The man who slapped him was shocked because of how the man was looking at him. He was smiling and yet he looked like he would kill him there. He took a step back and was about to turn around and leave but he heard the man again.
"Are you going to run like a coward? How irresponsible of you to slap me and yet you still want to run? Do you think you can run away from me?" He took one step forward and another then he was in front of the man. "Coward."
After hearing the word 'coward', the man started to shake in anger. The wine he had drunk felt like it dissipated because of the hot feeling coming from him. His hands were balled into fists as he greeted his teeth and when Cygnus repeated the word, the man finally snapped.
"You are the coward! I don't believe that you are the duke's second son! That can't happen!" He accused. All the fear he felt a while ago was replaced by pure hatred towards the man.
Gasps could be heard from the crowd because of the words that came out from the man's mouth. Those were heavy accusation because how could the duke and duchess introduce a person who was not of their blood. No matter how you look at it, it was a ridiculous assumption.
"Oh, is that so?" Cygnus smirked, "are you willing to bear all of the consequences of your words?" Cygnus's figure loomed over the man and his presence suddenly got stronger that the people who were spectating instinctively took a step back.
Since the man who was accusing him doesn't want to be embarrassed even further, he did not back down and stared at the man. "Of course, I won't let an impostor like you sully the name of our family!"
Cygnus suddenly bent forward and his shoulders started to shake then a loud laughter resonated inside the ballroom hall. "Yes, that's what you think but between the two of us, who is sullying the family's name? Isn't it you? Causing a ruckus during my mother's birthday banquet with an accusation without any evidences is just plain stupid and embarrassing. Where did your common sense go? Did your brain got drowned with all the wine you've gobbled up or it just didn't exist in the first place?"
The remarks made by the master made the guests laugh but it made the man's face red as a tomato. "Shut up! Using such crass words only shows how uneducated you are! And I won't back down, I know that you are not the second son of my uncle and aunt. You are just an impostor!"
"Alright, why don't we prove it then," Cygnus did not hesitate to suggest, then he looked up and looked through the crowd. "Are there any mages in here?"
It took a while, but a man came stepped forward from the group. He was a middle-aged man with a clean-cut beard on his chiseled jaw and an almost graying hair. He was wearing a formal suit of withe topped with a long black coat. His eyes were emerald and unusually bright which was a clear sign that he was a high-level mage.
"I am," he answered with a deep gruff voice.
The man saw the mage and he was suddenly elated because he knew who the mage was. He was the Archmage of the Emerald Division of the Magic Tower, Sir Leonard Sigma.
Reading the other's thoughts, Cygnus was impressed because the man who stepped out was someone famous. The other details, he kept on the back of his mind because right now his priority was to teach the rude man, who was also his cousin, a lesson.
"If I remember correctly, mages can test the blood of two parties to see if they are related by blood. I remember reading a case regarding this matter and I believe that it had been widely used by many not only in our kingdom but also in other places." Cygnus looked the man in the eye while stating those words which attracted the by standers.
They've heard a thing or two about it but only those who have money can afford that service because only mages of high rank can perform that spell and to get them to do a bloodline check would cost them too much. So, unless it was necessary some of the nobles will seek the Magic Tower for this spell.
"Yes, and I can perform that spell for you," Sir Sigma answered. He was attracted by the sudden commotion when he was only there to offer his greetings as the representative of the Magic Tower when his attention was caught by the young man.
"Then I'll gladly accept your help and I thank you sir in advance." Cygnus inclined his head towards the man which earned him a nod from the archmage.
"May I request for the duke and the duchess to come forward." He gestured to the spot in front of him. Ulysses and Linette came forward whereas the woman gave Cygnus a warm smile. "If I may, please stretched out your palms and I'll draw a small amount of blood."
Ulysses went first so the archmage made a small cut on the duke's finger using a small knife he conjured and waited for a small drop of blood from the wound. The drop of blood floated above then he moved on the duchess and used the same process.
Now two drops of blood were floating before him and a small golden magic circle appeared below it. He then gestured for Cygnus to also come forward. The master stepped confidently and reached out his hand and in the same manner the archmage drew a drop of blood from him.
"With this spell, if all three blood merges together it is no doubt that they are a family but if the three droplets repel each other then they are not a family. If the mother's blood merges with the child's and doesn't merge with the father, then the child is not of the father and vice versa." He dutifully explained to the crowd. After that, he closed his eyes and put both of his hands on the side of the floating droplets of blood, like he was holding a ball.
He started to chant the spell and the golden magic circle lit up as white threads of light started to come out from the circle and surrounded each droplet. After a while these threads of light left the drops of blood and made a rotating ring around it instead.
The crowd waited in bated anticipation as the blood samples started to wiggle and move like they were looking for something. This time, Linius who entered the hall saw that the guests were surrounding something so he made his way through the crowd and saw the master, his parents, his cousin and a mage in the center.
Then the crowd suddenly clapped. The three samples of blood smoothly blended with each other as it formed one sample. The cousin who accused Cygnus had his eyes and jaws opened wide in shock. He couldn't believe that the test actually proved that the man was a real Ginehart.
"As you can see, the blood had merged which only means that Sir Rigel is undoubtedly a son of the duke and the duchess," the archmage announced which settled the people. The doubts in their hearts were instantly cleared.
"That's impossible! How could it be? He must have done something to his blood!" the cousin started to point at Cygnus in anger. He was not convinced and he won't believe it no matter what. He couldn't accept that this unknown second son was suddenly appearing in public.
"How dare you!" Linius who just arrived and heard the announcement and his cousin's accusations became angry. "Accusing my family of such heresy is tantamount to challenging my family's authority. Don't be complacent just because you are my cousin." He stood in between this cousin and the master.
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