Chapter 1342 - Monsters Among Us (Part 2) (1/2)

”Yet it was a small price to pay and avoid much worse damage in the future.” Lith shrugged after Hushing himself and Vastor.

There was nothing he could say to his parents that would make them feel better. Quite the contrary, in their grief even the sweetest word from him would sound like a ”Told you so”.

”You're harsh, Lith.” The Professor said.

”Life is harsh. I just make sure to keep it to a minimum but I'm no miracle worker. They should have kicked him out the moment Meln appeared on their doorstep.” Lith replied.

”Being a parent it's the worst scale of grey you'll ever find.” Vastor shook his head. ”You always wonder how much of your children's mistakes is due to their stupidity and how much is just a ripple of your own faults.”

”If you say so.” Lith scoffed.

”Let's have this talk again once you get a little monster of your own. I bet you won't be so confident then.” Vastor said.

”First my parents, then my friends, and now you too? Why is everyone so fixated on children?” Lith said with a sigh.

”Because these are turbulent times and you are a mage, Lith. Thrud, the undead, Deirus, whoever is sending those cards, you're going to be on the frontlines against all of them, and your life force is already crippled.

”Don't delude yourself into thinking of being immortal. Why do you think that Orion, Jirni, and even I married so soon? Because once you step on the battlefield, you don't know if you'll come back.” Vastor said.

”You didn't marry early, Professor.” Lith raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

”It was early according to my plans. An academic like Marth can take his time but I…” Vastor couldn't tell Lith about his work as a Highmaster.

”Let's just say that I remained a bachelor for so long because those were peaceful times and that I married as soon as things changed. You're like those who lived under Balkor's shadow. There's no telling which year will be your last.”

Aside from Lith and Tista, no one replied to Vastor's goodbye as he left the house, but he didn't care. The Yggdrasil staff kept him calm, but there was only so much rage it could repress.

”Can I kill them?” He asked Jirni while pointing at Zinya's parents.

”No. We need to squeeze everything we can out of them. Besides, if I let you, Zinya wouldn't be able to see past the blood on your hands.” Jirni replied.

”I can live with that.”

”Then you are a moron. Are these dirt piles worth your effort? Why stain your clothes with trash when the system will do it in your stead?” Jirni had the Retta sent away through the Gate in the barn.

”This one, however, you can play with.” She kicked Orpal's b.u.t.t, sending him face-first in the dirt. ”Don't kill him. Not now. It would make me look bad with my colleagues in the Empire and I would have to fill a lot of paperwork.”

Hearing someone talking about him like an official stamp, something irrelevant but that it would be bothersome to replace, outraged Orpal.

”You have no idea who I am-” He said while throwing a punch, but Vastor intercepted his arm and twisted it at an unnatural angle.

”I don't care.” Vastor shoved the staff down Orpal's throat the moment he opened his mouth, cutting Orpal short and keeping him from screaming.

Vastor healed the limb and broke it again. And again. And again, pushing the staff deeper down each time Orpal tried to escape the Professor's grip. The resistance that an Awakened body of that level offered to Vastor's Abomination strength was barely noticeable.