"Uncle Ran!" Celeste's voice echoed through the tunnel, carrying a mix of urgency and relief. "Uncle Ran?" I glanced at her.
"I—It's what I call him," she replied, a blush creeping up her cheeks, betraying her embarrassnt.
It was clear they shared a closer bond than I had initially assud.
An anticipatory silence fell between us, broken only by the distant sound of footsteps. The echoes grew louder, and soon, a small figure erged from the shadows at the tunnel's far end.
The figure raised his hand, and a shimring mana circle materialized in the air. As if responding to an unseen command, several more mana circles flared to life along the tunnel walls and ceiling, likely a network of traps he had set. After a few tense monts, the traps deactivated, the mana circles dissipating into the air, and the ceiling lights flickered on, bathing the tunnel in a soft, warm glow.
Now fully illuminated, the figure revealed himself to be an old man. His brown hair was streaked with grey, and his beard, styled in the fashion of Viking warriors, added to his rugged appearance. Despite his gruff deanor, there was a certain warmth in his eyes.
As we approached, I noted his short stature; his head barely reached my chest. His expression was stern, and his eyes narrowed suspiciously as he took in my presence.
"Uncle," Celeste called out softly, her voice filled with affection.
Randor's expression softened at her words. "My little Celeste, you've grown so much," he said, a hearty laugh rumbling from his chest.
"Didn't you get smaller, uncle?" Celeste teased with a giggle, wrapping her arms around him in a warm embrace.
"Little fool! You're the one who got taller!" Randor chuckled, the sound rich and full of affection.
Though I found their reunion heartwarming, a sense of urgency pressed on . "Happy for you both, but can I speak now?" I interjected, impatience creeping into my voice.
Randor's expression instantly shifted back to a scowl as he turned his gaze to . "Who's this lad?" he demanded.
"Ah, he's Amael. Amael Olphean," Celeste introduced .
Randor's eyes widened in surprise. "Connor's brother?"
"You know my brother?" I asked, taken aback by yet another person who seed familiar with Connor.
"Yeah, I know him," Randor confird but offered no further details.
Turning his attention back to Celeste, he asked, "And why did you bring him here? You must trust him a lot to bring him to this place, little Celeste."
Given Randor's status as a highly sought target, under strict protection by the Zestella House, only those within the royal family likely knew of his whereabouts.
"Yeah, kind of. He's my classmate and has saved a few tis," Celeste explained with a sincere tone as a small smile appeared on her lips.
It was indeed astounding that Celeste would bring soone along with her, even though I had saved her a few tis. I guess I did well in earning her trust. I don't think she ever ntioned him to her friends or even her best friend, Alia, or Victor.
"He saved you, huh?" Randor nodded before shifting his gaze to . "What do you want?" "A weapon."
"No."
He rejected outright.
"If that's all, little Celes, you should leave," Randor said, turning his back on us.
"I won't leave until you agree to make a weapon."
There was no way I'd go back empty-handed.
"It wouldn't change anything in my decision. I won't make you any weapon. I guess you thought coming with Celes might give you more chances, but no. It doesn't change anything," Randor stated, continuing to walk away.
As I watched him retreat, I felt a surge of determination. Celeste looked between us, unsure of what to do. She didn't want to force Randor into anything, even for my sake, and I understood
why.
I didn't want to use my knowledge as leverage, but I had no choice.
"Edenis Raphiel really did you dirty, didn't they?"
Randor stopped in his tracks.
"Amael?" Celeste's voice was filled with shock at my ntion of such a sensitive subject.
No, she seed even more shocked that I knew so much about Randor.
Ignoring Randor's glare, I approached him. "Your friends all sacrificed themselves so you could flee. You did well to survive in the end. You were quite lucky to be found by Sara Oceania. Anyone else would have either used you or sold you back to Edenis Raphiel," I said with a
smile.
"Are you threatening , brat?" Randor asked, his voice low and dangerous.
"It's up to you to decide whether I am threatening you or not. I just asked for a weapon," I replied calmly.
"Amael..." Celeste looked at disapprovingly.
"Wait, Celes. I really need him," I said, raising my hand to stop her.
This was crucial. This man was no ordinary blacksmith. He was the greatest smith blessed by Hephaestus, trained by the best. He could forge weapons that might even rival the Holy
Weapons of Eden, like Trinity Nihil, if given the right resources.
Securing his skills could change the fate of the Second Ga and even the Third Ga. I didn't want to force him, but if I had to, I wouldn't hesitate.
I wasn't as compassionate as Celeste or her mother. The world was threatened with destruction in the next three years at the end of the Third Ga. Of course, I couldn't just tell him that; not like he would believe anyway.
"Edenis Raphiel is corrupted to the core," Randor began, his voice heavy with bitterness. "It's considered the most beautiful place in the world, and I'll admit, in my long life, I've never seen anything like it. But the inhabitants and rulers are rotten beneath their masks of kindness and holiness."
"I agree with you on that point," I said, a knowing smile tugging at my lips.
"But you're no better than them, brat. The way you're speaking, threatening to make a weapon for you—it's all out of pure selfishness. When I wanted to spread my knowledge and my inventions, they threatened . They wanted our arts solely for themselves. I continued under duress, but once I understood what they were doing with my carefully crafted and blood-stained arts, I stopped."
"And they started slaughtering your people and pinned the bla on Ante-Eden," I said, finishing his thought.
"They did. I fled. I had to. My weapons were already sared with the blood of innocents. Staying any longer would have only led to more violence and innocent bloodshed," Randor said, looking down at his worn, wrinkled palms. Scars, like rivers of pain, ran up his entire
arms.
Celeste stood in silence, her expression a mix of frustration and anger. She already knew this story, and it always filled her with righteous indignation.
"That day, I swore I wouldn't make any more weapons for anyone. I had caused enough death," Randor said with a bitter laugh. "Little Sara was truly kind. She didn't care about my talent but cared for my well-being..." His voice trailed off, sadness overwhelming him.
"Then, you let her die," I said, my tone turning cold and unyielding.
"What..." Randor's eyes widened in shock.
"A-Amael?!" Celeste was dumbfounded, her gaze darting between Randor and .
Still holding Randor's gaze, I smiled. "Celes, I need to talk to Randor alone."
"No, I can't-"
"Don't worry, I won't hurt him. I need him, after all. But I need to speak with him alone," I
said, reassuring her.
User Comments
0 comments from readers