God From The Abyss

Chapter 32: Chapter 032: Trivialities?

Mikael had noticed the old man, standing from atop the tree branch. He was crouched behind some shrubs and looked like he was taking aim. At the girl! Seems like he wasn’t a physical combatant, despite the sword hanging at his side.

Mikael, for a while, actually considered letting him go on with whatever he planned to do, since it all had nothing to do with him and even he, at some point during the brief time they had been together, had considered ending the girl’s life as he deemed her potential to be quite monstrous. Meaning she’d probably grow strong enough to cause him problems in the future.

’Why would I even still be mortal by the time she grows? Strange.’

However, mere moments later he found himself swooping down on the unsuspecting mortal who was just a Master Rank! Talk about disappointing, after all the talks of the leader being powerful and being unspottable.

Just when he had tore off his head, he glanced over at the main centre of attraction where one of the bandits was threatening to kill one of the captives just so he could escape. And still feeling disgusted and now more disappointed, Mikael had channeled his celestial essence and had chopped the guys head off too in one swift motion!

He tossed both heads away as he walked towards the blue haired girl. She was interestingly good, having taken down almost half the number of the bandits.

But the way she breathed and the slight staggering, joined to her now reduced rate of her spell firing, he knew she had nearly used up all her mana.

’ Don’t be mislead, human. I am no savior,’ he thought picking up a sword. This turned to be a complete waste of his time, so they was no need to add flair to whatever he was going to do next.

One minute later, the only surviving kidnappers were those who had run away right from the very start.

" You. What’s your name?" By now, she was tending to some of the now free captives most of whom weew shedding tears and had their hands clasped in prayers.

" I am Miriselle Von Isolde. Thank you for your help, sir. I really appreciate."

" Pay me no heed, child. I’ll be heading off then," Mikael replied. The sun was still en route to the sky and dawn was almost here!

He bent down to strip one of the dead of his shirt, the cleanest one, donning it to cover his chest.

"May I be so bold as to ask your name?"

"I am Mikael. I look forward to seeing you get stronger, squirrel." He started off.

"Yes! I do pray our paths meet again, Sir Mikael! And I’m not a squir-"

All she got as a reply, was a wave from the man who never turned back.

+ +

The dawn marked the seventh day since the young stranger had left the palace.

A gentle morning broke over the Connor estate. The sky was brushed with pale orange and soft pink, with veins of crimson stretching across the horizon. A gentle breeze carried the scent of wet grass and blooming flowers, tugging at the banners along the courtyard walls. Moss clung stubbornly to the garden walls, and dew to the leaves of plants glittering when the sun’s first rays touched it.

It was a quiet hour. Servants moved softly but urgently about their duties. The knights stretched and drilled in preparation for the day’s work, as the noble house seemed caught between sleep and wakefulness. All was peaceful and serene, until the defense runes on the gates blared—rising and falling shrieks that shattered the calm morning.

Valerian, sword already in hand, called out to his men, who were already heading for the main gate:

"Men, we’ve got an intruder! Shake off your sleepiness. Take up your swords and defend your lord!"

"Yes, Sir!!"

Inside the house, Alan and his wife Selene stirred instantly. Donning their night robes, they hurried out of their room toward the heavy oak doors that led outside to the verandah. It would seem that these days, there was always something or someone trying to mess with their peace and quiet!

But what the Limnor household saw—or rather, who they saw—left them feeling several conflicting emotions all at once. The mysterious guest who had arrived and had tried taken over the Duchy in a single night, Mikeel, had returned.

The boy they had seen previously had a pale, near-lifeless, white complexion with deep, unsettling red eyes that made one feel a thousand deaths in his mind.

Now, his paleness seemed to have gained some visible life. His eyes had changed too—now visibly molten gold, alive with incomprehensible geometric patterns that looked like they pulsed faintly and that seemed to judge. Even his bearing and the way he carried himself had changed, from shadowy and dark to one of imposing presence.

