《The Hunter》


 Prologue

    A man sat on top of a tall mountain, bloody and alone. The mountain top was ruined, as if a tornado thoroughly went over its every surface. Corpses and weapons littered the ground, mixed with wreckages of trees and various rocks and stones.


    The mountain top was devoid of a light source, yet one could see everything as if it was daytime. The man¡¯s eyes shone like stars as looked out from his position. One could clearly see the vast emptiness surrounding the land, despite the lack of any stars. The mountain was actually floating in empty space!


    ¡°Ha¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­How did things get like this¡­¡±


    The man recalled the memories of his long life, as he sat unmoving amidst the numerous corpses, akin to a demon god.


    He was merely a hunter in a small village. Orphaned at a young age, living alone with the support from the village. With luck, he became a servant in a local sect and worked his way up until he became an elder.


    He wasn¡¯t blessed with cultivation talent nor lucky encounters like one might read in those novels. He merely worked hard and stayed out of trouble.


    As a result, it took him a very long time to reach the apex of the cultivation realm. His accumulated luck finally caught up and he discovered the legacy of an ascended god. He employed the knowledge gained from the legacy to break the shackles of the mortal realm and reach godhood.


    How thrilled he was to arrive in the realm of gods after many millenniums of hard work! He imagined the realm of gods to be filled with riches and comfort.


    He realised the error of his ideals shortly after. Luckily, he was flat broke and was too weak for anyone to concern themselves with. The realm of gods was just as brutal and unforgiving as the realm of mortals, if not worse!Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    He found a quiet corner in an unclaimed territory and silently cultivated. As he now had almost unlimited time, and the fact that he had nothing better to do.


    Unknown to almost all but a few in the realm of gods, those who knew came to refer to him as the Hermit God. His strength was known only to his enemies, none living to tell the tale.


    The realm of gods was constantly in a state of war. Many factions competed for territories, for they contained resources needed to grow in strength. The strength of a single individual mattered little in the battlefield, making the loner Hermit God to be mostly ignored.


    The endless war went on until there was only two competing factions remaining, vying for the control of the entire realm of gods.


    The Hermit God was finally approached by one faction, attempting to draw him into their side. It was of course refused. The other faction also similarly approached him.


    As he refused both sides, it ended up offending both factions. Therefore, the battle for the realm of the gods was drawn to the Hermit God, with the factions adopting the ¡°join us or die¡± attitude. It was then that they realised his strength. He was easily the strongest being in the realm of gods. Although, it still was not enough to confront an entire faction single handed.


    ¡®How many have I killed¡­¡­When will they stop bothering me? ...¡¯ He thought that if he showed his overwhelming strength, the other gods would be scared and leave him be.


    As the man contemplated the matter in complete silence, it dawned to him that he would be involved in this war until he perished, even if he was to join one side. He was far too strong for them to ignore. They could not control him nor were willing to believe that he merely wished to live in peace.


    ¡®Well, I¡¯ve had a long life, maybe this is a good ending. Dying in battle. A fitting exit.¡¯


    As the man gazed into the void, he could see two large masses approaching the mountain. The various gods from both factions stopped near the mountain top as they stared at the scene of carnage and the man sitting amongst the rubble.


    ¡°Well, now. It seems that you really won¡¯t leave me alone. Perhaps, you thought me a soft egg.¡±


    ¡°Time to prove you wrong!¡± The man stood up with a chuckle as he gazed over the gods.

 Chapter 1

    Kyle laid flat in a small boat, as it floated across a small lake. He thought over his old memories while attempting to fall asleep. A pleasant breeze drifted over the lake. Chirps of birds and sounds of small animals could be heard from the nearby woods.


    ¡®Ah¡­this is peaceful¡­¡¯


    Kyle, the Hermit God, had a small smile on his face as he thought about dinner for the night.


    He had survived the battle on top of that mountain by sheer luck. A space crack, resulting from the intense battle, had managed to drag the Hermit God into a completely new world. One without cultivation, without brutal wars, a relatively peaceful land.


    He still shuddered at the thought of floating in the nether after entering the space crack. He forgot how long he was stuck in the nether. The energies constantly tormenting his body. He eventually found an opening large enough for him to enter, escaping the hell that was the nether.


    Luckily, it had deposited him on this land, similar to the mortal realm of long ago. He had retained his godhood and his divine body. As he did not age, he drifted from place to place every decade or so to not seem suspicious.


    Kyle got up as the sun began to set and rowed the small boat to the shore. A small cabin could be seen only tens of meters away from the waterline. It was where Kyle lived, giving him access to the woods and the lake.


    Kyle had travelled the land for many years since he had arrived, changing his appearance each time. His current identity was that of a hunter, living at the edge of a medium sized village. He had moved here four years ago as a refugee escaping a monster stampede from a distant land.


    ¡°Hi Kyle!¡±


    A friendly voice greeted him as he pulled the boat to the shore and tied it to a post. Kyle turned around and returned the greeting with a smile.


    ¡°Hi Vanessa. It¡¯s around that time isn¡¯t it. Lost track of time, haha.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s current appearance was that of a tall twenty-year-old young man with slightly above average looks. He was popular among the single women of the village and was the subject of envy of many young men at the same time, although the latter was unknown to himself.


    Vanessa lived near his hut, a few tens of meters away, with her little brother. Her parents had passed away when she was only ten years of age, leaving her to take care of her five years younger sibling. She was only twelve years old when Kyle arrived at the village. They quickly got along and had helped each other ever since.


    Kyle grabbed two wooden buckets from the boat as he came ashore, containing his harvest for the day.


    ¡°Our dinner for tonight. I¡¯ll go trade this one with Pete!¡± Kyle lifted up one of the buckets in front of the girl to show the contents inside. Half a dozen fish of decent size flapped around inside the shallow water.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll come with you. I¡¯ll get Alex on the way back.¡± Vanessa smiled sweetly.


    Kyle dropped one of the buckets beside his hut and walked into the village together with Vanessa.


    The Drant village was named after the forest beside the village. There were roughly three thousand inhabitants living near the forest, forming the village. The majority were farmers that traded their produce at the nearby city.


    Kyle was a popular figure as he was one of the few hunters in the village. Coupled with his decent looks, many girls and ladies greeted him as he walked through the village.


    ¡°Hmph! Smelly Kyle!¡±


    Vanessa pouted and muttered in a loud whisper as she turned her head away from him.


    ¡°Haha, are you jealous, little girl?¡±


    Kyle casually spoke as he returned the greetings.


    ¡°Who¡¯s jealous! It¡¯s not like I like you or anything! And don¡¯t call me little girl!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, you really aren¡¯t little.¡±


    ¡°Pervert Kyle! Die!¡±


    Kyle¡¯s stare at a certain region earned him Vanessa¡¯s attempt at beating his arm as the pair bickered.


    Kyle laughed as he attempted to evade Vanessa¡¯s little fists. This was a rather common occurrence and was largely ignored by their surroundings. Of course, Vanessa failed to notice the glares of the single young women upon her.


    Soon, the two had arrived at the other side of the village, where farmers lived.


    ¡°Pete! You there?!¡±


    Kyle yelled out as he stood outside the field of corn that stood taller than a man¡¯s height. The large house beside the field was unoccupied as it was too early for the farmers to quit work for the day.


    ¡°Coming!¡±


    Soon, they heard a yell back from somewhere within the field of corn.


    After a few minutes, a short thin man came out and headed towards the two.


    ¡°Oh, hey Kyle. Hi Vanessa.¡±


    Kyle returned the greeting and handed the bucket to Pete.


    ¡°Give me a minute.¡±


    Pete turned towards his house and went into the barn that was being used as a storeroom.


    Soon, he came back with the same bucket emptied of fish and filled with various vegetables.


    ¡°Thanks, Pete. Say hi to Susan for me. We¡¯ll be back in a few days!¡±


    Kyle grabbed the bucket and bid goodbye to Pete.


    Pete was one of the few people in the village that gave support to Vanessa and Alex after they lost their parents. His children often played together with the siblings when they were younger, bringing their families closer.


    Kyle became acquainted with Pete and his family as a result.


    The two walked back towards the village and headed towards the center, where the elder lived.


    There was a large open space next to the elder¡¯s house. A simple wooden building could be seen. It was a large construct that did not have any side walls. The roof was merely there to block out the rain and the sun.


    A group of children of ageing from ten to twelve numbering about forty sat there facing an old man, listening and watching as he wrote on a blackboard.


    Kyle and Vanessa waited outside the fence under the shade of a tree, waiting for the lesson to end.


    Quarter of an hour passed and the lesson ended with children rushing out of the compound heading off to their homes.


    A ten-year-old boy came running towards the tree after spotting them.


    ¡°Big Sis! Hi Kyle.¡±


    ¡°Hi Alex. Did you have fun? Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re having fish tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Kyle smiled as he watched the brother and sister.


    The trio walked back towards the small lake.


    ¡°So, you excited to go test your mana Alex?¡±


    ¡°NO! I want to be a hunter like Kyle!¡±


    Vanessa giggled at Alex¡¯s answer.


    ¡°But, if you become a mage, you can live in a big city and earn lots of money. And marry a few pretty wives too.¡± Kyle smirked at the youth.


    ¡°No! Kyle, take me hunting already! I can handle a bow really well now!¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see about that after your test in three days.¡± Vanessa shook her head in defeat at her unchanging little brother.

 Chapter 2

    The planet Kyle landed on didn¡¯t have any cultivators or martial artists.


    However, it was filled with a different energy that the natives called ¡®Mana¡¯.


    Mages and warriors were the result of the planet¡¯s inhabitants discovering and learning to manipulate the energy. However, the number of people that could become a mage or warrior was pitifully low.


    Only one in ten thousand people had the capacity to intake mana into their bodies. And only one in ten of those had the talent to manipulate mana.


    Every year, all youths of ten years of age would test their mana capacity and talent in mana manipulation at a nearby city.


    All young men and women aspired to become mages and warriors. For it brought glory and potential wealth to their families if they were to successfully complete their studies.


    Therefore, it was rather odd for Alex to want to be a hunter instead.


    Vanessa helped out with chores at the nearby houses of people that had good relations with her parents before their passing.


    It helped the brother and sister earn some needed income and items necessary for living.


    Alex would help his sister whenever he didn¡¯t have lessons at the village elder¡¯s place. Kyle provided the siblings with meat and fish from his labours in turn for Vanessa helping with cooking and cleaning his hut. In fact, the siblings ate better than half of the village¡¯s population.


    However, being a hunter would not allow for a lavish lifestyle. It would still be hard and dangerous. Vanessa did not want her little brother to go through the same thing as her parents.


    In three days, it would be this year¡¯s annual test at the city only two hours walk away from the village. Alex has been very intelligent ever since he was young and learned new knowledge very easily.


    As these were signs of someone possessing above average amount of mana, Vanessa was very excited for her little brother. It was likely that he didn¡¯t have to be stuck growing up in a small village and could become someone of importance in the future!


    ***


    Kyle accompanied Vanessa and Alex to Mountain Pine City on the day of the test. They were together with a group of parents accompanying their children, waiting outside the city gates.


    ¡°Calm down Vanessa. Alex is the one being tested. Being nervous won¡¯t change the result.¡±


    Kyle comforted the skittish girl while laughing inwardly at her behaviour.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it! What if he fails?! I don¡¯t want him to be a hunter¡­¡±


    Kyle thought about the fact that Vanessa and Alex¡¯s parents were hunters and that they were killed by a stay monster from the other side of the mountain.


    He sighed and hugged the girl to assure her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he can always be a farmer. I¡¯ve got enough savings to buy him a small plot on the other side of the village.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Ohh! Is that a proposal gift Kyle? Shall I start calling you brother in law?¡±


    ¡°Alex! What are you talking about?! We¡¯re not like that¡­¡­yet¡­¡± The last word came out as a whisper as Vanessa hid her face in Kyle¡¯s chest.


    Kyle and Alex joined in laughter as the mood visibly lightened.


    After the group from Drant Village entered the gates, they all proceeded towards the city square where the test would be conducted.


    There were other villages scattered around the city. Most if not all were farming villages that supplied the city with fresh produce daily. The distance from the city to the villages were very close and the way between occupied by farms and small water reservoirs.


    There were many other groups from those villages at the city square waiting to register.


    Kyle and Vanessa waited at the edge of the square as Alex joined a que for registering.


    Kyle held Vanessa¡¯s hands as he looked around the square. There were over three thousand kids testing this year. It would be lucky for even one kid to have the required mana capacity in a normal year.


    Soon, Alex came back with a badge that wrote Group 8, number 167. The test would be conducted over the next two days.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go have lunch and head back.¡± Kyle smiled to Alex as encouragement. The normally relaxed and cheerful kid seemed visibly nervous.


    The trio came to a restaurant near the square. They had to wait a while for a free table as it was quite busy.


    ¡°Alex, don¡¯t worry, you can definitely make it.¡± Kyle gave a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Thanks, brother in law!¡± Alex beamed at Kyle.


    ¡°You brat! Haha!¡± Kyle ruffled Alex¡¯s head with a laugh. Vanessa¡¯s face reddened but she didn¡¯t refute the comment which brought further smiles from Kyle and Alex.


    Kyle had discovered the unique energy known as mana shortly after arriving at the planet. He could see the amount of mana in someone as he was a god. Alex easily had twenty times more mana than an average human without any training. Therefore, he was convinced that Alex would get through without any problem.


    The three had their meals and headed back to the village.


    ***


    Kyle and the two siblings once again came to the city on the second and final day of testing. Since number 151 would be the first test in the morning, Alex had to report in very early.


    Vanessa was praying with her hands together as she waited outside the tents where the tests were being conducted.


    Soon after, Alex ran out of the tent with a big smile on his face.


    ¡°Big Sis! Kyle! I made it!!¡±


    Vanessa burst into tears as she hugged her little brother. Kyle stood at their side and watched the two with a warm smile.


    Alex was followed by a small squad of ten well-armoured soldiers who stood around them with indifferent expressions.


    Vanessa let go of Alex after a while and noticed the soldiers.


    ¡°Alex, who are these people?¡±


    ¡°Oh, these are my guards for the time being. I have two days to prepare at home. I have to come back to the city on the third day and join the convoy to the capital.¡±


    ¡°Will they come back to the village with us?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are tasked with my safety until I reach the academy. Cool huh?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, gentlemen, for looking after my little brother.¡± Vanessa gave a small bow towards the soldiers. No one replied as they merely stood alert and kept an eye on their surroundings.


    Vanessa smiled awkwardly and decided to ignore them.


    The leader of the ten men squad observed Kyle with a cautious gaze.


    The man had experienced front line wars against the monsters and was very keen towards sensing danger. Kyle gave off a very dangerous vibe. Much more so than any monster he¡¯d ever encountered.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± The leader asked Kyle while trying to maintain his calm.


    Kyle laughed inwardly as he could guess the leader¡¯s thoughts and answered with a smile.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Kyle. I¡¯m their neighbour and a hunter.¡± The leader kept his gaze on Kyle for a while before looking away.


    ¡°Alex, let¡¯s go back, we have to get you ready for the trip.¡±


    Vanessa pulled Alex, still excited from the outcome, back towards their village.


    The soldiers followed behind with even steps without a word.


    The group attracted the gaze of everyone in the village due to the extra company. A few curious villagers asked Vanessa and were shocked upon hearing the reply.


    Soon, the news spread all over the village. Alex was viewed with envy and jealousy everywhere he went. Over the two days, Alex went and gave his thanks to the teachers and elders of the village. Pete and his family also invited the siblings for dinner one night.


    Of course, Alex was followed by the soldiers everywhere he went.

 Chapter 3

    Vanessa shed tears as she waved goodbye to her little brother at the entrance of the village. The sun had barely come up over the horizon as a group of people stood and saw off the village prodigy and his escorts.


    Kyle held her in his embrace as the small group vanished from view. Kyle thanked the group of people for coming and headed back to the small lake. It did not matter whether they were sincere in wishing Alex success or merely wanting to build relationships with a potential officer of the kingdom.


    ¡°He will be fine Vanessa. He¡¯s being accompanied by strong people.¡± Kyle¡¯s attempts at comforting didn¡¯t get through to the girl as she sobbed all the way back to Kyle¡¯s little hut.


    After a while, Vanessa looked up at Kyle.


    ¡°We¡¯ve¡­always been together. I don¡¯t know what I should do now. I miss him already. I mean, he¡¯s going to be there for at least eight years!¡±


    Kyle didn¡¯t know what to do for the gloomy Vanessa. He lived mostly a solitary life and had no real companions. He was quite clueless when it came to relationships! Still, he was an old fox and knew a thing or two about women.


    ¡°We can go visit him if you¡¯d like. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happy.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Vanessa looked up with a smile. Her face went back to being gloomy shortly after.


    ¡°But, the capital is so far away¡­¡­it¡¯ll cost so much for the journey.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can save up enough money. Let¡¯s both work hard to save money for a journey. We can join a merchant¡¯s caravan.¡±


    Vanessa remained gloomy over the next few days. After a week, her mood returned to normal but Kyle could notice Vanessa staring into nothingness from time to time. She would make small mistakes while not paying attention, while doing her jobs.


    Months rolled on as the two lived a quiet life. The depressing mood of a far away family member all but forgotten, yet supressed. Occasional letters would arrive through a merchant¡¯s caravan which brought temporary relief.


    ***


    Kyle contemplated long and hard. He was thinking about Vanessa and Alex.


    ¡®Should I or should I not¡­My peaceful life could be over if I do.¡¯


    ¡®Ahhhhh!! Dammit. You¡¯re a god! Why care about some weak mortals. It seemed that I got too comfortable living this life. A bit of excitement might be good for me.¡¯


    Kyle let out a sigh as he came to a decision.


    That day, after dinner.


    ¡°Vanessa, come with me for a bit.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Vanessa looked at Kyle with a puzzled gaze. But she still followed him into Kyle¡¯s little hut.


    The inside of the hut was quite simple. There was a wooden bed in a corner, a chest of drawers next to the bed and a wooden table with two chairs nearby.


    Kyle led Vanessa to the table and sat her down on a chair. He then headed over to the bed and moved it out of the corner. A small chest metal chest could be seen where the bed used to be.


    He grabbed the chest and placed it on the table.


    Vanessa looked at the chest with curiosity, seemingly still lost at Kyle¡¯s sudden actions.


    Kyle took out a key from the inner pocket of his shirt and opened the chest. Inside of the chest was filled with straw. Kyle sifted through the straw until he grabbed a piece of what seemed to be a rock from within. It was an odd looking rock with deep blue veins running through it.


    ¡°Kyle, what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°This, is an ore. To be more exact, a blue iron ore. It¡¯s what they use to make mana weapons. There is enough to make one full sized sword here.¡± Kyle looked at Vanessa as he explained.


    ¡°What does this have to do with me, Kyle?¡± Vanessa could somewhat guess what Kyle was implying but she didn¡¯t dare to have her hopes up prematurely.


    ¡°Vanessa.¡± Kyle put on a serious expression and faced Vanessa, looking into her eyes. Vanessa gulped from the tension and nervousness.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move to the capital. Alex would likely not be able to return here after he graduates from the academy. We can sell the ore at the capital and buy a small house. I have enough savings to pay for the journey.¡±


    Silence enveloped the two for a while. Kyle patiently waited for Vanessa to process her thoughts.


    All of a sudden, Vanessa sprang up from her chair and hugged Kyle. She looked up at Kyle with teary eyes. She closed her eyes and kissed Kyle on the lips. It was an innocent kiss only touching lips, full of fiery feelings. They separated after a full minute. Kyle blankly looked at the girl still hugging him, who was not looking at him with a red face.


    ¡°Yes, Kyle. I¡¯ll marry you. We¡¯ll go to the capital and start our new lives there. We¡¯ll be a true family!¡±


    Kyle was dumbfounded at the reply and stared at Vanessa. After a while, he smiled. Returning Vanessa¡¯s embrace, he bowed down and gave her a soft gentle kiss.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect this but whatever. I am rather fond of this kid. It won¡¯t be so bad spending some time with her.¡¯


    Of course, Kyle merely thought of spending a human¡¯s life time with her. He did not know how much he would come to cherish this innocent girl until far into the future.


    ***


    The next day, both of them were quite busy. Kyle went to the city alone to find out the possible caravans heading to the capital from the trading post.


    He also had to buy supplies such as tents and clothing for the journey.


    He spent a day going around the village together with Vanessa, informing the village elder and friends of their decision to relocate to the capital. This was quite a shock for those in the village. They didn¡¯t think much of it as they weren¡¯t hopeful on a hunter and a village girl finding stable employment in a large city to make a living.


    The villagers thought the pair would be back in a few months after suffering difficulties. The single women of the village were disappointed after learning that Kyle and Vanessa were getting married.


    In their eyes, Kyle was a good husband candidate as he was a fine looking and talented young hunter. Vanessa decided to wait to have a small ceremony after meeting with Alex to inform him of their marriage.


    On the chosen day, they bid goodbye as they followed a merchant¡¯s caravan back to Mountain Pine City. The caravan would stop for a short while at the trading post and head off to the next city on the way to the capital in the morning.


    Kyle had a small smile on his face as he rode on the back of a wagon, embracing Vanessa as he looked back at the village that he spent in the last four years in.


    ¡°Well my wife, let¡¯s have a happy life at a new land!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m not your wife yet!¡± Vanessa retorted but snuggled in closer as she rested her head on Kyle¡¯s chest.

 Chapter 4

    ¡°It¡¯s so hot!¡± Vanessa complained as the wagon they were riding stopped outside the gates of a large city. They had arrived at the third and final stop before they reached the capital. The City of Emerald Plains, Evergreen City, was only a day¡¯s fast ride away from the capital and is surrounded by vast farmlands.


    The city was built in the middle of the central grasslands as a pioneer village for farming and raising animals at the beginning of the kingdom. It has now expanded into a vast farming city, supplying almost a third of the kingdom with grains.


    The weather was on the warm side at this time of the year with sparse rainfall. People around them wore light and revealing clothing and had tanned skin.


    Kyle and Vanessa had been on their journey for ten days. They were scheduled to arrive at the capital in two days. Vanessa was clearly excited upon the information. She has not seen her little brother in almost four months.


    ¡°Meet back in the morning at sunrise!¡± The driver of their wagon yelled at the couple as they jumped off to join the que for people entering the city.


    Kyle waved his hand in response and walked to the back of the que with Vanessa in tow.


    He was carrying his bow tied to his backpack slung on one shoulder which had the ore wrapped in his clothes. A quiver full of arrows was hung on the other shoulder. Vanessa only had her clothing. She had given away all her savings to Alex before he left. The two dressed in plain clothes looking travel-worn gathered curious gazes from the people around them.


    Once, they had entered the city, the two headed to find an inn with some directions from a gatekeeper.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get something to eat, I¡¯m starving.¡± Kyle pointed to a stall selling cheap meat skewers.


    Kyle had no real need to eat as his Divine Physique only needed energy from the world to live. But he made a habit of eating regularly to blend in with mortals. Also, he enjoyed the varying tastes.


    He bought a few skewers and handed one to Vanessa as the couple resumed their journey.


    ¡°Should we get some gifts for Alex? Maybe some nice clothes or books.¡± Vanessa muttered between bits while looking around at the shops.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait till the capital. There should be more choice there.¡±


    Vanessa agreed as she finished her skewer.


    ***


    Michael was not happy. Specifically, he was not happy with his roommate. He had turned ten years old a few months ago. He was tested to have superior mana capacity, as expected of an old noble household.


    His father, Duke Edward Von Gray, was very proud of his second son Michael who had a much larger mana capacity than his first born. He had been praised endlessly and told that he had superior talent by his family and servants.


    He went into the royal magic academy with his head held up high. When he had went off to find his room that he would be residing in for the next eight years, he found a tall thin boy already inside, smiling at him.


    He introduced himself as Alex. No surname. A hunter¡¯s son from a far away village. Michael scoffed at giving his noble name to a peasant, much less living in the same room.


    He immediately turned around and went off to find the headmaster. Upon meeting the old fogey, and complaining about his living arrangements, he was told that this was done on purpose to bring a sense of comradery and friendship between those of different social classes.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    He was also informed that the headmaster would contact his father if Michael was to cause any problems to a commoner. People with large mana capacities were far too rare and the Kingdom would not allow social differences and pettiness of nobles to ruin the future of promising youths.


    The number of new students this year was a measly sixty. Divided into two classes. It was a pitifully low number, seeing as the kingdom had a total population numbering in the tens of millions. The entire academy had less than 400 students ranging from the age of ten to eighteen.


    Michael huffed and puffed back to his dorm room. He thought about what to do for a bit, and came to a decision that he would just ignore the commoner until he gave up.


    Upon arriving at his room, which was much smaller than his bedroom back at the mansion, despite having two beds and two desks, complete with individual drawers, he went straight to the unoccupied bed.


    Alex, the commoner, attempted to talk to him again.


    ¡°Hi, like I said before, my name is Alex. Nice to meet you! I wonder if we¡¯ll be in the same class.¡±


    He was too cheery for Michael¡¯s liking. Talked endlessly too.


    ¡°¡­¡­wanted to go hunting but¡­¡­Sis was too strict¡­ small lake near the house¡±


    ¡°Ahhh! Be quiet for a minute, will you?! You¡¯re so noisy!¡± Michael finally lost it and yelled out.


    ¡°So¡­what¡¯s your name?¡± Seemingly unfazed, Alex asked Michael.


    ¡°You won¡¯t stop if I don¡¯t reply right¡­Michael¡­name¡¯s Michael. Now be quiet and leave me alone.¡±


    Alex stopped talking, perhaps influenced by the roommate¡¯s sullen mood, and went to his bed and started unpacking his clothing.


    Alex carefully put away the money in the only drawer with a lock and placed the key in his pocket after locking. Michael saw this from the corner of his eyes. He scoffed inwardly. ¡®Hmph, poor peasants. Putting away meagre amounts in a locked drawer.¡¯


    ¡°So, it¡¯s about dinner time. Coming to the mess hall?¡± Alex questioned Michael and started changing into the academy uniform that was given.


    Michael shot a glare at Alex. Alex smiled back, completely ignoring the annoyance visible in Michael¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Mikey!! Hi! Let¡¯s go have dinner. I¡¯m hungry!¡± An immature feminine voice interrupted them as the door swung open. A small girl, a full head shorter than Alex barged into the room.


    ¡°Oh? Is this your roommate, Mikey? Hi hi, nice to meet you! My name is Amelia Von Gray! Let¡¯s get along!¡± Amelia went up to Alex and started shaking his hand and looking all over him.


    Michael could feel veins popping on his head as he yelled at the intruder.


    ¡°What are you doing here Amelia?! This is the boy¡¯s dorm. Don¡¯t barge in randomly! And don¡¯t call me Mikey!¡±


    ¡°Aww c¡¯mon Mikey. Don¡¯t be like that! Come come, sister will introduce you to a beauty!¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way! What¡¯s your name handsome?¡±


    Alex was rather speechless at this overly energetic small girl. He noticed that she was very cute and had a nice smell.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­hi, my name¡¯s Alex. Nice to meet you Amelia.¡± Alex gave a small bow along with his name as he learned that the brother and sister were nobles.


    ¡°Hi Alex! C¡¯mon Mikey, let¡¯s go already!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that name! Ah! Wait, let me change!¡± Michael yelled at his sister who was attempting to pull him and Alex out of the room, despite her smaller physique.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll wait for you outside the dorm with Alex. Don¡¯t take too long!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a girl! Go already!¡± Michael pushed the two out and slammed the door shut.


    Alex followed the tiny girl, pulled by his hand to outside the dorm building. The new students, whom were all male since it was a male only building, looked on curiously at the girl who openly intruded into their safe haven.


    Some nobles who knew the girl¡¯s identity opened glared at Alex with hostility. Alex, of course, did a magnificent job at ignoring all the stares.


    As they reached outside the building, Alex couldn¡¯t help but speak to the tiny girl with a happy expression.


    ¡°You and Michael get along rather well. You siblings?¡±


    ¡°Yep! Mikey and I are twins. Father said Mikey is older by a few minutes! Oh, I¡¯ll introduce you to my roommate.¡±


    The two saw an equally small girl, waiting with a nervous expression, looking vigilantly at the surroundings a short distance away from the front door.


    ¡°Susie! Come meet Alex, he¡¯s Mikey¡¯s roommate. You know Mikey yeah? My twin brother!¡±


    Alex looked at the small girl called Susie who timidly came towards them.


    ¡°H¡­Hi, my name is Susanne. I¡¯m Amelia¡¯s roommate. Nice to meet you.¡± The girl gave a small smile towards Alex.


    It seemed that the girl was not a noble, much like Alex. Alex also introduced himself. The trio waited for Michael, who came out shortly after, still with a sullen face.


    ¡°C¡¯mon Mikey! Don¡¯t be so mopey! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Alex thought his upcoming life would be very fun looking at his new friends.

 Chapter 5

    Vanessa gazed upon the busy market area, at which she could only describe it as ¡°huge!¡±, since she didn¡¯t know of a more suitable word.


    ¡°Kyle! Look! It¡¯s so large! Let¡¯s go take a look!¡± Vanessa hurriedly pulled Kyle into a particular area of the bustling stalls. Not surprisingly, most of which were dealing with clothing for females.


    ¡®How is she not tired¡­¡­Did she forget about Alex perhaps? ...¡¯ Kyle thought as he let himself be pulled behind the frolicking girl, going from stall to stall.


    This scene was totally not weird, since Kyle noticed many ladies, young and old, either single or with a companion, going to and from stall to stall. He also noticed many men with dead fish eyes, soullessly following their companions.


    Kyle let out a small smile. ¡®Good thing I¡¯m a god with a Divine body. Can¡¯t imagine a mortal to keep this up for long.¡¯


    After which seemed like half a day, Kyle finally got a word into Vanessa.


    ¡°Wife¡­what about Alex? You can always come back here later. We¡¯ll be living here after all.¡±


    ¡°Ah! I forgot!¡±


    Kyle just stared at his bride to be with a blank face.


    The time was just after lunch. The two rushed to the academy. After being pointed to the visitor centre by the gatekeeper, Vanessa informed their purpose to the receptionist.


    ¡°Yes, his name is Alex. He just started this year. Please tell him his sister is here to see him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a new student? They are currently in a training session and are unable to come out. They aren¡¯t allowed to go out of grounds on school days anyway. How about you leave a letter for him? I¡¯ll have his reply held here if there is one so you can come check it tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Ah that would be OK. Do you have a parchment by chance?¡±


    After leaving a message to Alex, the couple reluctantly left the magic academy.


    ¡°Wife, let¡¯s have lunch and find somewhere to sell the ore. We should purchase a place as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll do as you say, dear.¡± From time to time, Vanessa would call Kyle as ¡®dear¡¯. She reasoned that she should get used to calling him in an intimate manner to forward their relationship. Of course, she still blushed every time.


    After having lunch at a small restaurant, the couple headed towards a large merchant company, recommended by the knowledgeable waiter.


    ¡°Goldberg company¡± Kyle read the sign on top of the wide doors out aloud as they stood in front of the entrance.


    As the two stepped inside, they were greeted by a staff member.


    ¡°Good afternoon, honoured guests. How may I help you?¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Err, we want to sell an item. Would it be possible to set up something right now?¡±


    ¡°Of course, this way please.¡± The rather beautiful female staff led Kyle and Vanessa to a vacant counter.


    ¡°Our appraisal staff will be able to look at your item. Please let me know if there¡¯s anything else I can do for you.¡±


    After the greeting staff member went away. Kyle placed his backpack onto the counter. He slowly opened the backpack until a portion of the ore was revealed.


    The expression of the appraiser behind the counter changed as he stopped Kyle from opening it further.


    ¡°Esteemed guests, please come with me.¡± The staff led seemingly unfazed Kyle and surprised Vanessa into a private room at the back of the building.


    After everyone sat down opposite each other, Kyle once again placed his backpack on the table. He took out the ore and pushed it across, towards the man.


    The man looked at the ore with excitement, studying the details with care. After a few minutes of picking up and examining, the staff turned to Kyle.


    ¡°We can offer you 140 gold coins for this ore.¡±


    Kyle fell into thought upon hearing the offer. Rather, he was just pretending to think deeply. He knew that the price was reasonable. Vanessa was stunned. She had never heard of this amount of money being mentioned. This was enough to buy half the farms in her village!


    ¡°OK, deal.¡±


    The two men shook hands. The appraiser went out of the room. After a few minutes, he came in carrying a tray, upon which sat a small box and a parchment, and another man, holding a larger box.


    The appraiser wrote the details of their transaction on the parchment and handed it to Kyle.


