Chapter 247 - Returning to the Family

"Go on, sit." Hurman motioned toward the empty row of seats, those formerly claimed by Mertin's family. "Hurry up, so Shadur can explain his piece before the food gets colder."

"Y-yes…"

Everyone watched as Mertin came forward and led his family to the table. Forcing Mertin to sit first, Melida, Melinda, and Milo waited for Mertin to formally sit before they did the same. They also waited for Mertin to serve himself, not letting their regretful father or husband punish himself.

Shadur hurriedly finished his first serving and wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin. Getting an approving nod from Hurman, Shadur took in a slow breath. "Roughly a sun ago, I took samples of Patriarch Hurman's and Master Lyle's blood in order to run some tests. This morning I finalized the results of those tests, which I'll now share for the entire family under Patriarch Hurman's suggestion."

Mertin's hand clasped onto his fork tighter than ever. He didn't raise his head. Instead, he looked across the table from the corner of his eyes while more sorrow fell over his face.

"Both blood samples contained traces of a rare and unusual poison, Kryzthin. Krysthin is known to disrupt a cultivator's ability to gather essence, and in extreme amounts can gradually strip a cultivator of the ability to wield essence over time," continued Shadur, doing exactly as he was told. "For this to occur, it would need to be administered daily over a long period of time. This--"

"Please, don't blame my wife and children for this!" Mertin stated loudly, dropping his fork loaded with pork and bowing as low as the table would allow. "They had no knowledge of my doings, whatsoever. Please, forgive them of my crime against the family!"

"..."

Shaking once again, Mertin didn't dare look up to meet his father's demeaning gaze. He kept his head down and waited for judgment to be passed, hoping he could accept any punishment meant for his children and wife.

"Mertin, I knew this before you had returned to the house. I learned of this before the tournament this morning… That's why you should hold your head up, not cower," Hurman stated with a steady yet comforting tone. "Please, continue, Shadur."

"Yes." Nodding, Shadur continued, "However, while Kryzthin is a potent poison, the traces found in Patriarch Hurman's and Master Lyle's bloodstreams were not enough to harm their cultivation. At most, there was enough Kryzthin to stall or prolong the time needed to gather essence, when compared to some test subjects records by the Medic Guild. I suspect that the Kryzthin was diluted heavily before it had ever been administered to them."

Still smiling, Hurman asked, "Mertin, I'm guessing that was also your work?"

"... Yes."

"And why was that? Weren't you given orders to debilitate us?"

Blinking, Mertin struggled to reply. "Y-yes… I was just following orders."

"But your orders weren't to dilute it, correct?"

"That's also correct…" 

"Then why would you dare to break orders of your superior?"

Trying to better control his nerves through slowed breathing, Mertin nodded and reasoned, "I was ordered to administer the contents of that bottle to both you and Lyle, under the supervision of Hrald to verify that I had done the deed. And I was unable to fully dispose of the poison as Hrald would consistently test the bottle to verify that it was indeed Krysthin…

"But Hrald's test wouldn't test the potency, so my only solution was to dilute the Kryzthin in hopes that the damage would be lessoned… That doesn't change the fact that I've poisoned--"

"Mertin, will you explain the reason you betrayed the family, or shall I?"

Caught off guard by such a statement, Mertin blinked. He wasn't sure what his father meant, or how his father could know so much.

"After the tournament, Rhyner informed me of what Libarn did to the family and to you, as well as Melida." Frowning tenderly, Hurman bowed his head to his daughter-in-law. "Melida, please forgive me for my ignorance. As a patriarch, I was foolish to allow you to become poisoned while under my guidance and protection."

"Father…" Mertin sighed out of reflex, struggling to control his mouth and thoughts.

"I've been talking with Liz and she's arranged a meeting with her mother. With her help and the finest doctors, we should be able to properly diagnose your condition. And now that Hrald or Libarn can no longer give you more doses, a permanent solution could be achievable."

"Father--"

"Mertin, please forgive my ignorance to not only your wife but to my poor staffing and managerial decisions. I now understand that you weren't driving up the family's debts or damaging our reputation, you were lessening the pain that Libarn was trying to inflict by your own self-sacrifice. Such efforts shouldn't go unrecognized by a patriarch, especially if such efforts were done by a son I'm proud."

"Pops…"

"Whoa, I haven't heard you say that in years!" Jonon laughed, shattering the last of the tension throughout the room. 

But Hurman continued with a proud grin, "And despite their best efforts, both Reginol and Claud have been caught redhanded. This time they won't be spared by that old fart, I'm sure. Likely, Graent will replace them as the first manager in order for the Libarn Family to reform the guild from the ground up. So don't worry about them anymore. Now, you can rest easy."

"Thank you, Father!" Mertin bowed again, but not out of pity. Keeping his chest high, Mertin bowed his head and wiped the water trickling down his cheeks. 

"But that's not all of the announcements…"

Hurman's pregnant pause left many unsettled, curious what sort of news could follow. But Keldon and Jonon were both smiling, ready to finally make it official, all while Liz grabbed Hurman's hand under the table.

"In two moons, our family will be leaving the Trighton Territory."

"WHAT?!" The entire room shouted back at Hurman from shock.

Unfazed, Hurman chuckled and reviewed the differing expression of everyone around him, including the comical sight of Pauller large bite of food falling from his lips and onto his lap.