Chương 64: The Monster They Never Raised

Mira allowed the silence following her refusal to settle across the office. She seemed perfectly comfortable making Ronan and Sieghart wait for her complete answer. Sieghart remained seated beneath the oversized cape, watching her with an expression that still carried enough anger to make the protective runes across the desk glow faintly.

"You can stay here while we search for information." Sieghart's eyes narrowed.

"Under what conditions?" Mira raised one eyebrow. Most six-year-olds probably asked whether they would receive food or where they were supposed to sleep. Sieghart immediately searched for the hidden price. Given everything that happened to him, Mira could hardly blame him for expecting one.

"You will follow the rules of Lunar Arc, avoid revealing your identity, and refrain from attacking guild members unless they genuinely threaten you."

"What counts as a threat?"

"Someone trying to kill, abduct, poison, or seriously injure you."

"What about grabbing me?" Ronan looked toward the ceiling. Mira glanced at the damage visible beneath his trousers, then toward the narrow line Wind Blade had cut through his hair.

"Try asking them to release you before you begin removing pieces of their body."

"I asked him."

"He did," Ronan admitted. Mira rubbed her forehead.

"Then give them enough time to obey." Sieghart did not promise anything. Mira seemed to recognize that silence as the closest thing she would receive to agreement. She folded Ronan's report and placed it beside several documents carrying official seals. The new pile immediately began leaning toward the edge of the desk.

"Your father will begin searching for you soon."

"I already know."

"He won't be the only one." Mira tapped one finger against the report.

"The people who attacked your farm need confirmation that you died. Once they learn you survived, they will either search for you directly or watch the Emberhart family." Sieghart considered the roads, patrols, and crowded streets outside the guild. Every traveler could become another observer waiting for his hood to move.

"How long do I have to hide?"

"A few years would be ideal." Sieghart stared at her.

"Years?"

"You are six. People will search for a six-year-old with crimson hair, unusual eyes, and a face resembling Lord Emberhart."

"I'll still have the same face in a few years."

"You will be taller, older, trained, and capable of using disguises." Ronan coughed into one hand. Sieghart looked down at the oversized cape again. That description had become annoyingly common. Mira continued before he could complain.

"Rumors also lose strength over time. Officials stop spending money, witnesses become uncertain, and people replace old fears with newer ones."

"My father won't forget."

"No, but the thousands of people who heard stories from the battlefield will. That is what matters." Alaric could continue searching privately, yet the broader territory would eventually stop examining every red-haired child. Sieghart would gain more freedom once public attention disappeared. Mira leaned back in her chair.

"Remaining hidden will also make the people responsible believe their attack succeeded. If they become confident, they may expose something useful." Sieghart disliked the idea of allowing his enemies to believe they had killed him. Still, letting them relax could produce evidence that another failed attack would not.

"If I stay, are you going to inform my father?"

"No." The immediate answer surprised him.

"You don't need permission?"

"I lead an independent guild inside an independent city. Lord Emberhart's authority does not extend to Lunar Arc."

"He could demand that you return me."

"He can demand anything he wants. Whether I cooperate is another matter." Sieghart studied Mira more carefully. She did not sound boastful or reckless. Her confidence came from knowing exactly how much political protection the guild possessed. Lunar Arc might not defeat House Emberhart in open conflict, but attacking the guild inside Seraphina would create enemies beyond one organization. The city depended upon families descended from Seraphina's students.

They probably considered interference from Aura nobles a threat to their remaining independence. Mira's offer gave Sieghart time, shelter, and access to information. It also kept him outside his father's direct control. That should have been enough for immediate acceptance. Instead, he continued searching for the reason she might help him.

"What do you gain?"

"A smaller chance of waking tomorrow to discover that an angry child burned half my city while searching for assassins."

"I wouldn't burn the city."

"Not intentionally." Ronan nodded with excessive enthusiasm. Sieghart glared at him, and Ronan immediately stopped. Mira's expression became more serious.

