Ch14.
Dax stood before the massive gates, his clothes drenched in blood, his posture trembling. He fidgeted violently, panic flooding his eyes as he screamed.
"Help! Help me, please—someone!"
A guard on the wall turned at the desperate cry. His eyes widened the moment he recognized the blood-stained figure below.
"Y–Young Lord…!" he shouted, voice cracking. "The young lord is alive!"
Chaos erupted. Guards flooded out in a frantic rush, their armor clattering as they sprinted toward him. But amid the commotion, one figure remained still.. a striking woman with flowing silver hair, wrapped in adamantite armor.
She watched him with a cold, unreadable gaze. Then she vanished.No sound. No blur.
But this didn't escape Dax's eyes.
Interesting, he thought behind the mask of terror, an invisible smile forming in the depths of his mind.
But outwardly, he continued the act flawlessly, trembling like a traumatized survivor. The guards surrounded him instantly, supporting him on both sides.
"Get him inside! Move!"
They rushed him through the obsidian gates of Godfall Manor, the ancestral home. The hallways blurred as they escorted him with urgency, never questioning his appearance, never doubting his fear.
And within moments, he was led straight to the residence of his grandfather.
—-
He was guided through the long corridor, approaching the entrance to his grandfather's residence, the first thing he saw were the statues.
White lions.
And a Magnificent. Serene.
Each one carved in a resting posture, lining the walkway like silent guardians. Their marble fur shimmered softly, as if lit from within, forming a path that could only be meant for kings.
Dax slowed his steps, allowing the weight of the moment to settle.
So this is your home such taste. He mused…
He rummaged through the memories of the body he now inhabited, flipping through fragments and scraps—yet he found nothing. The previous Dax had never once met his grandfather.
The man had lived in deep seclusion for decades. But despite that distance, his silent favor was the only thing that kept the boy's standing secure in the clan.
And now, Dax was walking straight toward that mystery.
But behind his trembling façade… behind the fear and weakness he displayed… Dax's true emotions were entirely different.
He was excited.
In his past life, his grandfather had been a titan among men—one of the few beings Dax truly respected. A man who died protecting him, sacrificing everything during the chaos brought by Dax's cursed power.
Even now, centuries later, that debt still clung to Dax's soul.
And when he sensed the old man's essence in this world… when he realized the grandfather in this life was the same one he had lost, he was excited.
He had been waiting for this moment ever since the thought of house of fall crossed his mind.
He wanted to see him. To confirm it.
As he walked between the statues of white lions, the plan he had set in motion continued to unfold exactly as he expected.
—-
"We greet the Ancestor!"
All the guards dropped to one knee at once, their voices thundering through the manor halls.
All except Dax.
Reverence shone in their eyes—the kind that only someone legendary, someone untouchable, could inspire. For even without seeing him, they felt him.
A pressure deep within the manor. A presence that bent the air itself.
Suddenly. Space distorted.
Ripples spread through the corridor like heat waves, reality folding inward. From that distortion stepped a middle-aged man with long white hair, dressed in flowing white garments that carried a faint, ancient glow.
He walked with bold, deliberate steps.
Not regal.
Not oppressive.
But warm.
As soon as his eyes landed on Dax, all composure shattered.
In a heartbeat, he crossed the distance and pulled Dax into an embrace.
"My child… you have returned safely."
The man did not care about the blood. He did not care about the dirt, the wounds, or the stench.
His immaculate garments were stained instantly, crimson streaks spreading across the white fabric.
But he never loosened his hold.
To him, the world could burn as long as his cherished grandson still breathed.
That was all that mattered.
—-
Dax followed his grandfather through the wide, echoing hallways, he began to speak.
Calmly, carefully, he narrated how he survived his ordeals… how he made it back alive… and finally, he spoke of the person he met on his journey.
The master he gained.
"And that master," Dax finished, "is him."
He didn't point. He didn't hint. He simply let the words hang.
Grandfather did not show a flicker of shock. Instead, he exhaled softly and said:
"I know."
He raised a hand toward the shadows ahead.
"I see him clearly."
Micah stood hidden in the darkness, yet Grandfather's eyes pierced through it as if it were plain daylight.
"Such an outstanding and refined presence," the old man continued.
"Around Rank Nine… perhaps higher, if he tries."
Dax froze.
His heartbeat stumbled for half a second.
He read Micah that easily. This man… he's as terrifying as ever.
Has he noticed something about me too?
Thoughts raced. Dax's mind spun looking for the safest response but before he could speak, Micah stepped forward.
In a shimmer of light, he appeared directly behind Dax, bowing his head.
"I greet you, Lord of the Godfall Manor," Micah said, voice deep and respectful.
"I apologize for taking your child as my disciple without your permission. But I saw qualities in him potential far beyond the ordinary. His body suits my technique perfectly. Tell me… do you not wish for this boy's destiny to change?"
He paused.
"His future was vague. In fact, it was empty just death. Let me create a path to a brighter future for Dax." Micah cut in without a proper introduction.
Grandfather's expression sharpened as he stood from his throne.
"You enter my home without permission," he said quietly, "and speak as you please not even caring to reveal your identity. What gives you this audacity?"He raised a hand.
The air cracked.
In a flash, Micah was hurled backward by an invisible force but golden wings burst open behind him, shielding him midair.
The feathers glowed with divine light, crackling with power.
His half-beast, half-divine form shimmered, revealing the truth of his nature.
He was no ordinary man.
Grandfather's eyes narrowed. His calculating mind turned rapidly.
This one… he's not simple. And for Dax to have met him now…
Should I call this faith. His eyes wondered.
Slowly, Grandfather withdrew his killing intent. The crushing aura that filled the hall dissipated into silence.
"I believe we should discuss over a drink."
He flicked his wrist.
A bottle of wine materialized in his hand—ancient, sealed with a faint divine sigil.
As he uncorked it, a deep, intoxicating fragrance filled the hall, a scent older than kingdoms and sweeter than mana itself.
Grandfather smiled lightly.