CH 28

“They took Thiel to the training ground?”

Cassius and Alpheus paused their conversation and turned to look at Lia.

Lia bowed her head slightly and spoke.

“Yes, the young lords took the young lady to the training ground, and I’m worried about her.”

“Alright, I’ll go check.”

Cassius stood up from his seat and straightened his attire.

Lia smoothly stepped aside at the entrance to allow Cassius to leave.

The training ground was not only a place for swordsmanship practice but primarily for honing one’s abilities.

Perhaps Perdi and Ludian took Thiel there to show off their abilities and impress her.

However, Thiel seemed too young to witness such things.

The child didn’t even know what her own ability was yet, let alone how to use it. She was like a newborn who didn’t understand her abilities.

“Didn’t you inform Perdi and Ludian about Thiel’s ability?”

Alpheus frowned slightly, as if his memory was failing him.

Cassius nodded.

“I did. I clearly told them to be careful since she’s still young and doesn’t know much about her own abilities.”

Cassius’s gaze reached the window facing north. It illuminated the direction where Perdi and Ludian’s exclusive training ground was located.

“She hasn’t manifested her ability for long, so it wouldn’t be good if she’s influenced by Perdi and Ludian’s abilities and her own ability becomes unstable. I’ll bring her back.”

Perdi and Ludian’s abilities were powerful.

Of course, Thiel was still young, so she wasn’t as strong as Alpheus and Cassius. However, as the successors of Asterian, where stronger ability users emerged with each generation, they possessed strong abilities.

So if those two were to misuse or go out of control with their abilities…

It was clear that it would have a negative impact on Thiel.

Cassius sighed and turned his head.

Just as he had made a resolve not to let the twins and Thiel be together for a while…

“Um, oh God!”

Lia pointed to the window that Cassius had been looking at just a moment ago.

Cassius and Alpheus both turned their gaze to the window.

“…!”

From the north of Asterian Manor, beams of light and pillars of fire were pouring out simultaneously.

The beams of light quickly covered the night sky, illuminating it brightly. Cassius narrowed his eyes, and Alpheus’s pupils dilated.

“No way…”

Alpheus murmured.

Both of them immediately rushed out of the office without a second thought.

Only Lia remained in the empty office, uncertain about what to do, as she gazed towards the north.

***

And now.

Cassius, ignoring the bewildered Perdi and Ludian, checked on Thiel’s condition.

The child blinked slowly and soon collapsed into Cassius’s arms.

At the same time, the light that had covered the entire territory of Asterian faded to black.

“Thiel!”

Both Perdi and Ludian exclaimed simultaneously. Cassius slightly turned his head and pressed his index finger to his lips.

“Be quiet; the child would wake up.”

Alpheus, who was flustered by Thiel’s state, immediately ordered someone to call the physician.

Everyone present was visibly startled, but Cassius remained surprisingly calm.

He examined Thiel’s pulse and placed his hand over her chest, sensing the flow of her ability.

Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be any major issues.

“She briefly lost consciousness due to using too much ability all of a sudden. She’ll be fine if she rests.”

Cassius held Thiel in his arms. Her cheek lightly pressed against his chest.

Perdi and Ludian looked at Thiel with worried expressions.

Cassius glanced at his daughter, who had just used an incredibly powerful ability, and then looked up at the ceiling of the training ground, which had been shattered.

‘I should have created a ceiling.’

If he had done that, it wouldn’t have been such a hassle.

There was no way the royal family, the temple, or even Nestian could have missed seeing the ability Thiel just used.

Thiel’s light was so strong and bright that it illuminated the entire territory of Asterian.

So everyone must have seen it.

Everyone must have known. That a child with the ability of light had appeared.

Cassius’s pupils narrowed at the thought of the trouble that had arisen.

If it became known that Thiel was the “Child of Light” from the legends, people from all directions would come to claim her, that much was certain.

Of course, he had no intention of letting her be taken away easily.

She was his found daughter. The child he had drawn every night for the past seven years, believing she was still alive.

He had never entertained the thought of her being taken away.

This was Asterian.

The Asterian where I held the authority to shake the world.

Unless I stepped foot outside this temporary ship, no one could touch Thiel recklessly.

However, Cassius didn’t want this little child to suffer anymore.

Even without any special abilities, all he wanted was for his daughter to live comfortably and happily.

‘Now that things have turned out this way, there’s no other choice.’

Cassius’s pupils transformed like those of a beast.

His large hand covered Thiel’s small body.

Although there would undoubtedly be hardships Thiel would have to endure, given her ability of light, there were things that the House of Black Leopards, bearing the name of Asterian, could handle on her behalf.

For example, dealing with the nuisance that would arise from today’s incident.

That was the duty of a protector.

“Perdi, Ludian.”

Cassius looked at his sons while holding Thiel in his arms.

“Explain what happened.”

At that moment, Perdi staggered. Ludian managed to support Perdo, who was about to collapse.

Instead of Perdi, who was staring at Thiel like a person out of his mind, Ludian spoke up.

“Perdi suddenly… went out of control. He didn’t even use his ability much. Suddenly went out of control, and that’s why…”

“And that’s why?”

“… Ludian tried to stop me and got hurt, and Thiel… She calmed me down.”

Perdi picked up where Ludian left off.

His gaze was fixed on Thiel’s face, who was still collapsed. He wanted to hold the child who could collapse at any moment.

Perdi couldn’t bring himself to say it.

‘I’m just imagining what I want to do.’

At that time, what did Perdi imagine?

Perdi imagined a powerful ability.

An unstoppable power unrestricted by curses and madness. A powerful flame.

If there were no curse, Perdi could have had a strong ability to use…

And this was the result.

Perdi couldn’t overcome the curse and went into madness, and Thiel tried to calm Perdi down but collapsed in the process.

Perdi couldn’t forget.

The warmth of the small body that ran towards him without hesitation, embracing him tightly, even though it was an unfamiliar subject.

And the warm light that spread throughout his body, starting from Thiel’s palm and melting into his veins.

He deeply regretted ever doubting Thiel and being on guard.

Even if Theil didn’t actually have the “ability of light,” it shouldn’t have mattered.

Thiel opened her heart to Perdi.

Even though he was in a dangerous situation, Thiel threw herself at Perdi without hesitation.

But Perdi was cautious of such a small child.

Just because she might have had the “ability of light”!

Some ignorant people might say that Perdi was on guard because he feared Thiel would take his place as the successor, but it wasn’t such a simple reason.

He just… didn’t want to have any expectations.

Perdi, Astarian, and Nestian had suffered from this curse and madness for a long time.

If they could cure this madness, if they could break the curse, they were prepared to do anything.

But now, thinking that they could actually do it, with a child before them who manifested the legendary ability…

He felt uneasy.

Was the legend just a futile tale? Was the curse something terrible that even the power of light couldn’t overcome?

Was the legend just a mere legend…

Realizing that Perdi’s mind was unstable, Ludian, who had noticed it, spoke up in defense, looking up at the cold expression of Cassius.

“It’s not Perdi’s fault! He didn’t use even half of his usual ability. But suddenly.…”

“That’s enough, Ludian.”

Perdi tried to stop Ludian.

But Ludian, pressing harder on Perdi’s foot, raised his voice.

“Did I lie? It really happened. Did I not know your ability? You went out of control even though you didn’t use half!”

Cassius sighed and nodded his head sharply, silencing Ludian with his sharp gaze.

“We’ll… talk about this later. Right now, Thiel comes first.”

“Yeah, we need to make Thiel lie down first.”

Both boys nodded in agreement with Cassius and Alpheus.

Cassius held the small child in his arms and walked to the center of the practice area. Alphius stood guard beside him.

They looked down at Thiel, who was peacefully asleep, nestled in Cassius’s arms.

“Astarian and Nestian shall regain their original power with the glorious light.”

The glorious light.

The light from the legend was now nestled in Cassius’s arms.

And it had even calmed Perdi’s madness.

Perhaps Thiel was the key to completely breaking the curse of Astarian and Nestian, just as the legend foretold.

But Cassius wasn’t happy.

Because Thiel would undoubtedly face countless hardships in the future.

And among them, there would be challenges that Cassius and Alpheus couldn’t face on Tiel’s behalf.