Laura reached out and grabbed hold of Max's shoulder. "You shouldn't blame yourself entirely, there are some things that we cannot control."
Max nodded before letting out a slight chuckle. "Look at you being all philosophical."
Laura smiled. "My dad taught me that."
"I guess he has a point," Max said.
Just then, there was a voice. "Are you alright?"
Max and Laura turned to the origin to find the teen that had been beaten up by Dominic tending to the old man and his daughter.
"Come on." Laura gestured as she walked up to them, Max following closely behind.
"Hey."
The old man turned his attention to them with the teen also looking at them. The girl remained… blank.
Looking at the injuries on the old man's body, Max wondered how he was still able to pull through. "Hah, might as well help till the end."
He stepped forward and dropped to his knees before reaching out to touch the man. "Give me your hand."
The old man looked him over, seemingly searching for something before slowly putting out his hand.
Max grabbed hold of him and said with a smile. "This might tickle a bit but don't worry, you'll be fine."
Closing his eyes, he began to guide Ordena in the surrounding toward the old man.
Like a gentle stream of water, it washed over his skin, caressing him lovingly. The man inadvertently let out a slight moan causing Max to furrow his brows.
The break in concentration caused the proceedings to end before they even began.
Max opened his eyes with the old man letting out an awkward cough. "Ahem… I… apologize for the strange sound."
"Uh-huh… maybe hold it in this time," Max said with Laura holding in a laugh at the side.
"Hah." Taking a deep breath, he tried once again.
The same feeling flowed through the old man's body and as it got to its peak, his wounds began to visibly close.
Laura was shocked by this with the male teen looking on in awe.
This continued for over five minutes before Max finally opened his eyes and let go with the old man's injuries completely gone.
It looked as though he didn't just experience a brutal beating with the only signs being the ragged clothes he wore.
Max's breathing was uneven but he had a calm expression on his face. "It is done."
The old man stared at him with a complicated expression on his face. "Thank you."
Max nodded. "You're welcome."
The old man suddenly snapped his fingers as he pulled the male teen from earlier. "Can you help with his injuries as well?"
Max groaned. "This is just too much."
***
Meanwhile, Cedric and his group were made to part ways as they reached the inner city with the noble lady and the blond twins returning home with their guards.
Cedric on the other hand moved alone as he walked the streets laced with opulence, a calm expression on his face.
Inside, his blood was boiling and currently, his mind was wheeling, thinking of means to ensure that Max participated in the magic tournament.
He needed him to do so, else he would never be able to quell the rage in his heart.
Soon enough he stopped walking.
Putting his head up, he found himself standing in front of the lodging he had secured for himself after he got into the city.
As he got in, he was greeted with the expensive scents that were popular with nobles.
The reception was rather calm at this point with hardly anyone present.
As he turned to walk toward the stairs, the beautiful receptionist called out to him. "Sir."
Cedric paused and turned to face her. "Any problems?"
"You have a visitor waiting upstairs for you."
"Who is it?"
"She said she is your mother, Lady Kara Rion."
Cedric remained silent for a brief moment before sighing. "Alright then. Thank you for informing me."
***
In Cedric's quarters.
It was a room overlooking the lodge garden which was at the center of the establishment.
With a king-sized bed adorned with curtains and the likes as well as a wardrobe, a bathroom, and a reading area, the room was indeed suited for Cedric, allowing him the peace of mind he hadn't gotten in a long time.
"Why are you here?" Cedric asked indifferently as he closed the door behind him.
A lady with black hair reaching her spine stood at the window overlooking the lodge garden which was currently hosting a tea party.
She was dressed in a red gown, with the helm of the dress sweeping the floor. Turning around, her beautiful face came into view.
Brown eyes, smooth skin, a pointed nose, and a well-structured face, Kara Rion was a beauty in her own right, even though her beauty leaned more on the sexual side.
"You don't seem happy to see me." She said with an alluring smile, her voice carrying with it a certain enticement that normal men would find hard to ignore.
"I did not invite you yet you followed me… why are you here?" It was clear that Cedric was not at all happy to see the woman before him.
Even though she had birthed him and taught him a few things, in the end, he felt estranged from her, like she was just some distant relative.
Kara's smile turned solemn. "Do you still hold a grudge against your mother?"
Cedric ran his palm through his hair. "Don't ask me questions you already know the answers to. Now tell me, why are you here?"
Kara sighed but ultimately replied. "I heard you had come to this city to participate in the magic tournament, so I decided to come and see you since you wouldn't even allow your mother to visit you at the Royal Academy."
Cedric snorted. "You heard or you were spying on me?"
Kara remained silent as she narrowed her eyes.
"Which is it, mother?!"
"What does it matter if I spied on you?... Is it wrong for a mother to yearn for her son?" Kara replied in an aggrieved tone.
Cedric snorted disdainfully. "Now you call yourself my mother?... Laughable."
Kara took a step forward. "Why do you keep on treating me this way?... I never deserved any of this."
Cedric chuckled. "You want me to tell you?... Do you want to hear the same things over again?"
Kara stopped before flashing a smile again. "It's unfortunate that you still can't seem to let go but that's fine. But you seem rather feisty today… care to share why?"
It was clear that her earlier actions of solemnity and sadness were a charade. Cedric was all too familiar with it after all.
He pondered for a moment before responding. "There's no reason for you to know."
Kara shook her head. "I can always find out if I want to but I'd like to hear it from you, so how about you stop with the whole nonsense and answer me."
Cedric narrowed his eyes before bursting out into laughter. "I guess it's okay if I tell you since it would be nice to see the look on your face."
Kara put up a brow. "What do you mean?"
Cedric replied with a smile. "Max is alive."