"We also gain an opportunity to investigate a threat connected to Lunar Arc's history. If someone attacked you because of Seraphina, they may eventually target this guild."

"So I'm useful as bait."

"You could become bait whether you stay here or leave. At least here, the people watching you would be prepared." The honesty prevented Sieghart from rejecting the offer immediately. Mira did not pretend that her decision came entirely from kindness. She wanted to protect the guild, investigate old enemies, and prevent Sieghart from creating uncontrolled problems. Helping him accomplished all three. That arrangement felt more trustworthy than sentimental promises.

Mutual benefit provided stronger protection than sympathy alone. Mira studied him before continuing.

"You also need time to calm down, kid." Sieghart's expression hardened. Sieghart almost released the heat building inside him. The runes across Mira's desk brightened before he forced the mana back under control. Mira noticed but did not comment.

"You can pursue justice," she said.

"The people who killed your grandparents should be found and punished."

"I intend to kill them."

"That may become the appropriate punishment." Ronan looked toward her with mild surprise. Mira ignored him.

"I'm not asking you to forgive them. I'm telling you that justice and revenge are not the same path, even if they sometimes reach the same destination." Sieghart clenched his fists beneath the cape.

"That sounds like sentimental nonsense."

"You can think that." Mira's tone remained calm, which made her considerably more irritating.

"However, if you follow revenge blindly, you will become exactly the monster your enemies already believe you are." Sieghart looked away from her.

"They killed my grandparents."

"And you believe that gives you permission to kill anyone standing between you and the answer?"

"No."

"You nearly cut Ronan's head open because he tried to stop you from entering a collapsing house."

"He grabbed me." If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"You surrounded him with enough fire to destroy the farm after he explained that he saved you."

"I didn't attack."

"Because part of you could still recognize that he was probably telling the truth." Sieghart clicked his tongue. Mira leaned forward across the desk.

"Did your grandparents raise a monster?" The question pierced his anger more effectively than any attack. Sieghart saw Elara brushing dust from his hair, Edric teaching him to hold a bow, and both of them pretending not to notice his secret training. They had never demanded that he prove his value. Even after realizing how unusual his mana was, they treated his abilities as part of him rather than the only reason to care. Edric shielded him from the Firian leader without hesitation.

Elara thanked Sieghart for bringing her husband home instead of asking how much power he revealed. They had not raised a monster.

"No." Mira held his gaze.

"Then don't let their deaths create one." Sieghart wanted to tell her to stop using people she never knew. He wanted to reject every lesson delivered while their graves remained fresh. Unfortunately, her logic was correct. Sieghart could not forget what happened or abandon his desire for revenge. The images inside the farmhouse would probably remain with him throughout his second life. That did not mean he could afford to become blinded by them. Blind anger made people predictable.

It caused them to select convenient suspects, ignore contradictions, and attack before obtaining complete information. The actual mastermind would benefit if Sieghart killed the wrong targets. Every mistake created more enemies while warning the responsible people that he was approaching. If Sieghart wanted revenge badly enough to succeed, he needed enough discipline to delay it. That conclusion annoyed him almost as much as Mira did.

"You are more irritating than Ronan." Ronan placed one hand against his chest.

"That feels unnecessary." Mira showed no offense.

"I hear that frequently."

"Maybe you should consider why."

"I already know why. People dislike being told things they cannot argue against." Sieghart clicked his tongue again. He had no useful response, which only proved her point. Mira returned to the practical portion of her offer.

"You will make yourself useful while you remain here." Sieghart's eyes narrowed.

"I'm not becoming anyone's servant."

"I said useful, not obedient." That distinction mattered more than Mira probably realized. His father's offer placed Sieghart beneath household authority, while Lunar Arc presented an exchange he could end.

"You need food, clothing, shelter, information, and training," Mira continued.

"Lunar Arc needs mana, healing, assistance with equipment, and people capable of completing work."

