Chapter 67: What would you like to eat?

Chapter 67: What would you like to eat? After long hours of refining his mana essence and ascending to the Highest level, finding himself one step away from the Peak level of rank 9, Kael brought his consciousness inward, watching his sea of mana recover at great speed thanks to his SSS-ranked talent. His gaze shifted to the window, where the sky had already darkened, but the heavy rain persisted. Now that he had accomplished his mission, he considered his simple next steps: grow stronger, study more about the Zu, and make preparations with the infiltrated nobles. However, the latter was unlikely to happen. By mentioning the Attraction Butter, it was almost certain that he would pay close attention to any suspicious movements in the city. As for the Demon Wolf’s inheritance, Kael did not plan to explore it until after the tournament. Too many eyes were watching him, and with his performance, it was likely that he would be secretly escorted. After analyzing the overall situation, he decided not to take any excessive action until things calmed down. He was already overexposed; although that gave him advantages, it also limited him considerably. "I’ll focus the rest of the time on reaching rank 8 before the tournament." Kael got out of bed to go to dinner. Despite his astonishing growth and progress in just a few months, he felt no satisfaction. It should be remembered that only a little over three months had passed since his Awakening Ceremony. And he was already at rank 9, Highest level! A person with S-rank talent took between four and five months to reach the Highest level within rank 9. Meanwhile, someone with A-rank talent needed six to seven months to achieve the same. Kael, who had only been awake for a few months, had already reached that level. His speed of growth was enviable and, above all, disconcerting. Pushing his thoughts aside, he headed for the dining room. ... In one of the rooms of the mansion, an elegant woman with blood-red hair and blue eyes watched the raindrops slide down the windowpane. Her features were flawless: thick, well-defined eyebrows, a fine nose, full lips, and a voluptuous body. She wore a simple but refined red and black dress that hugged her figure, accentuating her beauty, especially her hips. Sitting in a black armchair with her legs crossed, her cold blue eyes gazed at the storm with an impassive expression. It was Scarlett Medici, a member of the Valentin family, one of the most influential houses in the kingdom of Aragon. She looked away from the window and fixed her gaze on the person in front of her: her son, Jasper. "You know what you’ve done. Because of your inferiority complex, I’ve lost a valuable asset." Her voice sounded cold, as if she were speaking to a subordinate, not her son. Jasper, under his mother’s icy gaze, shuddered slightly and replied: "But, mother, you didn’t say that I would be the next head of this family. But since that bastard showed up and awakened his S-rank talent, many of the elders have already taken his side, even if they haven’t said so." Scarlett sighed deeply in disappointment. "Son, you’re rushing things. Becoming the clan chief isn’t something that happens overnight. You already had a great reputation to become the next leader, but your petty feelings of inferiority ruined it." Jasper lowered his head and pressed his lips together until they bled. For years, he had demanded more of himself than anyone else. He got up before sunrise, trained until he was exhausted, memorized, and learned etiquette, politics, history, and strategy... All to be the perfect heir. All so that his father, the imposing Zephyr Medici, would look at him with pride. So that, someday, he would call him "son" with genuine warmth. But then he appeared. Kael. A bastard, son of a commoner, without lineage. And in a matter of a week, the brilliance that Jasper had built over the years... faded away. Like a candle in the sun. Kael didn’t just shine brighter. He did it effortlessly, as if the world had no choice but to bow down before him. Ever since his father laid eyes on Kael, Jasper became invisible. The warmth he had always longed for now surrounded the intruder. The attention he wanted was now Kael’s. The future he had dreamed of now seemed foreign to him. Foreign and ridiculous. A knot of anger and humiliation tightened in his throat. What was the point of all my effort... if his mere existence was enough to overshadow me? His fists trembled. His mind, torn between envy and helplessness, could only find one way out: Eliminate him. Because as long as Kael was standing... Jasper would never shine. His light had no place under that shadow. It was kill... or remain a pathetic reflection. I must