The massive hall was filled with unknown gazes fixed on Trevor. Some were filled with anger while some with pity.
Trevor was escorted by his parents to the center of this hall and they went back to their seats as the head of their branch family.
In the northern most corner of the Hall was where the family head was seated and it was apparent as it was the most ornate and highest seat in the room.
Family head was not so intimidating on first look as even with such a high seat one could see his short stature and bald round head, but it was the power in his hand that terrified other people so it was a taboo to talk about his looks.
For Trevor on the other hand this was even less intimidating after feeling the pressure of Mikael's presence. It was like comparing a mountain to a mound of dirt.
"Trevor, why am I not even surprised anymore, you are already a black spot on the Garison family. I would have been rather happy if you had died in the war." He sighed and said in a condescending tone, "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Riz was hoping on Fiona as he had done till now but only got silence from here indicating he was on his own here. He decided to learn from Fiona and maintain his self respect more than anything.
"What have I done? I would like to know that first." Said Trevor as he looked straight in Family head's eyes.
"You little shit, are you trying to say this Reimund here has blamed you without a cause? Looks like I haven't been harsh enough on you, you are loosing even basic manners for your elders. If it weren't for earl Ansell and his contributions to this family you wouldn't even be standing here but directly thrown into trash where you belong."
Hearing this some of the members of the family even gave him the look of disdain.
"Such a waste who couldn't even cultivate beyond black core."
"Exactly looks like he must be a bastard, if he even had half the talent of his yellow core mage father he would be at least a little bit useful to this family rather than a dead weight."
Hearing this there was like a fire inside him that came instinctively, He emitted his aura on the person who spoke that. As a non made even black core's aura would be enough make the person feel uncomfortable but Trevor's brown 1 core made the person nearly breathless as he knelt to the ground.
"Impudence!" Shouted family head Reimund as he was just about to rush in but was held back as Ansell released his aura to deter him.
Ansell then proceeded to look at Trevor and shouted, "Stop it son! This will be enough."
Trevor listen to his father and let go of his pressure and looked at Reimund with anger in his eyes.
"Heh" Said Reimund looking at Trevor, "A bastard will always stay a bastard."
Ansell on this statement released the most blatantly murderous pressure of his aura.
Reimund this time didn't hold back and said in a heavy voice. "Ansell you may be respected in this family but there has to be some decree in the family, You cannot keep sheltering the mistakes of this kid."
In unison with his father Reimund's son Gobert who looked just as ugly as him spoke, "Why must the family face the consequences for a waste like him, it would have been understandable if he was our blood but he even lacks that basic qualification."
On this point Edolina wife of Reimund who seemed too beautiful for the him and one could tell from first look that she was a gold digger said, "The whole family is here and we can see that this Trevor has no respect for our Garison family and it's traditions. How long should we keep tolerating this bastard."
Elsa had enough and she got up with intense anger as she said pointing her finger at Edolina, "You wench, you dare!"
Edolina cut her off with a sinister smile as she dropped an Image crystal on the ground and said, "You should keep your tongue in check, just like you should have kept your lust in check."
The image crystal was about a conversation between Elsa and Ansell in their courtyard. Elsa was crying on Ansell's shoulder as she said in a painful voice, "Where could he have gone? He didn't even say anything. Where is my son Ansell."
"Don't worry I will find him, I have sent all my men to check on all the drug dens and bars and even checked with the known criminal syndicates. I promise you I will get him safely to you." Said Ansell as he caressed her hair.
"I am such a weight in your life, Trevor isn't even your blood but you never treat him any less. Nor have you ever blamed me for this and loved me with all your heart, In this life I will never be able to give you enough love it seems."
"You have given me enough already Elsa, how can I blame you for anything or even Trevor for the way he is. I have failed him as his father but I won't let him ever feel like he is not loved even if I have to give up everything."
BOOM
The image crystal was vaporized by Ansell.
The whole family was in a chaotic mood as everyone was shocked to discover this. There were rumors that used to come from somewhere but nobody would believe them as who would think that the great and prideful Ansell Garison would be cucked and even keep the woman as his wife again, and looking at Elsa nobody even felt like she had a doubtful character.
Riz was also unable to understand what was happening, He just found his new parents and it turns out his father was not even his biological father and Trevor was a drug addict failure. But to him it meant nothing what Trevor once was but the connection he felt with these people was more important to him than what the truth said. Mother was not his biological mother in the other world as well but he still loved her from the bottom of his heart and that was the most important thing to him.
All the derogatory comments and condescending looks he and his parents were getting he felt anger bubbling inside him. Mother had taught him not to keep his feelings bottled so he spoke without reservation.
"So what if he is not my blood father, He treats me more like a family than what you as a family treat each other."
This statement made Ansell look at Trevor with wide eyes filled with emotions of great fullness and love. On the other hand this same statement even made the present family more chaotic and those who were holding back their statements even started speaking out loudly.
"Are you trying to say we the great Garison family don't treat each other as a family?"
"The kid has surely lost his mind."
