Chapter 8: I Was the One Who Seduced It First (1)
If one asked the children of Liqueur how to get a trustworthy person to spill the beans, this was what they would say in a cheerful voice: “Heat up a skewer and stab their belly!”
Of course, Keter might start with the skewering if he was pressed for time, but when he had time, he preferred the carrot-and-stick approach. For example, he would provide delicious food and drinks after a good scolding. He had yet to meet anyone who didn’t succumb to this.
“Hehehe. The wine tastes especially good today.”
Drunk and tipsy, Jacques was giggling. There were four empty bottles at his feet.
“Gramps, I might lose at this rate. Please slow down.”
Keter encouraged Jacques and refilled his glass. Jacques eagerly drank but spilled almost half of it.
Just a bit more and he’ll be out.
If Keter’s goal was to win, he could finish him off, but that wasn’t his goal.
“Gramps, when I arrived today and no one came to greet me, that would have been my father’s order, right?”
Keter tested the waters with something Jacques wouldn't discuss sober. Then, Jacques responded with hazy eyes.
“Yes, that’s right. The patriarch has been asking us not to approach you for almost a month before you arrived.”
Jacques sounded defenseless, which confirmed that he was indeed inebriated.
“What did my father say about me?” Keter asked Jacques.
“Not much… just that you are his son… But he told us that we shouldn’t get too close to you because your identity is uncertain. Seriously, isn’t that too harsh? You’re his son.”
This was when Keter should chime in to loosen him further. He clapped once to wake up Jacques, who was drowsy because of the wine, and went on.
“Exactly. Why do you think that is? You would know, wouldn’t you, Gramps?”
“There are a lot of reasons. You’re from the lawless city of Absinthe, and you showed up all of a sudden after eighteen years claiming to be his son. Wouldn’t it be strange not to be suspicious? Still, it was too harsh. You’re his son.”
Maybe I overdid it?
Jacques was repeating himself in his drunken state and seemed on the verge of completely losing it, so Keter asked a more provocative question.
“Did others besides my father agree with him? The elders, for example, didn't oppose the sudden appearance of an illegitimate child?”
As expected, Jacques sighed and spoke,“Oh, absolutely! Everyone said no. Some even suggested hunting you down and killing you! Seriously, that’s just not right!”
Bang!
Jacques angrily slammed the table in anger. Keter also became a little pissed as the alcohol was getting to him.
Who suggested killing me? If I find out, I won’t let it slide.
“So bringing me here was solely my father’s decision?” Keter asked.
“Exactly. He said you’d be in danger out there and that abandoning one family member was like abandoning all, so he found you and brought you here. Others reluctantly agreed but with the condition that you don’t interfere with family matters.”
“Wow, that’s something.”
“Right? My lord, that’s why you really need to be mindful of your behavior and words. That’s the only… hiccup… the others will acknowledge and accept you as family.”
Thud!
Jacques slammed his forehead onto the table and mumbled, “Hrmph… I will serve you well, my lord. I’ll help you adjust to the family…”
With that, Jacques started snoring. Just like in Keter’s past life, Jacques took great care of him in the present, too, so how could Keter possibly dislike him?
Keter called a servant to bring him ice water and drank it to wash away the tipsiness.
“Kyah~! This makes it clear.”
The letter Keter received from his father in his past life was truthful; the Sefira family really did call him back to protect him, though they didn’t show it. However, he still had questions.
How did my father find out about my existence? Who told him?
Overthinking and creativity only complicated matters, so he had to simplify: start with the truth as the foundation and build from there.
First, Keter’s mother abandoned him. Besil probably hadn’t known about his existence. Given his character, he wouldn’t have left Keter to grow up in Liqueur if he had known. So, the only way Besil would have found out about Keter would have been through his mother, meaning his mother informed Besil about his existence.
She likely only told him, either in person or through a letter. Besil wouldn’t have had a reason to pull Keter out of Liqueur otherwise, as no one would have known. But the fact that Besil did look for Keter meant someone else discovered his existence.
