Regain: Revenge of the Greatest

Things settled down for a bit. They were able to return to Cleron without any more trouble. However, even after they rest for some days, Kael still felt the guilt of leaving someone he thought needed his help. But he should not think like that, as he could not possibly do everything. Saving everyone that he felt needed his help just isn’t plausible, at least as he was then.

“Take a seat”, the Earl said.

Three days after their return, the Earl called for Kael. They were in Cadell’s house, as the broken castle was still being built. There, the Earl wanted to know what Kael wants for the future.

Kael took the Earl’s offer. Even he himself wanted to tell the Earl about what he wanted to happen. By then, he wasn’t sure if the Earl was on his side or not. But what he did know was, he needed to eliminate the remaining demons that still exist.

“Lord Gideon, thank you for giving me a chance to talk to you”, Kael started.

“Gideon, call me like that”, the Earl corrected. “I know my position, Lucien”

Kael felt a little sad with the Earl’s tone. He felt like the Earl wanted some distance from him, after he revealed who he was in the past. He wanted to conform to how the servants address the Earl, but Earl Gideon seemed to not want it.

“What will you do now?”, the Earl asked.

“I want to return to the village. Let me live with my grandparents for a bit more”

The Earl didn’t have much reaction to Kael’s statement. He gave a memory potion to Kael, telling the child that he already knew that he will request for that.

Kael thanked the Earl. He thought at first that it would not be easy to persuade the Earl to let him, but he was wrong. Whether it’s a good or a bad thing was not important.

“And after that?”, the Earl continued.

Kael felt the distance again. He didn’t show what he felt and answered the Earl. “I want to get stronger”

The Earl thought for a short time. “To kill demons I hope”

Kael nodded. “I want to finish what I started”

The Earl saw no lies in Kael’s statement. However, there’s doubt in his mind.

“Will you destroy Rezelus?”

Kael was expecting the question. He knew that the Earl didn’t trust him after he said who he really was.

“As long as there’s no reason to, I will not”

Hearing Kael’s words didn’t seem to convince the Earl, even if Kael told him the truth. He just nodded, and went on to ask further.

“You’re powerful. Just how much more do you want?”

Kael denied the notion that he was powerful. He briefly explained how he became powerful, but he also reminded the Earl about his mana crystallization, which is the life threatening drawback of becoming powerful. He said that he wanted to become powerful in better ways, like training himself and simply growing up.

“Then, you should go to the kingdom’s academy”, the Earl said. He felt like Kael was trying to request his help, and so, he recommended the kingdom’s academy. He explained some things about the academy, and gave Kael some information so that he wouldn’t feel so out of place. Kael thanked him in return.

“What about after you killed all the demons?”

Kael paused for a moment, as he pondered what he will do next. Then, he remembered the promise he said to himself.

“I will go back to the village, and live the rest of my days there”, Kael stated.

Such simple way of thinking. That’s what the Earl thought. As he experienced the historical person in front of him, it became hard for him to believe many things that were taught to him about Lucien. There’s still doubt in his mind, but he wanted to believe to the child in front of him.

Their conversations went on, and after that, Kael bid farewell temporarily. He went to the village of the faithfuls, and did what Elalios did before. It was like waking up from a nightmare for him, to be recognized by his loving grandparents.

Kael’s days went on, peaceful inside the village. The days turned to months, and then it turned to a year. They sometimes go to Cleron to meet Elalios, but the Earl never showed himself to him. Some years passed that all is merry, then a grievous loss happened.

When Kael was about to become ten years old, Amos died in his sleep. It was the original fate of the faithfuls. Still, it was painful for Kael and all the people of the village. The mourning went on for several days and they buried him somewhere near the village.

It was Kael’s first loss since becoming Kael. But despite the pain, he was happy that Amos passed away peacefully, and that he was able to fulfill his promise to the soul that originally owned his body.

A year passed before another inevitable thing happened. Just like Amos, Cora passed away peacefully. Kael felt the pain once again. The village supported him to get through the loss, but he only recovered several months after. He knew that the lonely days will come, but it’s hard for him to prepare for those times. The only thing he kept in mind, to at least ease the pain a bit, was his promise to the little Kael, as he was able to fulfill it. With those losses, he could only go back to the Earl after another year passed.

“It’s a short period of happiness”, Kael said, as the Earl asked him about how he was doing in all the years that passed.

“Did you rest well?”, the Earl asked.

“I did, thank you”

The Earl nodded. Then, he handed a piece of paper to Kael. “I hope you are prepared”

Kael looked at the Earl, a bit surprised by what he received. It was a letter from the kingdom’s academy, an invitation for any child of noble birth to be assessed. Seeing this, Kael knew he was ready, or more accurately, he was too ready. By that time, he was able to develop into a grade C mage, higher than Elalios without the aid of “Late Cost”.

“I’m ready”, Kael replied with firm conviction.

That day became his first step to see the new world he was in.