"You want me to charge tools."

"That would be one option."

"The old runesmith paid me."

"So will we." Sieghart relaxed slightly. Mira continued listing possibilities. He could assist the guild's healers, maintain enchanted equipment, help with controlled training, or perform ordinary tasks suitable for his age. Nobody would send him into combat immediately. His abilities remained secret, and exposing him during guild assignments would defeat the purpose of hiding.

In exchange, Lunar Arc would provide a room, meals, basic equipment, training, and access to selected information concerning Seraphina's history. Mira would also begin investigating the attack. Ronan's report, the explosive pattern, and the timing following the eastern war offered several starting points.

"You will obtain the power needed to reach your goals," Mira said.

"Whether those goals remain the same afterward will be your decision." Sieghart remained silent.

"You taught yourself basic magic and accomplished impressive things with it," Mira continued.

"That does not mean future progress will be easy."

"I never expected it to be."

"You still underestimate the difference between yourself and experienced killers." Sieghart remembered the assassin entering the farm without being sensed. That lesson required no explanation.

"You defeated the Firian commander because your magic countered his power and he underestimated you," Mira said.

"You had defenders occupying his attention and your grandfather protecting you." Sieghart's fingernails pressed against his palms.

"You survived the attack on your home because Ronan arrived at the right moment. The people responsible nearly killed you without appearing in front of you." Mira's pale-violet eyes became colder.

"Even if you make every correct decision from this point onward, you will create enemies. Some will be stronger, richer, older, and more experienced than you." Sieghart waited.

"In your current state, you will die like a dog and fail before your revenge properly begins." Ronan shifted uncomfortably.

"That was harsh."

"It was accurate." Mira did not soften the statement. Sieghart disliked hearing it, but the words matched his own conclusions. His strength depended too heavily upon enemies allowing him to cast. He possessed no detection skill, limited physical attributes, weak mobility, and almost no experience against professional Aura users. One hidden charge nearly ended his life. A poisoned meal, distant arrow, sleeping toxin, or concealed blade could accomplish the same result.

Training alone on the farm had produced significant progress because Sieghart understood the basic weaknesses of his spells. That method would eventually become inefficient. He needed teachers, opponents, specialized facilities, and information. Pride could not provide any of those things. His grandparents had given him safety and time. Both disappeared with the farmhouse. Rejecting Lunar Arc because accepting help felt humiliating would serve nothing except his ego.

Revenge mattered more than preserving useless pride. Sieghart released a long breath.

"Fine." Mira waited for the rest.

"I'll follow your instructions for now." Ronan smiled, but Sieghart raised one finger before the man could celebrate.

"As long as I believe you are telling the truth." Mira nodded once.

"That is reasonable." Sieghart paused. Mira's agreement removed most of the threat he had prepared. She extended one ink-stained hand across the desk.

"You work with Lunar Arc without becoming a member. We protect your identity, investigate the attack, and help you improve." Sieghart looked at her hand. Sieghart placed his small hand inside hers.

"Fine." Mira shook once before releasing him. The agreement created no system notification. Sieghart had not expected one, but some acknowledgment would have made the decision feel more official. Instead, he merely felt exhausted. Mira turned toward Ronan.

"Take him to the empty room in the basement." Ronan blinked.

"The basement?"

"It has reinforced walls, independent ventilation, and no windows for assassins to use."

"It also looks like a cell."

"Then remove the boxes blocking the door." Sieghart rose from the chair.

"I don't care what it looks like."

"That attitude will help." Mira gathered another stack of papers while continuing her instructions.

"For now, we cannot allow the other members to see him for long. Most only noticed a hooded child, and I want it to remain that way." Ronan looked toward the office door.

"The people downstairs will ask questions."

"Make them stop."

"That might be harder than building a city in a day."

"Seraphina supposedly did that."

"She had more mana." Mira pointed toward Sieghart.

