Aethernea : Soulbound [Book 1]

Episode 68 - Trickster and Double

Previously:

Kiel remembers a time, 8 years ago, when his father brought him to Arena city to watch a warlock battle. It was his first time seeing warlocks Trickster and Double fight. When the two of them entered the VIP seating area, his father greeted an unknown man.

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In the best-positioned seats in the entire Arena, sat an extremely beautiful-looking argel who didn't look past 30. Yet, even though Kiel's father was a councilman and a firstborn son of the family head, even though he was older than this elegant man, his tone of voice when talking to the man was extremely respectful. As if he was talking to someone of a higher social standing than him.

Kiel's eyebrows furrowed. The lands under the Shield were governed by the Council of 7, and since his father was one of the 7 councilmen, there shouldn't be anyone higher in status than him. Even if this man were the head of a noble family, his father wouldn't show him this amount of respect.

Kiel's eyes focused on the man, inspecting him thoroughly. His skin was white and flawless, his build lean with well-defined muscles that could be seen through his tight fitting red clothes.

The man's face was effeminate and refined, it didn't pale in comparison to Kiel's father's looks at all. His long black hair was let loose and fell like a waterfall down his back. There were bright red strands weaved within the black.

That one look at the man made Kiel's hair stand on end. Kiel couldn't feel any mana around the man, the man's appearance didn't look intimidating at all nor did he show any kind of hostile behavior, yet Kiel felt as if he was looking at a fierce dragon that could devour him with one bite.

This person gave him an even more imposing feeling than the feeling Venric Rroda, his grandfather, gave off. He felt as if this man was more powerful than anyone he had ever met. But that made no sense. Why would he feel that way? The strange man didn't even have Mage Armor protecting him!

For a moment, Kiel even questioned if the man was a non-mage like himself. But he dismissed it almost instantly. The only time his father would treat a non-mage with this much respect would be if the lands of Halnea were a monarchy and this person were the emperor.

Since that was not the case, this man was clearly not a non-mage. Perhaps he felt that no one would dare cast a spell against him and felt that Mage Armor was unnecessary?

Kiel's pondering was interrupted when he heard his father introduce him to the man. "This is my youngest son, Kiel. He is diligently studying all the time, so I took him out to have some fun for a change."

"We are in similar situations it seems." The man laughed pleasantly and motioned towards the seat next to him where sat a young boy. "This is my great great great..."

The man paused his speech for several seconds before continuing. "Uh...I am not actually sure how many generations it has been... grandson."

Kiel stared at the man trying his hardest not to gape. Did he hear him correctly??

The smile on Kiel's father's face never wavered. He even chuckled. "So many generations, and yet he looks just like you. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was your own son."

The man stared at Kiel's father speechlessly for several seconds, and then he looked back at the boy, then he looked back at Kiel's father. His eyebrows furrowed and he started murmuring under his breath. "Don't tell me those bastards lied to me? But lately, I was careful not to sire any childr... except that one time... It can't be?"

The boy sitting next to him finally averted his gaze from the arena and looked the man straight in the eye. The boy's gaze was fiery, but the words he spoke were cold-blooded: "Grandpa, stop embarrassing me."