Chapter 37: Invitation
"Master, young master Ares went inside the dungeon" Zen's butler reported to him.
He was nervous since he knew, his master has a weird temperament and he might look easygoing and nonchalant but the next moment you see him, he might already break someone's neck.
"Since when a Zanuki ever been an obedient little lamb, especially that mischievous brat. Make sure his smartwatch signal remains active and only tell me when it goes off"
'If the smartwatch signal goes off, it means young master Ares is...dead.'
The young butler becomes more nervous after he understood the underlying meaning of his master's words.
"I wanted to see what more trouble my beloved grandson will give me. Want to bet with me that he might even clear the dungeon or he might find something interesting inside the dungeon"
"I don't have enough money to bet with you master," the young butler said meekly.
"I give you a paid vacation for a week if you are correct and you have to clean Ares's mess if I win"
"I think young master Ares might find something interesting inside the dungeon, master" the butler decided to follow his master's whim.
"Alright I choose he will clear the dungeon then," Zen Zanuki said playfully while going through the documents in front of him.
Many people know that Zen Zanuki really adore and pampered his youngest grandson the most but only those workers working with the Zanuki knew how the Zanuki adore their children.
It wasn't weird for an injured Zanuki to be thrown inside a dungeon to recuperate. Young master Ares voluntarily went hunting with a reason to recuperate properly but Zen knew that brat never did something without a reason.
Ares might look like he never really care much about things around him but if you looked at his eyes, the way he observed something is like a God observing his creation moving around on his palm.
That's also why Zen always allow Ares to do whatever he wanted to because he was curious about what his grandson will end up causing.
Meanwhile, in the other region of the Hargan Empire, Prince Theo and Cedric were invited to Kazigare Valley to be checked by two different priests from two different churches.
On the table, there were three figures sitting beside each other.
"As the representative of Zanuki matriarch, I thanked both of you for fulfilling the invitation to come here," Zerisa said respectfully to her guests.
"You're welcome Lady Zerisa but may I know where is Ares?" Prince Theo asked.
"He is currently recuperating"
"I see"
Prince Theo knew Ares wasn't in Kazigare Valley since his elemental already checked the area a few times. He knew Zanuki were usually a bit eccentric thus the word 'recuperate' might mean something else.
"Lady Zerisa may I know why my friend Shino Kiba isn't allowed to come with me?" Cedric asked.
Ting!
[Analysis on Kazigare Valley complete]
Ting!
[Download to read the information (Yes//No)]
Before Cedric managed to tab on 'yes', Zerisa already started to explain the reason, "As you might know, Kazigare Valley have Demonic energy lingering in the air. Even though it won't affect normal humans immediately but most people aren't allowed here since prolong exposure to Demonic energy will cause humans to be corrupted."
"Prince Theo has been here a few times and we already confirmed he was fine. You, on the other hand, have holy energy thus this much Demonic energy won't pose any problem for you" Zerisa explained clearly.
"I see" Cedric answered calmly.
After a few moments of pleasantries, both Cedric and Prince Theo were brought into their respective rooms.
"Zanuki sure is on another level compared to the Kiba even though they are both prominent noble clans" Cedric muttered while looking around the lavish mansion.
"Of course, since they even have a vassal clan working for them unlike Kiba that solely depend on themselves," Prince Theo said after he heard Cedric's word.
Cedric never really bother to know about the nobles but being here in Kazigare Valley mansion seemed to open his eyes.
"Should we visit Ares?" Cedric asked naively.
"He's not here" Prince Theo answered with a slight smile.
"What do you mean? Is he in another mansion?"
"I don't know where he is but if Lady Zerisa doesn't mention anything about us visiting Ares, it means that it's either we're not allowed to or Ares is at a place where we shouldn't know. Zanuki is a weird clan so don't believe what they said as it is. What you understand might be different from what it actually is"
Prince Theo's words made Cedric more confused but he didn't want to argue with a Prince that he thought was weirder than Ares.
Laying on the soft mattress, Cedric started to read the information about Kazigare Valley.
======Kazigare Valley======
Formerly known as the Demonic Valley where a few demon families settle down here before the Zanuki came and claim this place as theirs. This is the first place the Zanuki decided to settle down from being a nomadic clan.
The Demonic energy is caused by the slaughters of Demons by Zanuki ancestors a few hundred years ago and it still lingered in the air.
Kazigare Forest or Dark Forest
Said to be the source of Demonic energy in the area. Dark mages live here to convert Demonic energy to Dark mana and sell them in the market internationally which contributes to Zanuki's wealth.
