Chapter 201 - Return of the Lion

"Yawnnn…"

Calron stretched his arms while laid down in bed. The sun's light filled the small room as a gentle morning breeze wafted inside.

Struck by a sudden thought, Calron sent his consciousness into the source pool and checked Rebran's current location. Last night, he had felt the young lion's presence after a long time and it meant that Rebran was arriving closer to Selior city. He was still a few hours away, but he should enter the city within the evening.

"I should go and inform Roran."

Calron muttered, putting on a s.h.i.+rt and getting ready to leave. He could have communicated with Roran through the Blood Legacy, but it had been a while since he last saw both Ellie and Roran so he wanted to visit them personally.

"This should be good practice."

Calron talked to himself once he was fully clothed and activated the Divine Perception. The guards and the elders knew he returned, but it was imperative that he maintain his secrecy with the rest of the clan members. Hence, he had to sneak out of the mansion without encountering anyone.

Calron's eyes flashed with a grey light as he darted through the courtyard and made his way to the walls. The guards ignored him and continued their surveillance outside.

The young master has some weird hobbies…

"My Lord, I have news."

A muscular middle-aged man knelt on the floor as he addressed the Tower Lord before him.

"Is it related to the battle slave I sent?"

Resir put down the book he was reading onto the table and stroked his chin.

"Yes. The slave was killed last night and her soul imprint has stopped responding. However, the boy failed to return back to the Raizel mansion, so we can be a.s.sured that he died by the poison after killing the slave."

The muscular man smiled with pride, seeing a cheerful expression on the Tower Lord's face after hearing the report.

"I thought the lad was stronger than that. Well, it works out even better for us as the Raizel clan will not be getting the ex-slaves without Calron. I thought to put the battle slave's death on Calron if he returned and have the crowd condemn him, but the situation becomes perfect with no Calron at all."

Resir smiled to himself, bringing out his communication crystal and spreading this news to his allies.

It was time to prepare the doc.u.ments specifying the number of ex-slaves being distributed to each clan in their alliance.

"Yo!"

Calron shouted into Roran's ear while flicking his forehead.

"Ouch! Which basta- Eh? Big brother?"

Roran rubbed his eyes in confusion at seeing Calron inside the room.

"You've gotten stronger, Roran. Third rank of Vajra stage already?"

Calron exclaimed with surprise, detecting Roran's increase in cultivation. He was shocked that the young man had risen so fast in ranks.

"Hehe, I've been training, big brother! I combined a few of my family's martial arts with the Blood Legacy, and the resulting attacks are even worthy to go against you."

Roran boasted with a wide grin on his face.

After the previous battle with Zarvel, Roran did not want to see Calron in such a precarious situation where he was risking his life for others, so he wanted to ease that burden by becoming stronger and fighting alongside him.

"Hahaha, let's spar sometime as I want to see how much you've improved. However, we have other matters to take care of first."

Calron laughed, and then began to tell Roran about his mission in the darkling territory, Yelin, Resir's plan, the invasion of an army, and why he had to sneak inside the inn where Roran and Ellie lived.

"That snake! How can he try to kill you, especially after we rescued him before from Zarvel's troops?"

Roran fumed with anger and clenched his fists.

"Don't worry about Resir, I have other plans for him."

Calron stated coldly, a dangerous glint flas.h.i.+ng in his eyes.

"Are you prepared for the speech? Everyone's been talking about it lately, some of the citizens support the idea while the others just want to get rid of the ex-slaves entirely. The slums of the city are filled with the ex-slaves and there have been several food shortages lately. I don't think the King can continue to feed them by himself, now with war around the corner."

Roran settled back on his bed and outstretched his arms on the cus.h.i.+oned mattress.

"How's the Azure Pavilion coming along?"

Calron inquired.  If the ex-slaves were to become part of the Raizel clan, then it would be his responsibility to finance them and provide shelter. All of that would cost money, and the Azure Pavilion was Calron's only source.

