I stepped through the door to the guest room, letting none of my internal scorn show. The room was awash with the golden light of the afternoon sun, reflecting off the gilded surfaces with a brilliance that seemed to mock the solemnity of our visit. My eyes, however, were immediately drawn to the young man lounging with an air of entitlement beside a woman whose poise spoke of deep-rooted nobility. Anos Voldigoad. His name had been whispered with a mix of mockery and resentment in the hallowed halls of the Academy. A Baron's son, they said, who had used his father's coffers to secure a place among the elite and even 'somehow' managed to convince his parents to let him change his family name. I had no patience for such types, the ones who confused the weight of their purse with the measure of their worth.
As Miss Seraphine made the introductions, I couldn't help but scrutinize the boy. Anos sat there with a smugness that seemed to fill the room, a stark contrast to his younger years. I felt my disdain for him deepen; he was just another in a long line of pampered nobles, believing the world owed them its reverence.
The playful exchange between Anos and his mother did nothing to endear him to me. That nudge, though light and seemingly affectionate, was a clear display of maternal dominance, a reminder of who truly held the reins in this family. I caught myself sneering slightly. It was a familiar charade, one where the young lordling played his assigned role, all the while convinced of his autonomy.
Miss Seraphine's composure was a soothing counterpoint to Anos's brashness. Her calm was a balm to my irritation. But when she asked about the Baron's whereabouts, the atmosphere shifted tangibly. Anos's reaction was swift and sharp, a departure from his earlier facade of indifference. It was as if the mere mention of his father had peeled back a curtain, revealing a hint of the true force that lay beneath.
My hand moved to my sword out of pure instinct, a silent acknowledgment of the tension that now charged the room. My initial judgment of Anos as nothing more than a spoiled child was starting to falter, replaced by the unsettling suspicion that there was far more to this young man than I had first assumed.
"The Baron had some urgent matters to attend to. I believe he will join us shortly," Mrs. Kageno's voice cut through the tension, steady and assured.
Anos seemed to wrestle with this information but eventually nodded, "Very well. Let's continue with our discussion."
Miss Seraphine, ever the diplomat, steered the conversation back to neutral ground. "O-Of course. We have much to discuss regarding your transition to the Academy."
I watched the interplay of the conversation closely. The Baron's absence was more than a mere inconvenience—it was a deviation from protocol, especially on such an important occasion. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more at play here, something lurking beneath the surface.
Anos had quickly regained his composure, and I had to admit, the boy was good at maintaining his 'mask'. But the intensity that had briefly flared in his eyes was not something I could easily dismiss. It suggested a depth and a power that I hadn't anticipated.
As Miss Seraphine deftly discussed the practicalities of Anos's enrollment, I found myself reassessing the young man before me. Despite my earlier reservations, I was beginning to understand why the Academy had shown interest in him. There was a charisma about him, a 'pull' that seemed to defy my initial skepticism.
Mrs. Kageno's presence was equally commanding. The way she had quelled the brewing storm with a few words, the authority with which she spoke, all pointed to a woman of significant power and influence. My respect for her grew, and with it, a newfound curiosity about the Kageno lineage itself.
The conversation eventually turned to the curriculum and what would be expected of Anos at the Academy. I listened more than I spoke, my questions measured and my tone neutral. But beneath that professional exterior, my mind was alight with intrigue.
As the meeting concluded, I knew that my task had just become significantly more complex. Anos was not the straightforward noble brat I had pegged him to be. There was something about him that didn't fit the mold.
I resolved to keep a close eye on Anos once he arrived at the Academy. There were layers to this brat that needed unraveling, secrets hidden behind those self-assured eyes.
We wrapped up the meeting with a sense of formality, the earlier tension still lingering like a ghost between the lines of our polite farewells. Miss Seraphine led the way, her stride as composed as her demeanor throughout our visit. I followed, my thoughts a tangled web of the day's revelations.
Stepping out into the crisp air, the 'sight' that greeted us was wholly unexpected. There, by the carriage, stood the Baron, his body swathed in bandages, looking like a mummy from one of those old adventure tales. It was a jarring image, one that immediately drew a line of concern between my brows.