Requirements to enter Kazigare Valley:
1. Don't have an allergy to dark mana
2. All dark mages with no criminal records.
3. People with holy power.
4. People that have Zanuki permission.
5. Normal people must have a genuine certificate from the hospitals Zanuki is affiliated with before being allowed.
===================
"So Shino who didn't have holy energy and also a special health certificate normally won't be allowed in Kazigare Valley" Cedric commented after he finished reading.
The next day, after a full night of comfortable rest, Cedric didn't see Prince Theo when he was brought by a butler to meet with Zerisa.
"Cutting straight to the point, we will test whether it is true your holy energy managed to strengthen Zanuki sealing technique as you said in the report," Zerisa said after Cedric sat in front of her.
When he was interrogated before, Cedric said he injected holy energy into Ares since he thought of helping Ares strengthen his sealing technique. He got that idea because he always uses holy energy along with his fire spells and it does amplify his fire destructive power. Thus he thought it might also help Ares.
However, Cedric felt guilty after he knew Ares almost died because of holy energy overload and he was lucky to be able to stay alive due to unknown reasons.
That was why when he was invited to Kazigare Valley, Cedric accepted it even if they wanted to punish him. He knew he was reckless and his holy energy isn't the soothing type like the typical Moon Goddess Priest since his families believe in the Sun God which was the opposite of the Moon Goddess.
Sun God believers' holy energy is usually more destructive and put on heavy toll on people. Cedric forgot about that fact and recklessly injected his holy energy into Ares.
A few moments later, both Cedric and Zerisa were standing in an empty underground training arena.
"The test is simple, inject holy energy into me and I will use it on my attack spell," Zerisa said.
"Why don't use it on the sealing technique?" Cedric asked.
"Each Zanuki has a different shape of sealing technique thus it isn't convenient for me to show you my sealing technique"
Without any more questions, Cedric started channelling his holy power into Zerisa without touching her since his holy energy has increased quite a bit after the midterm test.
The fire started to envelop Zerisa's hands and when Cedric thought Zerisa would attack using his hands, a gush of fire came out from her mouth. The fire was so big that it engulf everything in front of Zerisa.
Cedric was dumbfounded but his holy energy still flow into Zerisa until he immediately stop when a sudden gust of hot wind accidentally swept him away.
-Swish swush
The initially calm training arena suddenly have a few swirls of strong winds and it all came from the fiery red wings that came out of Zerisa's back.
It has two big wings and two small wings, all-enveloping in hot red fire.
The fire that came out from Zerisa's mouth had already stopped.
"Sir Cedric, are you alright?" A butler quickly came to pick up Cedric who have been swept away and crashed into a wall.
"Yes I'm fine" Cedric answered calmly and he is fine despite feeling slight pain due to the crash impact but he didn't have any visible injuries.
A few moments later, the gust of winds calm down and Zerisa seemed to be back to normal except for the fiery wings that were still there.
"I now understand why your holy energy can strengthen our family technique. This holy energy is different from Moon Goddess or God Of Eternal Rest priests. It's indeed compatible with us Zanuki since our family was blessed by the Divine Beast Phoenix" Zerisa explained.
'No wonder. Isn't Phoenix one of Sun God's close companions' Cedric thought.
"By the way, I'm sorry for the sudden outburst. I never thought it was that intense. No wonder my little brother become a mess like that. I have to advise you to not give Ares your holy energy like that again in the future because if Ares loses control, both of you will die"
"I-I understand Lady Zerisa"
"We the Zanuki aren't mad at you. It just that, Ares tends to fall sick so we have to make sure what really happened"
"Hmm Lady Zerisa, this might be presumptuous but can you teach me what kind of spell you use to do a fire breath just now?" Cedric asked curiously.
Since young, he was interested in uncommon magic spells like the one Zerisa did where a gust of fire came out from her mouth and also the fiery wings that came out from her back.
Currently, the back of Zerisa's white shirt had a burnt hole on it exposing her smooth white back.
"Oh, that one doesn't have any spell. Our families just know how to do it since we consume fire orbs when we were young. You can try consuming fire orbs"
Ting!
[Normal humans will die if they recklessly consume fire orbs. Zanuki's body constitution differs from normal humans. Not recommended for user]
Seeing the system interface suddenly pop out as if warning him not to do something reckless, Cedric just nodded his head at Zerisa's suggestion.
"Do you have any more questions?" Zerisa asked.
Ting!
[New Quest]
Cedric wanted to face palmed himself when he saw the system suddenly issuing a quest out of nowhere.
======System Quest======
Difficulty: Low Tier
Quest: Spar with the heir of Zanuki matriarch for as long as she wanted to. Try to learn how the Zanuki fight from this spar.
Reward:
∆Increased in strength by 10 points
∆Increased user's proficiency in fire magic
=======================
"Can you spar with me Lady Zerisa?" Cedric blurted out after he finished reading the new quest.
Zerisa's usually stoic face looked dumbfounded, "I never even spar with my little brother and now his classmate asked me for a spar. Sure, but don't cry later on because I hate cry baby"
At first, Cedric thought it was nothing much since the system put the quest's difficulty as low tier but a few moments later, he kind of regretted accepting the quest.
That day Cedric was beaten black and blue by Zerisa and he was also almost burned a few times.
Because of that in the future, Cedric will do his utmost best to not meet with Zerisa ever again no matter the circumstances. Contrary to Cedric, Zerisa became like a battle addict when she saw Cedric and always asked for a spar when they met, but all of this is in the future.
Meanwhile, in another part of the same mansion, not only does Cedric feel like he regrets his decision but, Prince Theo also felt the same. Especially when he was bound on a metal chair and in front of him is Zen Zanuki, Ares's grandfather.
A man a few times more terrifying than Zerisa.
This is Prince Theo's first time meeting Zen face to face since before they never interacted with each other despite having met each other a few times during events.
"So my beloved grandson Ares said that because of you he is still alive and not explode due to holy energy overload. Because of that, Your Highness the second prince of the Hargan Empire can request anything from the Zanuki family" Zen Zanuki said while putting down a tablet with the lists of artifacts displayed on it.
"I..." Before Prince Theo managed to say anything, he was interrupted.
"But before that, we needed Your Highness to keep it a secret if you find any oddity with Ares. Just like we keep it a secret that Your Highness is a dark mage" Zen Zanuki said with a smile.
'This old man is threatening me' Prince Theo gritted his teeth but he still maintain his professional smile.
"Sure. Is there anything else, Council Member Zanuki?"
"There's nothing. You can do whatever you want, Your Highness" Zen Zanuki said nonchalantly.
'This is why people said it's better to discuss with the more rational Zanuki matriarch than her husband Zen since this old man likes to toy with people. And Ares seemed to inherit this old man's antic a bit' Prince Theo thought.
"Since I don't know how much about artifacts, why not the Zanuki choose for me anything that might be useful for me" Prince Theo decided when he saw the lists that looked like it never end.
"Sure if Your Highness prefer it that way. Please have a drink, Your Highness"
Prince Theo drank the black tea served in front of him before he suddenly choked because the drink he thought was tea actually wasn't.
"Dark mana!" Prince Theo exclaimed.
'This old man really has a nerve of steel to dare to toy with a prince!?'
"Yes, this is one of our products that we sold privately. If Your Highness want, we can give a special price for you"
Prince Theo looked at the middle age man in front of him who looked calm like he was talking about today's weather.
Liquified dark mana was harder to produce and knowing Zanuki, they wouldn't produce it using human sacrifices like the one sold in the black market. It must take a considerable amount of time and energy to produce just a teacup of it.
The reason Prince Theo didn't buy dark mana liquid from the black market is because of the inhumane process of producing it but the Zanuki is different.
"Don't worry, we didn't use any humans in our products. We use mainly demonic monsters and mutated plants to produce it. They took a longer time and much more energy but it's cleaner than the ones sold on the black market. The taste is also better"
"How do you know the taste is better?" Prince Theo asked with a sense of confusion.
'Don't tell me this old man is crazy enough to consume dark mana just to taste it'
"Of course, I know since I tasted it. The one from the black market taste like sewage water and the one we made the taste more like a bitter green tea mixed with black tea, am I right?" Zen Zanuki answered as if it was obvious.
'Crazy man. No wonder Ares was that eccentric if he had a weird grandfather like this' Prince Theo lamented.
For non-dark mages, consuming dark mana was akin to suicide even for a Zanuki but *Zen Zanuki consume dark mana just to know the taste. That was why Prince Theo think that it was an absurd thing to do.
*(chapter 24, Zen Zanuki told Ares he did consume dead mana(dark mana) but for a different reason)
The more he talked to this old man, the more he questioned his common sense. Zen Zanuki talked like it was normal to consume dark mana to know how it tasted like when people could die if they recklessly did that.
{Master, this old man is scary}
Even his elemental who never really cared about other humans said that Zen Zanuki is scary.
Prince Theo could just hope his day in Kazigare Valley will pass by quickly or Ares will come back sooner.
However, unexpectedly Zen Zanuki got a call from Ares and Prince Theo could hear his best friend's voice.
"Hello grandpa. You see, I have found something interesting on the coordinate that I will give you later"
'This is the first time I heard that bastard friend of mine said something is interesting' Prince Theo thought.
Zen Zanuki on the other hand just allowed Ares to do anything he wanted while waiting for a team of backup he will send to him.
"Is that Ares?" Prince Theo asked after the call ended.
"Yes, does Your Highness want to see him? You can bring along the other kid name Cedric"
"Sure" Prince Theo decided to accept the suggestion despite feeling ominous about it.
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