Chương 66: Prelude to the Duel (Ⅰ)

Arthur Olvasen:

Harper and Sloane each held onto one of the door handles and pulled it open.

I could only imagine how heavy it was since the two guards were struggling to pry it apart. Finally, with a loud clack, the towering door slid open, revealing what I assumed to be the banquet hall.

The hall was enormous, with a vaulted ceiling that soared high above our heads with 4 grey pillars extending from the corners of the rectangular hall and moving upwards before bending and meeting each other in the centre of the ceiling.

Complimentary chandeliers hung from the ceiling and the candles adorning them casted a soft, flickering glow across the space.

And sitting in the far corner of the banquet hall, atop the inky dark throne located after three stairs that led to a raised platform was a man I was familiar with.

Jayden Cromwell.

His hands were placed on the armrests to the side and dark robes flowed around and beneath them.

His posture seemed practised and there was an unnaturally stern look on his face. Perhaps he hates putting up a farce of being a stern leader. Because it was not possible that he disliked such settings.

After all, this matter could have been handled via simple negotiations without the need for such over the top ceremony.

Because this banquet feels…too much.

On either side of the Jayden's throne-like seat were multiple other seats; the size of the backrests and the amounts of embellishments plateauing as they extended outwards until eventually the last seats on the two extremes of the long table were just normal chairs.

Sitting right beside him—behind the long table that extended from corner to another—on a slightly smaller throne-like seat that was equally dark was my father with a giant, satisfactory smile on his face.

"My Lord!" Sloane's voice quelled the heated chitter-chatter of the people as they finally turned around and noticed us arriving.

Like a herd of deer scattering upon spotting a predator, the demons suddenly left the main path and stood to the side. And while my head was directed straight towards Jayden, I couldn't help but feel it.

The gazes of the people standing to the side of the banquet hall, figures of all ages and sizes staring at me, a small contingent of them with disdain, while others with simple and genuine curiosity.

Which was surprising. But now that I had so much exposure in such a short span of time, I had started to see a pattern in the level of hate.

However, before I could consider the newly formed hypothesis in my mind, three figures that were standing the closest to Jayden emanated suppressed and highly directed auras at the three of us.

I could feel Astrid inch a little closer to me. Close enough until her shoulder touched the back of my arm, as if she was trying to lean against me.

Michael exhaled sharply from his nose; his agitation almost palpable. While there was no maliciousness or killing intent in the subtly suppressive aura, it was still enough to make even decently powerful mages to faint and froth in the mouth.

From first appearances they seemed related, however, something about the nature of their Arcanum and the way it just…existed made me think otherwise.

"Everyone!" Jayden rose up, a glass in his hand as the content whirled wildly inside it. "You have met my new friend Aksel Olvasen!"

The auras suddenly whipped out of existence, as if they were never there. And even after consciously trying to feel them—in any shape or form, I couldn't. Their control over their Arcanum was ironclad.

"Now meet the heirs to the human equivalent of royalty! Arthur Olvasen and Michael White."

As he announced, hesitant claps that arrived in a disheartening cadence filled the hall. The applause paused for a moment, then died out, only to be sporadically reinitiated by a random clap from someone in the far corner.

Jayden raised his hand up and the claps immediately subsided.

"Royalty? For fuck's sake." Michael snorted.

"What are they saying?" Astrid chimed in.

"Can't you understand Abrahamic?"

"How the hell am I supposed to understand a language I thought didn't exist until just recently!"

"Man, you lot suck. Must be hell living like a normie."

"You—"

Turning my attention away from the two fighting again, I looked at Jayden who motioned for people to take their seats instead of standing.

As they did, the three men who had exerted their auras at us a while ago took a seat right beside Jayden.

"Our guests here have accomplished a feat not many would even dare to think." Jayden continued as every eye was focused on him. Looking at them, everyone looked to be subservient enough with none of them having any malicious thought towards him.

"Both of them have fought and survived General Ed of Central Dominion, on separate occasions."

Was there a point in telling them about this? I mean…isn't it a bad thing for them?

"No way? That General Ed? Ed Vorlith?"

"This has to be a joke!"

"I can't believe a human can stand up to a Vorlith, much less General Ed!"

"I mean, wasn't he a bastard son of Vorliths? General or not, a pure-bred Vorlith would never let a human contend them on equal terms!"

Multiple whispers started to spread throughout the room. Jayden looked down at them and then tapped on his table once.

The echo was amplified as it washed like a tidal wave over everyone, drowning out their arguments and instilling a pin-drop hush in the hall, once again.

The man who was sitting the closest to Jayden had a rather sour expression on his face, his fist clenched and his cheek indented as he bit down at it. He had midnight sky coloured hair and a pair of spiralled purple eyes.

"But that little horseplay aside, no harm has been brought to the innocents." Jayden spoke with a glee.

He lied. There were so many people who died.

However, he did say innocents. And from what I remember almost all of them were evicted prisoners or people of really low ranks to be even considered worthy enough to think of anything.

The sound of chair skidding filled the hall. On Aksel's side, three figures pulled the chairs and sat down.

Without sparing a glance at them, Jayden continued his speech and raised his glass.

"We should put our differences aside and extend the hand of friendship. A hand of friendship that has already been extended towards us…we should indeed not leave it hanging." He spoke as the entire hall clamoured, agreeing with their lord.

