Following the startling announcement by Lady Auri Cle at the Hatar heir's birthday ceremony, Baron Sama decided to pause the festivities for several hours. The guests understood the gravity of the situation and retreated to their rooms to rest, refine their political strategies, and draft reports for their respective superiors. The Adept herself remained in seclusion; no one met with her before she left the Hatar estate, save for the Baron, who spoke with her briefly.
Now, Sama sat in his study, his gaze drifting between his son in the crib and his wife, who was under the care of HealerKal.
The old man, an expert in treating mana-burn, was working to ease Zeni's suffering.
"So, how is her health, old man?" the Baron asked, his voice stern and weary.
"Not as serious as I feared, my lord," replied Kal. Since stepping from his carriage, the healer had been sweating like a manual labourer in the midday sun. The day's events—specifically the Adept's public decree—had nearly caused the old man to faint from the stress.
"I am fine, my dear," Zeni interjected, though her tone betrayed her pain.
"It was just a healing spell; I simply let my emotions get the better of me."
"You know," Sama said in a tired voice, "my mind literally went blank at that moment."
"I am sorry, my love," Zeni whispered. She turned to the healer. "Please, give us a moment of privacy, Sir Kal.
"The old man exited the room with the surprising speed of a much younger man, leaving the new Blood-Noble couple alone with their heir.
Sama sat beside his wife and took out a compass-like object. He activated it, and a barrier enclosed them and their child, cutting them off from the outside world.
"So, what really happened? Why did you use your unique spell?" Sama asked in a voice that betrayed how hard he found the question to digest. "Don't tell me he awakened the Power of the Spirit at such a young age. Only a few have awakened during infancy, and they were born in the Era of Great Bloodlines. The last person recorded in kingdom history to awaken the Spirit at eight months old was the founder of the Kingdom, but his magical power awakened simultaneously with it."
"Yes, you are right," Zeni replied in a shaky voice. "I don't know how, but he has awakened the Seed for the Power of the Spirit. It has since gone dormant, and I believe coaxing it out of dormancy will be even more difficult."
"To my knowledge, there has never been a case in our recorded history of a non-bloodline person awakening the Seed at such a young age," Sama said, his lack of understanding evident. "And your unique spell only suppresses the Spirit with the help of the host; it shouldn't be able to force dormancy like an artifact would."
"I don't know about history, but the answer to your second question is that there was no resistance to my spell," Zeni replied, fear showing in her voice. "Zae didn't fight me. Because of that, and my quick intervention, the Adept's divine pendant failed to uncover his secret."
"You seem sure that she didn't find out," Sama said skeptically. "Is it because she is just an Adept-in-training?""Yes, and because the pendant was not a true artifact," Zeni replied confidently. "It used stored high-quality divine energy and materials with divine properties to perform the scan. Otherwise, I would have sensed it with my magical trait. I believe it was sub-divine."
"Alright. Then I am going to meet our Royal guest," Sama replied, anger coloring his voice. "You should rest, my dear. We will talk more about this later."Sama deactivated the compass and left the room. Outside, he met Old Kal and instructed him to take care of Zeni. Inside the room, Zeni was deep in thought. She was worried about her son; if the matter came to light, she would lose him forever. A miracle like Zae was rare in history and considered a high-value asset for the Dukes or the Royal family to research and develop into warriors. If she were not suffering from mana-burn, the situation might be manageable, but as it stood, she was sure they would both become test subjects. Nobody would believe it was just a miracle; they would be interrogated or even tortured. They could be kept as hostages to control Zae. The worst possibility was that both of them would die, and Zaemon would be adopted by a high noble family or the Royals.
Sama had a lot on his mind as he walked toward his office. He understood his wife well. When she had cast her spell, his mind had gone blank, but his body had instantly moved to embrace her, his aura enveloping them from prying eyes.He was a hundred percent sure that neither he nor she possessed a bloodline, let alone a Great Bloodline. When he was awarded the Grunt's Witness rank, he had been checked thoroughly, as ancient laws forbid anyone with a bloodline from receiving that title. His wife and her family had been checked as well. He could not let anyone know the truth about Zae. With a determined face, he entered his office. There, he saw the Royal guest, Nemius, sitting in front of his desk. A face he had seen many times.
"Explain the interference," Sama growled, sitting at his desk. "I told your people I would manage the event. Why send an Adept to create a commotion in my home?"
"The Adept acted on her own," Nemius replied smoothly. "Statistics, reality, and planning often differ. People were whispering of evil rituals, Sama 'the Berserker.' We had to act."
"Was this all because we had our son naturally, without your 'help'?" Sama asked with visible irritation. "I already took a mana-oath to spend forty years in the wilderness for your help with Zeni; I am committed to that. You don't need these tricks. I was shocked when the guard with the envelope arrived only minutes before her, carrying information about an 'evil scan.' Are you really sending a low-ranking official with a divine artifact?"
"You are wrong," Nemius said flatly. "Our original plan was a formal scan, but the Adept improvised. She was supposed to meet you privately under the pretense of seeing an Iron Grunt and then disclose the artifact at the ceremony to dispel the rumors. The last-minute notice you received was due to the incident two years ago—the theft of the Lesser Sea God's Pearl."
Sama was puzzled. "The Krakan worshippers?"
"The public attack was a decoy," Nemius explained. "The real information leaked from the Church and from administration. We had to send her with a pseudo-artifact—one that can only be used a few times—to ensure the security of the scan. She was supposed to follow the protocol in the envelope, but she chose a... stealthier path."
"Did Kal and Cane know about the plan?" Sama asked, his face a mask of unreadable stone.
"No," Nemius replied instantly.
The two men sat in silence for a few heavy moments before Sama finally spoke.
"Since I am being exiled to the wilderness for forty years, I assume I am being sent to the Southwestern region—more specifically, the Forest of Sanni. It is a move designed to ensure my failure while pacifying the nobility. They want to break my arrogance and turn me into a joke within the kingdom. Tell me, Nemius, am I truly such a terrifying piece on the chessboard?"
"You are not the mere brute many believe you to be, Sama," Nemius replied, his voice shifting to a tone of respect. "Almost all of those present at your speech think you are an arrogant fool who doesn't know his place. When the others who gained the Grunt's Witness rank learn about your oath, they will declare you insane. They took the comfortable offers—becoming instructors or administrators in exchange for the safety of the kingdom's inner regions. No one has been 'insane' enough to choose the wilderness in over two hundred years."
Nemius leaned forward. "You are an insignificant piece in their eyes, perhaps, but you are a piece that could become deadly in this long game."
Nemius had been with him since the initial request to save his wife, he thought, and he had witnessed the struggle of him until now. If only Sama hadn't been caught between the politics of the King's children—and if his wife hadn't chosen him—things might have been different.
"The Northern Faction demanded you be sent to their territory," Nemius continued aloud, "but all other nobles thought differently so in the end, the Forest of Sanni was decided. Remember: high risk means high reward. The official order will arrive at the end of the Month of Ace. Prepare for the journey, soldier."
Nemius stood up to leave. He stopped at the door, glancing back one last time. "Spend time with your family, Sama."
He opened the door and exited, leaving Sama alone in the stifling stillness of the office.
____