Ethan was left alone in his room, well. Not quite alone per se as Aisha refused to leave by his side.
The atmosphere in the mansion was heavy. whether it be the servants, maids, or the White Family; everyone wore worried expressions in silence. It looked as if a ticking time bomb was on the verge of exploding.
"Tell me! Why is it taking so long? It's been five days already!" Albaer roared at the physician slamming his hands on the table and the office suddenly became extremely chilled.
"Brother," Alier said calmly as he looked at the dejected Albaer sitting on the chair with his neck lowered as well as fists clenched. Alier softly put his hand on Albaer's shoulders as if trying to comfort him.
"Yes. Forgive me. I have been very restless. But do tell me, What's happening inside the cocoon and why is this taking so much time?" Albaer said as he raised his chin and looked at the physician.
"Your Grace... The process normally takes less than, or a maximum of three days as we all know. But something seems to be wrong with Young Master Ethan's Ancestral Awakening. Even by the standards of early Awakening—it's taking a lot more time. This is unusual." The old physician said.
Albaer's brows twitched in annoyance and he said in a chilling tone, "Do not test my patience. I know that it is unusual and that's why I'm asking for a solution!"
Alier head-palmed and helplessly shook his head. Grandpa White was also in the office but he did not say anything. He simply looked genuinely worried.
"Y-yes, Your Grace. The only thing we can do is to provide Young Master with the life force that he needs the most right now. But due to him being inside the cacoon we cannot feed him any Magi-Infested pills; in this case, only one option remains." The old man said. He seemed to have a habit of over-explaining things which was pissing the Duke off.
"And that is!?" Albaer blurted out impatiently.
"Yes... That is, to have someone with the High Blessings of Healing and Vitality perform a Ritual to maintain Young Master's lifeforce.
"Blessings of Healing? But we don't have the time! It will take more than two weeks at the quickest to get the Royal Physician here!" Albaer said slamming the table.
"Shut up! Is this what I have taught you? You are far too impatient, Albaer!" Grandpa White finally spoke up.
"But Father..." Albaer tried to explain his case but was interrupted mid-sentence, "Stop talking and get your head together! There's still someone who we can ask for assistance."
He said calmly as his eyes shone with hope.
Albaer took deep breaths and cleared his mind, a few moments passed; he jolted and stood up with a brighter face, "You mean..." He muttered.
Alier who was also trying to figure out who was it that could help with the predicament also seemed to have realized something. He cried out in enthusiasm, "Brother! Allow me, I will head out right now and bring help as soon as possible!"
Although his gesture was very kind; if Ethan was there he would have figured out that it was a malicious proposition in reality.
"No! I will go myself! This needs to be handled correctly." Albaer said and started to move out.
Alier was surprised and annoyed, his eyes squinted as he spoke in a lethargic tone, "But brother, What about Sister-in-law? She needs you by her side now most of all time. I should go."
Albaer stopped In his steps and hesitated for a moment, but he soon shook his head and said, "She is a strong woman and all of you are with her. I cannot stay here doing anything while my son is on a verge of death."
Albaer did not hesitate anymore and directly left without wasting any time. Alier inwardly clicked his tongue and thought, 'Damnit! A good chance to have that idiotic brat disposed of without any risks lost—just like that!'
"Bring help no matter what! Do you understand? I want my grandson alive and well!" Grandpa White yelled from behind the leaving Albaer and left the office himself as well.
Albaer went straight to Ethan's room, he stopped outside in front of the White Family's butler who was keeping guard, and said, "Albert! Get Hooch Ready right now... I'm leaving urgently." Albaer did not wait for any response and directly entered the room.
Albert who had grey hair, a wrinkled face, and loose skin due to his old age but also had perfect posture, and a vibrant and reliable aura nodded and left immediately.
Upon entering; Albaer saw a golden-colored cocoon mixed with some shade of dark red.
This cocoon had formed hours after Ethan fell unconscious, it was made of something mysterious. It didn't look material but it also acted like a barrier isolating Ethan from the outside world. It was nearly unbreakable and no one tried to break it anyways.
It was also formed with some of Ethan's blood as he was bleeding profusely when it happened. Initially, particles of light formed around Ethan's unconscious body, and they gradually began forming a cocoon in which Ethan was currently in.
Albaer also saw Aisha who was sitting on a chair a few distances away from the cocoon as she watched it with a sunken, worried expression.
"My dear, you should rest. You haven't eaten in days." Albaer got on his knees in front of her and said while holding her hands.
"When will he be freed? I'm worried." Aisha said dejectedly in a raspy voice and looked at Albaer.
"I promise you! Even if it takes my life I will not let him die!" Albaer said as he gripped her hand firmly, "I'm leaving to get assistance. But you must promise me that you WILL take care of yourself. When he wakes up it will pain him to see that his mother had been suffering." He proceeded to say.
"You're leaving? Okay... Come back with help as soon as possible." Aisha said and again averted her gaze from Albaer to the cocoon.
Albaer clasped Aisha's hands for a few more seconds and then stood up. He looked back before stepping out of the room and said with a sigh, "I hope you can feel how much your mother cares for you, kid. I hope you will never disappoint her."
The sky was quite cloudy and dark that day and all signs of a storm were visible. Below the castle—a huge majestic falcon-like creature was standing along with a few Castle Guards with dignity and grace.
The creature was colored ebony and had a long wingspan, an expansive sturdy body, and a long flowy tail that divided into three separate ones a bit before halfway through.
Its eyes were quite big, sharp, and colored brown with a dark red eyering. Its legs were also dark red and looked like they had quite a crazy grip.
Suddenly the falcon looked up as if it had sensed something in the direction of the mansion. It screeched in a domineering manner, spread its long wings that were almost as long as its tail, and swiftly took flight.
It rotated around the castle three times and swept through the sky in the direction of the mansion like a missile locked on its mark. In the dark environment created by the clouds covering the vast sky, the falcon looked but a mere shadow that was so fast that even the soldiers on the castle weren't able to monitor its path properly.
In a matter of few seconds, the falcon arrived above the mansion, it circled above it a few times and then dived down like a meteor and landed straight outside the estate as if it had done this countless times.
Albaer was already outside the mansion where the Falcon landed presumably waiting for him. He was wearing tight, full-body armor that didn't seem as heavy as it should have been; judging from the way how easily Albaer was able to move in it.
He looked at the Falcon, smiled softly, and stroked its wings gently.
"Hooch, My friend. You have helped me a lot over all these years—but this time you must get me somewhere faster than you have ever flown. My son's life is in danger and it's up to you my friend to get me there as quickly as possible so I can bring someone to save him." Albaer said amid roaring clouds. He knew that in such weather—the task was increasingly challenging.
Hooch turned his neck sideways and looked at Albaer with its sharp piercing eyes. "Kek Kek Kek!" he spoke while nodding his head vigorously as if saying, "Don't waste my time with all this melodrama, and let's just get going,"
Albaer smirked as if he understood exactly what the bird had said, "Well-Well, don't mind me then!" Albaer said as he leaped with incredible precision and agility and directly landed on Hooch's back.
Hooch raised his neck majestically and screeched louder than the roaring clouds as if to challenge them head-on. He spread his long wings and shot up straight into the sky in a blink of an eye leaving behind a puff of dust and his claw marks on the ground.