Conversations

ꟷI don't think it's very appropriate for me, as a human, to stay in the kingdom for too long, Princess. Besides, I want to make sure my family is safe and let them know that I'm alright,ꟷ Arthur replied with a timid smile.

ꟷUnfortunately, the teleportation gate linked to the Sapin Kingdom only opens once every seven years for the Summit Conference of the Three Races... The last Summit was two years ago, so it won't function again for another five years,ꟷ said the King, causing Arthur to feel disappointed.

The rest of the conversation was somewhat dull, as the King offered Arthur the chance to be guided by some escorts to a city within the Sapin Kingdom. With that settled, a maid led both Arthur and me to our rooms, which, coincidentally, were directly across from each other.

On the way, I asked the maid if she could help me make some clothing. After showing her some sketches of what I had in mind, she nodded and took the plans after taking some measurements. She assured me it would be ready in about an hour.

Looking around the room, I noticed it was spacious yet elegantly simple in terms of furnishings. The only pieces present were a sofa, a tea table, a bed, and a dresser, all made of wood and appearing to be the work of expert craftsmen.

I didn't linger long in the room and headed straight to the bathroom for a shower. As I felt the hot water, I couldn't help but relax deeply and eventually fell asleep for a while. I was quite exhausted since, although I spent my nights absorbing mana from the horn Silvia had given me, my body was fatigued.

I woke up from my brief nap upon sensing someone placing something near the bathroom door, which I assumed was the maid. After washing up a bit more, I exited the bathroom, wrapped in a robe that was nearby.

As expected, I found the garment folded on top of my bed, so I quickly took it and stored it away. After that, I returned to the bathroom and donned the slime suit given by the system. Once dressed, I couldn't help but admire myself repeatedly in the mirror, feeling very satisfied with my choice.

The attire I had requested was a mostly white kimono, adorned with a red and white cherry blossom crest on the collar and sleeves, as if to highlight my noble lineage. Over my right shoulder, I wore a white fur stole, which stood out without clashing with the rest of the outfit, instead enhancing it with a touch of elegance.

The sashinuki hakama I wore gathered at the ankles, creating a "balloon" effect. My boots were black, providing a subtle yet harmonious contrast. Around my waist, I wore a blue sash that could hold one or more weapons, completing my outfit with a touch of functionality.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I really did look quite similar to the real Sesshomaru when he was young. The only difference was that I didn't have the spiked shoulder guard covering his left shoulder and the upper section of his heart, nor the "lotus petal" sashes. But that didn't bother me much.

After marveling at my reflection for a while, I walked over to the balcony of my room and saw Tess leaving the castle with Art to show him around. I could only smile calmly at the sight.

POV Virion

Today, many important things have happened at the house. Little Tess has returned home, thanks to the help of two boys who offered to accompany her here. I was surprised to notice that one of them bore a striking resemblance to my dear daughter, and as I watched him, my conviction that it was him grew stronger until I finally confirmed everything upon hearing his name: Alex.

An overwhelming wave of emotions swept over my old heart at that moment. On one hand, immense joy at meeting my grandson for the first time, but at the same time, deep sadness at the memory of my daughter. I still keep the last letter I received from her, where she told me about her pregnancy and some of her travels with her group.

When I received the devastating news of her death, it felt as if the world had crumbled around me. I sent many people to search for her body, but unfortunately, all efforts were in vain, and they never found her. This plunged the family into deep sorrow.

Alduin also suffered greatly from the loss of his sister, and Merial, her best friend, was also deeply saddened by her departure. Fortunately, the birth of little Tess greatly alleviated the family's sadness, becoming the most beloved from the moment she came into the world.

Another great surprise came when I discovered that both the boy named Arthur and my grandson had awakened their mana cores and reached the red stage. This achievement filled my heart with happiness and pride. After all, little Alex is still my grandson.

However, my spirits fell again when I discovered that Alex had taken the Leywin surname. How could someone dare give my grandson another surname? Had they taken advantage of him in some way? Many thoughts invaded my mind, but they were quickly dispelled by Alex himself, who explained that no one had given him the surname, but that he had taken it upon learning that his brother bore it.

This fact made me sigh in relief.

