"I see, tell me what happened." Theodore said as Midas looked to the head maid to begin.
...
"So the boy has finally grown, where is he now?" Theodore enquired about Gates whereabouts after listening to he reports of Midas and Luis.
"He should still be in his room." Luis, The head maid replied as the family head stood up from where he sat.
The books, scrolls, ink and quill all went into their respective positions at his table and shelves as he walked past them and started on towards where Gates resided.
Midas and Luis looked at each other before leaving to go fulfil their respective duties, Luis to observe and supervise the maids, Midas to get the aid of a mid ranked healer from the Church of light.
...
Gates had long since planned what he would do, now it was just the opportunity to leave this place and go accomplish some things on his list that would help him in gaining more strength.
Knock knock knock.
He heard the knocks on his door as he opened his eyes, tanding up from his bed to go see who was disturbing his peace... He opened the door to see a man towering above him almost the size of an orc in height.
He had black hair that reached his shoulders, beard too as well as a scar that cut across his left eye. Adorned with a black robe and attire that screamed nobility and riches...it seemed his favorite color was black too.
And yet the look in his eyes as he stared down at Gates was one that showed his stern will, It was impossible for Gates not to know who this was, even in the novel, he was someone that was so popular and cruel that you had to at least have heard of his feats.
"Hello, Family head." Gates said with a bow of his head all the while pointing out to the man in front of him that other than that title, there was nothing else he was to Gates.
Catching his drift, The towering man walked into the room, observing its state...he had already seen the room opposite which belonged to his daughter, well, all the rooms on this floor aside this one belonged to his daughter.
"Sit." He said to Gates as he stood in front of the bed, this reminded Gates of how his father used to behave.. yet doing as he was told regardless.
"What happened between you and your sister ?" He questioned as he looked Gates in the eyes, the later not even shaken by the act...if he truly cared about a fight between his children, he would have dealt with it on many occasions when Gates was being beaten and dealt with on a daily basis.
"We were playing a game." Gates said innocently as he smiled.
Theodore sensing that he was telling the truth was shocked considering the report he was told was also the truth...however he did not let it show in his expression.
"What game?" He questioned,
"How many bones can be broken before someone went unconscious, or died. Sister on her part wanted me dead but I wanted something different...I wanted to fix her manners. She would soon get married anyway, can't have her beating up her husband now can we." Gates said as he shrugged, his actions did not need to be justified, especially to someone like Theodore, The bloody boogeyman.
There were mages whom had good hearts and those without, Theodore was of the latter...his style of raising his children was to leave them in the false sense of craving his attention and having him eat eachother until there was nothing left, metaphorically of course.
If someone outside of the family put heir hands on anyone of his children, they would not live to tell the tale, however that was not the case between siblings rivalry...
Theodore was more feared than respected in the city, he did rules by example and you can imagine the kind of examples he gives to the general public to deter them from acting in the wrong way.
The kingdom approves of his methods as he even goes as far as giving them so much more money than they possibly agreed upon from taxes to harvests...but don't get him wrong, he doesn't do anything unfairly...nor does he smile upon the actions of dumb individuals like the protagonist.
That there is what would make himself and Gates alike, but unlike the ways he would use on the public, he would make sure to do much worse to his children...It was the law of the jungle here, the strongest wins and the weak can only accept their fate.
A smile crept up to his face as he looked upon the still expression of his youngest,
"HAHAHAHAH Yes, you are right," He paused
"However, your game went too far" the smile on his face disappeared as he said those words, Gates did not care however.
"How was it too far, family head? I intended to separate her head from her body, but some nosy idiot stopped my discipline." Gates said as he remembered the Knight that stopped him, he still wanted to kill that Knight.
Looking at his son whom was still telling....the truth? Theodore was torn between what he should do and what he should say... He wanted to congratulate his son on his rise in power and wanted to scold him on what he had done to his sister.
But judging from his actions and words, The child felt no remorse for what he had already done and wanted to do more... Could he blame him though? Since he was abused everyday for the past two years by his siblings whom looked at him as the weakest of all, in strength and in age.
"Have you awakened?" He left those useless talks and went to his main point of coming here...
"Yes, however it's an enhancement innate ability." Gates said, lying through his teeth and yet, to his father, The family head...
His words were true.