    Kyle signed the receipt after looking it over and took the small box from the tray.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a lot!¡± Vanessa excitedly spoke while hanging onto Kyle¡¯s arm. The couple were now heading to an inn to stay for the night.


    Kyle smiled wryly at the girl. He could not tell the girl that he had mountains of gold coins in his storage ring that he had collected over the years. ¡®Well, it might not be necessary.¡¯


    Kyle led Vanessa into a somewhat lavish looking inn. After paying the fee and receiving the key for their room, they decided to leave their belongings except for the money in the room.


    ¡°Wife, stay in the room. I¡¯ll be back in a bit. Wait for me, OK? Don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±


    Vanessa nodded despite being puzzled. She trusted Kyle enough to not question his behaviour.


    Kyle went outside the backdoor of the inn, while avoiding the employees. After making sure that no one was around, Kyle vanished from the spot.


    ***


    Dran was a thief. He was a very good thief. But one day, he stole from someone he shouldn¡¯t have. As a result, he was caught and forced into a mana contract into working for a certain company.


    Of course, it was not a stand-up office job. He worked in the shadows, to conduct questionable tasks in the eyes of society.


    Today was no different. He was told to follow a couple, a man and a woman, who looked like country bumpkins. He was staring at the inn the couple went in from the rooftop of a nearby building, unnoticed by anyone, or so he thought.


    ¡°What a boring task¡­when is ¡®gold one¡¯ going to come. I want to go back and drink already¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Dran¡¯s vision went dark. Just before losing consciousness, he vaguely heard someone say, ¡°Looks like you aren¡¯t going to have a drink anytime soon.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Wife, I¡¯m back.¡± Kyle opened the door to their room and walked in.


    ¡°Welcome home, dear. Ohhh, I¡¯ve always wanted to say that!¡± Vanessa came up to hug Kyle while smiling.


    Kyle returned the embrace and closed the door.


    ¡°Wife. Have a seat.¡±


    Vanessa noticed the somewhat seriousness from Kyle¡¯s tone. She obediently sat on a chair, facing Kyle.


    Kyle looked into Vanessa¡¯s eyes. He slowly got down onto one knee in front of Vanessa. The girl was visible flustered now, albeit with a somewhat expectant expression.


    ¡°Dear Vanessa. I realised that I haven¡¯t formally proposed to you yet.¡± Kyle paused and took out a silver ring from his pocket.


    Kyle took Vanessa¡¯s left hand. ¡°Vanessa, will you marry me?¡± It was a rather boring and conventional proposal. However, Vanessa was shaking with happiness.


    ¡°Yes! Of course, I will! Oh Kyle! I¡¯m so happy!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, we¡¯ll only be happier in the future my lovely wife.¡± Kyle gently slid the ring onto the ring finger and pulled Vanessa for a kiss.


    ¡°We should go celebrate! Let¡¯s go buy our new home!¡±

 Chapter 6

    Vanessa hummed happily as she held onto her beloved¡¯s arm. She never thought in her wildest dreams that her life would be as fulfilling as it was currently. After she lost her parents and was left alone with her little brother, she tried so hard every day just to survive.


    For two whole years, she toiled away every single day, just to get enough to eat for the both of them. She would have long given up if not for little Alex. She was thankful for his existence, a reason for her to keep living.


    One day, out of the blue, a young man came to live near them. He was friendly. He got along with Alex very well, who was a very cheerful child despite having no reason to be.


    The life of the siblings took a turn for the better. They had enough to eat. Spare time to take care of themselves better. Sometimes, Vanessa doubted if the young man called Kyle had some kind of ulterior motive for helping them so much. She honestly did not care if he did. She was thankful that Alex was able to live a good life. It wasn¡¯t as if she had anything desirable.


    Was it her body? No, it was too thin, and she was by no means a beauty. At least she didn¡¯t think so. She had no valuable possessions for someone to covet either. As time passed, Vanessa simply gave up speculating. She was merely thankful for Kyle to come into their lives.


    If he wished for her body, she would not hesitate. Of course, the surroundings whispered rumours, none of which should have been used for a young orphan teenage girl. They said behind her back that she was sweet talking and manipulating Kyle. It gripped her fragile heart every time she heard it.


    It turned out that Kyle was aware of the rumours and her thoughts. He simply laughed it off, telling her not to mind them.


    She wondered if she was in a very long and pleasant dream as Kyle led her to another merchant company, a different one from the Goldberg Company. If it was, she wished to never wake up from it.


    ¡°Why did we come to a different merchant, dear?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­there could be¡­complications, if we were to leave too much detail in one spot. Not everyone play by the rules, my wife. Hopefully, there won¡¯t be a day when you¡¯ll have to learn it firsthand.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s cryptic answer left her puzzled and pondering upon its meaning.


    ¡®Oh well, it¡¯s too complicated for someone like to me understand.¡¯


    The process of purchase was rather simple. There were limited properties available within their budget and requirements. There was only two houses that fit the bill and a staff member employed a horse drawn carriage to take them to see the properties right away.


    After negotiating for some simple maintenance to be done before moving in, they signed the mana contract together. Placing the ownership of the property under both their names.


    Kyle used the left-over funds to buy some needed furniture for the house, as well as many household items essential for daily life.


    ¡°Thank you very much for your business Mr and Mrs Kyle. The house will be ready in three days. I will send a messenger to your inn on the day.¡±


    Kyle shook hands with the merchant and left behind the company.


    ¡°That took so long!¡±


    ¡°Are you hungry dear? I¡¯m keen for a bath personally. We haven¡¯t had a good wash since we left Evergreen city.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Kyle smiled upon Vanessa¡¯s comment.


    ¡®You didn¡¯t mention anything about a bath when you were shopping this morning!¡¯


    Of course, he didn¡¯t dare to say it out loud. He may be a god but he was still afraid of his (future) wife!


    ***


    Martin Goldberg, the chairman of Goldberg Company, read the parchment brought by ¡®gold one¡¯. The following words written in large letters on the parchment.


    ¡°This is the first and last warning. Try a second time and you will wish that you were never born in this world.¡±


    The words aggressive yet somehow convincing.


    ¡°Tell me, what kind of a mage could write words in mana and not have it dissipate like this?¡±


    The silent man standing before Martin took a few moments to think before replying. ¡°A master class mage at the very least.¡± His answer short and concise, offering no explanation.


    Martin Goldberg rubbed his temples and let out a defeated sigh. ¡°Take no further action. What happened to the contracted thief?¡±


    ¡°Conscious, but will not answer to anything or anyone. Cut off a finger, no response.¡±


    ¡°Great¡­just great¡­take care of it. Leave no traces.¡± Martin regretted following through upon receiving the report from one of his subordinates.


    The silent man left the room without a word. Martin Goldberg pondered whether he should kidnap the girl that was with the man.


    ¡®Forget it. If the man is that strong, then the girl is probably not simple.¡¯


    ***


    Alex returned to his room after a tiring training session. Michael followed behind, resembling a zombie. The two¡¯s relationship had improved much over the past four months.


    Michael would reply properly to Alex, albeit snappily at times. One time, Alex called him Mikey during a sparring session and got into a very big fight. Amelia laughed so hard upon the sight.


    Alex smiled a little upon recalling the memory. He went over to his bed and face dived on the soft mattress. Michael wordlessly walked into the bathroom. It was their schedule almost everyday after a training session. Michael would take a shower first, Alex taking his after. They both napped for two hours before heading off to dinner, joined by Amelia and Susie.


    Alex and Michael hanged out with the two girls at almost every lunch and dinner. Despite the academy not differentiating between social classes, it was a hard habit that would take years for anyone to change. They had almost no other friends, since their group was an odd mixture of nobility and commoners.


    After, cleaning up in the bathroom, Alex lied back on his bed. He thought of his Big Sis and Kyle. He missed them very much. Alex tried to put up a cheerful image to everyone. But he hid his sadness deep down inside. He did so when his parents passed away to comfort his sister.


    He no longer had to put up a front when Kyle intruded in their lives. He was truly happy and cheerful during those times. Right now, he could do nothing but write letters to his family once a month. The separation brought back the gloominess in his heart.


    ¡®It¡¯s about time to write this month¡¯s letter isn¡¯t it.¡¯


    His gaze wondered over to his desk, not far from his bedside. Oddly enough, there was a letter present.


    ¡®I don¡¯t remember having this there this morning.¡¯


    Alex got up and grabbed the neatly folded letter. Opening it upon finding that it was addressed to him.


    A smile formed on his face as he scanned the letter. Turning into laughter as he finished reading the contents.


    ¡°Hahaha, Michael guess what!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! Be quiet, I want to sleep!¡±


    Michael¡¯s outburst put a damper on things as Alex thought he could just tell the rest of his friends over dinner. He kept smiling as he folded the letter and placed it in a small box on the desk.


    Alex attempted to sleep but he was far too excited and kept a goofy grin on his face which lasted until he got to the mess hall.


    ¡°Hey, the two of you. Do something about this idiot. Keep grinning like this and I¡¯m going to request a change of room from the headmaster.¡± Michael shot a glare at Alex as they sat down.


    ¡°Aww, c¡¯mon Mikey, don¡¯t be a meanie! Alex would probably stop after realizing how silly he looks. Susie, do you have a mirror on you?¡±


    ¡®And you call ME a meanie¡¯ Thought Michael.


    ¡°Sorry¡­I don¡¯t¡­Alex is probably happy because something good happened. Why don¡¯t we ask him?¡±


    ¡°Alex, tell us what happened. C¡¯mon, stopping day dreaming and tell us!¡± Amelia, having sat next to Alex, shook his arm until he snapped out of his dream. ¡®So cute!¡¯ He thought as he looked at Amelia.


    ¡°Hehehe, my Big Sis and brother in law came to see me! I can finally meet my sister after so long!¡± Alex laughed and told them the news.


    ¡°Hmph! Siscon!¡± Michael muttered as he attempted to ignore Alex. It was not the first time he¡¯d heard Alex talk about his sister.


    ¡°Wow! I¡¯m so happy for you Alex!¡± Amelia hugged Alex before declaring something shocking.


    ¡°I know! Let¡¯s meet your sister and brother in law! It¡¯ll be fun. Imagine how shocked they¡¯ll be! Hehe!¡±

 Chapter 7

    Vanessa walked into the visitor centre of the royal magic academy mid-morning. Kyle followed behind as she walked to the receptionist, the same one from yesterday.


    ¡°Hello, I came by yesterday to leave a letter. Is there a reply by chance?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Madam, Sir. Let me take a look.¡±


    Soon, the couple walked out of the building with Vanessa clutching a letter in her hands.


    Kyle pulled the girl and pointed to a nearby bench seat, under a shade.


    ¡°Wife, let¡¯s go sit over there.¡±


    Vanessa sat down, and slowly opened the letter.


    Kyle sat next to her and peeked at the contents.


    ¡°Dear Big Sis and Kyle,


    I¡¯m so happy that you came so far to visit me. I can¡¯t wait to see you both. I have so much to tell that I won¡¯t be able to fit it onto a single letter! I have a surprise for you when we meet, hehe.


    I have a day off in two days. I will be waiting at the entrance of the academy in the morning.


    Sincerely,


    Alex¡±


    It was a very short letter. Alex probably felt that he wanted to leave all the good things to say in person.


    ¡°I wonder how excited he¡¯ll be once we surprise him with the news.¡± Vanessa leaned on Kyle¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Well, my love, we have two days without anything to do. How would you like to spend the time?¡±


    ¡°Shopping!¡± Vanessa seemed to have forgetten about Alex in that very instance. Kyle silently sent his regards to Alex with a wry smile.


    ¡°Well, alright. But I was thinking that I should look for a job of some kind as well. Let¡¯s go visit the employment office.¡±


    Kyle gave a peculiar glance back towards the academy as he left with Vanessa towards the city square.


    ***


    That man came again today. He¡¯s scary. Too scary. I¡¯ve seen magical beasts before. Those seem like puppies before that man. I want to go home.


    ¡°¡­¡­ber four. Wake up! Number four!¡± She was jolted out of her thoughts by her mentor and superior.


    She turned to look at him. He was an old man. Although he still looked middle-aged, he was old enough for her to call him ¡®Grandpa¡¯. Of course, his mask hid any details but she as one of his pupils, knew what he looked like.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡®Ah. Mentor is also sweating like a waterfall.¡¯


    She had reported the man¡¯s existence to her mentor yesterday. Of course, the idea of a human being on the same level as a magical beast was absurd. But her mentor decided to tag along to confirm her suspicion.


    ¡°T-that man! Is he a grandmaster?! No! He¡¯s far stronger¡­¡­I must report this to his majesty!¡± Her mentor was a peak master rank warrior. He had met the royal court mage many times. She¡¯d thought he¡¯d be used to this kind of pressure.


    ¡°Mas¡­¡­Number zero. What should I do?¡±


    Number zero fell into deep thought.


    ¡°Do nothing for now. They seem to be related to one of the new kids. Just keep an eye on that kid. I¡¯ll take a trip to the palace.¡±


    Number zero swiftly left the spot. Number four looked on with admiration for her mentor¡¯s skills. She decided to shake her thoughts away from that scary man. She felt so powerless before him.


    ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure he met my gaze¡­¡­¡¯ The agent shuddered and patted herself to get rid of her fear.


    ***


    The employment office was bustling. Kyle was very surprised upon the discovery of such a service when he first arrived. After coming from a brutal, strength above everything world, this was a fresh experience. It was nice to see humans caring for others, without trying to take advantage of each other.


    ¡°Dear, should I get a job too?¡±


    ¡°Haha, no need my love. Your job is to wait my return each day like a good little wife you are.¡± Kyle grinned and squeezed Vanessa¡¯s nose as they stood amongst the crowd. Their act earned them a few smirks from the surroundings.


    Vanessa was too embarrassed to respond and tried to hide her blush.


    Kyle led her to a que and waited patiently. There were a great many counters, reflecting the large population of the city.


    Soon, it was their turn and they were greeted by a gruff man.


    ¡°What can I help you with?¡±


    ¡°Hi, this is our first time in this city. Looking for a job.¡± Kyle didn¡¯t want to add unnecessary information.


    ¡°Place your hand on this stone. I¡¯ll ask you a few questions.¡±


    ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Kyle.¡±


    ¡°Age?¡± ¡°Twenty-one.¡±


    ¡°Where are you from?¡±  ¡°Drant village, to the north.¡±


    ¡°What did you do before coming here?¡±  ¡°Hunter.¡±


    ¡°Any other experience?¡±  ¡°Fishing, butcher, farmer.¡±


    The man looked at the stone during each question and failed to comment after noticing that there were no fluctuations visible.


    Vanessa was amused by the two¡¯s short question and answer session. She could guess that Kyle was doing it on purpose to somewhat make fun of the man as she hid her smile behind her hand.


    The gruff man gave Vanessa a quick glare. ¡°Wait here.¡±


    Soon, the man came back with a few documents in hand.


    ¡°This one here is a hunting team. They go out once a week. They need a general hand. It¡¯s on a permanent basis if you pass the trial. The others are short term employment for farm work and at a local butcher.¡±


    The man handed Kyle the documents. Kyle didn¡¯t take long to decide and chose to go see the hunting team to see if he can get the job. The pay was low but it was stable employment.


    He wrote down the details on a spare parchment and left employment office. The meeting place was a nearby tavern at dinner time.


    ¡°Well, my love, that¡¯s taken care of. Let¡¯s go shopping like you wanted to.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, what if you don¡¯t pass, dear?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s ok, I can always go hunting by myself. I just have to find a buyer for any game I get.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and let¡¯s get some seeds so we can grow vegetables in our yard. It¡¯s why we bought this smaller house after all.¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s face loosened at hearing Kyle say ¡®our yard¡¯. She still hadn¡¯t gotten over the changes that had taken to her life recently. It all came so fast that she had trouble coming to terms with it.


    In the evening, Kyle got acquainted with the hunting team. He would join them on a trip next week. He had to take care of the house and get their lives set up at a new place. He also had to wait for Alex so he couldn¡¯t leave with them immediately.


    Two days passed by with Kyle and Vanessa running around to get various things. They had gotten a letter sent to their inn to inform them of their new home being ready, the night before the meeting with Alex.

 Chapter 8

    ¡°What! Are you sure?!¡± The normally calm and composed King of the sole human Kingdom shouted out loud. Thankfully, he was in his private office with no one else around, except for a masked man, Number zero.


    He had come to report his findings to the King, as it was of utmost importance.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sure, your majesty. He gave off a feeling of pressure and sense of danger far surpassing the royal court mage, Sir Albert.¡±


    The King looked at the masked man with disbelief. Soon, his expression turning into one of unrest. Number zero was a trusted subordinate, directly reporting to the King. He would not make up matters of such scale.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to consult the royal ancestor. You have the report?¡±


    The masked man shook upon hearing the name ¡®royal ancestor¡¯. As a servant reporting only to the King, he knew exactly who this figure was. He handed over a sealed envelope to the King.


    ¡°Ok, you may go. I¡¯ll summon you later.¡±


    The King got up and exited the private room without paying further attention to Number zero.


    ***


    ¡°Big Sis! Here!!¡±


    A tall boy ran towards a teenage girl and a young man standing together outside the royal magic academy.


    ¡°Alex!¡± The siblings hugged each other, with the girl bursting into tears. Kyle stood by silently as he waited for the two to calm down.


    ¡°Oh, hey Kyle.¡± Alex gave a goofy grin towards Kyle after separating from Vanessa.


    ¡°What happened to brother in law.¡± Kyle muttered in a fake disgruntled tone.


    Before Alex had time to talk, a loud voice could be heard with quick footsteps approaching them.


    ¡°Alex! Wait for meee!!¡±


    A girl, of similar age to Alex but smaller, shadowed by a squad of ten soldiers came towards them, following the voice.


    A cheerful girl stopped next to Alex and looked at Vanessa and Kyle with shining eyes.


    ¡°Alex, is this your Big Sis? This must be the brother in law! Hi hi! Nice to meet you, my name is Amelia!¡±


    Kyle thought she was a very easy-going girl as he tried not to notice the increase in ¡®shadows¡¯ around the new group of people. There were far more than when they came to the visitor centre two days ago. ¡®That kid must be someone important¡¯, thought Kyle.


    Vanessa busied herself introducing herself and Kyle to Alex¡¯s friend.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get going. We have to pick up the key for the house.¡±


    ¡°House?¡± Alex perked up upon hearing the word.


    ¡°Fu fu, it¡¯s a surprise for you Alex, follow me!¡± Vanessa tried acting all mysterious and mature, and took off with the two kids in tow.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Kyle shook his head and followed behind. The soldiers walking even further back.


    Alex pestered his sister for answers but Vanessa ignored him with a smile. Alex gave up after a while and started telling her about his life at the Academy in detail, with Amelia supplementing from time to time.


    ***


    The motley group stood outside a gate, in front of a house surrounded by a low fence. They had come to the housing district where the upper middle class lived, after collecting the key from the merchant company. Kyle and Vanessa¡¯s new home was located in a good neighbourhood.


    As they entered the front yard, Alex curiously looked around at everything.


    ¡®It¡¯s so small!¡¯ thought the only noble present. Amelia was not used to being in such a ¡®run down¡¯ environment.


    Kyle opened the front door and let the three inside. The soldiers stationed themselves around the house without making hints to follow them into the house.


    The house had two floors with two bedrooms and a study upstairs. A kitchen, living room/dining space and a bathroom was located downstairs.


    All the basic furniture had been placed in the house, so it didn¡¯t look so empty.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, there¡¯s no food here yet. We¡¯ll go out for lunch later on.¡± Vanessa apologized to Amelia for not being able to offer snacks and drinks.


    ¡°Big Sis, I think I need some explanation, what¡¯s going on?!¡± Alex interrupted before Amelia could respond.


    Four people sat around the dinner table. Vanessa glanced at Amelia, before starting. She probably thought it wasn¡¯t such a big deal for Alex¡¯s friend to hear about their family.


    Vanessa glanced at Kyle before speaking. ¡°Kyle, your brother in law, proposed that we relocate to live here.¡±


    ¡°Seeing that you are my only family member, there¡¯s nothing tying me to the village. Kyle also said that you probably won¡¯t be able to come back to the village later.¡±


    Alex thought about the information for a couple of minutes. Amelia chose to stay silent as this was a family meeting and she was merely an outsider.


    ¡°Wahh! So, I get to see you every week? That¡¯s awesome!¡± Alex laughed and held his hands up in the air in celebration.


    ¡°Wait? Brother in law?¡± Alex finally realised the oddity in Vanessa¡¯s sentence and gave a quizzical glance to the two.


    Vanessa blushed as she held Kyle¡¯s hand on the table. She showed her silver ring to Alex.


    ¡°We¡¯re engaged now! Kyle proposed to me.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh! Congratulations Big Sis! I knew this was going to happen sooner or later. Hehehe!¡±


    Amelia also congratulated the couple. She did not know them all that well yet but she got along with people very easily.


    ¡°So, when is the ceremony?¡±


    ¡°In two weeks. We booked the ceremony at the local church. We made sure it was a day off so you can attend.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be there! You wanna come too Amelia?¡±


    ¡°Yes! It¡¯ll be fun. I¡¯ve never been to one before. My father¡¯s new wives never get one. I¡¯ll drag Susie and Mikey too!¡±


    ¡®New wives?¡¯ Vanessa tilted her head at the phrase as she didn¡¯t understand the implication. Kyle merely chuckled silently. He had long guessed that this little girl was an important noble from her behaviour and the number of ¡®shadows¡¯ lurking in the background.


    ***


    The King seemed more tired than usual. It was quite late in the evening. The King had just exited the dining hall, excusing himself from his family.


    Number zero handed a written report to the King, who opened and read it with care. His brows tightened as he read the report.


    ¡°So¡­he¡¯s perfectly acting like a hunter. When will the information I asked for be ready?¡±


    ¡°In two weeks, your majesty.¡±


    ¡°I see. Do not monitor him unless that Gray girl goes to meet him. Make sure only one shadow follows his brother in law. We don¡¯t want to arouse his suspicion. We definitely don¡¯t want to earn his hostility.¡±


    ¡°Your majesty, what about the royal ancestor?¡±


    The King sunk into thought, before replying. ¡°The royal ancestor said not to provoke him and he will not bother with mere mortals. Some kind of agreement between them. He didn¡¯t say anything else.¡±


    Number zero let out a sigh in relief which the King ignored, for he too, felt the same when he first heard the information.


    ***


    A small hut sat alone, on top of a cliff, surrounded by clouds. The mountain was located behind the capital, acting as a shield against enemies.


    An old man sat cross legged in the hut as he stared down onto the city. He recalled the report he received from his descendant. It seemed that one of his colleagues had been discovered in the kingdom.


    Suddenly, he felt his soul tremble, as if being stared at by a prehistoric predator.


    He hurriedly retracted his gaze. He had never been that afraid in his entire life. As the sole Demigod from the human side, he was one of the stronger amongst them.


    He wondered what kind of person could give him that kind of feeling. The old man decided to not look into it. As long as that person did not make trouble, he had no reason to confront him.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡­I wish the peaceful days would continue.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Kyle sat on the coachman¡¯s seat, driving the wagon, following the hunters on their horses. They were currently heading to one of their camp sites.


    Kyle had been living in the capital for over a week with Vanessa. They had arranged the house as they wanted and gone shopping for food and more household items. Vanessa had started to grow vegetables and fruit trees in their yard.


    Kyle was now on his first hunting trip with the team. He was a general hand so he was tasked with driving the wagon that was to carry their catch. He would have to help with setting camp and meals when they reach their destination.


    They reached camp just before sunset. There was enough light left over to start setting up tents and get the fires going. They would begin cooking soon and start readying a night watch.


    There hasn¡¯t been news of stray monsters in the forest near the capital in the last ten years but it was always good to be cautious.


    Kyle laid on his back as he watched the stars. It was time for his watch soon. The hunt would start early in the morning. Not that it had anything to do with him. This was a trial trip for him and he would only remain at the camp during the day to keep watch, together with one of the younger members.


    He had brought his bow and arrows just in case of emergency. He had his storage ring but such a thing was unheard of in this world. It would only bring annoyances to his peaceful life if it was to be revealed.


    The night passed by quickly and the first signs of light could be seen from over the treetops. The hunters woke up and the camp started to become lively with activity.


    Kyle assumed his post near the wagon. The inside of the wagon was lined with a magic formation designed to expel heat towards the outside, using small mana crystals.


    The surrounding of the wagon was rather warm. Kyle¡¯s Divine body did not care about such things but it would be seen as odd behaviour by others, therefore he sat a distance away, with his bow and arrows nearby.


    The other young man, Thomas, not much older than him, sat nearby. The two chatted about their lives as they kept an eye out for any potential dangers.


    Thomas had been very jealous of Kyle upon learning that he was to be married after returning to the capital and that they had already bought their own home.


    That day, the veteran hunters had caught one of their goals for the trip. A fully-grown steel boar. It was a rather strong wild beast. Not quite at the level of monsters but a dangerous foe nevertheless.


    Kyle helped with draining the blood and skinning the tough hide of the large animal while the hunters taught him the areas which were easier to dismantle.


    Of course, it was not the first time Kyle had hunted such a thing but it was best to not divulge about his life prior to ¡®Kyle the hunter¡¯.


    The chilled space of the wagon was half-filled with just the remains of the boar after processing.


    It turns out that a noble house with a taste for gourmet dishes had requested this prize of a wild beast.


    The hunters went back out the next few days to hunt for their regular requests. Kyle assumed the watch with a different member of the hunting team each day.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ***


    ¡®Kyle will be back tomorrow. I can¡¯t wait!¡¯


    ¡®And we¡¯ll officially be husband and wife the day after tomorrow! Kyaaaa!!¡¯


    Vanessa tended to her garden in a state of euphoria as she screamed internally.


    She did not have much to do during the time Kyle was away. Therefore, she went around and greeted her neighbours, attempting to get into their good books.


    The efforts paid off as she found many miscellaneous jobs to keep her occupied. Kyle had been away for four days now. She felt very lonely as she could neither see her beloved or meet with her little brother.


    Vanessa had met a few housewives, a few years older than her, who had husbands working away from home. They lived in the same housing district as Vanessa. Many of their husbands were working for merchant companies and would be travelling in convoys, going from city to city.


    Quite a few of the neighbours had small children that Vanessa would babysit during the day while the mothers were away working elsewhere.


    She kept herself busy most of the time, but couldn¡¯t help but miss Kyle. They had seen each other every single day for the last four years after all.


    ***


    Alex had been in a very good mood lately. He¡¯d hum a song randomly while resting in his room. This annoyed his roommate even more than usual! And this was an impressive feat.


    Amelia would endlessly talk about marriage and her ideal prince charming that she¡¯d marry when she grew up. Susanne would fail to provide any answers on the topic whenever Amelia asked her about it, albeit with her face beet red.


    Alex thought she was too shy. Truthfully, they were only ten years old and were far too young to be talking about such topics.


    Michael just pretended to be invisible whenever Amelia talked about it. Although, Alex noticed him blushing from time to time.


    That day, they had just finished Basic Mana Theory and were heading to the mess hall for lunch.


    ¡°My sister and Kyle are having their ceremony tomorrow. You guys still coming?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Susie, you coming too yeah? You have to meet Big Sis Vanessa! She¡¯s real nice.¡±


    ¡°O-OK, I¡¯ll come. I¡¯ll tell daddy in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Mikey?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Hmph, why do I have to attend some commoners¡¯ wedding ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Mikey, don¡¯t be mean yeah? Come with us!¡±


    Michael grumbled some more but he knew he couldn¡¯t win against his twin sister.


    Alex smiled happily. ¡°Thanks guys! I¡¯m sure Big Sis will be pleased to have more friends come to the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s your friend¡­¡± Michael¡¯s usual retort was dismissed by everyone. Alex thought it was rather cute that Michael insisted on his unfriendly visage yet never able to go against Amelia.


    It turned out that Alex was somewhat of a prodigy, even at the academy full of heaven-sent children. He easily had a larger mana capacity than Michael. He was only beaten by Amelia and the crown prince of the Kingdom.


    Hence, a lot of noble children were instructed to attempt to draw him under their banners. This was all prevented by Amelia. A Duke house had far too much influence to deter most nobles to use unscrupulous methods. The royal family was far too proud to even think of such a thing.


    Of course, unknown to others, it was also due to the fact that the King had instructed his children at the academy to leave Alex alone.


    ***


    Vanessa waited at the gate. Standing a distance away from the gatekeepers. Eagerly looking out from time to time. It was the day Kyle was meant to come back from his first trip. The sun had almost touched the horizon. The summer had passed and by next month, heavy rain would come, followed by short periods of snow.


    There was barely anyone entering the city gates, as they would be closed after sunset. A cloud of dust could be seen on the main road leading towards the gates, trekking between the farmlands.


    Soon, a large wagon, led by a dozen or so riders on horses could be seen, slowing down as they approached the gates.


    Vanessa held her breath until she could make out Kyle¡¯s figure on the seat of the wagon. She excitedly waved at him. Kyle also waving back, bringing a large smile to her face.


    The wagon entered the gates with ample time to spare. A lot of the hunters sending jeers and laughter towards the couple after Kyle had pulled her up to sit beside him.


    Vanessa followed Kyle to a trading post to handle the transactions and then to a tavern afterwards, getting acquainted with Kyle¡¯s employers.


    Night time.


    Kyle lied on the bed, with Vanessa in his embrace, inside their new home. A cool breeze came in through the open window. The two shared their experiences from the last few days to each other.


    ¡°Well, my love. Let¡¯s get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.¡± Vanessa looked at up Kyle, endearingly, and gave a quick kiss.


    Kyle returned the favour and snuggled with his bride to be as they both drifted off into dreamland.

 Chapter 10

    ¡°Big Sis, you look really beautiful!¡± Alex beamed at his nervous sister as he led her towards the church entrance.


    Vanessa was wearing a new white dress that she¡¯d bought cheaply from a local tailor. She was still a bit jittery but tried hard to calm herself as she entered the small church.


    Amelia looked at her with a big grin followed by Susanne¡¯s shy peeks. The noble boy, Michael, assumed an air of indifference as he looked straight forward. She still wondered why he came today.


    It was her second time meeting Alex¡¯s roommate and he seemed far too prideful to treat people like her as friends.


    Her beloved was waiting on the alter, standing before the priest. He had a warm and calming smile as he looked at her.


    Vanessa felt that everything would be alright if they were together. Her steps became lighter and her nervousness went away instantly.


    The ceremony went without a hitch and they had dinner at a nice restaurant. Vanessa enjoyed the gazes she received from the surroundings as she walked on the streets in her white dress.


    ¡°Alex, let¡¯s go back!¡± Amelia chimed in as the group arrived outside the couple¡¯s home. Susie had left with her soldier guards to her father¡¯s house earlier. Michael just followed silently in the back, although he was still polite enough to offer a word of congratulations.


    ¡°Hmm, why? It¡¯s still early?¡±


    ¡°Alex, you dummy! Just come!¡± Alex hurriedly bid goodbye to Vanessa and Kyle, still with a puzzled expression, as he was pulled away by Amelia.


    After watching the trio of children go away with their guards in tow, Kyle turned around and lifted Vanessa with a princess carry.


    ¡°Kyaaa!¡±


    ¡°Well, my wife, now that we have some alone time. Hehe.¡±


    ¡°W-what are you going to do?¡±


    Vanessa hid her face in Kyle¡¯s chest as she allowed him to carry her up to the house. She had of course heard about various gossip when she was listening to the housewives talks. She knew what was going to happen. She was a little afraid and looking forward to it at the same time. Since it meant that she¡¯d truly be his, and he, hers.


    Kyle smirked as he looked down at the simple beauty in his arms. He had never been married. He has had a few relationships but they were truly only for mutual benefit. He thought this was a fresh experience.


    ¡®I wonder if a human can give birth by doing it with a god¡­¡¯


    ¡®Well, I guess we¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡¯ Kyle laughed with a wicked grin as he leaned in and kissed her on the forehead.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Wife. Would you like to take a bath together first?¡±


    ¡°A-Ah¡­¡±


    Kyle proceeded to enter the bathroom with his newly-wed.


    Soon, sounds of water splashing and laughter could be heard. After cleaning up, Kyle once more, carried Vanessa, wrapped in a towel, upstairs to their bedroom.


    He gently laid her on the bed. Kyle only had a towel on his lower body. His muscles distinct on his tall yet thin frame. Vanessa hid her face with her hands as Kyle came up next to her.


    ¡°Wife¡­¡±


    Kyle slowly undid her towel, leaving her vulnerable and defenceless. Kyle took her hands away from her face and deeply kissed.


    Vanessa was unresponsive at the start but soon got into the mood, releasing sensual moans, signalling the start of their lovemaking.


    ***


    Vanessa woke up a little later than normal. A sharp pain down below caused her to wince.


