Kael hadn't slept at all.
Despite his exhausted body, the whispers had haunted him through the entire night. They only ceased when the sun began to rise—but even then, rest would not come.
Today was the day of the Gate… and the final stage of his adoption into the Kaldras family.
Mousan woke with unusual joy. He jumped from the top bunk and landed on the floor with energy.
"Good morning, Kael! Are you awake?"
A tired sigh came from the bed below, carrying the weight of a broken night.
"Yes."
Mousan blinked. "Come on! It's our first day at the academy! We have to go!"
Another sigh, this time rougher:
"I can't. I still need to complete the adoption ceremony…Could you grab me a new training uniform? I won't have time to go myself."
Kael sat up. Mousan could clearly see the fatigue on his face.
"…Alright," he said. "But on one condition."
Kael raised a brow.
"What is it?"
Mousan lowered his head slightly, hesitant.
"Could we… maybe… be friends? If you want to of course."
Kael looked at him for a moment, then chuckled. He stood, wincing from the pain that shot through his side. He placed a hand on Mousan's shoulder.
"We're already friends."
Mousan's face lit up. His energy returned as if his heart had been set free.
He hurried into the bathroom, changed, grabbed his black backpack, and rushed for the door.
"See you later, Kael!"
Then he paused.
"Oh—right! I need your size."
Kael gestured to the blood-stained, dusty clothes in the corner.
"I don't know it. Just take those."
Mousan looked at them, winced.
"Oh…Don't worry. I'll figure something out."
Kael sat back, holding his side again. The black blood hadn't left his thought for a second. Even thinking felt like dragging a mountain.
He pulled out the token Tharamis had given him—the one hidden beneath his shirt.
"Maybe I'll find the answers there," he muttered.
A few minutes passed before Silvana arrived to escort him.
They walked across the courtyard toward the family hall.
She glanced at him, quickly noting the exhaustion.
"What happened to you?" she asked softly.
"Let's just say… I was welcomed."
Silvana smiled faintly, then her tone sharpened.
"Listen to me. A formal gathering is being held to discuss your adoption. The family elders, advisors, and heads of the minor families will be there. Some of them may insult you or question your worth. Do not respond. Keep your head down."
Kael nodded silently.
******
The ceremonial hall stood as before—vast, echoing.
But this time, dozens of seats were arranged in a glowing ring, traced with faint blue threads of energy.
At the head of a long table sat Selene, the head of the Kaldras family.
She had left her usual throne to sit at the table directly.
Beside her sat a man with piercing blue hair, striking features, and snow-pale skin.
Unlike the other nobles—who wore formal black or grey suits with white shirts and ties—this man wore long, flowing white robes that covered him to the wrists, with black trousers and a matching underlayer beneath.
He seemed utterly uninterested in the proceedings. In fact, he was yawning.
As Kael entered with Silvana, every gaze turned to them.
Disgust.
Mockery.
Disdain.
Except from the blue-haired man—he didn't even look up.
The guards shut the doors.
Kael made to bow, but Silvana touched his shoulder, silently instructing him not to.
He straightened and stood still.
One of the elders rose first.
"Lady Selene, we are one of the Nine Families. We cannot allow ourselves to adopt strays into our bloodline—it would bring shame upon our name."
He gestured toward Kael, but didn't look at him.
"This child knows nothing of the world. Born in the lower layers… perhaps even a barbarian. Does he know how to speak?"
Laughter broke out across the room.
Kael didn't move. Didn't blink. Didn't care.
His only thought was:
"Damn… even standing hurts."
Another elder stood.
"I agree with Lord Alan. This creature has no parents, no history.
How can we, a proud bloodline, accept this… thing?
Even our own children sometimes fail to enter the academy. Yet lady Silvana wants to give him the Kaldras blood?
Animals cannot be taught human honor. We are already under pressure—we cannot risk another scandal."
Kael's expression didn't change. But inside, something stirred.
"Lord Alan… wasn't he the head of the academy? The father of those two?"
Kael remembered Mousan's words. A slow, cold smile spread across his lips.
One by one, the insults continued.
No one called him a child.
Not even a person.
Just "that thing", "creature."
When it was finally quiet, only Selene and the man beside her remained silent.
Silvana stepped forward to defend him—But Kael raised his voice first.
"How pathetic you all are."
Silvana's eyes widened. The whole room turned to him in shock.
Even the blue-haired man lifted his gaze.
Kael limped forward.
"I think I'll speak for myself."
He turned to Lord Alan and smiled.
"Lady Selene, perhaps there's something you missed.
Everyone in this room is acting together. Lord Alan's two sons attacked me yesterday—on my arrival. I beat them. Possibly crippled them. Now he wants revenge, so he turns this entire room against me."
Kael's gaze turned sharp, his red eyes glowing faintly.
"Yes. I was born in the lower layer. Yes. I have no parents. No bloodline. But this nameless, bloodless child—Broke every bone in the bodies of two stage two bloodline users."
He smirked.
"You should've heard them beg. 'Please, I'll serve you! I'll do anything!'
Now tell me—who's truly noble?
Those born with everything who beg for mercy…Or those born with nothing who force them to their knees?
If those are your proud heirs… Then maybe the Kaldras name deserves to fall."
Alan's face twisted with fury.
But what shook the room most was that Kael had just insulted the family—right in front of Selene herself.
Silvana pulled him back in panic.
"What are you doing, you fool?!"
The guards approached—
But then, a loud laugh burst through the hall. It came from the man beside Selene.
Pure. Deep. Unbothered.
"Hahaha! You're quite something, boy."
He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand.
"So. You defeated two stage twos?"
He turned toward Alan.
"Is that true? Your sons were beaten by him?"
Alan didn't speak. Just nodded, trembling with rage.
Kael raised a finger.
"Actually… it was three."
The man arched an eyebrow.
"Three? And no bloodline?"
Their eyes locked—blue to red.
and in the blink of an eye, Kael was no longer standing.
He was floating.
The man had lifted him—without movement, without warning.
He stood behind him, hand on his back.
"Very good," he said.
"I'll be training this one myself. And since he's my student— He'll receive nothing less than pure blood."
Alan burst.
"Lord Valdren! You are the Kaldras guardian! You can't seriously mentor this—thing!"
Valdren turned coldly.
"You're giving me orders now?"
He released a fraction of his power.
The room collapsed into chaos. Breaths stolen. Some lost consciousness. White foam spilled from mouths.
Only Selene remained standing. She sent out a single pulse.
Valdren sighed. And pulled back his aura.
Then came a word.
Not loud. Not cruel.
But absolute.
A word not heard with ears, But with soul.
"Awaken."
It left Selene's lips like silk and thunder. The entire hall vibrated with it. Everyone jolted awake at once, sweat running down their faces.
Valdren said calmly,
"I won't change my mind. He will attend the academy for study, but I alone will train him. As for the bloodline—Let the shadows decide its purity."
He turned to Silvana.
"The adoption will proceed now. Depending on the purity the shadows grant…We'll decide if he can truly be your son."
Silvana nodded.
Valdren placed Kael down.
"Your hand, boy."
Kael raised the back of his right hand.
Valdren extended a finger— Blue threads emerged, dancing and intertwining.
A mark formed: A split arrow piercing an hourglass.
The symbol of the Kaldras.
It glowed bright blue.
Valdren smiled.
"Welcome to the Kaldras Family."