Clementine's Coming of Age (Part 2)

Chapter 19: Clementine's Coming of Age (Part 2)

After his mother left his side, Kayn continued to stand there and politely decline any invitations to dance from young women. While his hormones did annoy him, he was able to control himself fairly well and mostly just closed his eyes listening to the music since music was what he missed most from Earth.

Kayn had discovered while standing there that if he focused his consciousness on his senses, he could enhance them minutely, so he decided to enhance his hearing to listen in on what the guests were talking about.

A bit away from Kayn on the other side of the room a group of younger men was staring at Clementine and her friends.

"Man, I'd love to rail Clementine, she's got quite the body."

"Hey! Don't forget to share! Maybe we could get her together at the same time."

"I think I'll take her friend Liz first then clean up your sloppy seconds hahaha!"

As the three guys continued to speak crudely about his sister, Kayn was getting more and more angry. His eyes had opened and he was staring daggers into the group. He couldn't notice it, but the black circles around his pupils began to grow thicker.

All of the sudden, the group of guys felt like they were being stared at by an enraged SSS ranked mana beast, they just couldn't figure out where the pressure was coming from as no one else seemed to notice it, one of them even released his bladder.

Ezekiel suddenly slapped Kayn's shoulder breaking his line of sight and relieving the group from his pressure. His eyes went back to normal as he turned to look at his father.

"Quite the show you put on back there with your sister, I didn't think you could dance and would embarrass yourself hahaha." Ezekiel said with a joyful laugh. Kayn thought his father may have drunk just a bit too much, but soon discovered his father came over for another reason.

Ezekiel leaned in close to Kayn's ear and whispered, "Be careful with that anger of yours, most wouldn't be able to notice the pressure you were radiating and directing at that group over there, but the stronger people will. I know you love your sister and want to protect her, but she can handle that scum over there. We don't want you releasing your Dragon Aura and alerting people, now do we?"

Ezekiel winked as he finished up his sentence and walked away from Kayn.

'Dragon Aura?' Kayn thought. He hadn't heard about that from his mother yet, but he was definitely going to ask her about it now.

On top of this, what both Kayn and Ezekiel had failed to notice was the sliver of killing intent Kayn directed at the group as well. It was a very small amount because he had only ever killed one thing or person. Nonetheless, it followed his soul through the nether and now that he was in a world where it could be expressed and directed, Kayn could have to learn how to control it.

…

The party went on and Kayn eventually gave in to the constant invitations to dance. So, until the guests started to leave and he had to return to his escorting duty, he was dancing with the various maidens and even the occasional older woman who were probably three or more times his current age.

Maybe it was because he originally grew up in a world where 18 or 19 was the age of adulthood, but he just couldn't see any of the young women that were Clementine's age as being ready for marriage or anything of the sort.

He also ended up dancing with Lydia, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise since she was a good dancer and matched his height well as he wasn't fully grown yet.

When the guests had all left, only the family and Lydia were left in the home. Lydia decided to head back to her room and leave the family to have some privacy. It was now time for Zerana and Ezekiel to give Clementine the gifts they had prepared.

Zerana pulled out a small, but very ornate box and presented it to Clementine. She opened the lid to discover a silver ring with intricate patterns engraved on it. There was also a small, round, multicolored gem embedded in it.

"It's beautiful Mom! Thank you so much!" Clementine was brimming with excitement as she stared at the ring.

"Of course, sweetheart. Be sure to wear that ring at all times and never take it off. I told you about your origins this morning and I can't stress enough the importance of keeping the ring on. It will seal and hide any draconic aura you would normally release, keeping you hidden from those looking for us.

"They most likely don't know I have children, but they will be able to sense the void dragon aura around you if it's not suppressed and they are in the area." Zerana gave a sad smile to her daughter as she said this.

She was sad that her children had to live with the constant threat on their lives, but neither she nor her husband were strong enough to do anything about it. Ezekiel then held out his hand to Clementine and in it was a bright red orb about the size of his closed fist.

"This Clem, is a core stone from a SS-class three-headed fire wolf hunted by yours truly. You can use this to advance your core quicker by absorbing it, or you can sell it, or just keep it as a pretty decoration. But I did specifically hunt for a fire core since my baby girl is a bit fiery." Ezekiel winked towards Clementine as he said the last line.

Clementine could do nothing but shake her head at her father when it came to his personality, but his gift was beyond anything she thought possible to receive. SS-class rune beasts were rare, insanely strong, intelligent, and it was no guarantee they would have a core stone, so hunting them was typically not worth the risk.

However, right in front of her eyes was a SS-class core stone and of the fire element on top of that. She realized her dad must have started gathering information for his hunt from the moment they determined her affinities.

"Where did you even find that beast?" Zerana asked as even she was surprised by the gift.

"In the deeper parts of the forest up north. The elves weren't too happy since I blew up part of the forest close to one of their cities, but that's not my problem. All that matters to me is that my little girl is happy." Ezekiel straightened his back as if he was proud of the destruction he caused.

Zerana shook her head as she answered him saying, "Only you would destroy an ecosystem and its balance in the land of elves to get a gift for you daughter."

Even though she said this, she had a large smile on her face as the care and thought he put into everything for his family proved to her more and more that she had made the right choice all those years ago.

…

Time passed after the party and Clementine had left again after spending time with her family to go back to the academy.

Kayn resumed his normal training schedule since he still had a bit to go until he mastered what Lydia wanted him to learn. It took Kayn until after his 13th birthday to reach the level of proficiency with all the elements his Master desired.

Ezekiel was also about to return to his job as a general since the raids of the Inmortuae Empire had become worse as of late. It seemed an all-out war was just around the corner and the Carnet Empire required its Harbinger of Lightning.

Before his father could leave, Kayn asked for a family meeting, which at this point also included Lydia. Once they all gathered in the living room and had sat down, Kayn began the discussion to state his desires.

"Mom, Dad, Lydia," Kayn said in order while looking at each, "I would like to become an adventurer. And before you say no," Kayn paused as he looked at his mother whose mouth was already half open, "I have already planned everything out and would be more than happy to tell you all my plans."

"Go ahead and tell us then." Ezekiel answered with a rare expression of seriousness on his face.

His son being an unprecedented genius was one thing, but allowing him to go out alone was different. The world was cruel and his son had already met with danger once, he was reluctant to allow him to put himself in danger to work as an adventurer when it was unnecessary to do so.