"First off, there has been a noticeable spike in profits recently. The Sepheth Clan has been under more beast wave attacks recently. They have ordered more materials to increase their defenses and weaponry due to the considerable damage they are taking. With that, they are also asking for support for the neighboring clans."
As the nobles talked about this information, various whispers and messages were sent around.
"Those pointy ears deserve it."
"I hope those beasts keep it up, what they get for living in a forest."
"Who would dare to help those arrogant bastards?"
Ignoring the talks, Sebastian continued.
"They have sent some scouts deep into the forest to determine the case… but not much has come back. They have reason to believe the seventh apostle is waking up.
Horror swept throughout the hall as the nobles shuddered in sweat.
Some looked like they had seen a ghost, others looked like they were ready for a fight, as a broad smile appeared on some of the top-ranking nobles.
"Commander Volark," Reidar ordered.
"Yes. My lord." A man knelt at the bottom of the staircase. Drenched in heavy plate armor as a fur coat covered his back.
"Send General Ulteic, and some master ranks. He just reached Grandmaster, so this should be a good place to test his new strength."
"By your will," Volark responded, as he stood up and headed out.
The event continued to play out as they went over important manners, before it started to lean into talking about the progress of the children.
This was the most difficult part for some nobles, as they would use this to show they had an upcoming talent, while others dreaded that theirs had none.
They would use this to help strengthen their family, and try to raise in nobility within the clan.
While the eight great clans were the overlords of a region, various families and lower-ranked clans were made up within, swearing loyalty and fealty.
The only way to gain power and increase their nobility was to either be strong enough themselves or have a child talented enough to bring them up. With power, they would be able to gather accomplishments and achievements to increase their reputation, allowing them to climb the ranks.
After that meeting was done, all the nobles became silent, as it was the Lord's turn. They were all curious to know what kind of progress his kids had made, as one of them would become the heir.
"Sebastian," Reidar ordered.
Walking forward with a notebook in hand, he slowly opened it as he read out loud.
"The eldest son is roaming the floating isle as a means of secluded training. We haven't heard much back, but in our last transmission, it was stated he had reached the Saint realm."
Various gasps could be heard upon hearing the eldest reach the Saint rank. A rank most wouldn't reach till the end of their life, unless they were talented enough.
Stella could be seen clapping her hands with a smile.
"Saint rank at 27 years old. He beat you, honey," She said to Rediar with a smirk.
Rediar only sat there with an emotionless expression.
"An insignificant realm, with insignificant power. Continue"
Stella could only sit there with a bored expression as she stuck her tongue out at Rediar.
"Your second has continued to create various types of new potions and medicine and has been given the rank of 'Alchemic master.' She has also entered the ranks of Grandmaster."
"Alchemic master at the age of 19? What kind of genius is she?"
"I heard she also fully mastered a new type of flame. The talent she was given is beyond scary."
Cough
A deep, resounding cough could be heard from the throne.
"That's a given as she's my daughter," Rediar said as a fist covered his mouth.
Blank faces appeared across all the nobles.
'A daughter's father.'
"The Third son is currently in the east somewhere, as we lost track not too long ago. It seemed he had made groundbreaking discoveries in magical engineering, especially with his new cloaking device. He is currently in his second year at Adovla Magic Research Institution - on spring break."
Reidar leaned into his throne as he rested his head on his hand.
"Once a runner, always a runner."
Sebastian closed his notebook before saying, "And that concludes the meeting."
The main hall became loud again as the nobles started to talk about how well their lord's children were doing.
Mostly just how well their first and second were doing.
As the talks started to die out before they were going to head out. An absolute silence came to life as Stella spoke a sentence nobody was expecting.
In a sweet tone voice, she asked Sebastian, "And how is my youngest doing?"
Everyone turned around to look at Stella.
Never would anyone think that she would bring up a talentless child, let alone one of her creations.
With small drops of sweat forming down Sebastian's head, he responded,
"We have no news on the fourth, as it was deemed non-purposeful."
