Hearing the duke asking Makai to stay, though they were curious as to what they would both discuss alone, they all still left neatly, each with their own turbulent thoughts.
Initially, what was supposed to be just a Family Council where the duke would announce his heir, turned out to be a matter that could shake the souls of all the dukes of the Starfall Kingdom.
They were still in disbelief.
Be that as it may, now that the matter has been decided, everyone could only hurry out to their proper territories and start making their necessary arrangements as they prepare for the worst possible scenario.
Although they were a military family and had powerful elite cavalry, everyone was aware that it would be an illusion to say that the Collins family was strong enough to shake the forces of the royal family that has ruled this kingdom for over a thousand years.
His greatest confidence was that the royal family would not wage civil war at such a delicate time like this, as the Avalon Empire was ready to go to war against two neighboring kingdoms.
If the royal family were to start a civil war at this time, they knew that the Avalon Empire would not hesitate to descend all the way south through the Gusman Kingdom to take advantage of the situation and attack the northern regions of the kingdom.
When everyone left the hall, Ferdinand didn't feel like thinking about the situation his family would be facing. Ever since his mother told him that his father would not decide who would inherit the title of hereditary duke today and that he had other plans where even Makai would have the opportunity to inherit the title, he knew his father was not satisfied with his talent, and seemed to appreciate Makai's talent.
In a military family like the Collins family, strength was the most respected. During the 5 years that Makai spent studying at the Knights Academy in the Royal Capital, he showed great talent with the sword and had beaten all his peers.
What made Ferdinand even angrier was that everyone also knew that Makai had already reached the apex of an Apprentice Knight in both vital energy and his mastery of the basic sword. Soon, he would be entering the Realm of a Bronze Knight at age 15.
In the Vita Continent, every Apprentice Knight who advances to become a Bronze Knight at age 17 is a genius among geniuses. However, there was a Makai about to become a Bronze Knight at age 15.
What is the concept of this?
What kind of genius was this?
Nobody had ever seen anything like it.
Ferdinand couldn't bear that his sister, Jennifer, had advanced to the Bronze Knight Realm at age 17 while he was only able to advance to the same realm at age 18. Now, there was a bastard brother like Makai who was even more talented than both of them and it had been bothering him for quite some time.
Although it seems that the difference is only 1 or 2 years, this is exactly the difference that can determine how far a Knight could continue to progress, based on historical records after many years of studying the Knights.
Aware of all this, along with the news given to him by his mother that his father would convene a Family Council the day after Makai's 15th birthday to announce an unknown method of choosing his heir where even Makai would have the chance to inherit the title, Ferdinand knew, at that moment, that his father seemed to favor his younger brother and hoped that Makai would prove his worth to everyone.
Since then, sinister thoughts started to pop into his mind that he needed to get rid of his younger brother, and he ended up coming up with the idea to poison Makai during his 15th birthday party, the day before the Council.
At the start of today's Family Council, when Ferdinand saw that Makai was late, he was feeling happy as it looked like he had succeeded in his dirty scheme. At the same time, he was feeling nervous and afraid that his father would suspect him. However, he saw the door being opened by the guards when Makai came in as he arrived late as if nothing had happened and this left him in disbelief as he asked himself several times, "Didn't the poison have any effect? Was I tricked by those rats? How is he still alive?"
He could only come to the conclusion that he was tricked by the so-called rats and that the poison they supplied was fake, for during yesterday's banquet he personally saw Makai drink the glass of wine that contained the poison. As Makai seemed full of life, the poison had no effect.
Now that the Family Council is over, his father has asked Makai to stay to discuss matters alone while everyone else is dismissed.
What does that mean?
Clearly, his father had other benefits to offer to Makai that couldn't be said in front of everyone.
Thinking of all this, Ferdinand made a decision when clenched his fists tightly as he left and couldn't help but look coldly at Makai as he passed him.
Seeing Ferdinand giving him a cold look, Makai just ignored him and didn't care about him as he considered him a dead man. Once a snake attacks, it will not hesitate to attack a second time. Aware of this, Makai was determined to eliminate this serpent at the first opportunity he got.
After everyone had left, only Makai and his father were left when the guards closed the hall door. He got serious, got up from his red wooden chair, and went to sit in a chair next to his father.
While everyone was still leaving, the duke had already sat down in his chair in the original position, and seeing Makai sit in a chair to his right, he didn't wait any longer as he said, "I know that during your 15 years, I haven't been a good father, but I always knew about your situation and I know that everyone sees you as a bastard son..."
After giving a father speech while bringing up Makai's situation in the family, he got to the point where he wanted to when he solemnly asked when looking into Makai's eyes, "Do you know why I never revealed your third name?"
Makai already knew the answer after he saw the images that surfaced in his memories, but his predecessor didn't, and it would be weird if he knew. After all, his predecessor was a newborn baby and had no way of remembering scenes from that time, so he could only act as if he didn't know when he responded with a question, "Is this related to my mother?"
"That's right. It's not that you are my bastard son as many people think, but that your mother is far nobler than any last name in this world."
Although he was serious, Makai still noticed his father's proud tone as he uttered those words.
"My mother has a more noble last name than any last name in this world..." Makai muttered low but loud enough for his father to hear as he continued to act as if he didn't know anything when he asked, "Is the father saying my mom belongs to another world?"