Anos detached himself from us with a swiftness that betrayed his earlier composure. He approached his father with a haste that spoke volumes of the relationship hidden beneath their public personas. "Father, what happened?" he asked, his voice laced with a concern that he had not shown to anyone else today.
The Baron's eyes flicked towards his wife, and upon seeing her smile—a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes—he trembled. It was a subtle shake, one that most might miss, but not I. He laughed then, a nervous, hollow sound that seemed to bounce off the grandeur of the estate's facade. "Ah, my son, it was nothing but a silly accident. I slipped on the stairs and took a little tumble, that's all."
The explanation hung in the air, feeble and threadbare. It was clear to any onlooker that the Baron's injuries were more than the result of a simple fall. But the way he glanced at his wife, the fear barely concealed behind his laughter, told a story all its own.
"..."
"..."
Miss Seraphine and I exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between us. There were questions we both wanted to ask, suspicions that needed voicing, but this was neither the time nor the place. We were outsiders here, and the Kageno family's secrets were their own.
I offered a curt nod to the Baron, a gesture of respect that was perhaps more for his station than for the man himself. "We wish you a speedy recovery, Baron Kageno," I said, my voice neutral.
"Thank you, Mr. Lorian," he replied, his voice strained through the bandages. "Your concern is most appreciated."
With a final nod to Anos and his mother, Miss Seraphine and I made our way to the carriage. As we settled into the seats, the silence between us was a heavy cloak. We were both thinking the same thing, pondering the enigma of the Kageno family and the facade they presented to the world.
As we settled into the carriage, the door remained open. Anos, having exchanged a few more hushed words with his father, turned and made his way towards us. His expression was unreadable, a mask that gave nothing away of the concern he had just shown. He climbed into the carriage, his presence filling the space with a silent intensity.
The Baron, still standing outside, managed a weak wave. "Safe travels, my son," he called out, his voice tinged with a forced cheerfulness that didn't quite mask the undercurrent of pain.
Anos merely nodded, his eyes briefly meeting his mother's before he turned away, signaling the driver to depart. The carriage lurched forward, and we began the journey to the capital.
The ride was quiet at first, the only sounds the steady clip-clop of the horses' hooves and the soft creaking of the carriage. I stole a glance at Anos, who sat with his eyes closed, lost in thought. Miss Seraphine seemed to be contemplating how to break the silence, her gaze flitting between Anos and me.
Finally, she spoke, her voice gentle but carrying an undercurrent of authority. "Anos, the Academy is a place of learning and growth. Whatever has happened here, know that you're stepping into a new chapter of your life."
Anos turned his gaze from the window, and for a moment, his eyes met mine. There was a depth there, a flicker of something that went beyond the façade of the noble's son. "I am aware, Miss Seraphine," he replied, his tone even. "I intend to make the most of it."
His words were what I would expect from any student about to embark on the journey of education, but coming from him, they seemed to carry a different weight. It was as if he was not just speaking of academic learning, but of something more.
—--------------------------------------------
The carriage wheels spun a rhythmic beat against the cobblestone path, but inside, the atmosphere was thick with unspoken thoughts. Anos sat, his body motionless but his mind replaying the scene with his human father over and over.
He had felt a sudden surge of rage when he first saw the bandages that swathed his father's form. It was a visceral reaction, one that had ignited a dangerous fire in his chest and sent a sharp glare toward his suspicious mother. Her response, a dismissive crossing of arms and an averted gaze had been like oil to the flames.
As Anos wrestled with the torrent of emotions, a consequence of his contained rage became apparent. Many of the servants within the mansion that was behind his mother immediately collapsed unconscious, caught in the crossfire. Despite this collateral damage, his mother, who had borne the full brunt of his terrifying gaze, remained utterly unaffected and even rolled her eyes in exasperation—further affirming to Anos the fact that his mother was not a simple human being from this era.
