บท 107: Major General - Jack Galibiur
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH" The Major General's laughter thundered in my ear, while my face become even redder over time.
The Major general simply landed in front of the corpse, looking at it with a tinge of astonishment within his eyes, while his invisible aura flared intimidatingly. He had a wry smile on his face before he took out a magnificent azure blue rapier and stabbed it into the body of the man. With my eyes, I could see that he was putting a lot of mana inside the corpse, yet I did not know why. From what I could see, the mana was laying dormant, not doing anything of notice.
"To think you could kill a Grand Knight while still being in the Ethereal ranks... Also, you can deactivate that Lightning Domain spell. I am not here to hurt you" The Major General finally spoke.
Narrowing my eyes, I did not do as he said. While yes, he might be stronger than me, while he is in my domain, I still have a chance of being able to turn away or at least call for my father's help through Olivia.
"Hmm... Still on guard huh... Good. Don't trust anyone who just tells you that they are not an enemy. You must always be on guard around those who you do not trust and what you are doing right now shows that your are quite a capable fighter, unlike the idiot here." Jack chuckled.
"Did you see everything?" I simply ignored all his words and asked the only question on my mind.
"Of course I saw everything. First of all, what you did was reckless and stupid. What kind of academy do you think this is to allow assassins to just attack candidates huh? Especially when my son is one of those candidates! We aren't stupid you know. I realized that there was something off the moment I felt the presence of an illusion barrier and I was about to stop whatever was going to happen. You know, I left just a minute after you did, and while there were other standby coverts waiting to attack if anything were to go wrong, I told them to leave because I knew you didn't want anyone to see your abilities. I owe your father at least that much after all." He lectured
"Secondly, even if the undercover warriors under the academy were to fail, the one standing next to the candidates is an expert bodyguard, that not even bullets can get through him. Thirdly, there is a barrier in check to keep the student safe if they were able to get past the undercover warriors, the bodyguard, and the vice headmaster of the academy." He continued
'Damn... All that, for NOTHING!?' I thought while feeling down.
"However, what you did was what I wouldn't even expect from a grown adult. Yet, you had put your life on the line to save your brothers and the other children that could have been put in danger, and for that, I'd like to reward you as a citizen of the Zogarian Empire" He spoke with pride filling his voice.
'I wonder how he will feel if he know that a major part of the reason why I went up here alone was that I wanted to keep all the kills for myself. Their soul flames were pretty tasty if I say so myself.' I thought while rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.
"Thanks but, can you not tell my father?" I asked
"What why? He would be delighted to find out a child of his blood had done such a heroic deed" Jack asked with confusion written on his face.
"Well, he doesn't like me killing people, after all, I'm still 6 years old..." I replied awkwardly
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"Y-your 6 years old?" He asked with a shaky voice
"Yeah... Did my father not tell you?"I asked back with a raised eyebrow
"I-I mean... I thought he was joking... Ho-w..."
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"Anyway!" The Major General finally recovered from his state of confusion and recomposed himself
"How the hell am I supposed to berate him now for not telling me about his daughter being a wielder of the light element" Jack massaged the bridge of his knows while his forehead was slightly creased.
"Oh, about that..."
"hm?"
"He doesn't know..."
"He doesn't know what?"
"About my light element"
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"Quick question... How did you awaken" The major general asked with a disbelieving look?
"Like a normal person," I replied
"Cut the crap! I know there is no way he wouldn't know about you having three elements, one being the light element!" Jack snapped back
Stammering a little because of the rise of voice, I quickly replied "I was in a fight with some beast, and halfway through I awakened."
The Major General's mouth was left agape as if he was a child seeing something for the first time in his life.
"Major General?" I asked with a weary look
"Oh... Yes, yes. I'm sorry about that, but you know, since the current Paladin we haven't seen a case like yours. It is said he was blessed by the light goddess but no one really knows. Still, to think you were able to get his strong without the help of anyone but your parents... Quite impressive" Jack nodded
"Yeah thanks and all, just don't tell my dad about what happened here." I voiced before he could turn away.
"How could I not? Look at you! Barely any clothes left on you and your father already knows that I went to check on the noise up here. He might be here at any second you know!" He replied while running his fingers through his beard.
"Yeah, I know that dumba- I mean, sir." I almost lost my cool for s second before composing myself once again and replying normally.
'That fight had taken quite the toll on me, and the feeling I got from the soul flame is still lingering within me...' I thought
"I have a believable story but it will only work if you go along with it." I said while smiling innocently
'No one would believe me if I told them that this was a smile of the person who had just killed over 20 people mercilessly' Jack, the Major General thought while scratching the top of his head.
