Knock Knock
Raza knocked on the door to his father's office. He was now 15 years old. Since the conversation he had with Alden when he was 12, he began to study more diligently about politics and science. Well in this world, it was more widely called alchemy or magic, but Raza was able to separate the differences.
Vivian gave birth to healthy identical twin girls who were now 7 years of age. Their names were Dove and Blythe. Again, they had silver eyes, unlike Raza who had red eyes. They also had features that resembled Alden, unlike Raza.
"Come in," Alden called.
Raza opened the door and stepped inside. When Alden saw him, he put his pen down and smiled.
"Father, if I may have a moment of your time, I wish to speak with you," Raza said as he took a seat.
Alden chuckled.
'Raza is always so serious. He's the only one who actually knocks on my office door. Even Vivian just walks in and starts talking,' He thought to himself.
"Of course, Raza. What do you need?" Alden smiled.
Raza was about to bluntly say what he wanted, but he stopped himself. He understood that this was a sensitive topic, so he chose his words carefully.
"Father, how come I bear the least resemblance to you out of all of my siblings? Especially my eyes," Raza asked. He even tried to speak softly, but it still came out as monotone.
Alden's expression hardened as a mixture of anger and sadness could be seen on his face. Normally, Raza wouldn't think twice about hurting someone, but after living in this world for so long, he learned to feel some sympathy. The thought of hurting his father never crossed his mind, and he knew he never wanted to do it again.
"Raza…" Alden took a chair and sat next to Raza.
Raza turned his chair in turn to face his father. He swallowed his spit as he prepared himself for the worst.
"That is because you are not, biologically, my son," Alden took his glasses off and sighed.
'I prepared myself for this moment, but still… It's so painful to speak about,' Alden thought to himself.
On the other hand, Raza was jumping to conclusions.
'Did my mother do something to hurt father?' He was beginning to get angry.
"Your mother is from a clan from a different kingdom called the Silverbanes. They have high potency with magic and are well-known for their powerful magic. I met your mother when I went on a business trip to her homeland," Alden began to explain.
Raza watched Alden's expressions as he spoke. To Raza, he seemed to have a blissful expression on his face. However, his expression grew dim as he continued the story.
"She came back with me as my wife. When I reported the results of my business trip, I introduced Vivian to the king because of her social status. However, I was foolish!"
Alden slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair. It snapped off. Alden took a deep breath.
"The king was infatuated with Vivian's beauty, so…so…" Alden's hands began to shake. "When I went on another business trip, the king made his move. He had guards come to our house at the time to grab her, and force himself onto her…" Alden's eyes began to tear up.
"Which would explain the sudden promotion in nobility and why we live outside of town," Raza spoke up.
Alden nodded his head. He wiped his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Your eyes are a reaction from the mixture of the high concentration of magic from the king and your mother," Alden explained.
Raza was extremely angry. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in anger. His old habits flared up. He wanted to give the king a slow and painful death.
"Father, why didn't you dispose of me then? Aren't I a reminder of what happened? Or did you plan to use me as a political…"
Smack!
Alden slapped Raza in the face. This was the first time that Alden ever laid a hand on any of his children outside of training. This shocked Raza, but when he looked back, he saw that Alden's eyes had a mixture of grief, pain, and anger.
"You are not a tool nor are you a stain, Raza. You are my son and future heir of the Angovo Family," Alden said in a stern voice.
A mixture of emotions ran through Raza's mind. He didn't know how to react.
'How could he still call me his son? Why did he slap me when I offered logical solutions? Why did this man love me as his son?'
Raza looked up and met his father's eyes. He was about to speak up, but Alden interrupted him.
"Knowing you, you will probably want revenge. Don't do anything," Alden warned.
"I'm sorry Father, this is one thing I will not obey. This man harmed my mother and my father. I cannot become your heir because that would be no different than you rolling over and accepting defeat. I will not allow it," Raza's eyes shone with determination.
"What are you saying, Raza?" Alden's brow narrowed.
"I am a bastard's child, however, that also means I can run in a political race for the throne in a few years," Raza smiled for the first time. "I will build a name for myself. I will take the throne. And I will give that man a slow, slow death."
Alden frowned at this. He wasn't staring at his son anymore, but something much more sinister. Something or someone who has a lot of experience with killing, and someone who walked a fine line between life and death. No matter how much Alden wanted revenge, he couldn't let his son walk down this path.
"I will not allow you if your only motive is revenge," Alden spoke in a firm voice.
Raza frowned. He could argue all day with his father, but if his mother was brought in, Raza would surrender without much of a fight. He didn't want that. Instead, he decided to hear his father out.
"Train all you want, but if you want to take the throne, you'll need the backing of a Duke at the very least. Even then, if your motive is revenge, your purpose will disappear the moment you fulfill it. Raza, go and find a purposeful motive and report back to me. Only then will I begin to support this."
Alden's tone told Raza that this conversation was over. Raza wasn't going to receive any hints or anything on what his motive should be. However, Alden learned to accept the past and moved forward. He learned to let certain things go so that he could see the bright future.
A skill Raza has yet to learn.
"Father, can I ask one more thing then?" Raza replied in a respectful tone.
"Yes."
"Why did you decide to keep me?"
A question that stemmed from his previous life. He lived as a gangster who was only treated as a tool and was eventually tossed to the side. Raza needed to know how Alden could raise him knowing what happened.
"Raza, you are innocent. Remember that. It would not be fair to take my rage out on you when you had no say in the matter," Alden answered plainly. "Therefore, as far as I'm concerned, you are my son."
Raza's chest tightened when he heard this. He didn't know why he was hurting, but he knew that he hated it.
'It's getting hard to breathe…'
Alden grabbed the back of Raza's head and placed his forehead against Raza's. Raza was caught by surprise, but he didn't resist it. The two of them took a deep breath and sat in silence.
"If it was up to me, I would have never told you, but both your mother and I agreed that you needed to know at some point. As time continued, it got harder to tell you. Raza, don't focus on who wronged you. The world is so big. Go out and explore it," Alden advised.
There were already so many thoughts running through his mind. Raza wanted to go and process his thoughts, but he took Alden's words to heart. He still had every intention to torture the king, but that shouldn't stop him from enjoying his second chance of life.
But if the king went after his family, who else will? Raza wanted to be able to protect his family from any and all danger.
"I understand, Father," Raza finally said as he backed away.
Raza stood up and walked towards the door. He stopped and looked back to Alden.
"Thank you, Father."
"Anytime," Alden smiled.
Raza walked out of Alden's office and walked to his room. He wanted to do something that would distract him, but his mind was too preoccupied to read or train. Instead, he resorted to organizing his Memory Log. He began to create categories and subcategories. In the corner of his eye, he saw a little present icon with an exclamation mark next to it. He clicked on it.
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