A Brighter Future (Kuroinu)

“Haha! Your talent is even better than I imagined!”

Grave approached Rhodes, his eyes filled with excitement as if he were gazing at a precious treasure. There was also a passionate look in his eyes, indicating his desire to have Rhodes as part of his family. This made Rhodes somewhat nervous, fearing that something unexpected might happen.

“Lord Rhodes! Would you become my adopted son? With you by my side, the future of the Levantine family will surely be even more brilliant!”

“Huh?”

Suddenly being asked to become someone else’s adopted son left Rhodes bewildered, and he couldn’t quite understand what was happening.

“Father! Please calm down and consider Lord Rhodes’s status.”

Claudia reminded her father, who was too excited. Apart from the fact that it was quite unusual to ask someone to become their adopted son shortly after meeting them, there was a significant issue with having Rhodes as an adopted son, given his role as the envoy of the Goddess Leliantia.

“What’s the problem with that? As long as Lord Rhodes has no objections, I believe the Goddess Leliantia would not mind either!”

Ignoring the advice, Grave continued to express his desire for Rhodes to join his family, especially since he had always valued the survival of his family. This had become an obsession for him. A talent like Rhodes’s was perfectly suited for the Levantine family, which had a history of producing exceptional warriors. There was even a possibility of more children with talents similar to Rhodes’s. The thought of such a situation only fueled Grave’s enthusiasm further.

“This… This is too sudden, General Grave.”

“Is it too sudden? But there’s no other way. Seeing Lord Rhodes’s talent, I can’t simply stand by and do nothing! Even if you don’t want to be my adopted son, I hope you’ll consider joining the Levantine family. When the time comes, you can have any of the family’s women you like as your wives!”

Grave’s reaction made Rhodes feel a bit overwhelmed. In less than two hours since they had met, Grave not only wanted him as an adopted son but also offered to let him marry any woman from the Levantine family. This kind of situation indicated a strong purpose on Grave’s part, but it didn’t appear to be a sinister motive.

“Um… please let me think about it for a moment, General Grave. After all, we have a long time ahead, and in the days to come, I will continue to accept your training. There’s no need to rush, is there?”

Rhodes’s response left Grave with a hint of regret, as he had hoped for an immediate acceptance. However, he agreed in the end, realizing that Rhodes’s words made sense. With training and mentorship ahead, as well as a master-apprentice relationship, success was only a matter of time.

“Well, you’re right. So, Lord Rhodes, please do consider my proposal carefully, and feel free to approach me whenever you’re ready.”

“I will.”

Rhodes replied earnestly, bringing a smile to Grave’s face.

After this relaxing moment, Rhodes began to feel the soreness in his body. Clearly, the previous battle had taken a toll on his untrained body.

Claudia saw Rhodes wincing in pain and quickly went over to check on him.

“Your muscles have taken some damage. It seems the fight you just had was too early for a body that hasn’t been properly conditioned.”

At this point, Claudia couldn’t help but cast a reproachful glance at her father. She believed that his excitement had led to a fight test that had been too much for Rhodes’s untrained body.

Seeing Rhodes in discomfort, Claudia’s eyes filled with sympathy, and she gently began massaging his muscles.

“Father, Lord Rhodes can’t continue training in this condition. Let’s call it a day.”

“I understand.”

Grave looked at Claudia with some surprise. He couldn’t help but notice that her attitude towards Rhodes had changed somewhat since earlier. Her caring tone and demeanor were quite unusual. However, he soon attributed it to his own attitude, which had influenced Claudia as well.

“Well, Lord Rhodes, please rest well today. I’ll come back for you tomorrow. If you haven’t fully recovered, I can arrange for specialized personnel to treat you.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”

At this point, Celestine spoke up, assuring that she would take care of the issue. Grave had no doubts about Celestine’s abilities.

“Then, we’ll take our leave.”

As they watched Grave and Claudia depart, Claudia kept glancing back at Rhodes, appearing somewhat uneasy about leaving him. Celestine noticed this, and Grave also observed the situation, leading him into deep thought.

“Come on, Rhodes, let me help you relieve that soreness in your body.”

Celestine assisted Rhodes back to his room. Once he was lying on the bed, she raised her hands and conjured a green magic circle. She used it to treat and restore his body. The soothing effect made Rhodes let out a contented sigh.

Soon after the treatment, Rhodes felt as if his body had been fully revitalized.

“I feel like I can keep training indefinitely! As long as I’m tired, I can just use magic to recover! It’s so easy! Ouch! Celestine, why did you pull my face?”

But as soon as he finished speaking, Celestine angrily pulled his face.

“I did it because I saw you not taking care of your body, so I wanted to give you a little punishment. I don’t mind you becoming stronger through training, but you can’t be reckless just because my magic can help you. While my magic can heal your body, using it continuously to recover will overtax your physical health. So, you mustn’t do that, understand?”

“Okay, I understand.”

Rhodes, of course, had no objections and nodded in agreement. This made Celestine smile with satisfaction, although her eyes revealed a subtle concern.