It made me a little uncomfortable. It felt like I was inside a glass paned cage in a zoo.

"This will be the advent of a new age. An age when we no longer have to agree on lower terms with those in the Sylvan Fellowship."

"""""YEAH!!!"""""

"And incidentally, all three Dukes of the subsidiary states of Central Dominion are also here." Jayden motioned his hand towards the three men seated to his side. "Why don't you introduce yourselves to our guests?"

The first man shook his head, as if shrugging off some troubling monologue.

The man with the spiralling purple eyes spoke. "Thalor. Thalor Vorlith. I am the Duke of Valemount. Category 6. Pleasure to meet you."

He introduced himself and spoke of his Category with an unhidden pride and arrogance.

After that he immediately took a seat. However, throughout the conversation, even after he sat down, he never took his eyes off me.

Well, I am not the only one who fought your son! Stare at the guy behind me as well!

In order, the other man stood up as well. "Draven Toxarion. I am the Duke of Thornwood. Category 6."

Unlike Thalor, Draven's introduction felt much more resigned and the contempt in his blood red spiralling eyes behind his midnight grey hair was awfully visible.

The one in the far end seemed quite different than the other two. While Drave and Thalor had normal human-esque skin and appearances, he was the one who could easily qualify as earthlings' interpretation of demons.

Long and thick crimson red horns jutted out of the side of his head and went upwards before curling down at the top. Huge silver coloured earring hung from his ears and when he smirked, his silver and golden teeth flashed, making the three black ones stick out like a sore thumb.

As he stood to introduce himself, the predatory smirk never left his mouth. His spiralling obsidian eyes travelled to Astrid, followed by a lick of his lips as he straightened his back, causing his belly to stick out even more.

Even underneath the heavy robes, I could tell he was way past the "obese" threshold.

His hair was the same colour as Thalor and Draven but unlike them, his was styled in spikes.

"Greetings human." He was eying Astrid like a starved man. She got even closer, and gripped at the back of my sleeve.

Her breath was warm and the fresh forest smell of her skin was oddly soothing. And somewhat arousing.

Ehmmm...back to the present.

"Ronan Malkaroth." He introduced himself, a frown finding its way to his face as she completely hid behind me and Michael stepped forward, completely hiding her.

"Duke of…Ravenmoor…tch." Clicking his tongue, he slumped back into his seat.

Jayden had a rather neutral look on his face as he pointed towards the first table, the one closest to him on Aksel's side. "Have a seat, please. And begin the celebration." He paused as a drumming melody filled the hall.

"Celebration for outgrowing the past differences and ushering ourselves into a new era!"

Everyone raised their glasses as the banquet was officially initiated.

Before we went towards our respective seats, I took in Ronan's face and ingrained it into my mind. Like branding a mark into one's bare flesh.

He will die. An excruciating death.

And I will be there to inflict it with my own hands.

******

Pressing my lips tightly together, I stifled the rising yawn, feeling the strain in my jaw and the subtle burn in my eyes.

It has been well over 24 hours since I last slept or got some rest. And due to the unchanging shade of darkness outside, I had lost perception of time as well.

I was currently sitting around a round table beside Astrid and Michael.

But the past hour and a half haven't exactly been wasted since I learnt a few things. Since Sloane and Harper were stationed to help up with anything, I asked Sloane about the 'Category' that the three lords of Central Dominion mentioned a while ago.

'Category' is a way for Edeners to quantify their ranks. Categories exist from "Category I" which is a newly awakened mage, to "Category X" which is mostly regarded as a myth.

And while there were people who have reached "Category IX" – both human and other races – in the past, no one has achieved the mythical feat.

And from the explanation of disparity between each category, it was quite evident that it was not the same.

The powerup that comes from advancing a 'Category' doesn't rise in a conventional way.

While the power gap keeps rolling over as one progresses there is still one major difference that I observed after around 40 minutes of constantly pondering and observing the two maids.

A good example would be that one would think that Category 2 is X2 times stronger than Category 1 and Category 3 is X3 stronger than Category 1. However, that is not exactly the case.

The disparity is much larger. Wider.

Since Harper was Category 2 and Sloane was Category 3. And the difference in arcanum amount from an observatory viewpoint – assuming that they were not hiding any of it – proves that Category 3 would be (X3)2 times stronger. The second exponent was the difference in Category 1 and current stage.

But of course, this is a hypothesis based on an assumption that the feel of Arcanum can be quantified into mathematical numbers.

Since being strong doesn't entirely depend on the amount of Arcanum one can hold. This observation was based solely on the quantity. Assuming Arcanum can be quantified, underneath perfect conditions.

Something else that I noticed, other than the Category ranking system, was the obvious difference in how people in Lawold – or more specifically, this castle – treated us.

And while I have no tangible proof or concrete elements to prove what I am about to say, I think the reason behind it is the exact opposite of what The Seven Syndicates did.

While Seven Syndicates monopolised the power due to less ambient resources to put everyone in line, it seems like the Royalty in Eden has used the generational hate as a weapon for their own progress.

By introducing propagandas that promotes anti-human beliefs, they are keeping the common folks in check.

Since they can't control the ambient arcanum and the normal people from awakening, they are redirecting their attention from overthrowing the government to a much more concerning matter.

Of course, all of this was still a hypothesis on my part and I might be completely off the tangent.

"Mmm~ This is not bad."