Chapter 52: Meeting Victor's Family.
After a long silence, Victor looked at Aiden. His voice was heavy, filled with grief and sympathy as he finally spoke, "How did they die? I just met Jonathan a few months ago… how did this happen?"
The room fell quiet for a moment. The soft sound of the wind brushed against the window curtains. Aiden's calm eyes lifted to meet Victor's. His tone was cold, emotionless, almost hollow as he said, "They died protecting me."
Victor froze, the sorrow in his chest deepening as he asked. "Who did they protect you from? Who did they fight? Who killed them?" he asked, his tone trembling slightly.
Aiden's face didn't change, his gaze distant as he replied. "It was my uncle… Michael Draconia."
The moment those words left his mouth, Victor's expression darkened. His brows furrowed as if trying to understand something impossible, he said. "Michael, huh…? But how did he find them? I remember they had a Stage 5 illusionary artifact. Even Michael wouldn't have been able to track them down, so how?"
Aiden's eyes dimmed slightly as he recalled Michael's cruel smirk and the words he had spoken that day. He then spoke, "He bought an artifact from the northern continent. It can track any blood-related member if that person's blood is poured on it."
Victor let out a heavy sigh, the pain visible in his eyes. "I see… Did they tell you to come to me before they died?"
Aiden nodded quietly.
Victor's tone softened, though sorrow still lingered as he asked. "What did they tell you to ask of me? I will do anything within my strength to fulfill their last request."
Aiden's voice was as calm as ever as he replied. "They said that you would help me get inside the academy… and make a fake identity for me."
Victor nodded slowly. "I can do these things," he said after a pause. His voice grew firm as he added, "But you should be careful. Michael will send people to find you once he returns."
Aiden looked at him with his usual coldness and replied, "I don't think he will return. He should have died in that explosion. Even if he didn't, he would have been seriously injured. He won't be coming back soon."
Victor's eyes widened slightly. He was taken aback. How could Michael—a Stage 5 mana cultivator—be so badly injured, or even dead? He couldn't believe it. "What explosion are you talking about?" he asked in disbelief.
Aiden's gaze dropped to the floor as he answered softly, "My father ignited his mana heart and self-destructed… so that I could have enough time to escape."
Victor's heart sank. His expression turned sorrowful, his hands trembling slightly. "I know it's hard for you," he said gently, "but can you tell me everything about the battle?"
Aiden nodded slowly and began to recall every event that happened that day—each sound, each scream, and every flash of light that burned itself into his memory.
He told Victor about the moment Michael appeared, about the chaos that followed, and how his parents fought with all they had. But Aiden didn't mention the strange heart that was sealed inside the chest, nor did he tell Victor that he was an all-elemental mana cultivator.
When Aiden finished, the room once again fell into silence. Victor closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before speaking again. His voice was filled with sadness. "I will make you a fake identity," he said. "And I'll recommend you to the academy so you can join when the new year classes start."
He stopped for a moment, his gaze softening as he asked. "What name do you want your fake identity to be?"
Aiden thought for a few seconds before replying calmly, "Julian. It should be Julian Cross."
Victor nodded. "Julian Cross it is." He looked at Aiden with gentle eyes. "Aiden, where are you staying right now?"
"I was teleported to a room," Aiden said. "It belonged to my parents… so I will live there."
Victor shook his head immediately. "How can I let you live all alone?" he said firmly. "You should come with me until the academy starts. Once it begins, you'll have to live in the student dorms. That's the rule. Students can only go out on Sundays."
Aiden opened his mouth as if to refuse. "But I should—"
Victor interrupted him before he could finish. "No 'but.' You'll live with me," he said in a tone that left no room for argument. "How can I let my best friend's son live alone when he asked me to take care of you?"
Aiden could tell from Victor's expression that he wouldn't listen to him no matter what he said, so he just nodded quietly.
Victor smiled slightly as he said. "Good. For now, you can go take a tour of the academy to make yourself comfortable with the surroundings and the environment. There aren't many students here right now—it's the new year, and classes haven't started yet. The ones you'll see are children who don't have families, so they stay here during the holidays."
Aiden nodded once more and left the room. He began walking through the academy's wide halls, his eyes observing everything carefully.
The place was vast and beautiful, filled with ancient symbols and training grounds. His mind seemed to record every corridor, every tower, every inch of the academy as if he were memorizing it for a reason.
Hours passed quietly. The sun had shifted lower in the sky when Victor came out of his room. After finishing his work, he stepped out of the professors' quarters and started looking for Aiden.
After a while, he found him standing in the training ground, staring silently at the empty field. The boy's expression was calm, but his eyes carried a deep shadow.
Victor approached him and said with a faint smile. "Aiden, let's go. My work is done."
Aiden turned his head slightly, nodded, and followed him without a word. They left the academy together and soon boarded a horse carriage heading toward Victor's home.
The ride was quiet. The rhythmic sound of hooves against the ground filled the silence. Aiden looked outside the window, watching the different shops and people pass by in a blur. He said nothing, his mind lost in thoughts of the past.
When they finally arrived, the carriage stopped in front of a large white house surrounded by neat gardens and a stone path leading to the entrance. Victor and Aiden stepped down.
Aiden looked at the house. It was elegant and spacious, with tall pillars and shining windows. The surrounding air was peaceful, but to Aiden, it felt distant—too extravagant for someone who had lost everything.
Victor noticed Aiden's quiet observation and smiled lightly. "Let's go inside. I'll introduce you to my wife and daughter," he said. "Oh, and my daughter's around your age. Be good to her. She's a bit overconfident, but you'll get used to her."
They walked toward the door. A guard standing near the entrance straightened up and greeted Victor, "Welcome back, sir." He opened the door for them.
Aiden and Victor stepped inside. The interior was beautiful and filled with light. Expensive decorations hung on the walls, and fine furniture lined the halls. Aiden looked around silently, taking in the sight. It felt like stepping into a noble's house.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the staircase. A woman in her mid-thirties walked down gracefully. She had yellow hair that shone under the light as she wore a soft green dress. Her skin was fair, and her features were delicate and kind. She was Mary, Victor's wife.
As she approached, she smiled warmly and said to Victor. "Welcome back, dear."
Her eyes then fell on Aiden. "Dear, who is this handsome child?" she asked curiously.
Victor smiled back. "He's the son of my old friend," he said. "He'll be staying with us until the academy starts."
Mary's smile deepened as she turned to Aiden and asked. "What's your name?"
Aiden answered in his usual calm tone, "Aiden."
Mary chuckled softly. "Aiden, what a nice name. You don't have to be so stiff—feel comfortable in this house. You can think of it as your own house."
She paused for a moment, then said warmly to Victor and Aiden, "Come, I'll have the chef prepare dinner to celebrate Aiden's welcome."
Victor smiled as he asked Mary. "Where's Victoria? Is she in her room? Or is she training in the training room again?"
Before Mary could reply, a childish yet annoyed voice came from upstairs. "Dad! Why are you so late again? Did you forget you have to train me? Why do you always come so late?"
Victor sighed, looking toward the stairs. Standing at the top was a young girl with crossed arms and a pout on her face. She was his daughter, Victoria, who had an angry expression on her face as she stared at Victor.
Victor shrugged as he knew that she was very stubborn and would not forgive him easily.
Author's Note: This chapter marks the new beginning in Aidens as he will live with Victor and his family. Stay tuned for further updates.