    Her gaze drifted over to her beloved, as she lay inside his thin yet strong arms. Her face forming a small smile as she studied his facial features.


    She couldn¡¯t help but lean in for a quick kiss onto his inviting lips. The act seemingly woke him up as he opened his eyes and met her gaze.


    The two stared at each other in silence, until Kyle smiled. ¡°Good morning my love.¡±


    ¡°Good morning dear.¡± Vanessa felt something hot and hard down below shift as Kyle moved closer, pasting her small body tightly against his. As the two did not have a speck of clothing under the blanket, Vanessa felt every part of Kyle that was touching her vividly. Unknowingly, a certain part of her body started to feel moist.


    A blush formed on her face as she remembered their act last night. She wanted to hide herself in a hole remembering her embarrassing behaviour.


    Kyle, seemingly reading her thoughts, whispered in her ear.


    ¡°How are you feeling my love? The first time can be painful for most women. Here, let me ease the pain.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s big and strong hand slipped under the blanket and approached her secret spot. Vanessa squealed and closed her legs tightly but was unable to stop him.


    A faint cool feeling enveloped the area where Kyle¡¯s hand touched. Vanessa¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She felt that the soreness had gone away completely.


    ¡°Feel better, my love?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­dear¡­what did you just do?¡±


    ¡°I will tell you¡­¡­right after we do some exercise!!¡±


    ¡°Kyyaaa!!¡±


    Kyle pressed Vanessa under his body and caressed her still developing mounds. Vanessa was flustered by his abrupt actions but made no real attempt to resist.


    Soon, the two started their morning ¡®exercise¡¯.


    ***


    ¡°Dear¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it my love?¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s face was still flushed from the afterglow as she tried to ignore Kyle¡¯s roaming hands. She could not believe how vigorous and healthy ¡®little Kyle¡¯ was. From the gossip she¡¯d heard from the local housewives, most men would be spent after one round. Yet, little Kyle had not retreated, still firmly inside her, even as she tried her best to stop Kyle from moving.


    ¡°What were you going to tell me earlier?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Umm.¡±


    ¡°I forgot?¡±


    ¡°D.e.a.r.?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, joking joking.¡±


    ¡°And stop moving! I need a rest! Hmph.¡± Pretending to be angry, Vanessa slapped Kyle¡¯s hands away.


    Kyle immediately resumed his act ignoring his wife¡¯s fake anger. It was rather funny to him, looking at their current posture and the fact that they were still ¡®connected¡¯.


    ¡°Well, wife. It would be easier to show you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Show me what?¡±


    Kyle didn¡¯t reply and moved his forehead against the girl¡¯s.


    Vanessa only looked at him with confusion.


    ¡°Here goes¡­¡­¡±


    As soon as she had heard it, a torrent of foreign memories invaded her mind as she struggled to keep awake. She could not resist for long as she fell unconscious.


    Kyle looked at the simple beauty in his arms with a complicated gaze.


    ¡°I wonder what she¡¯ll think of me. Well, better now than later.¡± Seemingly talking to no one in particular. In fact, Kyle had noticed that changes that had taken in her body after taking in his ¡®seed¡¯. He could only advance his plan to reveal his identity since he could not foresee the effects he¡¯d have on a human woman.

 Intermission: Alex

    What a nice room! This was the thought I had when I had first arrived at my room in the dorm building at the royal magic academy.


    It¡¯s been eight days since I saw my Big Sis. I miss her already. *Sobs*


    No! I must be strong! I will become rich! And powerful. Therefore, I must do my best here! So, I can buy sister nice clothes and a big house! Ah, maybe Kyle too. I wonder when they¡¯ll get married.


    Ah, my roommate has arrived. Time to put up a good impression.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Alex. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡®Smile Alex, smile. Be humble.¡¯


    Oh, he left. Umm¡­what to do¡­


    Man, he was wearing pretty nice-looking clothes. I wonder how many gold coins they¡¯d cost. Maybe he¡¯s one of them nobles.


    Well, whatever.


    The bed looks real soft, let¡¯s test it out! Ah¡­¡­pure bliss¡­Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    *Bang*


    Oh, he¡¯s back. Well, let¡¯s try again, can¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°Hi, like I said before, my name is Alex. Nice to meet you! I wonder if we¡¯ll be in the same class.¡±


    Ah! Let¡¯s talk to him about home, maybe we can become closer. He might tell me about his, too!


    *Blah blah blah*


    Oh, he yelled! It¡¯s a start. Haha.


    ¡°You won¡¯t stop if I don¡¯t reply right¡­Michael¡­name¡¯s Michael. Now be quiet and leave me alone.¡±


    Hmm, I guess that¡¯s good progress. Time to quit while I¡¯m ahead. Sis did teach me to be nice to others, hehe.


    ***


    Big Sis and Kyle moved the capital. It¡¯s awesome! I can see her every week. Kyle seems to have found a job already. How reliable. I want to be like Kyle one day.


    ***


    Amelia is soooo cute! I think I¡¯m in love. Whatever that means. But, she¡¯s a noble¡­¡­I¡¯m just a villager. *Sigh*


    Maybe Sis will know what to do.


    ***


    I wonder why no one else come and talk to our group. Oh, apart from that annoying guy. I think he¡¯s the crown prince? He glares at me all the time. Scary.


    It¡¯s a good thing he¡¯s in the other class.


    ***


    Big Sis just laughed. Said I¡¯m too young and to wait till I get older. Didn¡¯t say how old though! She¡¯s only seventeen and already married. Maybe Amelia will marry me when I turn seventeen. Hehehe. A man can daydream.


    ***


    Amelia pulled me away. She called me a dummy. But she was laughing. So, I don¡¯t think she really meant it. Even Michael looked at me funny.


    I wonder why, I just wanted to stay with Big Sis and Kyle a bit longer.


    Baffling.

 Chapter 11

    Kyle came home after his usual hunting trip. He was no longer the general hand. One of the older hunters had retired after receiving an injury during a hunt.


    Vanessa welcomed Kyle as he entered their house. It has been almost two years since they married. It took a while for them to adjust to Kyle being away for four to five days almost every week of the year.


    ¡°How¡¯s my little baby?¡± Kyle went up to the clearly visible bulge on Vanessa¡¯s stomach and rubbed his face on it.


    Vanessa rolled her eyes at her husband.


    ¡°Well, already forgetting the wife after getting her pregnant? After the kid is out of the belly, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t remember that I¡¯m your wife!¡±


    ¡°Haha, forgive me my love. Come come, give your hubby a kiss!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Disgusting.¡±


    After playing around for a while, Kyle cleaned up in the bathroom and sat down at the dinner table.


    Vanessa had made a sumptuous feast as she usually does when Kyle would come back from his trips.


    After Kyle had shared some of his memories with Vanessa, their relationship had become even closer. Kyle had feared that she would not be able to accept and draw back from him.


    His insecurity, despite being a god, caused him to only come out in the open after the couple had sealed the deal.


    ¡°Wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes, dear?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of quitting the hunting team.¡±


    Vanessa looked at him with surprise. ¡°Whatever made you decide that?¡±


    ¡°We need a reason to openly spend money. We should get a bigger house, some servants and guards.¡±


    ¡°I can fake discovering some treasure and strike it rich.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Are you worried that I¡¯ll have an accident and harm the little one?¡± Vanessa teasingly smiled at her husband, looking rather troubled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that wife. With your current strength and my protection charms, even that old man up the mountain can¡¯t hurt you without a lot of effort. And I¡¯ll be able to run back within time easily.¡±


    ¡°Then, it¡¯s fine dear. I¡¯m more than happy with this life. My family is with me. I¡¯m not starving, or having to work from morning till night.¡±


    ¡°But I want you to have an ever better life, a more comfortable one. Find a hobby you like. Not just tend to the garden day in day out.


    Seeing as Kyle was quite firm on this decision, Vanessa decided to give up protesting. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing, anyhow.


    ¡°OK, dear, what do you have in mind?¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to leader on the next trip. He can put up a request for my replacement at the employment office. The next trip will probably be my last time with them.¡±


    ¡°My love, I just want us to be happy. Me being away five days out of seven isn¡¯t what I had in mind. After our son is born, it¡¯ll be even harder if I had to keep this lifestyle.¡±


    ¡°I understand, dear. It¡¯s nice to be able to see you every day, just like how we used to be, near our little lake.¡± Vanessa smiled, while recalling those memories, before changing her expression to one akin to that of a smiling demon. ¡°And it¡¯s our daughter. Do remember my husband.¡±


    ¡°Ha-haha, yes wife, daughter¡­¡±


    ***


    Earlier during the day, at the royal magic academy training grounds.


    ¡°Alex, you don¡¯t have to fight him! He¡¯s just a big meanie using his position to push people around. Ignore him! Michael, you say something too.¡±


    Amelia yelled at Alex, who was wearing the basic protective gear. Michael assumed his look of indifference while Susanne looked troubled yet not courageous enough to speak out.


    ¡°Amelia¡­you know I can¡¯t do that. He¡¯s not going to stop bothering me unless I stop appearing near you. Plus, this time, he insulted my sister!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Fine. Go get beat up! See if I care!¡±


    The crown prince, Quin Edward Von Strand, looked at Alex with a gloating expression, surrounded by his noble followers.


    Unlike, Alex, who was wearing unenchanted leather armour, the prince was fully decked out in a miniature version of the royal guard knight¡¯s magic armour. Both sides were holding practice weapons, made of wood. Alex held a short sword and shield while the prince was using a two-handed broad sword.


    They both went up to a clearing, spectators forming a ring around them. A lot of them jeering and pointing at Alex. Such behaviour made Amelia fume endlessly as she was almost shivering with rage.


    ¡®How dare he! Even if he is the crown prince, I will pay him back for this! Just you wait!¡¯


    In actual fact, it was pretty obvious why the crown prince had decided to pick on Alex, the poor commoner boy. The prince wanted to pursue Amelia, the daughter of a duke with a high talent, similar to his own.


    Quin could not stand the fact that a poor boy with inferior talent would hang around with his future wife (his delusions). This year, they were finally able to put their theory and training to practical use by being able to spar with each other.


    He had taken advantage of this by challenging Alex to a fight. He eyed the instructor, standing in between them.


    ¡°Both sides, ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Ready.¡±


    ¡°Just before you start, I¡¯ll say this again. Intentionally causing grievous harm is not allowed. You will be punished upon such an act!¡±


    ¡°Now, start!¡±


    The prince immediately took off, sprinting towards Alex, whom took a defensive position with his shield ready.


    *Bang*


    Alex¡¯s knees bent under the pressure of the mana infused heavy blow. The crown prince was clearly physically stronger as well as being more adept at employing mana to use physical reinforcement.


    Alex, could only hold his ground, dodging and defending. From time to time, he would strike with his short sword, only to be parried away. The difference in power between the strikes apparent. The prince¡¯s armour defending him from all blows that he failed to block.


    The duel went on with the prince savagely beating down on Alex, knowing that the other¡¯s attacks cannot harm him.


    After three minutes, the instructor yelled out. ¡°OK, stop! Time¡¯s up.¡±


    The man came in between the two kids and stopped the crown prince.


    Quin seemed satisfied and looked at the panting Alex with a sneer.


    Alex hurriedly took off his helmet and took deep breaths. Amelia came up and helped Alex out of his leather armour. Touching him all over, she checked for any signs of broken bones.


    This brought a sour expression to form on the prince¡¯s handsome face.


    ¡°Amelia! What are you doing?? Get away from the filthy boy!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! I will not! What are you going to do about it Mr. Crown Prince?!¡±


    Alex could only smile bitterly. While he was quite fond of Amelia, he understood the difference between their positions. He did not want to risk his life blindly pursuing her just yet. However, Amelia seemed to be far too close to him that it was bringing danger to his little life.


    ¡°You!!!¡±


    ¡°You what? Are you going to bully me too, with your status? How very manly of you!¡±


    Amelia¡¯s mocking tone left the prince fuming, all glory gained earlier made insignificant. He strode off the training grounds without a word. He did not forget to give a death stare towards Alex.

 Chapter 12

    ¡°Alex! What happened to you?¡±


    Alex stood outside the door, bruised and battered, with a sheepish look. Vanessa pulled him in, even forgetting that Amelia was following behind as usual.


    ¡°Nothing Sis, we had just started practical lessons this year. I had a duel with someone. He was just a little strong.¡±


    ¡°Hmph¡­only the strongest guy in our year.¡± Amelia pouted as she mumbled, barely loud enough for Vanessa to hear.


    Alex shot a glare at Amelia which she returned oh so gracefully.


    Vanessa looked at their interaction with a puzzled expression.


    The two had gotten along rather well ever since she saw them become friends. Amelia had followed Alex back home at least once a fortnight to hang around in their little home.


    Vanessa really liked her and even wanted her to become her sister in law. Or at least until Alex told her about her background. Knowing that the nice little girl was from a Duke house, she had given up that thought almost instantly. Kyle had just laughed when he had heard it. He would not care for petty things such as social positions.


    ¡°Sis, where¡¯s Kyle?¡± Alex attempted to change the topic. Vanessa just rolled her eyes, seemingly reading her little brother¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°He¡¯s out getting some firewood. It¡¯s been cold lately. He won¡¯t let me do any physical labour as you know.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Sis, I¡¯ll be an uncle soon. Have you thought of a name?¡±


    ¡°Yep! It¡¯s Kaylee!¡±


    ¡°Uhh, Sis, what if it¡¯s a boy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Kaylee!¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­hahaha. Right¡­Kaylee. Good name Sis.¡± Alex had to give up the subject with a cramped smile. Amelia giggled at the two siblings.


    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll start dinner. You too just relax here. I don¡¯t know how you can study and meditate for six days in a row. I¡¯d have long gone insane.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually quite fun Sister Vanessa! We get to learn new things all the time. Meditating is boring but we have practical lessons this year!¡± Amelia would often tell Vanessa what subjects they¡¯d study at the academy with great relish. Vanessa thought it was a pity that this girl was born in a Duke house. She was far too down to earth to be a noble.


    ¡°Oh yeah, Alex! Did you tell Sister Vanessa about our excursion to the frontlines in the second half of the year?¡±


    ¡°Uhh, I forgot, hehe¡­¡±


    ¡°Alex?¡± Alex flinched at Vanessa¡¯s questioning tone, who was about to enter the kitchen.


    Just then, the front door was opened and Kyle came in the house, carrying a small bundle of logs.


    Kyle noticed the somewhat stiff expression on Alex¡¯s face and the aura of anger exuding from Vanessa.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Kyle was sure Alex had done something to annoy his sister. There were noticeable bruises on the boy¡¯s body. Maybe something happened at the academy, he thought.


    Vanessa calmed down, retracting her suppressive aura subconsciously.


    ¡®I¡¯ve got to teach her how to control her emotions later. Her soul is far stronger than it was and could harm a mortal without knowing.¡¯


    Kyle sighed and walked towards the kitchen. ¡°Whatever it is, say it after dinner.¡±


    ¡°Yes, brother in law!¡± Alex was excited to be excused from his scary sister. Amelia was also trembling a bit under the effects of the aura.


    Vanessa joined Kyle in the kitchen as the husband and wife cooked dinner together.


    Amelia sat next to Alex and whispered.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your sister seem odd lately? I couldn¡¯t breathe for a few seconds! Can¡¯t be an illusion.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t really know what happened but ever since after the marriage, she¡¯s been getting oddly strong. I once saw her pull a log apart in half because it was too big.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not using mana, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Sis has just the same amount of mana as an average person. Perhaps I should ask Kyle about it one time.¡±


    The two¡¯s whispers were heard by Kyle. He looked over at Vanessa who was humming a song while cutting vegetables.


    ¡°Wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes, dear.¡±


    ¡°It seems that I need to train you to control your strength again.¡±


    Vanessa looked at him with a puzzled gaze. ¡°Why? We did it before too. I haven¡¯t broken anything lately.¡±


    Kyle told her what he heard from the two kids in the living room. Vanessa had her mouth agape at the thought of possibly harming someone without even touching. She would not be able to forgive herself if she brought harm to her little brother.


    ¡°O-OK, dear. We¡¯ll have a lot more time together in a week so start it then.¡± Vanessa remembered what Kyle had proposed earlier, bringing a smile to her face.


    She was going to give birth in two months, she really wanted Kyle to spend every day with her.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Let¡¯ come up with a plan to get rich in plain sight tonight.¡±


    ***


    Dinner passed quickly.


    ¡°Alex.¡±


    Alex bolted upright on his seat, looking straight ahead, earning a smirk from Amelia and a small smile from Vanessa, which she quickly supressed.


    ¡°What do you have to tell us?¡±


    ¡°Haha, Sis, it¡¯s like this. This year¡¯s group of students are to be going to the alliance frontlines for four weeks, in the second half of the year. It¡¯s to observe and learn from the veterans there, and witness what actual demons are like. We won¡¯t be fighting! Just observing.¡±


    Vanessa went into silence from the information. She was worried that her little brother was going to a dangerous battlefield. But she also knew that since the noble children are going, it wasn¡¯t as if they¡¯d be in danger.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfectly safe, Sister Vanessa. This trip is kind of like an initiation for us students. A lot of us are going into military service after graduating so it¡¯s to prepare us for the future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Sis. It happens every year for third year students. There¡¯s no danger! I can¡¯t skip it without dropping out of the academy anyways.¡±


    Vanessa looked at Kyle, asking for his thoughts. Kyle just shrugged. ¡°It seems to be alright. They won¡¯t let the King¡¯s children go there without sufficient protection.¡±


    Vanessa grumbled a bit but she didn¡¯t say anything in the end.


    Alex and Amelia left together after a while.


    Kyle and Vanessa cleaned up and took a bath together.


    The husband and wife lied on their bed, Kyle just relaxing and Vanessa reading a book using candle light.


    ¡°Wife, we¡¯ll start looking for a bigger house and some servants after my trip next week.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine dear. Have you decided what to sell?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll get some magic herbs and a larger chunk of blue iron. Plus, we can sell the current house. That should get us enough to afford a bigger place. As for a job, I don¡¯t know yet. I¡¯ll find something local so I can come back home every day.¡±


    ¡°Husband, Alex seems to be interested in Amelia. It seems like he was injured because of her. What should I tell him? I don¡¯t want him to get hurt for some puppy love.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­something like this is good for the kid. If he can¡¯t overcome something like this, he won¡¯t be able to get that girl. Don¡¯t worry my wife, nothing extreme will happen.¡±


    Vanessa, knowing the rough extent of Kyle¡¯s prowess, could only believe in him. It was also true that experiencing difficulties was not a bad thing for Alex.

 Chapter 13

    ¡°Leader! Can I speak to you for a bit?¡± Kyle said as the group met at the usual gathering spot. Kyle approached a middle-aged man with a large build who was barking orders to those around him.


    ¡°Oh, Kyle! Yeah, what is it my boy!¡± The big man laughed heartily and slapped Kyle on the back.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to quit the team.¡±


    The leader paused for a moment. ¡°What¡¯d you say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to quit the team.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that boy? You¡¯ve been a real asset to the team. Our returns have been getting higher and higher since you joined. You¡¯re our good luck charm!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry leader. There isn¡¯t much time until my wife gives birth. I¡¯d like to be there for her and the baby.¡±


    The big man went silent as the surrounding hunters looked on. ¡°Hahaha! Alright, it¡¯s fine! A good man you are! Well boys, let¡¯s make this trip a damn good one! Hahaha!¡±


    Kyle¡¯s team members came up and patted Kyle on the back and went back to preparing. Kyle also apologized to them and went off to prepare for the trip.


    The trip went smoothly as usual. There has been no news of monsters breaking through the frontlines recently. The forests were filled with wild beasts and magic herbs, ready for the taking by the lucky and adventurous.


    Kyle got away from the team from time to time as he went off in search of herbs that he could sell for a handsome amount. Previously, he hadn¡¯t bothered to collect any in his storage ring as mana based herbs were useless to him.


    ***


    The hunting team sat in their usual tavern. Kyle was being offered drinks by his teammates.


    The leader proposed a toast to which everyone drank to cheerfully.


    ¡°Gentlemen!¡± The leader yelled out. Everyone went quiet as they looked towards the bear of a man.


    ¡°I have a proposal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking that we should no longer sell our products at the trading post.¡±


    A variety of questions and surprised gazes went around the table.


    ¡°My wife is thinking of starting a butcher shop. As you all know, there aren¡¯t all that many of those around. And the ones that exist only deal with livestock animals.¡± The leader took a look around and saw that his men were paying complete attention before continuing.


    ¡°We can make a bigger profit margin if we¡¯re to sell our catch on our own! My wife, and I¡¯m sure a lot of you here, has a lot of connections to get our business going. The nobles that order from us won¡¯t mind at all since there¡¯s no change for them.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to expand our team! Get some fresh blood. I think some of your sons and relatives have no real jobs right now! How about we get them to join us? Keep the business in the family.¡±


    ¡°Boss, that¡¯s a great idea! I was going to ask you a favour once I retire in a few years! My son is coming of age and has no talent to be a mage or warrior. I don¡¯t want him joining the army either!¡±


    ¡°Good! I¡¯ll get my useless nephew to join us! Just say the word, leader!¡±


    After getting support from most of his team members, the leader sent off the men back to their families. He had arranged a meeting of the entire team tomorrow afternoon to iron out the details.


    As Kyle was saying goodbye and was about to leave, the leader called Kyle.


    ¡°Kyle! A word my boy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please say, leader.¡±


    ¡°Come to the meeting tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°You can work for us as a butcher. I¡¯m going to round up some of the retired old guys too. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°That sounds too good to be true. I¡¯ll gladly take the job, leader.¡±


    ¡°Haha! That¡¯s good, my boy. Well, see you tomorrow! Don¡¯t be late.¡±


    Kyle headed back home, while he thought about the leader¡¯s offer.


    ¡®It¡¯s a good proposition. I can work near the house and still keep a small income. It won¡¯t make people suspicious.¡¯


    Vanessa also wholeheartedly agreed to the idea and the two decided to go to the meeting together tomorrow.


    ***


    ¡°Wife, how are you feeling? Do you want to stay home?¡±


    Vanessa sat in the living room, her face slightly pale.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come dear, it¡¯s too boring at home. We can¡¯t miss our lunch date either.¡± Vanessa smiled as she leaned on Kyle to stand up.


    The husband and wife would go around, eating at different restaurants and stalls once a week, ever since their marriage.


    Vanessa, knowing a lot of Kyle¡¯s background from his memories, knew what Kyle was like before. Therefore, she tried her best to live a simple and relaxing life with her husband.


    ¡®I will be living for a very long time after all. There¡¯s no need to rush things.¡¯ She thought as she hanged onto Kyle¡¯s arm, walking out of their house.


    The duo greeted their neighbours as they slowly walked towards the market square.


    As the meeting was just after lunch, and was also in the market square, they had plenty of time.


    ¡°Husband, I was talking to some of the mothers in the area. They all said childbirth is very painful.¡±


    Kyle squeezed her hands to reassure her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry wife, I¡¯ll be there with you.¡±


    The market square was busy and filled with people as always. The duo made their way to a restaurant and had a satisfying lunch.


    ¡°Wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes, dear.¡±


    ¡°We should go house shopping tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Dear, houses aren¡¯t vegetables.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    The two went towards the meeting point after paying the bill. It was a small shop with a large area at the back. The inside was empty with no counters and shelves in sight.


    The leader was already there with his wife as well as a few members of the team.


    ¡°Leader! We aren¡¯t late right? Hello madam.¡±


    ¡°Welcome, Kyle. And it¡¯s good to see you Vanessa.¡± The leader and his wife welcomed the couple in with warm smiles.


    As they made small talk, more and more members of the hunting team entered the small shop, making it rather cramped.


    ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen! I think we all know the reason for this gathering.¡± The leader looked around the cramped room.


    ¡°We¡¯re expanding the team! So, all those scrawny lads and dainty ladies who are here today, I¡¯m going to assume that you¡¯re all going to try out for our new team.¡±


    ¡°Also! Old Tony and Ryan over there is going to be work as the butchers for our new business. Kyle here will be helping as their assistant. My lovely wife Barbara will be overseeing the entire operation.¡±


    Afterwards, the leader personally met all the new members while Kyle was taken away by Barbara to smooth out the details for the shop, together with the others who would be working in the shop.

 Chapter 14

    Vanessa woke up from the noise in the kitchen. She has been staying up in the mornings lately. It didn¡¯t help that she felt a little sluggish and queasy sometimes.


    Kyle only needed to work four days a week at the butcher. The pay was about a quarter of the old wage. But, Kyle thought it was sufficient. His shifts would start in about two weeks, when the decorations are completed and permits arranged.


    Her beloved must have heard her stir in bed as Kyle¡¯s footsteps could be heard coming upstairs. He carried a tray with soup and soft bread on them, accompanied by a glass of water.


    ¡°Good morning, my love. How are you feeling today?¡± Kyle placed the tray on the bedside table, and helped Vanessa sit up. The power of a quasi-Demigod was useless against wonders of nature. Kyle¡¯s thoughts wondered as he assisted Vanessa with her meal.


    Vanessa weakly replied and allowed herself to be fed by her husband.


    Kyle had noticed as far as three months back that the unborn child was greedily taking in all the nutrients from the mother. There was only two months to go until childbirth and he didn¡¯t want Vanessa to lose her life during the process.


    Therefore, today, he tried mixing in some magic herbs with well known recuperation effects into the soup.


    ¡®I¡¯ll have to keep a closer eye on her. It might pay to take another trip to the forest to collect more herbs if it works.¡¯


    After the meal, Kyle helped Vanessa change into comfortable clothing and cleaned up in the kitchen.


    Today, they would go to a merchant company and sell off the ore and some of the useless magic herbs.


    ***


    The duo sat in a private room, across three people. They had come to the merchant that they had originally bought their house from.


    The Goldberg company was larger and was likely to offer a larger sum for the items, but Kyle didn¡¯t want to introduce unwanted attention to themselves. It was far too bothersome to clean up after all.


    The manager of the firm had a wide smile as he watched the two appraisers carefully examine the magic herbs. The large chunk of blue iron ore sat in the opened wooden box, on one side of the table.


    ¡°Mr. Kyle, thank you very much for choosing our firm! I can already see customers rushing to our company once word is out about these items!¡±


    The manager was almost drooling, imagining the commission he¡¯d receive.


    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t mind it. I was very happy with the service last time so it naturally became our first choice.¡± Kyle¡¯s perfunctory reply made the manager¡¯s grin even wider. After a while, the pudgy man asked the question that¡¯s been on his mind for some time.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Mr and Mrs Kyle. If I may ask, why didn¡¯t you go to the Goldberg company? They¡¯d likely be able to provide a larger value for such fine products.¡±


    ¡°Haha, the fact that you asked such a question is a reason for me to come back if I ever have such luck again in the future.¡±


    ¡°And also, just between us. The last time I went there to sell a smaller chunk of ore, they sent someone to tail us. I don¡¯t really want to deal with an unscrupulous merchant if you get my meaning.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s answer and threat mixed in brought some much-needed cold water on the manager¡¯s excitement. The fact that Kyle was alive and well proved that he was not someone to be trifled with. Someone sent by the Goldberg company to do the dirty work can¡¯t be all that weak, right?


    ¡°Ha-haha, of course! Honesty and fairness is the way our Blue rose firm operates!¡±


    After some cramped laughter, the manager placed his attention back towards the numerous herbs on the table.


    ¡®I wonder if he went and raided a magical beast¡¯s garden. There¡¯s so many of them!¡¯


    After about half hour of waiting, the appraisers raised their heads and handed over their parchments with the prices written to the pudgy man.


    After signing a receipt for the agreed sum, Kyle spoke up.


    ¡°We¡¯d like to look at purchasing a house. Can we take a look at what¡¯s available?¡±


    The manager was slightly surprised but resumed his professional attitude.


    ¡°Of course, may I ask what kind of property you are looking for?¡±


    ***


    Kyle and Vanessa stood in a large garden, in front of a small two-story mansion. A servants¡¯ quarter was attached next to the main building. The plot was surrounded by two meter high fences.


    Vanessa looked around with a satisfied expression. ¡°Dear, let¡¯s get this one!¡±


    Kyle immediately agreed. He did not care too much for aesthetics, it would be fine as long as the house had enough space.


    The new house was located in the wealthy merchants¡¯ area, next to the suburb where the old house was located. The atmosphere was good with occasional group of guards patrolling the area. Trees lined the clean and wide streets.


    After they paid for the house back at the firm, they also ordered a new set of furniture for the house.


    ¡°Wife, let¡¯s go back home. You must be tired from running around all day.¡±


    ¡°Ok dear, but let¡¯s have lunch first. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t feel like cooking either.¡±


    ¡°Actually, let¡¯s get a carriage. It¡¯s not good to be walking all day after all.¡± Kyle spontaneously decided after having a late lunch at a restaurant.


    That very afternoon.


    They went back to the Blue rose firm to see if there were any carriages for sale.


    The manager welcomed them with a flattering smile. The couple had brought him two weeks¡¯ worth of business in a single day. He was indeed very happy.


    After hearing Kyle¡¯s request, the manager took a coach from the firm and drove them to the company¡¯s warehouse.


    ¡°Mr and Mrs Kyle, these are the carriages that we have in stock. Please take a look. If you see one you like, we can attach a horse and take it out for a ride.¡±


    The couple spent the afternoon trying out different carriages. Finally, a dark green coach with enough space to seat six people was chosen. Kyle had also selected two good horses to go with the carriage.


    As the new home would be ready in about ten days, Kyle left the carriage and horses at the firm. The current house was too small and did not have the facilities to keep the horses. The manager happily agreed to look after the horses free of charge.


    The weeks rolled by. Kyle and Vanessa moved into their new house. Kyle started his new job. Vanessa would come along sometimes. Kyle went and posted some help wanted posters to hire maids and gardeners for the new place.


    Time slowly passed by in this peaceful fashion. Alex would visit from time to time. The kid was very impressed that Kyle was able to afford a new house.


    The time was the middle of the year when Vanessa started getting strong contractions.

 Chapter 15

    My name is Liz. Or at least that¡¯s what my friends call me. I turned sixteen earlier this year. My mother owns a small stall at the market square, selling various food. It¡¯s a very tiring job. I helped out at the stall ever since I could remember.


    Mother tells me that dad went off to join the royal army ever since I was four years old. He never came back. So, I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s dead.


    Apparently, one of mother¡¯s acquaintances, who she buys fresh ingredients from, heard about a job advertisement. A live-in maid at a small mansion. Mother urged me to go apply for it. She said she didn¡¯t want me to be stuck here working at a small stall all my life.


    She said I wouldn¡¯t be able to get a good husband otherwise. Well, none of the boys ever pay attention to me anyways. Actually, mother is getting remarried. She has been seeing this city guard for some time now.


    They¡¯ve been getting all cosy with each other every time that man comes to patrol near the stall. She thought I wouldn¡¯t notice. Honestly, I think mother just wants to kick me out so she can have alone time after they get married!


    So, I went to the local employment office to apply for the job, thinking that I had nothing to lose. I got some details from the nice reception lady. Apparently, the employer is a rich upstart couple. The husband wants some maids to look after his pregnant wife and the house.


    It seemed easy enough. I was always helping mother with chores and the like around the house you see. I met the man the next day. He was young! And a little good looking.


    He smirked when he noticed me taking peeks at him. How embarrassing!


    Anyways, he didn¡¯t seem all that fussy. He selected two other older women together with me. I think he just picked the first three that came along.


    When I saw his mansion, I couldn¡¯t speak for a full minute. I mean, I¡¯ve never been in a house that big! There was even a shiny carriage parked outside. All the furniture looked so expensive.


    What if I break something. Such thoughts went through my head. I got a nice private room at the attached building, complete with all the bedding and furniture. I just had to bring my own clothing.


    The wage is quite good too. Or at least that¡¯s what mother tells me. I don¡¯t really know how much one gold coin per month is.


    I met the lady of the house. My first impression was that she was a gentle person. Not that pretty though. I wonder how a rich and handsome man got married to a plain girl like her. I mean, she wasn¡¯t that much older than me!


    My job at the mansion was quite easy. I just had to do whatever the two older ladies told me. They were maids who were fired after they got too old from a noble¡¯s house. So, they knew what to do very well.


    Later on, a gardener and a full-time cook was also hired. The gardener was actually one of the maids, Aunt Mary¡¯s husband. A balding middle-aged man named Bill.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    I had one day off a week. I used that time to visit mother and my friends. They were so jealous when they learned how much I earned. They made me promise to treat them to a meal.


    My wages¡­


    The madam would sometimes have her lady friends over for a party. Cleaning up after was hard.