"Feeding off from our Garison family and yet you have the guts to speak against the family."
"He should have long been expelled, kindness in should only be given to those that appreciate it."
In this berating environment Ansell finally came to sense from his shock on Trevor's statement. He looked resolute as he took Trevor's hand in his hand said out loudly, "Then so be it, he will be expelled from this family."
"What are you…" Said Elsa as she tried to intervene but was stopped by Ansell as he turned to Reimund and said, "But he will not go alone, I, his father will go with him."
Elsa held Ansell's hand as she smiled at him and said, "And I his mother and wife of Ansell will go with him too."
Edolina scoffed at this and said in a low voice to Reimund, "Looks like a perfect opportunity here my love. Removing him will get rid of any competition you might have had for the position of family head and we may even curry a favor from the crown by banishing someone they held in custody, you saw them when they came asking info on Trevor, they didn't seem too happy about him and what can a trash like him have any value to the crown either. He probably ran away during the war to survive and was held for treason."
Gobert also added to this, "I really thought rilling him up emotionally and getting him killed in war would be the end of it. It was unfortunate that he survived but it seem that old Gods favor us father and he has even brought us an even better opportunity. Once they leave I will dispatch my people and make sure we have his head prepared by the morning to be sent to the crown as a gift."/
Reimund smiled as he imagined about his bright future and raised his head in a proud manner as he said, "Then so be it, as the head of the family I accept Sir Ansell's proposal, is there any objection to this?" He said as he looked around in satisfaction as not a single hand was raised against this decision. "Bear in mind from this day forward you may have Garison in your name but it will not be associated with this family. Also anything you earned from Garison family will stay with Garison family where it rightfully belongs"
He starred into Ansell's cold eyes as he said this. "Then...Guards! Escort these people out of the family estate."
_____
Outside where the family of three was on move, Elsa broke the silence and asked, "So where will we go now?"
Ansell gave it a thought and said, "I have a few friends in mercenary groups who would readily accept me and even provide us with a house."
"I am sorry Father, because of me we have to face this hard time." Said Trevor as he felt bad about the current situation.
Ansell patted him on the back and said, "I am proud of you, this is the first time you spoke up like that. You were always self deprecating and that worried me more. It's a parent's duty to accommodate their child's growth and I am happy to see you grow."
Trevor was overcome with emotions and it was at this moment that Fiona who had been in silent mode said, "You have great parents, cherish them."
Trevor said internally "I will". He just then remember he would be leaving tomorrow, something he wish could be delayed.
"I wish I could spend more time with you two."
"You have all the time in the world." Said Elsa as she hugged her son's hand
"I will be leaving tomorrow though, I have been admitted to seven eves magic academy."
Trevor suddenly felt a pull at his hand as he discovered it was his mother who had suddenly stopped in her tracks holding his hand and looking at him with wide eyes and open mouth.
"Son… This no time for such jokes." said Elsa
"No, really. Baroness Denise will come to pick me tomorrow."
Elsa looked at her son in disbelief. What was seven eves she was very clear about it. It was school of geniuses. Only the best in whole Ardria were admitted there and she knew Trevor's potential more than anyone. He wouldn't even be qualified for the most basic mage schools. This was also the reason Trevor had taken to addictions, he was unable to cope with the expectations that came with his position as son of Ansell Garison.
Also who was Baroness Denise if not the right hand of Lord Mikael. Why would she personally come to pick up Trevor.
But at this moment what she saw in Trevor's eyes was truth, he was not joking or lying. She trusted her son to death but even for her this was hard to believe.
Ansell was in the same state as Elsa. He checked his son head to toe to see if he wasn't dreaming and this was the Trevor he knew. He just then noticed Trevor was brown 1 core. Something he never expected him to reach in his lifetime but just in the few weeks he was gone missing he had suddenly jumped two levels.
"Then… you weren't detained by the crown for treason or anything?"
Trevor could not tell he was there because of the dragon's legacy or it would put his parents in danger nor could he tell of his deal with Mikael or he was not a man who liked to keep loose ends.
"I actually met lord Mikael and he personally told me to be admitted to seven eves, probably because I was found unconscious deep inside the battle field and he may have assumed I fought valiantly. But I guess I may have just fallen unconscious from a concussion."
Hearing this Elsa blindly believe this made up story as there was no other logical explanation for Trevor getting admitted to seven eves. She hugged Trevor's arm again and said, "I guess the old gods favor us, you came home safe and even got such a big opportunity. I could not be happier."
Ansell on the other hand was a bit skeptical, he could believe everything else but it would still not explain his brown 1 core. There was no other explanation he could come up with at the moment so he chose to go along with what Trevor said as they started moving down the streets again.
In the far away distance there were people in the dark watching them as they left, though they were unable to hear anything they were able to lip read some words and the most alarming info to them was Baroness Denise was coming. Even though they did not know why this was a big news.
He looked back at his colleague behind him and said, "In form Master Gobert of the new that Baroness Denise's arrival and assure him that we will have that Kid Trevor's head delivered to him by that time."
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