Chapter 156 - Adopted Noble
Elliot closed the book and took a deep sigh. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temple.
There was a page that was folded and Elliot turned to it and read the words that were inside.
Another lore states that the Behemoths' powers were stored inside the stones before they were thrown away. Only one of the Behemoths were able to have been sealed inside, the rest were thrown and killed.
"Behemoths," Elliot chuckled. "What sheer nonsense. This was a waste."
–
"We're going on an Adventure," Elliot said, clapping his hand as he grinned in front of the two. "We have requested a joint mission for the League of Royals and Nobles and they have agreed to let us in on a quest."
"A quest?" Florencia pouted. "They always tell me if there's a new quest. Why didn't they tell me anything?"
"That's because they're still looking for a quest for us," Elliot replied. "This will be a Meteor quest, and everyone else will come."
"Everyone else as in your party?" Viper gasped. "I'm so excited for that. I've seen you fight at Solaguer and I swear, I have never seen a fight like that–"
Florencia covered Viper's mouth with her hands, eyes widening to signal the boy to stop what he was about to say.
This made scoffed, realizing that the two had been in the city when everyone else were evacuated. He crossed his arms and tapped his foot, feeling a vein in his head throb.
"So, care explaining why you were in the area when the sound of the Strike Bell Tower specifically means to evacuate?" Elliot asked, eye twitching.
"Well, w-we were…" Florencia stuttered, looking around and kicking a rock. She cleared her throat and looked at all places apart from Elliot.
"We wanted to help," Viper said. "I heard that you were all detained and were going to be executed. And I know you weren't that type of people."
"So?" Elliot quirked his brow up, bringing his hands on his waist. "What happened then?"
"I asked Florencia to come with me," Viper said in a whisper. "She really didn't want to come, but I forced her."
"Pathetic," Florencia scoffed. "I was the one who dragged you to Solaguer."
Viper's eyes widened. He shook his head and covered Florencia's mouth. "No, Flo. I was the one who asked you to come with me, remember?"
"Stop trying to be a hero, Vi," Florencia uttered under Viper's hands. "I dragged you there. I told you they needed help."
Seeing the two argue as to who to blame made Elliot massage his temples. He felt a headache stirring his mind after hearing the two argue.
"Guys, guys," Elliot finally said and got in between the two. "I'm not going to kill or punish you. I was just asking because I was concerned."
The two stopped momentarily, eyes looking at each other before they fixed their composure.
Viper cleared his throat and turned to Elliot, "Mr. Elliot, are you sure you're not mad?"
Elliot shook his head and grinned. "God forbid how many times I pulled a stunt like that made my friends scold me for. But you know, risking something is good but you have to put consider if the risk you're taking is really worth it. Or at least are you assured that the risk you're going to take will come your way and not the other way around."
"What do you mean?" Florencia asked with genuine curiousity in her eyes. Elliot was taken aback for a moment, surprised since it was the first time he saw the girl with the expression.
"You see, when you take risks, it's a 50/50 percent chance of getting what you want, and losing everything," Elliot started. "When I take risks, I make sure to have a sort of a safety net that allows me to be confident that something will catch me when all goes downhill."
The three were silent for a moment before a sound of footsteps sounded, coming towards them.
"Mr. Elliot? Viper?"
"Madam Josephine," Elliot said. "Stay here, both of you. I'll go to her and ask her what's going on."
The two nodded and let Elliot ran into where the voice came from. When he got there, he saw a panting Josephine, sweaty and tired.
"Are you okay?" Elliot asked, running towards her and catching her before she falls. "Are you hurt somewhere? What happened?"
"V-Viper's father…" Josephine panted. "He came back and he's coming after him."
"What do you mean? I thought his father had died?" Elliot asked. "Madam Josephine, what are you talking about?"
"His father is a nobleman," Josephine uttered. "He was born out of wedlock and his mother died giving birth to him. Now he's looking for an heir because his daughter had rebelled."
"Y-You don't mean…" Elliot trailed off, eyes widening as he heard a scream behind them. "Viper."
Giving a revitalizing tonic for the old lady, Elliot ran to where they were and spotted four knights along with Viper and Florencia. The armored men were mounting stallions that were almost twice the size of a normal horse. There was a crooked horns on their foreheads that sparked electricity.
"Who are you?" Viper asked. He brandished his sword and got in front of the knights, raising his sword at them. He raised his right hand beside him, getting the girl behind him. "Flo, get behind me. I'll protect you."
Florencia gently swept Viper's arm away and sighed. "What are you doing here? I told you I won't come back to the castle."
"We're not here for you, Lady Florencia," one of the knights said and unrolled a scroll. He cleared his throat before reading the contents of the scroll aloud. "I, Lord Damian of House Aberdaine, hereby grant my illegitimate son, Viper Armhood, a title of a Noble and the Heir to the House Garant and its seat in the City of Glassblade."
Florencia's eyes widened. She turned to Viper who had the same look in his face.
"V-Viper?" Florencia called out. "Y-You're my brother?"
The boy stared at the knights and found his gaze to Florencia. He was just as speechless as her, even trying to utter words, but he just couldn't.
"There must be some kind of mistake," Florencia said.
The knights answered her question with an unrolling of another scroll.
"I, Lord Damian of House Aberdaine, renounces all titles given to my adopted daughter Florencia Aberdaine. She will keep my name, but has lost the title of nobility and will not inherit any fortune from the house.. This is effective immediately."