Chapter 58 – Fear the Night, Unsheathe the Saber, Thread the Fate (XII)

An old man stood up from his chair and walked towards the door of the smithy. It was apparent that he was planning to visit a place, and it wasn’t difficult to know where this place was.

“I thought you said you would not interfere, old man.” Said a voice coming from a shadow, and a figure reformed inside the smithy.

The old man, Brake Hillheart, frowned when he heard the words of his old friend. But then, he continued walking.

“When I had to give you explanations of my actions? I said that I would not interfere before, and now I say that I want to interfere. Are you going to do something about it?”

“Hahaha, calm down old man.” Said Heavens’ Secret’s owner. “I never said something like it. It’s only that I’m curious. Why you changed your opinion?”

“Hmph! It’s obvious that they already are impressive enough to beat that group of men. They didn’t need to do more than it.”

“Why you allowed the youth to enter then? Were you not going to use him to test your disciple too?”

For a moment, old Brake remained silent. Then, after a while, he sighed resignedly and spoke.

“He is my student, old friend. Though I can endure seeing him in danger once, it’s impossible for me to do it twice.”

For a moment, the place remained silent.

Then, Felm Birntem, sighed.

“You are the same of always, old man…

“Don’t worry, leave the boy alone a bit more. And if something really happens, I will interfere then. After all, it’s not right for you to act in such situation. We don’t know if they will use it against you.”

The old smith remained silent for a few seconds.

But after thinking for a moment, he replied.

“Very well. I entrust it to you.”

“Don’t worry, my friend. It’s the least I can do for you.”

…

“Lia!” Cried Aiden, surprised seeing her falling unconscious.

His mind blanked, and he tried to move his body towards the place where his beloved was. But a kick in his chest was enough to send him tumbling backwards.

“Who could have expected that you would be hiding in such place, young master.”

A mocking laugh entered in Aiden’s ears, and blood fell from his mouth. For a moment, Aiden thought that he was going to fall unconscious too.

But the words of the youth were enough to ignite the last bit of will left in him.

“You…”

“Yes, it’s me, appreciated young master.” Said the youth with a playful tone. “Why? Is it possible that you are not able to recognize the members of your clan?”

Immediately, an expression of astonishment appeared in Aiden’s face.

He was able to recognize the youth. After all, he was one of the two youths that asked him for directions a few days before.

Even more, he was able to recognize the characteristics of a Noah clansmen.

The two-colored hair.

And the youth hair, as a member of the Noah clan, possessed a beautiful black hair with a few tints of red.

“Imagine my surprise when I discovered your identity.” Said the youth with a wide smile in his face. “I cannot believe that I was unable to recognize you when I saw you the first time.”

Though it could have been because you were a bit different from before. Aiden heard the youth to say.

“Do you know, oh great young master? If it’s not because your saber, I would have been unable to recognize you. After all, the changes in your appearance are very great. Even your hair had become black. If I didn’t remember wrong, it was almost completely red before, is it not? Perhaps is it a side effect from losing your spirit?”

Aiden could feel it, the tone filled with mocking pleasure. The gloating coming from the youth, and the arrogance from someone higher than you. The youth before him was only planning to humiliate him.

He was laughing to his current state.

But because he knew it, he was able to maintain the calm. After all, the youth was at the end, a member of that family.

“You came for me, right? Take me away, then. But I hope that you can leave the girl behind.”

“Take you? Where?” Asked the youth with a fake tone of doubt. “Who said that I was going to capture you?”

Hearing it, Aiden could not help but frown deeply.

“What do you mean?”

“Is it not obvious? I’m going to kill you!” Said him while laughing. “What reason I have to leave you alive?”

“You…” For a moment, Aiden was unable to resist the rage inside him. But at the end, the state of his body was too poor to offer any form of resistance. “What are you saying!? I know that the clan ordered to capture me, not to kill me!”

“And why would I care?” Spoke him in a relaxed tone. “After all, nobody would care if you end dead for accident.”

“You…”

“Don’t you understand, my dear young master?” Said him. “Everything would have been alright if you remained in the clan, locked like the waste that the current you is. But you decided to leave the clan in a whim. Do you think that the clan would continue caring for you?

“No, young master. The current you are not more than a shame to the clan. A stain which must be erased. Though I will surely receive a punishment, it will at most to be something symbolic. I’m sure that many elders will be happy of seeing you death.

“After all, many of them are unsatisfied about the attitude of senior sister Sia towards you.”

Aiden could only remain silent after hearing the words of the youth. Though he could not believe it, he knew it was true.

After all, though the clan would not order his death directly, they would be more than happy if he dies because an “accident”.

Things like it are very common in the powerful families.

“You were sacrificed for the good of the clan, beloved young master. And a good sacrifice doesn’t have any reason to remain alive.”

With a playful smile, the youth continued walking towards Aiden. Then moving his hand towards a pouch in his waist, he took out something.

“As for her, I have to admit that you are pretty good to swindle such a beautiful and talented girl to follow you. I’m sure I wouldn’t have been her match if I fight her before. Luckily, she was injured in the fight, giving me an opportunity. Otherwise, I would have to wait for the elders to come.”

“But don’t worry.” Continued him. “I will make sure of treating her well from here onwards. I’m sure she will be happier with me than with a waste like you.”

Hearing it, Aiden gritted his teeth in rage. But the youth only smiled seeing it. Then, taking a metallic claw from his spatial pouch, he stood before Aiden.

“So, will you say your last words, young master?”