CHAPTER 28: ABOUT YOUR GRANDFATHER...

"About your grandfather... he’s still on the wild east island." His expression became heavy as he remembered another old friend.

Hearing those words, the expression on Ethan’s face broke into a scowl and he spoke with contempt and anger: "I don’t want to hear anything from that man.

He promised to save us, he had the power to do so and yet he abandoned us to die at the hands of that scumbag.

He’s nothing but a good liar who deceived his grandson and his own daughter with false promises when he realized that the man my mother chose was a monster."

These words were sincere from the bottom of his heart, but they didn’t please David, who hardened and raised his voice.

"Your grandfather loved you with all his heart! I understand that you hate him, and honestly? In your position, I don’t know how I’d feel.

But you have to understand, Ethan; your grandfather made mistakes with the royal family and ended up stuck in a position he couldn’t recover from."

David took a deep breath before continuing.

"There was a blade not only in his neck, but also in your neck, your mother’s neck and the necks of all the men who followed him! He had responsibilities he couldn’t deny."

"I can move my troops now because protecting an ally’s title is among my responsibilities. The only difference is that I can deny that responsibility at the cost of nothing more than a fraction of my prestige."

"If your grandfather denied this responsibility, it would mean his death, the death of all the soldiers and families under his protection, and the extermination of his own family.

You’ve never experienced the cruelty of the royal family in person, Ethan, so I understand why you can’t understand why your grandfather didn’t go against the king’s word and get you and your mother out of that bastard’s clutches."

David’s tone softened slightly.

"But I promise you: every day of his life since your mother’s death and your own, has been endless torture.

He’s suffered enough from his own sins to still be hated by the only family he still has, who believe he’s dead."

David’s sermon only lasted a little over a minute, but for Ethan it seemed to last for hours.

His shoulders shook as a flood of emotions overtook his heart.

The memories he so longed to forget emerged from the depths of his mind: his mother, her loving smile and gentle embrace, and even his grandfather, who always brought the best gifts.

He was a kind and honorable man, Ethan knew that.

But how to hide the pain?

How can you not hate someone who waited for years suffering terrible torture while hoping to see his grandfather’s troops surround and disembowel his father to death?

It’s easy to understand the irrationality of hatred, but it’s precisely the fact that it’s irrational that makes it so hard to forget.

"I... I don’t know what to say..." Ethan finally broke down.

A single tear ran down his cheek as he struggled to contain the feelings in his heart: hatred, longing, sadness, melancholy.

All mixing together in his chest like a demonic and painful concoction.

"Then don’t say anything, child." David grabbed Ethan’s shoulders and, with a look that seemed to pierce the young man’s soul, continued:

"I have a small port on the coast and a fleet that will drop off supplies on the islands of the wild east every few months. The next batch of supplies should leave in a few days."

"Get on that ship and find your grandfather. He may only be a mercenary captain, but he has almost 700 elite soldiers under his command.

Become his heir and take control of these men before returning to the central island. Not as a simple mercenary captain, but as a Lord ready to reclaim his family’s lands."

Ethan listened to David’s proposal and considered it carefully.

His grandfather was a great warrior, probably among the ten strongest in the Kingdom of the Eternal Isles.

Naturally, being at his side would be incredibly advantageous, especially when he took into account that his grandfather’s army, although smaller in number, was in no way weaker than David’s.

When he thought rationally, he thought it was the smart thing to do.

But when he thought with his heart... He didn’t know.

’What a joke... do you have any ideas, system?’ Ethan mocked himself.

He was technically the heir to a being that was above even the gods his people worshipped, but he was still caught up in family drama.

[I am technically part of you and I can feel your feelings, your pain. From what I know of the human mind, you need time to get your head around it.

David is right and holding on to a grudge against someone who didn’t help you because they simply couldn’t help you is foolish.

Talk to your grandfather and sort out your issues with him, that’s the only way to resolve this.

Human emotions are complex and despite the relative autonomy granted to me by my creator, I’m still unable to fully understand them].

’Nor are humans...’ Ethan sighed to himself and turned to David before making a decision.

"I need time... let me finish this mission and I’ll make a decision."

"All right, take all the time you need." David said before patting Ethan on the shoulder.

He would have preferred the young man to simply accept once and for all, but after what he had been through, just the fact that he was considering accepting his offer was enough to make him happy.

Before leaving Ethan alone once more, David stopped his steps and turned around. He waved in the air and a single talisman appeared in his hands.

"It’s a communication talisman, linked directly to me. When you make your decision, you can contact me using this."

David handed the talisman to Ethan before turning and leaving. His body crumbled into crystals of light that flowed through the open window.

Ethan continued to stand there, staring out at the horizon beyond the window. He was tired of it all, but he still had duties to fulfill.