Nozel silva stood at the centre of the gathering of nobles, his very presence emanating an aura of nobility. At age 15 he took over as vice-captain of the silver eagles, immediately upon joining, with his father sitting as the captain.
But the world knew exactly who was in charge, and his father could hardly fill the shoes his mother left after her... unfortunate departure.
His young age was the only thing stopping his ascend to the rank of captain, which his father would hardly contest. Not that he could. His power was unquestionable. But still he knew it was hardly enough.
He knew the world, both scum-eating peasents and fellow back stabbing nobles, were scouring for an opportunity to bring the silvas to their knees. It was his duty to show to the world that silvas are strong, with or without his mother at the helm.
He would fight back every single one who dared to attack them when they were at their weakest. He would prove to the world they were strong.
That HE was strong...
He sighed, his shoulders loosening a smidgen.
If only mother-
"Greetings lord silva."
Immediately his mind snapped back into it's default state of alertness. He immediately regained his composure, putting on his aura of indifference. He turned and greeted the man before him.
"William vangeance. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
William smiled good naturedly. The world tree magic user was all the talk these days. His stature as a bastard was quite unappealing. And his scar... was not doing a lot to boister his image. But now is not the time to be picky about his allies. Williams vangeance was a once in a generational genius, with ties to the magic emporer himself.
William smiled and returned:
"The pleasure is all mine lord silva. Congratulations on your vice captainship."
It did not leave his notice that LORD silva was his father and not him. Their was no need nor did he care to correct him. In all honesty, he was lord silva in all but name.
"I hear a promotion is coming up in your name soon as well. Golden dawns youngest vice captain. The second youngest vice captain in history, after my own. Its quite an impressive feat."
William bowed slightly in a show of respect.
"Im honored to hear that. Thank you lord silva."
I smirked internally. It was nice talking to nobility who understood their difference to royalty. It can be such a pain to-
"YOUNG LORD NOZEL!"
my facial muscles involuntarily twitched upon hearing that boisterous voice. To refer to him in this levels of informality, and that too, this casually. He gritted his teeth and turned around cooling his temper, putting his mask back on instantly.
Ledior vaude of house vaude. The family of spatial mages. He was clearly drunk
He had a large smile plastered across his face as he approached us. His arms rested on the shoulder of his uncomfortable companion whom I also happened to recognize.
Fuegoleon vermillion.
"What exactly is transpiring here might I ask. A meet up of prodigies? Then might I interest you in one more joining you! Eh vermillion? HA-hahahaha!"
"Aha..ha..." The fire mage laughed politely and frankly uncomfortably.
"Ah young lord nozel." Ledior turned to me his face turning expressive.:"its such a pity what happened to lady acier. She was such a close friend."
No she was not. In fact this is the first time that he is speaking with a vaude in any capacity. But of course the man needed to connect to him at some capacity, before he presented his ulterior motive.
His magic wanted to lash out and put him in his place. But house silva is still fresh out of a loss. It does not need more enemies.
His eyes turned to the vermillion heir.
"Greetings fuegoleon."
"Greetings young lord vermillion." William followed suit.
"Greetings." Fuegoleon smiled regaining a bit of composure.
The three greatest prodigies of the current generation. Even without leaking any mana there was significant tension in the atmosphere from their mere presence. The eagle, the lion and the world tree.
Ledior raised his hands in surrender smiling widely. "all this genius in the air, i can hardly keep up. Maybe you should spend some time with my own genius eh? My pride and my joy, my son langris is here with me."
And there it is. The ulterior motive. It was recruitment. Took him long enough.
"your son? A spatial mage I suppose?" I asked the vaude patriarch.
"Not just any spatial mage." He indicated towards the boy standing aloofely near one of the tables in the party. He was draped in the finest of silks, obviously to catch attention. But what really stood out about him was, Even at his young age, the danger he posed was evident to him. He could see the potential within the boy. An uncut gem. "My son possesses the rare attribute of spatial destruction."
Ledior vaude rambled on gleefully:"any object touched by his magic is erased out of existence. A prodigy among prodigies. he has even defeated magic knights in spars."
It went without saying those magic knights were of lower rank. But still it was impressive for his age, 6 or so.
He was intrigued. A future investment.
But still. This moron had quite crossed the line. A lesson was necessary.
"Impressive." Nozel replied. He then continued in the same monotone.:"and what of your oldest-finral was it?"
Suddenly all colour drained out of the man's face.
A slight smile bloomed in mine, on the other hand.
Ledior was quick to recover though. He replied with makeshift smile:"yes of course. Finral. unfortunately he could not make it today. He was quite sick and-"
"FINRAL YOU MORON!!"
The words travelled the entire hall like thunder. Every head turned to see young langris dripping in sauce, outraged, and a cluttered plate lying on the ground haphazardly. Near this spectacle stood an unbothered young man, wearing simple white shirt and black pants, who had clearly spilled the cutlery.
He shrugged at his brother and replied:"sorry brother. Didn't catch you there."
Langris snapped:"ARE YOU AN IDIOT? HUH??! DOES YOUR PATHETIC INAPTITUDE FOR MAGIC BLEED INTO LITERALLY EVERYTHING ELSE TOO? NOW YOU CANNOT EVEN DO BASIC FUCKING THINGS LIKE SEEING? HUH??"
The hall was in whispers. How pathetic. An older brother who can't even stand up to his own younger brother. A waste of precious noble bloo-
"Nah man i didn't see you cause you know, you were short." Finral replied in a neutral monotone. "Like a short midget goblin."
How juveni....
"What did you call me?"langris spat with venom
....and apparently effective.
"Plus with that ugly haircut, i try not to look at you, directly, as much as possi-"
Magic spiked immediately as I saw the telltale signs of spatial magic, with the very space slowly twisting. The amount of mana summoned was dangerous and that too without the control of a grimoire.
"ENOUGH!!!"
ledior shouted his rage barely contained.
The magic dissipated in an instant, but langris' remained murderous. Ledior then said to his oldest angrily. "Finral. Go home."
Finral turned around to face him. He then wordlessly picked up his plate and left anticlimactically.
The hall slowly resumed to hushed ballroom talk.
Ledior excused himself to talk to langris, leaving the trio alone.
"A phenomenal talent, langris is, wouldn't you agree?" Nozel said to break the ice.
"Of course." William chimed. "And that was without a grimoire."
"Precisely." Nozel commented:"and you fuegoleon? No comments on the vaude boy."
Fuegoleon turned to face the silva heir.:"i think you were looking at the wrong person."
Nozel blinked:"how so?"
The vermillion replied:"because while that spell was easily stronger than some magic knights, the other vaude, was squaring up to face it."