Chapter 11 : Inborn Spirit

"Let's go," Daniel turned to leave. He found nothing here that could pique his interest.

Though…

"Hmm? Those features… Inborn Spirit?" As he turned his body, he noticed a girl at the edge of the training field practicing alone.

A girl with long pink hair, brown eyes, and an average height for someone who had already gone through puberty.

"Oh? Young Lord, you noticed as well?" A smile appeared on Augustus' face.

"Who is she?" Daniel ignored his remark and instead asked the question, simultaneously combing through his memories of the novel.

He couldn't recall this girl's character.

"I don't know her either, but the last time I came here, she was here as well. However, one thing is certain—she's not of the Vorhelm bloodline," Augustus explained.

"She seems to be in a much better state now."

"A better state? Was she being bullied?" Daniel frowned. It wasn't hard for him to infer Augustus' meaning.

This girl was not of the Vorhelm bloodline, and someone with an Inborn Spirit was practically useless during the early stages of their life, especially before awakening.

"Indeed, Young Lord. The last time I saw her, her body was covered in bruises."

"What are those old fools thinking?" Even Augustus and Daniel could discern this girl's talent, so naturally, the elders and officials of the Vorhelm family would have noticed it too.

Yet they allowed her to be bullied. That could only mean one thing: her life held no value to them.

"Can you gather her identity and background information?" Daniel asked as he watched the pink-haired girl.

He still couldn't recall this girl from the novel, but his intuition told him she was significant.

"Of course, Young Lord. I may not have the same influence as before, but I still have a few connections."

"By the way, don't you want to speak with her?"

"Not yet. There's something strange about her. Her aura feels overly incomplete. I'll consider it after you find her information."

As a mortal, Daniel could identify her Inborn Spirit just from her incomplete aura.

People born with this type of talent were inherently incomplete in their existence. It wasn't a mental or psychological issue; rather, a part of their being remained dormant. Only after undergoing the awakening process could their existence be completed, and their incomplete aura vanish.

In his previous life, Daniel had encountered someone with a similar nature. That girl had even become one of his closest friends, though she was tragically killed by one of the Four Apocalypse Priests.

As for Augustus? As a former Authority Holder, he could see the entirety of this girl's being at a glance.

After one last look at her, Daniel and Augustus left the area.

Their path back was relatively quiet. Neither Daniel nor Augustus spoke, and Daniel continued to sift through his memories of the novel.

They made no stops and headed straight for the palace where their accommodations were located.

"Which one's my room?" Daniel asked, scanning the doors around him.

"Room 121." Augustus glanced around. Though it seemed like just a simple glance, he was actually scanning the entire palace.

"This way, Young Lord." Augustus took the lead, and Daniel followed him from behind.

They climbed the stairs to the second floor of the palace, where Daniel's room was located. From where he stood, Daniel could see the entrance to his room.

"Hey, watch it!" Suddenly, his shoulder bumped into someone else's.

"You dog! Where do you think you're from to dare bump into me?"

"Hah, another dog dares insult the Young Master!"

"Indeed. Don't these fools know that the Young Master belongs to one of the great families?"

"Why does that old man seem familiar?"

"Isn't that Augustus?"

"Yeah, it's him! The one who used to be known as one of the greatest warriors of his time."

"Then the one with him, who bumped shoulders with Young Master Alex, must be that illegitimate son, right?"

"The one rumored to be the most talented child in the entire history of the family? Hahaha, imagine how lucky we are to meet such famous trash!"

"Haha! So, you're not actually a dog, but an illegitimate brat? Haha!" The voice of the boy referred to as Alex echoed loudly.

"Hey, little illegitimate brat, I'll give you a chance. Kneel before me and apologize right now, and maybe I'll forgive you." The laughter of Alex's entourage erupted behind him.

Augustus glanced at this Alex. If he wasn't mistaken, Alex was one of the subordinates of the Patriarch's youngest legitimate son.

He looked at Daniel with curious eyes. Augustus didn't care in the slightest about the words of these children. What intrigued him was how Daniel would respond in such a situation.

Daniel was undoubtedly an unparalleled genius. But being a genius didn't mean one could act invincible and domineering in every scenario.

Hmm? However, Augustus was taken aback by Daniel's expression. He still wore the same cold and indifferent look.

"Are you done? Sorry, but only a dog would care about the barking of other dogs," Daniel replied as the laughter of Alex's entourage abruptly ceased.

Alex and his companions' faces twisted in anger.

"As for apologizing, you're lucky I'm an advocate for environmental preservation and against hunting animals. Otherwise, I wouldn't just break your shoulder—I'd crush your head," Daniel said, ignoring their furious expressions as he walked past them toward his room.

"Hey, you—!" Alex turned, his tone filled with rage as he tried to stop Daniel.

However… suddenly, a hand reached out and gripped his neck, lifting his body into the air.

"Oh, right. I have a message for you to deliver to your master," Daniel said coldly, staring into Alex's terrified eyes.

Alex's body trembled in fear as he desperately slapped at Daniel's right hand to free his neck, but it was futile.

Daniel's current strength had reached the peak of what a mortal could achieve. Moreover, he was no longer entirely human, and his power could even rival that of low-level Awakened beings.

Alex, just a twelve-year-old boy, was utterly incapable of resisting.

"P-please… let me go…" He gasped for air and turned toward his companions for help, but Augustus had already blocked their path.

"Testing opponents to gather information and find potential weaknesses isn't a mistake, but be mindful of the consequences of your actions," Daniel said before throwing the terrified Alex to the ground. Without another glance, he walked toward his room.

Augustus, maintaining his calm demeanor, smiled and bid farewell to the group before following his Young Lord.

"Monster…" Alex gasped for air, struggling to calm himself. It had only been a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity to him.

Worse still, as he looked down at his pants, he realized he had wet himself.

Alex tried to suppress his fear, but he failed miserably. The near-death experience and those cold eyes were more than a child like him could endure.

"I-I have to… I have to inform the Young Lord."