"But how is this possible?" muttered Albert in a soft voice.
Rhys heard it clearly though.
"Why isn't it possible? You still haven't told me."
Albert looked back at Rhys, "Do you know why the flower went extinct?"
"I don't know that's why I'm asking."
"Because not everyone can cultivate it," answered Albert. "The flower was said to be cultivated by only one clan. Anyone with that clan's bloodline could cultivate the Blue Flake. However, the clan has gone extinct. There is no one left. So, how can just anyone cultivate it?"
This time Rhys was also surprised. He didn't think such a thing was involved too. Of course, he didn't know at all. He had never even heard about any of the legendary flowers. But it was not that difficult to understand too. If those flowers only brought death, people would try to keep the information of such dangerous things from the younger generation especially since the flowers no longer existed.
"But I'm telling you, I saw it," replied Rhys. "And that thief even slipped up that she cultivated the flower."
Albert was a little agitated, "How old was she? Huh? What did she look like? What about her eyes? What color were eyes?"
Rhys was taken aback by this onslaught of questions but still patiently answered, "She had black eyes. Black as night. I don't know how she looked, I already told you. She was all covered up. But she must be very young. No older than twenty for sure. Her voice at least confirmed that."
That little light that Rhys saw in Albert's eyes briefly diminished slowly as he answered one question after the other.
"It's not her," said Albert.
"Huh?"
Albert shook his head and sighed, "Nothing. I'm not sure what's going on. But since that girl was able to cultivate that flower, it means the clan's bloodline isn't cut off yet. That's good. That's good." Then he took a moment and looked at Rhys sternly, "Rhys!"
Rhys raised his brows since it wasn't every day that Albert De Ros would call him by his first name like this. It only showed how serious he was right now.
"Never speak of it to anyone again," said Albert seriously. "Forget everything about it. The Blue Flake and that girl. Just think that night never came in your life and you never saw that girl or that flower."
"Are you protecting her? Without knowing who she is?"
"It doesn't matter who she is. What matters is, if any one knew that she is from that clan, she will suffer. She will be hunted down by everyone on this continent who is chasing power. Let her live her life in peace. Don't bring trouble to her."
Rhys was silent for a while. In fact, he never meant to speak of it to anyone. He only asked Albert because no matter how temperamental his butler was, he was really the only one whom Rhys trusted even more than he trusted himself. That's why he was willing to speak about this with him.
But seeing Albert's reaction, this matter was more severe than he thought. He couldn't be careless about it. No matter how angry he was with the thief, it didn't mean he wanted her to be hunted down or killed. If he really wanted that, he'd have killed her that very night.
No, he could still do it. Because a trace of his energy was still flowing through her veins torturing her day and night. So, even if they were miles apart, he could still control that trace of energy within her and take her life. But truly, he didn't want to do it.
Killing her was never his purpose.
Never!
Originally, he wanted to bring out the petal of the Blue Flake to show Albert but now, he changed his mind. Just talking about it made Albert react like this, he couldn't think about how this butler would react if he knew he even had a part of that legendary flower. As Albert said, the less people know about such a thing, the better.
However, he still didn't know the effect of this flower too.
He recalled what that little thief said to him before leaving, if he could use the flower, it was his.
What exactly did it mean?
He hesitated but still asked the only knowledgable person here. "Albert, what does the flower do? And why did people chase it to their death?"
"Curiosity is good, M'lord. But you... Do you have to know everything?"
"Yes. I don't like uncertainties. They increase the chances of failure and danger. I don't like both."
"The Blue Flake is capable of many things. Some say it can increase their power. Some say it could cleanse their energy. Some say it could make them invincible in this world."
"And who is telling the truth?" inquired Rhys.
"They all are telling the truth," answered Albert. "It's the most mysterious flower from the seven legends. Because until now, no one really knows what's capable of. Even the people who cultivated the flower didn't know what it was capable of. What's certain is that the flower chose its own master. If it calls upon someone, it means the flower has accepted a master."
Rhys' heart thudded since he was called upon by that flower. Why else would he go there that night?
"The flower had a different effect on different people but in reality, none of those were called upon by the flower."
"What do you mean?"
"The ones who used the Blue Flake were all the ones who got that flower from the person who cultivated it. Because the person who cultivated the flower is another master of the flower and has the authority to give that flower to anyone they like. But that also means the Blue Flake's real potential hasn't been uncovered yet."
Rhys went silent as he sat to contemplate Albert's words they sounded so mysterious. In the end, he came to only one conclusion. The flower was far more important than his imagination.