    The madam¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t so good when I first saw her. She seemed to be very tired all the time. Every morning, Mr Kyle would make breakfast for her personally, despite there being a proper cook. I¡¯m so jealous. I wonder if I can marry a gentle and kind husband like that.


    Oh! I saw a really very pretty girl come with the madam¡¯s little brother. Apparently, they both go to the big academy to learn to be mages! How exciting! I had no talent when it was my turn to test so I couldn¡¯t go.


    Things went quite well for nearly two months. Then, the day when the madam would give birth came. The local midwife came in a hurry and went inside with the Aunt Mary and Laura.


    I was just told to boil water and get clean cloths. Mr Kyle and Alex paced back and forth outside the room. They got in my way a few times but I didn¡¯t dare say anything.


    ***


    Kyle walked in a small circle in front of the room where Vanessa was in. Sometimes he would sit down, only to stand back up and resume shuffling shortly after.


    Alex was a lot calmer but still worried for his sister. She hasn¡¯t been feeling so well lately.


    After what seems like an eternity, which in reality was little more than an hour, noises could be heard from within the room.


    Accompanied by cries of a new born, Vanessa¡¯s laughter could also be heard.


    Kyle burst into the room without delay, scaring the midwife and maids.


    ¡°Wife! How are you? How¡¯s the baby?!¡±


    Kyle approached the bedside and looked at his wife and the tiny form she held in her arms.


    ¡°Dear, look at our little Kaylee! Isn¡¯t she beautiful?¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s complexion was clearly much better, even straight after childbirth. The power of a Quasi-Demigod has already begun to restore her tired physique.


    Kyle took the baby from Vanessa while he observed it with care. The child was peacefully sleeping after having cried for a short while.


    ¡°How¡¯d you know it¡¯d be a girl, wife?¡±


    Vanessa took on a smug expression as if to say ¡®I told you so¡¯.


    ¡°I just knew dear.¡±


    ¡°Madam Audrey, Aunt Mary, Aunt Laura. Thank you so much!¡±


    Kyle saw off the midwife after paying her a handsome fee. He also gave the three maids a gold coin each and thanked them for their services.


    ¡°Alex! Come hold your little niece!¡±


    After the four family members were alone, Alex who was now holding little Kaylee spoke up.


    ¡°Sis, I can sense an abnormal amount of mana in Kaylee! It¡¯s already about half of what I had when I was ten. She¡¯s going to be a genius mage in the future!¡±


    Vanessa glanced at Kyle who gave a reassuring smile back. The two had discussed this a few months ago. Vanessa knew that the child would be extraordinary. She also agreed that it would be better to keep Alex in the dark about the reason.


    Vanessa could only feign happiness and astonishment.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great! We¡¯ll have one more mage in the family!¡±


    The family of four took turns to fawn over their new member. After some time, Alex had to go back to the academy as it was not an off day.


    It was surprising that the teacher even allowed him to come in the middle of a lesson. Kyle knew that Alex received ¡®extra care¡¯ but didn¡¯t mention it to the boy.


    Kyle helped Vanessa move to the main bedroom to rest. He placed Kaylee in the crib that they had readied a while back, right next to the bed.


    He also took a seat next to his wife while he watched over them. His mind serene and his thoughts blank.


    After a while, he shook out of his trance.


    ¡®I could get used to this. My family can accompany me for a long time to come. The world is quite peaceful.¡¯


    Kyle smiled as he went over the memories of his long life. All the small steps he took right up until the moment he gave up on life, only to escape to a foreign land.


    The time he spent on this planet was very brief by comparison yet it had been the most fulfilling. He thought about why he sought power. ¡®Wasn¡¯t it exactly for moments like these?¡¯


    Kyle very much looked forward to his upcoming life.

 Intermission: Vanessa

    ¡°Mmmh¡­¡±


    I open my eyes. It¡¯s dark already, there¡¯s only a candle lit in the room. I¡¯m a little groggy. Where¡¯s Kyle. Ah, that¡¯s right! Kaylee!


    I see my little baby sleeping in the crib next to the bed. Sighing a breath of relief and happiness, I get off the bed to go towards my daughter.


    A smile creeps up on my face. I was almost constantly tired when I was pregnant. Now, I¡¯m feeling fine after a rest. It¡¯s just like Kyle said!


    I hear footsteps approaching the room. Kyle opened the door a minute later, holding a tray of food.


    ¡°Wife, how are you feeling? I brought you dinner.¡±


    My beloved approaches me after setting the tray on the bedside table. We gaze the sleeping face of our daughter together, while Kyle puts his arm around my waist.


    ¡°Dear? Where¡¯s that hand going?¡± I ask him with a teasing tone. His hand has wondered up from my waist to my breasts. I think he enjoys the size increase that comes along with the pregnancy.


    ¡°Wife, come, have some dinner. We can do some exercise after.¡± Kyle winked at me. I think I get what he means. He¡¯s certainly an experienced man. I¡¯ve seen it briefly in his memories.


    While, it¡¯s too late to be feeling jealous over his old love encounters, I can¡¯t help but still feel frustrated.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I slapped his hand off, while feigning anger. He just laughed and pulled me over to the bed and sat me down.


    After having some nourishment, Kyle helped me wipe off in the bathroom. Of course, I protested that I do it on my own but Kyle failed to comply.


    He must have been holding back too much while I was carrying Kaylee.


    I know that I won¡¯t be able to stop him if he decides to get a concubine, or even a second wife. But he didn¡¯t. It¡¯s not uncommon for powerful and rich men to have multiple women.


    The moment that I was waiting for came. Kyle pushed me down on the bed. We were both wearing very little. I only had a towel wrapped around me. Kyle had some shorts on.


    Honestly, I was a little afraid and looking forward to it at the same time. I¡¯m a normal woman after all.


    ¡°Dear¡­Kaylee is right there¡­can we do it another night?¡±


    ¡°Kyaaa!¡±


    Ah. Kyle took away my towel abruptly. I could only helplessly go along now. Right. It¡¯s exercise.


    My wondering thoughts were brought back to reality by Kyle¡¯s aggressive kiss. His large and warm hands massaging all the right spots. I can¡¯t help but moan. It¡¯s a good thing that all the maids and staff live in the attached building.


    I also respond back with a kiss of my own. How can a man have such strong and hard muscles while being so thin?


    His hands cupped my milk pots. His kisses going lower and lower.


    ¡°Wife, it seems like I need to do some taste testing for our baby daughter!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± So embarrassing!


    My husband enjoys sucking on my two little grapes. He spends quite a lot of time on them usually. I think some milk must have come out. Soon, I forgot all the embarrassment in our passion.


    I feel Kyle¡¯s hand approach my secret garden. I think I¡¯m ready. Kyle must know it too. I feel his thick and hot thing enter me. We made love more than once. While our baby daughter slept right next to us. I was very ashamed but also incredibly turned on at the same time.


    It was a very happy night.

 Chapter 16

    A little girl ran around in a spacious garden. Chased by a young girl wearing maid clothes.


    Sweet laughter could be heard as the little girl evaded the half-hearted attempts to catch her by the older girl.


    Vanessa watched her daughter and the maid, Liz play in the garden. Kaylee was now three years old. Kyle continued to work four days a week at the butcher. They had sufficient coins to support them for many ordinary lifetimes, but in the eyes of society, it would be suspicious if a young couple hailing from a far away village were to live lavishly without working a single day.


    Liz had helped in taking care of little Kaylee as the sweet baby grew up. Kyle had increased her pay to two gold coins per month. The mansion would get suitors knocking the door for the innocent maid from time to time.


    Vanessa thought of Liz as a friend and trusted her quite a bit.


    ¡°Kaylee! Let¡¯s go inside to clean up. It¡¯s lunch time!¡±


    ¡°Coming mommy!¡± The little girl ran towards Vanessa and jumped into her embrace.


    ¡°Mommy! Can my friends come play in the afternoon? I told them they could come over!¡±


    ¡°Of course, they can sweetie. Is it little Tommy and Sarah?¡±


    ¡°Yes, mommy. We¡¯re playing house later!¡±


    The weather was pleasant as it was currently in the middle of spring. A nice breeze could be felt in the garden. Vanessa would often have lunch in the garden, under the little gazebo that Kyle built last year.


    Vanessa went inside with her daughter and lead her to the bathroom on the second floor. After wiping Kaylee off and changing into a fresh set of clothes, the two went back to the garden and sat under the gazebo.


    ¡°Mommy, when is daddy coming back?¡±


    ¡°He should be back any time now sweetie.¡±


    Kyle spoiled his daughter terribly. He bought her a new toy weekly. She has more sets of clothing than the rest of the inhabitants of the house combined despite the fact that Kaylee would outgrow them in a matter of months.


    Kyle came back shortly after, driving the carriage. He waved to his wife and daughter as he approached.


    Bill the gardener took over the reigns from Kyle after closing the gates.


    ¡°Thanks Bill, trouble you to unload these inside the house after lunch. And please help yourself to one of them, haha.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, Master Kyle.¡± Bill replied with a wide smile as he looked at the cargo tied on the back of the coach.


    ¡°Little girl!¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Kaylee ran to Kyle and tackled him with a dive. A normal human might have broken a few bones from such an act. Kaylee had an exceptionally strong body ever since her birth. And it would only improve as she grew up.Stolen novel; please report.


    Kyle held his daughter and went over to Vanessa. As he sat down next to her, Kaylee refused to get off from his lap.


    ¡°Husband.¡±


    ¡°Yes, wife.¡± Kyle answered as he took a sip of tea.


    ¡°How about we go travelling?¡±


    Kyle gave an inquiring look towards his wife.


    ¡°You know how Alex has his trip to the frontlines after his term break, which is coming up in three weeks.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s follow him! We can take in the sights and visit the cities along the way. Kaylee is old enough to travel.¡±


    ¡°Are you bored staying in this city for too long, my wife?¡± Kyle asked with a knowing smile.


    Vanessa replied with a sheepish look. ¡°A little bit. It¡¯s not like we need money. And you are more than strong enough to protect us from any dangers we might face.¡±


    Kaylee quietly listened to her parents. Although, from the way her eyes lit up, one could tell that she was really excited to go on the trip.


    ¡°Alex is coming tomorrow right? Let¡¯s ask for his opinion. The joint city at the frontlines might be a good destination. I haven¡¯t been there in over a hundred years after all.¡±


    ¡°Hundred years?¡± Kaylee looked up at Kyle upon hearing a strange term.


    ¡°Nothing, little girl. Let¡¯s eat! Auntie Mary and Aunt Laura are coming with lunch.¡±


    After lunch, Kyle assumed the task of teaching Kaylee to read and write. Her two friends came by later and the three kids played merrily in the garden.


    Vanessa went shopping with the kids¡¯ mothers, taking the carriage and old Bill as the driver.


    Kyle had nothing to do, therefore he could only sit under a shade and watch over his daughter, playing with two other kids of similar age.


    The amount of dormant mana in Kaylee was approaching thirty times the average human. Kyle planned to teach her how to use her inborn powers after the girl turned eight.


    Kyle recalled the times that he had to teach both Vanessa and Kaylee on how to control their physical strength. It was quite tricky explaining to the maids why there were so many broken tableware.


    He thought about Vanessa¡¯s desire to go out of this city. The fact that Vanessa would practically not age over the next few hundred years was a worry. Kyle had learned to control his outlook subconsciously. He currently had the look of a man in his mid-twenties. Vanessa barely looked a day over twenty and had not changed for the last three years.


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s about time to go soon. Let¡¯s talk to Vanessa about it tonight.¡± Kyle muttered to no one in particular as he closed his eyes for a nap.


    ***


    Kyle lied on bed, with Vanessa in his embrace. They had just finished their session of passion and fever. Kyle would often excuse that he¡¯d like to try for another kid. Vanessa knew very well that the man just wanted some.


    ¡°Wife.¡±


    ¡°¡­yes, dear.¡±


    ¡°We should leave the city soon.¡±


    ¡°For the trip with Alex? I¡¯ll ask him when he¡¯s here tomorrow for his schedule.¡±


    ¡°I mean a permanent one my love.¡±


    Vanessa didn¡¯t answer and looked at Kyle with surprise.


    ¡°You know I never stay in any one spot for too long.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­I know dear. But it¡¯s only been five years in this city. Isn¡¯t that far too short?¡±


    ¡°Wife, the longer we stay, the longer questions will come up from around us. Like why you¡¯ve looked the same in the last three years. You will retain your youth for many centuries to come.¡±


    ¡°While I don¡¯t care for the opinions of the surroundings, little Kaylee needs a better environment.¡±


    Vanessa contemplated Kyle¡¯s words. She knew that a few of her friends were already jealous about how she didn¡¯t age at all.


    ¡°Where do you suggest we go dear?¡±


    ¡°When¡­Alex graduates from the academy, let¡¯s leave for the west. I have an acquaintance there.¡±


    ¡°The west¡­is it the forest of the elves?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. We can come back to the human kingdom much later if you still desire.¡±


    ¡°What about Alex, dear? What if¡­he wants to stay here? He has Amelia here after all.¡±


    Kyle went into deep thought. He¡¯d like it if his family could stay together. Vanessa certainly wouldn¡¯t want to part with her little brother.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­let¡¯s talk to him after he turns eighteen. Let him concentrate on finishing his training for now. It would be time to inform him about us by then.¡±


    Vanessa felt complicated about her new life. When she had come to the capital of the human kingdom, she thought she¡¯d live here her whole life. She was somewhat anxious and happy at the same time.

 Chapter 17

    Alex walked through the gate of the mansion, giving Bill a nod. Amelia ran in ahead of him, her beauty leaving him in a daze.


    He still did not know what this high-born girl saw in him. She hung out with him almost every day, since they met. Michael on the other hand, still kept the aloof attitude for five years straight. Alex stopped trying to get closer as far as two years back.


    Of course, all this attention from Amelia came at a cost. He was rather picked on during sessions of personal combat.


    The chief criminal being the crown prince Quin Strand. Other boys would also take turns fighting him. Alex thought this was a good opportunity to get stronger, therefore he never shirked back from a challenge.


    The result was that he¡¯d often have bruises hidden somewhere on his body week in week out.


    ¡°Uncle Alex!¡±


    As soon as he entered the garden, Alex saw his little adorable niece running towards him, leaving behind a pouting Amelia.


    ¡°Hi Kaylee, how are you?¡± Alex tried not to laugh as he saw Kaylee slow down and tried her best not to jump into him. The first time, he had received her tackle hug, he had to take off a few days due to having caused some internal injuries.


    Ever since then, Kyle forbid Kaylee to run and tackle anyone other than her father and mother.


    Alex saw this as rather strange as he had the impression that Kyle and Vanessa were just normal people. How could they survive Kaylee¡¯s hugs? Every time he attempted to bring up the topic to his sister, she¡¯d just divert it somewhere else, leaving him speechless and slightly frustrated.


    ¡°Uncle Alex! Come look at my new toys! Daddy bought them for me yesterday.¡± Kaylee pulled Alex along to the gazebo where Vanessa was waiting.


    ¡°Hi, Alex. It¡¯s good to see you too Miss Amelia.¡± Vanessa greeted them with a smile.


    ¡°Sister Vanessa, just Amelia please. Don¡¯t be so formal between us. We¡¯ve know each other for five years now.¡±


    ¡°Haha, OK. Amelia. Come take a seat. We are having lunch soon.¡±


    ¡°Sis! My term break is in a week. I¡¯ll come live here. That¡¯s ok right?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going on a trip with your classmates this time?¡±


    ¡°Nope! Hehe.¡±


    ¡°What about you Amelia? Any plans during the break?¡±


    ¡°Not this time. Father is too busy. Big Brother is at the frontlines pretty much all the time now. And Michael is almost always training.¡±


    ¡°Sister Vanessa! Can I come stay with you? It¡¯ll be so much more fun than staying in that big mansion without anyone to talk to!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, we won¡¯t be staying at the house, Miss Amelia. We¡¯re going on a family holiday.¡± Kyle, who came out, carrying a tray of food, shadowed by the two older maids said out aloud to the group in the gazebo.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Alex was the first to react.


    ¡°Holiday? Where are you going? How long for? Can I come with?¡±


    Vanessa chuckled at her little brother who fired off one question after another. Kaylee sat besides her mother in silence as she played with her toys. Although, it could be seen that she was also very excited about going outside the city for the first time.


    ¡°The destination¡­¡­¡­is a surprise, Alex! You won¡¯t be able to come with us. We¡¯ll be going for quite some time. Maybe up to two months.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s answer brought down Alex¡¯s excitement visibly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tease Alex, dear. We¡¯re going to the joint city of the allied races at the frontlines.¡±


    ¡°What?! That¡¯s a dangerous trip!¡± Alex yelled out after hearing the goal.


    ¡°Calm down Alex, we¡¯re going there partly to see what it¡¯s like for you there. You go there each year but you barely tell us anything about it.¡± Vanessa chided her brother.


    Kyle also explained further as he sat down next to Vanessa. ¡°We¡¯re going to be following a caravan going to the joint city. Safety in numbers as they say.¡±


    Alex¡¯s mood improved after hearing Kyle. He sat there thinking, without touching his food.


    ¡°Ah ha!¡± Suddenly, Alex stood up from his seat.


    ¡°I just had an idea!¡±


    ¡°Do tell, Alex.¡± Kyle seemed amused at Alex¡¯s epiphany.


    ¡°I can join you!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± This time Amelia seemed confused at Alex¡¯s exclamation.


    ¡°I just have to be at the barracks at the joint city in time! I don¡¯t have to go with the rest of the students!¡±


    Amelia also sunk into thought at the idea. Soon after, she also broke into a smile.


    ¡°Sister Vanessa, Master Kyle. I¡¯ll be intruding on your trip, hehehe!¡± Amelia beamed happily.


    ¡°Eh? You¡¯re coming too, Amelia?¡±


    ¡°Of course! This lady can¡¯t miss out on something this fun!¡±


    Kyle could only smile wryly. He whispered an ¡®I told you so¡¯ in Vanessa¡¯s ear, which brought a small giggle from his wife.


    After lunch, Amelia rushed out of the mansion, pulling Alex along. Saying something about organizing guards and supplies for the trip.


    Vanessa saw them off together with Kaylee. Afterwards, she asked Kyle.


    ¡°Dear, is it really ok to bring along the Duke¡¯s only daughter?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s not so bad. We at least don¡¯t have to travel with the caravan. We can keep our own schedule. Amelia¡¯s bringing along a squad of guards I presume. Even if we aren¡¯t afraid of bandits and the like, having deterrence is nice.¡±


    Since Kyle thought of it positively, Vanessa could only go along with it. She has never opposed Kyle on matters of importance after all.


    ***


    Amelia ran through the gates of a large mansion, ignoring the saluting gatekeepers. Alex was struggling to keep up with the girl, still being pulled helplessly in a tight grip. He was happy and sad at the same time. Happy to hold hands with the girl he liked yet, sad that she was that much stronger than him.


    The usual squad of guards went off to the nearby barracks after the two teens entered the compound.


    This was not the first time for Alex to come to the Duke¡¯s mansion. He has been here numerous times with Amelia.


    Amelia entered the enormous house, startling the maids within. With brisk steps, she ran to her father¡¯s study with Alex in tow.


    Two fully armoured guards could be seen at the entrance of the study, where the Duke normally worked.


    Amelia slowed down as she approached the door. ¡°I want to see my father!¡± She declared. As the sole daughter of the Duke, both the Duke and the eldest son doted heavily on this little girl.


    The guards glanced at Alex, panting behind Amelia. They opened the door wordlessly. Amelia ran in, going straight to her father¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Father!¡±


    ¡°Oh? If it isn¡¯t my darling daughter! Come, give your old man a hug!¡± Contrary to the stiff impression given by his stern demeanour and large build, the man¡¯s face broke into a smile as soon as he spotted his daughter.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you early? You normally get here just before dinner my dear.¡±


    ¡°Father! I want to ask for a favour!¡±


    ¡°Sit down first, then speak. Alex, you sit down too. What happened. Did the little girl bully you again?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all Uncle Edward.¡± Alex replied somewhat stiffly. The Duke meanwhile just smiled, pretending to not see his daughter twist Alex¡¯s thigh under the table.


    ¡°Father! I want to go for a trip during the break!¡±

 Chapter 18

    Kaylee sat on her father¡¯s lap, as he drove the coach out of the city gates. Kyle has been busy during the last week. He had to inform the butcher shop that he would need to take some time off.


    He also ran around everywhere in the city, purchasing all the necessary supplies for the long trip. There would be many nights that they would need to camp out in the open. Little Kaylee looked around at every item of interest in the surroundings with great fervour.


    The coach was on the road leading out of the city. A great many number of people travelled on the road, mixed in with soldiers patrolling and merchants entering with their goods-filled wagons.


    Kyle had to answer every question that Kaylee asked as they passed by various things that intrigued the three-year-old.


    ¡°Kaylee, sweetie, let me know if you are tired. Don¡¯t bother your daddy too much, ok?¡± Vanessa opened the sliding door of the coach and said to the duo sitting in the coachman¡¯s seat.


    ¡°I¡¯m not tired mommy! But, can I have a piece of cake?¡± Kaylee, climbed onto Kyle¡¯s shoulder and peered into the cabin. Liz was making tea and there was a tray of pastries on the table.


    ¡°Wait until we get out of the gate dear. You can have it when we stop and wait for your uncle.¡±


    The coach exited the sole large gates out of the capital. Kyle guided the horses to the side of the road and stopped to wait for their companions and helped Kaylee inside the cabin to stay with Vanessa and Liz.


    While, Kyle checked the horses and made sure all their luggage was tied tightly on the back of the coach, a retinue of soldiers followed by a covered wagon showed up from the gates.


    Amelia and Alex were on horses, leading the small convoy. Alex waved towards Kyle as he rode towards the coach at the roadside.


    There was a total of twenty light armoured soldiers riding their own valiant mounts, closely following Amelia.


    The large covered wagon seems to hold all the supplies for the Duke¡¯s daughter as well as all the guards.


    Kyle noticed that the person riding ahead of the retinue was a red-haired woman in her mid-twenties. She seemed to be the leader of the small unit as her armour was made of lightweight metal unlike the rest of the guards.


    ¡°Hello, Master Kyle! Sorry for the wait! Hehe!¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t call me with that name Miss Amelia. I can¡¯t take the glares from your guards.¡± Kyle smiled wryly as he welcomed the group.


    ¡°Sister Ruby! Meet Master Kyle, Alex¡¯s brother in law. Oh, and this is Sister Vanessa, his wife and, Kaylee, their daughter.¡±


    Amelia heartily introduced Kyle, Vanessa and Kaylee who had just come out of the coach, to the guard leader named Ruby. Kyle still received a glare from the red-haired woman as Amelia failed to heed Kyle¡¯s words.


    ¡°Amelia! Hug!¡±


    Kaylee went up to Amelia, who had just dismounted from her horse and stretched her hands in the air.


    Amelia responded by carrying Kaylee and rubbing their cheeks together. Liz who followed down last from the coach was ignored by everyone altogether.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    After checking the coach as well as the supplies wagon one more time, everyone assumed their stations to embark on the journey.


    The guard leader along with four other mounted soldiers assumed the front of the coach while the rest spaced themselves around the coach and the wagon.


    Alex and Amelia had their horses handed to a soldier, who then tied them on the back of the wagon. The horses were trained enough to docilely follow along.


    There was a pleasant wind running across the farmlands as the group took the road heading north for a kilometre or so.


    It was then that Kyle noticed a group of fast riders, kicking up a cloud of dust in their wake, heading out from the city gates.


    Kyle wrinkled his brows when he saw the crest of the armour wore by the thirteen riders. He signalled the soldiers around them and guided the coach to the roadside, slowing down to almost a complete stop.


    The guard leader also noticed the riders and frowned when she saw the armour of the armed riders.


    The riders slowed down as they approached Kyle¡¯s convoy. Their goal clearly targeted at the group by the roadside.


    At the head of the riders was a young boy, seemingly the same age as Alex and Amelia. He wore magnificent looking hard leather armour without a scratch on it. As he came near the two carriages, he yelled out.


    ¡°Amelia!!¡±


    The yell startled the occupants of the coach. Amelia having heard a familiar sound, peeked her head out of the coach and curiously looked at the newly arrived.


    ¡°Crown prince? What are you doing here?¡± Amelia exited the coach as she questioned his presence.


    Alex was also very much surprised. He also hurriedly exited the carriage while telling Vanessa and Kaylee not to worry.


    Amelia¡¯s curious gaze soon turned into scowl. She had very much guessed why the crown prince was here. The boy had probably learned of her exit from the city and had hurriedly chased after her. As to the exact nature of his purpose, she didn¡¯t really know.


    ¡°What can I do for you crown prince? You seem to be rather in a hurry.¡± Amelia¡¯s mocking tone didn¡¯t seem to faze Quin Strand.


    ¡°Amelia, where are you going? It doesn¡¯t seem to be a short trip.¡± Quin eyed the supplies wagon as well as the Duke¡¯s guards that accompanied Amelia.


    ¡°Where I¡¯m going in my private time seems to be my own business, crown prince.¡±


    ¡°Amelia! I don¡¯t have a problem with where you go! But, why does it have to be with that wretched boy?!¡±


    Vanessa heard this and her face crumpled in displeasure. No one would be happy when their family was being insulted right in front of them.


    Alex remained silent as this was not the first confrontation they¡¯ve had.


    ¡°Where I go with whom doesn¡¯t concern you crown prince. Please turn back.¡±


    Amelia tried to sound as cold as she can before getting back on the carriage, pulling Alex along.


    Quin was clearly fuming but he didn¡¯t dare to do anything. There were people travelling around them and it would not do for the crown prince of the sole human kingdom to abuse his power here.


    ¡®Fine! Then, I¡¯ll just have to follow you until you grow tired!¡¯ Quin howled in his mind and proceeded to follow behind Kyle¡¯s group. The royal guards accompanying him looked at each other with troubled expressions. They carried no supplies and they didn¡¯t think the Duke¡¯s daughter would share any.


    Kyle just shook his head and resumed driving the coach. He didn¡¯t want to get in between children¡¯s games.


    Kyle, took the road snaking off to the west at the crossroads. Soon, the road bent back to the south, approaching the mountain range behind the city.


    A small encampment of soldiers could be seen a clearing, at the foot of the mountain. Just ahead was a large entrance to what seems to be a tunnel, boring through the mountain side.


    A squad of soldiers monitored the traffic through the tunnel as there were already a few wagons lined up to enter. Kyle¡¯s convoy joined the slow-moving line.


    Vanessa, together with Kaylee looked out from the windows. They had never been through this way as they came all the way from the northern part of the kingdom. Now they were heading south, where the weather was warmer with different sceneries.


    The guard leader gave a document to the inspector when it was their turn. The procedure was very fast as the soldiers didn¡¯t even look through the luggage and allowed them entry to the tunnel.


    ¡°Uncle Alex. How long is the tunnel? Are there monsters inside?¡±


    Alex smiled and replied to his cute little niece.


    ¡°It takes about two hours to walk across it. And no, there aren¡¯t any monsters inside, haha.¡±


    Amelia also smiled and rubbed Kaylee¡¯s head. Kyle listened to the talk in the coach as he slowly followed the guard leader into the tunnel.

 Chapter 19

    The journey through the tunnel was rather boring. There was the occasional patrol of soldiers. In front of them was a few merchants and travellers. The crown prince followed behind with a sour expression, staring at the coach every now and then.


    The passageways were lit with lanterns every twenty meters or so. It was relatively dark and quiet, except for the noise of footsteps and squeaks from carriages. The opposing streams of traffic didn¡¯t interact with each other and tacitly went their own ways.


    After what seems like days, their little convoy came out the other side of the tunnel. The scenery on the other side made Vanessa pause her breath and Kaylee jumping around and looking out from within the carriage.


    It was not the first time for Alex and Amelia, hence there was no change of expression on their faces. Alex quietly looked at his brother in law, who seemed unfazed by the view.


    The land around them was deep red. Very little vegetation grew and it was noticeably hotter than the north side of the mountain range.


    There was another encampment of soldiers manning the exit of the tunnel. A variety of stalls were set up near the encampment.


    ¡°There¡¯s no settlements along the way. We have to go straight to the joint city. Do you want to take a break here?¡± Kyle asked Vanessa¡¯s opinion.


    Alex replied instead.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going, brother in law. The stalls are very expensive compared to the city. There¡¯s nothing to see here anyways.¡±


    Kyle glanced back at the crown prince¡¯s group, who were now talking to the merchants heading to the city to purchase their extra food and water.


    The city was five days ride away and it would be hard pressed to find any supplies on the way.


    ¡°Are you sure we shouldn¡¯t wait for them?¡± Vanessa also noticed and spoke up. Alex had a troubled look. He didn¡¯t want the crown prince to follow them along. But he didn¡¯t want to completely offend the other party either.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t wait for them! Let¡¯s go. Sister Ruby, lead the way!¡± Amelia was rather fed up with Quin. She intruded on Alex¡¯s family holiday party due to the fact that Quin would be bothering her everyday if she remained in the capital.


    The silent guard leader took up the lead once more and the convoy resumed their journey.


    The crown prince saw all of this yet he was unable to do anything. He needed food and water for the journey. Amelia definitely wasn¡¯t going to share any with him!


    Truly, he did not know why he kept up his pursuit of the girl. He knew deep down that Amelia disliked him and if he were to push on, it would turn to hatred.


    Quin chased after them in a hurry after having bought sufficient supplies, albeit at a premium. His group numbered only thirteen and it was by no means large enough to avoid the attention of certain bandit groups.


    With a little regret in his heart, he followed the Duke¡¯s guards and the two carriages.


    ¡°Uncle Alex, why are those people following us?¡± Kaylee cutely asked Alex.


    ¡°Ignore them Kaylee. Just some bystanders! Hmph!¡± Amelia puffed her cheeks in response. Kaylee tried to copy her expression, causing Vanessa to laugh.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Vanessa opened the sliding door and said to Kyle.


    ¡°Dear, how about we have lunch soon?¡±


    Kyle was seemingly in thought as he replied somewhat absentmindedly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask the guard leader.¡±


    Kyle saw a small grove of trees, a few kilometres down the road. It was a refreshing shade of green, bringing much needed change to the desolate land around them.


    ¡°Miss Ruby, is there a good area to stop by and take a meal break?¡± Kyle asked the stern guard leader, causing her to look back at him.


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a rest area up ahead. We can stop there.¡±


    Kyle nodded in affirmation and informed the occupants in the coach.


    ¡°There¡¯s a patch of trees and a small clearing up ahead. I was told that it was created by the elves¡¯ nature magic.¡±


    Alex was explaining to Vanessa, Kaylee and Liz. Liz was excitedly looking around ever since they arrived at the tunnel. But her excitement had seemingly died down due to the unchanging scenery that seems to go on endlessly.


    ¡°¡°Elves?!¡±¡±


    ¡°Uncle Alex, have you seen elves before?¡±


    The sudden mention of the legendary race perked up the ears of the two young women. Amelia smugly said in place of Alex, whose face turned sour each time he was interrupted by Amelia. He didn¡¯t have the guts to reprimand her, however.


    ¡°Of course! You can sometimes spot them in the joint city! I¡¯ve met some of their mages before. They¡¯re very strong!¡±


    ¡°What do they look like? Are they as beautiful as they say in the books?¡± Sparkles could be seen in Vanessa and Liz¡¯s eyes.


    Amelia also had a dreamy look in her eyes, adding much to Alex¡¯s annoyance.


    ¡°They¡¯re all very pretty and handsome. The males are tall, good looking and strong!¡± Amelia ignored Alex¡¯s black face and went on at some length to describe the characteristics of the elven race to Vanessa and Liz.


    Kyle had heard all the discussion behind him. ¡°What¡¯s all the fuss anyways¡­I can get an elf girl to be a maid any time I want. Hmph!¡± He muttered under his breath.


    The group stopped at the clearing in front of the trees. Kyle let the horses free and gave them water.


    Vanessa, together with Liz, started preparation for lunch. Kaylee was drawn by Amelia and Alex to play in the surroundings.


    The soldiers also started to unpack food and water from the wagon. Only the guard leader shadowed the three playing in the surroundings.


    The crown prince and his guards settled a distance away from Kyle¡¯s camp. Quin approached the playing Amelia and Kaylee. Ignoring Alex, who was next to the two females, the crown prince shouted out.


    ¡°Amelia!¡±


    Amelia looked rather disgruntled but ultimately replied., albeit in a cold tone.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Would you like to have your meal with me?¡± The crown prince said after some hesitation.


    ¡°No, thank you. Could you please stop bothering me?¡±


    Quin stood still, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth. He knew she¡¯d reply like that, yet he had to try.


