Chapter 234: Family Reunion

If anything, Cassian seemed much closer to the impression Prince Lucien had given him. Viktor’s behavior, meanwhile, almost made it look as though he were simply a rebellious son pushing back against his father.

Viktor seems surprisingly childish on the inside, despite his calm demeanor...

Just as Qiu Nuoya was thinking that, Cassian suddenly turned toward him and gave him a warm, beaming smile.

"So you must be the other Hero. Nice to meet you. My name is Cassian, and I serve as this country’s Minister of General Affairs. I’ve heard quite a bit about you. It seems my son has been quite indebted to you."

"What!? Don’t act as though you know anything! Stay away from him!"

Viktor stepped between Qiu Nuoya and Cassian, shielding him from his father.

But what does he mean by "heard about me"? Who did he hear it from? Ah, could information about me have leaked from Lady Sherria or someone like her? I’m not a Hero!

"You don’t have to treat your father quite so harshly..."

"I have not forgotten that you kept Mother in the shadows for her entire life, nor that you forced my sister into an unwanted marriage for your own selfish purposes. You display portraits like that so prominently, as though you are trying to create the image of a happy, loving family. But if you ask me, that display is nothing short of tasteless!"

"..."

Cassian said nothing, keeping the same smile plastered across his face.

"That way you act as though you have done nothing wrong, while trying to manipulate people into doing exactly what you want. You haven’t changed at all."

Viktor spat out the words with open contempt.

Still, if everything Viktor is saying is true, then this man really is quite the schemer. He puts on such a harmless smile, but what he has actually done is hardly anything to praise.

Cassian completely ignored Viktor’s insults. Instead, he calmly turned around and smiled at Igor, who was still waiting near the entrance.

"You must be Igor."

"You even know about me?"

"Information is important. My son has been indebted to you for some time now. I hear you have supported him for quite a long while. I apologize for taking so long to express my gratitude."

"It’s nothing..."

Igor awkwardly looked away.

Somehow, this man really throws me off. Is the only reason he seems like a good person because of his appearance...?

"By the way, have we met somewhere before? Your face looks familiar, as though I’ve seen you somewhere before. Perhaps in the royal capital..."

"No, we haven’t."

Igor cut Cassian off before he could finish speaking.

"I’m just an ordinary citizen and a lowly adventurer. I’ve never had the honor of meeting the Minister before."

"Is that so? Hmm... Perhaps I mistook you for someone else."

At Cassian’s final words, spoken almost as a murmur, Igor looked away. It was true that Igor seemed to have lived in the royal capital before, but there did not appear to be any connection between the two of them.

"Father, please stop changing the subject. I cannot possibly accept the idea that you kidnapped my companions simply because you wanted to greet them. There must be some other reason behind all this, isn’t there? What do you want? Is it the Divine Sword Velikorya? We have no need for such a thing, so if you want it, then take it and be done with it."

"My own son is so cold."

"..."

Viktor opened his mouth as though he was about to retort, but then fell silent without saying anything. It was unusual for someone as quick-witted and sharp-tongued as Viktor not to have something to say. However, Cassian was just as skilled with words, and if Viktor continued arguing, his father would probably just sidestep the issue again and again.

"All right, all right. Don’t look so frightening. You’re wasting that beautiful face you inherited from your mother."

"I resemble you more, if anything."

"Really? What about the eyes..."

"Father!"

At Viktor’s sharp reprimand, Cassian gave a wry smile and snapped his fingers once again.

Suddenly, the number of sofas in the room increased, providing enough seats for everyone. Cassian slowly sat down on one of them.

As though he had been waiting for precisely that moment, the old gentleman appeared and placed a teacup in front of Cassian. He picked it up, took a sip, and said, "This conversation looks like it may take some time, so please, everyone, have a seat."

"There is something I want to make clear first. The people who attacked you really were not acting on my orders."

Cassian said this with a sigh.

"The Hero and the Saintess were summoned because this world is facing a crisis. I have not lied about that. The reason I summoned only the Hero here during the attack was to prevent anyone from realizing that I had placed the Crown Prince Lucien and Saintess Shangguan Wan’er under surveillance."

"..."

Viktor silently glared at his father, prompting Cassian to give a wry smile.

"Please don’t look at me so suspiciously. This is the truth. I have not lied to you."

"How could I possibly believe that? Ever since Xiao Tao came to us, he has been attacked several times. And in this city, black-haired children seem to be targeted constantly."

"Those people are actually after the Saintess. She has gone a little too far..." Cassian let out a different kind of sigh this time.

"What do you mean by ’gone too far’?"

"Do you know what she has been doing since she came here?"

"She left the castle and set off traveling from country to country with the Prince? According to the Prince, they are on a journey to reform the world. The Saintess said she was doing it to level up, though..."

"Exactly! That’s what I mean! Traveling throughout the kingdom on a journey to reform the world is certainly a wonderful endeavor, and I think it is an excellent way for the Saintess to build up her virtue. But the two of them have taken things a little too far..."

Cassian then explained what had happened.