Chapter 209: Hector’s Past.

"Well..." Hector hesitated.

After all, family scandals weren't something you aired in public. He was afraid it would be humiliating, and his pride made him worry that his new friends would look down on him once they knew and leave him behind.

Shu Li noticed his hesitation and said, "If you don't want to talk about it, don't force yourself."

Everyone had secrets of their own. There was no reason to pry.

Siti was burning with curiosity and was just about to speak when Nasha placed a hand over hers and gently shook her head. Siti looked around and saw that no one else intended to press Hector either, so she deflated and went back to chewing her wheat cake.

Seeing that no one was going to question him further, Hector actually began to feel guilty instead. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Forget it. I'll tell you... It's not really a secret anymore anyway."

At least in the Pross Empire, practically everyone knew about it.

"Ludwig and I are cousins. We're both from the Snowor family of the northern territories of the Pross Empire. Our family crest is the snow wolf, which represents courage, loyalty, and perseverance. My grandfather is the current lord. My father was the first heir, and Ludwig's father is the first heir."

Siti asked in confusion, "If your father was the first heir, why does Ludwig act even more arrogantly than you?"

Nasha frowned. "Exactly. Why?"

As a princess, she was very familiar with laws governing succession. If Hector's father became lord, Hector would become the first heir, while Ludwig's branch of the family would lose its place in the line of succession.

The little Fairies had no throne to inherit, so they couldn't understand human succession rules at all.

Shu Li knew a little more about such things, but his own family had been happy and his brothers got along well. As long as he wasn't the one who had to inherit the family business, he was fine with anything.

Amanda asked, "Your father was strong, right?"

Dragons respected strength above all else. To become the Dragon King, one had to undergo constant Trials and battles. Becoming king didn't mean the challenges ended, either. Every five hundred years, other dragons could challenge the Dragon King, and the victor would take the throne.

Of course, Amanda's older brother Harmon was extremely powerful. So far, no dragon had ever successfully defeated him.

Amanda himself intended to challenge his brother once he reached adulthood.

Not because he wanted to become the Dragon King, of course. He simply wanted to temper his will and become stronger.

Hector unconsciously tightened both hands around his cup of milk. Tears shimmered in his silver-gray eyes as he said hoarsely, "Three years ago, my father... died in an accident."

"What?"

The others stared at him in shock. The little Fairies exchanged startled looks.

All of them simultaneously remembered the coffin they had once mistaken for a treasure chest.

Three years ago, Shu Li, Dixio, Angel, and Budno had gone to Lake Bokaman in the Faerie Forest to trade with the three-headed water monster Niledi for treasure. They had discovered an enormous treasure chest and happily carried it all the way back to the divine tree, only to discover that it was actually a human coffin.

As it happened, Danlov, who had still been a Saint Mage at the time, was visiting the Elven Kingdom, so they had excitedly gone to find him.

Well traveled and knowledgeable, Danlov had examined the snow-wolf crest on the coffin and determined that its occupant was a count from the Snowor family of the Pross Empire.

The little Fairies had wanted to send the dead man home, so they asked Danlov for help.

Danlov readily agreed.

Three years had passed, and they had always wondered what had happened afterward. Never in their wildest dreams had they expected to meet the dead man's son at the magic academy.

Yes. Based on everything Hector had said, Shu Li was certain that the deceased count had been Hector's father.

"I'm sorry," Siti said. "I shouldn't have made you remember something so painful."

Hector released his cup and shook his head with a smile. "It's all right. I've made peace with it now. Father has simply gone to reunite with Mother. I'll be fine on my own."

Nasha froze. "Your mother too...?"

Siti couldn't help feeling sympathy for this classmate from the north.

"My condolences," Shu Li murmured.

He understood Hector's feelings all too well. Few things in life hurt more than being separated from the people you loved by life and death.

