Ch 7: The True Scheme
The site of the Spirit Veins awakening ceremony was revered as one of the most sacred places in all of Serph as it held the invaluable treasure that could help unawakened wizards gain a chance to become full-fledged wizards.
Owing to its paramount importance to the entire kingdom, it was surrounded by layers of formidable protective barriers and guarded by some of the mightiest wizards that Serph had ever seen.
Thus, breaking into it was considered a nigh impossible task!
Furthermore, to ensure the sanctity of the place was preserved, stringent rules were set in place.
Without the explicit and direct permission of the guardians, responsible for overseeing this sacred land, entry was strictly forbidden.
This rule was unbending and even applied to not only the descendants but also the heads of the five great families that formed the core of Serph's wizard community.
The site of the ceremony was nestled deep within the heart of the Silver Moon forest, surrounded by silver trees on all sides with only one road carved through a grove leading to it.
A colossal bright silver tree dominated the center of this mystical site.
Its grandeur was such that it seemed to stretch endlessly upwards as if threatening to barge into the heavens, and each of its branches, having never experienced the cruelty of an ax, spread out in all directions majestically with its top branches teasingly touching the very edges of the sky.
It brightened up as the rays of the morning sun softly caressed its silvery bark, casting a luminescent moonlight over the entire surroundings. Everything washed in its light appeared more resplendent than one could imagine.
*****
The carriage of the main House of Khaleji, drawn by the impressive fire-tailed steeds, moved rapidly through the grove of silver trees, coming to a sudden halt at the entrance of the ceremony site.
Armand smoothly dismounted from the carriage, methodically straightened his slightly wrinkled suit, giving himself away as a perfectionist, and with actions elevated to perfection through years of training, opened the passenger door to the carriage in one swift and graceful motion, allowing the ethereal moonlight from the brilliant silver tree to flow into the carriage and fall upon a young man seated inside.
Although the young man's complexion was on the paler side, the moonlight accentuated his refined features, making him look extraordinarily charismatic.
'He has inherited her radiant beauty.'
Armand's breath hitched in his throat, caught by a sudden wave of nostalgia and emotion.
Bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight of the silver tree that had invaded the interior of the carriage, Valerius bore an uncanny resemblance to the red-eyed dragon's first and only love.
Every part of Valerius's appearance, from the delicate curve of his cheekbones to the shape of his expressive eyes and even the gentle set of his lips, vividly mirrored the enchanting allure of Lady Seraphina. She was his birth mother and also a legendary beauty who, two decades ago, was celebrated and revered as one of the top three beauties throughout the entirety of Serph.
Twenty years ago, Armand, like many others, had been smitten by her charm. He was among her legion of admirers, a vast group so large that if they were to stand in a line, it would stretch from the bustling capital of Serph to its distant and reclusive wizard community.
Of course, Armand's one-sided love never bore fruition as someone much younger and more talented than him broke into Lady Seraphina's life and pestered her all day and night until he captured her heart.
That someone was none other than Valerius's father.
The sting of watching the woman he adored fall for another and bear a child for him was a pain Armand remembered all too well. He had thought time had dulled these memories, had believed them to be neatly tucked away in the recesses of his mind, but now, seeing Valerius, an almost mirror image of her, these memories surged forth, as fresh as the day they were made.
Anger bubbled within him, but it quickly subsided when he remembered that he had already exacted his revenge by allowing the child she had with Lyrius J. Khaleji to be put in harm's way.
The pill he had given to Valerius, under the directive of the headmistress of the House of Khaleji, might've looked like a mere nutrition pill on the outside, but it actually had a tricky effect. It could cast a unique barrier over the spirit veins, fortifying their defense but also rendering it nearly impossible to awaken them with the method used in the ceremony.
By ensuring Valerius ingested this tainted pill, the dashing yet vengeful and petty butler believed he had effectively crushed any chance the young man had at a brighter future, dooming him to become nothing more than a houseless beggar on the streets.
'A man with such a pretty face, once he's expelled from the House of Khaleji, who knows what people with twisted desires will do to him.' Armand mused.