Stella gave Sebastian a death stare, and the others wondered why she had even brought him up.
The silence was loud as Sebastian or anyone tried to think of an answer.
That was until the doors to the main hall opened up.
Powerful pressure pressed within the great hall as the nobles tried to stand. The heavy pressure signified someone of a high rank was walking in, without even trying to conceal their might.
An old man with a bald head walked in as everyone around quickly dropped to one knee and bowed their head as they quickly extorted.
"We greet the Head Elder!"
Rediar looked at the Head Elder with blank eyes,
"Why is a fossil in my main hall?"
"It seems the youngling still has a lot to learn. I came here because I found something interesting, but to think my son can still be blinded by his own pride."
Reidar started to slowly sit up from his throne, "It seems it's time I dug those fossils."
'Ow,' Reidar inwardly expressed, as Stella jabber her elbow into his side.
"What did you have to say, Father-in-law?" Stella asked in a sweet, pitchy tone.
"I heard you asked about your youngest son right before I walked in, Coincidentally, I came at just the right time, it seems."
"What do you mean?" Stella asked back.
"The youngest is currently in the manual hall," as the head elder's eye slowly started to drift to the left, as they pulsed with a blueish glow.
It seemed as though he wasn't just looking at the ground, but looking through the entire hall, all the way to the library.
With a slight smile, he finished, "And it seems he chose an interesting technique."
—-----------
Inside the Manual hall, Cain held his left arm against the bookshelf as he looked at the ground, sweat dripping down like he had run up and down a mountain.
He took deep breaths as he tried to control his breathing and lower his heart rate.
He only had 3 minutes left before he would be sent out.
As the time ticked down for the last two hours, he started to run all around, as he searched for a manual.
He found one that glowed bright red, and as he continued to read through it, it was almost perfectly tailored for him. It involved creating multiple cores outside the body to house mana, but quickly put it back, as it involved the chopping of one's arms and legs and replacing them with beast parts, as the human body wasn't designed to house multiple cores. It even showed the process of how to do it.
Every manual after that one required a sacrifice that Cain wasn't going to take, or it required the use of mana. He even found a few books that had a white glow to them, books that used a derived form of mana.
But mana was the basis of everything; if he couldn't control its main form, he would never be able to use a derived one at that.
As the time ticked down from the three-minute mark, Cain could only hopelessly give up
He wouldn't leave with anything.
Out of frustration, he slammed his fist against the bookshelf, holding it in place as blood dripped from his hand.
The vibration and force from hitting the bookshelf cause books to fall from all levels.
He looked down the aisle as the books fell one by one, until they reached the end.
And that was when he saw it. A book glowed with a bright rainbow color. It was hidden on the top shelf, covered by a bunch of gray colored manuals.
Cain watched in slow motion as the book fell from the top shelf, before safely landing on top of the gray manuals.
The book looked ancient, as it had no cover, and the outer edges were partially destroyed. Dust could be seen lining the pages. It seemed as though the book had been sitting in here since the start of the clan, and no one had found it.
It was just lying there, waiting for someone to pick it up.
And Cain knew that was what he was looking for.
Taking the first step, he immediately felt a pull on his back.
"It's sending me out!?"
Resisting the pull, Cain quickly tried to step forward as he planted his next step in the ground.
The force was increasing its pull with each second.
Cain grabbed onto the bookshelf to hold himself as he continued with his next step, slightly sliding back against the silky smooth flooring.
Cain looked forward with unwavering eyes. He needed that book, and he was about to find his limits.
Cain dug deep with each step as he fought the pulling force.
One step after the next, his muscles straining as he pulled himself forward.
As the pull continued to increase, Cain lowered himself each time to make sure he had his center of gravity to rely on, for the moment he stood up, he would be sent right out.
Cain narrowed closer, the book becoming within reach, before he felt it.
A force unlike any other began to pull back.
He had passed the four hours.
Feeling the indomitable force starting to pull him back, Cain strained every ounce of strength he had left in his legs before making a jump forward, then instantly being thrown out.