    ¡°Is it because of him?¡±


    ¡°Would you believe me if I said no?¡± Amelia quipped sarcastically. At the same time, she gave Alex an apologetic look, aware that she was placing the position of a ¡®shield¡¯ on him.


    Quin naturally noticed this exchange. However, he saw it as Alex and Amelia flirting in front of him! His anger and reason that he had been holding back for many years exploded in that one moment.


    ¡°You!!!¡±


    ¡°ALEX!! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A LIFE AND DEATH DUEL!!!¡±


    Quin¡¯s yell drew the attention of the everyone else on the scene.


    Amelia was the first to react.


    ¡°What do you mean, Quin Strand?!¡±


    Alex was quiet but he looked at the crown prince with a complicated gaze. Vanessa came over and took Kaylee in her arms. Kyle also came up and stood next to his wife.


    The royal guards came ahead of the prince and confronted the Duke¡¯s guards who did the same for Amelia.


    Alex sighed. ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Quin blankly looked at Alex.


    ¡°I have no reason to accept your challenge. You are stronger than me anyways. And even if I was by some chance to win, do you really think I¡¯d be able to kill you?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, are you afraid?! Do you see, Amelia? The man you chose is a coward!¡±


    Amelia wanted to reply back but she was held back by the guard leader. Her job was to protect the Duke¡¯s daughter and she did not care for anyone else.


    ¡°Sister Ruby! You can¡¯t let this happen. This is unfair!¡±


    Amelia kept struggling against the guard leader, who swiftly proceeded to knock her out. Kyle looked at the soldiers retreating with a passed-out Amelia.


    ¡°Wife, take Kaylee and wait in the carriage with Liz. Close the windows.¡±


    Vanessa was somewhat worried but calmed down after remembering how powerful Kyle was. She obediently went into the carriage, pulling along a confused Liz.


    Quin pushed aside the guards standing in front him. He slowly walked over towards Alex while looking at him with a jeer.


    ¡°Prepare to die!!¡± Shouting a cheesy line, he leapt towards Alex, brandishing his sword!

 Chapter 20

    ¡®Should I stop him?¡¯ Kyle had such thoughts as he saw the prince leapt towards Alex. Seeing that he had no weapons, nothing would happen for a while.


    ¡°So¡­you people won¡¯t stop your foolish prince?¡±


    The comment earned a few glares from the dozen soldiers. Seeing that they didn¡¯t retort, it was likely that they also agreed on Kyle¡¯s viewpoint.


    *Haaaa¡­*


    Kyle sighed a tired breath. ¡®I might as well just go live with the elves. They¡¯re all much kinder than these stupid noble humans. Alex will just have to part with Amelia.¡¯


    Alex parried and dodged the prince¡¯s blows. Quin¡¯s mana-infused fists were heavy but his posture full of holes, a result of his hotheadedness.


    After a full five minutes of punching and kicking without any results, the prince was exhausted enough to calm himself.


    He stared at Alex with clear hostility. Alex had managed to hit back his fair share thanks to the prince forgetting to use proper techniques.


    ¡°Crown prince, is this really necessary? Do you really think Amelia will like you and marry you if you actually managed to kill me?¡±


    Quin Strand was rather stumped. He knew that he¡¯d just bring further hatred onto himself if he killed Alex. He most likely would be removed from the position of crown prince as well. It wasn¡¯t as if he could silence Amelia and her guards.


    ¡°Ok, so you two kids done now?¡± Kyle¡¯s lazy voice cut in between the two. Alex stared at Kyle with surprise, who had unknowingly come between the two boys.


    ¡°Who are you? Get out of my sight if you don¡¯t want to get hurt!¡± Quin burst out at the seemingly ordinary man without a hint of mana.


    ¡°Oh? If it was the old me¡­I would have done¡­nothing actually. It¡¯s much too troublesome to kill an ant just because it insulted me.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s mutter was quiet yet it was clearly heard by the two boys. Alex was flabbergasted and forgot to say anything. He only dumbly stared at his brother in law. He only ever knew Kyle as a polite and mild-mannered person. This new personality was too surprising! Even the Duke¡¯s guards, now standing near the carriage were surprised.


    Quin, on the other hand, was fuming! ¡°Did you just call me an ant?!!¡±


    His outburst was splendidly ignored by Kyle. Quin decided to let out his anger on this insignificant citizen without any background.


    ¡°Aaaahhhhh!!!¡± Accompanied by a yell, Quin accelerated towards Kyle and threw a full powered punch to Kyle¡¯s head.


    ¡°If it attempted to itch me, though, hehe.¡± Kyle turned around the easily caught Quin¡¯s fist.


    Silence ruled the area for a few seconds. However, the royal guards quickly got into action as they unsheathed their swords and surrounded the three.


    ¡°Prince! Back away from that man!¡± One of the guards yelled out as he approached Kyle slowly. Quin felt like his hand was stuck in concrete. He could not budge it from Kyle¡¯s grip.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m trying...¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    True to his word, the prince struggled to release his fist from Kyle¡¯s grip. He brought up his other hand and tried to strike Kyle. The blow was easily brushed off by Kyle.


    ¡°Brother in law! Don¡¯t harm him! We can¡¯t take the consequences!¡± Alex was still puzzled as to why Kyle was so strong. But he did not think that Kyle would be able to take on all the royal guards. Kyle was unarmed while the opponents were fully armoured and had mana weapons!


    Kyle chuckled at Alex¡¯s remark. ¡°Sorry Alex. It seems that¡¯d you¡¯d have to leave the academy earlier than expected. Pity about that little girl though. She seems to like you rather a lot.¡±


    ¡°Well now, little prince. I think I¡¯ll have to punish you a little. Take it as a lesson, it¡¯ll teach you to be humble to others in the future.¡±


    Under the watch of all the guards, Kyle smiled and squeezed the prince¡¯s fist.


    A loud crack could be heard as all the bones shattered. Bone fragments dug into the flesh, turning the whole hand bloody.


    Quin let out a blood curdling wail as he felt pain like never before. Kyle let go of the mangled fist and shook his hands to get rid of the blood.


    Kyle looked at the now clearly hostile guards, lunging towards him while letting out killing intent.


    ¡°As for you lot, seeing that you were only under orders to look after an idiot, I¡¯ll let you off lightly.¡±


    As soon as Kyle said that, a heavy pressure blanketed the area. It was only aimed at the twelve guards and Quin who was still screaming noiselessly while holding his hand.


    The approaching guards paused in their tracks. Some of the weaker ones fell on one knee, struggling to stand back up.


    ¡°B-brother in law¡­¡±


    Alex trembled in place. Even if Kyle controlled his pressure, some of it could still be felt. Quin had long gone limp, unable to keep his consciousness.


    The Duke¡¯s guards looked in with astonishment. They were too far away to feel the residual pressure but they could still perceive an aura of danger from Kyle.


    ¡°Alex.¡±


    ¡°Brother in law!¡±


    Kyle took his attention away from the now unmoving guards, half of them passed out.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of moving to live with the elves. Originally, we were going to wait till you graduate. It might happen earlier now. What will you do?¡±


    Alex went silent, switching between the carriage that his sister sat in and the miserable crown prince, laying on the ground. He knew it would be difficult to avoid consequences for having harmed the crown prince. It would be best to leave the human kingdom altogether.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Vanessa. We¡¯ll most likely go back to the capital to take care of moving.¡±


    ¡°So, decide if you want to remain with that little girl, or if you want to come with us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. If you stay, the king won¡¯t dare to move you. I¡¯ll guarantee it!¡± Kyle laughed, seeing the dilemma on Alex¡¯s face. ¡®It seems that he really likes that Amelia girl.¡¯


    ***


    The inside of the coach was silent. They had a very fast lunch and was now on the way back to the capital. Amelia was no longer riding in the carriage with them.


    The red-haired guard leader had taken the still unconscious Amelia and carried her as they trailed some distance back from the carriage.


    ¡°Sister.¡±


    Vanessa looked up from stroking the hair of the sleeping Kaylee. ¡°What is it Alex?¡±


    ¡°I need an explanation from you. Why¡¯d you keep me in the dark for so long?¡±


    Seeing that Vanessa was not surprised from the way things had turned out, Alex had determined that he was the only one kept out of the loop from the secrets of the family!


    Liz listened to the two siblings but didn¡¯t say anything. Sometimes, the less one knew, the better off one would be! She was a little curious as to why the crown prince¡¯s group had not come back with them, however.


    Kyle had left the royal guards knocked out along with Quin in that clearing. As to what would befall them, it would be none of his business.


    Vanessa looked at her little brother, who was no longer so little, with a loving gaze.


    ¡°If you had known, what would have changed?¡±


    ¡°Kyle wanted to live a quiet life and I¡¯m a mere commoner. You knowing that your brother in law was a powerful individual would change nothing. Since it made no difference, it doesn¡¯t really matter, right?¡±


    Vanessa found that Kyle¡¯s past was rather hard to explain. It was not something believable unless one was to experience it personally. Therefore, she made up some sophistry to avoid telling Alex the entire truth for the time being.


    Alex sunk into thought. What would change if Kyle was strong. He¡¯d still attend the academy. Probably go into military service after graduation. Other than knowing that there won¡¯t be much to worry about since his family could protect themselves, his life would continue on.


    Alex sighed. For the rest of the trip, he thought about Kyle¡¯s two choice. He asked himself if he could bear leaving Amelia.

 Chapter 21

    The Duke was having a stressful day. It had been hard for him lately. With the growing age of his daughter, talks of other nobles, hinting for marriage has increased.


    The crown prince was always pushing for marriage between him and Amelia. From a logical viewpoint, it was the perfect marriage. A potential Grandmaster rank warrior marrying an equally talented mage.


    However, Amelia disliked the crown prince to a fault. Therefore, Duke Edward had to repeatedly put off any talks of an engagement. He was rather thankful that the King was silent on the entire matter.


    Of course, it was not known to the Duke that the King had been instructed to back off as much as possible on any matters involving Kyle¡¯s family.


    Edward had been pestered by the crown prince very early in the morning. He apologized to his daughter in his mind as he gave a vague reply about Amelia going away on a holiday during the break.


    He thought that it would have been the end of the matter for quite some time. Therefore, one can imagine the surprise he received when Captain Ruby walked into his study with a passed-out Amelia on the same day.


    Ruby laid out Amelia on the long couch in front of the desk, and turned to look at the surprised, worried and angry Duke.


    Duke Edward, being an experienced person of high position, calmed down immediately. Partially due to having assessed that Amelia was unharmed, he asked the silent guard captain.


    ¡°Speak, Captain Ruby!¡±


    The sentence being a little more forceful than he intended to, Ruby flinched a bit before answering.


    ¡°Yes, your excellency. It was like this¡­¡­¡±


    After having listened to the captain¡¯s report, the Duke was silent for quite some time.


    ¡°Where is the crown prince now?¡±


    ¡°We left him at the site of the incident. I do not have any more information on his wellbeing.¡±


    ¡°Would be nice if he died there¡­¡± The Duke muttered a rather dangerous line, barely audible to anyone.


    Edward walked over to his daughter and inserted some mana into her, waking the sleeping girl.


    Amelia stirred a bit before opening her eyes. She looked around the room confused from the change. Gradually recalling the fight between Alex and Quin, she shot up and approached Ruby.


    ¡°Sister Ruby! Where¡¯s Alex? Is he OK? Did Quin hurt him? Where is he now?!¡±


    Edward cut in before Ruby could answer.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine. His family is back in the city. He also said he¡¯s coming to see you tomorrow.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The Duke turned to Ruby. ¡°You may go. Keep me updated if the crown prince is seen.¡±


    Ruby gave a nod to the Duke as well as the confused Amelia before exiting the room, leaving the father and daughter alone.


    ¡°My daughter.¡±


    ¡°Father, I want to go see Alex.¡±


    The Duke sighed deeply. It seemed that he expected this from his daughter.


    ¡°Amelia, answer me this. Do you like Alex?¡±


    The abrupt question left Amelia stunned on the spot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s merely your shield, Amelia.¡± The Duke squinted at his speechless daughter.


    ¡°W-what do you mean father? He¡¯s my friend, of course I like him!¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean, Amelia.¡±


    Amelia¡¯s face blushed hard while she failed to answer, not daring to look her father in the eye.


    ¡°Haa¡­I¡¯ll talk to your mother¡­¡± The Duke looked at his daughter¡¯s expression and sighed. How could he not understand what his sole daughter is thinking!


    ¡°Go rest in your room, I¡¯ll get someone to call you for dinner.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, father¡­¡±


    Amelia left the room slowly under the gaze of her father. She felt happy and scared at the same time. She couldn¡¯t help but look forward to Alex¡¯s visit tomorrow.


    The Duke sighed once more, proceeding to sit back down behind his desk. He tapped his fingers on the table while thinking. He wrote some words quickly on an empty parchment and sealed it with the Duke¡¯s emblem.


    ¡°Pass this to the secret royal guard.¡± He muttered softly and held up the letter.


    With no warning or sound, the letter promptly vanished from the Duke¡¯s hand.


    ***


    Bill, the gardener, opened the door while being quite puzzled as he watched the wagon enter the mansion.


    Kyle climbed off the driver¡¯s seat and helped Vanessa get off the carriage.


    ¡°Daddy! Hug!¡± Little Kaylee wanted to copy her mother, being embraced by her loving father. Kyle happily complied and carried the little girl off the carriage. He gave Vanessa a knowing look after Kaylee climbed down from his hug.


    Vanessa smiled back and led her daughter into the house.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go freshen up sweetie.¡±


    ¡°Will you tell me a story mommy?¡±


    ¡°Sure, sweetie.¡±   ¡°Yay!¡±


    Kyle smiled with a helpless expression when he thought about how she would react to the news. Ignoring Alex¡¯s cramped face, they had discussed their relocation and decided to break the news to the little girl in the carriage, while the sweet little angle was still asleep.


    Kaylee had a few friends in the neighbourhood and it might be sad for her to leave them so suddenly but it could not be helped, since it was bound to happen sooner or later. Of course, all this occurred while Liz blocked her ears, thinking if the family treated her as if she was invisible.


    ¡°Liz, please get Aunt Mary and Aunt Laura to prepare us a quick dinner. Alex! Don¡¯t be in a daze. Help me with the carriage.¡±


    ¡°Ah-Ah right¡­¡±


    Liz gave a nod and headed into the detached building while Alex got a move on after Kyle¡¯s reminder.


    After dinner. Everyone gathered in the living room under Kyle¡¯s instructions.


    ¡°Everyone, I have some news to tell.¡± Kyle looked around at the crowd sitting around the large coffee table as he said.


    ¡°Our family of three will be leaving this city for an unknown amount of time. It could be ten or twenty years.¡±


    Kyle observed the changes on everyone¡¯s faces before continuing.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be letting you all go. Unless you wish to leave. Alex may still live here from time to time. So, I need people to housekeep.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Liz will be coming with us. It would be good for her to stay with Kaylee.¡±


    After Kyle explained his intent to Mary, Liz and the rest, he waited for them to make their decisions.


    Kaylee sat on Vanessa¡¯s lap, playing with an animal doll in silence. Vanessa gave Alex a glare, which the boy shrank back from. Alex was going to see Amelia in the morning. He still did not know what he should do, making Vanessa rather agitated.


    ¡°Master Kyle, if it¡¯s ok with you, my husband and I would like to continue working in the mansion.¡± Mary and Bill were the first to agree to the proposal. The rest following quickly after. Except for one.


    ¡°Ma, master Kyle¡­I have a request¡­¡± Liz, the youngest maid hesitantly spoke while looking up from time to time towards Alex.


    Kyle smirked while he waited for the shy young maiden to speak, thinking that this ought to be a good punishment for Alex.

 Chapter 22

    The King had received a rather worrying report from the Duke¡¯s guard, just as he was about to have his supper. His calm face had changed to one of unease and anger upon finishing the letter.


    ¡°Damn that man!¡± He swore at Kyle.


    He understood that the royal ancestor had instructed to keep clear of the hunter under most circumstances. Seeing that the man did nothing out of the ordinary, the King was happy to let him be. But, this time, his eldest son was the victim! He cursed the Duke inwardly. If Quin was not so infatuated with the Duke¡¯s only daughter, things would not have come to this.


    ¡°I cannot send the royal guard. It will take far too long. I can only ask the royal ancestor.¡± He muttered to himself after thinking for some time.


    The King opened the secret room in the back of his office after notifying that he was not to be disturbed.


    *Creak*


    As he descended the staircase leading to a secret chamber located below his study, he contemplated on what he should do about the situation.


    If his son were to die because of this, he would not be able to stay silent on the matter. Earlier, he had his secret guards update him on the situation regarding Kyle¡¯s family. It seemed that they were planning to leave the city and relocate elsewhere.


    He pushed the thoughts aside as he stepped into the chamber and went straight to the table in the center of the room.


    After activating the mana tool for communication with the royal ancestor, he nervously waited. The matter he wished to ask seemed rather trivial in the scheme of things. He did not know how the sole Demigod of the humans would react to his rather foolish request.


    ¡°Speak Silas, my child. It is not yet time for the scheduled meeting. What has happened?¡± An old yet kind voice transmitted from the mana tool calmed Silas Strand¡¯s heart as he reorganized his thoughts.


    ¡°Royal ancestor, I have a personal favour to ask.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    The King went on to explain his eldest child¡¯s circumstances and appealed the Demigod to save the boy.


    Contrary to his expectations, the old man was not angry after hearing the entirety of the matter, or at least what was written in the Duke¡¯s letter and his own man¡¯s investigations.


    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s rather boring just circulating mana up on this mountain anyways. I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±


    The mana tool went silent, indicating that the other side has cut off the communication.


    Silas breathed out a sigh of relief as he made his way back to his study.


    ¡®Now, to deal with this wretched family.¡¯ The King started making plans in his head as he headed out to have his meal.


    ***


    Alex was dumbfounded. Never in his mind did he think that this rather popular maid, a few years older than him would confess to him. Well, it was basically a confession.


    Having asked if she could stay with Alex at the academy as his personal maid, Liz blushed furiously as she stared hard at the floor, not daring to look up.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    The occasional peek showed the master of the house, Kyle smirking while giving his wife a nudge and a stiff faced Alex. The older people looked at Liz with an ¡®Oh my! It¡¯s good to be young!¡¯ expression while smiling.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Alex found that he had nothing in response to this rather odd request. He had realised that while he would draw attention from the ladies at the academy, Amelia would fend off all attempted to approach him. As a result, he practically had no experience in dealing with the opposite sex.


    Vanessa spoke up, breaking the awkward yet funny atmosphere. ¡°Alright! Why not. I can¡¯t rest easy leaving my dear brother all alone anyhow.¡± She covered her mouth and hid her laughter as she found Alex¡¯s mental anguish amusing.


    ¡°Ok, that settles it. Back to whatever you were doing. Thank you everyone.¡± Kyle quickly concluded the meeting.


    Alex still sat in the couch, unable to speak.


    ¡°Liz, come with me. Kaylee, sweetie, go with your father for a while. Mommy will be back in a bit.¡±


    Kaylee went down obediently towards Kyle, climbing on his shoulder with surprising speed and agility.


    Vanessa pulled Liz upstairs, not before giving a weird smile towards the still stunned Alex.


    ¡°Well, now that¡¯s taken care off, let¡¯s turn in early. I have to pack for the journey tomorrow and see some people tomorrow.¡± Kyle pretended to be tired and headed to the bathroom.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go clean you up little girl. Time to sleep!¡±


    Alex came back to his senses after everyone has left the room.


    ¡°Uh¡­guys? What about my opinion...¡±


    His question met with silence as Alex headed towards his room with confused thoughts.


    ***


    Trent Strand, the only living Demigod of the human side, was a specialist of the wind element. He speed was astonishing. He came to be known as the Divine Wind, probably due to the fact that his name was rather underwhelming.


    The old man quickly left the mountain, heading towards the south of the city, riding the wind bouncing off the mountain.


    It took less than ten minutes to reach the location described by his descendant. Upon, landing at the clearing near the woods, he saw half a dozen injured soldiers defending a young boy, trembling in fear, from a large number of what can only be seen as bandits and cutthroats.


    There were nearly eighty of the rough looking and poorly armoured men, attempting to break the defence of the guards. Six men of similar attire lay at the feet of the soldiers, clearly not moving.


    A quick scan with his spirit sense showed that they were no longer alive. The dead guards were accompanied by over thirty bandits


    A small amount of fury began to rise within the calm heart of the old man. In this troubled world, under threat of a common terrifying enemy, people like these still exist to terrorise the common man. Something he could not forgive.


    His arrival was unnoticed by the untrained thugs. The guards tensed up visibly by the arrival of an unknown person, who flew down from the sky. Despair filled their hearts as they cursed the foolish young prince, the cause of their woes.


    The intruder moved behind a few men at the outer circle with silence. Swiping his hands horizontally, he relieved the heads from the bodies of over ten men.


    The royal guards relaxed a little as they found that the old man was seemingly not their enemy, only to tense up once again after thinking that their chance of staying alive was now almost nil if he was hostile.


    After having lost a third of their number, the bandits noticed the old man.


    ¡°Who are you?! Guys, he killed so many of us! Kill him!¡±


    As the leader looking man yelled out, over twenty bandits left the guards and encircled the old man.


    Only a silent stare greeted them before their heads were equally detached from the torsos by invisible wind blades. The bandits, barely strengthened by mana, making them lightly stronger than the common men, stood no chance against the angry Demigod.


    Less than thirty seconds passed and there were fewer than twenty trembling bandits remaining.


    Deterred by the display of headless bodies before them, and a silent demon standing amidst the rolling heads and blood covered ground, the bandits started to run off in random directions. All unity gone, replaced by fear and a desperate will to survive, none listened to the bandit leader¡¯s orders as all thugs ran as if being hunted by the death god himself.


    The Divine Wind did not pursue the fleeing mob as he felt that it was enough lesson for the remaining men. If they continued in this line of work, a gruesome end will be met eventually, or so he believed. He was no demon and he would not start acting like one just because a few good men died.


    Trent Strand shifted his vision to the clearly frozen seven individuals. Even the crown prince, who had witnessed the scene in its entirety, was no longer trembling, scared stiff from the scene of carnage before him.


    ¡°Now then, my dear descendant, you have much to answer for.¡±


    The words of the man whom seemed to be his rescuer did not bring any joy to the shaken boy.

 Chapter 23

    Quin Strand was genuinely afraid. He was confronted with a person that did not care for his status. That person was absurdly strong. Skilled royal guards that accompanied him were no match. They struggled to even move their fingers in his presence once the man exerted his aura.


    As far as looks went, the man was ordinary. Only slightly handsome, with the bearings of a mere commoner, until he released his true aura, or at least that was what Quin thought.


    He did not know of anything that went on as he was knocked out merely a second after he felt the suffocating pressure. Finding out that Amelia and her entourage had left him behind upon waking up, he became very depressed.


    The guards decided to ignore his orders to chase after them and decided to recuperate, saying that they were in no condition to battle if the need came to be.


    As they decided to spend the night at the location, for the lack of better options, they were ambushed by a large group of men.


    Half of the guards gave their life trying to protect him during the assault. The remaining guards were able to hold off for quite a long time. The bandits were rather weak, little better than your average civilian. Only the leader having noticeable strength, comparable to one of the royal guards.


    However, sheer numbers were enough of a deterrent to the battle-hardened soldiers. As they were not in the best condition to begin with, some of them received minor injuries from the clash.


    Quin Strand desperately yelled out that he was the crown prince to the assaulting men. It was only met with jeers and laughter.


    ¡°Hahaha! Why would the crown prince be out all the way here with only a dozen so-so guards! Men, capture the boy! We can demand a nice sum for his pompous ass!!¡±


    The cry from the leader bandit brought on even more fervour from their attackers. They were undeterred even after the guards took down a significant portion of their forces.


    This was the second time where his status as a member of the royal family was of no help in the same day! It even brought out an opposite effect!


    As he was shaken and reflecting on his life decisions a new intruder to the fray arrived. The next thirty seconds of what he witnessed would be something that Quin Strand could never forget for the rest of his life.


    ***


    The Divine Wind brought the six weary soldiers along with the corpses of their companions and the little prince back to the royal castle.


    The speed he travelled was much slower. It took a little over thirty minutes to arrive at the compounds of the barracks inside the castle walls, where he deposited the soldiers.


    As he landed in the private courtyard of the King, he sent a mana transmission to Silas who was still brooding in his study.


    Setting down the still mute boy, Trent sat at the nearby bench, taking out a bottle of wine from his space artefact. The boy reacted to an object appearing out of nowhere, looking visibly interested yet still scared of him.


    Trent thought to speak to the boy. He was still very young and prone to mistakes after all. Men would not be men if they were to not learn and improve upon one¡¯s errors.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Quin is it? Come here my boy. I¡¯m technically your great great great granduncle. C¡¯mon, nothing to be afraid off.¡±


    Quin was a bit startled at being spoken to in a rather friendly tone, a surprising change from earlier.


    ¡®Nothing to be afraid off? Who¡¯d believe that after seeing something like that?!¡¯


    Quin groaned inwardly but chose not to voice out his thoughts. He¡¯d had far too much of an emotional rollercoaster in one day. Whatever that meant. What was a rollercoaster anyways??


    Trent chuckled a bit as he watched the boy trudge closer to the bench, before sitting down at one end.


    ¡°I see you are interested in this. This, my boy, is a space artefact. Forged by the high humans with the help of dwarves. The high humans¡¯ affinity with the space element was uncanny. Too bad, they are no longer in this world. The old gods envied their abilities with controlling mana and made it so that conceiving a child of a high human was nigh impossible.¡±


    Quin took in the new information with great interest, temporarily forgetting his fear of the old man. Trent Strand took a sip of wine before continuing.


    ¡°Mine is in the form of a ring you see. They used to make them in the form of pouches, but they got stolen far too easily.¡±


    The Divine Wind recalled some old memories and laughed. Before, Quin had a chance to say anything, a rush of footsteps could be heard heading towards them.


    The boy and the old man turned to look and saw the King, Silas, was rushing towards them.


    Silas saw the two sitting on the bench together and breathed a sigh of relief. He hurriedly approached the bench and dragged his son off it.


    He forced the boy to kneel towards the old man and also following in the act himself afterwards.


    ¡°Thank you for rescuing my idiot son, royal ancestor!¡± The King yelled out, not displaying any dignity of a King as his forehead touched the ground.


    The prince followed his father¡¯s action in a hurry and also yelled out. ¡°Thank you for saving me, royal ancestor!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s nothing big. Don¡¯t worry about it. But, perhaps you may want to keep a closer eye on this son of yours Silas. Occasional mistakes are fine until they become irredeemable, hahaha.¡±


    ¡°I shall do as you instruct, royal ancestor!¡±


    ¡°Now, stand up! It won¡¯t do for the King of humans to be seen kow-towing, even to me.¡±


    The King gingerly stood up and pressed down his son who also attempted to stand along with him.


    ¡°Now then. Explain to me again why the Duke¡¯s guards didn¡¯t bring your son and the royal guards along when they left. It could be seen as treason towards the royal family.¡±


    The King was also rather upset about this. The Duke had written the report in such a way to pin the blame on the stranger that was Kyle. But if one thought about it, it did not stop the Duke¡¯s guards from going together with the prince.


    ¡°I shall do something about this, royal ancestor. You need not concern with such lowly matters. Your descendent will surely demand an answer for this!¡±


    The crown prince turned gloomy when he thought about being left behind again. ¡®Do you really hate me to the point of wanting me to die Amelia?!¡¯


    Unfortunately, no one could answer his inner thoughts as the Divine Wind mused upon the King¡¯s comment.


    ¡°Well, since I¡¯m down the mountain, I shall go see this Duke for a bit. Servants only act on instructions. One who gave such instructions must take responsibility for the outcome.¡±


    ***


    Kyle had just finished bathing with his daughter and readied to tuck little Kaylee into bed. Suddenly, he turned to look in a certain direction, his gaze seemingly able to see through all obstacles.


    He patted his daughter who was holding his neck while in his embrace. Letting her onto the ground, Kyle spoke to Kaylee. ¡°Little girl, go find your mother for a bit, daddy will be back real fast.¡±


    ¡°Nooo!! Daddy, where are you going? I want to come too!!¡± Kaylee threw a tantrum every time Kyle sneaked off somewhere random. Thinking that he was going somewhere exciting to play, she¡¯d always pester him. Half the time, Kyle would take a walk in the great forest to the west of the land to find rare and exotic specimens of magic herbs for Kaylee to consume, so the little girl always thought she was being left out.


    ¡°Not this time sweetie, daddy is going to see a couple of people. I will take you to play next time, OK?¡±


    Kaylee pouted and turned around with a hmph. ¡°You always say that, but you never take me to play!¡±


    Kyle could only laugh in defeat. ¡°OK, I will definitely take you next time. Come, let¡¯s draw hooks.¡±


    The little girl brightened up and drew a hook with her father before running off to find her mommy.


    ¡°Well, better get going. I don¡¯t really care about him but Alex won¡¯t be happy if I didn¡¯t help out Amelia¡¯s father.¡± Kyle sighed lightly and vanished from the spot.

 Chapter 24

    Vanessa drew Liz into an empty room upstairs. After sitting down next to each other on the bed, she faced the nervous maid and asked.


    ¡°Now Liz, where did this come from?¡±


    Liz struggled to meet Vanessa¡¯s gaze as she thought about how to answer. Indeed, it was surprising. Her time to see Alex was not much, as she was an almost permanent maid for Kaylee. The boy was only home for once a week to start with.


    Vanessa stared at Liz¡¯s face to see if she could see into her thought process. She liked this girl. While younger than herself by a few years, she was a very lively girl, easy to become friends with.


    Although, the confession came sudden, it wouldn¡¯t be such a bad thing, even if she was a mere mistress, with her social position, legal wife would be a bit difficult in the eyes of society for someone like Alex. Of course, assuming there was no ulterior motive or plot in the background going on.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know mistress¡­when I heard that I was to leave with you, I couldn¡¯t hold back all of a sudden. I know it¡¯s an unreasonable request but I had to try.¡±


    ¡°Liz, call me sister Vanessa. We¡¯ve known each other long enough now, and you¡¯re practically Kaylee¡¯s aunt. Don¡¯t be so distant. I just wanted to know if you truly liked that boy.¡±


    ¡°I¡­think I do. I mean I would hate it if I had to stop seeing him for months and years on end. I¡¯m aware that I¡¯m not suitable to be his lover¡­¡­I just want to be close to Master Alex.¡±


    Liz thought a bit more before continuing. ¡°Someone like Miss Amelia would be far more suited to Alex. It¡¯s quite apparent that she loves him, too.¡±


    Liz sighed in defeat and looked rather gloomy.


    Vanessa chuckled a bit after hearing the girl¡¯s thoughts. She stroked her hair as she responded.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing wrong with liking someone and wanting to be with them. But, you haven¡¯t shown any signs of it to the boy, so it would be a real surprise to him. Anyways, so what if he gets together with Amelia? You can still be his second. I know it doesn¡¯t sound good but powerful men of high position are likely to have more than one lover.¡±


    ¡°But, Master Kyle doesn¡¯t have a second wife¡­¡± Liz muttered barely audible to Vanessa.


    Vanessa laughed at that. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s welcome to try¡­but if he does bring a second woman¡­hehehe¡­¡±


    Liz was somewhat shaken by Vanessa¡¯s sudden change in character and wondered where the previous gentle and kind big sister went.


    While the two were in their bonding session, likely to become in-laws in the near future, a burst of rapid footsteps were heard from outside the room, echoing in the hallway.


    ¡°Mommyyy!! Where are you!¡± Vanessa and Liz both chuckled and started walking out to meet the cute little bundle of joy.


    ***


    Edward Gray was sitting in his favourite couch, reading a book while drinking a cup of tea. Something he usually did just before going off to sleep together with his demonic wife.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Tonight, however, was a little different. There was an extra guest present in the room. As soon as the man who was not supposed to be present appeared, the temperature inside the room seemed to have been reduced by ten degrees.


    The Duke was frozen, unwilling to shift his vision from his book. His instincts told him that he might lose his life if he were to make any sudden moves.


    ¡®I¡¯m too young to die. I¡¯m only forty-two. I haven¡¯t even taken in a mistress yet!¡¯ As he gave himself some nonsensical courage, he breathed out slowly and moved his vision slowly towards the person sitting across from him, who was now helping himself to a cup of tea.


    The Duke parted his mouth, only to close back up after deciding that it was perhaps better to stay silent and wait for the unknown person to speak.


    After drinking a cup of tea in silence and muttering, ¡°Not bad, good tea¡±, the intruder turned to Edward and asked.


    ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m here boy?¡±


    The first thought that went through the Duke¡¯s brain was that how was he a boy. Even if the old man looked to be around sixty, he himself was clearly an adult. Soon after, he decided that it wasn¡¯t really important and contemplated upon the more significant parts of the sentence.