***
"WHERE HAVE YOU TWO BEEN!?" My father shouted in worry while looking at the now perfectly clothed me and the calm Major General.
"Oh, nothing. I was about to head out and deal with the people up there and I saw Pandora on my way. I let her take on the weaker ones since she said she liked fighting, and while she did that, I got rid of the stronger ones. While they were supposed to be quite weak enough for me to give her pointers on how to fight them, one of them had an artifact that caused her clothes to get damaged and so we had to go to a clothing store to get her some clothes." The Major General explained with his trademark smile while he run his fingers through his beard.
While at the back, his son looked at him weirdly, my father sighed before voicing out "With all due respect sir, I am not stupid.", catching me and the general off-guard.
"That person with the artifact was the one who activated the Lightning of Absolution technique, right?" My father spoke with a contempt glare.
'Oh thank god he is stupi- Wait... Technique?' I inwardly pondered
"Yes, but I took care of him and made sure not a single scratch was on your daughter's body. He happened to be from the Pride church too, which kind of explains why he was so stuck up" The Major General Replied.
'Pride Church?' I thought with a raised brow that no one noticed
"Oh, that does make sense. Anyway, thank you for the lessons you gave to my daughter" My father said while pulling closer and massaging my shoulders.
"It is no problem. I consider your blood as mine, of course, So you are free to ask anything of me. Maybe she can call me Gramps one day hahaha" Jack laughed while my father simply smiled in appreciation.
"Actually, I do have one thing I want to ask you, but I'd rather do that later, like, not in public." I chimed in, making my father's face turn weird while Paul, the son of the Major General, had his expression turn expectant.
"Of course dear" Jack replied before continuing "Alright, anyway, It should be Paul's turn now to go and get checked."
"Oh yes, I completely forgot with everything that had been happening." He replied while scratching his cheek.
Not sparing another second, he quickly went out of the room before making a dramatic entrance into the stadium, just when everyone thought that the last of them had already been checked.
"AND NOW WE HAVE OUR FINAL CANDIDATE, PAUL GALIBIUR!" The presenter shouted into his mic, making them less energetic crowd cheer for a few seconds while getting distracted, thinking that the last person would be no big deal. There were even some who were getting ready to go, but since it was the last person, they might as well stay.
Paul walked up to the center of the stage where a podium with a blue crystal was protruding from the ground. The bodyguard, also known as one of the instructors told him what to do, even though after so many rounds, most people knew how to go through with doing things.
Paul finally put his hand onto the blue crystal, and there shone his power level
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Paul Galbiur
Power level: 17 492
Rank: S
Affinity: Water + Air
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The Crowd was completely silent for a second before roaring in cheers and excitement from seeing the first S rank of year in Aqua Academy.
-"As expecting from the son of a Major General"-
-"I would be disappointed with anything less"-
-"If only my daughter would agree to presue him over that other minor noble she had chosen... *sigh*"-
'What a deadly combination... He might barely qualify as a Knight ranked warrior (Initial Liquidus), but for his age, that is still good. His mana heart isn't too far behind either being in the advanced rank(High Ethereal)' I thought with a smirk
"Hoho? Have you taken an interest in my son? You have great taste to say the least" Laughed heartily the Major General, honoring me a few glares from the other nobles in the lounge.
"Old man, may I remind you I have not hit the age of hormones and puberty? Sorry, but I have no interest in your son at my current age, and I doubt he will wait until I reach the prime age" I spoke condescendingly yet respectably towards Jack.
Amidst all the glares and looks of shock and horror, the Major General let out another hearty laugh "HAHAHAHAHAHA! Good one, good one! Your daughter truly takes after your wife, Deros! As cold and precise as possible."
'Cold?' I thought while replaying the last 6 years in my mind before concluding 'What bullshi-?'
"J-Jack... Funnily enough, my wife has warmed up a lot after she retired, as well as her mother who is still working to this day. I think the awakening phase had already been long over, so she doesn't carry the same cold attitude as she once did." My father retorted.
"Oh really? HAHAHAHA! I wonder how that cold woman will look at me now! The last time I spoke to her I felt like her glare alone could create a tundra, and now you're telling me she has a fiery nature?! AHHAHAHHA" He started laughing even harder, making my father follow him awkwardly by laughing a little.
"Anyway, I'd like us to go for the talk now? I heard there is a restaurant nearby with a Silencing stone on every table. Wanna go there?" I asked while inching closer to the door.
