Chapter 69: Getting Velan back and contacting Orwin

On that same day, Celdric arrived outside the mansion of House Orlen with Velan.

The guards had already been informed about their possible arrival, so they didn’t create any trouble for the Paragon Knight.

However, when Alaric received the report, he had no intention of personally walking out to welcome him.

He still remembered how casually Celdric had restrained Zephyr while the baby dragon was invisible.

Alaric had recently become a Knight and grown much stronger, but that strength meant absolutely nothing before a Paragon.

Rowena was currently inside the mansion, but even she couldn’t guarantee his safety if Celdric attacked without warning.

A Paragon could probably kill him before Alaric understood what was happening, and trusting an unfamiliar powerhouse because he had been friendly so far sounded like a great way to die.

Alaric contacted Celdric through the same communication artifact they had used before.

"You invited my disciple here, but you aren’t willing to meet me personally?" Celdric asked with amusement after learning that Alaric intended to remain inside.

"That is correct. I don’t possess any method of protecting myself from a Paragon, so meeting you would require me to place my life entirely in your hands. We don’t know each other well enough for that."

"At least you admit it openly. Should I speak with Marchioness Orlen instead?"

"I can arrange it."

"No. I have no intention of meeting that woman. Send the dragon I met last time and I’ll hand the boy over to him."

"Zephyr is training right now, and I don’t want him leaving until he accomplishes what I asked. I’ll send Mira."

Celdric accepted the alternative, so Alaric informed Mira that her brother had arrived.

She abandoned her own training and hurried toward the outer guest courtyard where Celdric and Velan were waiting.

Alaric observed through a surveillance artifact while remaining safely inside the mansion.

Celdric gave Velan a small spatial pouch containing written instructions, several bottles of resources and a communication token.

The boy wasn’t yet a Knight, so Body Techniques were out of question, so his current training focused upon the breathing technique Celdric had taught him, strengthening his legs and repeatedly practising three foundational movement patterns.

"Don’t increase the repetitions because you think more training will make you stronger faster," Celdric warned him. "Your body is still developing. Follow the numbers I wrote and stop if the pain continues after your breathing technique ends."

Velan held the pouch tightly and nodded, although he looked far less pleased about leaving his master than Alaric had expected.

"I want to stay with Sister and help find Mother, but does leaving mean I’m abandoning my training?"

"Who told you that?"

"No one, but disciples are supposed to follow their masters. If I leave for another continent while you remain here, how can I keep learning from you?"

Celdric placed one hand upon the boy’s head. "I accepted you as my disciple because of your talent and because you were willing to learn. Crossing the Divine Sea doesn’t change either of those things."

He instructed Velan to report his progress through the communication token whenever possible.

The token couldn’t carry messages across the Divine Sea, but it would allow them to remain in contact until the Meridian Court’s vessel left the Southern Continent.

"If I survive what is coming and find a way to cross the Divine Sea, I’ll seek you out again," Celdric continued.

"Until then, follow the instructions I gave you and listen to your sister. Training somewhere else doesn’t mean you are abandoning me."

Velan lowered his head for several moments before hugging the older man.

Celdric appeared uncomfortable with the sudden affection, but he still placed an arm around the boy and allowed him to remain that way until he was ready to let go.

Once their short farewell ended, Mira took Velan into the mansion while Celdric left without attempting to meet Rowena or Alaric.

Velan became nervous when Mira brought him into Alaric’s study.

He had heard plenty about the Young Lord who rescued his sister and ordered people to search for him, so he performed the formal greeting Celdric had taught him before standing beside Mira.

Alaric focused upon the boy and waited, but nothing happened.

There was no notification from the System, which meant Velan wasn’t recognized as a Genius.

Celdric had still considered his talent in movement worthy of becoming his personal disciple, so the boy was certainly talented by normal standards.

It was just that the System’s requirements were just far more ridiculous.

Alaric felt some disappointment because another connected Genius would have meant more quests and rewards, but that didn’t change what he intended to do.

"You can stay beside Mira from now on, and House Orlen will provide whatever you require for your current training," Alaric told him.

"We are also continuing the search for your mother. Whether we find her before our departure or only discover another lead, you will be informed about everything."

"Thank you, Young Lord."

Alaric nodded before dismissing both siblings.

Helping Mira reunite with her brother had never depended upon Velan giving him another System connection, and he wasn’t going to treat the boy differently just because no notification had appeared.

With that matter handled, Alaric moved onto the next person he needed to contact.

Orwin had returned to the Rathen Empire to begin arranging the relocation of his Magic Tower, but he had yet to transfer any major part of the organization.

Alaric contacted him before those preparations reached the point where changing plans would become troublesome.

"A power from the Central Continent has agreed to receive Rowena?" Orwin asked after hearing the revised proposal. "Which power?"

"The Meridian Court."

Orwin didn’t agree after only hearing the name.

He asked whether Rowena had communicated with the Meridian Court directly, whether they knew about the dangers surrounding her and whether they had genuinely arranged a method for crossing the Divine Sea.

Alaric brought Rowena into the conversation since she could answer those questions better than him.

As he watched the two Paragons discuss. Alaric couldn’t help but fall in thought.

I feel like Orwin might really agree to tag along.

Isn’t this Paragon a little too attached to Evan? Or is he scared of the chaos that is going to come on this continent?