NOVEL NEXT Confusion
Kael realized something that he should have known before. Perhaps he did know before, but he was reminded once again. He should really keep in mind what he gained from his life threatening experience. Whether he likes it or not, he is now a normal person.
Normal people don’t have the kind of body that can store vast amounts of mana without issues. Kael is one of them now, and so, he should discipline himself, abide by his body’s natural limits.
He knew that he shouldn’t create the special mana pathways anymore. The only safe way to boost his magic power was to use “Late Cost”, and that’s it. No modifying the said magic, only within its bounds could Kael boost himself. Though limited, he wouldn’t suffer from mana crystallization anymore.
By then, endless magic was out of his options, but, unfortunately, returning to normal gave him yet another problem. After he was saved from his illness, with the care of the Earl and the unnamed mage, he must face the cost of being healed. He was informed by the Earl after he was well and healthy.
Rezelus. The most important place for all of humanity, according to the Earl. The place where the great one, to whom the people must worship, dwells. It was the place appointed by the Divine Emperor to be of service to him, and, as it is the great one they are serving, the people in the city-state should also be great in their own right.
That’s why the church gather every person that could be considered great. Those people that were magically gifted, as magic is the peak among all the Divine Emperor’s gifts. They have an obligation to use their gifts in service of the great one. Such is the predicament of Kael.
Kael, being magically gifted, was obligated to serve the Divine Emperor, especially now that he was discovered by one of the great one’s servants. It is the Divine Emperor’s will for him to be known, and thus, he must abide to the great one that gave him his gift.
But, Kael didn’t want to be a servant of the church. To eliminate the remaining demons, that’s his main goal. Being secluded inside the city-state will render him incapable of doing what he wanted. He needed to do something, but he shouldn’t go against the Earl. Not at all. At all cost he should not go against him.
A day passed after he was fully recovered, Kael was faced with Earl Gideon. They were alone in a room, still in the king’s castle. The silence was a little uncomfortable, but it was better than facing the unnamed mage.
Before he faced Kael, Earl Gideon talked to the unnamed mage. Of course they were discussing about Kael, what to do to him, and, how unbelievable that someone like him exist. The unnamed mage was full of joy during the entire discussion, but the same couldn’t be said to the Earl.
Kael was waiting for the Earl to say something. He knew what the Earl wanted from him, but he didn’t want to start the conversation. So he waited, and, he’s patience won over the Earl’s.
“Kael.. will you tell me the truth?”, the Earl started. His glance wasn’t like what it was when Kael first met him. He didn’t look fearsome to Kael, but rather, he was like someone wanting to be genuine.
“Your lordship, I don’t know what you want to know”, Kael said.
“Then.. who are you?”
The Earl had so much question for Kael. But that single question encompasses all the things he wanted to know.
“If I told you, would you believe me?”, Kael asked.
The Earl realized that he was not talking to a child. Just with Kael’s question, he was able to answer some of the questions that he wanted to ask. But, he wanted to know more, and so, he replied. “I will”
Lying will get him nowhere, so Kael decided to tell the truth. First, he will say that he was a person named Lucien, a person that was able to gain a second life. Second, he will say that he made a promise to the previous owner of his current body, that’s why he will keep on living as Kael. Third, he will say that he has a mission to eliminate all the remaining demons that he wasn’t able to destroy before. He wanted to tell all of this, but, the Earl interrupted him just after he said he was Lucien.
“What.. what are you saying?”
Kael didn’t know what to say to that. He thought that he didn’t say so much, but it was evident that the Earl was flabbergasted. He didn’t know at the time that just introducing himself as Lucien flooded the Earl with so much confusion.
“I’m.. Lucien”
“Please, don’t say that”
Kael had no choice, but to stop. He couldn’t understand. The Earl was acting very unusual for someone who was usually composed and rational. He could even see the constrained panic within the Earl, like he said something that should never be said. And yes, he did say something that he should never say.
The Earl tried wrapping his mind to what he just heard. He said he will believe Kael, but in this regard, he didn’t want to believe him. However, he knew that lying like that will get Kael nowhere. The situation pointed to a single fact. Kael wasn’t lying.
“No..”, the only word that the Earl managed to let out.
Initially, the Earl denied the claim that the child made. But as he tried convincing himself, wanting to be true to what he said, he felt the dread growing in him. If Kael didn’t lie to him, then he unknowingly saved Lucien, the person that the Divine Emperor defeated to save humanity. Right in front of him was the person so greedy of power, that he attempted to rule over every single race.
The Earl was terrified, as he looked at Kael. The child looked innocent, but his mind was consumed by the name of a dreadful person. Kael is dangerous is what he thought.
“Are you alright?”, Kael asked, interrupting the Earl’s thinking.
Earl Gideon was startled. He felt emotions that the demon Talzer failed to get out of him. But the longer he looked at the child, the weaker his animosity became. There’s something about Kael that was inconsistent to what he knew and believed. His mind was chaotic that he accidentally asked the child.
“Are you here for revenge?”