[Eon's POV: ]
"There is no need to worry about me. I know how important this secret is, and there is no need to get into someone else's family matters anyway.
So, I will keep what I know to myself… however, can I ask you something, Lord Axion?"
"Just call me Eon or something. It's alright. And yes, please ask anything you want."
He already knew I would want to talk with him about Anna's powers so he was ready beforehand.
He was a smart person, enough to know the how's and why's.
"Then I will do so, Eon."
This was one of the aspects of this person that was desirable. He didn't really like the formalities and stuff and believed in a direct, factual conversation.
"About Miss Anna… as I understand, she had an immense innate talent for both summoning and taming. And this innate talent is so great that even without her willingly using it, her mere presence, words, and will is strong enough to directly affect even my bond with the creatures.
So, if she possesses such abnormal abilities, how is it that she has not awakened her energy Nucleus yet?
As I understand, she would also have affinity with a higher form of energy than the normal Mana, so she should have awakened already and started her formal training.
The fact that she has not done so, even in a household like yours that regards the special individual abilities as the core of one's possible field of expertise, means there is something blocking her from growing in this field."
"You have a great observation, Deleon."
He figured out there was something wrong with Anna and her growth speed just from this little time with her.
'He certainly is quite something…'
We had finished the breakfast so after everyone had gone to do their various tasks, I was having this personal talk with him while Rein was out there helping Anna and others fix the garden they had destroyed.
"I appreciate the compliment."
"Yes…"
Few people knew it, but his family, the Necromes, were of northern origin, a fallen family that had almost vanished from history now.
His remaining family was the last of what had remained of Necromes, and, if it weren't for him, no one would have even known the name Necrome.
He wasn't much attached to this name though. It wasn't like he had a good enough upbringing by loving people for him to have any special attachment to his family name.
'Few people knew how his family used to live in a faraway tower with a forest area near there. How he was once lost in an avalanche. And how his obsession with slimes began from that point'
I don't know him closely enough to confirm if he was truth worthy enough for the whole truth, but as long as it was about the professional stuff, he was a professional that even the ones like emperor August trusted.
"Anna has an affinity with Arcane energy, making the possible awakening energy nucleus to be larger compared to what a child with practically no physical abilities could handle.
Her will to do what she is meant to do is great, but before she has enough physical capability to handle the kind of awakening she would have…"
"The failed awakening attempt will turn her into a gruesome mess…"
"I would have liked to have used some other words."
But what he said was exactly what would happen if her body can't handle all the dense energy that would suddenly flood her body during the awakening attempt.
And in case she doesn't make it through the process after we fail to stop her awakening attempt like Mr.Rice did the last time… I don't know what I'd do.
"I understand… but what about the awakening attempts? You can't block the natural-"
"I can."
I looked him straight in the eye, seriously. And that one look was enough for this smart person to figure out there was no further need to worry about this topic.
"I see… still, what about the core of the problem? If not now, one day, she will certainly face an awakening attempt where she passes through the halfway mark of the process and creates the foundation of the nucleus.
What then? What if she-"
"Why are you talking about so many negative things, mister? Have some faith in this talented little girl like I am. It will be fine… it will be fine."
And if something bad still happens… it will all be upto Mr.Rice to save my little love.
"Ah, faith… I see. So you aren't clinging to some uncertain hope."
"Hope is a bitch."
"I agree."
"Is she your classmate as well, boys?"
"No, she-… mom! Don't sneak up on us when we are having an important conversation!"
She came out of nowhere!
And why didn't I sense her…?!
"Huhu, did I surprise my little boy~?"
"How did you do that?!"
"Did what~? I did nothing~?"
She definitely did something to trick not only senses but even my passive Solnova detection!
There is no way I wouldn't know someone approaching me like this! Especially her!
"Greetings Couness."
"Hello, hello mister trouble maker~. I heard you caused quite the trouble earlier, hun~?"
She glanced over to the other side where the others had almost finished bringing the garden back to the state it was in.
"I… well, I could be called the core of what happened earlier."
He was tired of all this now and regretted his very decision to bring out his slimes before they even had their breakfast.
'Had he waited until we finished the breakfast and our presence in that place, they wouldn't have had to run all over the place while being careful of the small slimes.'
The reason anyone couldn't use force was because of the weak constitution of the slimes.
They were weak creatures that would die just by a little touch with the Aura of strengthened Mana. And, if not that, there was a chance the slimes, the dumb beasts would start attacking them instead.
'They were just playing with the Povpoi as Anna told them. They had no choice but to run behind all those creatures as well.'
It wasn't his mistake things turned out like this. But he was still guilty of the crime.
"Huhu, it's alright mister master slime summoner~. Haze just loved these plants too much. Be sure she doesn't find out the next time you do something similar."
"Next time? No, Countess. There is not going to be any next time. Certainly not."
Aunt Haze's angry look and this one incident terrified him enough that he showed a grim expression openly. Something he doesn't do in general.
"Haha, you are funny as well~. Hehe, oh! I almost forgot. Can I borrow my pretty son for a moment? I wanted him for this little thing, you see."
"Oh, of course countess. Actually, we were almost done with our conversation as well. Right, Eon?"
"Yeah, we were done."
I looked him in the eye once again and he did not need to be told again how what we had talked about was to remain a secret.
He would be dead if anyone gets to know what we were talking about. His title as a prodigy of the world mattered nothing if it was for the safety of a future saint candidate.
"Alright then, I will leave you two alone."
He got up, bowed to mom and me and with his calm steps, he walked to where the others were finishing their work with his slime.
He will probably have a talk with Anna now. Tell her about the slimes and ask if he could finally 'play' with the Povpoi. And, since she was feeling guilty for what happened today, she will allow him to play with them however he wants… for today.
This playing we were talking about was no normal playing… him doing scientific observations on them was not playing in one sense entirely.
'If she gets to know what exactly he'll do to them, he will be facing the greatest challenge of his life.'
He will have to be careful how he does what he wants to do. Keeping curiocity under control will not be an easy task for a crazy researcher like him.
"Anyway… what is it, mom? Did something happen?"
She sat down before me and took a deep breath before looking at me with a serious expression… an expression I was not expecting this early in the morning from her.
"We received word earlier, Eon… eagles are eyeing the auction this time."
…alright.
This just got serious.
"West?"
"Worse. They are calling themselves 'Black Hand'. It's an alliance…"
A heist was being planned for this year's Auction.
And, just the plan there was someone with the balls to even have thought of robbing Hiraani, made this matter more complicated than it sounded.
"What do we know about this 'alliance', mom?"
Hiraani was one of the largest structures of this entire holy capital with security far surpassing the security of the best impotent institutions.
Not only were there powerful guards strong enough to be considered a force of nature itself, the entire system of Hiraani that was already unbelievably unshakeable, was further reinforced by me over the last few years.
There was practically no way of breaking the first-class security measures, so if mom was here telling me something like this with that kind of face… whoever this 'Black Hand' was, they had enough confidence, influence, and resources to get past all the six classes of security measures we had in place.
'Which, undoubtedly, is no laughing matter…'
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter