Chapter 18: A way to the holy kingdom

"Huh?" Ray thought he heard wrong. He didn't believe that he would find a clue this quickly, but it seems Galdof was knowledgeable in many ways than one.

"Yes. in fact, he is one of my closest friends. But it's actually a secret, so I shouldn't tell you in normal circumstances.

" Who's this person? If I can meet him, then he will lead me to the holy kingdom, right?" Exclaimed Ray excitedly. Everything was smooth sailing to the point where Ray questioned whether he was dreaming or not. This fortunate encounter with these two fellows has changed his life 180 degrees: From getting eaten alive by wild animals alone in a forest to finding clues for his revenge.

He couldn't think of a way to pay back this favour. Even sacrificing his life for them wasn't enough.

"When you reach there, you can ask about someone named Winstor Glaren. Tell him that I sent you, and he will help you." Explained Galdof with a nostalgic smile. It seemed that their relationship was more than just regular friends or acquaintances.

Of course, Ray never heard of this name, so his reaction was expected, but Flora, on the other side, had a totally different response.

"Winstor??? Do you mean the 'uncrowned king'! Grandpa, why did you never tell me you were friends with him." Shouted Flora in surprise.

"Hahaha, I forgot. This old man already forgets so many things. Give him a break." He laughed heartily.

"The uncrowned king? Who is he?" In between this interaction, asked Ray confusedly?

"Ah, yes. You remember when I told you that the lower realms don't have kingdoms. In fact, no one is considered the supreme ruler here except for one person. Winstor is the Headmaster of The holy magic academy. And because almost every child in the lower realms attends that school, that makes him the highest authority even in the nobles and those who rule their lands. He's called with that name because he's not a 'king', but everyone considers him as one, and thus he's the 'uncrowned king' of the lower realms." Explained Galdof with a smile. (A\\N: Sorry if the explanation was insufficient :) )

As he digested this new information, he understood many mechanisms of how the lower realms work. While not essentially having a kingdom or an empire, there are rulers of regions, probably those of Nobel blood or something like that. And he also found something even more interesting; this Winstor guy is an extremely powerful person individually and also with the influence he has.

'If I could get his help, I can evade many problems. Honestly, this way too good to be true, but I guess I'm exhausting all the luck of my life' Thought Ray with a chuckle.

"Thank you, Galdof. I can't even imagine how I can pay you back for all of this." The only thing Ray could do was bow in front of him. Mind you, Ray never bowed in front of anyone, even those Patriarchs of the 6 Noble families. His father always said, "If you bow in front of anyone except for those who helped you greatly, then you might as well kill yourself the next second. Our pride is our life; without it, we are nothing!'

" Stop it, kid. You're like a grandson to me, and the fact that I helped you is because I feel like you're someone who's going to change this rotten world. Consider it as a gift from me to you." Gladof stood up and pulled Ray by his shoulders to look him in the eyes.

"I'm sorry. It's just-" The young boy tried to apologise, but Galdof interrupted him.

"Don't worry about it. We are a family, you understand?" Ray could only smile warmly and nodded his head. 'I'm delighted I've met them. I'm really fortunate!'

"Now that talking is over. It would be best if you readied yourself for the journey. It will take you at least a month to get there. Flora, I know this is so sudden, but you need to start preparing." Flora's only wish was to stay with Ray. Going to the holy magic academy? No problem, as long as they're together.

"Yes!" She said happily.

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We're entering the spicy stuff with this arc. Don't expect a happy story, guys :)

Anyway, If you liked my novel, please don't hesitate to give me feedback. Peace ✌️