CHAPTER 40: REVERBERATIONS [1]

A single round table occupied the center of the chamber, with three chairs framed the table, only one was occupied.

The man who sat there was in his early forties, blond hair swept neatly to the back, his blue eyes fixed not on the room, but on the ruby ring gleaming at his finger.

The red ruby on the ring pulsed once.

Red.

It became brighter, and brighter...

Unwelcome thoughts pressed at him, as his focus drifted towards the three empty seats.

A yellow light shimmered over each empty chair, spilling upward until it shaped into translucent figures.

From it, shapes began to take form, their edges wavering like a dancing candle flame, before three figures emerged.

They had foreign facial features, distinct from each other.

One of them was a woman built like a warrior, broad shoulders, her chin propped lazily against her hand.

She sat, cross legged as if on a throne. Even blurred by the light, she was striking, her beauty sharpened by strength rather than softened by grace.

Her lips curled, faint amusement flickered across her face meeting the man seated across her.

"King Aster... I hear troubling things from your borders."

The man at the desk was none other than Aster Lunovar, the King of Liora.

He did not flinch.

"Your informants are fast, Queen Sera," he said, voice too calm.

A scoff broke the air.

The other transparent figure leaned forward. His skin was weathered and harsh, every line on his body carved deep as if painted by decades of ruling.

"That’s right," he barked. "Fast enough to ask the question you haven’t answered, how in the hells did a Primordial walk into your kingdom?"

"Heh," Sera laughed, turning to the man, "don’t waste your time, King Zarh, you already guessed that, he didn’t know the answer himself. That’s the reason why he arranged this meeting."

Their eyes slid to Aster.

Drifting his gaze away from them, Aster simply asked.

"So you only have those questions, clearly you have something else..."

As Liora’s neighbouring kingdoms, they both clearly saw and felt it last night. The torn open sky, that thunder splitting the heavens, and the unnatural resonance of the mana composition over Liora’s capital Shinra.

They were both aware of the fact that Liora had one of the five Calamity Tower, and the most powerful human residing inside it

And yet, none of it explained this.

’Even if it was her... she has no means to kill a Primordial. Unless... she’s broken into calamity rank. No. No, she would be called a deity, if she has.’

Their unspoken thoughts were answered by Aster’s next words.

"No. It wasn’t Lady Veronica. If that’s what you’re thinking. She hasn’t left her tower in ages. The last time anyone saw her outside was... seven months ago."

Zarn and Sera froze.

If it’s not her, who in the world could leave a Primordial in such a sorry state?

"So, you know who did this?" Sera narrowed her eyes, curious. "Ah... don’t tell me those rumors about you hiding a Child of Light were true?"

"Yes."

That single word from Aster silenced the entire room.

Aster saw the stunned look on both the rulers.

It was a sight to behold.

"Wha—What are you two talking about?" Zarh had no idea.

The fact about Ethan as the child of light was only to be shared among the high authority members of the Liora kingdom, but still, due to diplomatic attention, and some annoying informants, the information vaguely reached Sera’s ear—the queen of Ajin Kingdom.

She never believed it at first, as some of the information sometimes turned out to be just a rumor. She thought that it was one of them. Because the very idea had been absurd, it was too fantastical even for her.

They only exist in fairy tales.

It is what they all believed.

But now, hearing it from his own mouth.

"You–you’re not joking right?" Her eyes widened.

"Aster, is it true?"

Zarh was no different, his jaw slackened, searching for Aster’s face for a lie.

Aster, silent, only shook his head.

The ground beneath them seemed to shift.

"No way..."

"You’re kidding... this...this would change everything!"

After the great war between the Five Calamities and their sudden disappearance, the only enemies humanity truly feared were the Primordials.

An ancient race said to exist before the formation of nations, so powerful that only a Calamity-ranked being or a wielder of Light Affinity could oppose them.

Yet, with neither Calamities nor Light wielders left in the world, many came to believe the tales were just myths, stories fabricated only to keep their hopes alive.

And revealing Ethan’s existence to both Sera and Zarh was the best diplomatic move Aster could make right now.

And it was true, the news of a primordial demon’s death would soon spread across kingdoms, to allies and enemies alike.

Even the demons would hear of it soon. And when they realized someone could kill a Primordial... that was when the storm would truly begin.

Aster wanted to prevent an open clash, and the only way to delay a clash was to weave stronger ties.

"Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!" Zarh snapped, his composure broke.

"Do you realize how much easier this makes our war? How many demons could we destroy... how many lives could we have saved?!"

"I want to meet him," Zarh declared, his voice trembling with urgency.

"Bring the Light wielder before me. I will personally bestow upon him the highest honour!"

Sera, too, had already made up her mind. The Light wielder was a weapon.

"That’s not possible," Aster said flatly. "I’m sorry, but I cannot grant that request. Even if I could, I would never allow him to step onto a battlefield."

"What?!" Sera shot up to her feet. "Don’t tell me you plan to keep him for yourself? King Aster, I never thought you’d—"

"Don’t misunderstand, Queen Sera," Aster cut in, his tone sharp. "He is in no condition to fight."

"Heh." Zarh sneered, half-joking, "What are you saying, Aster? It’s not like we’re asking a child to fight."

Sera folded her arms, nodding in agreement.

Aster’s lips curved into a grim smile.

"That’s exactly what I’m saying."

"...?"

"...?"

Aster continued.

"He’s seventeen," Aster said at last. "A mere first-year at Eclipse."

The room once again fell into a suffocating silence.

Sera and Zarh exchanged a glance as guilt flickered in their eyes.

"...Oh."

It was all they could say.

"Now then," Aster said, shifting the mood, "care to hear what the Authority uncovered from the Shinra Incident?"

Sera frowned.

"What do you mean? Did you discover how that demon crossed your border?"

Aster rested both hands on the table, his expression turning grave.

"We believe... a noble house has been aiding the demons."