Seraphina had a lot of admirers. Among them, there were some really bad eggs. Once they know that her lookalike no longer has the protection of the House of Khaleji, god knows what they would do, but it wouldn't be pretty.
He was confident that Valerius would be disowned following the ceremony for two reasons.
Firstly, an age-old rule decreed that descendants of the House of Khaleji incapable of becoming wizards should not remain in the household.
Secondly, Val had fallen victim to their ploy. He was destined to be labeled a lost cause with no hope of ever attaining wizard status once the ceremony concluded.
What he didn't know was that Valerius had never properly digested the pill.
Armand was in for a world of shock!
Valerius noticed Armand staring at him for a prolonged period, a strange glint evident in his eyes. He couldn't help but wonder, "Is he plotting against me again?"
"Young master, we have arrived at the ceremony site. You can get off the carriage now," Armand declared.
Valerius was also eager to exit the stifling atmosphere of the carriage. However, he had experienced minor jolts and bumps from the ride here, and that had taken a toll on his frail body, leaving him feeling sore. Every slight movement made his joints creak like old hinges, so the simple act of stepping down from the carriage now felt like a challenge.
"The ride has left me feeling quite sore. I will require some assistance to alight from the carriage. Would you be willing to lend me a helping hand?" Valerius smiled at the red-eyed dragon harmleesly.
He was a man. He could muster enough willpower to do it himself, but why miss the chance to make the butler who he hated work like a donkey?!
'Pathetic.'
Inwardly, Armand scolded Valerius in his mind.
The carriage had carried him from the House of Khaleji to the ceremony site. Such a simple ride had reduced him to such a wretched state. He truly was useless!
"Why not, young master?" Armand said with feigned politeness.
Though inwardly Armand was clearly displeased with being ordered around, he promptly extended a supportive hand to Valerius nonetheless as he couldn't turn a deaf ear to him like he would usually do if his request was too excessive or extended beyond the boundary of his professional duties.
After all, they were in public, and ignoring the request of a Khaleji could cast the house in a negative light.
People might gossip that the Khaleji family didn't know how to train their servants properly. And if that were to ever happen, he would be punished by his master, the current family head of the Khalejis!
Valerius grasped Armand's extended hand tightly, and with the butler's steady assistance, he stepped out of the grand carriage that bore the symbol of the Khaleji family and set foot on the ground.
"Thank you," Valerius sincerely said, but his eyes told another story.
"You're welcome, young master," Armand replied, his tone betraying no emotion, maintaining the ever-professional demeanor he always upheld in public.
Standing before the carriage with his feet touching the ground, Valerius took a deep breath, allowing the fresh forest air to fill his lungs as he looked around, taking in the majestic view of his surroundings.
In the novel, it was described that nestled within the vast expanse of the Silver Moon forest, the ceremony site held such unparalleled beauty that it was unanimously deemed the forest's crown jewel.
Seeing this place with his own eyes, Valerius held no reservations about this claim.
But he had to say, the vivid descriptions in the book hadn't done it justice.
The scenery before him was so surreal that it momentarily took his breath away. It was undoubtedly the most magnificent sight he had ever beheld.
His roaming gaze then settled on the colossal tree standing majestically at the center of the site. He recognized it as the ancestral tree, which was not only one of Serph's greatest treasures but also a testament to the rich history and heritage of Serph.
'The author wasn't exaggerating when he said the ancestral tree of Silver Moon Forest was larger than Mt Fuji,' he mused.
When Valerius saw it, the fog in his mind lifted up and he recalled that a significant plotline in the novel's early chapters revolved around this very tree.
If his memory served him right, the very ceremony that led to the downfall of Valerius J. Khaleji spelled a rise in fortune for the protagonist of 'The Great Conquer." The tree played a crucial role in propelling the protagonist onto the path of wizardry.
This also suggested that the protagonist would be attending the ceremony today.
He should be amidst the crowd!
The protagonist of his favorite novel… he really wanted to see him.
Unfortunately, as Valerius tried to spot him among the throngs of people present at the ceremony site, it felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. He couldn't find him.