Back with Elaine and the two others, they had finally reached a large mansion standing in the middle of an estate. Elaine slams the door opens and enters the house where maids and butler stood there shook
"CALL MY FATHER!!!" Elaine yells at the servants
"Yes, milady." An old butler answers
He stood at 6'0, had brown hair that had mostly turned grey, a sign of his old age. Unlike his hair, his mustache had completely turned white along with his beard. He entered an elevator that stopped at the mansion's third floor. The doors opened into a large corridor with doors leading to different rooms but at the end of it stood a giant brown double door which he pulled open. The door led to the office where Elaine's father was sitting working on some documents
"The young lady has come home." The butler says politely
"Elaine came back?" He says with a bit of surprise in his tone. "To think you could make jokes, Mark."
"She is downstairs on the first floor, however..." He hesitates to continue
Elaine's father gets up
"You don't need to say anymore." He says after sighing
The two leave the office and get into the elevator
"To think she would bring those children here." Her father says as the elevator doors closes
They get down from the elevator once it reaches the first floor. He walks towards Elaine with an expressionless face and when he reaches the three of them, he doesn't even look at the other two. He simply looks at Elaine with his face devoid of emotions
"What exactly are you thinking, Elaine?" Her father asks with his expressionless face
"I want you take a look at the condition of this child." Elaine says while looking at Adam with worry
"It's only been 6 months since you've taken them in, yet you look as worried as a mother would." Her father says without any changes in his expression
Elaine knew what a cold person her father was. She knew that he wouldn't try to treat Adam even if she begged him, but she also knew how curious he was. That curiosity of his, that's what she was betting on
"Didn't you say that there was no arch human on the first floor, Father?" Elaine whispers
He nods
"So, what is the meaning of this?" She asks while showing Adam's arm
"This is." He says without a change in expression. "Vacuus."
"Not a change in expression." Elaine thought while looking at her father who just grabbed Adam's arm. "He's as cold as always."
"Black Vein?" Elaine's father says pensively. "That means black arcane energy."
He looks at Elaine
"What exactly do you want me to do here?" He asks seriously. "You know that this child is the first one to bear such a color and the only one to bear it"
"I already know that." Elaine says with a bit of anger. "But I am sure that you have a way. A way to save him."
He takes a pensive stance and looks at Elaine
"I do have a way to do it; however, I don't see a reason to save the child." He answers while looking at his daughter in a pensive manner. "While he is interesting, I am not one of those Grey Lions bastards, in other words, it's not to the point I would lose something precious on him."
Elaine frowns with anger
"My father is a cold man." Elaine thought as she looked at him with anger. "That's not his fault; it's something that runs in this family. My mother and brother are the same after all, but father is a curious person. If that doesn't work on him that leaves me only one option, I need to steal whatever it is."
"Help her, Caesar." A woman says
The elevator was a small pillar under a corridor on the second floor which had two sets of stairs to the right and left side. On the right stairs, a woman had been watching over the events that unfolded ever since Caesar, Elaine's father, arrived. She had long black hair that reached her back which she had tied in a ponytail. Her emerald, green eyes went well with the long green dress she was wearing
"Mother?" Elaine says while looking at the woman
"Since when have you been here, Carla?" Caesar asks while looking at his wife
Carla walks down the stairs and approaches her daughter which is the same height as her. Carla was of incredible beauty, of noble beauty. Each and every one of her movements were filled with an incredible amount of grace and pride. She puts her hand on her daughter's cheek
"I'm glad to see that you're doing well." Carla says to her daughter
She turns around and looks at her husband
"Help her, Caesar." She repeats with a firmer tone
"Follow me." Caesar says as he enters the elevator without even trying to argue
Kenzo and Elaine rushes into the elevator and the door closes. The elevator, instead of going up, starts to go down and stops
"I guess mom still has complete control over you." Elaine says while checking up on Adam. The black vein had started to reach his face
"That's just how marriage works." Caesar answers as the doors in front of him open up
In front of them was a dark basement that suddenly lit up. The basement was well arranged and maintained with obvious care. They walk through the basement walking past countless shelves with different items such as swords, armor, and diverse other items. Caesar suddenly stops before a shelf and grabs a small box that he takes out
"This should be able to save him." Caesar says with the box in his hand
"Should?" Elaine asks with anger
"It has never been tested as far as I know, and its production was discontinued for some reason." Caesar says to Elaine
Kenzo stares at the box with worry
"Could it be?" He thought while looking at the box
Caesar opens the box and reveals a glistening colorless ball, a colorless pill. At the same time, Kenzo's expression changes
"How did you get this?" Kenzo asks seriously
"Could it be that you know about it?" Caesar asks with interest. "That means that you were a member of the Grey Lion Order, right?"
Kenzo nods
"This could work but... there is a possibility of severe side effects." Kenzo says with worry. "The pill was made with the purpose to treat Vacuus so what was needed is a large amount of arcane energy with no color so that anyone could take it. We found the perfect material to create it."
"What was it?" Elaine asks
"A Djinn core." Kenzo answers with a frown. "A Djinn core that is refined and cleansed, however, Djinns hold much more arcane energy than arch human body can.... the amount of arcane energy released at once into the body... can kill the one consuming it."