After the meeting was over, I went straight to find some people to send out some messages. After completing that task, I headed to the room where Alex was.

Entering carefully, I found him on the balcony, looking out over the surroundings. I couldn't help but watch him for a moment. His silver hair swayed gently with the wind, and his eyes radiated a surprising maturity for someone his age. Moreover, the peculiarity of his outfit, though somewhat different, blended perfectly with his presence, giving him an air truly worthy of royalty.

I walked over to where Alex was and stopped beside him, looking in the direction he was gazing. I saw my little Tess holding the hand of that boy Art, showing him the city.

ꟷTsk, tsk, what will the King think when he finds out a human boy has taken his daughter and my granddaughter?ꟷ I commented with a teasing tone, though I felt a twinge of sadness seeing someone take my beloved granddaughter away.

Alex didn't react to my words, simply smiling softly before responding, ꟷI don't know how he would react, but I'm quite proud.ꟷ He pointed at Arthur with his finger, puffing his chest with pride. ꟷSee? All those tricks to charm girls, I taught him. And look, even a princess ended up attracted to him.

ꟷOh, but I don't know if Alduin will allow it,ꟷ I replied, finding his response a bit amusing.

ꟷI think in the end he will allow it,ꟷ he said with great confidence, which surprised me.

ꟷWhy are you so sure?ꟷ I asked, intrigued.

ꟷFor several reasons,ꟷ Alex began, raising one of his small fingers. ꟷThe first of them is Art's talent. Have you ever seen a 4-year-old with a red mana core? This ensures that his future is much more promising than any other, whether human, elf, or dwarf. It's only a matter of time before he surpasses those young talents who have reached the white core level.

ꟷThat's true, but how many geniuses on the continent have died along the way?ꟷ I asked doubtfully, watching the direction Arthur and my little granddaughter had gone.

ꟷCertainly, there have been many geniuses on this continent, but I'm sure none are like Arthur,ꟷ Alex responded with conviction. ꟷAs he mentioned before, we distanced ourselves from the family due to a bandit attack. The mere fact that we managed to escape is notable. We survived more than four months on our own in the beast forest and even had to kill those human traffickers to save Tess. Although some of them were asleep, there were two who weren't, and Art managed to take down one of them without making the slightest noise. There are many geniuses on this continent, that's true, but has any of them done the same at our age and reached adulthood?

ꟷYou talk a lot about Arthur, but you've done the same,ꟷ I said proudly. ꟷYou faced one of those traffickers, and your mana core is also red. I can even sense that it's purer than that of the little boy, so you also have great merit.

ꟷOf course, I've done the same as him, but that's obvious,ꟷ he responded calmly. ꟷI'm his older brother, and I have to protect him when necessary.ꟷ He raised a second finger to continue his explanation. ꟷThe second reason Alduin will eventually accept him is because he'll be his own father's student.

His words surprised me quite a bit. The talents of both Alex and Arthur caught my attention, and I had some thoughts about training them, but I didn't expect little Alex to notice.

ꟷWhy do you think I want to train the little one?ꟷ I asked, full of doubts.

ꟷI can't really explain it; it's just a feeling,ꟷ Alex replied, looking at me. ꟷBesides, I can sense some similarity between you and my brother Art. A while ago, he's been experiencing a lot of pain in his chest, and something tells me you could help him.

"Could he have sensed the beast will within both me and Arthur?" I thought, stroking my beard.

ꟷWhat if I told you I don't want to train him?ꟷ I asked, trying to act as if I didn't really care.

ꟷIf you truly didn't care about training him, then I would ask you to help him anyway, at least to guide him in healing the pain he sometimes feels,ꟷ Alex replied, shaking his head. ꟷBut I'm sure you're not that kind of person, since you would want to test his talent for yourself, so I'm not worried about it.

ꟷI see you care a lot about that little one,ꟷ I commented, unsure what to think.

ꟷOf course, it's my responsibility as his older brother to take care of him,ꟷ Alex affirmed with a calm expression.

ꟷFinally, another important point is Tess's own feelings,ꟷ Alex said, raising a third finger. ꟷIt's clear that she's very important to everyone's hearts, so ultimately, they'll want her to be happy. Therefore, over time, they'll gradually accept the situation.

