CHAPTER 44: BLACK FORGE

Kael, standing next to his older sister Jenna, who was visibly excited, was the third person to clear the dungeon after Lyra. Upon hearing mention of the reward, Kael turned his attention to his father, who was watching them calmly.

"The rewards will be given out in order of arrival," Zephyr declared, fixing his gem-like red eyes on Kael. "Therefore, Kael will be the first to receive his reward, which will consist of 200 mana stones and armor made from the silk of the Iron Spider."

The old man Roy approached, carrying a bag full of mana stones, and handed them to him. Kael accepted them without changing his expression in the slightest.

"Congratulations, young Kael. Once this meeting is over, I will send for you so you can decide how you want your armor," Roy announced before walking away and returning to his post.

The armor made from Iron Spider silk was capable of withstanding attacks from someone ranked 9, Peak Level. With this, Kael saved himself the trouble of searching for armor, at least until he reached rank 8.

He carefully checked the bag of mana stones, making sure none were missing. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust old Roy, but he was very meticulous.

With this, I don’t have to worry about feeding the Zu Sealing Jade for at least two months.

Now that he had refined the Zu, he had to feed it every night. Otherwise, it would die.

His attention returned to his father, who was about to speak again.

"Now, Lyra, your reward will be 100 mana stones, and you may choose a sword from the level 1 vault."

Old Roy did the same thing he did with Kael: he approached Lyra and handed her the mana stones. After that, he returned to his post.

Zephyr continued handing out the rewards to each of the young lords and ladies who had been selected as standard bearers.

Once everyone had received their rewards for clearing the dungeons, they waited for the clan chief to dismiss them.

Zephyr settled into his throne and began to speak in a clear but indifferent tone:

"The reason I have summoned you here is to inform you that, at the beginning of spring, a merchant caravan will arrive at the mountain, accompanied by some families allied with our clan."

"Which noble families will visit the mountain with the merchant caravan?" asked the first wife, Daily.

"The families that will be coming are the Drakens, the Blossoms, and the Lorvishs," Zephyr replied.

Caravan... It’s that time of year again. Several memories that had been hidden beneath a fog cleared slightly.

This caravan is not normal. They will be bringing several valuable items that will be useful to me later on.

Kael’s mind began to devise various plans. With the mention of the families who would be coming in the caravan, he remembered that Scarlette influenced them, which could be used against them.

Furthermore, there could also be spies from the Lion Kingdom. He had not forgotten the people who had attacked him when he abandoned the inheritance of the Demon Wolf, and he had managed to kill one of them.

A faint smile appeared on Kael’s lips. He knew that the families mentioned were not the only ones traveling in this merchant caravan.

Heh, I’ll have to adjust my plans. This will bring me many benefits.

Kael turned his face when he felt an intense gaze: it was Jasper, who was watching him with eyes full of hatred. Now he wasn’t even hiding it, at least Soren was trying to conceal it.

Jasper was the last to clear the dungeon, and several members of his team died. His performance was poor compared to the others, who didn’t lose a single member.

All his frustration and helplessness were directed at Kael, who had been the first to complete the mission assigned by Zephyr. If Lyra had been the first, it wouldn’t have affected him so much, as she had always held that position.

What’s more, she was the most powerful of all her siblings.

That bastard with dirty blood... How dare he be first? I have to finish him off quickly. Thought Jasper, looking at his mother, Scarlett.

"I thought more families would come, but there are only three," said the fourth wife, Liyana, with a slight sigh. She had hoped her family would come to visit.

Zephyr looked at his wife and replied, "The other families will come too. A tournament with several clans will be held mid-season, and we will be the hosts."

Kael’s eyes narrowed slightly before returning to normal. He hadn’t expected the tournament event to be brought forward so much. It was supposed to happen at the end of the year, not so soon.

Zephyr continued talking about other matters related to the Clan that those present needed to know about. It was nothing important, as no one except Roy had access to conversations about what was going on in the clan.

The others were members, but their rank was not very high, so there were many things they did not know... nor would they ever know.

"You may leave," Zephyr announced in a calm voice with an indifferent expression from his throne.

Kael left the great hall, accompanied by his mother Alessia and the elderly Roy.

...

After leaving the great hall, Kael, Alessia, and the old man Roy left the mansion in a carriage pulled by blue three-horned horses. They were headed for one of the best blacksmiths in the Medici territory.

As they made their way through the cobbled streets of the city, the life of the place could be seen through the carriage window:

Children, wrapped up warm, running through the streets and playing in the snow; parents and elderly people standing at stalls, buying hot drinks or purchasing coal or wood.

Kael watched everything with an expressionless face, his elbow resting on the edge of the carriage. He looked away from the window and fixed his gaze on his mother, who was sitting across from him, dressed in black.

"It’s been a long time since I left the mansion," Alessia commented, watching the city bustle by the window.

Memories of her life before becoming Zephyr’s wife flashed through her mind: running through those streets with a smile on her lips, without a care in the world.

Those days were just a fond memory, one she would never return to.

Kael noticed the changes in his mother, but said nothing. He simply remained silent, pretending to be lost in thought.

After about ten minutes, in a fairly remote part of the city, the carriage stopped.

Kael got out of the carriage; white steam came out of his mouth as he looked at the large structure in front of him.

The Black Forge smithy loomed large: a sturdy building of gray stone, blackened by years of smoke and soot. Its rough, unadorned facade featured large, precisely fitted blocks, as if they had withstood countless winters and sieges. Above the lintel hung a wrought-iron emblem: an ancient helmet crossed by a hammer and sword.