The fragmented clues began to come together. Keter’s mother informed Besil, but Queen Lillian also found out, implying that there was an informant or traitor within the family. This wasn’t a groundbreaking deduction, as a crumbling family often had a traitor or two.
The immediate suspects Keter thought of were the elders of Sefira, the most influential figures in the family. However, he wasn't going to confront an elder right away; he had no solid evidence or justification, and plus, he wasn’t entirely convinced either.
More importantly, before confronting a family elder, Keter needed to prove that he was beneficial to the family and that he didn’t make false accusations.
“While I’m at it, I might as well fill my pockets.”
With his stomach full and his brain full of knowledge, Keter got up and went to the kitchen to talk to Altin.
“Uncle Octopus, please take care of Gramps. I’m heading out.”
“Pardon? Oh, yes, my lord.”
Keter returned to his quarters and immediately got in a hot bath. Taking a bath when he was full and slightly tipsy was one of his favorite things to do. As he let the fatigue melt away, he decided his next destination.
“I should start with Amaranth.”
Three months from now, the Sefira family was going to face a major disaster: a knight possessed by Demon Bow Amaranth was going to become the Marksman of the Demon Arrow and go on a rampage. Despite being a disaster, there weren't going to be many casualties—only two deaths: the knight himself and a blacksmith.
However, these two deaths would significantly impact Sefira as the knight who would die was Taragon, the fourth son of this family and Keter’s half-brother. The blacksmith who would die wasn’t just any blacksmith; he was Volkanus, the greatest bow craftsman who had been making bows for the Sefira family for two hundred years.
Volkanus died trying to stop Taragon, the knight rampaging in madness. As the head of the family, Besil killed and put an end to Taragon’s rampage. Basically, a father killed his son.
At the time, Keter had no particular interest in the incident due to his circumstances, but now, he was extremely interested.
“Why would I just leave a treasure without an owner alone when I know where it is?”
Keter didn’t know the exact location of it because he had only heard of it, but he knew that it was in the forge.
Coincidentally, he also needed a bow. As the son of a renowned archery family, he should at least have a proper bow. Moreover, he considered equipment to be part of one’s skill, so ordinary gear wouldn’t cut it for Keter. It didn’t matter whether it was cursed or demonic.
“As long as the user knows how to handle it, right?”
* * *
While Keter was enjoying a relaxing bath after deciding his next destination, the sons of Sefira were secretly holding a meeting.
“Anis is late,” muttered Hissop, the firstborn son who held the meeting.
Myle, the secondborn son who was sitting beside him, replied, “He’s been staying at the training ground for days lately practicing Leo Archery. He’s probably running late because he needed to clean up. By the way, have you heard any news about our youngest who went to the empire?”
Three people were absent from this meeting: Anis, the third son Hissop mentioned, Laurel, the family’s only daughter, and Cherbyl, the youngest brother who Myle brought up.
“I heard that he was chosen as the representative of the first-year students at the academy that has all the geniuses of the empire.”
Cherbyl had gone to study abroad in the neighboring Samael Empire and was admitted to the country’s top private academy, Clifford, an academy known for selecting only the best of the best geniuses. The brothers were worried about Cherbyl being alone in a distant foreign land, but they were also proud of him.
“Cherbyl is the hope of our family. When he graduates and returns, I plan to recommend him as the patriarch.”
Myle frowned at Hissop’s words.
“While it’s undeniable that Cherbyl is the most outstanding among us, that doesn’t mean you’re any less capable. So please don’t say things like that. Cherbyl wouldn’t want that either.”
Hissop closed his eyes and remained silent, neither affirming nor denying Myle’ statement.
Knock knock.
A knock broke the silence. The door opened, and Anis walked inside.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” he said.
Now with his eyes open, Hissop said, “You’re always the one to arrive first, but you’re late today. How strange.”
