Chapter Twenty-Two: Protagonist

'This mana…' Kai's eyes darkened unnoticeably as he glared intently at Seth.

His expression didn't change although he saw Seth walking over in his direction. Kai was more than ready to head on toward this man full of mystery with the questions in his heart.

And now that Seth is standing before him, and while some eyes are staring at them both with curiosity, Kai reaches out his hand with a calm-like expression. His lips parted and asked,

"Can we have a talk?"

This is the palace. And this person holds the second-highest position in the kingdom. Even the crown prince, Cain Rukadius has to show respect and be careful with his actions towards this person. As someone who had ruled over the kingdom for four generations together with the kings. He is someone whose name is known to everyone, his popularity exceeds even that of the king. As of now, he is also known as the strongest person in the whole world.

This, is the protagonist, Seth.

Kai very well knows how kind and patient this person is. But as he thought of the situation earlier from the inn, he felt a bitter feeling welling up within his heart the more he feels the immense mana surrounding this person.

Seth stared at him with a look of indifference.

Without any hesitation, Seth grabbed the hand Kai reached out towards him and said, "Very well." It was as if he had already predicted this to happen.

Cain moved his gaze from Edith towards the two instead. There is dullness in his eyes as he stared with a fixation on Kai…

-

'When the protagonist, Seth, entered, Kai was instantly struck with an unfamiliar feeling within his heart. Something about him, no, everything about him just made him stand out more than the prince. Seth's whole being took all of Kai's attention. Once he found that the prince was busy talking to the princess and that Seth was standing all by himself aloofly, he took the chance to ask him for a dance…'

That's what Kai remembered from the novel.

Since he can't do anything reckless or suspicious in the palace, Kai decided to trust Seth's character from the novel he very much loved.

Seth is an honest person, whose kind heart is hidden beneath the cold facade.

Kai held the hand belonging to the person before him and started to move his feet. He made small steps as he followed the rhythm of the music playing in the background but inside his head, there were thousands of questions revolving around.

With a small voice that could only be heard by the both of them, Kai spoke, "I am aware of your master-disciple relationship with Helix." His eyes glowed under the light, now the emerald eyes stared directly at Seth's own golden eyes.

Whatever is happening outside of them doesn't matter.

Seth didn't say anything so Kai narrowed his eyes. Earlier, he couldn't only feel Helix's mana, there is also someone else's mana intermixed with Helix's. That mana, he recognized it from this person.

Strange. Kai's very calm.

"What have you done to him earlier?"

Helix's mana which he usually repressed was suddenly leaking out immensely from his room.

Helix's weak voice that talked to him at the other side of the door.

Kai remembered it. All of it, was it because of this man?

Seeing the cold expression on Kai's face, Seth slowly opened his lips and said, "Is this what you want to talk about?" Kai's expression didn't change much but he was a bit shaken by the chill of this person's voice up close. 'As expected of the protagonist…'

Kai had only read about Seth from the novel. Though his character is deep and it was hard to understand him, the novel was, after all, written from his point of view. How he thought and how he acted was written in detail.

He is someone who can sacrifice himself without hesitation if it is for the sake of someone's life. He's so sacrificial that Kai can't help but think that this old immortal really just wanted to die. Yes, he is an old immortal man whose appearance stopped aging when he reached his 20s. He looked like a young man but everyone knows that he is far from young. His long life turned him into a cold person with an introverted personality. But he is still the protagonist after all.

Seth has the charisma of a ruler, elegance befitting of a noble, magic as the strongest mage, the strength of a swordsman, and the knowledge of a great sage.

Like a lotus, he was someone that is almost equivalent to perfection…

As he pursed his lips, Kai's eyebrows furrowed as he fell into a deep thought.

He really is not someone that would bring harm to anyone, especially Helix. Until Helix finally destroyed the Lunox Empire, hanging the royalties and burning the whole capital to the ground, and targeted Rukadius Kingdom, Seth never really harmed Helix.

Though there were unintentional and unexpected confrontations between them throughout the novel, Seth always refused to harm Helix.

So this time too, the case will probably also be the same, right?

"You… were the one who came to the inn earlier. I recognize your mana that was leaking outside Helix's door." Kai swallowed his words so that he could go directly to the point already.

It's not good to be in front of everyone's eyes for too long. He also doesn't want to interact with this person even more. The more he interacts with Seth, the more he feels like he'll get caught up in a lot of mess.

"What did you do to him?"

Why was Helix in that state?

What happened to him?

Kai directly stared at Seth, and Seth looked back at him with his eyes full of indifference. Pale lips curled slightly upwards and the silver-haired man silently asked, "Are you close with that child?" He broke off the eye contact and lowered his gaze.

His silver lashes reflected the bright light from the ceiling. His lips were straight as a line and his face held no emotions. "How does the duke that resides in the northwest territory know of Helix personally…?" he raised his gaze and the golden eyes coldly glinted, staring dangerously at Kai.

A single streak of sweat rolled off Kai's neck.

Something in the eyes of this person awakened a long-lost emotion within Kai.

Fear…?

"Duke Kai Zein, you have changed."

Kai felt the hand that held his own tightened. Though it appears that both of them are dancing in the eyes of the other nobles, there was an intimidating tension between them.

While Seth tightened his hold of Kai's hand, his eyes narrowed slightly. "I cannot tell for sure. However, you are… Different, but also the same." Kai felt like those eyes could see through his whole being, the gaze burned his skin and was painfully paralyzing him.

"Ah."

'Seth, the protagonist, and a reincarnator, did he realize that I…?'

'That I am a transmigrator?'

"I see. Just like me, your time is warped."

Seth was saying something unbelievable but his expression didn't change at all. He was calm and it was as if he was just reading a text from a book as he uttered those words with a face lacking any emotion.

But it was at that moment.

Like an uncontrollable storm, ice broke out from every window and door of the banquet hall. Glass shards were blown away from the sudden strong gust of wind and thunder rang outside the castle. The noble's screams were muffled by the loud thunder.

Seth finally let go of Kai's hand as he raised his head and stared calmly at the perpetrator of this chaos. It was as if he had expected it due to his calmness despite the unnerving situation. Kai followed Seth's gaze and was instantly speechless.

He made eye contact with the familiar purple eyes.

The thin eyebrows were furrowing and there was an ominous frown on the face of the beautiful man who entered the banquet hall, destroying the exits at the same time.

Though everyone was in a panic, they were still able to recognize the one who broke in. Long black hair, purple eyes, and black-red robes with an enchanting beauty. It was as if a devil had risen from hell.

A beautiful devil.

"How impertinent." He spoke in a low voice. But everyone heard his voice, down to their own bones.

He lifted up his chin as he looked down upon the nobles below, a spiteful tone in his voice. "You are all before me, but you are not on your knees?" Following that, a deadly feeling seeped through everyone's soul. Fear and despair overwhelmed their consciousness.

"Or should I cripple all of you, so that you will all be kneeling before me all the time?"