misty with joy. "Oh, Klaus, you're finally back!" she said, her voice choked with emotion. "I've missed you so much!"

Helen, who had been helping in the kitchen, smiled warmly at the reunion. She knew how much Klaus's 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 didn't have to," she said, but her smile showed she was touched by the gesture. "Let's 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 mother's 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. "That's for making me worry about you. I'm glad you're home safe, but you need to be more careful. I was so worried about you."

Klaus winced but couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay, okay! I'm sorry! I promise I'll be more careful next time."

His mother finally let go of his ear and pulled him into a warm hug. "I'm just glad to have you back. But don't think you're 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. I'll 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 mother's eyes widened in curiosity as she took the box from him. "What's 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. "I'm glad you like it. I wanted to get you something special to show how much I care. I know I've been away, and I hope this makes up for it."

His mother looked at the bracelet with a mixture of awe and gratitude. "It's more than I could ever have hoped for. Thank you, Klaus. You've always known how to make me feel loved."

She hugged him again. "I'm sorry for being upset earlier. I'm just so relieved you're back safe and sound."

Klaus hugged her back, feeling a deep warmth in his chest. "It's 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 Klaus's mother appreciated the gift and how much Klaus cared for his mother. Their bond is a little too deep.

After the emotional moment, Klaus's mother slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, admiring it with a bright smile. "I'll wear this all the time," she said. "It will remind me of you and how much you mean to me."

Klaus grinned. "That's 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, Klaus's 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. "I've 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.

Klaus's eyes widened as he read through the letter. He couldn't believe it. He didn't 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.

'Make some waves, and everything will fall into place,' 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 didn't 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.]

Klaus's eyes widened in shock. He had expected the monster cores to provide some EXP, but he hadn't 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 didn't 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.