"It seems that everything stems from the fact that the essence of evolution within me is more complete. While the world's essence also contains the essence of evolution, it has to care for the entire world, so it's naturally much weaker. The devouring power and evolution ability of most people are far inferior to mine..." Rhett thought to himself as he opened his eyes.
Thud, thud, thud
Thud, thud, thud
A series of hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway—one heavy, one light, the sound of iron-shod boots and leather shoes climbing the stairs.
Rhett gathered his thoughts, extended his spiritual sense, and after sensing who it was, a smile crept across his lips.
"My sons are here…"
The footsteps grew closer.
Relai followed behind Tark, his face a mixture of excitement, joy, shock, and curiosity. As he reached the last step and saw the familiar, towering figure before him, joy overwhelmed all other emotions.
"Father, you've finally returned!"
"Yes, I'm back. And you still look as dashing as ever, Relai," Rhett smiled.
Relai, touched, pressed his lips together and took a deep breath. "Everyone has missed you greatly… including me!"
Normally calm and composed, Relai couldn't help but reveal his true feelings at this moment. As he spoke, he walked forward to knead Rhett's shoulders.
Rhett leaned back comfortably, closing his eyes.
"Hehe, Father, I've missed you too," Tark said awkwardly, not knowing what else to say, so he echoed his brother's sentiment.
"If you have nothing worthwhile to say, you might as well keep quiet!" Rhett opened his eyes, glaring at Tark. "Did you face the battlefield alone before?"
"I..." Tark scratched his head with a sheepish grin, clearly embarrassed.
At that moment, two clear screeches echoed from outside the window!
A black and a red figure rapidly approached from the sky. Two large eagles flew through the wide window and into the fifth-floor hall, stirring up a strong gust of wind. Fortunately, Rhett controlled the wind element in time to prevent the room from descending into chaos.
"Oh, it's Mogg! I've missed you so much!" Tark's eyes lit up as he embraced his magical pet.
Mogg chirped twice, then affectionately nuzzled Tark's face with its head.
Fogg, the other eagle, looked at Tark and Mogg, then at Rhett. It walked over on its talons, moving quickly across the floor.
"Haha, little guy, long time no see," Rhett called Fogg the 'little guy' out of habit. Fogg trotted to Rhett's side, sat down obediently, and stretched out its neck, enjoying the pats and strokes from Rhett.
"Chirp, chirp!"
Fogg let out a soft, contented sound, relaxing and lying halfway down on the ground.
Relai glanced at Fogg, then at Rhett's hand gently patting Fogg. A sense of security welled up within him, and he smiled. "Father, on the way here, Tark told me about your heroic deeds on the battlefield. You single-handedly turned the tide of the war—it's truly awe-inspiring. I regret not being able to witness it with my own eyes."
"And I never imagined that you've now reached the Saint realm. I thought, at most, you'd be granted the title of duke for your contributions in this war. But the outcome has surpassed all expectations."
"By the way, what honor will the king bestow upon you for becoming a Saint?" Relai asked.
"Hmm... the title of king," Rhett said softly.
"Wh-what?" Relai froze, his massage abruptly halting. He thought he had misheard and asked again, "King? What king?"
"I said... from now on, I am the king."
"Ah? When did you kill the King of Milan, Father?!" Tark suddenly widened his eyes, turning his head to stare blankly at Rhett.
Mogg mimicked Tark's movements, chirping twice and also turning to look at Rhett.
Rhett's hand, which was patting Fogg, suddenly stopped, and a vein appeared on his forehead. He looked at Tark, thinking, Why did his intelligence take a nosedive as soon as the war ended?
"When did I ever say I was going to kill the King of Milan?"
Rhett's mouth twitched as he rubbed his forehead in exasperation.
Tark blinked, realizing his mistake, and silently turned his back to his father, facing the corner.
Mogg, as if in solidarity, turned with Tark and even used one of its black wings to wrap protectively around Tark's back.