"Oh yes, of course!" The major General laughed again before calling over his son from the stadium, allowing us to get going
***
"Yeah, I'll have a Byke's steak, as well as a Pheonic' Decree wine," Jack asked the waiter who bowed respectively and replied "of course sir! The meal will be on its way to you now. We will make sure that your order is that of the highest priority! One more thing sir, thank you very much for serving our country, I am not sure what we would have done without you"
"Oh don't flatter me" The major general waved the compliments off like he did not deserve them.
"Anyway, what do you want Pandora? You've been looking at that menu for almost 7 minutes now" Paul cut his father's scandals off while trying to gain my attention at the same time. It was painfully obvious, but I ignored it as if I did not even realize it.
"Ask Olivia what she wants and come back to me... Too many decisions to make" I said while looking at the menu that even my Mind Influx struggled to calculate the best meal for.
'Analysis?'
[Unable to analyze]
'...'
After hearing what Olivia wanted to order, I simply gave up and chose what I'd like most rather than what was sensible and also tasty in this kind of place.
"What is your strongest Liqour" I asked while staring into the eyes of the waiter, who stammered a little after hearing my question.
My father had not heard what I asked, thinking it was something of his imagination, while Olivia facepalmed and the father-son duo opened their mouths slightly agape.
'There are no rules against drinking before the age of 10, it's just those stupid nobles making it etiquette' I thought
"Uhm, I guess it is the Dragon's decree that is affordable-" Before he could even finish his sentence, Jack cut him off
"Affordable?" He asked while asserting the dominance of his aura on the poor waiter.
"s-sorry sir. We also have the wine of gluttony made by the Gluttony Clan"
"THEN BRING IT!" Jack shouted joyfully.
"hmm?" My father finally broke out of a daze, realizing that what he had just 'imagined' was becoming a reality.
"WAIT! NOOOOO!" He tried to stop the waiter, but before he could, jack stopped him.
"We are here to celebrate, and what better way to do so do we have without the strongest liquor?"
"..."
"If Pandora is on, I am too," Olivia said, thrusting her fist into the air, making me look at her in shock as she hadn't shown any energy in the last few days, probably due to me killing her friends.
'Drinking her sorrows away huh' I thought with a little pity, as she kind of reminded me of myself before being blessed by the amazing family I have today.
"Here you go, Sir Galibiur, Lady Raven." The man put down the bottle on the table while walking away a little hesitant.
"Only one cup okay?" My father asked with a voice that seemed a little shaky, but I paid it no heed. Unbeknownst to me, he was currently thinking along the lines of 'I hope your mother does not find out about this'
Pouring a drink for myself, I gestured to Paul to take some which caused him to shake his head violently.
"Oh yeah, why didn't my brothers come with us?" I asked
"Well, while one of your brothers doesn't have to go through the normal tests, the other one does since he is a B rank. Zarch decided to be a good brother and stayed behind with him to watch how he performs." My father explained
"Makes sense" I muttered while taking a sip of the liquor.
"Mmmm" I hummed to myself as I felt it dribble down my through and into my stomach. They all looked at me weirdly for some reason, but I ignored their gazes and tried to savor the taste a little.
"Yo! Waiter! Can you come here for a second?" I called out, making the waiter scurry to us with an expression of weariness and nervousness.
"How aged is this wine?" I asked
"Pardon?"
"How long did you let this wine ferment?" I asked while tapping the table with a less than delighted expression.
"Well, since we didn't ferment it ourselves, we were told it had been fermented in a time chamber for approximantly 130 years. Why? Is it not to your satisfaction" The waiter asked while my father tried to shut me up and stop being rude.
"With all due respect and I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but did you dilute the alcohol?" I asked with my face turning more complicated
"Miss, I am offended that you would even accuse us of such a thing. We would never as we are mot so cheap!" The waiter replied with pride in his voice.
"Does that wine not taste nice?" Asked the Major general while looking at me in a new light. He never thought that I would be this rude, but there must have been a reason, right?
He quickly grabbed his cup before taking a sip. He felt nothing wrong. Well, on the contrary, it was one of the best tasting wines he had ever tasted.
Looking at his face, my face went blank while I accidentally activated the mind link while screaming 'F*CK MY EXISTANCE!', making Olivia grimace in pain.
"Crap" I finally voiced
"what is it?" They were all in a state of confusion due to all my questions, so they all asked the same question at the same time.
"For the rest of my life, I can't get drunk..."
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