    Why was he here? Why? Realisation hit the Duke. His message from earlier had caused the King to ask that one person for help, something that he believed would not happen. And obviously his attempts to shift the blame to the unknown and suspicious individual was not effective.


    The Duke got down from the couch as fast as possible and knelt towards the old man.


    ¡°Your subject greets the royal ancestor!¡± Edward was cursing himself inwardly. Perhaps, he should not have told his guards to ¡®ignore¡¯ the crown prince under all circumstances after all.


    ¡°Hmph, at least you remember your manners, boy.¡± The old man poured another cup of tea and waited for the kneeling ¡®boy¡¯ to speak.


    ¡°I-I pray that the crown prince is alright!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! No thanks to you!¡±


    The royal ancestor¡¯s sentence caused cold sweat to stream down the Duke¡¯s back. As he was thinking hard about how to get out of the situation, and realising that there was no way to avoid punishment, both the Duke and the old man heard a strange voice in their ears.


    ¡°Ok, perhaps that¡¯s quite enough. I¡¯d never hear the end of it from my wife if I let my future in-laws to suffer through unnecessary hardship.¡±


    Both men turned to look to see a young man sitting adjacent from them, with a relaxed expression on his face.


    ¡®How did he- No! How long has he been here!!¡¯ All sorts of alarms inside the old man went off, telling him not to provoke this man. The kind he felt when he met the monster emperor when he was a mere grandmaster ranked warrior.


    ¡°Oi, kid. Stop scaring the boy, he¡¯s learned his lesson. Probably.¡±


    Kyle held a bottle of wine in his hand. The Divine Wind, seeing the bottle in Kyle¡¯s hand, was shocked to the extreme.


    ¡°Wha-! How??!!¡± His shaken voice rang out in the room as he stared at the bottle in Kyle¡¯s hand. That was HIS wine bottle! How could it be in this man¡¯s hand??


    Trent Strand hurriedly checked inside his space artefact. Sure enough, the bottle of wine was no longer there!


    ¡°Hmm, not bad, barely passable. I¡¯ll treat you to some of mine next time, if I get a chance. Gotta go back, can¡¯t keep the wife and kid waiting too long. See ya!¡±


    Kyle threw the bottle of wine towards the stunned old man, which the latter caught absentmindedly.


    The young man vanished from their vision as he was never there to begin with. Edward rubbed his eyes to see if he just saw an illusion. He turned towards the royal ancestor and saw that the old man was staring at the wine bottle in his hand with his mouth agape!


    ¡°Not a word of this! Or I¡¯ll have you vanish from this world!¡±


    The Divine Wind made a rather scary threat before similarly disappearing from the spot.


    The Duke kept kneeling on the spot for quite some time. After a considerably long amount of time, he finally came back to reality and breathed out a huge sigh of relief.


    After getting up and pouring himself a cold cup of tea to calm down, he muttered to no one in particular.


    ¡°At least the royal ancestor didn¡¯t mention anything else about the crown prince. Lucky lucky. But, who is that man named Kyle exactly?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my daughter, is this a good thing or a bad thing¡­time will tell I suppose¡­It¡¯s really out of my control now!¡±

 Chapter 25

    Vanessa settled comfortably in her beloved¡¯s arms, as they lay in bed, turning in for the night. Today had been a very, very long one. The start of a simple holiday turning to a semi-permanent relocation.


    ¡°How was the talk with Liz, my wife?¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s mood fluctuated for a very brief moment before returning to normal. Of course, Kyle didn¡¯t miss this. He was about to ask if there was anything wrong when Vanessa spoke in response to the earlier question.


    ¡°Hmm, it was a bit surprising. She hid it rather well all this time. But, I don¡¯t oppose to her liking Alex. As for Alex returning the feelings, I¡¯ll leave it to the individuals themselves.¡±


    ¡°Haha, the boy¡¯s going to have fun at the academy!¡± Kyle laughed thinking about treatment he¡¯d get from Amelia after she finds out about his ¡®personal maid¡¯.


    The couple laughed at the same time while looking at each other. Kyle leaned in for a good night kiss.


    ¡°Sweet dreams, wife.¡± Kyle smiled and turned off the mana lamp on their bedside table.


    ¡°Good night, dear.¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s slight discomfort went unnoticed this time around.


    ***


    Trent Strand stood atop the mountain behind the capital. There was not much moonlight around. The harsh and fast winds blowing over the mountain bringing comfort to his rather bad mood.


    The earlier encounter was not as he had expected it. That man was far too strange. Although, they had not actually fought a battle, he was sure that he would lose if they were to do so!


    However! He could not find peace in the act of shirking due to a stronger enemy. He might have just been very good at manipulating space and his actual combat potential might not have been all that high!


    Trent¡¯s body started to shiver as one with the wind. His slumbering battle intent slowly rose up within him, just as it had been in his younger days, with a spear in his hands, on the battlefield facing terrifying monsters from an unknown realm!


    ¡°Hahahaha! I must be getting old!¡± The old man howled into the wind. The fast winds seemed to resonate to his battle intent and blew even faster around the mountain top.


    ¡°But, it isn¡¯t the time right now. I must get into the right state-of-mind. I am far more likely to make mistakes as I am now.¡±


    The old man muttered softly. Having calmed down somewhat, he sat down on the spot to come up with a plan to cope against Kyle¡¯s prowess in the space attribute.


    ***


    Alex walked along the road. He was alone. Liz had wanted to follow him but Vanessa had pulled her off to a random corner to have a girls¡¯ chat.


    While, mentally thanking his sister for it, Alex thought about what he should say to Amelia. Should he say that he wanted to go with his family, leaving the capital but couldn¡¯t bear to since she was here?


    If he asked, would she come? If she wanted to come, would her father let her? All in all, it was rather embarrassing since he couldn¡¯t say anything of importance since it pretty much sounded like a roundabout proposal.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    He also wanted to finish his study. It would stabilize his future, ensuring that he became a somebody.


    As he agonized in his mind about the upcoming conversation, he finally reached the gates of the Duke¡¯s mansion. The gate guards let him in easily, since it had not been the first time he had come to visit.


    After being seated in the visitor¡¯s lounge and as he waited for Amelia, Alex decided on one thing. He would simply say things as how they are. While Amelia may be special to him, he only had one sister in the entire world.


    Who was to say he wouldn¡¯t be able to find someone as special as Amelia later on? As a mage, he had a long life ahead of him. He shouldn¡¯t worry about love so early in his life!


    He reassured himself as he waited nervously in the large empty room. A door leading to the inner hallways swung open, waking Alex up from his thoughts.


    A smiling Duke came out by himself, walking towards the boy in large strides.


    ¡°Alex! My boy! How are you! Have you eaten something this morning? Care to join me for morning tea?¡±


    Alex was rooted on the spot from shock towards the Duke¡¯s overly familiar greetings. As question marks popped in his head, and unable to answer to the Duke, he was dragged off with an arm around his shoulder towards the inner areas of the mansion.


    After a short walk with the Duke making some small talk, almost all about his daughter, and with Alex replying in short words, still rather muddle headed, the two reached another lounge with tea and snacks ready.


    As soon as the two entered the room, a shadow ran towards them and tackled Alex. The Duke, knowing the assailant just smiled shaking his head, seemingly not minding the display of affection before him.


    ¡°Alex! You are alright!¡±


    Amelia screamed as she lay on top of the boy, hugging him tightly.


    Alex frantically tapped on her back, as he struggled to breathe.


    ¡®Uncle Edward, help!¡¯ He formed those words to the Duke desperately, hoping that the man would save his life.


    The Duke blinked a few times then realised that he should probably separate them.


    ¡°Umm, darling daughter, my dear, let¡¯s go and have some tea and talk at the table. It¡¯s going to get cold.¡±


    Amelia looked up to see a green-faced Alex. Alex realised that Amelia had teary eyes, slightly red and puffy. He somehow felt really happy right at that moment, mixed in with feelings of guilt for having resolved to leave her behind.


    Amelia wordlessly got up and helped Alex stand. The Duke sighed a bit, thinking that it was perhaps too late for his daughter. She¡¯s been thoroughly taken away from him. He inwardly sobbed a bit at that thought.


    Amelia didn¡¯t speak much more over the tea session. Her heart was pounding loudly. She had always been close to Alex. Hugs and the likes were not uncommon, although one in front of her father was the first.


    However, it was the first time she cried in front of the boy, and he saw it clearly! She felt troubled. What if her yearning was merely one sided? What if he thought her an easy woman? Her father had said that he¡¯d talk to her mother last night about it. But, what if mother disagrees? Father has never gone against her mother¡¯s words.


    She was scared, and insecure. After tea, the Duke excused himself saying he had some work to oversee, leaving the two youths alone.


    ¡°Amelia.¡± Alex opened his mouth after taking a big breath. Currently, they were in a large garden in the back of the Duke mansion, sitting next to each other on a bench.


    Amelia looked at Alex with her big pretty eyes. Alex, felt his mood sink at the thought of having to confess the following, after seeing those infatuating eyes. The girl was indeed one of the most beautiful he¡¯d seen for her age.


    ¡°My family is moving away, from the capital.¡± Each word came out with much difficulty after this.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­not sure what to do¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to go with them¡­but¡­¡­¡± Alex looked into those mesmerising eyes as he struggled to finish the sentence.


    ¡°Mmh!!¡±


    Just as he made up his mind and was about to speak out, he was robbed of his chance.


    Amelia hugged him closely and suddenly kissed the boy! Initially, Alex attempted to struggle. After a few futile attempts, he gave up resistance.


    Who knew when he¡¯d be able to enjoy such bliss again. Heck, if the Duke was to see this, he might actually be killed!


    Unknown to the two, the Duke was indeed watching from the outer edge of the garden. He was currently trembling and was being held back by a beautiful mature woman, much like an older Amelia, who was giggling.


    ¡°Dear, let them be. Weren¡¯t we also like that at when we were younger? Fufufu.¡±


    After a full thirty seconds of kissing, Amelia finally released Alex, albeit still in a tight hug. As he looked back at her amorous face, he knew he¡¯d been completely defeated.

 Chapter 26

    ¡®What am I doing right now?¡¯ As I question myself internally, I continue the act. He also responds, rather clumsily. Well, it¡¯s not as if we have any experience doing this.


    He better not has any experience! Otherwise, there¡¯ll be much to answer for! Ah! I¡¯m being like mother again. I must not, what will I do if he runs away.


    While, I¡¯m chatting away in my mind at near light speed, I unwittingly release him only to find him staring back into my eyes.


    My thoughts just freeze up right there. I wonder what he thinks of me right now.


    My thoughts wonder back to our time together over the years, when we first met right up until the present day.


    My twin brother, Michael¡¯s roommate, a commoner boy. Talented in mana manipulation, enough to shock those ¡®pure blooded¡¯ nobles around him.


    It was a rather unintended effect, but Amelia Gray befriending the boy brought about unsavoury rumours from the crowd.


    Word of how the Duke¡¯s sole daughter was seducing the poor commoner boy with no background with honey traps and wealth, to rope him into her household, got around the academy.


    I didn¡¯t know who had spread such false facts, but it made me furious nonetheless.


    I certainly was not about to lose her first friend to the likes of some scheming gossip.


    Therefore, instead of backing away, I became even closer to the boy. I even went to visit his family despite his protests.


    The rumour died down pretty quickly. We were only ten years old after all. As the months passed by, everything became natural. I¡¯d be pulling his hands or hugging him as if he was a family member.


    After the first few times, I¡¯d be rolling in my bed in shame. But, I found comfort in such acts. He was family but different from my brothers.


    They say girls mature faster than boys. Maybe it was because he was close to his big sister as he grew up, he had no real aversion to my skinship. It eased the embarrassment for me.


    Our relationship grew steadily from that point on. Michael thought that we were being disgusting and stopped hanging out with us.


    I don¡¯t know when I started treating him the way I do now. Was it a year ago? Was it when I found out that he was moving away? I don¡¯t know. It doesn¡¯t matter.


    Thoughts swirled in my head as I stared into his eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but call his name.


    ¡°Alex¡­¡±   ¡°Amelia!¡±


    We both laughed at the same time. He gave me a quick peck on the lips, refusing to look me in the eyes right after. It was the first time Alex initiated an intimate act! I couldn¡¯t hide my smile as I thought about how to tease him later on.


    I think I heard my father¡¯s groaning and mother laughing somewhere.


    ***


    The King had come to his private study after the morning session with his subjects. He¡¯d been thinking about how to make life difficult for Kyle and his family.


    The live reports on the whereabouts of the entire family showed that everyone was at their family mansion except for Alex, his son¡¯s rival, who was at the Duke¡¯s compounds.Stolen novel; please report.


    This matter has actually given him a headache. Technically, they¡¯d done nothing wrong, and as the King, he couldn¡¯t just arbitrarily punish his citizens. Therefore, he¡¯d have to do this under the table.


    If word was to reach other¡¯s ears about his plans, his rule could be cut short and his family ostracized by the public. As he sat down at the usual spot, he noticed a sealed letter present on the desk.


    He picked up the letter with a doubt in his mind. Who could have placed a letter except for his secret guard in his private study?


    Then he noticed the mana imprint of the royal family. Hurriedly sending mana into the parchment, a row of words began to unravel after the seal was released.


    The King¡¯s expression froze from reading the contents. They were precisely instructions from the royal ancestor to not bother Kyle¡¯s family. While, the old man didn¡¯t exactly imply that Kyle was stronger than himself, it could be seen that the royal ancestor was cautious about the man.


    *Bang*


    The study table shook as the fists of an adept ranked warrior struck in frustration.


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    After releasing language not befitting of his station, he slumped back on his chair.


    The King sighed out of partial relief and frustration. ¡®At least they¡¯re leaving the capital. Someone else¡¯s problem now!¡¯


    ***


    ¡°Have you decided, Alex?¡± Vanessa asked her little brother, sitting across from her, with his lover next to him.


    She couldn¡¯t help but smirk as she watched the two, holding hands, lost in their own environment.


    ¡°Well, I guess that answers the question.¡± Vanessa¡¯s mumble escaped the two lovebirds as they got comfortable in their own fantasies.


    ¡°Oh, for crying out loud! It¡¯s only been half a day, quit it already!¡± Vanessa sharp retort jolted the two, bringing an embarrassed but goofy grin on Alex¡¯s face, and a pink glow on Amelia¡¯s pretty features.


    The time was a bit after lunch. Kyle had gone out with his daughter, taking the carriage to run errands around town. The maids were busy packing extra things for their relocation.


    In the morning, all employees had signed a mana contract stating that they were not to divulge any details seen at the mansion under all but exceptional circumstances.


    Therefore, Kyle had been freely using his storage ring inside the mansion, under the surprised eyes of the maids.


    Amelia had also seen Kyle storing things into his ring. The poor girl had mistaken Kyle as a hidden hermit, powerful enough to work as a royal court mage if he so wished to, ever since she heard the details of the royal guards¡¯ defeat from Ruby. Therefore, she was not surprised to see Kyle owning a ¡®space artefact¡¯.


    Kyle didn¡¯t see the need to correct her and the Duke would certainly not speak out about what went on in his study to anyone.


    Alex was gingerly holding Amelia¡¯s hands as he took a breath and spoke.


    ¡°Sister! I want to finish my studies at the academy! I want to stay together with Amelia.¡± He turned to look at the beauty beside him as he said the last part.


    Before the two lost themselves in their own little world once more, Vanessa responded to Alex¡¯s declaration.


    ¡°Well, I thought as much. It¡¯s fine, we will come visit you once a year at least. As for what you want to do after three years, I will leave it up to you, little brother.¡±


    ¡°Amelia, I¡¯ll have to ask you to continue to take care of my idiot little brother when I¡¯m not here. Honestly, I still don¡¯t know why you like him!¡±


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I will, sister Vanessa, hehe.¡±


    Vanessa thought of something as she observed Alex and Amelia. With a sly grin, she addressed Alex.


    ¡°Little brother!¡±


    ¡°What is it, big sis?¡±


    ¡°Have you talked about Liz to Amelia? The two girls will be seeing each frequently in the future after all.¡±


    Alex¡¯s face stiffened. He¡¯d obviously forgotten about Liz, his new personal maid. Amelia sported a questioning expression while she turned to look at the boy next to her.


    Her expression turning somewhat sour, having felt that she was being left out of the loop, she asked Alex.


    ¡°Liz? The maid? What are you talking about, sister Vanessa? Alex?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­that¡­¡± Alex didn¡¯t know where to start with the explanation. It was rather forced onto him. He could reject the girl but he didn¡¯t know how to!


    It was at that time that the maid in question walked into the room with a tray carrying tea and snacks.


    Liz came into the room to find a smiling Vanessa, an awkward Alex and Amelia who was looking at her with a glare.


    The maid, despite older than both Alex and Amelia, flinched from the unkind gaze. After softly setting the tray down and setting the cups of tea for each occupant, she quickly bowed and turned around to leave as if escaping from something scary.


    This act did not help with the now very suspicious Amelia, who had pretty much connected the dots from the little spoken information and the odd behaviour from Alex and Liz.


    She got up from the couch and followed after Liz, not forgetting to give Alex a death stare as she left.

 Chapter 27

    Liz was sweating rather profusely right now. She has had a girl¡¯s talk earlier this morning with Vanessa. Vanessa was rather carefree about Liz¡¯s feelings towards Alex. However, she did warn that Amelia might not be so light-hearted.


    It turned out that Vanessa was very much correct!


    Liz was being confronted by Amelia at this very moment. After serving tea, Liz had escaped the room as fast as she could, or so she thought.


    Amelia had followed right behind her without a word.


    ¡°Follow me!¡± Amelia commanded with a deadpan tone as she quickly took the lead and headed towards the garden.


    Liz had no choice but to follow. She knew that Amelia would be her biggest obstacle towards gaining Alex¡¯s affection!


    Alex was too young and inexperienced in the ways of love and life. Liz felt that if she tried her best, it would not be long until Alex would develop some feelings towards her.


    If one asked what spurred her feelings of love towards a younger boy, she¡¯d have no real answer to give.


    Why does one love another? Sometimes the answer can be simple, other times, complicated. However, a lot of people will find that there is no answer. They love another without reason. Why does love need a reason anyhow.


    It can bud from the smallest of things. A simple smile, a helping hand when one was lost. Maybe just being in one¡¯s presence during hard times.


    Liz did not know why she liked the boy. Was it true love? Did she want to spend the rest of her life with him?


    She did not know the answer to those questions. But, she¡¯d try her best to find out. For now, though, there was an obstacle to face, a rather tough one.


    Liz followed Amelia to the little gazebo. Amelia signalled the scared looking maid girl to sit opposite from her.


    ¡®Why¡¯d I have to look like a villainous wife? I only wanted to talk to the girl. Ahh!! Damn Alex! Provoking trouble left and right!¡¯ Sorting out her internal turmoil, Amelia took a careful look at the older girl, or rather woman, sitting across her.


    Amelia knew that she was beautiful for her age. Only fifteen and there were already countless proposals sent to the Duke¡¯s mansion every day.


    Whether they were for herself or her prowess as a mage and her identity, she did not know. She did not care to know. It was more likely to be the latter anyhow.


    Liz was a pretty woman. Not gorgeous like Amelia. Just pretty. An innocent beauty with brown hair and a few freckles. The very picture of a wild flower amongst weeds.


    Amelia had obviously met Liz long ago. She didn¡¯t think much of the maid back then since there was no intersection between the two.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself, formally.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Amelia von Gray, sole daughter of Duke Edward von Gray. Currently in a relationship with Alex.¡±


    Liz gulped. She knew that the pretty girl that came along with Alex most weeks was a princess. Only daughter of a Duke. Still, hearing it from the person from herself was intimidating. Especially if she was seemingly trying to steal the girl¡¯s boyfriend.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°¡­My name is Lizzy¡­people just call me Liz¡­Umm¡­your highness, what¡¯s this about?¡±


    Liz tried to be as polite as she can as she tried to probe Amelia¡¯s intentions, even though she¡¯d already guessed it.


    ¡°Ha¡­Don¡¯t be scared¡­I¡¯m not going to tell you to stop liking Alex. And no ¡®your highness¡¯ please. Just Amelia.


    ¡°And you aren¡¯t the first. Just last month, there were three girls trying to seduce Alex. Of course, I knew they were just after his potential.¡± Amelia shook her little fists in anger, remembering the vixens.


    Liz fidgeted and didn¡¯t know what to say. It seemed that Amelia was OK with her, for now.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be mistaken though, if Alex doesn¡¯t want you around, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make you leave.¡±


    The sharp glare and sudden change in attitude made Liz hold her breath or at least it would if there wasn¡¯t a pout in her beautiful lips. Liz tried very hard to not break her facial expression, causing her to have a rather scared looking expression. She thought that this little beauty was very adorable.


    Unaware of Liz¡¯s thoughts, Amelia was having troubles of her own. She felt somewhat funny. This older woman was so easy to read! If she were to just be herself and stay in Alex¡¯s presence, perhaps it won¡¯t be long until the boy succumbs to her pure charm.


    Liz suddenly laughed out a little. Realizing that she was being a bit rude, the maid did her best to restrain herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Amelia, I just couldn¡¯t help it. I thought you were going to be angry at me and tell me to stay away from Alex¡­¡±


    Amelia pretended to be a bit upset. ¡°Hmph, this miss has a big heart! I will allow you to be near him for now!¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way, so you are obviously not going with Sister Vanessa and Master Kyle, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Liz recalled that Amelia has not been informed that she asked to be Alex¡¯s personal maid at the academy. Looking rather awkward, she replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I won¡¯t be going with them. I¡¯m staying in the capital¡­¡­as Alex¡¯s personal maid¡­¡±


    Peeking at Amelia¡¯s expression for any signs of anger, Liz relaxed when she saw that Amelia donned a thinking pose. ¡®So cute!!¡¯ Liz, who wasn¡¯t all that aware about her own attractiveness, was a bit jealous of Amelia.


    ¡°That¡¯s clearly impossible!¡±


    ¡°Eh??¡±


    Liz raised a confused voice at Amelia¡¯s sudden exclamation.


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to steal a march on him! You¡¯ll be my personal maid instead. Our villas are next to each other anyways!¡±


    As the two girls were in their bonding (?) session, Alex was being lectured on how to treat girls from his big sis.


    ¡®Sis! Please don¡¯t tell me everything Kyle has done for you over the last four years!¡¯


    Both Liz and Alex were suffering in their own way.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in a busy market place in the city, Kyle was walking back to the parking lot that he¡¯d left the carriage at.


    Kaylee was riding on his shoulder, nibbling a sweet that she¡¯d got her father to buy for her.


    As Kyle was going through a mental checklist of things to be done before the trip while walking along the road, he was interrupted by the way of an old man standing in his path.


    Kyle stopped a few steps away from the old man. Staring at the recent acquaintance with a funny look, he asked.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Hmph! This ancestor has come to challenge you to a fair fight! Last time, I do not know how you escaped, but if that¡¯s all you can do, then this old man is going to teach you a lesson!¡±


    The old man¡¯s voice was not loud but it was still heard by the surrounding people, who stopped and looked at the two parties with interest, expecting some entertainment.


    Kyle struggled to not laugh out as his stare changed from one of surprise to pity.


    ¡°Oi, are you an idiot? Why would you come challenge me in this location? What if you lose? How will your children have the face to call themselves the royal family?¡±


    The crowd got into loud murmurs from the words ¡®royal family¡¯. People didn¡¯t know if the information was true or not. However, rumours didn¡¯t really need truth to spread around!


    ¡°You!! How¡¯d these peasants know that I¡¯m from the royal family if you didn¡¯t say it out! And who said we¡¯re going to fight here?!¡±


    Kyle turned to Kaylee, and said. ¡°Little girl, don¡¯t be like that kid ok? He¡¯s clearly lost it. Can¡¯t even take a joke.¡±


    Kaylee giggled and nodded cutely. Her current attention, however, was more towards a nearby stall selling some nice looking sugar coated fruits.


    The crowd around them was now pointing fingers at the old man and laughing. Of course, no one really believed that the ¡®crazy¡¯ old man was from the esteemed royal family.


    The royal ancestor, who was too easily provoked for his age and experience, could stand the situation no longer. He bellowed and shot towards Kyle and Kaylee with full speed.

 Chapter 28

    Kyle¡¯s smiling expression froze when he saw the old man rush towards him. Kyle was rather angry now. Not to mention the wind harnessed during the charge blowing away the surrounding spectators, his daughter was here!


    Of course, Kaylee would come to no harm while he was around. She wouldn¡¯t even if he was not here, but that was not the point! Someone had the nerve to attack him, not caring about the wellbeing of his daughter.


    ¡®Hmm, how should I punish this idiot??¡¯


    In Kyle¡¯s vision, an angry looking old man was flying towards him with his hands stretched out, as if to grab Kyle and fly away elsewhere.


    ¡®At least he has the sense to not continue the fight here¡­¡¯


    Kyle held onto Kaylee and went a few steps forward to grab the old man¡¯s collar before flying off to the southern wastelands beyond the mountain.


    In the eyes of the spectators, all they could see was an old man getting angry and then vanishing with a blast of wind, along with father daughter pair standing opposite.


    After the Divine Wind came to his senses from the rather short travel time, he became rather confused as he looked around him.


    He had been intending to borrow the power of the wind to bring himself and the hateful man along with the little girl just outside the city walls, where there would be no bystanders.


    He recognized the place he was in. It was the land decimated by the monsters when they invaded thousands of years ago! The mountain he resided on was quite close in the background.


    Kaylee was also very surprised at the sudden change in location. Her young mind was trying to figure out where the surrounding people went. Her big eyes looked around and then settled on her father, as she figured that he must have been the cause.


    ¡°You! How did you do this?! No no¡­travelling this far even if you are a space attribute mage¡­impossible¡­it can¡¯t be!¡±


    The royal ancestor pointed at Kyle with trembling fingers. He was finding it hard to believe that Kyle was able to do this without breaking a sweat.


    His battle intent had diminished a little upon the thought of confronting such a monster.


    ¡°You¡­what are you¡­¡± His shaken mind apparent in his voice as the old man tried to calm himself.


    Kyle was wordless staring at the old man. He was internally a little angry. Kyle walked over a few tens of meters to the side, where he placed Kaylee down.


    ¡°Little girl, stay here and don¡¯t move. Your daddy is going to beat up an annoying kid.¡± Kyle placed multiple barriers to the point that it was impossible to count while he spoke with a gentle tone.


    The old man¡¯s anger flared back up after being referred to as ¡®kid¡¯.


    ¡°Who are you calling kid!! I¡¯m eight hundred and thirty years old!!¡±


    Father and daughter both pretended to not hear the fuming old man. Kaylee watched the shiny barriers around her with sparkling eyes. Her small hands pushing against the inner walls, attempting to feel the soft and pliable membrane, preventing her fingers to exit.


    Kyle lovingly watched his daughter for a few seconds. His hands going through the barriers without impedance and rubbing Kaylee¡¯s hair into a mess, causing the little girl to pout and slap his hands away with a huff, he turned around to look at the old man, who was also observing the barrier, or rather Kaylee¡¯s interaction with it.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Alright, idiotic kid. Ready to feel some pain?¡± Kyle¡¯s rather frivolous speech made the old man fuming once more.


    ¡®This guy¡¯s emotions are so easy to change. How is he still alive to this day?¡¯ Kyle wondered as he walked far enough so that the battle wouldn¡¯t have much impact on Kaylee¡¯s location.


    He knew full well that anything the ¡®kid¡¯ can throw at the multitude of barriers would not even scratch the surface, yet he refused to take any risks.


    Trent Strand closed his eyes, adjusting his mood. It seemed that the opponent was finally ready to fight, or beat him up to a pulp. Whichever it was, he couldn¡¯t back down now.


    One thing that brought comfort was that there were no signs of killing intent from the man. Releasing a sigh and settling into a battle stance, he replied back.


    ¡°Do your worst, monster!¡±


    This brought a chuckle from Kyle. ¡°Haha, you¡¯ll probably regret that!¡± The signal to start the duel or rather the one-sided beating commenced with that.


    Trent utilised his mana to command the wind. Unleashing a great number of wind blades from all directions at the man in front of him, he also started to run towards him.


    Although, he was good at using long distance attacks with the help of the invisible and free-flowing wind, it would be no use against true experts. Trent excelled at close combat! He was called the Divine Wind for his ability to burst out with astonishing speed and unparalleled sharpness!


    However, before the wind blades even touched Kyle¡¯s clothes, they were all repelled by an invisible barrier half a meter away from his body.


    Kyle stood still with a smirk and watched his opponent approach him ever so slowly. In his eyes, the seemingly blinding speed of mortals were akin to the pace of snails.


    Kyle slowly raised up his hands to block a blow aiming at his heart and throat. The accompanying wind, sharpening the blows nullified by a power unknown to the old man. At the same time, the Divine Wind employed sneak attacks by throwing small wind needles and blades, trying to distract Kyle.


    Trent felt very useless. His blows which had enough power to kill a master ranked warrior did not even faze his opponent. All of the sneak attacks were outright ignored and repelled by an unseen barrier.


    He failed to think of how his attacks were getting through even though there was a barrier, stopping the long-ranged attacks.


    After employing almost everything he had in his arsenal, Trent Strand withdrew to catch his breath. He stood ten meters away from Kyle, who had not moved from his original spot since the beginning of their exchange.


    ¡°Well, that was fun. Your attacks are on par with a half-god in that world. Not bad for a mortal, not bad at all!¡±


    Kyle¡¯s soft muttering did not escape the ears of Trent who was almost one with the wind. He could not understand the meaning, yet the words ¡®that world¡¯ shook his entire being and brought his thoughts to a standstill.


    Trent Strand realised something at that very instance. He had felt something was off from the moment he met Kyle, yet he was not able to put his finger on what it was.


    ¡°You! You are not using mana!!¡± Trent Strand trembled. His thoughts revolving rapidly, he further shouted out his suspicions.


    ¡°You are not from this world!¡±


    ¡°Oh? Finally saw through it? Haha, that mana of yours is truly brilliant, but still a bit weak. It is an energy of a mortal world after all.¡±


    ¡°But, if I want to use it¡­let¡¯s see. Like this! Right?¡± Kyle drew in the surrounding mana in the atmosphere, condensing it into a blade in his hands.


    He swung the blade towards the ground, a distance away from their location, causing a shockwave to form from the impact, followed by a cloud of dust.


    Trent Strand waved his hands, clearing the dust, revealing the result of that blade. While, he himself could produce this level of damage easily, it was rather absurd for someone without a speck of mana to display this kind of affinity with it!


    ¡°Ok, now that playtime is over, let¡¯s punish you a little. I haven¡¯t stretched my legs in so long!¡± Kyle cheerfully smiled as he looked at the old man. Trent felt a chill creeping down his spine from that gaze. Trent backed up a few steps unconsciously.


    Without realising how Kyle moved, the man was already right in front of him! Feeling the increasing pressure as the Divine Wind saw a fist approaching his face, he cursed. The world slowed down to an almost standstill as the old man felt the fist crash square into his nose.


    A rather unrealistic amount of pain invaded his senses while his body flew backwards from the impact. The assault did not end with just one punch. The old man was pummelled all over as his body ached in pain. He lay on the ground, not able to lift a single finger, blankly staring at the sky.


    Trent knew that the man did not go all out. He was never in mortal danger. Yet, he wished he didn¡¯t have to go through this suffering. Blood flowed out from his broken nose. His physique, enhanced from centuries of wielding mana bruised and battered, yet all his bones unbroken, except for his nose.


    He cursed himself for provoking such a figure before his consciousness left him.

 Chapter 29

    ¡°Ha¡­¡± Kyle breathed out in satisfaction as he walked away from the ¡®kid¡¯ lying on the ground. While, he did not unleash his full strength, he felt rather good after beating on someone in a long while!


    ¡®If I unleashed my full strength, this continent might vanish!¡¯ He thought as he walked over to his daughter.


    Kaylee looked at her father with shining eyes. She was too young to understand what happened but she could see that her father was really strong!


    ¡°Daddy! That was so cool!! Can you teach me how to do that teleporting thing?!¡± To the little girl, Kyle was moving far too fast that it seemed as if he was teleporting. She had forgotten that Kyle moved even faster earlier, moving from the city to their current location.


    Kyle removed the multiple barriers around Kaylee and carried the little girl into his arms.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be able to do that when you¡¯re all grown up little girl.¡± Kyle squeezed Kaylee¡¯s nose and laughed.


    ¡°But I want to do it now!¡±


    Ignoring the little girl¡¯s protests and small hands also gripping his nose in return, he laughed out in happiness.


