"Brother!" Adrian looked at the Third Prince with resoluteness on his face. "Please tell me what happened to my parents."
"Will you believe me if I tell you?" The Prince asked with a smile.
"I remembered a detail while going through Mana Awakening. The same scene went over and over again in my head." Adrian said as he looked at the ground in confusion. "It was the day you saved me. The people who killed my parents called your name and said, what were you doing there…
When Xiao Chen first told me you were watching them kill my parents, I remembered the scene, but later, I realized that although the assailants knew you, they were afraid to be found out. Not because you were the Prince or your cultivation level. They were scared shitless because they knew they were caught.
I thought hard, I thought I am making up things to forgive you, but the more I looked at their faces, the more I realized I was right. So please, Brother, tell me."
"Your mother was a descendant of the Purple King. She was held captive in the sect for years, without seeing the blue sky once. But my mother, the Queen, received a letter, your mother was her sister.
She wanted King to barge in, and save her. But the Sects had formations that could destroy any intruder and had backings of strong powers. Not even the King could do anything. He in the end rejected it. With no other choice, my mother hired a mercenary. He was an infamous man, but my mother knew he was a good man. He accepted to break your mother out and infiltrated the sect with his secret techniques.
Who could have known the two of them would fall in love and get married after their escape. They changed their faces with artifacts my mother gave to them and lived happily. When I was 3 years old and you were just born, my mother brought me to see you. My little cousin. I couldn't believe how innocent you were. Not like my brothers, who even at a small age had these sharp eyes and greedy looks. I knew at that moment that I had to protect you at all costs." Prince wiped his eyes as he looked at the sky.
"When I was 8, I heard the old Sect Master of your sect shout at my father. He learned it was the Queen who kidnapped their prized treasure and they were expecting it to be returned. With no other choice, my father interrogated my mother and found your house. The elders of the sect went to kidnap you but in the end, killed your parents. I was too late to stop them, as I was trying to gather the Knights who were loyal to my mother. But it was too late anyway.
I knew I couldn't take you to the Palace. My father would treat you the way the sect treated your mother. But I couldn't hand you over to the sect. Then, the current sect leader came to find me, she said if I hand you over, she would take good care of you. And by using you, she would kill the old master.
At first, I didn't believe her, but she said she was guarding your mother, and they were friends. She shed tears for your mother, so I believed in her. And she never betrayed my trust. She took good care of you, Brother." The Prince finished his story as he looked at Adrian.
Adrian closed his eyes as he thought. He could still see the loving face of his parents. His father was silent and stern, but he too loved him and his mother. He knew that, he had seen that.
"I will not return to the sect," Adrian said after opening his eyes. "I love grandma, but I cannot be part of that sect."
"It is okay." The Third Prince said with a smile.
"But I will not take my anger out on them. I will first kill Xiao Chen, then make my way up to his backers. I will destroy everyone lusting over this land and therefore bring forth my parent's murder." Adrian swore in his heart.
They spoke for a while longer before the Third Prince walked up to Ezio. "Young Hero, can you please keep Adrian's situation secret? We cannot let others know he has the other half of the inheritance. Not yet."
"I promise never to tell anyone else on my name and honor of my master," Ezio swore. It wasn't something serious, but he would keep it anyway. Telling others wasn't benefiting him.
"Thank you." Prince patted his shoulder.
"Does this mean we can't leave the domain?" Ezio asked.
"Only those with the title can open the door of the domain before the month ends. If I open it now, Xiao Chen will know I am the other inheritor." Adrian said as he shook his head. "I cannot show myself just yet."
Ezio was surprised. The Adrian he knew was hot-headed but the one in front of him was calculative. He didn't even try to attack him once. It was strange how he changed so much in such a short span of time.
Since they still had 15 days, Ezio left their party once again to look for treasures. The land was massive, and there were places he hadn't stepped foot yet. He wanted to discover more.
————
While others were inside the Domain, Xiao Chen left with Alein and the red-haired girl. He went to the palace and greeted his uncle.
"I returned triumph, Uncle." He said as he stepped into the door. Taro Mars saw the look on his nephew's face. He wasn't arrogant or happy. The nephew he knew would act like a god as soon as he acquired the title that would allow him to rule the lands. Even his uncle wouldn't be spared. After all, The Ruler of the Purple Lands would have a certain authority in his lands.
"What happened?" He asked with a squint.
"What do you mean?" Xiao Chen asked with a nonchalant expression.
"Obviously something is wrong," Taro said as his Qi pressured those in the room. Alein and Lola fell to the ground but couldn't say a word. They were Prince Consort's servants and couldn't betray him. Not that they didn't want to at the moment, but Xiao Chen was a meticulous man, he signed a soul contract with them.
"Stop!" Xiao Chen said as his last Signium flared. The King on his purple throne looked down at Taro, and the latter for a second was about to kneel down, but he realized something was amiss.
"This is not the true Signium!" He said with rage.
"There is another one!" Xiao Chen shouted as he explained everything.
"Damn it!" Taro slapped the table, breaking it into pieces. "Who is it?"
"I don't know. Must be someone from previous times." Xiao Chen said but Taro shook his head.
"If someone else acquired it before, they would rule this Kingdom by now. Ten Years ago, we weren't even here." He said, "Unless, if they too knew their inheritance was only half and waited."