The Cheat Seed

Chapter 28

"I SPOKE AGAINST THE KING FOR YOU, MY SON!" Albert cried out in a single breath, his voice cracking with emotion.

Marcus, still kneeling before his parents, slowly released his hands from his father's grip and rose to his full height. The confession hung in the air for a moment before an unexpected sound broke the tension.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Marcus's laughter echoed through the room, his shoulders shaking as he clutched his stomach. Little Evy, not understanding the situation but delighted by her brother's mirth, giggled along from her perch on the sofa.

Albert and Reirin exchanged bewildered glances, utterly confused by their son's reaction.

"That was it?" Marcus finally managed between fading chuckles. "And here I thought it was something much worse."

His parents stared at him, mouths slightly agape.

"Dad," Marcus said, arching one eyebrow, "aren't you forgetting something?"

Albert's brow furrowed in concentration, searching his memory for whatever his son might be implying.

"Aren't... you... forgetting something?" Marcus repeated, gesturing broadly to himself with a sweep of his hands.

Albert's confusion only deepened. He looked to Reirin, who appeared equally perplexed. They shook their heads in unison.

With a gentle chuckle, Marcus broke the awkward silence. "Me! I'm right here." His voice softened. "And I'm a high-ranking Seed user now. The king can't touch me."

He turned fully toward his parents, his expression shifting from amusement to something more solemn. "You stood against the king for me. Thank you." His voice dropped to nearly a whisper. "So as your son, I, Marcus, will even stand against gods if necessary."

As he spoke these last words, something changed. Though his head remained turned toward them, his body went perfectly still. His eyes flashed crimson, and the air around him began to distort. An invisible pressure descended upon the room, making it suddenly difficult to breathe. The very atmosphere seemed to rupture around him, reality bending in response to his mere presence.

"This aura..." Albert gasped, a mixture of terror and pride washing over his face. "Son, you are a BEAST!"

"Nah," Marcus replied casually, though his eyes remained that unsettling red. He met his father's gaze directly. "I'm something more than a beast."

With those words, his eyes gradually returned to their natural greenish hue. The pressure receded, allowing his family to breathe normally once more. But Albert wasn't fooled—he'd felt the true extent of his son's power in that brief moment, and it had nearly brought him to his knees.

"I'll go freshen up," Marcus called over his shoulder as he headed toward his bedroom. "Mom, please prepare dinner. I'll have a feast tonight." He stuck his head back through the doorway with a grin. "It's been almost a millennium since I had Mom's delicious cuisine."

Reirin smiled at the compliment, not realizing that for Marcus, the statement wasn't hyperbole—it was his lived reality.

"A millennium. Haizz," Marcus sighed as he grabbed a towel from his cabinet.

He stripped off his tattered clothes and flicked on the light—a marvel of combined Light and Lightning magic that still impressed him despite everything he'd witnessed. The bathroom floor gleamed with cleanliness, bringing unexpected emotion to his throat.

His parents had kept everything immaculate, preserved in time like a shrine to their missing son. They had never given up hope that he would return. That simple realization nearly brought him to tears.

After a long, refreshing shower, Marcus donned his kimono and capris once more. He chuckled, noticing his old clothes still hanging in the wardrobe—garments he had completely outgrown. Red streaked across his cheeks as he realized just how small he had once been.

When he entered the dining room, the table was set perfectly with five chairs arranged in precise alignment. Evy sat in a booster seat, struggling adorably with the food on her plate. The spread before them was magnificent—at its center, a Fire Den Turkey, his absolute favorite, nearly the size of the table itself.

Marcus's mouth watered at the sight. He moved toward his chair, eyes fixed on the massive roast. In his distraction, his leg bumped against his seat—and the chair exploded sideways, shooting through the back door and disappearing into the yard with a distant crash.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Marcus apologized awkwardly as his family stared at him, eyes bulging in shock.

"Hehe... Haaaaizzz," he sighed, embarrassment coloring his face.

He retrieved another chair from the living room, moving with exaggerated care. As he settled at the table, a thought surfaced in his mind, unrelated to the system's usual commentary: 'WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.'

Marcus nodded in solemn agreement, stroking his chin as he reflected on the wisdom of those words.

[SERIOUSLY? What's with this cliché line?] the System shouted inside his head, snapping him back to reality.

"Marcus, start eating," Reirin urged, taking her place beside him.

"Ah, yeah," he replied, focusing on the feast before him.

The family of five ate together, conversation flowing freely as they helped Marcus catch up on everything he'd missed. They shared stories, laughter, and occasional comfortable silences that spoke of their relief at being whole again.

Later, as his mother cleaned dishes in the kitchen with her water spells and his sisters played in their room, Marcus found himself alone with his father. There was still one question burning in his mind.

"Dad?" he began hesitantly.

"What is it, son?" Albert replied with an encouraging smile.

"I actually forgot to ask earlier... what exactly did you say to the king that got you banished from the palace? I mean, you're among the best mages in Krozon."

The smile faded from Albert's face, and Marcus immediately regretted bringing up the subject.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me every—"

"I TOLD HIM YOU'LL COME BACK," Albert interrupted, his voice firm and unapologetic.

"Huh?"

"I told him that my son would return and prove his worth right before his eyes." Albert's gaze was unwavering, pride evident in every line of his face. "I challenged the king to a battle upon your return—you, my son, against his younger son, Gabriel Richard."

A heavy silence fell between them as Marcus absorbed his father's words. The bold declaration. The absolute faith. The complete conviction that Marcus would return, not just alive but strong enough to face the prince who had tormented him.

In that moment, Marcus realized that his father had never doubted him—not even when he had doubted himself.