(Paul POV)
Things had finally settled down—at least, relatively—now that Roxy had returned with two new companions. The three of them clearly needed a moment to recover from what must have been a ride they'd never forget… and never do again. Well, Tallhand needed a little longer to pull himself together, but thanks to Zenith's newly acquired high-class Healing Magic, he was back on his feet in no time.
As for Roxy's companions, one was Eris, Phillip's daughter, and the other was a warrior named Ruijerd—apparently recruited by Kagami to help save Rudy.
I wasn't sure what to make of the latter yet, but I intended to keep a close eye on him.
But my attention wasn't on him.
It was on Elinalise.
She looked… fine. Too fine. Not in her usual flirtatious, provocative way like I always remembered her, but in a strangely composed and serene manner. Her posture, her expression, even the air around her lacked the usual enticing aura she carried. Something was off.
But before I could dwell on that, we all gathered in the room—except for Eris, Norn, Aisha, Lilia, and Ginger. The kids were outside, and the two women were preparing another meal now that we had two more mouths to feed.
Roxy had just finished reading a notebook Kagami had left behind. It contained information about the Labyrinth—White Fire Coffin, as it was called—which, according to him, was an extension of Rudy's body and soul.
"You seriously expect me to believe that my son has a blessing?" I scoffed, unable to trust anything from a man as dubious as Kagami.
"He never used the word 'blessing' exactly," Roxy countered. "But the way he described Rudy's ability to manipulate souls… the energy behind it… It all lines up with what's typically considered a blessing. Kagami even used Rudy's powers to enhance both you and Zenith."
"But why is it only manifesting now?" Zenith asked. "Shouldn't there have been signs? Sure, he could use chantless magic, but other than that, he never showed anything special enough to be considered a blessed child."
"It's because of Paul."
Roxy's answer was so immediate and firm that everyone turned to look at me. I sat there, confused as to how I was supposedly the reason behind my son's newfound power.
"Me?" I pointed at myself. "How? And don't tell me that I have a blessing of my own."
"It's because of how you raised him," Roxy explained. "You always told him never to use his power to intimidate others or flaunt it unnecessarily but to protect others. Rudy's a smart kid, but he's also still a child. If he interpreted that having too much power was a bad thing, it's possible he subconsciously suppressed it."
I stared at her, trying to process what she was saying. Was that my doing? Did Rudy really take my teachings that way? To be fair, I never specified what having power truly meant because I only recently got stronger.
"I'm not buying that," I said, a bit irritated. "Rudy wanted to go to Ranoa Academy of Magic. If he really thought power was a bad thing, why would he want to go somewhere designed to make him stronger?"
"I understand what you mean, but power and knowledge aren't the same," Roxy replied. "Maybe, deep down, he believed that strengthening his mind was acceptable, and strengthening his raw power was what was bad."
"She's right," Ghislaine added. "I had to learn that the hard way myself. Rudeus taught me how to read, write, and even do arithmetic. I used to think being strong with the sword was all that mattered, but thanks to Rudeus, I realized just how wrong I was back then."
"You?" Tallhand looked at her, astonished. "You, who always broke formation and charged ahead whenever a most came across? You're admitting to a foolishness?"
"I have to agree with Tallhand," Elinalise chimed in. "You've always been the strongest among us, and yet you're admitting that you still have to learn more?"
"Guys!" I cut in, exasperated. "Can we stay on topic?"
The three of them looked at me, then fell silent, turning their attention back to Roxy.
"Right," Roxy cleared her throat. "I imagine you're all wondering how his blessing awakened. It happened from the near-death experience when a Black Dragon horde nearly killed him. Encasing himself in that crystal… that was a defense mechanism. A last-ditch effort triggered by his fear of death."
A whole horde? And Black Dragons, no less? Even for a talented magician like Rudy, that was an impossible fight. Dragons were among the strongest monsters in the world—especially in groups.
Wait. Black Dragons? Could it be—?
"It seems you two remember it," Roxy said.
Snapped out of my thoughts, I turned to her, noticing Zenith had the same stunned expression.
"Kagami wrote that the visions you two saw before were actually the last things Rudy witnessed before sealing himself. His battle against the alpha of the horde, the one that wounded and tortured him."
The alpha. The strongest of them? Oh god. The pain he must have felt—the fear he must have endured. My son… went through all of that?
"Do not trust every word he says."
Ruijerd, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.
I instinctively wanted to dismiss him, but I held back. I barely knew the guy—I couldn't just assume he was wrong.