"Business is good, but we still cannot meet all of our demands. Most of the merchants are requesting batch orders and without you creating more of the tiles, we cannot meet their demands. The shop makes around 500 to 600 gold daily, and I have close to 18,700 gold within my spatial bracelet."

Roran scratched his back lazily while informing Calron.

I need to breakthrough into Saint stage soon.

Calron inwardly thought. Without the power of the soul, he cannot make large batches of G.o.d Tiles and that was the only way he could support the ex-slaves and find volunteers for his own army. 18,700 gold might seem like a lot of money, but it was a small drop compared to the river of gold that was required to build and feed a large army.

"Keep the gold with you for now. Roran, there is something else that I wanted to talk to you about."

Calron said, getting up from the bed and going over to the table to pour himself a gla.s.s of water.

"What is it, big brother?"

Roran leaned his head forward, refusing to leave the comfort of the bed.

"Rebran is coming."

"Wait, is that the punk you gave the Blood Legacy to?"

Roran hastily got up, sending his consciousness into the source pool to detect Rebran's location. However, he could not sense him.

It was not astonis.h.i.+ng as only the Prime Inheritor of the Blood Legacy could detect its members from so far away.

"You can't sense his presence as he's yet to reach the border of the city. He'll be here by this evening."

Calron sipped his drink, avoiding Roran's gaze.

"Do I have to babysit him now?"

Roran sighed, recalling Calron's words on how Rebran was a shy and young lion. He knew the circ.u.mstances which forced Calron to pa.s.s on the legacy to Rebran, but it did not mean he approved of it.

Legacy inheritors were closer than brothers as they could sense each other's thoughts, emotions, and more importantly, they followed the same martial path. If they could not get along, it would cause a disruption inside the source pool and affect all inheritors connected to it… including the Prime Inheritor.

"Not baby-sit, but you have to receive him at the city gates as I cannot go out in public at the moment."

Calron replied in a relieved tone.

Before Roran could answer, the door crashed open and a little figure waltz right through it while yelling.

"Wake up, big brother Roraaan! Huh? MASTER!"

Ellie scurried towards Calron and hugged him tightly once she neared him.

"Is that a new hairstyle?"

Calron chuckled at the warm reception and patted the little girl's head.

"Uhn! Me and Tanny braided our hair so it looked like we were twins."

Ellie answered brightly, showing off her new hairstyle.

"I like it."

Calron complimented while giving a thumbs-up to the girl.

"Let me braid your hair, and we can be triplets!"

Ellie's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. Calron had not gotten a haircut for a while, leaving his hair to grow longer than usual.

"I…"

He tried to think of an excuse, but it was too late as Ellie was already on top of the bed and beginning her masterpiece on Calron's hair.

Meanwhile, Roran tried to sneak away before the little girl set her eyes on his hair as well.

"Where is this brat?"

Roran mumbled with irritation as he stood outside the city gates and waited for Rebran to arrive.

The sun was just starting to set, painting the horizon a pleasant orange-red hue.

Calron had sent Roran to pick up Rebran from the city's borders, so the young beast wouldn't have trouble with the guards upon entry. Beasts were allowed inside the city, but after Zarvel's rebellion, there were many restrictions placed on any new beasts entering the city.

"Ah, I see him."

Roran saw the distant silhouette of a beast gliding in the sky, its form rapidly approaching the ground and towards Roran.

"Do you know how long you made me wait? I'm your senior broth-"

Roran stopped mid-sentence when the winged white lion landed on the ground in front of him. His eyes were wide with disbelief as he gazed up at the white lion.

Big brother said he was small beast… then why is there a gigantic monster in front of me?

The white lion standing before him stood at a towering height of over two meters tall, along with a pair of menacing fangs protruding from its jaws.

The beast resembled a lion, but at the same time, it didn't.

"h.e.l.lo, brother!"

Rebran cheerfully greeted Roran while his ma.s.sive wings disappeared from his back.

It was the beginning of Rebran’s new adventure with his brothers.