CHAPTER 170: EX 170. BAD NEWS

The marble floor of the Kael estate gleamed faintly beneath the morning light, but Selena Kael hardly noticed it. Her steps echoed down the vast hallway, her grip tightening on the envelope in her hand as though it carried the weight of life and death itself. Her raven-black hair swayed with each movement, betraying her haste.

When she reached the tall double doors, she pushed them open without ceremony. Inside, the dining hall was warm and peaceful. Darian Kael, ever composed in his noble bearing, sat at the head of the long table, while their daughter, Valeria, fresh from the demon cult extermination, quietly picked at her meal.

But Selena didn’t acknowledge the food or the calmness of the scene. Her voice broke the air with all the urgency of a storm.

"My baby is in danger."

The words dropped like stones into still water. Both Darian and Valeria froze. For a heartbeat, neither spoke, but the moment Leon’s name formed in their minds, they abandoned their meal. Darian pushed back his chair and rushed to his wife’s side, his face tight with worry.

"What happened to Leon?" he demanded.

Valeria’s expression mirrored his, wide-eyed, startled, and uncertain. She had only just returned home after a day of blood and fire, yet this news left her more shaken than any cultist had.

Selena lifted the envelope, her voice trembling as she handed it to her husband. "It’s in this letter."

Darian took the envelop with the seal already broken and slid the folded parchment free. The handwriting, bold and unshakable, was unmistakably Leon’s. Valeria, unable to resist, leaned close to read along with him. At first their faces tensed, their eyes narrowing with growing focus. But as the letter unfolded word by word, their grave expressions shifted, slowly, almost absurdly, into bafflement.

Selena noticed the change and mistook it for fear so strong it left them stunned. Her heart clenched. "We have to go and rescue him now!"

But Darian only sighed, shaking his head. Valeria, lips parting in disbelief, retreated back to the table. Instead of panic, she picked up her fork again with a faint, almost incredulous scoff.

Darian folded the letter carefully and looked at his wife with a softened smile. "Honey... did you even read the letter properly?"

Selena bristled, eyes flashing. "Yes, I did."

He gave her that look, the one that said he knew her better than anyone. "Read it again. Till the end this time." He placed the parchment back in her hands before calmly returning to his seat, his mood noticeably lighter now and almost amused.

Left standing in the center of the hall, Selena’s cheeks warmed with the slow burn of embarrassment. She lowered her gaze to the letter and, with trembling fingers, began again, this time forcing herself past the first line.

And as the words truly settled in, her heartbeat slowed, her panic ebbing into reluctant calm.

****

I will be heading to the Trial World.

Since my promotion to Azure Colonel and with the thirty days of stabilization complete, I believe now is the best time to enter. There’s a reason behind this. I feel the path to increasing my power lies within the Trial World, and there’s no point in delaying what is inevitable.

I’ll be going with my squad, and with Nikko as well. The Governor himself sees great value in me, enough that he provided a false crystal to ensure Nikko could join us on this journey.

I can’t write the true reason in this letter for obvious security concerns, but when we meet again, I’ll tell you everything in person. Until then, I wish you all the best. Don’t miss me too much.

—Leon

****

Selena lowered the letter, her hands trembling slightly. The worry that had been clawing at her chest ebbed away, but what replaced it was pure shock.

"Leon... is already a colonel?" she whispered, her eyes wide. That alone was staggering, but even more so was the fact that Governor Akira Yakomoto valued him enough to provide such a rare resource. She couldn’t contain her astonishment.

Her gaze drifted across the table. Darius was eating calmly, spoon poised without a hint of surprise. Valeria, for her part, was nearly finished with her plate, chewing quietly as if nothing unusual had been revealed.

Selena frowned.

’Am I the only one shaken by this? Their reactions... they’re far too calm.’

She decided not to swallow her confusion. Turning to her husband, she asked directly, "Honey, why are you so calm about this?"

Darius paused, food halfway to his mouth. "Huh?" was all he managed.

Selena exhaled, frustration mixing with disbelief. "Leon was promoted to colonel. He even caught the attention of the Governor himself. Yet the two of you act as if it’s nothing!"

It wasn’t Darius who answered, but Valeria. She dabbed her lips with a napkin before speaking in a steady tone.

"That’s because it isn’t surprising, Mom. Not for Leon."

Selena blinked, taken aback, and Valeria continued, her words spilling out in a rush.

"With his talent, it was only a matter of time. He cleared an Apex-difficulty trial. He defeated Dayton Feran, a D-rank, while still at F-rank. From his letter, he even killed a newly formed Cerberus at F-rank. And let’s not forget, he fought evenly against a demon at mid, maybe even peak A-rank, all while he was still F-rank. If someone like that didn’t get attention, then either the higher-ups are brain-dead... or Leon made everything up, which is impossible."

She spoke it all in one breath before calmly taking her final spoonful of food. Selena could only stare at her daughter, words stuck in her throat.

Finally, Darius set his spoon down and spoke, his tone steady. "Honey... Leon isn’t a baby anymore. The sooner you accept that, the easier it will be for you to understand just how monstrous he really is."

For a father to call his own son monstrous, it carried no malice, only a sober recognition of reality. Darius had accepted long ago that Leon’s path was beyond ordinary comprehension.

Selena exhaled softly, her heart heavy yet proud. "You’re right," she murmured, her eyes misting. "My baby’s all grown up now."