Hissop was puzzled. He thought Anis might have been late because he was getting ready, but taking a closer look, he saw that Anis had bandages wrapped around various parts of his body. The injuries didn’t seem severe, but Hissop asked just in case.
“Did you train so hard that you got hurt? That’s not like you.”
Anis hesitated, wondering if he should tell Hissop about Keter.
“Actually…”
“Sit down first. I called you because I have something important to tell you all.”
Dragging out the conversation would make things more confusing. Seeing Hissop speak seriously, Anis decided to hold off on his story and sat down next to Taragon, who had been quietly present. He nodded slightly to greet Anis and then focused on Hissop.
Finally, the four sons of the Sefira family had gathered.
Hissop cleared his throat.
“Ahem. The reason I called you is to tell you about our half-brother, Keter, who arrived this morning.”
When Hissop mentioned Keter, all the brothers reacted as if they had expected it.
“Father already told you, but I will emphasize it once more. Ignore Keter. Don’t seek him out, don’t meet him, and if you happen to run into him, do not engage in any conversation. There are two reasons for this.
“First, Keter grew up in the lawless city of Absinthe. Second, it is suspicious that he suddenly revealed his existence when our family is in a precarious situation. While he is suspicious, we have no evidence. As such, there is no need to be hostile, but you must remain cautious.”
When Hissop finished speaking, Taragon raised his hand to ask a question.
“Are you sure this Keter guy is truly Father’s son?”
“Yes, it is certain. They say Keter has the same eyes as us.”
This referred to the eyes that only the descendants of Sefira possessed: golden irises and purple pupils that glowed brightly in the dark.
Taragon continued to press about Keter’s origins.
“Who is his mother?”
“I don’t know. Father hasn’t told us either,” Hissop replied.
“I know Father always has his reasons, but this time I truly don’t understand. Why bring someone of uncertain background into our family?”
Like Taragon, Hissop also found it hard to accept, but one thing was certain.
“As I said before, we are to be wary of Keter, not hostile. If our family’s situation were better, we would have had the time to slowly build a relationship. However, that isn’t possible right now, and we’ll only have an ambiguous relationship.”
Taragon was about to add something, but Myle intervened.
“He might be an enemy. Just because he’s family doesn’t mean we should be too lenient.”
Feeling that Myle was backing him up, Taragon used this opportunity to add his own thoughts.
“Is ignoring him enough? Let’s lock him up so he can’t do anything foolish.”
Hissop sighed at Taragon’s suggestion.
“Taragon, I’ve told you repeatedly to think before you speak. We can control you right now, but I worry deeply about the time when we can’t.”
Scolded by Hissop, Taragon slouched with a sullen expression. Hissop then turned his gaze to Anis.
“Anis, what do you think about Keter?”
Anis seemed like he had expected this moment to come.
“Actually, Keter came to see me.”
Myle and Taragon jumped to their feet when they heard Anis.
Hissop placed his clasped hands on the table and said, “How did Keter know you and for what reason?”
“I didn’t have the chance to find out at that moment. He suddenly showed up and insulted my Leo Archery, saying that it was unnecessarily powerful.”
Myle became particularly angry upon hearing that Keter insulted Leo Archery.
“Who does he think he is to insult our family’s archery!?”
Hissop gestured for Myle to sit down.
“So, what happened next?”
“Keter said that arrows that are only powerful can just be dodged. In my anger, I challenged him to dodge one, and I shot an arrow at him. I removed the arrowhead, of course.”
“Did he get hit and start thrashing about? Did you beat him up then?” Taragon said, raising his fist in excitement.
At that, Hissop grew annoyed.
“Don’t interrupt Anis, Taragon.”
Dejected, Taragon slowly lowered his fist.
Anis recounted the brief duel with Keter, candidly admitting that he ultimately lost. After he finished telling the story—
Bang!
Myle slammed his fist on the table in anger.
