Summary:

All Kaiser Granvorka wanted to do was quietly serve as a Magic Knight and retire peacefully to spend quality time with his family.

Things are never that simple.

Notes:

Thanks to eclispingbinary, who let me talk about my Kaiser headcanons in detail

I wrote this last night!

Set after the reveal that Gueldre was revealed to have been dealing with the Eye of the Midnight Sun

Kaiser Granvorka became captain at forty-nine. He's the only Magic Knight Captain to be married. It's clear that he's had a long career, quietly being amazing, and I wanted to explore his character a bit since we don't get much in canon. Kaiser would have known Acier and her husband, Acier's sister/Mimosa and Kirsch's mother and her husband, Mereo, Fuego, Leo's parents. He would have known Zara too.

It's also really cute and sweet that his favorite thing is spending time with his wife (according to his bio)
Kaiser's wife doesn't have a canon name so I gave her one. It didn't say if he had kids, but I gave him one.

A Quiet Life

By:

IAmStoryteller

Kaiser entered his home to the smells of something delicious cooking on the stove and the laughter of his wife, his daughter and his son-in-law. Ah, the sounds of home were wonderful. It filled him with peace.

He said, "I'm home."

"Honey! Welcome back! I thought you were staying at the orcas tonight," yelled his wife, his beautiful and wonderful partner of nearly 25 years, Claudia Granvorka.

He went to the kitchen. His wife, his beautiful black haired and blue-eyed pleasantly plump wife, was at the stove. Claudia was as beautiful as ever and he missed her terribly when he was working. His only child and daughter 24-year-old schoolteacher Amelia and her new husband 27-year-old butcher Den sat at the kitchen's island counter, eating snacks.

He smiled at the sight of his family, but then remembered why he was home. He nervously played with the ends of moustache and said, "Ah, well, I was, but something came up."

Claudia whipped around to give him a look. She knew him better than anyone and must have heard the uncertainty in his voice. She asked, crossing her arms, "What happened?"

"Dad, is everything okay," Amelia asked, concerned.

There was no beating around the bush with Claudia or Amelia. He told them everything he could, because they made decisions as a family. The rules be damned. Kaiser sighed. He explained what happened with Geuldre at that day's Captain's meeting and his subsequent reveal of working with the Eye of the Midnight Sun group. He also explained that Asta, the rookie from the Black Bulls, and the young Captain of the Azure Deer captured Geuldre.

"That slimy snake," Claudia said, incensed. "I told you that's why he always gave you the worst jobs far away from whatever he was doing because he knew that you'd figure out what was going on and tell Lord Julius! That absolute rat!" She looked ready to fight someone, red-faced and hands fisted.

"Mom, calm down," said Amelia, but she looked very angry. Amelia inherited Claudia's hot temper. "Dad, that's bullshit!"

"Sweetheart, you calm down too," said Den, a mild-mannered man who adored Amelia with everything which was why Kaiser approved of their marriage in the first place.

"It comes down to the fact that the Purple Orcas don't have a Captain and the Magic Knights have a problem with the Eye of the Midnight Sun," said Kaiser.

Claudia gasped. "Did…did Lord Julius ask you to be Captain?"

"He did," said Kaiser, nodding solemnly.

Claudia wrinkled her nose and snorted derisively. "I can't believe…after all this time…the absolute gall…unbelievable…I should throttle that man…incompetent idiots…honestly! You just put your retirement papers in! Kaiser, what did you say?"

"Uh-oh, Mom is speaking in incomplete sentences," said Amelia, whistling.

"I told him that I had to speak with you," said Kaiser, calmly. "Julius understands, of course. But I have to give him my answer tomorrow morning."

Silence descended on the Granvorka kitchen.

This decision was something to be not taken lightly. When he and Claudia had gotten married, he promised that he would retire at fifty, which was the start of retirement age for Magic Knights. Claudia had a dream of living their golden years together in peace and quiet to dote on grandchildren. He promised to give her that dream.

He thought of the friends he lost to curses, wars, and heart-break and how he had been the lucky one to survive this long. He and Julius were the last of a failed generation that had hopes and dreams to better the future for everyone in every part of the kingdom. If he hadn't had Claudia, he'd be worse off. Or he'd be dead.

So that's why this decision was just as much her as it was his.

Kaiser looked at Amelia, who looked worried and upset, while Den looked confused, still unused to the frank way the Granvorka family handed things. Claudia fumed silently to herself. Then, Kaiser spoke, "I'd like some opinions, family of mine."

Amelia spoke first and very passionately said, "Dad, you'd make a great Magic Knight Captain! You have more experience than the other captains and you're level-headed, a good person to give advice to Lord Julius. I mean, granted that the others might have more mana than you, but you can rebuild the Orcas into something better. But then again, I'd worry about you. You're nearly fifty and that's a lot of work and a lot of front-line battles you'll have to fight. And you were looking forward to retirement."

"I agree with Amelia," said Den, smiling.

Kaiser smiled at Amelia and Den. "Thank you for believing in me."

Claudia let out an angry sigh and then, her stance deflated, anger leaving her body. Wearily, she said, "Kaiser, you know that you must say yes. Your squad needs you more than ever. The Magic Knights need you and your level-headedness. Goodness knows the other Captains need a grounding presence. I know you hate standing out, but you've earned the right to be a Magic Knight Captain multiple times over the years, even if you don't think so. I could be selfish and say I want you to decline and retire next year like planned, but I know you wouldn't be happy."

She did really know him best.

"My darling, I love you so" said Kaiser, pulling Claudia into a hug. "I am still looking forward to retirement. I'll train a replacement as soon as I can."

Claudia hugged him back and ranted. "I love you too. Do your best to stay alive, you hear me? Don't be fighting battles that are too much for you. Leave that up to the younger wizards!"

Kaiser chuckled. "I'll do my best. And thank you."

"No, thank you, honey, for always doing the right thing," said Claudia, letting him out of her embrace. "Now, you must be hungry. Let's eat!"

Tomorrow, he'd go and talk to Julius and tell him that he will be Captain, but he wanted the Vice-Captain of his choice who will be trained to be his successor and he was still retiring at 50. He had a promise to keep, after all.

But today, he'll enjoy dinner with his family.

~fin