    ¡°How about daddy show you something else?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you still have to teach me how to teleport!¡±


    ¡°Ok, daddy will teach you how to teleport in the future! But! Let¡¯s go for a fly for now, what do you say?¡± Kyle smiled at the little girl, who titled her head to the side from the word ¡®fly¡¯.


    Kyle slowly rose up, his feet leaving the ground. Kaylee realised that they were now standing in the air. She screamed out of delight and slight fear, grabbing onto Kyle with all her might.


    As they rose higher and higher, Kaylee slowly got rid of her fears, and started looking around with great interest. Their current location wasn¡¯t too far away from the capital. The mountain range acting as a shield could be seen clearly.


    Kyle produced an invisible barrier around them to shield Kaylee from the cold wind. They were now quite high up in the air. The capital was now visible as they had gone much higher than the mountain top.


    ¡°Daddy! I want to fly too!¡± Kaylee was very excited as she looked at the unfamiliar scenery for the very first time.


    Kyle only laughed in response. In this world, no one could truly fly. Even that old man, the Divine Wind, was merely borrowing the power of the wind. If Kyle was to seize control of the wind around him, the old man would not be able to unleash wind-based attacks much less fly!


    For one to escape the confines of gravity, one needed to reach a certain cultivation base, or it would not be possible without using a magic tool.


    Kyle made a promise to teach his daughter and headed towards the city at a leisurely pace.


    ***


    Liz left her mother¡¯s house carrying a few things in her hand. She was to live at Amelia¡¯s villa in the academy. She could no longer go home to visit her mother frequently like before.


    The time was the morning of the day after Amelia and she had a private conversion. Amelia had decided to still go on a trip with Alex¡¯s family after finding out that they were going to spend some time in the joint city before moving towards the elven forest.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    They would be leaving tomorrow and Liz would be stuck with Alex and Amelia until the end of the year in the joint city.


    Liz skipped a little as she made her way back to Kyle¡¯s mansion. Her cheerful smile bringing a lot of attraction from the surrounding young men.


    Although, it was decided that she would be Amelia¡¯s maid, Liz would get to see Alex a lot more of the time. She couldn¡¯t help but giggle as she thought of the boy. Inwardly, she worried, wondering what Alex thought of her at the same time.


    Soon, she reached the gates of the mansion and went in through the smaller door into the garden. Bill, the gardener, was napping under the shade of a tree. Liz smiled and thought they were rather lucky to be able to work for Kyle¡¯s family.


    ¡°Liz!! Come play with me!¡± Kaylee was there with her father, seemingly doing a set of weird looking movements.


    Ever since, the two came back yesterday, Kaylee would not separate from Kyle and asked to be taught to ¡®fly¡¯ and ¡®teleport¡¯. Liz was rather puzzled by those words. She had never heard of anyone being able to perform such acts after all. Perhaps in the fictions that could be borrowed from the library, one might read about a mighty being breaking through the mortal shackles to step in the air as if it was land. Yet, they were merely fantasies and none in history was able to do those things.


    If Liz was a mage, she¡¯d be able to sense the mana in the air around Kaylee entering her small body. Therefore, Liz merely thought it was an odd form of exercise.


    Kyle looked over to the approaching Liz. He seemed to be pondering something as he looked at Liz, then back to Kaylee.


    Unknown to anyone but perhaps Vanessa, this was a type of exercise that was designed to draw in the latent energy in the air to reinforce one¡¯s physique. He had not considered teaching anyone until Kaylee pestered him. Vanessa had no need for such a slow method since their ¡®exercise¡¯ was more than sufficient.


    ¡®Hmm, if she¡¯s going to be with Alex, she cannot remain a mortal forever. Vanessa certainly would not allow her little brother to go before her. I will have to teach Liz and Amelia, along with Alex eventually to cultivate.¡¯


    Kyle eventually decided to ask Vanessa for her opinion regarding Alex and Amelia tonight.


    Kaylee was trying to make Liz copy her movements so the two can exercise in sync. Soon enough, Liz who had managed to remember them a little started to get rather tired. The little girl, who has had an abnormally strong physique since birth tilted her head as she couldn¡¯t understand why Liz was huffing and puffing only after a few minutes.


    ***


    Kyle lay in bed next to Vanessa. His hands were not at rest as they roamed all over her small body. Vanessa responded by starting to unbutton his shirt in heated fervour. Kyle¡¯s hands wondered into her night gown as their lips started to tangle together in harmony.


    The couple only separated after two minutes of passionate kissing. Vanessa stared at Kyle with watery eyes, filled with love. Kyle smiled softly and rained down small kisses on her face.


    Although Vanessa¡¯s beauty could not match up to Amelia, Kyle loved her all the same. There was no rhyme nor reason for his feelings. Perhaps having a child together had truly cemented his affection for the girl.


    Suddenly, Vanessa spoke up, enduring the feeling of wanting to accept her husband, knowing that her secret garden was ready.


    ¡°Dear. How come we haven¡¯t been able to have a second child?¡±


    This brought a halt to Kyle¡¯s actions. He thought about it for a bit before answering.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know my love.¡± Kyle looked into her eyes and gave her a gentle kiss.


    ¡°But, I feel that if we keep trying, it won¡¯t be long before Kaylee has a little brother or sister!¡±


    Vanessa blushed a bit and bit Kyle¡¯s shoulder. It wasn¡¯t long before the two were once more overwhelmed by their passion and love for one another. Kyle took off Vanessa¡¯s gown and also removed his clothes in a hurry, while somehow managing to continue kissing.


    Vanessa let out a cry of happiness as little Kyle entered her honeypot. Perhaps it was due to the improvement in her physique, Vanessa¡¯s body retained her youth, unaffected by childbirth and the passing years.


    Kyle thoroughly ravaged his wife as they both let out moans of pleasure. Sometime, Kyle would press Vanessa under his body and other times, the girl would become a valiant female knight.


    Vanessa lay on top of Kyle after their lovemaking session, slightly panting and savouring the aftertaste, while Kyle stroked her back lovingly.


    ¡°Wife.¡±


    Vanessa pouted a bit after being called as such. Before Kyle had a chance to continue, Vanessa interrupted him.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed to call me wife anymore! It¡¯s not cute!¡±


    Kyle was dumbfounded at the response. He had been calling her that way for years, yet she never voiced a complaint. Kyle wondered where the dislike for the name came from.


    He thought for a few minutes before trying once more. All the boring usual nicknames would not do. He wanted it to be uncommon, something just between them.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡¯nessa?¡±

 Chapter 30

    Alex was slightly creeped out right now. He was currently having breakfast at the dining table with the family. His discomfort was due to his sister who was acting rather unnatural ever since she woke up.


    Vanessa kept sneaking glances at Kyle while smirking weirdly. Sometimes she even let out a small laugh for no apparent reason.


    Alex could not figure out the cause. When he tried to fish out the reason from Kyle, the man acted as if he knew nothing.


    Seeing as it wasn¡¯t really anything of importance, he chose to ignore it for the time being.


    ¡°Alex, have you put everything you need on the carriage? Miss Amelia will be here soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, brother in law. All ready to go!¡±


    ¡°Little girl, don¡¯t play with your food. We have to get you cleaned up if you are finished.¡±


    Vanessa was in her little dreamland and both Kyle and Alex failed to get her to snap out of it. Kyle had to run around by himself, making sure everything was ready on the morning of departure.


    ¡°Wife!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡¯nessa!¡±


    ¡°Yes, dear!¡±


    Kyle sighed and got Vanessa to get Kaylee ready for the trip. Alex smirked after hearing the exchange. He looked at Kyle with a knowing smile.


    Kyle could only glare at him causing Alex to not say anything yet trying hard to hold back a laugh.


    Vanessa carried Kaylee upstairs to clean up. Kyle had Alex attach the horses to the carriage together with Bill while he went to move some of the luggage out to the porch.


    Just as the horses were harnessed, the front gate of the mansion was opened, and Amelia along with guard Captain Ruby sitting on the driver¡¯s seat of a wagon came inside. Alex hurriedly greeted his lover and helped the guard captain park the wagon.


    Kyle also greeted Amelia before starting to load the wagon with their belongings that they were going to take to their new house.


    Today was the day that Kyle, Vanessa and Kaylee would be moving to the elven forest. After Alex¡¯s pleas, the husband and wife decided to have a family holiday at the joint city before moving towards their new home.


    Kyle did not mention anything about knowing any elves, causing Alex to be rather worried about their future. Vanessa had to reassure the boy that they were going to be fine. Perhaps, it was partly due to Kyle¡¯s strength, Alex gave up pursing the matter.


    ¡°Good morning, Amelia. Are there no other guards today? Only Captain Ruby accompanying you?¡± Vanessa placed Kaylee on the coachman¡¯s seat and asked Amelia, who was helping Alex with the loading.


    Amelia had a pondering expression while she answered. ¡°Father said there was no need and only sent Sister Ruby with me. He reassured me that it¡¯ll be ok. Honestly, Sister Ruby says that same thing.¡±


    Amelia glanced at Kyle with an inquiring gaze mixed with confusion and wonder. She gathered that her father would not let her go on such a dangerous trip if it was not absolutely safe. Since Captain Ruby, a master ranked warrior, was definitely not sufficient for protection, she assumed that it had to be Master Kyle who would keep her out of harm.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ***


    Tony ran. He did not dare look back from the scene that reminded him of the worst nightmares from his childhood.


    He ran, while struggling to hold back his fear. He noticed his companions similarly making a break for it beside him, but he could not pay any mind towards them.


    After what seems to be days, yet only a mere forty minutes having passed, he could run no longer and tumbled face first onto the rough ground.


    The pain jolted him awake from the fright. No longer able to run, Tony hurriedly looked back in search of the demon that ripped his merry band of bandits apart in mere seconds.


    His mind having calmed down somewhat after taking a few deep breaths, he noticed that there were no pursuers. Perhaps, the demon saw no purpose in chasing after their worthless lives. His underlings were no where to be seen. An expected outcome considering that he had the highest stamina and could run the furthest.


    Still cautious and not able to completely rid of the fear that enveloped him, his first thought was to find a hiding place. Tony headed further south, away from the barren plains void of any vegetation.


    There was no food nor water around here. Anything that used to be edible now contaminated with the remnants of miasma from long ago. Tony decided to circle back to the location of their hideout after wondering around aimlessly for half a day. It was indeed difficult to travel without horses in these wastelands.


    He did not dare approach the main roads. He was by his lonesome and his face known to all guards and soldiers that accompanied that merchant caravans. He would be killed on the spot if he was to seek help from travellers.


    Being a master ranked warrior meant that Tony could go without sustenance for quite some time. After a full day of walking, he finally made it back to the underground cave that he called home.


    ¡°Boss! You¡¯re back!¡±


    Tony found five of his men shuffling about inside the cave. They seemed to be packing the loot and riches that they¡¯ve hoarded over the years.


    Tony glanced at the fresh corpse at the corner of the cave.


    ¡°So¡­what might you all be doing?¡±


    The five men looked at each other. They were all good friends within the group. It was obvious that six men came back to the hideout and what has happened to the last individual.


    Although Tony also ran off similarly, he was still much stronger than the five of them combined!


    Finally, one of them spoke up, maintaining a flattering smile.


    ¡°We¡¯re just getting the loot ready so that it¡¯s all good to go once you come back boss!¡±


    Another chimed in afterwards, seeing that Tony¡¯s expression was a bit gloomy.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! Boss, it¡¯ll be difficult for you to carry it all. We¡¯re just helping!¡±


    Tony remained in thought while the five men nervously waited. They did not dare to move. Even if they had weapons and Tony was unarmed, it was not hard to predict who would win if they were to have a fallout.


    ¡°Hmph! Put those on the carts and get the horses ready! We¡¯re going south!¡±


    ***


    *Clip clop clip clop clip clop*


    Kyle drove the carriage out of the tunnel, with Kaylee sitting on his lap. Vanessa, Liz and Amelia were tormenting Alex with their girls talk inside the cabin.


    Guard Captain Ruby drove the wagon carrying the luggage, with a face void of any expression. The woman had rarely talked or smiled ever since Kyle had seen her. She took up the driver¡¯s position for the wagon without anyone hinting.


    Kyle told Kaylee stories of the elves that were found in popular children¡¯s books as they traversed the roads. This time, they were behind a rather sizeable convoy of merchants. It just happened that Kyle¡¯s group exited the city at roughly the same time and date.


    Kyle didn¡¯t mind this as it meant that he did not have to take up a troublesome task if one arose later down the road.


    The journey itself was rather boring. The scenery was filled with flat barren land, not a tree in sight for as far as the eye can see. The only thing of interest was the convoy of wagons in front accompanied by guards. Kaylee eventually got called in by Vanessa into the cabin.


    Lately, Kyle had purchased a lot of children¡¯s story books as well as learning materials for Kaylee. Vanessa would teach Kaylee to read and write for a few hours a day.


    The little forest that the group had stopped by a few days earlier came into sight just as the sun reached over their heads. The merchant caravans had slowed down to a halt, taking up a large chunk of space in the clearing, intending to take their lunch break there.


    ¡°Do we want to stop here for lunch? Or do we keep going?¡± Kyle asked the occupants in the cabin.


    A few of the guards on watch eyed Kyle¡¯s group with unfriendly eyes. It seemed that they were cautious of strangers.


    Vanessa¡¯s face cringed a bit, remembering the clash with the crown prince.


    ¡°I think we should keep going dear.¡±


    Kyle asked for the opinions of the remaining members before deciding to have lunch as they travelled.

 Chapter 31

    The group had lunch inside the cabin while Kyle drove the carriage forward at a slower pace. Alex failed to notice that Amelia was almost hinting towards separating from the convoy of merchants.


    Kyle did not point out her obvious motive and proceeded to pass the clearing. ¡®Perhaps it would be good to show a bit of my abilities now. Saves me the trouble of having to explain in the future.¡¯


    Kaylee was sleeping in Liz¡¯s arms while the young maid herself was also on the verge of nodding off. It seemed that the duo was not particularly fond of long travel.


    Alex and Amelia were looking at a rather old looking tome together. It seemed to be a book of spells that explained the mana pathways for intermediate level spells. Vanessa also tried reading the contents a little at the start but she could not understand it and got bored rather quickly.


    Unwilling to disturb the studying couple and the sleeping duo, Vanessa came up to the driver¡¯s seat and sat next to her beloved.


    Kyle pulled Vanessa into a hug with the free arm not holding the reins. Vanessa did not say a word and slowly closed her eyes, basking in the comfort of her loved one.


    Kyle broke the silence, knowing that Vanessa was not asleep.


    ¡°¡¯nessa.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­what is it dear?¡±


    Kyle leaned down to kiss her hair, taking in her scent as he enjoyed the warmth produced by Vanessa leaning against his body.


    ¡°What do you think about teaching Alex a cultivation method? I thought it¡¯d be a good idea to improve his strength.¡±


    Vanessa peeked up at Kyle, who was still looking at the road ahead, with a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea! When do you plan to start?¡±


    ¡°Tonight! It¡¯ll be good to start early.¡± Kyle paused to think after his decision. Vanessa did not interrupt him since she knew that Kyle had more to say. Their marriage has been rather harmonious with little conflict. She understood him more than anyone else on this planet, and she being the sole person he has completely opened up to.


    ¡°I cannot keep it hidden from Miss Amelia and Captain Ruby. What do you think I should do?¡±


    Vanessa thought for a bit before replying resolutely.


    ¡°Why not teach it to them. You can also ¡®gift¡¯ it to the Duke by teaching the captain with a basic method.


    As for Amelia, a soul contract to not pass on the cultivation method to anyone without Alex¡¯s permission should be ok.¡±


    Kyle agreed seeing that there were no problems with such an arrangement.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll start lecturing them tonight! You¡¯ll have to distract the little girl, ¡®nessa. She¡¯ll want to join in the fun but it¡¯s too early for her to start cultivating.¡±


    ¡°What about those set of movements you taught her? Is that not a cultivation method?¡±


    ¡°Haha, no! That¡¯s more of an exercise to strength the body. Cultivating is only possible for the mages of this world. Actually, I¡¯ll have to demonstrate the forms for the captain. She¡¯s a warrior after all.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Dear, what about me? Do I not need to perform those forms?¡±


    ¡°My wife, your physique is far past the point of gaining any benefit from such a simple exercise. But if you must, I¡¯ll be more than happy to help you in another way, hehe!¡±


    Vanessa turned slightly pink as she understood the cause of the changes to her body and the implication in Kyle¡¯s words. Vanessa pinched Kyle¡¯s waist hard and refused to talk to him, feigning a pout.


    Kyle laughed out loud from Vanessa¡¯s actions. He found her childish behaviour very cute!


    ***


    ¡°Bloody Butcher! What¡¯s the meaning of this?!¡±


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHA!! What do you think Tony, old pal!¡±


    Currently, Tony was in a rather precarious situation. He had travelled down south in search of small and weak groups of bandits and cutthroats to annex. Lady luck was definitely not on his side as he failed to spot any small groups. Although he was a master ranked warrior, he was not a particularly strong one.


    He had run into an old rival who had slightly more numbers than his old group. Bloody Butcher was known for his cruel ways. He would kill at the slightest provocation. Yet, the man was sly as a snake. He avoided heavily armed convoys and soldiers alike. Therefore, the man had managed to stay out of trouble, picking on small and weak merchants and travellers.


    Tony was surrounded the moment he set foot near their camp. The men he brought quivering in their boots from the sheer intimidation given off from the opponents¡¯ numbers. There were over one hundred surrounding their group of six, jeering and throwing insults all the while.


    Like Tony, Bloody Butcher only ever surrounded himself with weaklings, only a few barely qualifying for apprentice rank warriors. This ensured that the leader had absolute power in the camp. Now, this was backfiring on Tony as his five men were of no help.


    Tony glared at Bloody Butcher who smirked at him.


    ¡°Tony! I can offer you a way out!¡±


    This made the bandit rather cautious. Yet, he had no choice at this moment.


    The Butcher continued, not waiting for Tony¡¯s response.


    ¡°Surrender to me! Of course, all the wealth on those carts too!¡± Bloody Butcher fiercely grinned.


    Tony¡¯s heart sank. Even if he could escape, his underlings and all of his loot would have to stay behind.


    He thought for a full minute. However, that turned out to be a mistake. The surrounding cutthroats sprung into action at the Butcher¡¯s signal.


    It merely took a minute before silence resumed. On the now bloody ground lay five lifeless bodies. Tony himself was unharmed, backed up against a cart. Bloody Butcher had remained unmoved the entire time, maintaining his savage grin.


    If the now lone bandit leader was to be in his top condition, he¡¯d be able to duke it out with the Butcher even if there was cannon fodder around them. However, he was now too exhausted and mentally spent.


    Tony¡¯s expression changed from anger to unwillingness. Finally, sighing in resignation, he threw his weapon on the ground. The Butcher watching on, enjoying the torment and helplessness he inflicted on his old rival.


    ***


    Kyle¡¯s group had stopped for the night. Kyle placed a few layers of barriers around their campsite without anyone noticing. Alex and Amelia were working on starting a fire while Liz and Vanessa readied their dinner. The wordless captain untied the horses and took care of them at the edge of the clearing.


    The father and daughter duo unloaded the supplies cart to set up three tents next to the parked wagons. The little girl was distracted by the smell of meals being cooked half way through and escaped to her mother to drool at the dinner.


    Everyone gathered around the campfire to have dinner just as the sun had gone down over the horizon.


    After having cleaned up, Kyle spoke to Kaylee, also winking at Vanessa at the same time.


    ¡°Little girl, why don¡¯t you do those forms I showed you the other day before sleeping? Take Liz and your mom along.¡±


    ¡°Will you tell me a story if I do?¡±


    Kyle could not help but smile at the response. ¡°Of course, I will! Now, run along.¡±


    Kyle watched Kaylee pull Liz and Vanessa towards one side of the clearing. Kyle turned his head towards Alex and Amelia who were getting cosy near the campfire.


    ¡°Ok, you two. I¡¯ve got something to tell you. Come with me!¡±


    Kyle had decided to divulge a little about his origins to Alex and Amelia. The Guard Captain automatically assumed watch near the campfire, therefore Kyle led the two to the opposite end of the campsite.


    Alex and Amelia looked at Kyle, wondering what their brother in law had in store. They still got up and followed along obediently.


    Kyle raised three lumps of earth in a triangle formation, with smooth and flat tops. Alex and Amelia looked at Kyle with shock and wonder. Kyle chuckled a little seeing their expressions.


    ¡°Sit!¡±


    ¡°Now then, where to start¡­¡­let¡¯s see. Ah yes. First thing you should know, I¡¯m not from this world.¡±

 Chapter 32

    Alex and Amelia listened to Kyle¡¯s brief story about his origins. They were utterly astonished! It was truly hard to believe the existence of another world.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s that. I am technically no longer human. What your world used to call ¡®high humans¡¯ is probably closer to what I am. I don¡¯t know how strong they were though.¡±


    Alex stared hard at the man he had known for over nine years. He recalled the memories of seeing a younger Kyle. His looks reflected what he believed to be Kyle¡¯s age the entire time.


    Amelia was equally quiet. But, at the end she could not resist the urge to question his story.


    ¡°How can you prove that you are from another world? How can something like that be even possible?¡±


    Kyle glanced at the bewildered Amelia.


    ¡°Miss Amelia. I myself have no proof nor do I need to provide you with one. I just felt like sharing a little of my past. Whether you believe it or not is entirely your problem.¡±


    Kyle paused and looked at the two¡¯s expressions before continuing.


    ¡°As for the existence of other worlds. Hmm¡­where do you think those ¡®monsters¡¯ that you fight come from?¡±


    This caught the duo off guard. They had never thought of it! One would think that the monsters were the inhabitants of another continent. Everyone had always believed in that theory.


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, could it be that you didn¡¯t know? I thought the upper echelon of your alliance of races would have told the ruling class at the very least. Perhaps your father hasn¡¯t told you about it, Miss Amelia.¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­I haven¡¯t heard anything like that¡­from anyone!¡±


    Kyle gave the two of them a few moments to let the information sink in.


    ¡°Ok, now that you know what I am, hopefully you won¡¯t be questioning what I¡¯m about to teach you.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯d be super annoying if you asked about every little thing.¡¯ Kyle thought to himself and waited until he had the full attention of the couple.


    ¡°Ok, so. First thing first. Can you see if I have any mana in me?¡±


    Alex replied straight away.


    ¡°No. There¡¯s not a trace of mana in you.¡±


    ¡°That is correct. I cannot draw it into my body. It rejects me as I am not of this world. I can, however, do this!¡±


    Kyle gathered the surrounding mana at an astonishing rate, forming into a visible blue blade.


    Alex and Amelia opened their mouths in shock. Kyle¡¯s speed of employing mana was far too fast! It was at the level of Grandmaster rank mages!


    ¡°Mana, in essence, is a type of energy. I am a being that has escaped the confines of a lower realm. Therefore, I am able to manipulate any type of energy to some extent.¡±


    Alex and Amelia fixatedly stared at the lump of mana in Kyle¡¯s hand as they listened. Their seemingly ordinary brother in law was full of surprises tonight!Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The sword changed its shape into that of a perfect sphere. It proceeded to morph into inanimate objects such as cubes, shields, arrows and daggers. Alex and Amelia were simply dazzled by the display.


    Before they had a chance to speak, what happened next took their breath away. The lump of mana changed it¡¯s form to that of a tall tree. The tree then started to breath into life, with it simulating the act of being swayed by a breeze, its leaves shaking and the small branches bending in the direction of the wind.


    ¡°Now, this is what your so-called demigods are capable of, regardless of warrior or mage, the distinction no longer exists at that level.¡±


    The swaying tree slowly transformed into an eagle, flying in the skies, with it¡¯s wings flapping, every feather clear and distinct. Kyle further demonstrated a few more forms before letting the mana disperse into the air.


    Alex and Amelia both looked at Kyle with sparkling eyes. They had never imagined that Kyle was such an expert!


    ¡°I will be teaching you three things in total. Well, just two tonight. Now, pay attention.¡±


    Alex and Amelia frantically nodded, listening in earnest, afraid to miss anything.


    ¡°First, let¡¯s teach you about a breathing method. Your meditating to draw mana into your bodies is far too inefficient!¡±


    Kyle spent some time, teaching them a method that was designed to simply calm their minds. In reality, this was not a proper cultivation method. However, it would be very useful in battle, allowing one to replenish mana and keep a calm head at the same time.


    As the process was rather easy and both Alex and Amelia being talented people, they got the hang of it rather fast.


    ¡°Oh!! If I use this while meditating, the effect doubles!¡± Alex exclaimed in excitement from the discovery.


    Amelia was beaming. She had a higher innate talent than anyone else her age. This method was simply godly! It more than tripled the speed at which she gathered mana!


    ¡°OK, before you get too happy, this breathing exercise is meant to passively draw in mana into you at any time. I think you understand the implications of that right?¡±


    The couple froze at the words ¡®any time¡¯. This meant it was very useful in battle! They could fight longer without having to replenish through meditation!


    ¡°It isn¡¯t all that great other than those effects though. All it means is that you will simply hit your limit sooner. I guess reducing the time it¡¯ll take you to reach Grandmaster rank isn¡¯t all that bad.¡±


    ¡°OK, next method is very important. Miss Amelia, I¡¯ll have to get you to perform a mana contract. Without Alex¡¯s permission, you cannot pass it onto others. Feel free to teach the breathing method to anyone.¡±


    Amelia was bewildered. The breathing method was already heaven defying in her opinion. It was hard to imagine something even more powerful existed! Still, she agreed to the mana contract.


    ¡°Now, before I teach you this method, let me tell you something first.


    After you gather mana into your bodies, it merely sits in your dantian without doing anything. You people simply force more mana into it until things follow the natural course.¡±


    ¡°Dantian?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the place where your mana goes if you are a mage. Warriors don¡¯t have one. Don¡¯t worry about the name. It¡¯s not important!¡±


    Kyle continued after introducing the unfamiliar term to the couple, who were surprised by the sudden theory lesson.


    ¡°So, all of you mages don¡¯t actually have a foundation! That is until you reach demigod rank. No wonder there are so few of them around. Ok, so this cultivation method, paired with the breathing method will allow you to overcome your innate talent barrier.¡±


    Kyle spent the rest of the night teaching them a cultivation method that allowed one to reach the gold core stage from his old world. Except, in this world, the core would consist of the blue energy known as mana.


    As the two were already ¡®cultivators¡¯ in reality, it was not difficult, and they learned to cultivate very quickly.


    ¡°Alex, you are still an apprentice mage so it¡¯s the equivalent of Qi gathering stage, although it won¡¯t be long until your breakthrough. Miss Amelia just became an adept rank mage. You should be able to feel your mana starting to condense into a liquid state in your dantian!


    Now, that¡¯s enough for tonight. I will teach you the final thing tomorrow morning. Let¡¯s go rest.¡±


    The campfire was still being manned by Captain Ruby, her fiery red hair accentuated by the flames. Liz seemed be dead tired from running through the forms. Vanessa was getting a small bath ready for Kaylee. She greeted the trio as they approached the campfire.


    ¡°All finished? Let¡¯s clean up. Kaylee needs to go to bed dear.¡±


    ¡°Daddy! Story!¡±


    ¡°Ok, after you have your bath little girl.¡±


    Alex was very much excited and wanted to ¡®cultivate¡¯ some more. The boy headed straight into his small tent after simply cleaning himself.


    Amelia sat next to Liz and Ruby, puzzled at whatever caused the maid to become like this.

 Chapter 33

    ¡°Captain Ruby! Would you like to join us for morning exercise?¡± Kyle smiled and asked the captain, who had just come back from washing her face after waking up.


    The captain glanced over at Amelia before nodding her head and following Kyle along, even though she didn¡¯t really know Kyle¡¯s purpose.


    Vanessa had taken charge of making breakfast for everyone. Kyle would be teaching the forms to Alex, Amelia and Ruby.


    Kyle stood in front of the two youths and the accompanying Ruby. Liz and Kaylee had already started their routine off on the side. Although, the exercises proved far too tiring for the maid, she also felt quite comfortable and full of vitality after she had taken a rest.


    ¡°Ok, so what I¡¯m about to teach you is in a way similar to refining your physique, like the warriors do. Difference is that it is twice as effective. Meaning that the mages can also have a strong physique without putting in huge effort!¡±


    Looking at Ruby¡¯s doubtful expression, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but smile. Alex and Amelia had converted into Kyle¡¯s fanatical worshippers after being taught the methods last night. They watched him with rapt attention, not willing to miss any detail.


    Kyle demonstrated the set of the basic forms to the trio. Captain Ruby would not benefit much from this but she needed to be able to perform these flawlessly before moving onto the next part.


    By the time they were laying on the ground exhausted, the smell of food was wafting around the campsite. The captain was in a much better state than the two youths, only sweating a little and managing to remain upright after going through the forms a few times.


    Kaylee and Liz had gone to help with the meals, since Kaylee only saw them as something fun to do, and Liz was not able to do more than two sets, they had finished rather quickly.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Kyle looked at the couple sprawled on the ground, with a smirk on his face.


    Alex could not help but glare at Kyle. Performing those forms were far too tiring! As mages, Alex and Amelia had better physiques than someone like Liz but they were not able to continuously repeat the exercise.


    ¡°Well, take a rest for a few minutes and go wipe yourselves off. You¡¯ll be feeling the results in a few days.¡±


    ***


    While, Kyle¡¯s group travelled south towards the city of many races, there was a shuffle of power among the local bandit groups that were situated halfway between the human capital city and the frontlines.


    The Bloody Butcher, having gained the aide of Tony, had made his move to subdue the other groups of cutthroats. The Butcher disposed of those unwilling to follow and forced the ones that surrendered into mana contracts.


    The number of master ranked warriors had grown to five including the Butcher himself. They had enough manpower to attack a medium sized caravan group and get away without much trouble.


    The Butcher was rather pleased, having turned a few of his competitors into his lackeys. Of course, he had no idea of the disaster bearing down upon him.


    ***


    It was meant to be a moonless night, but with the light of the stars being blocked by a thick layer of clouds, it was even darker than usual. Kyle sat in front of the campfire, surrounded by silence. The occasional cracking of the wood in the fire was the only noise that could be heard in the pitch darkness. The firewood was collected in the city before they had left and would run out in three days at this rate.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    He had taken it upon himself to take watch every night. Of course, Alex wanted to share the duty but Kyle had left no room for discussion. Everyone in the group was aware of Kyle¡¯s strength and even the taciturn captain did not dispute Kyle¡¯s decision.


    Kyle looked up at the clouds. ¡°Looks like it will rain soon.¡± His soft mutter cutting through the silence, he got up to put the fire out.


    Just as Kyle stood up, his vision was drawn towards the hills off to the side of the road. The location of the campsite was near the main road. Kyle had chosen a relatively flat spot amongst the hills and craters that littered the ground.


    A small smile reached Kyle¡¯s lips.


    ¡°I guess this is to be expected as there are only a few of us.¡± Kyle walked into the dark, towards the hills. He had heard some sounds from that direction earlier. Soon enough, the intruders would be upon their small campsite.


    Kyle decided to go and meet the local populace after making sure the barriers that surrounded the tents and wagons were in place.


    ¡°Ah, better put up a sound prevention one too.¡±


    Kyle merrily resumed his walk while humming an unknown tune. Vanessa would be quite surprised seeing the current Kyle. His face was smiling yet it was not of a friendly sort. A sharp glint could be seen in his eyes.


    After a quarter hour of walking leisurely, Kyle encountered the group of intruders. There were only about sixty men. They were led by a master ranked warrior who was constantly complaining in a low voice.


    ¡°Damn it! Why do I have to go out at this ungodly hour! The other guys are sleeping in their nice and comfortable beds while I have to trek this rubbish ground in the dark!¡±


    Not able to notice Kyle standing a few tens of meters in front, the group of men silently travelled under the quiet whispers of the leader.


    ¡°Welcome, friends. Are you perhaps lost? Do you not have any torches?¡±


    A sudden voice cut into the darkness and startled the group as everyone froze up. They were not able to see further than ten meters or so into the dark and it seemed as if what they had heard was purely their imagination. None of the bandits dared to made a sound. They were not able to see anyone other than their companions, yet the speaker had clearly discovered them! Chills went down their backs as the men recovered.


    ¡°¡°¡°W-who are you?! Show yourself!¡±¡±¡±


    The leading bandit stopped immediately and looked around him, fully alert. The man vaguely spotted a silhouette moving towards them from the direction of the camp they were going to. Initially, nothing else could be heard but as the unknown form got closer to them, everyone could hear the sound of footsteps.