Just as he finished that last part, Adam's entire body had been covered in the black veins, He stopped breathing, wincing and grimacing in pain. When she saw this, Elaine immediately took the pill and fed it to Adam. Kenzo slowly places Adam down on the ground and tells the two others to back up. A breeze started to gather around Adam. A breeze that quickly turned into a storm of black arcane energy. The arcane energy that Adam was emitting made the entire estate start to shake, creating a small earthquake. Elaine and Kenzo were trying their best to hold on and not get blasted away by the storm of arcane energy. The black vein on Adam's body were slowly retreating and his condition was returning to normal as the arcane energy expulsed from his body was going back into it
"Just how much arcane energy does that child have?" Caesar thought as he stood there without much difficulty unlike Elaine and Kenzo
The storm stops when Adam's body has completely gone back to normal. Elaine rushes to his side and checks on his pulse. She exhales when she confirms that he is now fine
"If I may, Lord Caesar?" Kenzo starts as he looks at Adam with worry
"Go ahead." Caesar answers
"Where did you get this pill?" Kenzo asks with a frown. "The fabrication of the pill was discontinued by the king himself. Not only because of the side effects but because of the process and materials required to create this cursed pill."
"A cursed pill?" Caesar asks as he looks at Kenzo with the same unchanging expression
"The pills were destroyed and were forbidden to make" Kenzo says with a clenched fist. "So how were you able to get one?"
"I got it from the black market about 8 years ago when I was in the Black Lion Order." Caesar answers as he looked upon Adam with interest. "I was told of the effect and so I purchased it."
"If it was on the black market, then that means that there could be remnants of the pill." Kenzo thought. "Or even worse, someone might be making them. I need to do something about this."
Adam's eyes slowly open and he quickly leaps up. He looks around with anger in search of the Blood Fiend
"Calm down, Adam." Elaine says with a smile and tears
Adam calms down as soon as he sees her. Kenzo puts his hand on Adam's shoulder
"How do you feel, Adam?" Kenzo asks with worry
"Fine." Adam answers while looking at the palm of his hands. "I feel great."
Caesar noticed that even though Kenzo was relieved, he had his guard up for some reason. Something was keeping Kenzo on guard and a thought formed in his mind
"So, death isn't the worse that can happen." Caesar thought. "Looks like I'll have to do my own investigation."
Now that Adam was treated and safe, they go back to the first floor using the elevator, Carla lowers herself in front of Adam and pats his head
"Hmmm.... Aren't you going to greet me? I am your grandmother." Carla says without much of an expression
Adam looks at Carla with confusion. He couldn't even begin to understand what was going through her mind because of the lack of emotions portrayed on her face. Adam knew of the way nobles thought of those who were of lower status so. That's why he also knew, or at least thought he knew how Elaine's parents would react. However, Caesar didn't seem to care much while Carla seemed to want a relationship with the kids Elaine took in
"I am from a fallen noble house." Carla suddenly says
Adam's eyes widened in surprise
"I could guess what you were thinking." Carla continues. "You kids are welcome here. My husband might act like he cares but if he did, he would have already dealt with you. That's the kind of man he is after all."
Caesar looks to the side. Elaine puts her hand on Adam's shoulder and looks at her mother
"It's time for us to go back home." She says while looking at Adam with motherly love. "I'm sure the others are anxiously waiting for us."
Carl gets up and looks at Elaine
"I think you should bring the kids here and stay with us." She says. "You clearly love them a lot, however, that's not enough."
"WHAT!?" Elaine yells in anger
Carla stares at Elaine without a change in her expression
"It's true and you know it." Carla says. "Even if we put aside the fact that it's hard to raise children, did you forget what you do?"
Elaine frowns while looking at Adam because she knows what her mother is saying his true. She knows the responsibility she bears as well as the dangers that come with that
"You're a Knight." Carla continues. "True you are part of the White Lion; therefore, your duty mostly keeps you within the tower. However, how many times have you barely escaped death while chasing rogues or criminals?"
Elaine remains silent and so her mother continues
"What if something happens to you, Elaine?" Carla asks. "What if you suffer a life changing injury or even worse, die? What are the children supposed to do then?"
Elaine frowns even harder
"I... can... handle it." She replies with hesitation
"I don't understand." Adam thought to himself. "Why would she talk like that? Elaine is a part of the White Lion Order. They remain in the tower and deal with the law and order inside. Their lives are at risk but way less than the Black Lion Order."
Kenzo puts his hand on Adam's shoulder
"I can guess what you're thinking." Kenzo says with a frown while looking at Elaine. "The White Lion Order duty doesn't stop at the tower."
"What?" Adam asks
"We are often sent outside the tower to guard recovered land from Djinns." Kenzo continues with a frown. "During those missions we... often lose a lot our comrades."
"I didn't know that." Adam thought surprised. "There's still a lot I don't know about Knights and the Orders."
"I WON'T DIE!!!" Elaine yells while staring at her mother. "I know exactly what I will be leaving behind if something like that happens to me. That's why I am going to get stronger. Because I've got a new motivation now."
Elaine and Carla stares at each other for a bit then Carla gets up and pats Adam again. She then walks up the stairs to the second floor and before she disappears into the hallways, she tells her daughter one more thing
"You're always welcome here, Elaine." She says without turning back to look at her daughter. And so are the children."
Carla takes a right and disappears into the hall. Adam looked up at Elaine, who had a smile on her lips. He couldn't understand why exactly Elaine was smiling but it was simple. She felt relieved that her parents didn't deny the children. That if something happened to her, there would be someone to be able to take care of them
"Time to go home." She says with a bright and wide smile
After going back to the second floor, they rejoin with the others and head back home. Just like that, the small family kept living together. With each day passing they grew closer and closer until an entire year passed by in the blink of an eye. An event that Elaine and Kenzo were trying to avoid talking about during that past year, was approaching fast