We walked together for a while until we reached the bridge. My father, his tone warm and full of pride, began to speak.
"Do you see these statues? They represent the heroes of our kingdom. There are twelve in total, and each one carries a story of honor and suffering." He pointed to the statue at the center. "That one is me. They built it after I defeated the disaster dragon—the creature the entire kingdom feared the most. I took it down alone. Am I not the most amazing father?" He smiled brightly, his pride unmistakable.
I looked at him, a mixture of admiration and skepticism lingering in my mind.
He continued, pointing to the statue directly opposite his. "And that one? That's the Knight of the Light. He was blessed by the gods of light and became the most important figure of his generation. He stopped the demon lords and made a pact with the Demon King: the demons would never attack while he was alive. People hated him for it, though. Children used to throw eggs at his statue until we passed a law to protect it. Of course, after his death, the demons resumed their attacks, but he had trained countless warriors during his time—I was one of them. He wasn't royalty, yet his mana was unmatched."
Lion, unfazed by the tale, spoke with quiet understanding. "I see now how you gained your immense power."
My father puffed out his chest, his tone shifting to boastful pride. "Of course! After all, I am one of the strongest in the kingdom—if not the strongest!"
Father smirked. "Let's return to the topic. I want your statue to be here on this bridge as well. I want you to fulfill my desire."
Lion raised an eyebrow. "What desire? I know nothing about it."
Father chuckled as he walked ahead. I followed closely. "You'll understand one day. When the time comes, I hope I'll be there to cheer for you, Son of the Light."
Son of the Light? Is that my new nickname?" I asked, laughing along. Despite the lingering resentment I held for my father, moments like these felt almost normal—like we were a father and son again, even though we were both immortal and monstrous .
"You know what? I like it. I'll call myself that from now on," I declared with a grin.
My father laughed heartily. "You should, my little light!" He then pointed toward a temple in the distance. "Do you remember that temple?"
"How could I forget? That's where the Grand Mage declared me a failure. I hold no hatred for him, but leaving him to die was... harsh, to say the least."
"You can't blame him. If he had said anything different, he would have been risking his position. He even called you the 'disaster of the kingdom.' But I had faith in you. Make him regret what he said."
Each conversation with my father chipped away a little more of the hatred I carried for him. "I will... but how much farther do we have to walk?"
"Youth these days," he teased, shaking his head. "We're almost there. Let me ask you something: do you know why no royals walk here, even though it's the safest place in the kingdom?"
I shook my head. "No idea."
"Because they're all at home, absorbing the ether mana that radiates from their buildings. All royal houses are made from ether bricks. That's another reason why they're weak."
"Wait, if they're absorbing ether mana, shouldn't they be stronger? Why do you call them weak?"
My father laughed again, loud and hearty.
"How much more will this old man laugh before he's satisfied?" I muttered to myself.
He stopped laughing and gave me a knowing look. "I heard that."
"No, you didn't," I replied quickly, averting my gaze.
"You can't fool me, son. You lie whenever you avoid looking someone in the eyes. You've done it since you were a child. Anyway, in a week, I'll arrange a battle between you and one of the lower royals. His name is... Arthur? Something like that. I can't even remember his family. You'll win regardless—his power is equivalent to an S-tier adventurer, nothing more."
Lion's face drained of color. "S-tier?! I'm just a beginner adventurer. My rank was only C-tier. How could I possibly defeat him?"
"As I've said before, I will train you. And Javelin trained you before this, didn't he? You'll be fine. Then you'll understand why I call them weak."
"Father, I trust you, but this feels impossible."
My father's tone grew stern. "Enough. Our home is just ahead. Don't mention this to anyone."
We walked the rest of the way in silence. When we arrived, I saw our sprawling mansion, its grand gardens as beautiful as ever. A guard opened the gate, and I spotted a woman holding a child by the door. My brother stood beside her.
My father rushed forward, embracing the woman as he gently passed the child to my brother. "Eleanora, my love, I've missed you so much. And look—I've brought our son, Lion, back."
The woman's hair was completely white, her eyes hollow and distant. But when she saw me, life seemed to return to her gaze. She ran toward me, her arms outstretched, and hugged me tightly.
"My son! I missed you so much, Lion. Is this really you? You've grown so tall! I almost didn't recognize you. Your face is more handsome now, but your hair is too long—it suits you better short. You'll cut it tomorrow, won't you?"
Her words filled me with confusion and a pang of sadness. Was this my mother? Her hair had once been as blonde as mine, her eyes wide and vibrant. Now, she looked so frail. Thoughts swirled in my mind, but I managed to speak.
"Mother... it's been a long time. I've missed you too. I almost didn't recognize you—you look so youthful!"
She laughed softly. "Stop it, son. I'm not that young. Look at me—I look like a grandmother!" She smiled warmly. "Come inside. Orion, say hello to your brother."
As my parents walked into the house, my brother embraced me briefly, then whispered in my ear, his voice laced with hatred.
"This is all your fault. Don't you dare forget what you've done to her."
His tone and expression were a mix of disgust and fury. Then, as if nothing had happened, he changed his demeanor and spoke cheerfully. "Let's head inside, big brother."