Divine Beast Ascension

Chapter 245: Family Matters

Everyone around the room was floored by that announcement. Hurman’s old friends felt conflicted, having teased Hurman about ascension while wondering what could cause such a thing. Liz’s grip lessened slightly, but only so she could hold Hurman’s hand more gingerly in support.

“Good,” Rhyner continued. “Do you know about Melida being poisoned?”

“What?”

“And there’s the root of the problem...” sighed Rhyner. “Mertin agreed to help Libarn only to gain access to their underground connections in search of a cure. But Hurman didn’t know that Melida’s unknown disease was caused by a different sort of poison administered somewhat regularly by your assistant manager, Hrald.”

“WHAT?! But–”

“That’s how Claud secretly connected himself to your family, through his unknown nephew. It was the joint work of Claud and Reginol that led to your family being wrapped up in debt and internal insurrection,” stated Rhyner. “And we had someone on the inside of Claud’s hidden drug business finally give up major details, though it was only after force had been implemented...”

“So Mertin was forced to work on the black market in order to find and afford a cure to the poison that was being adminstered by his own employer?” Oli deduced. “That’s... a bit more underhanded than just selling something under the table.”

.....

“And also quite illegal,” added Rhyner, “though incriminating them would be somewhat difficult without Mertin’s ledger. That being the case since Mertin willingly handed my representative hawk the ledger without any suggestion or persuasion necessary, I’m willing to wipe his hands clean of what he did for the Libarn Guild. However, he will also be exiled and unable to return after the Practor Family departs for Iron Territory. As for further punishment, I’ll leave that to the Practor Patriarch...”

“Thank you, Master Rhyner!” Hurman shouted, offering another bow.

“Just handle it accordingly. There’s no need to thank me for something this trivial.”

“Yes...”

“Now, you’re all dismissed!” shouted Rhyner, pointing to the door. “But don’t let those two in just yet. Lizza and I need a moment in private.”

Respecting his orders, everyone bowed one last time before stepping out. Vloz jumped back into Oli’s shadow as they followed Hurman and Liz out of the Trighton Residence, still hand in hand. Nixt and Bastol chatted amongst themselves while they followed Jarrit toward the public space of the Trighton Institute. They would need to prepare their already existing formation before Jarrit could leave with Vloz.

Reginol and Claud were ignored again as the doors were closed, leaving Lizza alone with her husband. But Lizza was much calmer than Rhyner was expecting as she stepped toward him and he dropped the silencing formation.

SLAP!

“I deserve that...”

“What are you doing?!” Lizza shouted, dropping the calm persona she had adopted near the end of the meeting. “Why would you strike her from the family?! And exile?! REALLY?! WHY?!?!”

“...” Fubbing his assaulted cheek and looking down at his desk in disappointment, Rhyner sighed. “I’m not strong enough...”

“What–”

“I’m still not strong enough, Lizza,” repeated Rhyner. “This wasn’t my plan but I had to do that. Please believe me when I say that, Lizza. If you trust me as your husband and the father of our children, please trust me when I say that was the last thing I wanted to do...”

“You...” Lizza readied her hand to strike his other cheek, but she stopped. With everyone else gone and the meeting over, Lizza finally found the emotion she had been looking for on Rhyner’s face. His watery eyes. His sorrowful frown. And his unsteady breathing. “... Then why? Tell me that much.”

“Because I had no other choice... I’ve been given a new means of reaching my goal, but this is the greatest cost of that.”

“Then–”

“And my old plans were destroyed. This is now the only way,” Rhyner stated clearly, making sure Lizza understood how serious the matter was. “Right now I can’t say much, but this won’t be the last time you see her. If anything, won’t this finally give her what she wants?”

“... Maybe?” Lizza sat herself on the chair’s armrest and threw an arm around Rhyner. “Promise to tell me when you’re able?”

“Of course.”

“Good... Then should we call him in?”

“Yeah, please do.”

“BURT!” As Lizza shouted, she turned to a sidewall. She watched as one bookshelf opened up and a blonde, young man shyly stepped out.

“Hey, Mom, Dad...”

“First off, who gave you permission to enter the tournament?” Lizza questioned straight away.

“Liz said I could–”

Knock! After pounding lightly on his head, Lizza sighed, “Just because you helped your sister’s investigation, doesn’t mean you can break our rules. You know better than to show off.”

“But I’ve never fought anyone like Oliver or Fulkar! I wanted to fight Trenk too, but he–”

“Burt...” Rhyner sighed and leaned forward to get a better view of his youngest son. “You aren’t supposed to show your essences to anyone, let alone the public. I’m fine with you now living a public life, but you’re still not allowed to show all of your skills.”

“But–”

“Listen,” Rhyner continued, “you’re lucky I’ve found somewhere to send you so that your appearance in the city can be overlooked with time. There you’ll be allowed to live in public, visit people, or do anything you want.”

“Really? That–”

“So long as you only use lightning and wind.”

“... But that’s no fun.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Understanding her husband’s intentions, Lizza tilted her head to the side and stated her case, “You’ll be monitored by your sister while you’re away. There you’ll be able to fight plenty of strong opponents but you’re only allowed to use dark and light in private training with your new instructors.”

“New instructors? But I’ll get bored with them, like I do with Jarrit...” sighed Burt, throwing both hands behind his head.

“Not with them you won’t,” chuckled Rhyner. “These instructors will be much more hands-on with you, and they’ll have permission to fight back in a controlled environment.”

“Finally!”

“But if you do anything to reveal your essences in public again, we’ll be forced to take extreme measures and hide you even more than before.”

“I promise I won’t!” Burt zipped up to his parents, hugging them both. “I promise to behave, like I used to!”

Chuckling along with his wife, Rhyner nodded. “Good. Now go and call those two in. I’m curious to see Claud’s reaction when he sees you without a mask.”