"I never fully trusted Kagami to begin with," I admitted. "He's obviously after something my son has, and I don't intend to let him get his way."
"That is not what I meant," Ruijerd said, his gaze sharp. "To begin with, Kagami is the one who put him in that nest."
Silence hung over the room, thick and suffocating.
For a moment, I thought I misheard Ruijerd. But when I looked at him—at the unwavering, steady way he held my gaze—I knew I hadn't.
Kagami put Rudy in that nest? Did Kagami do this? He's the reason for...
The realization hit me like a hammer to the skull.
A deep, burning rage surged through my veins, and before I even knew it, I was on my feet, knocking the chair backward with a loud crash.
"HE DID WHAT?!"
My voice roared through the room, shaking the very walls. I didn't care. I couldn't.
That bastard—he didn't just leave my son to die. He sent him there to die. Deliberately!
"Paul!" Zenith called out, startled by my outburst, but I barely heard her.
I stormed over to Ruijerd, fists clenched so tightly they shook. "You better not be messing with me right now. Are you saying that Kagami—the same son of a bitch who's been acting like he's helping us—was the one who threw my son into a fucking dragon's nest?!"
Ruijerd didn't flinch. "Yes."
The single word made my blood boil hotter.
Ruijerd continued, his voice calm but firm. "Before Eris woke up after being teleported to this continent, she witnessed Kagami taking Rudeus away. I came too late to stop him."
The air in the room felt suffocating.
My heart pounded so violently in my chest that I thought it might burst.
That son of a bitch took Rudeus. Took him. Away from Eris. Away from safety. And he threw him into a nest of Black Dragons. For what? To awaken him? To test him?
I didn't even realize I had moved until I felt the sharp sting of wood against my knuckles—my fist had slammed into the table hard enough to splinter the surface.
"Why?" My voice was low, dangerous. "Why the hell would he do that?!"
Ruijerd's jaw tightened. "I don't know. But Eris heard him say something before she passed out, but she couldn't understand what before telling her to go back to sleep."
Something inside me snapped. My hands clenched so tight that my nails dug into my palms.
"He is a child! My child! And that bastard—he—he used him!"
Zenith placed a hand on my arm, but I pulled away, unable to sit still. My body felt too hot, my skin prickling with the overwhelming urge to do something.
"I'll kill him," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
The words came out too naturally. Too easily.
And I meant them.
"Paul—"
"I'll kill him!" I roared, cutting Zenith off, my voice trembling with fury. "I don't care what he wants, I don't care what he was trying to accomplish—I will find him, and I will put his head on a pike!"
The others exchanged glances, but I didn't care.
Roxy was the first to break the silence.
"We don't have time for revenge," she said, her voice steady but firm. "Rudy is still in that Labyrinth. That should be our only priority."
I turned to her, still seething, but she didn't flinch. "You think I don't know that?" I growled. "You think I wouldn't drop everything to get him back this instant?!"
"Then focus."
The sharpness in her tone caught me off guard.
"Your rage is justified, Paul," she continued. "But it won't help your son. If anything, it'll get you killed before you even reach him."
Zenith stepped forward. "She's right. If Kagami planned this much, then we need to assume that getting Rudy out won't be as simple as walking in and grabbing him."
I exhaled through gritted teeth, trying to steady my breathing. She was right. They both were.
I turned back to Ruijerd. "Tell me everything you know about this Labyrinth."
"It is alive," he said simply. "It shifts, reacts, changes its inhabitants. As Kagami described, it is an extension of Rudeus himself. If he is truly inside, then finding him will not be easy. And freeing him may be even harder. There are various Magic Traps, different types of floors and monsters, so we need to watch our every step."
Ghislaine crossed her arms. "Then I'll help avoid that with my Demon Eye."
Elinalise nodded. "And I'll go as well. If things get messy, you'll need someone to protect our supporting members."
"Then it's better if I'll stay," Tallhand said. "I might slow you all down, and you already have Roxy, who is a more capable Magician than I ever could be."
I looked around the room. They were ready. And so was I.
I took a deep breath, forcing my rage to the back of my mind. "We move out tomorrow. We prepare tonight—supplies, strategies, everything. We don't get a second chance at this."
Everyone nodded.
Zenith squeezed my hand. "We're bringing him home, Paul."
I met her gaze and allowed myself to believe it for the first time since hearing the truth.
"Yeah," I muttered. "We are."
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