Sigh...
Rhett shook his head, thinking, To maintain Tark's intelligence, do I need to start another war?
Shaking off such absurd thoughts, Rhett turned to Relai with a much gentler expression. He pulled out a chair and said, "Sit, Relai. We haven't seen each other in a long time, and there's much to discuss."
Relai smiled brightly and obediently sat in front of Rhett, ready to listen to his father recount the epic tale of the war.
However, Rhett's first words caught him completely off guard.
"Relai, when are you going to make an effort and have a third child with Clina? The Grein family still doesn't have enough people…"
"Ah… huh?" Relai's face turned red as he laughed awkwardly. "Ha, ha, Father, why are you asking about that all of a sudden? Let's discuss serious matters, like this king business you mentioned…"
"How is that not serious? It is serious!" Rhett said, his face stern. "Tark should have already told you that we humans achieved a decisive victory over the orcs. The entire world's power structure is about to change dramatically. Given my contributions, is it not fitting for me to establish my own kingdom?"
"Oh! So that's how it is!" Relai was taken aback. Though quick-witted, his experience and knowledge hadn't yet reached the heights of world affairs.
After his father's explanation, his shock turned into joy, and he stood up excitedly. "Congratulations, Father! Congratulations to the King!"
"Haha, no need for that!" Rhett laughed heartily, waving his hand. "Sit down, let's talk."
"Yes!" Relai licked his lips, barely able to contain his excitement. After sitting back down, he asked, "Father, what name will you give our kingdom?"
"I'm thinking we'll name it after our family—just like most other kingdoms on the continent. The only exception is the Ice Kingdom, which is named after its environment," Rhett shared his thoughts.
"I understand. The Grein Kingdom—it certainly sounds better than the other kingdom names." Relai beamed with pride.
"Indeed. From now on, you will all be princes. Your status will rise, but so will the responsibilities on your shoulders."
Relai nodded seriously, his expression turning solemn.
Suddenly, Rhett's tone shifted, and he said meaningfully, "So... the only way for our royal family to continue flourishing is for our family to grow. Only then can we ensure the future of the Grein Kingdom."
"Tark!"
"Yes! I'm here, Father!"
Tark, who had been preoccupied with grooming Mogg's feathers, suddenly jolted and quickly responded.
"Did you hear what I said just now?" Rhett's voice was dark.
"You said that Relai should work harder and have a third child." Tark repeated the statement in a straightforward and loud voice.
Relai's face twitched as he glanced at Tark, covering his face in embarrassment. He couldn't bear to look.
"Hmph, and what about you?" Rhett asked, raising an eyebrow. "So you didn't listen to a word I said after that?"
"I-I was listening carefully." Tark scratched his head with a grin. "I'll work hard too, I promise…"
"Hmph, that's more like it." Rhett's expression softened as he picked up his glass of blueberry juice and took a sip.
"By the way, Father, something strange happened in the world recently. I wonder if you've heard about it?" Relai asked as he glanced at the deep blue-purple color of the juice, remembering something that had been bothering him.
"Oh? What happened? Tell me about it," Rhett asked, intrigued.
"All of us at the southwestern border, including myself, noticed something strange when we ate meat. We absorbed an excess of energy that directly strengthened our bodies and mental power." Relai's face turned serious. "Though the enhancement was very faint, I don't think it's something to be taken lightly."
Tark slapped his forehead. "Oh yeah, I noticed that too! I totally forgot to mention it to you, Father."
"Do you know what caused it?" Relai asked.
Rhett paused, contemplating for a moment. He realized that his sons would likely need to enter the simulated world more often in the future and might even help gather other essences of power. So, he decided to reveal part of the truth.
"Not only do I know, but it was my doing."
Both Relai and Tark were left utterly speechless, their eyes wide, their necks stretching forward in shock.
"Ahem, relax, both of you. I've been keeping this secret for a long time, but now it's time you learn some of it." Rhett coughed lightly, patting Relai on the shoulder.
