NOVPUB
Chapter 153: The Discussion About Aldrian
One of the things Aldrian noticed after spreading his senses throughout the entire domain of Dragon Back Mountain was that the phenomenon had stopped. The strong winds that everyone had feared ceased, leaving only the normal mountain breeze. The scene was a stark contrast to how it had been when he first arrived.
"I’ll check on something for a moment. Wait here," Aldrian said to Xin Haotian, Duke Valiard, and Mardred. With that, he disappeared, teleporting outside.
Watching Aldrian vanish, Mardred turned to the other two. "He’s not planning to do something dangerous like before, is he?"
"Maybe? I’m not sure; his abilities are so mysterious. I don’t understand how he pulled that off. That heavenly tribulation should have killed him, but he doesn’t even seem affected by that lightning strike. What kind of technique, or how powerful, does he have to be to withstand that?" Duke Valiard wondered aloud.
"By the way, about his red hair—with how great he is, I thought he was from a noble family, and if he’s from a noble family, isn’t there only one noble family known for red hair?" Mardred asked.
"The Flamecrest family?" Duke Valiard looked stunned, then slapped his forehead. "How could I have forgotten his connection to Aldrey! He must be from the Flamecrest family!" Duke Valiard said. All this time, he had assumed Aldrian was a distant relative from a different family, especially since Aldrian’s techniques didn’t seem related to the Flamecrest family’s styles. For example, Aldrian’s sword technique was unlike any he had seen from the Flamecrest.
"Wait, how do you know he has a connection to Aldrey?" Mardred asked.
Then Duke Valiard told Mardred the details of his first meeting with Aldrian. He hadn’t had the chance to share this before, only mentioning Aldrian’s arrival but not the specifics of who Aldrian truly was. When Mardred heard that Aldrian was the new owner of the Fire Dragon Sword—a weapon he knew his little brother had created with his full skill—he was shocked.
If Aldrey really entrusted the Fire Dragon Sword to Aldrian, then their relationship was far from ordinary. It could even be said that Aldrian was one of Aldrey’s most trusted individuals. The Fire Dragon Sword, which Aldrey wielded in all his adventures, was his most treasured weapon, a symbol of his glory with a storied past. For Aldrey to pass it on was akin to sharing the legacy that elevated him to his current revered status as the "Fire Apostle."
Mardred and Duke Valiard both knew that Duke Flamecrest had only two sons: Aldrey and his younger brother. If they considered that Aldrian had a close connection to Aldrey, then the only plausible relationship between Aldrian and Aldrey would be...
The two men exchanged looks.
"Don’t you think Aldrian’s face resembles Aldrey’s somehow?" Mardred asked.
Duke Valiard’s eyes widened. "Are you saying he might be Aldrey’s son?!" he asked in shock.
"I’m not sure, but given all the information you’ve shared, it’s the only explanation that makes sense. If Aldrian is Aldrey’s son, then it would be natural for Aldrey to willingly pass on his most cherished sword to him," Mardred replied.
Xin Haotian, who hadn’t known any of this about Aldrian, was stunned. He quickly questioned the two of them.
"Hold on, let’s step back for a moment. Doesn’t Aldrey Flamecrest not have a wife? How could he have a son?"
Duke Valiard and Mardred looked at Xin Haotian, puzzled.
"Don’t you know his origin?" Duke Valiard asked, confused. But Xin Haotian shook his head.
"No, he’s always been reluctant to tell me about his true background since I met him two years ago."
Duke Valiard then fell into thought.
"Then, was his story about his parents leaving him a lie? Why would he lie about his family?" he wondered aloud.
"I can think of a few possibilities," Mardred replied. "But if we consider his abilities, he’s already powerful enough to be recognized as one of the continent’s powerhouses—someone destined to leave his mark on history. There’s no way the Flamecrest family would hide Aldrian’s existence from the world. They’d give him a place of honor if he were truly Aldrey’s son. We’re talking about the strongest genius of this era, after all."
