Someone knocked on the door. After the first knock, there was a short pause, but then another knock sounded.
Inside the well-lit study, Karl-Michael took off his reading glasses, put them down on the desk, and turned his gaze over to the closed door.
The door opened, and a gray-haired man entered, wearing a long gray cloak with a conical hat with a wide brim.
He looked like a classic wizard straight out of a storybook.
"Brother." Merlin rubbed his lengthy beard.
"You found anything about this Kiernan kid?" Karl-Michael asked.
"Well, as much as I could in only an hour." Merlin said. "He is from New Rakuya, Irio."
"I don't know that country." Karl-Michael said. "A small one?"
"Hmph." Karl-Michael shook his head. "That kid must be talentless then."
"Well, I don't really know." Merlin said.
"He participated in that country's nationals and reached the quarterfinals with his school. He is his school's ace.
"I checked his fight against someone called Johan Yeager, who was apparently recruited into Martial Academia. This Kiernan kid's martial rank was lacking, but his martial arts were enough to close the gap to his opponents.
"I don't know where he learned his martial arts, but I can see him being one of Abracadabra children with his talent in martial arts."
"He isn't one of us." Karl-Michael said coldly. "Who is his father?"
"Karma Hunter," Merlin said. "I didn't find much about him, but I found one photo of him."
He took out a printed picture from one of his many pockets and placed it on the desk.
Karl-Michael checked it out.
In the picture, a black-haired Karma was smiling and standing beside a red-haired man. They were standing in front of an arched gate, and behind them was a temple.
"This red-haired man." Karl-Michael frowned. "I remember him somewhere."
"That's the Red Emperor, Herodes." Merlin said. "It looks like they were friends back in the day."
"Herodes, the hero of the Amethyst Kingdom." Karl-Michael said, "Another man with a mysterious background. They were students of the same martial arts temple."
"That's all I found on such short notice," Merlin replied.
"That's enough." Karl-Michael said. "That brat should already be on his way out of this island."
"It's been eighteen years, but your anger is still there." Merlin shook his head. "Don't you want your daughter to have some happiness at least?"
"I gave her a chance for happiness, but she then spat on my face." He said. "She could've married a well-respected navy officer and made strong children, but instead of doing that, she did something unacceptable!"
"Oh, brother." Merlin sighed, not agreeing with him. "I believe everyone has the right to choose their own path in life."
"I don't care what you believe, little brother." Karl-Michael said with a scoff.
Hurried knocking came from the door.
"The door is open!" Karl-Michael roared.
A few masked navy soldiers entered the study, saluted with their hands against their foreheads, and then stood at attention like good soldiers.
"Is he gone?" Karl-Michael asked.
"Brother, did you really order them to follow that kid?" Merlin asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I had to make sure that he actually left the island, didn't I?" Karl-Michael crossed his arms and then asked. "Well, did he leave?"
"Y-yes, sir!" A navy soldier said. "But before leaving, he made a trip to the Game!"
"The Game? Why in the hell would he go there?"
"Well…" A navy soldier took a picture from his breast pocket and placed it on the desk.
Karl-Michael and Merlin looked at the picture and saw a picture of the leaderboard—Zeus of the Abracadabra family had been standing on the top spot for eight months, but not anymore.
Instead, a foreign name stood at the top spot.
"He went to the Game, and achieved the best time we've ever seen!" The navy soldier reported.
"This…" Karl-Michael's face turned red. "How could this be?"
"Haha." Merlin laughed. "He is Bella's child, all right."
"This is that kid's way of telling me to screw off." Karl-Michael said angrily. "What the hell is wrong with Bella's side of the family? I don't understand. First her, and now her child!"
Merlin scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.
"Bella's mother was so mild-mannered and kind!" Karl-Michael shouted. "I just don't understand how Bella turned out so different!"
"Well, brother…" Merlin wryly smiled. "I think she inherited her rebellious nature from you."
"From me? I was nothing like her!"
"Oh, you weren't?" Merlin laughed. "Our father almost had a heart attack dealing with you. You were the reason why he started to have gray hair when he was only in his forties!"
"Nonsense!" Karl-Michael gritted his teeth. "I order all the children to go to the Game, and beat that time. If his name still stands at the top of the leaderboard by the end of the week, I will have all of them grounded forever!"
'You don't want to admit it, but what Kiernan did was exactly what I think you would do in his shoes, brother.'
Merlin thought with a chuckle.
A wobbling ship left the Nightingale Pass and headed across the open sea with sails all billowing in the wind.
Julian sat on the railing, looking at the disappearing island of Nightingale. He couldn't help but feel the emptiness in his heart.
"You alright?" Kiernan patted him on the shoulder and turned to the island.
"Yeah." Julian chuckled. "You met your mother, huh?"
"I did." Kiernan sighed. "I don't know how to feel."
"Could've gone worse. She seemed pretty cool, actually."
Kiernan looked at the faraway black castle, which was just becoming a very small black dot in the distance.
He wondered whether she was currently standing by her window, looking at his ship departing, or whether she didn't care at all.
"Irio's next stop!" Julian leaned back. "I wonder if your father will allow me to live with you guys."
"He will." Kiernan said. "You will come to my school, right? Karuza High."
"That's the plan; I want to finish my studies, at least." Julian said. "Hard to become a professional fighter without finishing studies."
"I feel bad for others." Kiernan said with a wry smile.
"What do you mean?" Julian asked.
"The nationals are happening in a couple of months," Kiernan said and side-glanced his friend. "With us wearing Karuza High's jersey, I don't see us losing to anyone."