He had been separated from his own parents for eighteen years. Every time he meditated, he missed them even more. To return home, to reunite with them someday, he had relentlessly pushed himself to become stronger while searching for a way back.

Ace glanced at Shu Li, picked up a fresh, tender fruit, and placed it on his plate.

Shu Li blinked, pulled himself out of his melancholy, and thanked him.

Ace smiled gently.

After collecting himself, Hector continued in a calm voice. "My mother died from complications when she gave birth to me. Father never blamed me for it. Instead, he raised me himself. But he was very busy. As the family heir, he had endless responsibilities, and to improve his strength, he would leave for two months every year to gain experience. Three years ago, he and my first uncle... Ludwig's father, that is... went to the Valley of Wind in the Serix Empire for a Trial..."

"The Valley of Wind!"

Siti and Shu Li exclaimed simultaneously.

They immediately looked at each other.

Hector didn't notice their expressions and continued, "Yes. The Valley of Wind that's filled with hurricanes. Even a Senior Mage has little chance of surviving once they enter, let alone my father and first uncle, who were only Intermediate Mages at the time."

"Your father... died in an accident in the Valley of Wind?" Shu Li asked.

That explained it.

Back then, the three-headed water monster Niledi had told him that the coffin had been discovered in the Danaga Sea, and that the ship carrying it had come from the Serix Empire.

Hector nodded. "According to my first uncle, Father encountered a terrifying wind beast in the Valley of Wind. By the time my uncle reached him, Father and his guards had already been killed by it, while the wind beast itself had disappeared. My uncle risked his life to carry Father's body out of the Valley of Wind. He had the finest coffin made and hired the best seagoing vessel to escort Father's remains back to the Pross Empire. But disaster struck without warning. They encountered a tsunami, and the ship sank. My uncle was the only one who survived, thanks to his own abilities. Everyone else died. As for my father's coffin... it sank to the bottom of the sea with the ship."

"Ah! The coffin—"

Budno hurriedly clapped a hand over his mouth, his brown eyes darting around.

Dixio shot him a warning look.

Budno hurriedly picked up a fruit to cover his reaction and bit into it viciously.

Immersed in his memories, Hector didn't notice anything unusual.

Kumandi pondered for a moment. "Everything sounds reasonable on the surface, but there are suspicious points everywhere."

Siti was far more straightforward. "There's something seriously wrong with that first uncle of yours!"

Nasha nodded in agreement.

Judging by Ludwig's attitude toward Hector alone, it was obvious that his father's branch of the family was no good.

Hector sighed. "When I first heard the news, I couldn't accept it. I caused a huge scene. But what was done was done, and with my abilities, I had no way to uncover the truth. Grandfather specifically sent people to the Valley of Wind in the Serix Empire to investigate, but they couldn't find any evidence that my first uncle had done anything. As for the ship... sea voyages are dangerous to begin with. My uncle was lucky enough to be washed onto a beach, where nearby fishermen saved his life."

"After Father died, my first uncle became the first heir, while I... completely lost my right of inheritance. I was arrogant back then and already on the verge of losing control. Ludwig was gloating over his newfound advantage and deliberately came to provoke me, so I fought him. He was badly injured. My first uncle seized the opportunity and reported to Grandfather that I was badly behaved, had no affection for my own kin, and was no longer fit to remain a member of the Snowor family."

Bang!

Siti couldn't help slamming the table.

"Despicable! How could he treat a child who had just lost his father like that?"

"Exactly!" Dixio exclaimed indignantly. "Just look at how arrogant Ludwig is. There's no way his father is any better."

Shu Li sneered. "Like father, like son."

Amanda brandished a fist. "If he comes looking for trouble again, we'll beat him up properly next time."

"We can't violate academy rules," Kumandi said.

Angel smiled slyly. "It's fine as long as nobody finds out."

Light magic included a concealment barrier. Anything that happened within its range would remain completely hidden from the outside world.

Dixio impatiently asked, "What happened afterward?"