"If the Flamecrests haven’t revealed Aldrian to the world, and Aldrian himself seems reluctant to discuss his origins, then perhaps the Flamecrest family doesn’t know he exists! There’s no way they’d let him roam freely if they knew. With his talent, they’d do anything to keep him within the family. Even if there were strained relations, they’d find a way to bring him into the fold," he added.
"With all that in mind, I can only conclude that Aldrey had a relationship with someone and ended up having a son in secret, which led him to hide this from the Flamecrest family. And Aldrian himself likely understands the situation, which is why he keeps his origin hidden from others!" Mardred concluded, slamming his hand on the ground as he shared his final analysis.
Duke Valiard and Xin Haotian listened to Mardred’s analysis with solemn expressions. If this were true, it would be explosive news, as the Flamecrest family is one of the most renowned noble families on the continent. Aldrey Flamecrest, widely known across the land, is the son of Duke Flamecrest and has earned the title "Fire Apostle" due to his mastery over fire laws.
If Aldrey Flamecrest, as the family’s successor, had a hidden relationship with an unknown woman, many nobles would see it as tarnishing the Flamecrest family’s reputation. Given the high pride of the Flamecrest family, they likely wouldn’t tolerate such a scandal, and Aldrey might be held accountable by his family. That’s the expected outcome.
However, when they considered Aldrian’s abilities as a swordsman, a fighter, and a blacksmith, they doubted that the Flamecrest family would reject him, even if he were the son of a commoner. This fifteen-year-old, whose genius surpassed anything seen in history, would undoubtedly drive the Flamecrests to do whatever it took to claim him as their own.
Now, the question lingered: Who was his mother? If Aldrian were such an unparalleled genius, it didn’t seem necessary to hide him, even if his mother were a commoner. His family would likely still support him. So why would Aldrey feel the need to keep Aldrian’s existence a secret from the Flamecrest family? 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘱𝘶𝑏.𝑐𝘰𝑚
The three of them pondered in silence until Xin Haotian suddenly spoke up.
"Considering Aldrian’s age and the timing of Aldrey Flamecrest’s disappearance in the Everlasting Silent Forest, it’s possible that Aldrey fathered Aldrian during his time there. I don’t know all the details, but around that same period, the daughter of the Rivas family also disappeared. Could there be a connection?" he asked, unsure but recognizing the significance of the question.
"The Rivas family from the Doria Empire?" Mardred asked.
"Yes. Irene Rivas vanished around the same time as Aldrey, and they both returned around the same time. It feels like too much to be mere coincidence," Xin Haotian replied.
Duke Valiard and Mardred exchanged glances, and suddenly, their eyes widened with realization. They stared at Xin Haotian, their expressions shifting with a mixture of awe and concern.
"If this is true, and we’re thinking along the same lines, this would be sensational news for the entire continent! No, it could be disastrous for the entire continent! You understand what this means, don’t you?" Duke Valiard said, his voice tense.
"We’re on the same page, aren’t we?" he asked again.
Xin Haotian and Mardred solemnly nodded, replying, "Aldrian’s mother is Irene Rivas."
At last, they understood the gravity of Aldrian’s situation and the reason he needed to conceal his parentage. If the heirs of two rival families renowned for their longstanding feud and hailing from competing empires were discovered to have a romantic relationship and even a secret son, it wouldn’t merely tarnish their family names, it would be considered treason.
Even if Aldrey and Irene were let off the hook by their families, the very existence of Aldrian could ignite a conflict between their two families. Aldrian’s monstrous genius would undoubtedly become a prize both families would fight to claim, turning him into a potential catalyst for war. Such a dispute wouldn’t likely stay confined to the two families—it could escalate into a full-scale conflict between their empires.
This was troubling news for the rest of the continent, as these empires served as border guardians against the devil territory. If they turned their focus inward, the devils would surely seize the opportunity to spread chaos across the land.
As they considered this, the pieces began to fall into place: it made sense now why Aldrian concealed his parentage and why there was no sign of acknowledgment from the Flamecrest family. If they were in Aldrey or Aldrian’s position, they too would keep such a lineage hidden.
Outside the cave, Aldrian continued inspecting the formation’s eye, completely unaware that the three men had finally uncovered the truth about his parentage.
