"TELL US YOUR NAME OR WE'LL ATTACK!!!"
One of the soldiers wearing the Alvah Dukedom's crest exclaimed as the others took a stance behind him and held their weapons up.
"Why? It's not like I entered a restricted place, I'm just sightseeing in this forest."
Raye responded with an indifferent look in his eyes.
Then annoyed, the soldier before opened his mouth and shouted.
"WE FELT A STRONG SURGE OF MANA EARLIER HERE AND SUDDENLY, YOU JUST APPEARED!!! ARE YOU A SPY?!!"
"I'm not, and I can hear you just fine... Stop shouting, for fuck's sake."
"I'm a student in Zion Academy."
And then, he showed them the identification plaque of the academy.
The soldiers looked at each other, whispering among themselves.
The leader of the soldiers asked.
And with a frown on his face, Raye responded.
"Are you deaf? I said I was sightseeing. I want peace and quiet, and you guys ruined it."
The soldiers became silent after that, but they frowned at the way Raye was answering.
'Ugh, just go away...'
Raye grumbled in his head, he wants to get out there as soon as possible.
"Doesn't he look familiar?"
One of the soldiers who was in the back mumbled that. And after him, the others followed...
"Yeah, feels like I've seen him somewhere."
"I'm sure I've seen that face before."
Raye cursed internally. He wasn't recognized by the soldiers immediately because his appearance changed a lot in a span of around two years. And white hair isn't really that rare in this world.
"I need to get out of here fast."
Raye whispered to himself as Zephyrus and Pyro perched on his shoulders. They were getting ready to run away. If he gets recognized here now, he just knows things would be chaotic.
Raye started circulating mana in his legs and feet, he was getting ready to run off...
But just as he was about to kick off—
"He's my second son. Have you all already forgotten what he looks like?"
Raye suddenly heard a cold, dominating voice from the back of the soldiers!
His eyes widened in shock. It's his first time hearing this voice... But Raye just knew already who it was.
"M-My liege...! Make way, everyone!"
The soldiers immediately moved at the command of their leader, and in an instant—they made way for the owner of the voice.
And at the end of it—Raye saw a handsome man with long, flowing white hair and piercing blue eyes like him, exuding an intimidating presence.
It was Lucian Alvah—The patriarch of the Alvah family... And Raye's biological father.
"Long time no see, son."
Lucian said that with a straight face.
And Raye just stared at him, frowning.
An eerie silence enveloped the surroundings as Lucian and Raye stared at each other.
The soldiers couldn't move because of the pressure coming out of Lucian, their master. Raye could feel it too, but he could handle it just fine.
"I did receive the news that you're here, but I did not expect to see you in this forest. What a coincidence."
"Did you follow me all the way here?"
"Hmm? No, I received news that some people went missing here and the mana around here was unusually thick. I guessed it was a dungeon, so I'm searching for it to clear and close that thing."
He explained casually. Then, looking at Raye up and down—
"But looks like I don't need to do that anymore."
Raye frowned even deeper. He knew that Lucian was aware that he already cleared that so-called dungeon.
Anyway, as he remained silent—
"You've changed a lot."
Lucian suddenly spoke up and said that.
"You got stronger, and it looks like you're not being a spoiled brat anymore. Seems like expelling you from the family was the right choice—it made you a decent human, or actually better than that."
Raye didn't say anything. While he does agree that the original Raye deserved what he got, he can't support Lucian's words now as he's the one that suffered the consequences.
Right now, he's feeling neutral about Lucian and the whole Alvah Dukedom.
"Well then, looks like I'm not needed here anymore. I'll be taking my leave."
Lucian then said that and turned his back against Raye. He too possessed no hatred or any kind of feeling toward the current Raye.
"Take your time sightseeing, the Alvah Dukedom is a peaceful and beautiful territory. Goodbye."
Lucian declared before starting to walk away. The soldiers glanced at Raye for a second, then they followed after their master.
Raye stood still, just watching his biological father's back.
'He's not crazy yet...'
He mumbled in his mind.
He doesn't know what to say, he doesn't know what to do.
He thought to himself for a while...
"Some of the elders are working with demons. They want to turn you against the people of the dukedom so they could take care of you and be the owner of this land with the support of the citizens and other family members."
I opened my mouth declared that.
Lucian stopped in his tracks when he heard me. He turned around and looked at me.
And with cold, indifferent eyes—
"Sullying any family member of the Alvah Dukedom deserves punishment. I suggest you stop making that kind of joke."
He declared that as a strong, dominating aura came out from him and pressed on everyone in the area!
The low-ranking soldiers froze on the spot as they had trouble breathing. Only their leader could move, but he didn't dare to because of the tension.
Raye remained calm under the pressure.
Lucian frowned a little after seeing him like that.
Then, in the next second—
A strong wave of mana burst out from Raye! And it clashed against Lucian's!
A strong explosion occurred, then a shockwave was produced. And with that...
Their mana auras canceled each other out.
The soldiers shielded their eyes with their arms from the flying debris. They were shocked—they couldn't believe someone just tied with their master! And that someone was the bastard young master that they remembered from before!
The whole area went silent.
Lucian looked at Raye indifferently again. He was surprised at what just happened too—but he wasn't showing it on his face.
And so, seeing that he's now calm—
"One of them tried to coerce me before into rebelling against you and taking the patriarch title for myself. They said that we'd do that after I graduate from Zion. I declined, of course."
And then he added before Lucian could even say anything.
Lucian's brows twitched and a complicated expression appeared on his face.