A Way of Redemption

Chapter 2

"Young master! Please stay awake!" the butler shouted as he had no choice but to lay down the young man. The youth's condition was clearly dire—his body was so malnourished and thin that he looked as if he could be blown away by the wind. As if destiny itself was at play, two people entered the room. First was a beautiful woman whose hair shone like the sun, accompanied by dazzling ruby-colored eyes. She carried such dignity that even in shabby clothes, her presence would be unmistakable. With her was a good-looking middle-aged man. But make no mistake—looking closely, one could see this man bore the weight of countless experiences. His very posture emanated an aura of bloodlust that permeated the air around him.

"What happened to my son?! I thought you said he was awake." The woman's voice was laced with worry for her child's wellbeing. "Madam Seraphina and Elder Lucianus, please don't fret. The young master is just too weak to stay awake right now. It was even a miracle that he regained consciousness, if only briefly," the butler composed himself as he answered the woman's inquiries.

"Don't worry about Frances, my daughter. I can sense from his aura that he is slowly recuperating," the wise Elder said in his husky voice, reassuring his daughter. His words proved effective—Seraphina trusted her father dearly and began to calm down. Still, she walked toward her son with the look of a worried mother who couldn't bear to see her child so weak. In her mind, if she could only take away her son's pain, she would gladly do so. She wanted nothing but the best for her one and only child. All she could do now was sit beside her sleeping son's figure.

"Everyone may go now, except for the maids attending to the young master," the butler commanded, proving himself quite adequate in reading the room and providing privacy for the madam and elder. Everyone left except two maids, with the butler bowing respectfully before his departure. The remaining maids hurried to gather cloth and water to tend to the young master's perspiring skin. Before they could begin, however, the madam signaled them to hand over the cloth, determined to care for her child herself.

"Give it to me," she said firmly. The maids hesitated, caught between avoiding rudeness by disobeying and allowing their master to perform their duties.

"Child, don't intrude on the servants' work. We should let them do their jobs while we have a chat. Don't worry—these two are little Frances's most trusted aides," the elder intervened, ushering the woman to the far right of the room where an intricate small table and two chairs waited.

"Yes, Father," the woman replied sadly, relinquishing her attempt. With a final look at her son, she walked to the table where the elder awaited. Lucianus held the chair for Seraphina before taking his seat opposite her.

"Now Seraphina, tell me how this happened to your boy?" Lucianus asked, the air growing serious around them.

"Actually, Father, I never knew Frances was experiencing such torturous behavior at the academy," Seraphina said, weeping at the sight of her child.

"Child, you are not at fault here. As part of the Rayos Family, you are entitled to certain responsibilities. But I cannot contain my anger now that this has happened to my grandchild. What was your brother-in-law thinking, not paying attention to him!" The Elder's outburst released such immense pressure that even the maids trembled in fear.

"Dad, stop this at once. If you keep releasing your aura, the maids and Frances will be hurt," Seraphina said calmly, signaling one of the maids to bring tea—a subtle ruse to clear the room for their conversation. The maids hurriedly left, and after a few moments of silence, the Elder spoke again.

"So, what really happened at the academy? Last time I saw my boy, he was plumper than this," Lucianus said, his words tinged with anger.

"Well, Father, from what I've investigated, people were bullying my child since he joined. This incident was orchestrated by someone belonging to a higher power," Seraphina said, clenching her fists in anger at her perceived failure.

"Child, as I said, you did nothing wrong. We nobles must fulfill our assigned responsibilities. Even we cannot counter the king's ruling," Lucianus consoled her, sighing as he held her hand.

"And remember, though we bear this heavy burden, we must still uphold the Rayos family dignity. As our predecessors always said, we must pay everything back in full," Lucianus declared, his eyes blazing with determination to find those responsible for his grandson's condition. His words brought a consoled smile to the madam's face, grateful for her father's full support in investigating the disaster that befell her son.

Meanwhile, in an unknown location, a majestic temple stood, its white walls laden with gold. Inside this mysterious and magical place, sprites and elementals roamed freely among people wearing robes emblazoned with a twelve-rayed sun symbol. Though the humans couldn't see them, some spirits played with their mortal counterparts while others kept their distance.

At the temple's heart, before a statue of a hooded man holding a spear, knelt a woman of otherworldly beauty. Her purple hair and golden eyes gave her an angelic appearance, her features as perfect as if carved by the gods themselves.

"I sense the gods have finally given us our hope!" she suddenly exclaimed, leaping up from her position. Her outburst halted all activity in the temple—human and spirit alike. As if on cue, twelve rays of different-colored light burst from the temple's ceiling, illuminating the space. While others gaped in awe, the woman remained unfazed, kneeling once more to offer prayers of gratitude for the divine message.

The scene expanded to reveal the wider world—four major civilizations spanning each direction of the continent. Across the land, people paused to gaze skyward, confused by the phenomenon. Even Seraphina and Lucianus rose from their seats to look out Frances's window. Unknown to all, these rays of light were somehow being absorbed into Frances's body, embedding deeply into his soul.