Upon hearing Frank's words, Sian's heart skipped a beat. Afraid that he had misheard, he asked, "You said what?"
"I'm here to talk about your parents," Frank said again.
As Frank's words sank in, Sian felt the excitement filling his body. He had always wondered about them, but no matter how hard he tried to get any information, he never got anything about who they were or what happened to them. But it seems that the time to get answers has finally come.
Sian leaned forward, his eyes wide with anticipation. "What do you know?"
Frank hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I don't have anything too precise, but I've discovered that some powerful forces are acting incognito throughout the world. Your parents were probably part of one of these organizations."
Sian's mind raced as he tried to process this information. "What kind of organization?"
"A powerful one which I still don't know, and from the information I had, those organizations have existed since the time of the Calamity." Frank said cryptically. "It seems that both of your parents were beings of great power themselves, and the reason they left you at the orphanage was probably to protect you."
Sian felt a mix of emotions wash over him and asked, "What happened to them?"
"I'm not sure," Frank shook his head. "I've been investigating the Church, as they are the oldest organization in the world, I thought they might have some information about the organization your parents belonged to. But so far, I haven't found anything concrete. However, they seem to be preparing for something big and dangerous."
Upon hearing that the Church was preparing for something dangerous, Sian immediately made a connection in his mind.
He associated it with the reincarnated individuals who had been brought from another world to fight against the impending evil. But for now, it wasn't of immediate importance to him. His focus shifted, and he turned to Frank with an eager expression.
"Do you know the names of my parents?" Sian asked, his voice filled with anticipation.
Frank shook his head. "I don't know your mother's name, but I'm certain that your father's name is Feoman Tedbaldus."
"Feoman Tedbaldus…" Sian muttered.
While Sian was momentarily paralyzed and excited, Illianna interjected, "How can you be sure?"
Frank leaned back, a slight smirk on his face. "I have a very reliable intelligence network. Trust me, the information is solid."
Sian's heart raced with a mix of hope and anxiety. "Does that mean you know where my parents are?"
Frank's expression turned somber, and he shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Whatever they were involved in, it seems to be something beyond this world, something extraordinary."
"Are you sure?" he asked.
Frank replied with a confident tone, "One of my men possesses a divine skill to track individuals. Using your magical signature, he searched for similar ones and found traces matching your parents'. Though the trails he discovered were old, spanning over twenty years, he couldn't locate them."
Sian's heart sank, and he couldn't help but ask, "... Are they dead?"
Frank shook his head. "No, if that were the case, my subordinate would have found their corpses or bones. Instead, what he found were remnants of spatial magic. Because it was too old, it couldn't be precisely traced. But the most important part is that it didn't lead to this world. It pointed to a place beyond."
Sian contemplated Frank's words. While he acknowledged that the divine skill user's are strong, they have limitations. As someone skilled in space magic, he believed in his own power and that's why he should check it himself.
Frank noticed the determination in Sian's gaze and reassured him, "You can trust me. My subordinate is an exceptionally capable individual who has traveled far and wide in search of your parents. I only came with this matter to you once I was certain that I had gathered as much information as possible. I can guarantee that they are not in this world."
Sian took a deep breath, processing the weight of those words and looked at Illianna and Joan, who was just watching everything without saying anything. The two of them were reincarnated people. If people could come from another world, then it stood to reason that people from this world could also venture to other worlds.
With a heavy sigh, he thought about it. All he could do now was just wait, hope and pray for their eventual return? Regardless, another question arose in Sian's mind: was he from Tauphus or another world?
Turning his gaze to Frank, he asked, "Am I from another world?"
"Along with the magical essence trail left by your parents, my subordinate hadn't found any other traces resembling it," Fran replied.
Sian couldn't help but ask, "What does that mean?"
Frank replied, "It means that either all of your ancestors and relatives died a long, long time ago, or, more likely, you are not from this world."
If Sian truly didn't belong to Tauphus and had come from another world, it would explain why Illianna and the others could tell him the secret of their identity. Sian let out a sigh, acknowledging the possibility.
While he didn't doubt the abilities of Frank's subordinate, he wanted to see for himself.
"Where is the portal that your subordinate found?" Sian asked Frank.
"In front of the orphanage where you were left," Frank answered.
"Thanks for that," Sian said.
Expressing his gratitude to Frank, Sian sank into the sofa for a moment while lost in thoughts. But soon he gathered his composure, and looked at the letter delivered by Jerome in his hand.
Opening the letter, he read its contents. The content stated that he had been officially invited to the gala ball that would take place in Poutis' capital in a few weeks.
Holding the letter in his hand, Sian incinerated it to ashes and said, "I won't be going to this ball. I'm not a fan of these kinds of things."
"I think you should go," Illianna said.
Sian shrugged dismissively. "Dealing with nobles is such a hassle. I'd rather avoid it."
Illianna countered, "You should reconsider it. It's a significant event, and many influential individuals will be in attendance."
Frank chimed in, agreeing with Illianna. "You should use this opportunity to establish connections with the high-ranking nobility of the kingdom."
Sian remained firm. "I have no desire to interact with strangers, so I won't be going."
"But that's how strangers become acquaintances," Illianna argued. "And it could be beneficial for you."
"If there's no clear reason for me to attend, I'd rather stay here," Sian insisted.
"But you are a noble and should act accordingly," Illianna persisted.
Sian retorted, "After seeing the King of Poutis, I don't believe there's a correct way for a noble to behave."
"He's not a good example," Joan, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "As a queen, I try to behave with utmost politeness when the situation demands it, but in casual circumstances like this, I'm at ease."
Agreeing with Joan's statement, Frank nodded his head.
"But I don't need that, so I won't be going," Sian concluded.
Sighing in resignation, Illianna said, "If that's what you truly want, then I won't say more except to affirm that you're totally wrong."
Ignoring Illianna's comment, Sian changed the subject. "Speaking of the King of Poutis, he's leaving the hotel at this moment."
"With how cowardly he is, I expected nothing less after you tried to kill him," Frank remarked.
Recalling the past events, Sian asked, "So, what did you do to have him in the palm of your hand?"
Frank chuckled mysteriously. "Nothing extraordinary, just a few favors."
Since he did not give a direct answer, Sian knew that it was futile to try and extract more information from him and gave up.
"The Princess of Prazar is still at the hotel," Illianna said to Sian. "It seems she's waiting for your response."
"I'll ask Beth to send her a letter declining the marriage proposal tomorrow," he said.
Frank, standing up, announced, "I shall take my leave now. The spa awaits me."
After bidding their farewells to Frank, Joan and Illianna continued to persuade Sian to reconsider attending the ball. In the midst of their discussion, Charlotte finally arrived.