บท 6: Where is Cassius!?

The time for Cassius's awakening ceremony was near, and plenty of nobles had shown up to 'witness the birth of a new S-rank hunter'

But there was one problem, Cassius was nowhere to be found.

The nobles gathered in the grand ballroom near the awakening hall where the awakening ceremony would take place.

Everyone hoped to curry favor with Cassius who would have to go through the grand ballroom at some point to get to the awakening hall.

The Duke, being the social butterfly he is, entertained the uninvited yet expected guests while drinking alcohol, and laughing, bragging about his 'S-rank son, Cassius '

Meanwhile, the news reporters who were mostly commoners stood outside the palace, since commoners weren't allowed inside. Hoping to catch a glimpse of Cassius on his way out.

In the corner of the ballroom a group of counts drinking red wine were chatting.

" Do you believe he will truly awaken as an S-rank?" Count Ravioli asked.

"Perhaps. He has the blood of two of the strongest people in the empire running through his veins, after all." Count Fettuccine replied.

"Indeed, you know how much the system values bloodlines. Look at the royal family, almost every person in the royal family since emperor Karavan has awakened as an Elementalist just like Karavan." Count Spaghetti nodded his head.

Elementalist is a rare special class, some people consider it a subclass of mage, but the scholarly opinion is that it's a completely different class.

Elementalists are capable of controlling the four elements but most are only able to control one or two of them, unlike mages and swordsmen, elementalists don't need mana or aura. Thus, they cannot be considered a subclass of mages.

"None quite like emperor Karavan, though. I heard he was capable of controlling ice and lightning as well as all four elements." Count fettuccine stated, he had always admired Karavan since he was a young boy.

"I heard he could control light and darkness as well. " Count Ravioli added, his eyes glistening. He was also an admirer of Karavan.

"That's probably exaggerated. I wonder which element the crown prince will be best at. " Count Spaghetti couldn't care less about a man who died 600 years ago and was more interested in the crown prince.

'Fire. Definitely fire.' count Fettuccine and Ravioli thought. Unlike count Spaghetti, they both had 'experiences' with the crown prince.

"Perhaps water? I caught a glimpse of him reading in the garden when I got lost on my way here, he seemed like a peaceful child. I think water would suit him well with a personality like that." Count Spaghetti said, rubbing his chin.

Count Fettuccine and Ravioli looked at him distraught, before patting him on the back. "One can only hope the system chooses water for him."

Somewhere else in the ballroom, a group of women were talking while standing in a circle and eating desserts.

"Where is that boy who's supposed to awaken today? Who does he think he is to make us wait like this? He is still just an illegitimate child!" Countess fettuccine said. She didn't know much about Cassius, but everyone was aware of his lineage.

Though, it was brave of her to say that out loud knowing that the Duke, who 'loved' Cassius dearly, was in the same room.

"I'm sure he won't awaken, the system values bloodlines and he is not a legitimate son." Countess ravioli humphed.

"Why do people even think he's the Duke's son? It doesn't even make any sense considering how much the Duke hates Aurora Nightingale." Countess Spaghetti asked.

'she doesn't know the story, huh?' countess Fettuccine and Ravioli signaled to each other with their eyes.

"What is it?" Countess Spaghetti asked leaning in toward them, there was definitely something up.

"We will tell you, but you can't tell anyone alright?" Countess fettuccine grinned slyly while Countess Ravioli nodded her head.

Countess fettuccine began to explain the story, " 11 years ago, a B-rank dungeon appeared in the middle of the capital, but it was a limited hunters dungeon that only allowed 2 hunters.

Now, usually, a group of B-rank hunters would be sent, but since it only allowed two people and it was in the middle of the capital, it was risky.

the emperor was informed of the situation, and ordered the swordmaster Lucas Blackwood and the grandmage Aurora Nightingale to defeat the dungeon together.

Despite hating each other passionately and not being able to stand the sight of one another, they had no choice but to work together to defeat the dungeon, since it was a direct order from the emperor.

The dungeon was supposed to be cleared in a day, but the gate shut after they entered, And they were stuck in there for 3 months.

Eventually, they found a way to bring the gate back.

But when they left the dungeon, Aurora Nightingale was around 2 months pregnant.

"They claimed that it was due to the dungeon being infested with ' love bugs' but despite having the crown's eye on them the emperor hasn't made an official statement confirming or denying it. " Countess Ravioli added, implying that the love bugs might be something they made up because they didn't want to admit they felt attracted to one another.

The crown's eye was a small artifact that could record a video of the nearby situation and send it to the emperor.

"Well, I wouldn't mind making a child with Duke Blackwood, I don't need a love bug to make me do it. " Countess Ravioli blushed, and fluttered her fan.

"Indeed..." Countess fettuccine replied, glancing at the Duke on the opposite side of the ballroom.

The women giggled and talked about how hot they thought Cassius's dad was. The Duke was well known for his good looks through out the empire. That was perhaps the only good thing Cassius gained from him.

Meanwhile, Cassius still wasn't anywhere to be seen.

The crowd was annoyed, they came all the way here just to curry favor with the soon-to-be S-rank son of the Duke.

And he was nowhere to be found.

Speaking of 'nowhere to be found'

"Did you hear that Duke Winter's daughter, Lyra Winter, is missing?" Count Ziti, an old man who was about to retire, asked

"Yes, I heard she disappeared yesterday, Duke Winter has been searching for her everywhere. That's probably why he isn't here right now. " Count Rigatoni, an old man who has no plans on retiring, replied sorrowfully

"But Isn't she around the same age as the crown prince?" Count lasagna, an old man, asked.

"Yes, if I recall, she's 12 years old, just a little older than the prince. " Count Ziti replied. "It's so sad that such a young girl went missing."

"Indeed, she would have made such a good bride..." Count Rigatoni said smiling

The others looked at him weirdly. Did he just say a 12-year-old would make a good bride?

"... For the Crown Prince." Count Rigatoni added awkwardly