Sylvester didn't say anything and just went ahead and embraced Aurora in his arms. For the first time in so long, he once again felt the warmth of family. The same was the case with Aurora as her eyes teared up uncontrollably.
"I...I thought you had left us all!"
"I thought that too, Aurora. But so much has happened in six years. It was not easy, but somehow." He glanced at Hozin and Kimino. "Solis sent me help."
Pat!
While hugging, she suddenly patted his head. "Bald?"
Sylvester stepped back with a chuckle and sat beside her. "Sacrifices we all have to make to remain unnoticed. Tell me about yourself, how are you? Did you grow stronger? Did you find a good lover? I'm telling you, you should break the vows. I wanna be called uncle, dammit."
Bam!
"Shut up."
She wiped away her tears and punched his arm while smiling. She just stared at his face as if trying to make her mind believe it was really him. She had seen him grow from a little boy to now—a strong, tall man.
But she noticed one grave thing. "You still can't grow a beard."
A sigh left Sylvester's mouth. "Certainly, there are a few things no amount of magic can bring. Perhaps I'll have it when I'm an old man. But before we continue our talks, let me place the runes to hinder any listeners."
Sylvester stood up and walked around to each corner of the room to draw some rune circles with symbols that Aurora had never seen before. In amazement, she saw him complete the rune drawings and then activate them.
"What was that?"
"Isolation rune," Sylvester replied. "It's Elder Magic, Aurora. I can control the very particles of Solarium now, instead of deriving elemental power through it. I know you have a hundred questions, so let's sit down and talk. Xylena, can you bring us some fruit juice?"
The ashen-black-haired girl, now fourteen years old, moved swiftly. "Father, we don't have apple juice. Only water."
"That will suffice as well," Sylvester replied.
However, as he glanced back at Aurora, he noticed her jaw hanging open and her eyes widening. He sighed; the reason was predictable. "She's fourteen, not my biological daughter. When I found her, she was merely nine years old in the same camp where Cannibals had held me. Since then, we have journeyed together, and for some reason, she has come to call me father."
"Who is she?" Aurora inquired, her nostrils flaring. "Can she call me aunt?"
"..."
"She's the last surviving member of her bloodline, the Princess of the Sorrow Kingdom, now known as the Blackhart Kingdom," Sylvester revealed. "Remember when I told you about the visions I have been experiencing since my youth? She was the girl I saw in those visions."
"Wait, what? But you have been seeing her since you were a child. She wasn't even born then."
Sylvester knew it was going to be a long night. "Alright, listen carefully..."
Sylvester recounted his journey, starting from the moment he left the Holy Land six years ago to investigate Sandwall County. He told her about the Shadow of Masan, disguised as Count Sandwall. How he was captured and mutilated by the Cannibals. He described how he killed them all and met the two Moonwatchers.
He shared details of his arduous journey, his subsequent encounter with the first Pope, and the inheritance he received. But, naturally, he omitted certain details that could pose problems for him in the future and only revealed the necessary information.
"I underwent four years of training with the Dragon Snakes in the desert, absorbing all the knowledge I could. Then I entered Masan and lived as a slave in a distant noble land until the opportune moment arrived. Since then, I have been residing here as Princess Fernis' bodyguard, gradually gaining the Emperor's trust. However, the reason I summoned you here is far more significant than the task assigned to you by the Holy Land," Sylvester concluded, moving on to the main part.
"Now, my dear sister, we are here to plan the next phase. The Church is corrupt and weakened from within due to parasitic elements. Even if I eliminate them and become the Pope, the West will continue to pose a problem. So we are here to dismantle the Masan Empire, breaking it into smaller kingdoms, Aurora—and you will play a crucial role in all of this."
Aurora became serious, and her words shocked everyone in the room. "How can I believe that you are truly Sylvester? You claim to have been deceived by the Shadow of Masan. What's to stop him from deceiving me? Prove me that you are the Sylvester I know."
Sylvester smiled appreciatively. "That is the right mindset to adopt from now on, my honey-loving comrade. As for my identity, I am still the Son of Solis."
?Years may go by but remains eternal our righteous heart.
A thousand kilometers away, but the blessings will still depart.
Anytime you wake up from ignorant slumber, it's a new start.
Welcome to the warmth of Solis; time's come to do your part.?
With the hymn, the halo shined bright behind Sylvester's head. It had been a long, long time since he had done it, but knowing it still worked was a relief.
"When did we meet for the first time?" Lady Aurora was still interrogated.
Sylvester responded swiftly. "During the knight's training in School of Dawn."
"How many times have we conducted Duel Cultivation?"
"Two times," Sylvester replied.
"What was your official rank before you disappeared?"
"I was an Archbishop who was given Sainthood. But the Pope had invited me to join his Sanctum Council, so I was to be a Cardinal in a few days."