As he entered the gate, the alarms blared in his ears, causing him to shrink back slightly in annoyance.

"Stupid runes..." he grumbled, restraining himself from outright destroying the runes entirely.

When he looked ahead, he saw Valerian, as well as the rest of the knights, sheathing their swords, although their gazes, if they were swords, would have gladly and unrelentingly pierced him a thousand times. Farther back, a few servants stared at him in a mix of fear, awe, and shock.

"Good morning, Mikeel," Valerian’s deep voice bellowed. "It is a pleasure to see you back from your journey." His face told a completely different story.

Mikeel stretched and yawned, the fatigue of the past few days finally catching up to him.

"Good to see you again too, Valerian," he said, tapping the man’s armor chest plate. "Shiny as always."

He continued down the marble path.

The massive oak doors swung open by servants, revealing the Duke, still in his night robes, approaching. When Mikeel got close, they shook hands firmly.

"It has surely been a while, Mikeel. Pray tell, what mischief did you get yourself roped into during your sojourn?"

The two laughed heartily, continuing toward the house and finally disappearing behind the oak doors.

"My dear Duke, I won’t say I wasn’t involved in mischievous acts at all. I simply tried to rectify a minor issue with home, though it took quite a bit of time."

The Duke cast him a quick sidelong glance.

’Home? Where? Whose child was he? Where there more like him?’

"While I would like to catch up and chat with you, I’d like to get some sleep," Mikeel yawned again. ’Curses, you mortal frame.’

"Very well. Off to bed with you, then."

Mikeel ascended the spiraling stairs that lead to his tower room. Just before he entered, he looked down the rails calling out, " Duke, once I’m up. There’s something I would like us to discuss, if you will be so kind."

The door slid shut behind him.Not even waiting for the Duke to reply.

" Papa?" Sybil appeared behind her father, her tiny voice startling him. Alan turned to face his daughter, beaming at her.

"Does it hurt now?"

"Yes, Papa," she answered, face down. Alan grunted before continuing toward his room. To Sybil he said,

"Come!"

"Yes, Papa."

Deep inside Alan’s mind, countless thoughts ran amok. Mikael’s transformation, Sybil’s condition, the household debt, the children’s future.

By the goddess, the sheer amount of thinking he had been doing these days was enough to make him go completely gray-haired way before his time. He sighed.

"Your Grace," Clinton appeared in his crisp white and black attire. "A wonderful morning to you."

"Good morning, Clinton. What brings you to me?"

"Yes, my lord," the old butler began, worry and concern clearly visible in his eyes. "I am afraid the amendments to the budget cannot be easily put into effect for at least two years. Forgive my boldness, but dare I say you should not send all of the children to Silver Arcane. I believe there exist other Mage Academies that are second only to the S.A. and are much more cheaper. Like Lucius’.

"I will have none of that, Clinton. My word will stand firm till its fruition. I will do something about the budget later in the day."

The Duke rubbed his temples, tired and visibly drained despite just waking up a couple of minutes ago. Nobility was not as easy as people thought it to be.

"Let’s continue this discussion later."

"Fetch me a mana crystal or two from the treasury. It seems Sybil’s condition is acting up once more."

He turned to his daughter, who was already waiting before the doors to his study.

"Call my wife and send word to the Priest for her. I will be waiting in the study."

"I believe the Duchess is already inside, Your Grace. Sybil already met with me and I had summoned my lady instantly."

"Very well."

"And I need not remind you of this. See to every need of our guest. When he awakens, summon me. Understood?"

"Yes, my Lord." He bowed as the Duke entered the study with his daughter.

Clinton shook his head in sadness. He had been serving the Limnor household since he turned ten years of age and he knew just how difficult and trying the position of Duke/House Lord was. But this was a whole new level of difficulty!

"Keep on doing your best, my lord..." he muttered before turning away.

Inside the study, the Duchess had a ceramic bowl of warm water and a towel and was apparently waiting for the duo to arrive.

"Go to Mother, Sybil. Let’s begin your treatment."