    Steady and firm, each step bore deep into the minds of the bandits. Fear rose up from their hearts although they could not explain what caused them to be afraid. Tightly clutching their weapons, everyone huddled slightly closer and looked ahead to see who the stranger was. The bandits at the back were not able to see Kyle but they could clearly feel that their companions had encountered a roadblock up front.


    ¡°Ah hello! Sorry if I startled you.¡± Kyle maintained his smile that was not a smile as he stopped a few meters away from the group of men.


    ¡°Might I ask what you gentlemen are doing here out in the dark!¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s what we want to ask you!¡¯ The bandits complained yet did not dare to speak out. The master ranked warrior gathered his courage despite the bizarre situation.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business! What are you doing here all alone?¡± Having realised that Kyle was by himself, he pushed down his fear, believing that they had superior numbers and should not be afraid of a single man.


    ¡°Ho ho, but I do think it is my business!¡± The voice carried a hint of danger, the contents bringing confusion amongst the bandits. The leader quickly figured out that something was wrong. This man had come from the direction of the camp that they had spotted earlier. He had clearly come out to meet them!


    ¡°Men! Get him! There¡¯s only one of him and over sixty of us!¡±


    Although the master ranked warrior had yelled out, he had not actually attacked Kyle. The men behind him all charged up and hacked at Kyle with their blades from all directions! All blades were stopped half a meter away from Kyle, by an invisible barrier.


    ¡°Now now, that¡¯s not very nice! I had only come out for a chat but this is how you treat me?¡± Kyle¡¯s figure blurred and slowly vanished from the view of the surprised bandits along with his chuckle echoing into the night.


    ¡°¡°Ahh!!¡±¡± A few screams rang out at the back of the crowd. The leader pushed his way through his men to reach the source of the screams. A few of his men were crawling backwards, away from a fallen companion. Further inspection showed that the dead man had a large hole where his heart used to be. The hole had gone through a couple of ribs and broken them clean off!


    The leader shuddered. Even he, a master ranked warrior, could not perform the same task without making a noise! He realised that this man was in a completely different league!


    ¡°Everyone, pair up! Keep your backs to each other! Stay alert!¡± He yelled out some instructions and started to creep his way back towards the way he came.

 Chapter 34

    It did not take long for the bandits to start dropping like flies. Even though they were in groups of two or more, they were never able to see how Kyle got to them! Some would have holes in their chests while others were killed by having their throats crushed.


    A few of the smarter men saw the squad leader retreating and decided to follow him. If a master ranked warrior was scared, who were they to try and fight such a scary opponent! The squad leader was utterly afraid now. He couldn¡¯t hear anything other than the sound of their footsteps. Yet, every time he looked back, he could spot men dropping down lifelessly.


    ¡°Ah!! Leader! Hel¡­¡­gahh!!¡±


    ¡°No!! SAVE ME!!!!¡±


    ¡°YOU IDIOTS!! SPREAD OUT!!¡±


    The squad leader yelled out as he ran towards the camp as quick as he could. The other bandits trailed behind him with desperation, breaking through all kinds of limits.


    A faint chuckling could be heard over all the yelling and screaming despite the sound not being very loud. It rang out in the hearts of everyone still alive, resembling the cry of a cruel demon, causing them to run even faster.


    It was apparent that they were all trying to return to their camp. There was strength in numbers and they fooled themselves into thinking that they¡¯d be safe once they were surrounded by hundreds of their companions.


    The journey that barely took them an hour to travel earlier even at slow speeds now felt like it was excruciatingly long! The squad leader dared not look back as he made a beeline for the camp.


    ¡°Help!! HELP!!!!¡±


    As soon as he spotted the fires of the camp, he yelled out, crying for help. This alerted the bandits inside the camp. The patrol members stood at the entrance of the gates, holding torches.


    ¡°Who goes there!!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me! Quick, wake the rest of the men!! We have enemies!!¡±


    This rather stunned the patrol members. The squad leader ran inside the camp and closed the gates with haste. He was not able to hear any sound of the men that was running behind him earlier. Assuming for the worst, he turned back to order the patrolling bandits once more. What he saw after he turned around scared the life out of him.


    The patrol members were no longer standing. The demon of his nightmares now standing only two meters away. The patrol members lay at his feet, their necks twisted or crushed. He had no clue as to how the man managed to kill four men in mere seconds now how the closed gate and the high walls traversed so easily. He did not have the luxury to ponder such useless thoughts.


    This was the first time the master ranked warrior had a clear look at the hunter that exterminated his entire squad. The man looked rather ordinary. Plain clothes, no aura of a powerhouse. Clearly out of place with the corpses that littered the ground. There was not a speck of blood anywhere on his body.


    Still, the warrior cannot help but tremble as he stepped back and leaned against the gate. A few bandits had woken up from the commotion. The spectacle they saw at the gate caused them to freeze up. A few seconds later, a quick minded man run off to ring the bell, alerting the entire camp.


    Kyle did not take further action and waited for all the bandits to gather. The squad leader was still standing there, with his back against the gate. Even though Kyle was not looking at him, he felt as if he has been locked on by an ancient beast.


    It did not take long for the camp to bustle to life. Hundreds of bandits, some holding torches came out of their wooden huts. There was five men leading the entire pack, the centre position taken by a large cruel looking man.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened here?!¡± The Bloody Butcher¡¯s expression contorted after spotting the corpses near the gate. He looked over to see one of his master ranked warriors that he¡¯d subdued, shaking in his boots in front of an ordinary looking man.


    This scene puzzled him, as it did for most of the other bandits on the scene. This was too bizarre! The butcher¡¯s gaze settled on the intruder of the camp. Kyle seemed perfectly harmless to him. However, such thoughts did not stay long in his mind after witnessing the next scene.


    Kyle crossed the short distance to the leader of the squad that had come to raid his camp. Not a single bandit could tell how Kyle had moved. Kyle¡¯s hand approached the man¡¯s throat, seemingly at a slow speed.


    From the Butcher¡¯s perspective, it was laughable. Such an act was suicide against a master ranked warrior! However, the warrior was not able to avoid Kyle¡¯s simple grasp. A loud snap resounded over the darkness as the man went limp in Kyle¡¯s hand. Dropping the lifeless body with a soft thud, Kyle turned to face the crowd.


    ¡°Well then, I thank you all for gathering here. Makes it a lot easier for me.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s grin was akin to that of a devil. This seemingly harmless man killed a master ranked warrior without breaking a sweat! A lot of the weak-minded men started trembling. Even though their numbers were far greater, some would inevitably die if they were to clash. None of them wanted to be those unlucky souls.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are and why you¡¯ve intruded here, but you will pay for that!!! Men, kill him!!¡±


    No one moved from the order. Even the master ranked warriors seemed hesitant. The Butcher glared at the men around him. He was very much upset but he could not punish the men. He was trying to gauge Kyle¡¯s strength by sending in a flock of sheep before a wolf!


    ¡°Hahaha. I¡¯ve taken a bit too long, let¡¯s get this over with.¡± Kyle¡¯s mutter was only heard by the ones standing at the front. Their confusion soon replaced by fear from the scene before them.


    Short spears of mana starting materialising above Kyle¡¯s head. If one were to count, they¡¯d be able to tell that there was one spear for one bandit present on the scene!


    Screams filled the air and bandits started to run off left and right, while others were rooted to the ground due to fear. Kyle ignored the fleeing men and merely waved his hands forward. As if they were fired off a large ballista, the spears of mana shot towards their targets at a speed barely traceable by eye.


    Every bolt of mana seems to follow their target as they curved towards the running men. There were no screams as the spear of mana would burn up their bodies upon contact. The mana transformed into flames, leaving no traces of its terror. The five master ranked warriors were no better as they were to the very first few to die seeing that they were the closest to Kyle. In mere seconds, the entire bandit camp was enveloped by silence. All inhabitants having vanished under Kyle¡¯s doing, only torches littered the ground as small light sources.


    The squad leader¡¯s corpse had also been disposed by one of the mana spears. Kyle looked at the scene with a deadpan gaze. Afterwards he turned back and promptly vanished from the scene.


    After he arrived back at the campsite, rain started to fall. The soft sound of raindrops impacting the ground soothing the bloodthirst that had built up in Kyle¡¯s heart. Kyle sighed softly, thinking back on his actions. There certainly was no need to kill all those men. They were not good men but it was not his place to judge.


    Kyle laughed a little, looking up at the rain. None of the raindrops approached his body and merely avoided him as if it was natural to do so.


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s done is done. It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t done it before.¡±


    Giving himself an excuse, he plopped down on the wet log near Vanessa and Kaylee¡¯s tent. Kyle took out a bottle of wine from his storage ring. The rain continued to fall around the lone hunter, drinking away his past in the darkness of the night.


    ***


    ¡°Wahh!! It¡¯s so big!! Daddy look! That¡¯s a really big wall!¡±


    Kaylee jumped up and down on his lap as soon as the little girl saw the large wall that acted as a barrier to the ¡®human realm¡¯ from the invasion of the monsters.


    The thirty-meter-tall structure ran from the east to west, seemingly endless it stood valiantly among the featureless plains.


    ¡°Yes yes, little girl, sit down. I¡¯ll take you to the top of it later tonight.¡±


    Alex and Amelia who heard this wanted to retort as the wall was a restricted zone for civilians but the two ultimately shut their mouths.


    ¡°Yay! It¡¯s a promise!¡± Kaylee grabbed Kyle¡¯s pinky finger and intertwined it with her own, satisfied from the act.


    A cluster of buildings could be seen at the bottom of the wall. There was no logic and pattern to the location of the buildings, causing the streets through them to be chaotic and confusing. The city was enveloped in a light and cheerful atmosphere despite the war against the monsters just beyond the wall.

 Chapter 35

    There weren¡¯t too many wagons lined up for inspection at the entrance of the city. Quite a number of them would branch off to the left and right of the wall, going away from the city.


    ¡°There¡¯s actually almost no elves and beast people living in this city despite it being call the joint city. There are also many barracks located along the wall every ten kilometres.¡± Alex was explaining the general situation to Vanessa and Liz back inside the cabin.


    ¡°The elves and the beast people have their own camps along the wall. Their representatives only ever come for a meeting at the city every few months.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen the elves? Are they as beautiful as they say in books?¡± Liz asked with shining eyes.


    ¡°Oh yeah! They are quite tall and elegant! The men are too pretty though. Almost no muscular hunks among them!¡± Amelia answered Liz with excitement as the two girls started talking about the elven race, leaving Alex alone, slightly depressed.


    ¡°We should be able to see some elves if we visit their shops though! There are also shops selling products from the sea of trees as well where beast people live.¡±


    Vanessa heard Amelia¡¯s comment and also caught onto the conversion quickly, causing Alex to mope by himself in the corner.


    The soldiers inspected the two wagons with haste and signalled them to pass as there wasn¡¯t all that many things and their mana detection could not pick up the presence of any magic tools.


    ¡°Alex, do you know of a good inn?¡± Kyle asked the still silent boy without turning his head.


    Alex lifted his head and answered sheepishly. ¡°Yes, there should be a few of them if you take the next left. They¡¯re all about the same. Just pick one you like, brother in law.¡±


    The city was filled with soldiers and mercenaries alike. There were no stalls present, which was an odd sight. Shops lined the streets left and right. Every building had many layers, with the upper floors being used as living quarters.


    The two wagons rolled along at a slow pace down the road, towards the direction Alex pointed. They did not draw much attention as newcomers were a common sight in this city.


    Kyle stopped in front of an inn called ¡®The Sleeping Ogre¡¯. An employee came out and greeted Kyle.


    ¡°Welcome to the Sleeping Ogre! There¡¯s space for wagons on the side. Do you need help with the luggage?¡±


    Kyle followed the employee to the parking space, with Captain Ruby driving the wagon behind him.


    The inn was simple enough with a restaurant and a lobby on the ground floor and the guest rooms being upstairs.


    ¡°Alex, Miss Amelia, you¡¯ll have to be our guides! What¡¯s there to do in this city?¡±


    The family was sitting in the lobby of the inn after they had booked a few rooms. It was still the afternoon so there was still time to stroll around in the vicinity.


    ¡°There¡¯s truly not all that much, unless you¡¯re a merchant looking to make a profit. Of course, it¡¯s fun to interact with the elves and the beast people.¡±


    Vanessa was a little disappointed upon hearing this.


    Alex continued not noticing this. ¡°Ah but there are a lot of restaurants selling food with monster meat. It¡¯s surprisingly tasty! There¡¯s also local products from the elven forests and the beast people¡¯s country.¡±


    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go see the elven shops for now! Kaylee, do you want to see the elves?¡±


    The family took to the streets together after having decided that they¡¯d go browse the nearby shops. Captain Ruby had elected to remain behind to rest as well as to watch over their belongings since she did not want to intrude the family holiday.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ***


    There truly was not much to do in the city. The environment catered to only merchants and mercenaries.


    They had visited all the unusual shops and places over the last few days and had eaten all the local delicacies. Kaylee was smitten by the various beast people. She would stare them with her big round eyes until they allowed her to touch their fluffy ears. Oddly enough, she gave no reaction to the slightly elongated elf ears.


    Kyle smiled thinking of his daughter¡¯s demand to visit the beast people¡¯s country one day.


    ¡°¡¯nessa, my love. I feel that we should leave already. We¡¯ve done all there is to do here.¡±


    Kaylee was fast asleep between them on the wide bed. Kyle whispered to his wife, not wanting to wake up the little girl.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, dear. But what about Alex, Amelia and Liz?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, didn¡¯t Miss Amelia say that her older brother was in this city? They can stay with him in the army barracks. As long as they don¡¯t go fight the monsters outside the walls, they¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Vanessa nodded in approval. She had never been to the world outside before she married Kyle and was actually very excited to see new things. The memories Kyle had shown her were too vague, only giving her a general idea of Kyle¡¯s adventures.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll talk to Alex in the morning. There isn¡¯t much longer until his classmates get here anyhow.¡±


    ***


    Alex sat in the backyard area of the inn. It was early in the morning and he had finished his daily morning routine of running through the forms together with Amelia. The girl had run off together with Liz and Kaylee to clean up, leaving him alone.


    Alex stared at the beautiful form in the clearing with a dazed look. He did not notice Kyle approaching him and sitting down beside him.


    ¡°Are you already aiming for a third wife? Quite ambitious of you, Alex!¡±


    Kyle¡¯s banter woke him up from staring. Alex smiled awkwardly and responded.


    ¡°I was merely mesmerized by the forms, brother in law. And what third wife! Amelia hasn¡¯t agreed to marry me¡­yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, Captain Ruby is a little too old for you, haha!¡±


    The two men sat in silence for a while, appreciating the valiant female knight performing the advanced set of forms that Kyle has taught her.


    This was until Vanessa and Amelia came up behind them and knocked them on their heads.


    ¡°Oww! Amelia! What was tha¡­¡± Alex wasn¡¯t able to finish his complaint as he looked back with teary eyes and noticed his lover¡¯s fierce expression.


    Amelia bent down and twisted his ears. ¡°So, you¡¯re aiming for Sister Ruby next huh? You¡¯ve forgotten all about me and Liz already?!¡±


    ¡°Noo!! Amelia! That¡¯s not true! I swear!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Kyle pulled Vanessa into his embrace and the husband and wife watched Alex chase after Amelia in a fluster.


    ¡°Haha, it¡¯s good to be young.¡± Kyle commented.


    ¡°Dear, we¡¯re also young.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s just you, ¡®nessa my love. Although, I doubt your looks will ever change for the millenniums to come.¡±


    Vanessa leaned back into Kyle¡¯s broad chest and relaxed.


    Captain Ruby has finished her forms and was taking deep breaths. She noticed Kyle and Vanessa sitting together a distance away.


    Kyle acknowledged Captain Ruby¡¯s greeting with a nod. Vanessa also waved and said good morning. Kyle thought of something and beckoned the captain over.


    ¡°Do you have any instructions for me, Master Kyle?¡± Kyle and Vanessa were used to her stiff tone over the days that they¡¯ve been travelling together.


    ¡°This is for you Captain, keep it on your body at all times.¡± Kyle handed a jade bracelet to the captain.


    ¡°Think of it as a charm.¡± Kyle continued with a chuckle noticing the slight confusion from her face. Ruby nodded and placed it into her pocket.


    ¡°Captain, we¡¯ll be leaving this city shortly to continue our journey. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to take care of the three lovebirds.¡±


    Ruby was a little surprised but she did not question Kyle¡¯s decision. The mature woman only had respect and awe towards Kyle, ever since he imparted the exercises to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of teaching Alex a lesson if he tries anything funny, Sister Ruby.¡± Vanessa said as she stood up.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go and have breakfast!¡±


    ***


    ¡°Hello, my name is Kyle. This is my wife, Vanessa and our daughter Kaylee.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Dorian. Amelia¡¯s big brother. I¡¯m a captain of the city defence force. It¡¯s nice to meet you!¡± A large man very much unlike the petite Amelia and her equally small twin brother Michael greeted the family with enthusiasm. He was only in his early twenties yet he could be mistaken for someone in their thirties.


    Dorian laughed and looked at Alex. ¡°Alex! Since, you¡¯re going to be here for a few days before your class arrives, what do you say we do some training!¡±


    While Dorian was laughing and repeatedly slapping Alex¡¯s back, disregarding the boy¡¯s pained expression, Kyle spoke up. ¡°Ok, we¡¯ll be off. Everyone, take care. And don¡¯t forget to keep those charms on you.¡±


    Vanessa hugged Alex and Amelia in turn. She turned to Liz, holding the maid¡¯s hands. ¡°Good luck, Liz!¡±


    Liz blushed a little from the implied meaning. Kyle got onto the supplies wagon that Captain Ruby brought, having decided to leave the carriage to Alex to bring back to the capital city. All their belongings have been loaded onto the back of the wagon.


    The family of three slowly rode west heading out of the city along the wall. Alex, Amelia and Liz waved their goodbyes from the city gates and watched the wagon slowly go out of their sights.

 Chapter 36

    ¡°Mommy, where are we going now?¡±


    The family of three was sitting at the front of the wagon. The driver¡¯s bench was easily wide enough for four adults to sit side by side. Vanessa sat next to Kyle with Kaylee sitting in her lap.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the elven forest dear.¡± Vanessa stroked the little girl¡¯s hair as she replied.


    ¡°Are we going to stay there for long? Will Uncle Alex, Sister Amelia and Liz join us later?¡±


    Vanessa could only helplessly look at her husband beside her. Kyle smirked a bit and replied.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it there, we can go elsewhere, little girl.¡±


    ¡°Really? Can we go see more beast people?¡± The couple couldn¡¯t help but laugh at this together.


    They were heading to the east along the wall that seems to stretch on forever. The environment was devoid of any large vegetation. Only grass and weeds were present near the wall. It would take much longer to recover the land to what it used to be.


    The city was gradually left behind and the wagon approached a structure beside the wall, located atop a high vantage point, after two hours of driving along the well-maintained road.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a break here. Alex mentioned that the first five posts are occupied by the human defence forces with another eight being manned by the elves.¡±


    ***


    While Kyle¡¯s party of three were travelling towards the elven forest, Alex and Amelia were not having an easy time back at the barracks. The two would be pushed to their limits by Dorian in the morning during training sessions and then be dragged along to patrol the streets all day long.


    At first, Dorian was quite impressed by the duo¡¯s increased stamina during their spars. After the breathing method was passed onto the large captain, he became very ecstatic and taught the technique to his squad.


    During one afternoon, Alex and Amelia, donning outfits two sizes too large for their builds, were going around the streets as a form of intimidation to anyone looking to do some misdeeds.


    Suddenly, a bell started ringing from atop the watchtower located on the wall, startling the pair along with the other two soldiers present.


    ¡°Uncle Dan¡­What does that sound mean?¡± Alex falteringly asked the older of the two soldiers. He felt a little uneasy. Judging from the flustered look of the two veterans, this was not a good sign.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the barracks and report in! They might need us on the other side!¡± Dan, along with the other soldier started running off, after yelling out to Alex and Amelia.


    ¡°Alex, let¡¯s go! This should be a surprise monster assault!¡± The lively girl had a gleeful look on her face as she took off towards the direction of the barracks.


    ¡°Ah! Wait for me!¡±


    ***


    Inside the commander¡¯s quarters of the barracks.


    *BAM*


    A heavy fist struck the table, causing the heavy wooden table to creak.


    ¡°What is this now!! We just had reports of a few large bandit groups disappearing. We barely have enough manpower to send to the other side!¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    A man in the prime of his life complained while ignoring the rest of the people present inside the room. Dorian, being a captain, was also standing to attention. His identity as the first son of a Duke was of not much use in the army.


    ¡°Has anyone received further communication from the other side?¡± The commander asked the crowd of officers in front of him. The other side mentioned was the line of defence set up on the opposite side of the thirty-meter wall.


    There were actually three more layers of smaller walls built to slow down the monsters. The city was gradually expanded from the barracks as a supply depot, gradually turning into what it is today.


    ¡°Yes, commander! They¡¯re requesting reinforcements!¡±


    ¡°Damn it! What about the other outposts?¡±


    The officer seemingly in charge of communication answered while looking through various documents he has brought.


    ¡°They¡¯re also under attack! The monsters seem to be baiting them to leave the defences for an ambush.¡±


    ¡°This is bad¡­the kids from the royal academy are also due to arrive tomorrow¡­¡±


    ¡°Commander, the enemy may have support from air units this time! If we aren¡¯t able to take them down¡­¡±


    ¡°I know full well the consequences! Leave three squads to keep order in the city. Declare martial law! You have permission to immobilize any trouble makers with force! Five squads, reinforce the main army! The rest, man the anti-air towers! Move out!!¡±


    The room quickly emptied as all the officers ran outside, gathering their squads to follow the orders given out.


    The commander sat back down behind his desk, looking towards the communications officer.


    ¡°Send word to the capital. Tell them to expect air assault. We probably won¡¯t be able to shoot all of them down.¡±


    The man sighed but quickly felt better thinking about the reinforcements coming tomorrow. The students of the royal academy accompanied by instructors and royal knights would be a welcome addition to bolster the defence of the city.


    ***


    Alex stood next to Amelia, along with a group of mages. They collectively gathered their mana to fire off large fireballs into the enemy ranks, overhead of the human warriors.


    Dorian had sent the young couple to the mage squad since it was a rather safe place in the chaotic battlefield.


    Amelia was laughing wildly as she witnessed the mass destruction caused by their spells. Alex could only give a wry smile towards his fearless beloved.


    As mages, they were capable of dealing with multiple enemies. The human camp had long come up with methods of pooling mana and structuring spells guided by a master ranked mage. This was a much better use of a mage¡¯s ability in large scale wars.


    The small group of nine adept ranked mages and one master ranked mage fired off one spell after another at the approaching masses of savage wolf riding hobgoblins. Screams of their enemies filled the air, bringing much joy and morale to the human defenders.


    The warriors were grouped together atop the first wall, repelling the hobgoblins that managed to climb over. Each group would be accompanied by a single mage who would cast barrier from time to time. The flying units were harassing the uncovered troops with arrows and lumps of rocks. The anti-air towers located on the main wall did it¡¯s best to shoot down any flying creatures that got within range.


    ¡°Everyone! Take a short break. Recover your mana!¡± The master ranked mage yelled out, stopping their spellcasting. The middle-aged man took a meditative pose at a corner of the covered area on top of the wall.


    Alex breathed out and relaxed as he leaned his back against the wall. Their location was sheltered to protect against attacks from enemy flight units. Mages were far too important in the war that losing a single adept ranked mage was a considerable blow to the human camp.


    ¡°Alex! Use the breathing method properly! We¡¯re the youngest and with the least mana here! Can¡¯t hold back the entire group!¡± Amelia reminded the exhausted boy while she was also getting into a meditative pose.


    This was the largest scale war that Alex and Amelia have ever been in amongst all their trips to the joint city from the royal academy.


    The two were still a little shaky from the scale of the assault. Amelia was still on a high and giggled every now and then, getting weird gazes from the mages around them.


    ¡°Hah, just what have I gotten myself into. My future wife is a battle maniac!¡± Alex teased the beauty who was still feeling the adrenaline rush from the battle earlier.


    This earned him a pinch in the arms and an angry pout.


    ¡®Damn, she¡¯s cute!¡¯ Alex thought about how he would probably get beaten up if he was to say this out loud in the presence of others.


    Just then, a large exploding sound was heard over at the territory of the monsters¡¯ camp.


    ¡°Damn¡­so they couldn¡¯t hold back after all¡­¡± The master ranked mage muttered while looking in the direction of the earth shattering noise. Waves and waves of residual mana washed over the battlefield as the ground assault almost came to a standstill. The wolf riders have been almost wiped out with a few faster ones on the retreat. The flying units were also affected with a large majority of them being knocked out of the sky, some landing amidst the human forces.


    ¡°So that¡¯s the power of a Demigod¡­¡­¡± Someone muttered as every mage present watched on with longing and envy.

 Chapter 37

    A large tiger that was at least five meters tall confronted a pair of wolves only slightly inferior in size beyond the walls. The tiger was the Demigod ranked expert that was dispatched from the alliance that would act as a deterrence to the enemy experts. He had been staying back behind the lines without interfering at the start of the battle.


    However, it seemed that the large losses this time enraged the pair of wolves, making them charge into the battlefield, where they were currently facing off against the large tiger.


    The paws of the majestic tiger were stepping on small clouds of fire as every breath of the Demigod brought about puffs of smoke. The wolves eyed and tiger with caution. They knew that they could not match the tiger in individual might. The momentum given off by the Demigod was supressing the nearby monster troops.


    The large tiger stood still, exerting pressure on his opponents. He could not afford to act recklessly. While he was more powerful than a single wolf, if one was to entangle him and the other attack the walls, the losses of the human side would be innumerable. Therefore, he did not make any rash moves and held his ground.


    The two wolves also similarly did not make a move. The Demigod guessed that they could not decide on who was to act as a distraction. The tiger would most certainly critically injure one of them. One of the wolves was of lightning nature as it would occasionally flash sparks of lightning around its body. The other was a dark wolf, a normal person would not be able to notice him even if it stood in front of him. Tendrils of darkness corroded the light in the vicinity of its body.


    The army back at the wall was certainly not idle during this standstill. The injured soldiers were taken back to the main wall where the medical staff was stationed. The mage corps also gathered together, with the most powerful among them, a Grandmaster ranked mage, leading everyone to start a large scale offensive spell.


    Soon, the wolves¡¯ patience seems to have run out as the dark tendrils shot towards the tiger at a blinding speed. The dark wolf also launched itself at the Demigod. The tiger attempted to evade the dark wolf and shot towards the lightning clad wolf. However, it was a bit too slow and the wolf raced towards the human camp with trails of lightning in its wake.


    The tiger swiped his powerful claws at the dark wolf, which was harassing it, trying to keep it away from its companion. The tiger¡¯s entire body lit up in orange flames, keeping the tendrils of darkness at bay.


    The lightning wolf was now within range of the first wall, where the group of mages were gathered. It let out a howl as it crouched down, getting in a position to jump up to the top of the wall.


    All the while, arrows and other projectiles were launched towards the wolf, none of which succeeding to break through its lightning armour. The Grandmaster ranked mage atop the wall glared at the large wolf, a calm expression still evident in his eyes.


    ¡°BARRIER!!¡± Along with the yell of the leading mage, a pale-yellow barrier of the earth attribute manifested, stopping the wolf in it tracks mid-jump. The earth attribute restrained the lightning emitted by the large wolf. The barrier having killed its momentum, the wolf fell back down. However, it was uninjured as it quickly landed on its feet, readying itself to once more make the leap.


    As it looked back up at the mage corps, the wolf was greeted with a five-meter-long spear of wind, hurtling towards its head at a breakneck speed. The spear had incredible momentum behind it, resulting from a large amount of mana used to create the compressed projectile.


    The lightning wolf did not have enough time to dodge completely. It lifted it¡¯s left front paw in an attempt to swipe the spear away. However, the immense force of the wind spear crashed into its paw, practically ignoring the lightning armour, boring a large hole in it before dissipating.


    All this happened within a mere few seconds as the lightning wolf let out a painful wail. The lightning armour around it flickered out of existence, allowing the arrows and bolts to rain down onto its now defenceless body.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    While the damage from the arrows was minimal, it still caused flesh wounds to the large wolf. It whimpered and limped away in retreat. At this point, the Demigod tiger had successfully repelled the dark wolf. The tiger was mere tens of meters away from the limping lightning wolf.


    It roared loudly and jumped towards the injured wolf, leaving a flaming trail in the air. The dark wolf behind the tiger let out a distressed howl as it also charged towards the tiger.


    The lightning wolf was powerless against the tiger¡¯s assault. It could only dodge with minimal movements, but still had one of its hindlegs bitten by the tiger. Under the full view of the human mages, whom were recovering and getting ready to cast a spell if needed, the tiger gripped the lightning wolf¡¯s hind leg in his strong jaws.


    Taking a moment to get a stable footing, it hurled the lightning wolf towards the dark wolf, which was now mere meters away from the tiger.


    The two wolves collided, producing a muffled boom. The lightning wolf was now unable to move, having lost a large amount of blood from wound caused by the wind spear and now the bite wound inflicted by the tiger. A large area around the bite wound was charred black. The Demigod had burnt the hindleg as he bit onto it.


    The dark wolf recovered quickly. It got up and tried to drag away its companion using the dark tendrils. However, it gave up this action in a split second. The tiger had resumed his assault against the wolves once more!


    The Grandmaster ranked mage saw this as a good opportunity and launched a new offensive of fiery bolts at the dark wolf. Most of the spells were intercepted by the dark tendrils, exploding in mid-air. The wolf glared at the tiger and the human mage corps before dashing away in retreat at full speed.


    The lightning wolf, now completely immobile, let out a pathetic howl at its retreating partner. This was soon stopped entirely. The large tiger had bit into the lightning wolf¡¯s neck! Unwillingness filled its eyes as its lifeforce slowly left the wolf.


    The Demigod tiger released its hold and lifted up his head, facing directly south. It let out a proud roar, ringing out over the battlefield, signalling the end of the assault. The flames over his body vanishing into nothingness, causing the mana round the tiger¡¯s vicinity to regain stability.


    Cheers rang out from atop the wall as the soldiers and mages celebrated their victory. The large tiger dragged the dead lightning wolf¡¯s body towards the wall. When it reached the bottom of the wall, it released the hold on the wolf. The tiger leaped atop the wall with ease. In mid-air, the tiger¡¯s body changed to become smaller and smaller at an astonishing rate.


    A tall middle-aged man landed on the wall. He had broad shoulders and short black hair, exuding the atmosphere of a mighty king. His sharp eyes scanned the crowd of soldiers, gazing upon him with undisguised worship and envy.


    ¡°We¡¯re having a feast tonight, boys! Dismantle that wolf! Good work everyone!¡± The man grinned and leaped down, approaching the main wall, where the commander¡¯s quarters was located. More cheers erupted from the soldiers, some of them having gone down the wall towards the large wolf corpse.


    The middle-aged man entered the command tent, where the commander, who should have received the words of victory, was in a bad mood despite their convincing win over the monsters. The commander looked up and saw the Demigod enter.


    ¡°Thank you for your efforts, Fire God Yan! We managed to keep one of their commanders here forever thanks to you!¡±


    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t mention it! If not for your excellent mage corps, even I would have trouble fighting both of the wolves at the same time!¡± The tiger Demigod let out a hearty laughter as he sat across the desk from the human commander.


    As the two were chatting merrily, somewhat dispelling the heavy atmosphere from earlier, a person entered the tent, not bothering to wait for permission.


    ¡°Fire God Yan! Commander! I see you are already celebrating! That was a very exciting battle. Even if there is another surprise assault soon, the soldier¡¯s morale will be very good thanks to your display of prowess!¡±


    The Grandmaster ranked mage praised the Demigod, saluting to the commander before sitting down at an empty chair.


    ¡°Grandmaster! We have to indeed have a feast with the meat of that wolf! The soldiers deserve it!¡±


    The commander smiled and looked over the two strongest combatants in the camp. Fire God Yan was the Demigod watching over the surrounding hundred kilometres, dispatched from the beast people. The beast people were natural born warriors, with no Grandmaster ranked mages present but full of talented warriors. There was even five Demigods of the beast people currently! Of course, this was a number publicly stated and the rest of the races had no way to find out if the beast people had hidden forces.


    Thanks to the invasion of the monsters, the relations between races had been relatively harmonious. No one could tell what would happen after the threat was eliminated however. The commander could only hope that the humans would be able to survive. They were indeed the weakest race bar the drawves hidden in their snowy mountains to the north. But then again, it could all be a front to hide their power from the rest of the world.


    The commander dispelled his wondering thoughts and stood up.


    ¡°Gentlemen! Let¡¯s all go inspect the camp and the soldiers! We should all show our face and keep up the morale!¡±