destroy him... He thought, as his gaze emptied. ...only then can I shine again. Scarlett watched her son silently for a moment before speaking in a soft, almost indifferent voice: "You just need patience. If you manage to excel in the tournament, your reputation will rise again." "Are we going to participate?" asked Jasper with a confused expression, still unable to put the pieces together in his mind. "Have you already forgotten what your father said?" replied Scarlett, without changing her tone. "This tournament will be held on Kiran Mountain. It will be between the young masters of the influential families of the kingdom of Aragon. You will participate... whether you like it or not." Hearing his mother’s explanation, Jasper’s memory was triggered. A flash of determination crossed his eyes... but it vanished as quickly as it had come. "Mother... do you think I can win? If Lyra participates... she will be the one to win. What’s the point of me trying?" Scarlett didn’t respond right away. She fell silent when she heard that name. "Lyra." If that girl were involved, then all her efforts would be useless. The difference between them was enormous, and it couldn’t be concealed by desire or discipline. Her blue eyes drifted toward the window, watching the rain continue to fall furiously on the city. Each drop hitting the glass reminded her of a bitter truth: Will alone is not enough to challenge supremacy. ... The next day, the rain continued to fall relentlessly. Heavy drops fell on the stone paths and farmland. Water pooled in the furrows, flooding the fertile soil and threatening to rot the roots. What had initially been a relief for the farmers was now becoming a silent enemy. The workers, soaked to the bone, dug trenches quickly. Shovels and hoes struck the damp earth to create drainage channels. Muddy, dark brown water flowed through the newly dug trenches and rushed toward a nearby ravine, whose swollen bed threatened to overflow. Across the soggy fields, a figure advanced at speed. Mud splattered with every step, but it didn’t slow him down. It was Kael Medici. He wore a bamboo hat that shielded his face from the rain. His black Taoist robe fluttered with every movement, and a coin mask hid the lower half of his face. Behind him, Lydia and Eren followed silently. Although the rain partially blinded them, they kept their breathing steady and their pace constant. Their footsteps blended with the sound of the storm. After a long run, the trio stopped in front of a small village. Unlike others, this one had not yet been touched by the tide of beasts. Life went on with a fragile appearance of normality. Kael said nothing at first. He looked at the empty streets, the closed windows, and the few lights shining behind the curtains. The silence was thick, interrupted only by the insistent pounding of the water. "Let’s go to an inn. We’ll get something to eat," he finally said in a calm voice as he walked through the streets of the village. Mud stuck to the edges of their leather shoes, but none of the three stopped to brush it off. Kael walked ahead, unhurried, unstoppable. The few people who dared to be outside stared at them. Some simply looked away. News of the villages ravaged by wild beasts had spread quickly. Kael’s footsteps echoed firmly as he crossed the threshold of the inn. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of damp wood, sweat, and a thick soup bubbling in a pot on the stove. Several men drank silently, their heads bowed. There was a dust-covered piano in the corner. No one spoke much. A waitress watched them from behind the counter. When she saw the young man’s mask and black Taoist robe, she said: "Welcome, you can take that table in the back." Kael advanced without hesitation. He sat down by the window, from where he could observe the streets. Lydia sat to his right. Eren sat to his left. They didn’t exchange a word. The waitress approached a few minutes later, drying her hands with a stained cloth. "What would you like to eat?" Kael looked up. "Something hot. Meat, soup, and fresh bread." His voice sounded completely different, much deeper. This was due to the effect of the coin mask. "Understood," replied the woman, and just before turning away, she murmured as if she needed to say it: "I don’t know if you’ve heard... but this morning... a pregnant woman was attacked by a wild beast on the outskirts of town." Lydia raised an eyebrow. Eren didn’t react. Kael simply looked away toward the flame of the nearest candle. "Is she dead?" he asked, without raising his voice. The woman swallowed hard, lowering her gaze. "Yes. They tried to help her, but the creature tore her apart. They say her husband is still digging a grave in the rain... with his bare hands."