Listening to his words and seeing his calm smile, I couldn't help but be amazed at Alex's maturity. Despite initially appearing like a playful and carefree child, he seemed even more mature than the boy Art.

ꟷIt seems you've found me out,ꟷ I said, shrugging my shoulders as if I'd been caught. ꟷI really did have some thoughts about testing that little boy.

ꟷGrandfather, is it true that royal children can have multiple wives and concubines?ꟷ Alex asked with a teasing voice, changing the subject while showing a shrewd grin.

ꟷCough, cough, where did you learn that?ꟷ I said, bewildered, then noticing the boy's smile and returning the sly grin. ꟷCough, cough, well, generally among the elves, there isn't something like that, but since you've called me grandfather, I can tell you that it's not entirely forbidden either.

ꟷHow interesting,ꟷ Alex commented, then returned to his bed and assumed a meditative position.

ꟷAlright, I'll go test that little boy,ꟷ I said, noticing Arthur and my little granddaughter nearby.

….

POV Arthur Leywin

ꟷHA, HA, HA, HA! I guess I deserved that!ꟷ Virion said, laughing and rubbing his swollen forehead. At first, Tess was surprised, but after realizing it was just practice, she calmed down. However, she used this opportunity to jump on and tackle her grandfather.

ꟷGrandpa! You're hurting Art too much! You should've been less severe!ꟷ she said while pinching her grandfather's side.

ꟷAHH! That hurts, little one. Ha, ha, I'm afraid if I had been less severe with Arthur, he would have been the one intimidated!ꟷ he responded while gently lifting his granddaughter.

He appeared in front of me and suddenly placed his right hand on my sternum.

ꟷJust as I thought. Your body is in a state of danger...

I looked at him, confused. With the constant use of mana rotation and meditation, my body should have been healthier than even the best-fed four-year-old. Virion, noticing my dubious expression, pressed his palm on my sternum at a certain angle, causing a familiar sharp pain.

ꟷYour mana manipulation is good for a beginner despite your age, and your sword techniques and combat experience are terrifying enough to make me wonder what kind of life you've led to learn all this,ꟷ he commented calmly, but then his eyes narrowed. ꟷBut you didn't mention something important in the story you told us.

I could feel my heart rate increasing as I began to suspect he had discovered something about Sylvia.

ꟷI've decided. Arthur, become my disciple!ꟷ he said, nodding his head, catching me completely off guard.

I stared at him, dumbfounded. What had this crazy old man just said?

ꟷWhat? You're not serious, right?ꟷ I asked bluntly.

ꟷWhy not?ꟷ he asked, tilting his head.

ꟷFor one thing! I'm a human! Do they even allow humans in this kingdom? Besides, I need to make sure my family is safe and let them know I'm alive.ꟷ I refuted.

At this, Grandpa remained silent, reflecting for a moment before speaking again.

ꟷAs for living here, it shouldn't be a problem if you're under my care. Moreover, you are considered very important to my grandson, as he himself asked me to help cure your pain,ꟷ he said while brushing off small specks of dust from his body. ꟷAs for your parents... Kid, is it really necessary for you to do it in person?ꟷ

ꟷDid my brother ask you to help me with my problem?ꟷ I asked, feeling a surge of emotion, grateful to have someone who cared so much about me.

POV Alex

The next morning, I woke up early, knowing that Arthur had likely already been accepted as Virion's disciple and would soon begin his training as a beast tamer. After getting dressed, I slowly exited my room and casually ran into my grandfather in the castle hallway.

ꟷOh, you're up early,ꟷ he commented as he walked alongside me.

ꟷYes, the bed was quite comfortable, so I fell asleep quickly,ꟷ I responded as we stopped in front of Arthur's door. Without much thought, I opened the door to check on him.

To our surprise, both mine and Virion's, we stumbled upon a rather unexpected scene that, if exposed, would surely cause a scandal. Princess Tessia was sitting on top of Arthur, scolding him for calling her Tess instead of princess, all while pouting.

ꟷOh, tsk, tsk, Grandpa! Do you think we've been so impudent by interrupting this young couple?ꟷ I said sarcastically, exaggerating my voice in a mocking tone.

ꟷI do believe we have interrupted something important,ꟷ he responded in the same tone, nodding his head.