Leon leaned against a pillar, arms crossed. Everyone had come out to welcome Kael earlier, even some ladies with red cheeks. After that, the guy went into the building beside the hall.
Minding his business was why Leon was out here alone. It crossed his mind; maybe the paradox had failed to activate first, for he had used it too often. Besides, this was the system's first warning when he got to this world.
Hearing footsteps, he glanced left to see a strange man. In no time, the man stood by his side.
"Hello. Are you our young master's friend?" the stranger asked. "Nice to meet you."
Leon tilted his head a little as he shook his hand. He didn't even wait for confirmation. "Yes, I am—"
The man cut him off. "I know. Already."
Leon shifted his gaze away with a slow nod. They both stared at the luminescent sky. He caught the man grinning.
Leon asked, "Is your young master with his brother? How much longer will he stay?"
"Eh... I'm not sure. There's a lot to argue and yell about," the man replied. "They are seeing each other after a year."
Leon nodded. Then he asked, "What's your young master like? It must be bothersome for you guys to have an ordinary human around."
The man smirked. "Tch... watch your tone there, my friend. Kael is a supposed incarnation of..."
"... a god of strength?" Leon completed it for him. The man nodded back.
The word "incarnation" wasn't so foreign to Leon. It implies legendary past figures and fallen gods getting reborn in human forms. The new form was an incarnation. They share equal strengths and personalities with the corresponding god or overgod.
No other interpretation was that simple. But the twist to it was that two to three incarnations of a single figure could co-exist.
"Everyone here was either sold as slaves to the clan when their parents were alive. Or came here out of free will after their deaths. But with the elder son in control now, we all live as a family. Most aren't afraid to fight and die for him. A great swordsman he is. Well, it's still uncertain if Kael is truly an incarnation."
Leon nodded as if he were truly interested in knowing this.
The man said something that interested him. "If yes, then it means he hasn't awakened his innate power yet. Unlocking his full potential places him above common fighters. But he still falls short compared to someone with a Rare Constellation."
Leon asked straight away, "It seems you know a lot, sir. Then do you have an idea about a prophecy... which tells of a cosmic imbalance because of a person's existence on the plane? Imbalances like monsters speaking in ancient languages?"
The man smiled a little as he squeezed his eyes shut to think. In the end, he nodded. "Hmm... sorry, no, I don't."
Leon smiled with a nod. "Alright. Thanks for your time."
The man bowed, then walked down the veranda. When he was about to turn a corner, Leon called to him.
"Hey, sir. Do you have a second, please?"
***
In the clan leader's chambers...
Kael had been kneeling for minutes, to the point that his knees had gone sore. Everyone in the clan wanted him back, but the two brothers' concerns weren't helping.
Timothy Cross didn't turn at all. Showing that he knew Kael's plans, Timothy confirmed that exploring the world wasn't his real goal. Instead, it was the silly hope of finding the demonic fiend that killed their parents. This was why he also ran from martial arts training.
And more infuriating was that he wasn't even back to make amends. He was demanding clothes, weapons, and treasures. No way anyone would grant him that.
"Are you ready to hear me out now, brother?" Kael asked, a smile never leaving his face.
Timothy cut in, "You have some guts to even ask me anything more!"
He rose, turning around. His muscular frame loomed before Kael, his long hair tapping down on his wide chest. He groaned, "For the past year, you've left. You abandoned your duty and your parents' heritage without a care in the world. Do you even deserve an entry back here? This isn't your house, Kael! It's what those dead folks built with their sweat, brick by brick!"
Kael replied in a gentle tone, "Being the hardworking son isn't what I choose. I just want to be different."
Timothy was about to talk, when...
CREAK!
The door spread out in a flash. A dull ray of light shot onto the marble floor. Leon's footsteps drummed down the chambers as he walked in. The clan members outside whispered warnings to him. But he didn't stop.
They said he should stop. He was making a bad choice, a really bad one.
A few minutes ago, Leon asked the man if he could help in any way. To him, it wasn't just helping. But fetching powerful pawns to his side to survive. If he got Kael thinking straight, the brother would respect and trust him.
That was his plan. A shameless one.
'Thanks, Requiem. You've taught me that being nice doesn't always work unless I'm also a bit shameless.'
"WHO LET HIM ENTER?!" Timothy groaned.
The clan members stiffened in place. Leon's chest pounded.