“And our ancestor returned just as the emperor had hoped. After disappearing for a full twenty years, he came back, and when he did, he brought a young boy with him.”
“A boy? Could it be...?”
“That's right. That boy was the second head of the Hayeral family, and also our ancestor. At least, that was what Ancestor Orubet told everyone when he brought the boy back to his fiefdom—that he was his child...”
“And then... the ancestor disappeared once more, leaving behind the young second head of the Hayeral family, as if he had only returned to leave behind his offspring. Since then, he never appeared in the world again. We don't even know where he was buried in the end...”
“...Fortunately, the emperor took very good care of the Hayeral family at the time. Under his care, the second head of the Hayeral family grew up smoothly and inherited the first ancestor's title and fiefdom...”
Silence filled the parlor once more. Even if Collette wanted to ease the tension, she did not know how to speak at this moment. In fact, she was the one who was shocked the most.
Knock, knock! A knock on the door rang out.
“My Lord, I have found what you asked for.”
The arrival of the butler, Lorenz, broke the heavy silence.
“Come in,” Rezerian replied, while smiling at Collette. “Miss Collette, please don't pay too much mind to what I just said. After all, it's not something particularly praiseworthy for the Hayeral family. Even the people of that era couldn't figure out what happened to our ancestor, so it's even more impossible for us to do so today, three hundred years later.”
“Ah, indeed... My apologies, Mr. Rezerian. I lost my composure a bit. Also, I won't disclose today's topic to anyone else!”
Collette quickly forced a smile as she replied, giving her assurance.
Rezerian smiled and nodded, very satisfied with Collette's understanding nature.
“My Lord, the chest is here.”
Lorenz carefully placed the chest on the table.
“Yes. Thank you for your hard work, Lorenz.”
After saying this, Rezerian stood up from his seat, pulled a key from his coat pocket, walked over to the chest, and inserted the key into the keyhole.
Click!
With a soft sound, the lock turned, and the chest was slowly opened.
“Please take a look, Miss Collette. This is the heirloom left behind by our ancestor, Orubet the ‘Lone Sword’—the treasured sword that was stained with the blood of tens of thousands of rebels back then.”
Everyone turned their eyes toward the inside of the chest.
There lay a treasured sword that still gleamed with a cold light even after hundreds of years had passed. It was the heirloom sword of the Hayeral family, the very blade that the “Lone Sword” carried with him back then.
Collette stepped closer to the sword. Her eyes were involuntarily drawn to it, and she reached out to touch the blade. However, before she could even make contact, a wave of bloody, murderous intent suddenly flooded her mind.
Slam!
Rezerian slammed the lid shut, closing the chest.
“Please be careful, Miss Collette! This sword is no ordinary object. It was stained with too much blood back then, and it carries an extremely powerful, malevolent aura. Anyone who isn't a member of the Hayeral family or doesn't possess an incredibly resolute will will suffer a backlash from touching it!”
“Ah! I'm sorry, I couldn't control myself just now!”
Collette snapped out of it and quickly apologized.
Rezerian breathed a sigh of relief. “No matter, it's fine as long as you're alright, Miss Collette. If you had encountered danger while being a guest in our home, I would have been the one to blame. Please keep your distance while observing it from now on. This is also for your own safety.”
Having said that, Rezerian carefully opened the chest once again.
“Alright, thank you very much!”
Collette expressed her thanks, taking a few steps back to observe from a distance.
“Mr. Rezerian, was this sword left behind by Lord Orubet when he left behind your family's second ancestor?”
After carefully examining the heirloom sword of the Hayeral family, Collette raised another question.
“No, that is not the case.”
To her surprise, Rezerian shook his head in denial.
“This sword was actually left behind when our ancestor disappeared the first time, left in the possession of the emperor of that era.”
“Hmm...” Collette lowered her head and pondered for a moment, seemingly figuring something out. “Come to think of it, rumor has it that this sword was originally bestowed upon Lord Orubet by the imperial family back then. If he had already intended to leave at that time, then returning the sword to the imperial family is indeed plausible.”
“Exactly. That is the story passed down in our family. The reason it eventually returned to our hands was that the emperor believed the sword had already become the symbol of the Hayerals when it accompanied our ancestor to save the empire on the brink of collapse. It could only belong to the Hayeral family. Thus, when the second head inherited everything, the emperor gifted the sword back.”
“I see...”
After a long conversation, Collette brought her home visit to an end.
...
“Mr. Rezerian, and Madam, thank you both for sparing your time today to satisfy my selfish requests!”
At the entrance of the Hayeral manor, Collette bowed politely.
“Not at all!” Rezerian replied with a smile. “I only hope we didn't disappoint you, Miss Collette.”
“Naturally not. If anything, I have learned a great deal from this trip. Thank you all for so generously answering my questions. Well then, please excuse me now.”
Rezerian nodded. “Yes. Take care on your way back, Miss Collette.”
Lilia also said with a smile, “Miss Collette, you are always welcome in our home.”
“Take care, Teacher Collette.”
Collette departed.
As the gates of the Hayeral manor slowly closed, Rezerian and his family turned around and headed back inside the house.
On the way, Shulim stared at her father, looking as though she wanted to say something but hesitated.
“What is it, my little Shulim? Is there something you want to say?” Rezerian noticed his youngest daughter's behavior and asked, amused.
Shulim stopped in her tracks, still hesitating slightly. But after a few seconds, she decided to ask the question on her mind.
“...Father, are we truly the descendants of Ancestor Orubet?”
Hearing this, Rezerian froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.
“I asked your grandfather the exact same question back then. Do you know what he told me?”
“?”
Shulim shook her head.
Rezerian replied in a serious tone:
“Your grandfather told me that before that ancestor, Orubet the ‘Lone Sword,’ left our second ancestor, he had told him this: ‘I have failed. My child, who carries my blood, keep this lineage alive. And then, one day, the one this bloodline is truly waiting for will surely appear...’”
Rate on N.U.
