Chapter 5: The Cold Verdict and New Purpose
At that moment, the Patriarch, a tall, strong man with golden hair and gray eyes, entered. Everyone rose and greeted him. Kyle did too, but his mind was elsewhere. In his past life, he'd only sought his father's love and attention, but was ignored, never defended. Kyle decided then not to seek love from anyone and to be a person who didn't need it. Now, his goal was to move forward, to grow stronger to face a future only he knew.
"I heard a lot of noise just now, what happened?" the Patriarch asked.
Alberta, with crocodile tears, replied, "Oh, my lord! The fifth son started insulting me! I didn't do anything to him, it hurt me deeply!"
Kyle, unfazed, responded with a cold, distant voice, "Father, Mother Alberta has a very peculiar way of seeing things. If telling the truth about her lack of manners and her habit of degrading others is 'insulting,' then, indeed, I have 'insulted' her. I merely witnessed a gratuitous verbal attack on my mother and me. I simply pointed out the obvious."
The Patriarch, his gray eyes evaluating, finally spoke with cold authority: "Alberta, your behavior is improper for the duchess of this household. We expect decorum and respect." Then, to Kyle, "Kyle, your observation, though unusual in its frankness, is not without truth. However, the way one expresses truth also reflects their own worth. There are more appropriate ways to convey observations." It wasn't a severe reprimand for Alberta, nor a display of affection for Kyle, but a cold acknowledgment of Kyle's logic.
Kyle made an excuse and apologized, leaving the dining hall. He was determined to regain his strength. He headed to the training room, a giant hall with all sorts of weapons. He picked up a sword, but it was heavy. His body was weak. He remembered his teacher's words: "Strength doesn't always reside in the largest muscle... It resides in unwavering discipline, in knowledge of one's own body, and in patience... True power is the accumulation of countless small, constant efforts."
When he finished training with the sword, he was at his limit, but his determination was unwavering. Elsewhere, Adeline was in a meeting with the Patriarch. "What do you want, Adeline?" he asked.
Adeline, fearful yet resolute, said, "Patriarch, I ask that you please treat our son with love. He is small, and I know he has illnesses and is weak, but that shouldn't stop you from giving him a little paternal love."
The Patriarch sighed. "Kyle is a seven-year-old boy, weak. He will be of no use to our clan."
"But he is your son, after all," Adeline pleaded. "Please, give him some love and attention."
The Patriarch stared at her. "Alright, I will," he said, without emotion. "But don't think that I, the Patriarch, will do it in the way you expect."
After finishing his physical training, Kyle adopted the Ji posture and began to train his mana to form the second circle. After a few hours, Kyle finally formed the second circle and said, "Good, now I can use second-level expert magic."
After that, Kyle got up and went to his room, thinking of not showing his talent to anyone, and wanting to be called "the weak one." He didn't want attention; he wasn't going to make the same mistake as in his past life.
Kyle immersed himself in his new routine. During the day, he was the "weak and sickly young master." At night, he would slip into the training room, his sanctuary. He used his second-circle mana to channel muscle strengthening and reflex spells, becoming faster and more resilient. One night, while practicing with a wooden staff, an idea took root: information about the demonic threat wouldn't come by chance. He needed more direct access. The clan library was his next step.