章節 24: Velheimort Forest (5)
May 4th, 1432
Aurora Earhart sat at Raphael's desk, dressed in her usual clothes. She watched her younger brother and his friend, both peacefully asleep in one bed. Between them lay a peculiar fox, curled up in a ball, drooling as it napped.
After their return to the castle last night, Aurora had immediately roused Kazimir, her knights, and trusted servants. Thanks to the late hour and her swift actions, no one had learned about Raphael and Erin's late-night escapade.
Kazimir had healed the children, while Aurora's servants reported to the orphanage's supervisors that Erin had been called away by Raphael's orders.
"Though that's not entirely a lie," — Aurora thought, glancing back at the sleeping children.
All possible leaks were meticulously covered.
"They might find the goblin and wolf corpses, but I doubt they'll connect them to Raphael."
Watching the peaceful scene, Aurora fell into thought. She glanced at the red crystal she had found in the giant wolf's body. Even though she didn't fully understand its nature, the crystal emitted a sinister energy.
— "This isn't just some pretty stone. Something's definitely off about it…"
She tried to push away her anxious thoughts but always arrived at the same conclusion: she had to figure things out as soon as possible to protect her younger brother.
— Tsk… Fine, — Aurora muttered irritably.
She rose from her chair and approached Raphael's bed. Her gaze softened.
"Why is there always so much trouble surrounding you?.."
Aurora knelt beside the bed, resting her head on the pillow next to Raphael, and whispered softly:
— I'll protect you at any cost…
With those words, she didn't even notice when she drifted off to sleep, hugging her brother.
***
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the castle.
Lucius lay on his bed, pondering over the report he had just received from his bodyguard, Cedric. The report spoke of monster corpses found near the castle.
"It's obvious that Raphael was the one who killed the goblins…" — Lucius concluded immediately upon reviewing the full report.
No outsiders could be that close to the castle without detection. Besides, of all the family members present in the castle, only Raphael, Aurora, and Alice remained.
"Regular cadets couldn't have handled it so cleanly, nor would they have bypassed my people so easily. And since the castle's knights didn't know of the event and only found the bodies by morning, we can rule out their involvement."
These were the deductions Lucius arrived at, piecing together the details in his mind. He also noticed that neither Aurora nor Raphael had crossed paths with him all evening.
It was clear to him that Aurora had no reason to kill low-ranking monsters. This could only mean one thing: Raphael had gone into the forest with his sister. Since only the goblins were harmed, this wasn't just an ordinary training session. They were looking for something specific, but what exactly remained a mystery.
"As for the giant wolf... Aurora likely handled that," — Lucius concluded, examining the images from the magic camera.
The photograph clearly showed a perfect slash on the largest wolf's body. Lucius was certain — only someone of Aurora's level could have done this. Raphael wasn't yet skilled or powerful enough.
Lucius then shifted his attention to another image — mutilated bodies of the smaller wolves. His face darkened.
"But... what's with these chaotic slashes?"
The erratic and rough cuts on the monsters' bodies puzzled him. It didn't resemble the careful work of any family member.
— Hm…
Setting the report aside, Lucius lay back down, closing his eyes to calm his thoughts.
After about fifteen minutes, there was a knock at the door.
— Enter, — he said.
A maid stepped in. Bowing, she spoke:
— Lord Lucius, the Patriarch has returned. He has ordered the entire family to gather in the throne room in two hours.
Lucius sat up abruptly.
— The Patriarch is already here? When did he arrive?
— A few minutes ago, and he immediately summoned all the children. Along with him, the rest of the family has returned as well.
— Everyone?
— Yes, Lord Adrian and Lady Liliana have returned from the Eastern Continent. Theo, Mia, Eric, and Selena have completed their training and are here. Even Lord Gabriel has arrived.
— Gabriel?
Lucius was taken aback. Gabriel was studying at the academy and didn't have the freedom to visit the family at will. His presence meant only one thing: something incredibly important was about to be discussed.
"This is serious…"
— Thank you. You may go.
— Excuse me, — the maid bowed again and left.
Lucius remained alone, contemplating the upcoming meeting and what events were about to unfold.
***
Two hours later, in the throne room.
At this moment, all the children of the family, including the matriarch, were gathered, awaiting the arrival of the patriarch. Everyone — from the family's Legate, the eldest brother Adrian, to the youngest, Alice — was present, anticipating the head of the family's decision.
Each was dressed in dark obsidian armor, complemented by cloaks, emphasizing their knightly lineage and status within the family.
The family members stood in two rows, facing each other, leaving about four meters of space leading to the throne. Isabella, as matriarch, stood near the throne, her face serious and focused.
"What could have prompted Father to summon everyone so suddenly?"
Lucius tried to figure out what could have caused this meeting. However, the answers eluded him.
After a few minutes, the massive, heavy doors of the hall slowly began to open, filling the room with a deep, resonating sound. Into the opulent hall, adorned with gold and obsidian, strode Alonzo Earhart — the patriarch of the family.
— We greet the Patriarch! — the children shouted in unison, kneeling simultaneously.
Alonzo, ignoring the kneeling children, walked between them, his cold gaze lingering momentarily on each of his offspring. But when his eyes fell on Raphael, the patriarch paused a bit longer, as if evaluating something.
Having passed, he stopped by the throne but didn't sit down, instead turning to face the gathered family. His gaze swept the hall and the people before he finally broke the silence with his authoritative voice.
— Rise.
The children immediately stood, standing at attention, though no one dared turn their head toward the patriarch. In this family, it was forbidden to look directly at Alonzo without his explicit permission. Even his own children had to abide by this unspoken rule.
