Grand Duke Callis

Half a month later, the fief of Grand Duke Callis.

“Back then, it took us over a decade to escape to Wayne Village. Now, we're back in just half a month.”

Looking at the familiar surroundings, a look of melancholy appeared on Lanier's face.

“We were hiding and running back then, staying temporarily in so many places. We only settled down after we had Tyr. Of course it took over a decade.”

Actually, to say they were hiding and running was a bit of an exaggeration. At most, the two of them had spent some time hiding before leaving the Grand Duke's territory.

Once they left the boundaries of the Grand Duke's territory, they were basically in a state of traveling the world.

At that time, one of them was at the Seventh Circle and the other at the Sixth Circle. Combined with their natural talent, there really weren't many people who could threaten them.

As long as they weren't found by the Callis family, their lives were actually quite comfortable.

It was only after they had Tyr that they settled down in Wayne Village, considering that they couldn't travel constantly with a young child.

“I'm just trying to say, why did we have to return so quickly? Couldn't we have traveled a bit slower? We went through so much trouble to leave back then. My life is so bitter, Ivelina.”

Lanier acted as if all his strength had been drained, collapsing directly into Ivelina's embrace.

“Get up, the child is still here. You're so grown, yet you're still acting like a child,” Ivelina said in a playfully scolding tone.

Tyr's lips twitched. No, even a child wouldn't say such melodramatic lines.

“Ah, he's our own kid. He's long since used to it.”

Lanier wrapped his arms around Ivelina's slender waist, acting so lovey-dovey that it made Tyr's teeth ache.

Tyr looked at the two of them speechlessly. You two really flaunt your affection anytime, anywhere.

“My Lord Marquis, we have arrived.”

Although Lanier had ultimately withdrawn from the succession struggle back then, with his status in the Callis Grand Duchy at the time, he still held the rank of Marquis.

“Understood.”

Lanier's tone was filled with reluctance, but he still got out of the carriage with Ivelina, then turned around to carry Tyr down.

Looking up, there was a massive, luxuriously splendid manor. The entire estate was rendered in dark tones; despite its magnificent architecture, standing inside actually gave off an oppressive feeling.

This was also the impression the Callis family gave to the entire empire. Known as the Sword Family, they were also called the Arbiter Family, responsible for dealing with some of the more troublesome criminals within the empire.

“Young Master Lanier, His Grace the Grand Duke has been waiting for you for a long time.”

Just as the three stepped into the Grand Duke's mansion, an elderly man wearing a black tailcoat greeted them. Though he looked old, he was full of vigor.

“Grandpa Aldrich, long time no see.”

Aldrich Hawes, the butler of the Grand Duke's mansion, was himself at the Ninth Circle.

“Long time no see, Young Master Lanier.”

“Take Tyr to our room first. I'll go see His Grace.”

Lanier turned to instruct Ivelina before leaving with Aldrich.

“Let's go. We'll wait for your father in our room.”

Ivelina looked down and said to Tyr, then followed a maid to the room prepared for them.

...

Grand Duke Callis's office.

A knock sounded at the door. Behind the desk, Grand Duke Callis did not stop reviewing his documents.

“Enter.”

The sound of the lock turning rang out as the door was pushed open from the outside, and Lanier stepped in.

“Lanier Callis greets His Grace the Grand Duke.”

Lanier walked up to the desk and bowed to Grand Duke Callis.

Grand Duke Callis paused his movements, raising his head to fix his crimson eyes upon Lanier.

Under Grand Duke Callis's gaze, even Lanier felt a heavy, oppressive pressure.

A Demigod. For someone like Lanier, who was currently at the Ninth Circle, to feel such pressure, Grand Duke Callis's realm had definitely reached that level.

In this world, a Demigod was already the highest realm humanity could achieve.

“What? Didn't you always like to call me big brother?”

Grand Duke Callis was a direct descendant of the previous Grand Duke Callis, whereas Lanier had previously only been the son of a count who possessed the Callis family bloodline.

Their blood relation was not close, but from the moment they first met, Lanier had always liked to call Grand Duke Callis “Brother Syde.”

Lanier had a bright and cheerful personality, which was completely out of place with the atmosphere inside the Sword Prison back then.

“Now that you are the head of the Callis family, I should naturally abide by some rules.”

“Hmph. I certainly didn't know you were one to follow rules.”

“People must always grow.”

As Lanier's voice faded, a brief silence fell over the office.

“Why did you leave back then?”

Back then, Lanier had been his greatest competitor on the path to inheriting the title of Grand Duke.

Just when everyone thought a fierce battle was about to unfold, Lanier had suddenly left, leaving behind only a note.

【The world is so big, I want to go see it.】

“My goal was never the seat of the Grand Duke from the very beginning. What I always wanted was to see this world with my own eyes.”

“You should know that you have the blood of the Callis family flowing in you. You are supposed to shoulder your responsibilities.”

Children of nobility born into great families enjoy wealth and luxury from birth that commoners could not even imagine in several lifetimes.

Since they enjoyed the conveniences provided by the family, they also had to bear the family's responsibilities.

Those who rebelled against family responsibilities for the sake of some bullshit freedom were merely glorified by stories; to put it bluntly, they were just a bunch of ungrateful, backbiting wolves.

“If the family had needed me to lead back then, I naturally wouldn't have backed down. But the family already had you. Even if I had fought to the end, it wouldn't have benefited the family in any way.”

On the contrary, if the two of them had fought too fiercely back then and ended up mutually ruined, it would have been a massive loss for the Callis family.

It was precisely because he understood this that Lanier chose to leave before the final battle.

And the Council of Elders of the Callis family had tacitly approved of this action.

“Go back. Return to your marquisate tomorrow, settle your affairs there, and your son must be sent to the Sword Prison tomorrow. This is the rule of the Callis family.”

“I understand.”

Lanier bowed slightly to Grand Duke Callis, turned around, and walked out of the office.

“If you hadn't left back then, you might have already broken through to a Demigod by now.”

Just as Lanier reached the door, Grand Duke Callis's voice came from behind him.

As the only person who could compete with Grand Duke Callis back then, Lanier's talent was naturally extraordinary.

Hearing Grand Duke Callis's words, Lanier merely smiled faintly, opened the door, and walked out.

“Cultivation is something that is fine as long as it's enough.”