Hector said, "Grandfather believed my first uncle and decided to send me to the Kashalo region. It's part of Snowor territory, but it's close to the Land of Snow and the Magical Beast Forest. Living conditions there are terrible, and magical beasts can attack at any time."

Budno even stopped eating his fruit.

"Your grandfather went way too far!"

Ludwig had clearly been the one deliberately causing trouble, yet Hector was the one who got punished. It was completely unfair.

Hector smiled bitterly. "Those are the rules among nobles. Without parents to protect you, it's only natural for others to push you aside."

The drastic change in his circumstances had stripped him of all his pride. Only a shred of self-respect remained, and he had clung desperately to that.

"If the Mage Sovereign hadn't suddenly visited the Snowor family, I probably really would have... ended up suffering in the Kashalo region." Hector took a deep breath, starlight gleaming in his silver-gray eyes.

"The Mage Sovereign!"

Everyone stared in surprise.

Dixio excitedly asked, "It was Danlov, right?"

Siti poked him. "Don't address the Mage Sovereign by name. That's terribly disrespectful."

Dixio bared his teeth in a grin.

Whenever Danlov visited the Elven Kingdom, they all called him by his name. Danlov himself didn't even mind!

Shu Li asked, "Why did the Mage Sovereign visit your family?"

He already knew the answer, but he still wanted to hear Hector say it himself.

"He brought my father's coffin home."

Hector's hands trembled as he covered his face, wiping away the tears spilling from his eyes.

The others watched him silently.

At a moment like this, silence was the best comfort.

Five or six meters away, Seriu set down the half-eaten bread in his hand and turned his head slightly toward Shu Li's table.

After a while, Hector regained his composure and lowered his hands.

"The Mage Sovereign said that someone had entrusted him with returning my father's coffin to his family. I'm incredibly, incredibly grateful to him and to the people who found the coffin. Because of them, my father was able to return to his homeland and be buried beside my mother."

Shu Li sighed inwardly and exchanged glances with the other little Fairies, feeling deeply relieved.

Thank goodness they had insisted on sending the coffin home back then, allowing the deceased to return to his loved ones.

Who could have imagined that three years later, they would meet his son?

Was this what people called fate?

"The Mage Sovereign's arrival changed my life," Hector continued. "Grandfather gave me a chance to redeem myself and allowed me to study here at St. Velia Magic Academy in the Central Court. As long as I become an Intermediate Mage within five years, I'll be allowed to remain in the Snowor family. If I fail... I'll not only lose the Snowor surname, but I'll also be sent to the Kashalo region."

Siti bristled with indignation. "How is that any different from before? Your grandfather is obviously making things deliberately difficult for you!"

Even for a magical genius, advancing to Junior Mage within five years would already mark them as extraordinarily gifted, let alone reaching Intermediate Mage.

The condition was absurdly harsh. He was practically being driven into a dead end.

And this man called himself Hector's grandfather?

He might as well have been his enemy!

Nasha said, "Siti's right! Your grandfather clearly doesn't have your best interests at heart."

Awakening one's magical affinity made getting started easy enough, but every advancement in rank was a difficult challenge, and the higher one climbed, the harder each step became.

The little Fairies, blessed with extraordinary magical talent, couldn't begin to understand the difficulties human mages faced.

Dixio thumped his chest confidently and told Hector, "It's only Intermediate Mage! As long as you work hard, you'll definitely make it. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask us."

Hector assumed he was only being polite and smiled. "All right. Then I'll be counting on all of you from now on."

"Don't worry. We've got Kumandi. He's the best!" Budno said.

Kumandi glanced at him and said solemnly, "As long as you find the correct way to study, every problem has a solution."

Shu Li knew that from personal experience. "I used to be terrible at Elven. Kumandi was the one who tutored me."

Warmth flowed through Hector's heart.

So this was what it felt like to have true friends.

Siti asked, "Then... can I ask Kumandi for help too?"

