Chapter 80: Illegitimate Child

"Patriarch, if I may speak..." Rouge said as he kept his head down.

Even though Rouge knew that he was being favored by the Patriarch of the Warmester Denoble House, he wouldn't dare abuse it or something like that as he knew that would just incur hate to him by other people.

Of course, those other people include the 6 pillars, who just got treated so harshly by the Patriarch of the Warmester Denoble House.

However, even though the Patriarch just treated them so harshly and even shouted out loud as he talked to them, his...facial expression softened up as he turned his head to look at Rouge.

"Hmm? What is it, Rouge? You may speak up," the Patriarch said with a voice as smooth as butter.

It was just...incomprehensible why the Patriarch is showing such obvious favoritism to Rouge, who was just a random captain in the lower-ranks.

However, the 6 pillars actually knew the reason why the Patriarch of the Warmester Denoble House is being like this to Rouge.

They knew the reason why, which is why they weren't getting angry at Rogue or something like that.

That is also the reason why Rouge had such connections to the big shots of the Warmester Denoble House, AKA the leaders of the four organizations.

However, just what is the reason why the Patriarch is so kind to Rouge?

It was...very simple.

'Rouge is the Patriarch's illegitimate son,' the right-hand man of the Patriarch thought as he sent his senses to look at Rouge.

Although it didn't seem very obvious, as the Patriarch was just full of wrinkles on his face, the Patriarch and Rouge actually looked quite a lot similar to each other.

In fact, that was how the 6 pillars were able to know that he is the illegitimate son of the Patriarch, and that is also why the Patriarch was able to easily accept that Rouge is indeed his son.

One of the 6 pillars, String, just one day was taking a stroll at the plaza of the slums, and he just somehow saw Rouge, who was dying on the edge of a street and was able to instantly connect his roots to the Patriarch of the Warmester Denoble House.

Even as a kid and full of dirty, Rouge just had this similar look to the Patriarch, which String couldn't ignore.

Of course, that didn't mean String immediately went on and invite Rouge to the Warmester Denoble House or something like that.

After all, it's not that uncommon for people with no blood relations to look alike with each other.

However, the similarity was just too much that String had to investigate.

He sent his men to find out about Rouge's parents, and they found out that Rouge was just an orphan.

And the fact that Rouge was an orphan was an alarming fact. After all, there's no way that Rouge would have a father if his father was living comfortably in the Warm City.

As for Rouge's mother...String knew that the mother was just some woman that the Patriarch used for some playtime when he got excited, quite unlike for his age.

Well, it was quite normal for the Patriarch to use women that he didn't know for some playtime as his wife was already dead.

His other wives were also dead as...the Patriarch was just too old right now and his wives passed away due to old age.

That was why it wasn't unusual for him to play around like that, especially so since he got the power and influence to have any woman that he wants.

Of course, this still didn't mean that String just immediately told the Warmester Denoble House that the Patriarch had an illegitimate son or something like that.

It may just be a coincidence, after all. However, just a few days after String made the investigation on Rouge that he finally decided to tell the Patriarch about Rouge.

Why? It was because String was able to basically confirm that Rouge was indeed the illegitimate son of the Patriarch.

And it was because of...

'Mana. Their mana is so similar to each other and they possess the same look. There is no way that their mana would be so identical to each other unless they are relatives of some sort!'

Right, Rouge's mana felt similar to the Patriarch of the Warmester Denoble House.

As String was someone who was serving the Warmester Denoble House for quite a long time now, he had seen the Patriarch in action and he was able to witness his strength.

He watched the Patriarch kill people with no mercy at all, and he also felt the intense feeling of the Patriarch's mana.

And when String was observing Rouge, who was stealing food from someone at the time, he felt it.

He felt the same intense feeling of the Patriarch when Rouge...straight-up killed the man who he stole food from.

The way Rouge looked when he killed the man...was so similar to how the Patriarch killed people, which made String tell the Patriarch about him.

This made the Patriarch curious about Rouge since he knew that he was playing around as well.

Of course, this also made the Patriarch...a little bit hopeful since this may mean that there would be another son for him.

He wanted another son because...well, his current son basically took over the Warmester Denoble House and does not have the time for him.

Even though the Patriarch of the Warmester Denoble House was definitely a cruel man, he still wanted some time with his son.

But his current son isn't able to give him that since he was busy with his duties.

However...with Rouge's existence, it was just...possible to have quality time with his son.

Of course, the Patriarch of the Warmester Denoble House didn't really believe String right away as he was suspicious of the news.

After all, String might just be doing it for him or something like that since String knew that the Patriarch wanted another son.

It means that...the timing was just too close for it to be a coincidence.

Nevertheless, the Patriarch was definitely curious about Rouge, which is why he ordered String to take him there.

Right...the Patriarch himself went to the slums to take a look at Rouge.

This just shows how curious and how the Patriarch desires for another son.

And when the Patriarch and String went to the slums, they were able to find Rouge pretty quickly.

And as soon as the Patriarch saw Rouge, he...knew it.

No...his instincts knew, and his blood reacted to Rouge, who was currently killing another man in the corner of some alleyway.

The Patriarch's blood told him...that Rouge was his son.

At that moment, the Patriarch quickly ordered String to make some kind of project so that Rouge would be able to join the Warmester Denoble House or something like that.

Of course, since Rouge was his son, the Patriarch was confident that he would be able to pass any kind of exam that String would come up with.

Not that String would make it hard for Rouge to pass, but either way, things escalated up to that point and after some years, Rouge became a captain.

Although the Patriarch was excited for Rouge, he didn't tell Rouge about his identity or anything of the sort, and there is a reason why.

It was because...the Patriarch was sure that Rouge would come to hate him if he ever told him that he was his son.

Why? It was because Rouge has been living a hard life in the slums where he had to kill people daily just to get food.

He had to steal and he had to starve just to survive day by day. He had to experience hell.

And now...some kind of man would just enter his life and tell him that he was his son?

What's more, this man was a very influential person who has everything in the world.

This man was living a high life while his son was suffering in the slums with no food to eat.

There's no way that his son...Rouge would definitely be able to look at the Patriarch as his father.

No...he might look at the Patriarch as his father but that would just be to 'secure' his hold and future.

And the Patriarch wouldn't want something 'fake,' which is why he prevented himself from telling Rouge that he was actually his son.

This is why...the situation was like this, the Patriarch showing favoritism to Rouge, and Rouge having no idea why.

It was pretty confusing and all that for Rouge, but well. Rouge didn't really care about it since, for him, the Patriarch of the Warmester Denoble House was his savior.

And that was why Rouge wanted to repay the Patriarch of the Warmester House, which is why he asked for permission to speak.

And when he was granted the right to speak in this situation, he immediately did it.

"The royal family of the Zacharath Kingdom is not suspicious of the Warmester Denoble House."