NOVPUB
Chapter 481: Keep Him Closer
"Well, for a starter, my parents are Aldrey Flamecrest and Irene Rivas. Your majesty understand what that implies, right?" Aldrian said.
The others who heard Aldrian’s words reacted as if they’d just been told something absurd. At first, their faces were blank, showing little emotion. But as reality began to sink in, their eyes widened in shock.
The emperor’s mouth twitched slightly, even he found the revelation hard to believe.
"Are you serious?" he asked.
"Not a single word was spoken in jest. My father is Aldrey Flamecrest, and my mother is Irene Rivas of the Rivas family," Aldrian replied.
Prince Ferdinand and the two barons were far more expressive in their reactions, their faces almost identical. Eyes wide and mouths agape, they couldn’t even make a sound. They were too stunned to figure out what kind of noise would even express their shock.
Emperor Raymond stared at Aldrian with a blank expression. In his mind, a single thought came—How can this happen? What Aldrian said didn’t make any sense. Everyone knew the Flamecrest and Rivas families were rivals from different empires, and their relationship had never been close. No, they were like fire and water.
Forget about their successors becoming a pair of lovebirds. Even their family members still clashed along the borders of their territories when they weren’t fighting devils. So how could this be?
"I’m sorry if my question offends you, Sir Aldrian, but... how?" Prince Ferdinand finally asked the question the emperor had been holding back. "As far as we know, the Flamecrest and Rivas families have never been on good terms."
Aldrian then began to explain his birth in a secret realm hidden within the Everlasting Silent Forest. He only spoke of the general events. He told them when it happened, how his parents became trapped inside, and how that eventually led to his birth. He also shared a little about his life inside the secret realm until the day he left it.
After hearing Aldrian’s explanation, the mysteries and some questions surrounding him finally made sense. It was no wonder that no one had known anything about him until he appeared in Balin City. That had been his first time stepping out of the secret realm.
"Wait, doesn’t that mean you’re sixteen or seventeen this year?" Prince Ferdinand asked.
Aldrian responded with a nod.
Seeing his confirmation, Prince Ferdinand and the others felt their bodies weaken, and their chests tighten, as if their hearts had forgotten how to beat. He was still a teenager—yet he had already created a legend that had spread across the continent.
How could someone his age possess such cultivation and strength? How could he carry a face so full of maturity and wisdom, as if he had already lived through a lifetime?
How could he...?
How could...?
All this time, they had assumed Aldrian was someone hundreds of years old, his appearance preserved by powerful cultivation. But in truth, he was exactly what he looked like—young.
There were so many questions swirling in their minds that it felt as if their thoughts were on the verge of breaking. Aldrian’s very existence was already beyond their comprehension. He had shattered the common sense and established knowledge that had been passed down since ancient times. A teenage cultivator with strength enough to rival the force of an entire empire?
Did he start cultivating from his mother’s womb or something? Then they realized, even if he had been cultivating in his embryonic form, there was no way that alone could explain the power he now possessed.
No one spoke for several minutes. The others remained silent, each of them trying to come up with a reasonable explanation or any possibility at all that could justify how Aldrian’s existence came to be.
And the result was...
No, it was impossible. There was no way Aldrian’s existence could be explained by their knowledge and comprehension. He could be considered a singularity—a special existence that they doubted would ever be replicated.
However, something began to form in the emperor’s mind. Doesn’t that mean if Aldrian’s origins were revealed across the continent, the ones who would benefit the most would be the Dorian and Vindas empires? He could already imagine the chaos that would ensue once that happened. With Aldrian’s talent and strength, these two families—or even these two empires—would likely claim him as their people.
Whoever was chosen by Aldrian would see their family and empire rise to unimaginable heights, their status soaring to the heavens in a single step.
Emperor Raymond suddenly pondered solemnly. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the thought that the union of two people from these rival empires had produced someone like Aldrian. Even if Aldrian chose only one of them, the other empire would still benefit as Aldrian carried the blood of their family.
The other territories would have no choice but to watch as these two empires reaped the most rewards.
As an emperor, his opportunistic instincts kicked in. His empire, at the very least, needed to establish a strong relationship with Aldrian, showing him to be inseparable from the Atria Empire. Initially, he had planned to offer Aldrian and his group a status that would make them honorary guests of the empire. Even if Aldrian did not care about the status, he still wanted to make sure his friends felt valued.
Many people spoke of Aldrian, but few truly understood the group that always traveled with him. By including his friends in his thoughts, the emperor hoped that they would feel more comfortable in the Atria empire in the future, which would also influence Aldrian’s perception of the empire.
As Baron Rosalind had said, Aldrian valued relationships. If that were the case, then he would also value what Aldrian valued. Though what he could offer might not be much to Aldrian, the emperor trusted that Aldrian would recognize the imperial family’s sincerity.
Perhaps, in turn, his group might speak favorably of the empire.
However, now that he understood Aldrian’s origins, the emperor realized he needed to be more direct in his approach. He required something more straightforward to reach Aldrian.
Aldrian, sensing the turbulence of emotions from the people in the hall, broke the silence.
"So, given the circumstances, I hope that Your Majesty and everyone here can help me, just in case any bad rumors about my parents start circulating," he said.
He had already done everything he could to establish himself as a powerful cultivator with many achievements. He knew that, at this moment, his name alone carried significant weight in many people’s minds. If his parents’ identities were revealed, the negative opinions would likely be minimized.
However, he knew he couldn’t control every individual’s opinion across the continent, but he could prevent any negative opinions from those who might try to smear his parents’ names by overshadowing them with the positive regard people had for him. At the very least, he didn’t want any negativity to reach his parents.
Even if they tried to amplify their negative opinions, making sure as many people as possible heard them, those voices would be drowned out by the positive opinions and the support of his admirers.
Without hesitation, the emperor nodded his head in agreement.
"Of course, if anyone spreads bad rumors about your parents, I will take care of them. If necessary, I will issue an imperial decree to prevent such things from happening," Emperor Raymond said.
He knew that, for the nobles, having a child out of wedlock was considered a stain on their family name. It was not uncommon for nobles to banish their descendants for such an act, and in some cases, even execution had been a possibility, as there had been instances of this in the past.
Moreover, for famous families like the Flamecrest and Rivas families, the punishment would be severe. Aldrey and Irene would not be safe from the possibility of banishment or execution, as they were from opposing families, and Irene had given birth to Aldrian.
Normally, that would be the situation. However...
"Who would dare to touch them if they have this man as their son?" Emperor Raymond thought.
Aldrian, still smiling, gave a slight bow toward Emperor Raymond.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The emperor sighed inwardly. Although he wasn’t sure of the best course of action to keep Aldrian close to the Atria Empire, at least he could give this much help.
"Your Majesty, after this, I will appear once more before the people of the capital and speak to them, so there will not be any lingering doubts about the traitors or the actions the imperial family will take in the future," Aldrian said.
The emperor nodded. "That would be appreciated, young Aldrian. I know that many people in the capital, and even throughout the empire, are still wondering why you have not appeared since entering the imperial palace. Earlier, I had intended to ask if you could make a public appearance and offer them encouragement. At this moment, I believe your words hold more power than mine."
Aldrian gave a nod, "I will remain in the empire for a little while before I leave. I believe I have already spent enough time here, and my objective has already been completed."
When they heard that Aldrian was already preparing to leave, everyone in the hall felt a quiet sense of loss settle in.
