Rei finally reached the manor, the weight of his relentless training pressing heavily on him. His hand barely gripped the doorknob before his body gave out, collapsing just inside the entrance. Roma was already there, waiting.
"So, you've finally finished your task," Roma said, lighting a cigar. He took a long drag before exhaling a puff of smoke. "If you're still conscious, kid, take tomorrow off. We don't want you permanently damaging your magic circuits."
Outside, the storm rumbled, thunder rolling through the air. Roma observed Rei, and he noticed a dark blue aura radiating from the boy. "Strange..." he muttered, narrowing his eyes. Using his mana sight, Roma scanned Rei, then sighed in relief. "It's just your Ruin Energy stirring, trying to devour your own mana now that the circuits have opened. Good thing tomorrow's a rest day."
Still, not taking any chances, Roma used his "Veil" technique to envelop Rei in a protective layer of pure mana, a temporary fix to keep the Ruin Energy at bay.
He quickly but carefully scooped up Rei before the energy could erode the veil. "You're becoming more of a handful than I expected," Roma muttered, carrying Rei to the guest room where he had been staying.
After dropping off the boy, Roma closed the door and turned to meet his head butler, Fred.
"Master, did you really bring a Ruinspawn into your home?" Fred asked, his tone laced with concern.
"His name is Rei," Roma replied firmly. "And you will treat him as a guest. Speaking of which, call a priest to bless the room."
"Yes, sir. I'll send for Father Solomon of St. Pyre," Fred said with a bow.
"I don't care who—just get it done," Roma said, already turning to walk down the hallway. "I'll be in my study if needed."
Roma reached his study and, upon entering, summoned his cane. He used it to carve a rune onto the door; as the symbol began to glow, he approached a large mirror. Carefully, he traced the rune for "Chrome" on the glass. The white glow of his aura faded, replaced by a shifting rainbow light as the mirror rippled to reveal Kris on the other side.
"Good evening, Takashi. You don't usually contact me like this. Did something happen in Shrade?" Kris asked.
"No, everything is stable on my end," Roma replied. "But let's keep this brief. Why is Rei's soul so similar to yours, and how is he immune to the Curse of Ruin?"
Kris leaned back, her relaxed expression giving way to one of seriousness. "Can this conversation be overheard?"
Roma shook his head. "I've placed a veil of silence around this room. We're the only ones who can hear this conversation."
"Good," Kris replied. "To start, yes—Rei and I share similar souls. And I assume you sensed Mother Eve's divinity within him."
Roma's eyes widened, and he nearly dropped his cigar. "Then that means—"
"Rei is a Spirit of Rebellion, like myself." Kris finished. "Which means he could become this era's Hero."
Roma leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. "This explains a lot... and it makes sense that even a fraction of Eve's essence could shield him from the Curse of Ruin and counteract the Fallen One's influence."
"You're correct," Kris replied. "But according to Izzy, there's something oddly familiar about Rei, and for some reason, he refuses to tell me more."
"Strange." Roma's gaze sharpened. "But let's move on—why did you bring Rei into Lost Eden? You're not exactly known for acting purely out of kindness, especially given your royal status."
YOU ARE READING
The Apostle of Ruin
FantasyFollow the Stories of Rei and Kisane as well as many others as they figure out themselves and their reason for fighting in this world, with the threat of another Millennium War brewing. which realm will come out on top Destruction or Creation? In t...