"So does he." Sieghart frowned but refused to respond. Ronan looked as if he wanted to ask whether building a city became possible with infinite mana. Mira continued before he found the courage.

"Tell the staff that he is a protected witness. Anyone spreading his description outside Lunar Arc loses contract privileges for three months."

"That should work."

"Anyone attempting to remove his hood without permission loses them for six."

"That will definitely work." Guild members apparently valued access to contracts more than ordinary discipline. Sieghart approved of punishment based upon something people actually cared about. Ronan approached the door and deactivated the privacy runes. Noise from the main hall immediately returned through the wooden barrier. Sieghart followed him into the corridor. Before leaving, he looked toward Mira one final time.

"When do we start searching?"

"We already have." Mira placed Ronan's report at the center of her desk.

"You start by sleeping." Sieghart disliked the instruction, but his body responded with a wave of exhaustion before he could argue. He turned away and followed Ronan. The tracker guided him down a narrower staircase at the rear of the building. The noise from the main hall weakened as they descended below ground. Lamps containing rechargeable crystals illuminated the basement corridor. Reinforced doors stood between storage rooms, workshops, and several unused chambers.

Ronan stopped beside the final door and pushed it open. Three wooden boxes blocked part of the entrance, just as Mira described.

"Luxury accommodations." The room was small but dry. It contained a narrow bed, a desk, a wooden wardrobe, and a washbasin connected to an enchanted water pipe. Several runes covered the stone walls. Sieghart recognized protection, ventilation, and sound suppression among their likely functions. There were no windows. After waking beneath an exploding ceiling, Sieghart found the absence more comforting than oppressive. Ronan moved the boxes into the corridor before placing his travel pack beside the desk.

"I'll find clothes and shoes that fit you." Sieghart removed the oversized cape and sat on the bed. The mattress felt considerably softer than the ground beneath the bridge. His thoughts returned to the graves immediately. He clenched the blanket before forcing himself to remember Mira's warning. Anger could remain. He simply needed to control where it pointed Silence settled across the basement room.

For the first time since the farmhouse burned, Sieghart occupied a place where he might sleep without expecting the ceiling to explode. He did not mistake shelter for home. His home remained beneath ruins and beside two graves. Lunar Arc was merely the place where he would prepare to avenge it without becoming the monster his grandparents never raised. Mira waited until Ronan's footsteps disappeared before releasing the breath she had been holding. The protective runes across her desk dimmed gradually.

Several had activated when Sieghart's anger filled the office, even though he never deliberately cast a spell. That alone would have justified concern. Mira opened Ronan's report and reread the sections describing the boy's repeated magic. Fire, water, wind, earth, healing, protection, and raw mana transmission appeared before he reached six years old. Most public stories about Seraphina Arclight described a brilliant mage who liberated human society from complete dependence upon Aura.

Within human lands, Seraphina remained a builder, teacher, inventor, and symbol of coexistence. The Magic City carried her name because people remembered what she created. Beyond those borders, the stories became different. Some nations called Seraphina the Endless Devil. Others remembered armies buried beneath unnatural floods, fortresses erased by fire, and entire regions forced to surrender beneath spells that never stopped.

Seraphina had once followed a path that nearly destroyed far more than the Aura families opposing her. She convinced herself that overwhelming power could force everyone into peace. For a time, nobody could stop her. Seraphina eventually stopped herself. She abandoned the factions attempting to use her, ended the campaigns spreading across the surrounding lands, and returned to build the city that became her final public legacy. Then she disappeared.

Only her private records explained how close the world came to destruction before she turned away from that path. Mira had spent years ensuring those records remained sealed. She looked toward the closed office door. Sieghart carried the same impossible potential alongside grief powerful enough to shape every decision he made. His anger already changed the surrounding elements without conscious effort. Mira hoped he had not inherited Seraphina's true power. Seraphina required decades to become a calamity.

Sieghart was six, and someone had already given him a reason.