Chapter 153: He had never expected to hear that voice again
After separating from Audrey and the others, Kael went to find an inn to stay at for the next few days, or even a month, as he planned to shut himself away to improve his strength.
In addition, he also needed to receive payment from the third princess of the kingdom of Aragon. So staying on this mountain was part of his plan, and he also wanted to take advantage of the chaos that would ensue to make a profit.
As he walked through the dark streets, seeing food stalls and more of the same color, he also observed people from the three kingdoms walking around. Although tension was present, no one dared to make a move.
In addition to everything being black, the residents did not wear that color, which gave the "Neutral" place on the Northern Border a more unique touch.
Not long after, Kael and Michel arrived in front of a rather luxurious inn. Its walls were tall and polished black, and there was constant movement inside.
Nobles from different kingdoms could be seen coming and going naturally, surrounded by entourages, sharing trivial conversations.
Their voices echoed with exaggerated, mocking laughter, as if the abundance of mana stones in their pockets justified their arrogance.
The gazes of several of them turned toward Kael and Michel. The contempt was immediate. The reason was simple: the clothes they wore were in tatters, what had once been their yukatas.
Now, only bloodstained rags remained on their bodies. The contrast was so striking that the nobles needed no words to express their judgment. Their eyes were enough.
As they crossed the threshold, the commotion ceased completely, and they began to whisper among themselves, glancing sideways at Kael and Michel, who walked with indifferent expressions, ignoring everything.
"How much does it cost to stay for a month?" Kael asked the receptionist, who looked at him uneasily.
The receptionist quickly added up the cost and replied, "One month per person would be 20 mana stones, and if there are two of you, it would be 40, with lunch and dinner included."
"I’ll pay two." Kael took out a small pouch filled with mana stones from his spatial rune ring and put the forty mana stones in it for himself and Michel.
The receptionist’s eyes widened in surprise when she recognized the ring. For a moment, her lips trembled, but she said nothing. She also immediately noticed the bag they were carrying: it was full of mana stones. They looked ragged, like vagabonds with no destination; however, the wealth they carried with them brutally contradicted that image.
The woman, not daring to delay a second longer, bent down and quickly gave the instructions. She then handed two keys, one to Michel and one to Kael. Both took them without saying a word and went straight to their respective rooms.
The silence between them was heavy, and behind them they left a faint trail of dried blood, a reminder of the battles fought against wild beasts and pirates.
Once inside the room, Kael walked without hesitation to the bathroom. There, he leaned his bone sword against the wall. The weapon was forged from his mother’s spine, an object laden with dark symbolism that only he understood.
Then, without further ado, he sank into the bathtub. The warm water turned slightly red as it came into contact with the blood that still covered his body. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift aimlessly.
I have to put my plans to go to the Holy Empire on hold for the moment. My strength barely meets the requirements, and I need to make several adjustments before I dare to ascend to the Seventh Heaven. Besides, it won’t be long before news of what happened on Mount Dubhu spreads.
Kael slowly opened his eyes, fixing his gaze on the bathroom ceiling. The calmness of that place contrasted with the magnitude of his thoughts.
But that’s not a problem for me now... I must also go to the Blossom territories, where I will take over part of my mother’s business.
A cold flash crossed his eyes. Kael had not forgotten the business his mother, Alessia, had conducted with Eveling’s mother.
"Kael..."
At that moment, he heard a voice. A voice he would never forget, no matter how many times he was reborn. It was clear, firm, and filled with a warmth he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
The voice of his mother, Alessia.
Kael turned his gaze to the bone sword. His eyes darkened, and a torrent of complex thoughts surged through his mind. For a brief moment, the emotions he always kept chained up stirred, like beasts wanting to break free from their prison.
He had never expected to hear that voice again.
However, he did not let himself be swept away. The fortitude he had forged was stronger than any emotion.
Even so, at that moment, he couldn’t help but remember. He remembered the first time he opened his eyes after being reborn on Kiran Mountain, when he was also in a bath. His mother had burst in then, hugging him with concern, believing she would lose him after that blue three-horned horse had struck him.
That memory emerged with painful clarity, like a blade piercing his heart.
Kael closed his eyes for a moment. He allowed that feeling to envelop him: the warmth of an embrace, the weight of genuine concern, the illusion of an unbreakable bond. He was human, and as such, those emotions could shake him, reminding him that he had not always been the cold, calculating being he had become.
Emotions... are chains and anchors.
They can hold you back, but they can also guide you. A man who feels nothing becomes stone, and stone cannot move forward. He who gives himself completely sinks like a broken ship. The truth lies on the edge between both shores.
He slowly opened his eyes. The sparkle in them faded, leaving only a cold glint, devoid of all warmth.
Because, in the end, what mattered was not the emotion or the memory, but the usefulness they could provide him.
Everything else... was noise.
The past was just a memory. The present was a tool. And Kael was not a child who needed a hug, but a man who walked over dead bodies to achieve his goal.
The chains rattled, but none broke. Kael remained in control of himself. And he would remain so, until the end.
...
After his bath, Kael went down to the first floor, where the restaurant was located. He was now wearing black pants and a purple shirt. His long black hair was loose, falling naturally over his shoulders. He calmly sat down at one of the unoccupied tables.
It didn’t take long for Michel to arrive. He had cleaned all the blood from his body; his steps were calm and measured. He sat down opposite Kael and, without further ado, looked him straight in the black eyes before speaking.
"What are we going to do now?" His voice was calm, like a stone thrown into a still lake.
Kael raised an eyebrow. His face showed neither mockery nor reproach, only indifference.
"What are we going to do now?" he repeated, with a hint of irony. "Have you forgotten that since Mount Dubhu, we no longer have any ties? From this moment on, you are free to do whatever you want."
The words hung heavily between them, like a reminder. Michel opened his eyes slightly, surprised. At that moment, he realized it was true: no bond forced him to stay by Kael’s side. He had no intention of staying close to him or continuing to travel together.
"Then it’s time to return to the family," he finally murmured, more to himself than to Kael, letting out an almost imperceptible sigh.
Kael, standing in front of him, remained silent. His gaze remained indifferent, as if Michel’s decision had no importance whatsoever in his world.
Shortly after, the waitress approached them. Her voice was brief and neutral as she took their order. Once she had written it down, she left without delay, disappearing among the tables full of people and the constant buzz of the establishment.
After a while, the food arrived. The dishes were placed in front of them, steam rising in thin wisps, mingling with the smell of spices and grease that permeated the air.
They both began to eat in silence. Their gestures were calm. It was as if all the noise around them—the conversations, the laughter, the clattering of glasses and plates—had ceased to exist.
...
After finishing his meal, Kael returned to his room and sat down on his bed, opening his status window.
Kael Medici.
Title: Strayed Demon.
Talent: SSS.
Mana Core: Awakened.
Rank: 7
Knight Rank: 7 Stars
Magician: 3rd Circle
Traits: Refinement (A), Swordsmanship (A), Melee (S), Tamer (C)...
Strength: 202 +
Endurance: 201 +
Agility: 200 +
Vitality: 215 +
Mana Capacity: 100%
Stat points: 0
Seeing its status window and the range it was in, Kael closed it and took out the Magic of Stellar Acceleration from one of his space rune rings.
Looking at the item he had refined on Mount Dubhu, a slight smile appeared on his lips. Now he was going to test its effectiveness in refining mana essence.
Injecting his mana essence into the Magic of Stellar Acceleration, this glow began to emit stardust that filled the room as if it were a starry night sky, complete with constellations and more.
Then all the stardust filled up and descended, sticking to Kael’s body, making him look like a being of stars.