Chapter 27 Bet
"This child... why does he make me feel such unease?" Braakan thought to himself, sensing the dangerous aura emanating from Lyrian.
Lyrian didn't say anything at first, but his anger was palpable, indicating that he had overheard their conversation.
"Son—" Rosa began, only to be abruptly cut off.
"Failed to hide magic from me? Why would you want to do that in the first place?" Lyrian questioned calmly, unsure of what to think.
Most of his mind was convinced that there must be a reasonable explanation for this, but a surge of emotions similar to the betrayal he had experienced back on Earth clouded the rest.
"If you care so much about my future, why did you want to block me from learning magic? Isn't that how I build a future?" Lyrian questioned, his voice filled with confusion.
"We didn't want you to learn magic... because we thought you couldn't!" Grasus suddenly yelled.
"What?" Lyrian exclaimed, taken aback and confused.
"Lyrian, neither your mother nor I have been able to use magic, so we believed you lacked the ability as well. We didn't know how to tell you, so we hoped you would eventually discover it on your own through interactions with others. But we were wrong. Instead of finding out you didn't have magic, you began to conjure it," Grasus explained.
Lyrian remained silent for a few seconds, astonished by what he was hearing. "Why didn't you tell me once you realized I could conjure magic? Why continue to hide it from me?"
"The truth is... we have only recently sensed the magical aura emanating from you. We still don't know how you learned this magic, but since you didn't have a proper tutor, you don't know how to conceal your aura completely," Rosa chimed in.
Lyrian paused, unsure of how to respond. Meanwhile, Braakan stood silently, his face contorted with disgust.
"What a pathetic family quarrel. My business here is finished. Grasus, make sure to tell your boss to finish making me that mana-infused obsidian blade by dawn tomorrow. I reject staying here any longer," Braakan declared, taking a step forward. Suddenly, Grasus grabbed onto one of Braakan's legs, pleading for a chance for his son.
"Get off me! You manaless vermin!" Braakan yelled, kicking Grasus away. Grasus was sent flying toward the ceiling but was caught mid-air by Lyrian, who seemingly teleported there.
A surge of immense bloodlust emanated from Lyrian, directed solely at Braakan, causing him to freeze.
Lyrian gently placed his unconscious father on the ground before speaking. "Oi... you bastard. What the hell do you think you're doing?" Lyrian's voice dripped with anger as his brows furrowed.
Rosa gasped and rushed over to Grasus, while Braakan, closest to the door, allowed his family to exit, remaining behind to face the young boy.
"You dare to insult me, boy? No one has insulted me in over a decade. Do you know the status of whom you are speaking to?" Braakan's tone was quiet but clearly infuriated.
"I don't give a damn who you are. If you hurt my family, I will kill you," Lyrian stood up, his piercing gaze fixed upon Braakan with unwavering intensity.
His vibrant azure blue eyes shimmered with a dangerous blend of determination and peril. Every subtle movement of his body spoke of restrained power, like a predator meticulously plotting its next strike.
The tension in the air grew palpable as Lyrian's stare bore down on Braakan, a silent warning of the confrontation that lay ahead.
"Hmph! What a measly threat. You believe that you, a vermin from a mana-less family, can intimidate me?" Braakan scoffed, emphasizing his own importance.
"And don't worry about me hurting your family. You are not of such importance. Once your father finishes crafting that mana-infused obsidian blade, I won't have a reason to contact him ever again," Braakan continued, clearly angered by Lyrian's threat. The boy's words, even from someone so young, managed to anger him, unused to being spoken to in such a manner.
"Do you know why your life is like this? Why you are seen as peons, vermin who don't deserve to even lick at my feet, while I am treated as a god—my very presence blessing this city with joy? Because I am of noble birth," Braakan proclaimed, as if trying to convince himself of his greatness.
"Nobles are born with the pure blood of humanity. We are the beings who conjure mana and save the rest of you from trouble. Boy, do not dream of passing the entrance exam to any magic schools. You will learn that they do not accept you non-noble scum who lack mana."
...
"Do you want to make a bet that I will fail?" Lyrian's voice dripped with arrogance.
"You don't know when to lose, do you? Fine! I will accept your bet. If you pass an exam to the greatest academy of magic arts within this kingdom, Anaviotis, I will go down on my knees and beg for your forgiveness!" Braakan's voice grew louder toward the end of his statement.
"And if I fail?" Lyrian questioned.
"If you fail... well, it's quite simple, isn't it? I will mercilessly slaughter you, your entire family, and those whom you hold dear," Braakan declared without hesitation.
Without wasting a second, Lyrian responded, "I accept!"