Clive rushed towards Jane and sat in front of her with a serious look in his eyes. Unlike his usual playful self, the look on his face was they same one he had when he had killed those black clothed men.

“Are you sure they were looking for Claire.”

With utmost seriousness Clive asked Jane to clarify on the whether those men were looking for Claire or not.

“I am not 100% sure but they said they were looking for a Claire Renner who had grown up in Clear View. The first name is the same and the last name is different so i’m not entirely sure if they were looking for our Claire or not.”

As soon as Jane mentioned the name Claire Renner, Clive’s expression turned solemn. Silence once again took over the cave. Clive was silent and pondered over this problem while Jane was silent because she knew this was a big secret concerning Claire and Clive. She decided not to ask anything about it because she knew it was a matter not to be spoken of lightly.

“Jane. If both Claire and I disappear one day. Please...please take care of Kan.”

……

Two hours had past since Claire had locked the entire hill. Even though they still had three hours left until Claire’s magic would deactivate, every single villager there was picking at the cave with all of their strength. Every single time a villager would become exhausted another one would replace them. There digging and picking was efficient because the mayor had thought of this plan.

“Ok, we have dug quite a ways through. All locksmiths use your skills to see if you can sense Clive and Jane.”

The two combat locksmiths and the one mage locksmith scanned the cave for any signs of life and when they scanned around they felt faint heartbeats.

“There are heartbeats. They are still alive.”

Everyone was filled with relief. It would be too hard on their mental state if they had dug all the way into the cave to see the mangled corpse of their friends. Knowing that Clive and Jane were still alive gave them the courage and strength to keep on digging.

“Ok men. Dig harder. Clive and Jane are still alive and breathing. Dig like your lives depend on it.”

……

The cave was silent. It was like there weren’t any people in the cave with how quiet it was. After their first initial conversation almost two hours had already past. Jane was in her own corner thinking about the words Clive had said to her and Clive was in another corner thinking about future problems that would occur.

“Hey...hey Clive how are your wounds.”

“Good. I feel better but still a little weak.”

Clive’s body was truly in a miserable position. Usually unlocking 5% was easy but now he could barely use 2%. In comparison to his strength at optimal conditions, right now he only had the strength of any regular man on the street.

“Jane what I said earlier. You don’t have to think to hard on it. I was only saying that “if” we are gone. We won’t disappear from Kan life’s. We still have to teach him to be a wonderful man like his father.”

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“No, it’s ok. I’m sorry for not answering you earlier.”

Jane looked towards Clive with determination in her eyes. Even if Clive had not asked her to take care of Kan she would already care for him as a son. Claire had already accepted Jane as a second mother of Kan so no matter what happens in the future she will always be Kan’s mother.

“I am willing to raise Kan. No matter what happens in the future I will care and love Kan just like my own child.”

“Thank you Jane. I sincerely thank you for the care and love you show for Kan.”

Silence once again reign over the cave. Both Clive and Jane again stopped talking to one another.

“Aahhh. This silence is too unbearable. Jane let’s talk about something else.”

“Ok. What do you want to talk about.”

“Let’s talk about Kan. He is such an adorable monster. Whenever Claire or I aren’t with him he always cries and only stops whenever we are holding him. Although it I find it so cute of him, I can’t even go train without him being strapped onto my back.”

“Yeah, I do understand the cuteness in Kan’s actions. It’s so adorable whenever I come and visit him and he clings on to me. He’s just like a baby monkey.”

“Now that I think about it, the only time Claire and I could rest is when you come over and watch over him. You should come over more. Even though you only come visit him once in a while, he already treats you like a second mother.”

“I’m glad he treats me like a second mother. It would break my heart to ever see him reject me. I can’t even imagine him not allowing me to coddle him in love and affection.”

“Yeah, I totally understand that feeling.”

“Wait a minute, why did you describe Kan as an “adorable monster”. I understand you calling him adorable but why a monster.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean to describe him as a monster because he is dangerous or anything but because some parts of him are monstrous. When I had examined his potential as a combat locksmith I was totally stunned. Even I could not see his potential and do you know what that means?”

“No. What does it mean?”

“It means that his potential far surpasses mine. My potential as a combat locksmith is 65% while my father had a 70% potential. Since my potential is 65% I would be able to sense Kan’s potential if it was only a few percent more than mine but I couldn’t see it. That means his potential is 10% more or above than mine. Although people say that my father is the strongest combat locksmith to appear within the last 1,000 years, I believe that Kan will become the strongest combat locksmith to appear since the founding of the Kingdom of Key.

“Wow, Kan is a monsterous talent.”

“That isn’t even the end of it. Claire also measured Kan’s potential as a mage locksmith and unbelievably he also had monstrous potential in being a mage locksmith. Claire herself has quite the monstrous potential but even then she couldn’t sense Kan’s potential. My god, what kind of adorable monster had Claire and I made.”

“Wait, Claire is a mage locksmith.”

“Ah”

In his rant in admiring his son’s potential Clive had accidentally told Jane about Claire’s secret in being a powerful mage locksmith.

“Jane. Please don’t tell anyone about Claire being a mage locksmith.”

“It’s ok. I won’t.”

“Hey, are you guys all good in there.”

Sunlight immediately poured into the cave and the darkness was parted. The villagers had finally pierced into the area where Clive and Jane were stuck at. Clive and Jane both walked towards the light and the person who had his hands reached out towards them.

“Gosh, Dylan. Could it take you guys any longer to get us out.”

“Shut up Clive.”

Both Clive and Jane had the utmost trust that the villagers would eventually rescue them. Not once when they were in the cave did they ever doubt that they would not be saved. The trust between all the villagers ran thicker than blood.