He was on the brink, ready to finally confront her, to demand answers to his questions and accountability for his father's injuries, when the latter's hand had clasped his shoulder. The touch was weak, pleading. His father's eyes, usually so full of vitality and cheerfulness, were now brimming with a desperation that Anos had never seen before.
"P-Please, Anos," his father had whispered, the tremor in his voice betraying his pain. "Let it be. This is not the time, nor the place. Promise me you'll leave it alone."
The words had hit Anos harder than any physical blow could. To see the man he respected, his father, reduced to this state—it was more than just a shock; it was a revelation of the power dynamics that had been at play behind the scenes, dynamics he had been previously unaware of.
His father's grip tightened for a moment, a silent plea for acquiescence. Anos had looked into his father's eyes, searching for the leader of their family, but all he found was fear. And in that moment, Anos understood the weight of the unspoken truths that bound his family in a delicate, dangerous balance.
After thinking about it carefully, Anos immediately squashed his personal emotions as effortlessly as exhaling, and then he nodded understandably, a silent vow to, for now, respect his father's wishes. The complicated and potentially dangerous confrontation with his ambiguous mother would have to wait, though it did nothing to quell the storm of questions and the lingering trace of fury within him.
Now, as the carriage carried him away from his home and towards the capital, Anos found himself once more contemplating the enigmatic nature of his human family. This human family of his was truly full of surprises and mysteries… His brother's remarkable abilities and unflinching demeanor even in the face of his true identity as the Demon King of Tyranny, his mother's undisclosed power and haughtiness, his father's injuries, and the urgent plea for silence—all woven into a complex tapestry that begged unraveling. However, the unraveling could wait, today was not the day for it.
Today, he was Anos Voldigoad, the reincarnation of the Demon King of Tyranny, embarking on a journey that was as much about reclaiming his past as it was about shaping his new future. The Academy would not just be a place of learning more about this peaceful era; it could very well be the battlefield where the next chapter of his mission would unfold.
As the carriage rolled through the gates and onto the open road, Anos's thoughts turned to the task that lay ahead. The search for Hero Kanon's reincarnation was not just a matter of curiosity; it was a necessity. If Kanon had indeed been reborn in this era like him, the likelihood was high that he would be at the famous Royal Academy. Their fates, intertwined through time and conflict, might be destined to converge once more.
Hero Kanon…
The history they shared was complex, filled with animosity, respect, and rivalry. If he was at the Academy, would he remember him? Would he remember the promise they made, the battles they fought, the world they changed?
These thoughts swirled in Anos's mind as the landscape passed by in a blur. The Academy was a place where the youth of the world gathered, where the next generation of leaders and changemakers honed their skills. It was the perfect place for Kanon to be, the perfect place for their paths to cross again.
Anos could feel the power within him, the power that had once shaped the world, lying dormant but ever-present. To confront Kanon, whether as a foe or, ideally, as an ally, he knew he must fully reclaim and master this formidable force.
Deep in contemplation, Anos's thoughts momentarily shifted to the present. Suddenly, he crossed his arms, and under his breath, he muttered, "Aburo Aillim." The seemingly inconspicuous incantation held a covert meaning known to only a few in the carriage, a trap that would reveal if these two humans were familiar with a particular individual. Anos waited, anticipating their reaction.
Miss Seraphine's eyes widened in recognition as her academic mind quickly deciphered the hidden message. The revelation hit her, and the color drained from her face. Anos smirked, confirming that she understood the connection. The incantation, when reversed, spelled "Millia Oruba," the name of his personal maid.
Amidst the unfolding scene, Mr. Lorian's confusion echoed in a puzzled "Huh?" as he tried to make sense of the situation. Before he could even grasp the circumstances, Anos, satisfied with the confirmation he sought, decided to take control of the situation. With a mere snap of his fingers, he unleashed a swift spell, causing the confused Mr. Lorian to instantly slump into unconsciousness. This sudden hostile action left the atmosphere charged with an uncanny stillness, as Anos turned his attention back to the pale human woman, his gaze penetrating and questioning, awaiting her response regarding the unveiled connection to his personal maid, Millia Oruba.