The Duke couldn't hide the pride on his face as he saw that his son looked surprised, and he said, "That's right. Your mother is from a great noble family in the upper world..."
Then, he began to narrate his story with a nostalgic expression as he looked at the candles in the silver candlesticks.
"During a winter season 20 years ago, I felt like I was about to break my bottleneck to the next level and I wouldn't be able to break it without facing a challenge, so I ventured into the Mystic Valley..."
"However, I ended up finding an unconscious woman among the fog-covered forests..."
When his father mentioned this woman with a longing glint in his eyes, images of a beautiful woman began to pop into Makai's mind. He knew, this beautiful woman is his mother.
In the images from when he was still a newborn baby, his mother was always wearing a long silver dress that seemed to reflect the bright stars. On her head rests a beautiful silver crown with a golden gem embedded in the front. Her silver hair is straight and long as it extends to her slim waist. Her impeccable face was indifferent. Her every gesture exuded the purest elegance and nobility.
"When I found her, she looked as beautiful as a fairy who fell from the sky, but her body contained traces of blood, and when I noticed that in his right shoulder there was a small hole from a spear wound, I brought her to a house where I usually live when I go the northeast and started tending to her wounds..."
"I didn't know if I was doing it out of kindness or because I was in awe of her beauty..."
"She had so many internal injuries and was so fragile that she had to spend 2 years in bed... During all that time, I was taking care of her personally..."
"No one else but me knew of your existence in this world..."
The Duke couldn't help but sigh heavily and continued, "During the first year, she only received my care and she had never said a single word. It was only after 1 year and 3 months that she started to open up to me by telling me a little bit about its origins..."
"We got closer and closer and we gained each other's trust..."
"After two years, she had already started to regain her strength, and in the fourth year, we ended up having an affair..."
"To this day, I always wonder if she once felt affection for me or if she was just repaying me by conceiving me a child before she left for her world..."
The duke's tone was low, but Makai still heard his melancholy words.
At the moment, his father no longer had the image of a strong and decisive man, but more like a man in love, reluctant and insecure.
The Duke realized that he was losing his image in front of his son and, after taking the last breath, he returned to his serious appearance as he said: "Makai, this woman is your mother, Teresa Floyd, and you are not a bastard, but my son, Makai Floyd Collins."
"The reason I never divulged your third name is because it cannot be said in this world, for your mother's enemies in the upper world may descend to this world to look for you..."
"By the way, your mother also told me that her enemies were trying to get something in her possession..."
"She didn't tell me exactly what this item was, but still she left it with me and asked that it be given to you after your graduation from the Knights Academy and that you use it after going to the Mystic Valley..."
"That's the main reason I'm assigning you to go develop there... Don't worry about the danger there, your mother said to me that this item would ensure your safety while you have it."
With that said, the duke held out his left hand, and after his space ring shone with silvery light, a small golden brocade box appeared in his palm.
The Duke looked solemnly at Makai as he said, "I don't know what's inside, for even if I tried to open it, there's a rune that protects it and can only be opened by your mother's bloodline..."
"As you are a descendant of her, you will be able to open this seal with a drop of her blood..."
"What's here is definitely a great treasure, as her mother's enemies wouldn't pursue her so relentlessly."
The duke paused and his tone became more serious as he looked directly into Makai's eyes and asked, "You know what that means, right?"
Makai nodded, "I understand. No matter what this item is, I will protect it well and not let anyone else know to prevent rumors from spreading and attracting the attention of my mother's enemies..."
"I mean, the my enemies in the upper world, after all, since they dared to harm my mother, they are also my enemies, and those who become my enemies, only death awaits them."
Initially, Makai did not feel much affection for his mother, as he had only seen a few images of her in his mind, but after he heard his father say that she had been so badly injured that she was bedridden for years, a violent wave of fury erupted unconsciously in your heart. He didn't know where this rage had come from, but he swore to himself that he would find all those who had hurt her and feed their heads to the hungry dogs.
Seeing how Makai was not angry at not having been raised with his mother's care and even seemed filial in considering her enemies his own enemies, the duke was moved and surprised by her confident tone of voice when pronouncing, "those who become mine enemies, only death awaits them."
Somehow, he believed that Makai wasn't just speaking empty words.
Putting those ridiculous thoughts aside, he said, "It's good that you know."
"Besides, the Mystic Valley seems to be the key to finding the path that leads to the upper world..."
"When I said I would lead my elite cavalry to force my way into its depths in the winter of next year, I didn't speak casually..."
"My intention is to find that way to the upper world and..." Arriving here, the duke stopped and didn't continue to say more.
Although he didn't finish what he was about to say, Makai knew that his father intends to go to the upper world to look for his mother, but he pretended not to know and asked, "My mother didn't tell you any clues about the way to the upper world?"
The duke looked thoughtful upon hearing Makai's question, but very quickly, he seemed to remember something when he said strangely, "In our conversations, I always asked about this matter, but she never said anything..."
"It wasn't until she left for her world that she looked back and said..."
"100!"
"100?" Hearing such a hint, Makai was surprised, but very quickly, he seemed to understand while he thought with turbulent waves surging in his heart, "Is the upper world related to the 100th floor of the abyss?"