She smiled at that point. "You still are, Sylvester. They officially made you a Cardinal posthumously. No Elder Cardinal from the Council of Thirty-two was against it. There are even statues of you all across the East, from towns to villages and cities. You are on every major street crossing, in noble castles, and even in the Holy Land. Roads are named after you. Monasteries are named after you—thousands of songs are sung by bards remembering you. Each Kingdom even celebrates Bard's Day on your Birthday, the fourteenth day of the seventh month."
"The Holy Land commissioned a hundred-meter-tall statue of you near the harbor. It's made of bronze steel, showing you in a Cardinal's attire with a halo behind your head, a book in one hand, and a spear in the other. For some reason, Sir Dolorem ordered that there should also be a cat secretly made, hiding beneath your robes and peeking its head out near the chest—since he paid for it, the smiths made it."
'That old man. Despite his firm belief, it seems he too felt I had died somewhere in his heart.' Sylvester smiled, remembering Sir Dolorem.
But there was no denying the uncomfortable feeling in his heart. "Isn't that a bit too much? Once I return out in the open, people will feel cheated."
"Pfft! Cheated?" Aurora snorted while holding back laughter. "Max, they will kiss the dirt beneath your feet. They will pray to Solis for months to thank the lord for your return. It's a common consensus among all common folks, clergymen, and slaves that the downfall of the Church, the resumption of war, and slowed economic prosperity is a curse that Solis put on humanity for harming his son—you!"
Sylvester rubbed his head awkwardly, not liking it. He knew that his return now had to be in the direst moment when all hope was lost.
"Let's focus on the task now. Aurora, do you know where the Lord Inquisitor is? I would like to bring him into the fold. The First Pope warned me that something dirty is going on behind the scenes in the name of the Church. I don't know what, but I will need Lord Inquisitor's insight regarding it, as he has served the faith for centuries."
Aurora helplessly raised her shoulders. "I don't know, Max. I've tried finding him, but he has disappeared. I think... Only your return can bring him out of seclusion now."
Sylvester sighed in defeat and accepted the setback. "Alright, no need to rush. Just becoming the Pope isn't the goal anymore. Our aim is to end the war permanently and gain complete control of the continent. The Saint Cardinal is dead—the next target is Crown Prince Zedd Hu'ul Mirmasan."
Aurora nearly gasped. "Are you sure?!"
"More than ever, Aurora. The final enemy in Masan isn't the prince or the Emperor. It's the Shadow of Masan. To compel him to come out, we must ruin the bloodline he serves." Sylvester rose after uttering those words. "For now, you should return to the monastery. You're here as a Saint Cardinal, an investigator. I will provide you with further details through mind communication."
"You can do that?!" She exclaimed.
"And much more, my sister." He teased, revealing no additional information. "With time, you will witness everything."
However, before departing, she gazed at Sylvester earnestly. "How powerful are you now? Can you defeat me?"
Sylvester folded his arms and smugly raised his chin. "With ease."
"Hmph! We'll see." She walked to the door. "Take care now…and…"
Bam!
She hugged him again. "It's good to have you back."
Embarrassed, she opened the door and vanished away into the narrow streets. However, Sylvester didn't leave and closed the door again.
"Take me to him." He ordered.
Hozin nodded and guided Sylvester into a concealed room within the building. The room appeared to be a storage area, but there was a concealed passage leading to a dark staircase. The stairs descended tens of meters, ending with a solitary metal door.
Sylvester unlocked it and entered, leaving Hozin outside. He desired to speak with the elven boy alone.
However, the room where the elf was confined was not a dungeon or a prison. It was a spacious, comfortable room with a cozy bed, a study table, and an abundance of books on a wall shelf. Numerous sheets of paper and pens were also available for writing, should the boy ever wish.
His injuries had now healed, and his complexion had returned to normal. His body had regained its muscles, and he appeared like an eighteen-year-old adult human. The elf harbored no animosity, easily discernible to Sylvester.
"Hello, Avanss." Sylvester disturbed him.
The black-haired elf glanced at Sylvester and smiled before speaking in a peculiar accent of the human tongue. "To encounter a fellow elf in this distant land is a delight. Thank you for rescuing me."
'So he can sense it?' Sylvester realized. He wasn't donning his previous attire, nor was his face concealed, yet the elf knew who he was.
"What brought you here? How did they capture you?" Sylvester inquired. "And can you explain why they have kept you alive for so many years?"
The elven boy closed the book he was reading and focused solely on Sylvester. He approached and touched Sylvester's ears as if examining them.
"Human-like, but the bones belong to an elf. Well, I am an avid adventurer, historian, and writer. I was captivated by the human world, your culture, and your religion. So I ventured here in the name of embracing the faith of Solis—merely for the sake of its name, as I do not believe in any god. But, unfortunately, I was abducted before I could set foot on the shores of your Holy Land," Avanss summarized his story.
"And the reason?" Sylvester questioned.
"My name, of course," Avanss replied, with a sudden surge of anxiety and fear emanating from him. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out to be like them upon hearing my name. I am Avanss Xeek Eldaron, the younger brother of Rathagun Xeek Eldaron, King of Elves."
"..."
'My uncle?'
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