Kumandi nodded. "Mm."

"Great!" Siti said happily. "I want to become a Senior Mage as soon as possible, then go explore the Valley of Wind."

Amanda swallowed the roasted meat in his mouth. "What exactly is the Valley of Wind like?"

"The Valley of Wind formed ten thousand years ago," Siti explained. "It's in the northern part of the Serix Empire, and terrifying hurricanes blow there all year round. There are also wind beasts inside that can kill without anyone ever seeing them. Wind beasts are a type of magical beast. The farther into the valley you go, the higher their rank becomes. According to legend, a ninth-rank magical beast lurks in the deepest part of the Valley of Wind. But no one has ever seen it."

Nasha sucked in a breath. "If it's that dangerous, why do you want to explore it?"

Siti's expression turned solemn. "I want to discover why the Valley of Wind formed and then... eliminate it."

"For ten thousand years, countless adventurers have gone in and come back empty-handed. Even if you become a Senior Mage, I'm afraid..." Shu Li trailed off.

He and Ace had read that travelogue together. He knew perfectly well how terrifying the Valley of Wind was.

"I have a reason I must go," Siti said.

Angel looked puzzled. "Why are you in such a hurry? You could wait until you become a Grand Mage."

Siti sighed and spread her hands. "Because I'm a princess of the Serix Empire. I have a responsibility and duty to eliminate threats to my people."

The Valley of Wind expanded every year. If no one stopped it, the surrounding cities would eventually suffer.

"Huh? You're a princess!"

Everyone stared at her dumbfounded.

"Hm? Didn't I mention that?" Siti asked innocently.

"No."

Everyone shook their heads.

Nasha said, "You only told us you were from the Serix Empire."

"Ahaha..." Siti rubbed her nose awkwardly. "Then I must've forgotten to mention it. Anyway, I'm definitely going to the Valley of Wind."

Whether she succeeded would depend on luck.

"I'm going to the Valley of Wind too!" Hector said firmly. "I need to uncover the truth about my father's death."

"It's too dangerous for the two of you to go alone," Shu Li said. "How about... all of us go together?"

If his theory was correct, the Wind Spirit might be in the Valley of Wind.

He had to investigate.

Dixio rubbed his hands together excitedly. "We're the Light Squad. Of course we should act together!"

"There's strength in numbers, and we can look out for each other," Angel said.

Amanda and Budno high-fived.

"Yay! We love adventures!"

Ace smiled. "That's a good goal."

Shu Li raised his cup of milk. "Then we'll have to work hard. Let's aim to become Senior Mages within five years."

Siti stared at him. "Senior Mages? Can we really do that?"

Budno waggled his eyebrows at her. "Have a little more confidence in yourself."

The others raised their cups of milk and clinked them together.

With Hector's story finished, everyone picked up the pace of their breakfast.

Once they had eaten their fill, they returned their trays and left the dining hall, heading toward the nearby carriage stop.

They needed to take the academy's rail carriage to the main gate, then head into the city to accept an assignment.

The group walked along laughing and chatting, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Just as they were about to reach the stop, Shu Li suddenly halted and looked toward a large tree ten meters away.

Two people stood beneath it.

One was the young man who had stopped Ludwig earlier.

The other was a mage older than him.

"What's wrong?" Ace asked.

Shu Li came back to himself. "No, it's nothing."

It was just that the more he looked at that young man named Seriu, the more familiar he seemed.

Shu Li could have sworn he'd seen him somewhere before.

Fairies had excellent memories. Once they had seen someone, the impression tended to remain vivid.

If Seriu looked familiar, then their paths must have crossed before.

But when had they met?

Had it been eight years ago, when Shu Li went to the Human World with Ilio?

Or... even earlier?

As he walked, Shu Li searched through memories from years past.

Suddenly, he smacked his palms together and widened his eyes.

It was him!

The magic swordsman who had stood on the bank of the Bakat River!