Chapter 305 - Late Night Visitor (1/2)
”LORD WINCHELL, we have prepared a banquet to celebrate your return.”
Winchell, seated on a throne in a shrine built for him, looked at the young man standing in front of him.
It was Solaris, his one and only son. This was the first time that he saw his child personally. After all, he already ascended to the heavens before he was even born. Now looking at him closely, he could see that his son resembled him.
Solaris just looked neater as he donned the clan's maroon robe with golden embroidery of the Fire Mage symbol: the Red Phoenix, of course.
Anyway…
Standing next to Solaris was the current Sun Priestess– Solenn, her granddaughter. Like Solaris, the young lady wore a robe. But the one she wore was white, and it was decorated with golden embroidery that depicted worshipping the sun.
She looks a little like Soleil. But of course, my little sister is prettier.
Both Solaris and Solenn had already stopped aging.
After all, eternal youth was a reward given to a Beast God's direct descendant.
”Lord Winchell, may we also request your presence for the ceremony tomorrow morning?” Solenn asked with a smile. ”Our people would like to be graced with your presence.”
”Alright, let's do that,” Winchell said. ”But make sure that Soleil will get a proper sleep first. I'm sure she's tired from the journey.”
”Of course, my lord,” Solaris and Solenn said at the same time.
It was quite fascinating to his son and granddaughter treat him like he wasn't personally related to him. The way how formal and stiff the two were around him made him feel like he was talking to mere followers instead of his direct descendants.
Maybe Solaris and Solenn were brought up that way. After all, the fact that he had a son (and now a granddaughter) was a secret of their clan.
”Solaris.”
”Yes, my lord?”
”How's your mother?”
”Lady Cyra Amelia, who has been rewarded with eternal youth after giving birth to your child, was hailed as this nation's saintess,” Solaris explained. Even though Cyra Amelia was his mother, he talked as if she had nothing to do with him. ”Ever since then, Mother has chosen the main temple in the Capital as her residence. Do you wish to see the saintess, my lord?”
”No,” he said bluntly. ”She has already fulfilled her duty by giving birth to my son. Now that she's a saintess, there's no reason for us to meet again.”
He knew that he was being cold.
But he couldn't help it. Even before he became a Beast God, he had always felt detached from everything and everyone except for Soleil. It seemed like he was only capable of loving his little sister. And he was unapologetic over that.
”I think it's time to announce to the world that our clan's Fire Archmage is my son,” he declared, obviously surprising Solaris and Solenn. ”Now that I have returned, it doesn't matter even if our enemies find out that I have direct descendants. As long as I am here, no one can touch my family.”
He said 'family.'
But in his heart, he truly only considered Soleil as his family. But of course, it was his duty to protect Solaris and Solenn since they were his descendants.
”We will not question your decision, Lord Winchell,” Solaris said formally. ”May I know the reason behind this?”
”Since Soleil became the leader of our clan, there are pests lurking around her thinking that she needs them to give birth to an heir,” he said with a scowl. ”Only a select few know that you are my son, Solaris. I don't want our people to unnecessarily pressure my sister into producing an heir for this clan. If the whole nation finds out that I already have direct descendants, they will leave Soleil alone.”
For some reason, his son and grandchild looked hesitant as if they needed to say something but they couldn't.
”What is it?” he asked the two in an impatient tone. ”Speak up.”
”My lord, my daughter saw a vision a while ago,” Solaris said, then he turned to his daughter. ”Solenn, tell him.”
Solenn nodded to her father before she turned to him. ”Lord Winchell, I saw in my vision that in the near future, Lady Soleil would get married,” she said, pissing him off instantly. ”According to what I saw, Lady Soleil's marriage would either break or make our clan.”
”Who?” Winchell asked in clenched teeth. ”Who would dare to take my little sister away from me, huh?”
***
”LORD KALEL?” Soleil asked hesitantly when she poked her head inside the guest room that she lent to Kalel Moonchester. Since he was her guest, she lent him one of the rooms in her residence. Thank goodness her brother had been ”taken away” by Solaris and Solenn. If her brother found out that she brought the Black Serpent to her residence, he would definitely make a scene. ”I'm here to bring you a set of fresh clothes.”
She saw Kalel standing in the middle of the room.
It seemed like that he used his ice Mana to cover his room with a thin layer of ice. As expected, the room became a little too cold. Ordinary people might die or freeze if they stayed in that chamber. But since Kalel was a ”son of ice,” he'd definitely be fine.
”Sorry for turning this room into this,” Kalel said in his usual disinterested voice. ”I didn't expect your nation to have this kind of climate. I can usually stand the heat but not here.”
Oh, that was one of the longest sentences that she had heard from him.
”It's alright,” she said. ”May I come in?”
He nodded. ”Just be careful.”
When she stepped on the ice-covered floor, the part that her shoes had graced melted instantly. ”Sorry,” she said, embarrassed. ”My body temperature is quite warmer than ordinary people.”
”It's okay,” he said. ”I can fix it later.”
She just smiled and nodded, then she carefully put the neatly folded clothes on top of his bed. Thankfully, the bed was the only thing in the room not covered with ice. ”Your room has its own bathroom so you don't have to use the communal bath,” she explained. ”I'll bring you your dinner after you take a bath, Lord Kalel.”