Chapter 6- Suspicion?

In her office, the crimson-haired Duchess worked with a serious frown marring her beautiful face.

Being a Duchess didn't just grant her the privilege of wielding authority as she pleased; it also came with numerous responsibilities resting on her shoulders. However, at this moment, her mind was far from her duties.

'Hmm....these people might be a little troublesome...' Bella was currently checking the list of the students who would enrol in the same Academy as her beloved son this year.

It was a mother's duty to ensure her son's safety, and Bella was doing her best to keep him out of harm's way.

Those who posed a threat to Richie's healthy school life had to be removed—that was her motive. Nothing in this world was allowed to displease her child. He deserved the best and all the happiness the world could offer.

And Bella would ensure that everything happens as she wishes them to.

*Knock* *knock* *knock*

Hearing the three consecutive knocks, a tick formed on her forehead before she closed the file and told the person, "Come in."

From the other side, the personal maid of Richard dashed inside with a petrified look on her pale face, "Ma-madame...young master....fire...."

The maid closed her mouth instantly upon feeling the overwhelming aura of the Duchess. A moment the maid saw the Duchess' widened eyes and in the next, Bellarine's figure blurred past the maid.

She remembered that her son said something about training in the indoor arena, so without a second thought, the lady advanced toward it.

And when she reached there—

"Oh lord...." Her eyes were parted wide upon seeing the flames erupting from within the gymnasium and roaring higher than the ceiling of the building. The whole place was enveloped in the fiery embrace.

"Your Grace! We have been trying to extinguish the fire with everything in our capabilities but..." She didn't pay attention to the yapping of the servants and advanced towards the gymnasium.

Just as she was about to walk past the servants, she quietly said, "Pray that nothing has happened to Richie, or death would be mercy for you."

The entire crew, busy extinguishing the flames, trembled at the presence of the Duchess. Their faces turned as pale as ghosts, and sweat poured down their brows in torrents. The sheer intensity of her gaze made their hands shake and their resolve falters, each one acutely aware of the immense pressure her presence exerted.

Bellarine didn't linger there for long and stood directly in front of the doors of the arena.

She could sense it. The flow of the fire and its desire to be tamed. However, it wasn't Bellarine who could tame it—these flames have their master but the problem was, the said master wasn't still prepared to take the responsibility.

She raised her hand and without any chanting she slashed her hand down—creating a path that connected herself and the only person she could sense inside the gymnasium.

Her eyes felt relief seeing her beloved still unharmed and her heart was enveloped with warmth when he ran towards her and embraced her.

"Oh god...thanks for coming."

He must be confused and terrified that's why he didn't hesitate to hug his mother in front of others.

She tenderly wrapped her hands around his back and slowly patted him, "It's okay....mama will always save you."

Although she still was shocked by the fact that her son reawakened the ancient flames, she couldn't miss these moments when Richie depended on her.

Closing her eyes she rejoiced at this moment which arrived in the face of a disaster.

********

After leaving the place Richard was brought to his room.

He couldn't remember how this happened but while he was trying to utilize his Ether to augment his weapon, the fire burst from within him and slowly from the wooden sword, everything started to burn.

Although he wasn't harmed, the experience of being surrounded by flame was not pleasant. It was traumatising.

"Are you feeling okay now?" His mother asked as she took the glass of water from his hand.

Richard shook his head up and down before asking, "Was the fire put out?"

The Duchess smiled at that before she slightly shook her head and said, "You don't need to worry about that son. For now, take a rest and try to not move around much. Although the healer said that you are unharmed, there can be any internal injury that might get severe if you move carelessly."

There was something he sensed that his mother was hiding from him. Earlier, her reaction to the fire was quite unsettling as well, after all, a normal wildfire shouldn't have astounded the Duchess right?

Not to talk about, the people who were responsible for ensuring Richard's safety weren't able to do anything as well.

'Forget it...I will think about it later...' Listening to his mother's advice, Richard laid down the bed and covered his eyes with his forearm.

"Sleep well, baby." Bella softly caressed his hair before she got up and began to walk outside—the smile from her face completely wiped off.

Some incompetent pests have to be removed—she inwardly muttered.

**********

The people who came to attend the funeral of their parents have long left but he remained standing in front of their graves for a long time.

Until...a little girl walked to stand beside him and hugged him tightly.

'Brother...I won't ever leave you....'

'Really...you are such a child, Bella...' While caressing her head he spoke with a chuckle while his silly sister clung to him like he was her last life support.

He didn't have much feelings for his parents since they were more like a money-lending machine rather than actual parents. However, upon their death he felt sad...and emptiness.

If not for Bella then when the disaster befell the world, he might have never considered fighting back. However, the one who kept him motivated and never allowed him to stop believing in people was Bella.

The last time he saw her, she was still crying like she did when their parents died. And that will girl was the reason why Richard was so enthusiastic about this life of his.

*****

'Haah...let's see....' He had twenty points in the store which he could use to enhance his sister's stats.

[Name: Bella Anderson]

[Age: 18]

[Race: Human]

[Str: 11]

[Spd: 15]

[Int: 30]

[Luk: 20]

[Special skills: Skinning, baking.]

[Available points: 20]

...

'Hmm....' After thinking for a bit, Richard finally came to a decision,

"Five to strength, five to speed and rest to luck." The most crucial factor to survive in that world is luck. If you are lucky then you would survive a horde of zombies with only a pencil in hand. And if you are not....well, then a toddler might be enough.

[Command accepted!]

[The points would be distributed!]

Richard sighed as a smile lifted the edges of his lips. Hopefully, this would help his sister survive in that hell of a world.

********

The next day, early in the morning, Richard woke up and decided to go for a run.

Since he had been asleep since the evening, he found himself wide awake before sunrise, so he thought why not?

Although he has magical blessings with a strong bloodline, he needs to maintain his physical self as well since in a battle anything could happen.

Richard originally was quite weak in close combat since he never actually trained seriously. The swordsmanship he learned was under mandatory self-defense classes, imposed by his worrywart mother.

"*Huff* Fuck...I am already reaching my limit..." Only after running for around three hundred meters, Richard felt his vision darkening—forcing him to halt.

In his last life, due to the circumstances, his physique had become like an athlete and to fight against zombies he had to hone his skills to fight with anything he got his hands on.

From a screwdriver to an axe, he has fought with everything that can kill.

However, now he has a variety of weapons to train with and a motive to become stronger. He might fail to complete the quests which the system would assign because of his lack of physical abilities. That's why training was necessary.

Reaching the outdoor training ground he took a wooden sword again and closed his eyes.

He was not going to utilise his ether this time and practice just like that.

However before he could begin, a voice called out to him,

"Would you like to train with me, young master?" It was the bespectacled butler who came to take him to dining yesterday.

Richard recalled his name to be Albert and he has been serving him for the past ten years.

Richard smirked. This could be for the best. The people around him know that Richard is a complete newbie in combat so asking for help wouldn't cause him trouble.

"If you are so eager to be beaten, then be my guest." As an arrogant prick, Richard responded.

However, what Richard failed to notice in the butler's eyes was the subtle suspicion clouding his eyes.

*********

A/N:- Caught? Nah. The next chapter would involve some training before we move to that meeting with the heroine.

Drop some power stones for this noob author.