Kael blinked, a little stunned by how casually his father threw that out. "Alright... thanks, Father."
Alaric gave him a firm nod and began turning away, but Kael paused.
"Father... where were you the whole day?" he asked.
Alaric stopped in his tracks and glanced back over his shoulder. "I went to the village center. The mayor called a eting for all mages and swordsn living in the village."
Kael frowned. "Why all of a sudden?"
Alaric turned to face him fully again, arms crossed, expression now more serious.
"It seems a rogue mage has entered the village. A few people have reported strange occurrences—energy flow they can’t explain. And... there have been cases of people disappearing."
Kael’s heart skipped a beat. "Disappearing?" he repeated, his voice a little lower now.
Alaric nodded grimly. "Yeah. At first it was dismissed as villagers going out for trade or getting lost in the woods. But then one of the missing was found—dead. Barely recognizable. The body was half-decayed like it had been drained of sothing."
Kael’s mind raced, imdiately flashing back to his ti at the ruins.
It has to be him, he thought. The rogue father ntioned. The one conducting necromancy in the ruins.
His hands tightened into fists. Whatever that rogue mage was doing, it wasn’t random. And if he was still hiding sowhere in the village... it wouldn’t be long before sothing even worse happened.
Alaric stepped forward and placed a hand on Kael’s shoulder. "But we have sothing more important. You’ll have to co with tomorrow."
Kael raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Sure, Father. Is sothing going on? Sothing I should know?"
Alaric gave a short nod. "Yes. Now that you’re officially awakened, you have to register with the mayor’s office."
Kael blinked. "Register?"
Alaric continued, "It’s the law of the kingdom. Once soone awakens or is about to awaken as a swordsman or mage, they must be licensed by the local authority. In this case, the mayor’s office. Without that licensing, the mont you cross our village’s borders, you’ll be considered a rogue mage or a swordsman."
Kael frowned. "So... it’s basically proof I’m not a threat?"
"Exactly," Alaric said. "The license identifies you, your rank, and your magical affinity. Without it, if you’re caught by a patrol or enter another village or city, they have every right to detain or eliminate you."
"So, its just a formality," Kael murmured.
Alaric gave his shoulder a squeeze. "It’s a formality, yes, but it’s also your shield. Without registration, anyone from another kingdom could infiltrate and cause chaos. That’s why the license isn’t just for your protection, but for everyone’s."
Kael nodded slowly, absorbing the weight of his father’s words. "Alright. I’ll be ready tomorrow."
With that, Alaric walked out and Kael decided to spend few more hours in his room, letting the events of the day fade slowly. As the scent of dinner began drifting from the kitchen, Kael stood up, stretched, and made his way to the dining area.
The whole family had gathered—Alaric, Lyra, Lisa, and Ellie—all sharing food and laughter as if nothing unusual had happened.
Afterward, everyone slowly retreated to their rooms.
Kael went with Lisa, who practically dragged him along, not letting him leave without staying by her side. She was full of questions the mont they were alone.
"What’s a mage, Kael?"
"How powerful are you now?"
"Can you shoot fire from your hands?"
"Are you going to beco a knight?"
"Will you protect us like Father does?"
Kael smiled patiently, sitting beside her bed and answering each question. He explained that a mage uses mana to cast spells, and that a swordsman like him channels both physical strength and magic together.
He talked about the energy in his body, how it felt overwhelming but powerful, though he didn’t ntion lust energy.
Lisa’s eyes sparkled with amazent, hanging onto every word. Her curiosity seed endless, but as the night dragged on, her energy finally began to wear down.
Her questions beca softer, more spaced out, until she eventually dozed off.
Kael watched her for a mont, smiling, then let out a sigh of relief
"Finally," he whispered, before getting up and leaving the room.
Tomorrow, he had to visit the mayor’s office. But before that, he had sothing to do. A wicked smile curved his on his lips.
The deal.
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