The great hall fell silent once again.
Those present looked at Kael in disbelief. They found it hard to believe what they had just heard.
How could he be so crazy and arrogant as to refuse the help of the Clan leader?
Zephyr was at Rank 5, at the peak of mortals. Just one rank away from becoming a Rank 4 Demigod!
Now, someone who was in rank 9 dared to refuse his help so casually.
Like refusing a glass of wine!
Too arrogant!
"Oh~"
Zephyr's soft, amused voice broke the silence in the great hall. But everyone could sense his displeasure.
"I'm curious... Why did you refuse my help?" he asked, his red eyes flashing dangerously.
A wrong answer could mean death for Kael. The young masters present, despite being tense internally, were happy; they did not expect their younger brother to dig his own grave in this way.
Hahahaha... Father won't let this go. You deserve it, bastard, for being so arrogant. To think that I don't have to come up with a way to kill you. Jasper looked at Kael excitedly, covering his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.
However, oblivious to all this, Kael remained indifferent. He saw his brothers watching him with excited eyes, eagerly awaiting what was about to happen. Some of his stepmothers covered their mouths with their fans, but there was satisfaction in their eyes; others shook their heads sadly and disappointedly.
Maintaining his gentle smile, he said calmly, "Father, I declined your assistance because I have already created my Magic Circle."
"What?!!"
Jenna's cry of surprise echoed throughout the hall, her voice bouncing off the walls and creating an echo.
That surprise was shared by everyone present. They knew how dangerous and difficult it was to create a Magic Circle, as it was done in the heart, and a single mistake meant death.
That is why there were many more people on the Path of the Aura than on the Path of Magic: creating a dantian was much safer than a Magic Circle.
And Kael, who was only fifteen years old and had not long since undergone his awakening ceremony, had created it himself without anyone's help!
It was too absurd!
Kael, despite noticing the stares, his expression remained unchanged. Instead, he circulated his mana essence from his core to his magic circle and chanted a 1st circle spell:
"[Breeze]."
A strong wind quickly swept through the crowd, causing their hair and clothes to flutter like flags in the breeze. This confirmed that Kael had indeed created his Magic Circle without any help.
Or so they thought. However, Kael knew that this had been the work of the System. Although he could have done it himself, at that moment, he just wanted to test its effectiveness.
This type of growth is much faster than Lyra's; in two years, he can reach rank 7, and in five years, rank 6. Zephyr was somewhat expectant about Kael's future and asked:
"When did you create your magic circle?"
"A week after my awakening ceremony," Kael replied with an obvious lie. He had created it on the same day he created his dantian, he added. "My maid can confirm this for me, as she was present."
Zephyr motioned for her to go call Lydia and confirm Kael's words.
Two minutes later, Lydia entered the great hall, visibly nervous. She had been summoned suddenly by the clan chief.
"My lord, why did you summon this humble servant?" said Lydia, kneeling and bowing, cold sweat running down her body.
"When did Kael create his magic circle?"
Lydia tensed, remembering what Kael had told her the day he created the dantian and the magic circle:
"When they ask you when I created my magic circle, tell them it was a week after the awakening ceremony."
Lydia closed her eyes for a moment and replied with the utmost respect: "My lord, young master Kael created his magic circle a week after the awakening ceremony."
"I see... But why didn't you report it to me?" Zephyr's voice rang out coldly.
Lydia shuddered, feeling her heart sink in despair. She hadn't expected something like this to have such consequences. She had been too comfortable with Kael.
How could she have forgotten to report something so important? She had even dared to lie to the clan chief himself in front of the elders and young masters. Such an action was considered a death sentence for her.
Despite having risked so much, the young master does not trust me. Lydia thought sadly as she waited for her sentence.
Kale watched this with indifference. He had foreseen this when he told her to keep an eye on him while he created his dantian and magic circle.
He was testing her to see if she could be a useful pawn. Seeing this development, he realized that Lydia could be useful, but only to a certain extent; she was not the same as Eren. Therefore, she was of no use to him for his current plans.
That's why he had refused to let her accompany him to the dungeon.
Lying to the world doesn't require talent. Just the certainty that no one will dare to doubt you.
Now I know that Lydia can be used to a certain extent for my plans when I reach rank 8 in my mana core.
Kael looked away from Lydia and fixed his gaze on her silent father.
Zephyr leaned back slightly in his throne and rested his hand on his chin. "He'll let it slide this time. But there won't be a next time."
However, those words may feel like an act of kindness, but in reality, they had a hidden message, telling Lydia: "Remember who you serve."
Lydia felt relief wash over her body, and her legs gave way; if she hadn't been kneeling, she would have collapsed: "Thank you so much for sparing the life of this humble servant!"
"You may leave."
Lydia got up from the floor, curtsied, and left the great hall. She felt a great sense of relief, as if she had escaped the gates of death.
Zephyr looked at Kael with his red eyes, his thoughts a mystery, and said:
"You can go now. There's nothing more to say."