Satisfied with their discipline, the patriarch nodded, adding:
— At ease.
After this command, the children were allowed to turn their heads toward him.
Alonzo Earhart was dressed in gleaming white platinum armor, which only he and the knights of the Circle had the right to wear. The armor was adorned with bright red obsidian patterns, and on his left shoulder was the family's crest — a raven clutching a sword. A red cloak trimmed with gold and white fur completed the image.
His face, framed by long white hair and a neatly trimmed beard, radiated majesty and unmatched power. However, the true might emanated not just from his appearance but from his aura — so heavy and dense that even Alice had to fight to remain conscious. The only thing saving her was the distance she stood from the patriarch.
Everyone in the hall knew it well: if Alonzo willed it, he could wipe them all out with a single move. The raw power he possessed was undeniable.
"This is what true strength looks like…" — Lucius thought for a brief moment, but quickly dismissed the thought, refocusing on the situation.
— I've gathered you here for two reasons, — Alonzo's voice echoed through the hall.
— Let's start with the main issue. The Earharts, together with the Alcion Empire, are launching a campaign to overthrow Pope Marcello DiBenedetto, the ruler of the Holy State of Solaris.
Hearing the news, the children of the family felt a wave of emotions, but only Theo, Mia, and Eric betrayed their surprise, eyes wide with shock.
"Idiots... At least try to control your expressions..." — Lucius thought with irritation.
For members of the Earhart family, such displays were unacceptable. Nonetheless, after a brief moment, the children composed themselves, once again masking their emotions with cold indifference.
"But Father noticed everything, that's for sure…"
Lucius glanced at the patriarch, who hadn't missed a single movement.
However, Lucius held little hope for that trio. Theo, Mia, and Eric had always been mediocre in everything they attempted. What truly caught Lucius's attention was the absolute calm of Raphael and Alice.
"They've clearly prepared for this meeting."
Lucius assumed that Raphael had spent the last few hours instructing his younger sister, explaining what could and could not be done in the presence of the patriarch.
And in this, Lucius was partly right: though Raphael had only awoken half an hour ago, he and Aurora had already briefed Alice on the key aspects of how to behave before the patriarch.
Looking at the other family members, Lucius noticed no significant changes. Even if some had been surprised by the news, they had mastered their emotions and concealed them behind a mask of composure.
At that moment, Alonzo continued:
— This "cold war" won't involve battles on the field, which simplifies our task. Nevertheless, it's still a war, and spies from both sides will be involved.
Lucius absorbed every word, analyzing and sorting the information in his mind like a complex puzzle.
— Each of you will be involved. Isabella, — Alonzo called his wife without turning to her.
— Yes, Patriarch.
Her response was immediate.
— Prepare Grimwave. Strengthen the spy network within Solaris and double our counterintelligence on our lands.
— As you command.
Grimwave was one of the few elite knight units that operated with a high degree of autonomy. They specialized in reconnaissance, espionage, and information gathering both within the family's territories and beyond. Although formally overseen by the elders, their primary duty was to follow the patriarch's orders.
Each member of this unit wielded an aura of the sword, having reached at least the late stage of the Star Vortex or the early stage of the Solar Blade, making them the elite of the elite.
However, their main strength lay in intelligence gathering and the elimination of unwanted targets. Grimwave's torture methods were so refined that they terrified even the most twisted maniacs.
When ordered to extract information, they would stop at nothing to get it, resorting to the most brutal methods. If tasked with an assassination, they executed their missions so discreetly and professionally that deaths often appeared natural.
This unit was responsible for eliminating enemy spies and neutralizing elite opposition. For aristocrats and politicians, just hearing the name Grimwave sent shivers down their spines.
The fact that Alonzo had decided to deploy them emphasized the seriousness of his intentions.
"It seems Father is indeed making grand plans regarding Solaris."
— Adrian and Lucius will join Grimwave. Adrian will act as the family's diplomat and representative, while Lucius will oversee operations within Solaris. Gabriel will handle building connections with young Solaris aristocrats at the academy.
— Understood, — both brothers replied in unison.
"He's even giving me the right to use the best spies... Interesting," — Lucius felt a slight sense of satisfaction at the upcoming task.
— Isabella will head to the capital of Alcion to coordinate actions with their intelligence, — Alonzo continued.
— As you command.
– As for the rest of you. Liliana will temporarily assume the duties of matriarch. Isabella will assist her from the capital as much as possible, and the Circle members will provide support. Aurora will take the position of Honored Knight immediately upon graduation from the academy.
– Understood, — the children responded in unison.
Lucius felt a bit irritated by this part of the order. Liliana wasn't unintelligent, but her way of thinking didn't seem suited for leading the family. Allowing her to fulfill the duties of the matriarch didn't strike him as a great idea.
"Though, with the Circle's help, she'll probably manage."
However, what concerned him most was the news that Aurora would become an Honored Knight. This meant that Father, knowingly or unknowingly, was helping Raphael to grow stronger.
With Aurora at his side, Raphael would have more freedom. And the fact that Lucius himself would be leaving meant that only a few of his people would be able to keep an eye on his younger brother. That clearly made him uneasy.
"Ha, fine…"
Lucius reassured himself with the thought that if necessary, he could always deploy Grimwave spies under the pretext of a mission to monitor his younger brother.
— The remaining children will stay in the castle and continue their training until the Initiation Tournament.
— Yes! — the children responded in chorus.
Alonzo paused for a moment, surveying his children.
— Now, on to the second matter... — his voice grew more serious, and the silence in the hall became even heavier.
— Raphael Earhart, step forward.
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