Chapter 103: 103 Jin’s Favour.

Away from the bustling chaos within the Academy, they witnessed an enigma that shook the place’s founding history.

In some Frontier territory, a carriage rocked calmly on the paved-stone road. The horse’s eight legs clapped around the road, pushing through the bustling street.

Ryan, who was left alone to manage the territory, had a mission he had promised his son.

***

Last night, as the moonlight filtered through the window in his office, Ryan tirelessly moved his pen, scribbling on the piece of paper regarding the territory’s finances.

The room was quiet; only his writing noise stirred the gentle atmosphere.

After looking at the content, Ryan took a stamp, slapped the parchment with the family emblem, and placed it to his right.

But when he wanted to take another document from his left, his hand froze midway as he heard the door in the room knock thrice.

“Father, are you there?” Jin’s voice rang like an echo, subtly blowing away his tedious mind, which was filled with numbers.

Ryan exhaled and stood up from his seat. “Come in”.

With that as a cue, he heard the door handle twist with a gentle ’creak’ that rang in the room. The boy stepped in, his breath steady as if he had something on his mind.

The father raised his eyebrows, as this was the first time Ryan witnessed anxiety creep into his boy’s expression.

Usually, it was the other way around, where Jin would act recklessly for the good of others without minding his own safety.

Even to this day, those horrid memories stuck in his mind like a curse. When Ryan held Jin’s scorched body and cold body that chilled as corpses still lingered in his hands, haunting every dream in his sleep.

Ryan’s eyes flashed with a glint of curiosity. Why did his son have that kind of expression? Was it because of tomorrow’s event?

“What’s the matter, Jin?”. Ryan said, walking toward the sofa in the middle room and sitting on it. “Are you worried about your departure tomorrow?”.

The boy’s lips curled, hesitant to tell what had swirled in his mind.

“What is it?”. Ryan asked, his voice low and laced with heavy pressure.

This was unbecoming of him, but Ryan had sworn to do anything to help his son and protect him from any danger that threatens him.

So, no matter what it was, he must know what was transpiring in his boy’s mind. Then, helped him to the best of his ability.

“Nothing major, but”. Jin flopped on the sofa opposite him, his gaze fixed on the window.

“You can tell me if you want”. Ryan leaned back on his sofa, waiting for his son to decide.

Both fell into deep silence, watching the fleeting silver light that cascades from the high window, igniting the ethereal mood within the room.

A second passed, then Jin, who watched the sky as if unsure of the choice in hand, turned to Ryan with a firm gaze. “Father, I need your help”.

Ryan’s facial mask broke as the corner of his lips lifted slightly, as he watched his boy finally want to rely on others instead of keeping it to himself.

“Alright, so what is this all about? Hm?”. Ryan reeled forward, resting both elbows on his thighs to support his body. “I’m listening”.

Jin shrugged his shoulders and gazed at him with eyes filled with hope. “This is regarding Nina”.

“Nina?…”. Ryan’s brows twitched at the unexpected name in the conversation. “What about her?”.

“She…”.

***

Time returned to the present as Ryan leaned back on the rocking seat inside a carriage. The inside was peaceful, with the faint scent of wood and the sparkling gaze of the little girl who kept staring at a window outside.

“Nina, did you have fun?”.

“Um, this was my first time getting on a carriage”.

Nina’s large eyes blinked as she treasured every moment before her with a smile. She wore a casual green outfit that matched her lustrous emerald hair.

“I’m glad”.

Ryan parted his stiffened lips, unsure of what to do in this situation. He had already experienced raising three kids, but this situation truly put him on edge.

He was blessed with three sons, who would help support the family in the next generation. Of the three, the first son chose to become the next successor.

His second son was trained under Count Magna, who borders Majin territory within the southwest.

As for the third, he was unsure of Jin’s goal, but he would fully support the boy.

However, it was a different matter with a girl, as someone who welcomed the girl into the mansion. Ryan had decided that the girl was a part of the family.

Her bright energy and effort brimming with curiousity, which were common for a girl her age, filled the entire mansion with her cheerful color.

No one in the family who was against her stayed. Or rather, he would receive a backlash if he purposely chased her, which was impossible.