“How rude. He thinks he can assert dominance through violence? How befitting of someone from Absinthe. And to target you first so cowardly!”
The brothers did not believe that Anis lost because he was weaker than Keter, as they knew he had been training day and night for several days.
Anis calmed down Myle, who looked ready to storm out.
“Brother, I already agreed to face him again,” he said.
“Really? That’s good news. When is it? I won’t be satisfied until I see that bastard rolling on the ground like a dog,” Myle replied.
“He told me to come when I’m in top condition. He probably wants to buy time, but it won’t work. I’m thinking of going to see him in four days at the latest.
“Alright. Since you insist, I won’t intervene. However, we will watch the duel together. That way, Keter won’t try anything suspicious.”
Myle glanced at Hissop for agreement. He nodded, judging it wouldn’t be a big issue.
“Keter was the one who started this, so we have justification. But Anis, even if he took advantage of your weakened state, his victory wasn’t purely by chance. You’re not someone who loses just because of bad luck.”
Anis nodded with a tense expression.
“Yes. Keter’s martial arts and quick thinking were not to be underestimated.”
“That’s the right attitude. Never let your guard down, no matter who the opponent is. That vigilance will protect your life in real combat.”
Anis and Hissop exchanged warm smile, but Taragon, failing to grasp the situation, intervened.
“Brothers, should I go find Keter first and beat him to a pulp?”
Myle clicked his tongue. Just moments ago, he had said he wouldn’t intervene, but Taragon was suggesting the same thing.
Hissop stood up and pressed down on Taragon’s shoulder, forcing him to sit down.
“Taragon, once this meeting is over, reflect on our conversation. Your lack of focus is your biggest problem.”
“...”
Taragon felt like he was being scolded by Hissop again, so he sulked. Returning to his seat, Hissop continued, ignoring Taragon.
“Keter and Anis’ duel aside, there’s something that is hard to understand. How did Keter know where to find Anis? That’s very strange to me.”
Keter had arrived today with no prior information about the Sefira family. It was hard to understand how he managed to pinpoint Anis’ exact location among all the vast buildings.
In a nonchalant tone, Myle said, “Of course, it was a coincidence. Keter was just wandering around, saw the soldiers guarding a place, went in, and happened to find Anis there. He saw that Anis was in bad shape and took the opportunity to provoke him.
“Hm, that seems like the most plausible explanation for now.”
Hissop thought that it would be far-fetched to assume that Keter knew the layout of the Sefira family estate and went to find Anis for a specific purpose.
I guess I’ve become more skeptical because there’s a lot for me to think about.
Hissop had nothing more to say about Keter. Looking each of his brothers in the eye, he said, “I’ve said all I wanted to say. I’m leaving right away, so Myle, take care of your brothers.”
“Don’t worry about us and travel safely. Not to boast, but I do have charisma that’s as compelling as you, don’t I?”
“Ha, sure.”
Hissop glanced at his brothers and said, “I’ll be on my way now.”
With Hissop’s departure, the meeting was concluded. Everyone returned to their places, except for one person. Taragon wandered aimlessly, looking for someone.
Keter. I need to see what that guy looks like.
Even though Hissop had strongly advised against approaching Keter first, Taragon acted however he wanted. After some asking around, he arrived at Keter’s residence and questioned the nearby guards.
“Keter. Is he inside?”
“He left a little while ago.”
“Where?”
“He didn’t say where he was going… We only know he headed in that direction.”
“Tsk. Wandering around as he pleases so arrogantly.”
Taragon clicked his tongue and set off to find Keter, walking around quickly. He even asked everyone if they had seen Keter, letting everyone know that he was searching for him.
However, Taragon had some success. It was easy to find Keter, as he wasn’t hiding. It wasn’t easy to hide his presence anyway.
I finally found him.
Taragon, awkwardly hiding behind a pillar, only stuck his head out. He could clearly see Keter. He was quarreling with the guards at the entrance of the forge.
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