"This..." Relai opened his mouth, but the words wouldn't come.
If anyone else had said this, he would've dismissed it as boastful nonsense.
But the one speaking was none other than his father—a man who seemed capable of anything!
"Huh? How did you manage it, Father?" Tark asked, his mouth opening wider and wider, almost resembling a bottomless pit. "Is it because you're the 'Child of the World'? I've heard people say that, so does that mean I'm the 'Grandson of the World'? But I don't feel anything special… although, I did comprehend a Profound Truth recently. Could it be because of that?"
As Tark rambled on, his excitement grew, and he spoke faster and faster, as if he had finally figured something out. His large eyes locked onto Rhett, eagerly awaiting confirmation.
Suddenly, a small stone fell to the ground.
Along with it came a surprised "Ow!" as Tark stumbled backward, holding his forehead where a large bump had formed. He looked both pained and pitiful, muttering, "Father, why'd you hit me? I'm not a kid anymore!"
"You deserved it!" Rhett said, his face darkening. "The 'Child of the World' is just a title we use to fool outsiders. In reality, the entire world bows to me! Only you two are the true 'Children of the World'..."
"W-what do you mean?" The thick-skinned Tark quickly recovered, his curiosity renewed, staring at his father with a dumbfounded expression.
Relai seemed to understand somewhat, though he was still deep in thought. His father had grown stronger, but at the same time, he had also become even more mysterious...
Rhett glanced at both of them and suddenly stood up, motioning for Tark to come closer.
"Tark, come here."
"W-what for?" Tark's face changed, his eyes filled with fear as he stammered, "Father, I was wrong! Don't hit me again. Can we change the punishment this time..."
Seeing Tark's reaction, Rhett couldn't help but chuckle. "Who said anything about punishment? Come here. I have something good for both of you. And you too, Relai—come closer."
"Oh, okay." The moment Tark heard there was a reward involved, his fear vanished, and he eagerly rushed over to stand beside Relai.
Rhett placed a hand on each of his sons' shoulders and asked them the same question:
"Are you willing to help build our home, never to betray it?"
Tark and Relai exchanged glances, unsure of what Rhett meant, but they nodded in unison, trusting him completely.
"Good!" Rhett exhaled and whispered, "Whatever happens next, don't resist."
"Understood!"
"Got it!"
Both nodded again, their eyes shining with anticipation as they gazed at their father.
Rhett closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into his inner sanctuary—his home.
Relai watched his father, his mind racing with curiosity, wondering what was about to unfold.
Suddenly...
A force from deep within their souls pulled them in, their faces changing as they instinctively wanted to resist. But remembering their father's words, they forced themselves to relax.
In the next instant...
Everything went black, and when their vision returned, they found themselves in a strange, twisting space filled with swirling colors.
"Welcome to our home, my children."
Rhett's ethereal figure floated in the air, smiling at the bewildered Relai and Tark, whose faces were filled with confusion and wonder—exactly the reaction he had expected.
"Where are we, Father? Did you take us to another world?" Tark asked, looking around with wide eyes before turning to Rhett with a questioning look.
Relai, on the other hand, examined his body, marveling at the sensation. After stretching his arms and legs to get a feel for it, he stroked his chin and said, "This is our home? What can we do here?"
"There's much you can do…" Rhett smiled mysteriously, beckoning into the void.
A faint red light appeared in the distance, growing brighter as it drew closer. Soon, it formed into a humanoid figure.
Relai and Tark tensed up, struggling to comprehend what they were witnessing. However, seeing how calm their father remained, they gradually relaxed.
"Tark, Relai, it's a pleasure to meet you. Your father has told me much about you. One of you is incredibly wise, while the other is brave and bold. Heh, now that I see you, it seems his descriptions were spot on..." The figure, which appeared to be a person named Manu, smiled warmly as he greeted them.