When his mind was clouded with rather fatherly love, a brief knock from the coach snapped him from his daze, and a sound reverberated. “My lord, we have arrived”.

Ryan glanced outside through the glass and witnessed a white building, a temple where Jin and his other sons received the ceremony of awakening one talent.

“A temple?”. Nina widened her eyes.

“I heard from Jin that you used to play here when your mother was away?”.

“Um, but, My lord, why are we here?”. The girl nodded and turned to look at Ryan.

“Let’s get out first”.

As he said those words, the carriage slowed down and halted before the elevated stairs. The coachman jumped to the side and pulled open the door with a ’creak’.

“Nina, follow me”.

Ryan extended his hand, grasping the little girl’s trembling hand. He noticed her large, blinking eyes were moist.

When he reached the ground, he noticed Nina was hesitating to step off. Ryan bent his knees and matched the girl’s eyes.

“Don’t worry, Nina. We come here because I have a promise with Jin”.

“Big brother, Jin?”.

Nina addressed Jin with ’big brother’ instead of the ’young master’ because the boy himself forced her to, and he declared it to the whole house.

It was unbecoming of his standing, but like every other servant who worked in the mansion, the third young master’s behaviour was quite distant from the image of nobles.

“Yeah, let’s go to the temple. I will tell you while walking”.

“…Um, understood.” Nina hopped down from the carriage and slightly bowed her head toward the coachman, who replied with a blooming smile.

’She is a good-hearted child. ’ Ryan grasped the little girl’s hand, making her jolt in surprise.

They walked up the stairs, where one of the young-looking men wearing a chiton approached them. “My lord, the head priest is waiting inside”.

Ryan dismissed the greeting with a silent nod and entered the temple with the girl, who seemed familiar with the place.

He stated his reason in a hushed voice until they reached the innermost place before the altar with a translucent sphere.

“I see, so big brother Jin was…”. Nina looked down, gazing at her raised palm.

“Ohoho, Lord Viscount, we meet again. “The old priest walked toward them from the side and smiled at the little girl. Everything was ready; you can start any time. ”

Ryan nodded and crouched down to meet the girl’s eyes. “Nina, go toward that sphere and touch it”.

The little girl alternated her gaze and nodded. She took a first step and then ascended the altar with firm steps.

Ryan watched Nina from behind. She bit her lips and dug her nails into her palm, but she kept her gaze straight.

When she arrived before the sphere, the girl gulped. Nina raised a hand and touched it, which soon emitted a bright golden glow.

It was over in a blink as the light dimmed, leaving the girl stiffened like a statue.

“Um? This is!?”. Nina’s inaudible voice resonated like a distant hum.

“Is it over, Nina?”. Ryan’s gentle voice broke the girl’s dream as she turned around hastily, making her lose her balance.

His fatherly instinct kicked in, and he vanished from his place, grasping the fallen girl. “Are you alright?”

“Y-yes, thank you very much”.

The man helped the girl regain her focus and led her toward the head priest, who rubbed his palms together.

Ryan raised a palm, and a pouch filled with coins landed on his hand with a ’clink’. “Here, head priest. I ask the usual.”

“Thank you, Mylord. I hope this little girl may be blessed in the future”. The head priest bowed, watching as the lord left with the girl.

There was no conversation as they walked. Sensing the shifted mood, Nina shut her mouth and followed the stream until she entered the carriage.

“So, Nina, what was the thing that appeared in your head when you touched the sphere?”.

Nina gulped, her eyes trembling in hesitation to reveal the things. But when she gazed at the man’s eyes. She inhaled deeply and muttered. “It’s said: Eye of Dominion”.

Ryan’s breath hitched at the grand-sounding talent. He stared at the girl’s left green eye, tainted with a golden hue.

’I see, so Jin’s prediction was right’. Ryan exhaled and leaned back toward the seat as he gazed at the ceiling. ’Then, the next thing I needed to give her was…’.

With a flap on his palm, a round object as big as an adult’s head landed on his palm. It was still, with no sign of life, but Jin, his son, believed that it could prove helpful in Nina’s protection. ’I hope you are right, Jin’.

“Here, Nina, Jin left this egg for you”.

“An egg??”. Nina blinked as she received the egg to her chest, unaware that her left eye pulsated as it turned into a golden pupil.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep