I Died and Became a Noble's Heir

Chapter 387: I’ve Found Them

Jack left Rhys and Sylph in the hallway, the elf prince still muttering to himself about Caeloria while the spirit hovered nearby, looking exasperated.

He turned and walked toward his study with Seraphina following a step behind.

The corridors were quiet now that most nobles had departed. Morning light filtered through the tall windows, casting a golden glow across the polished floors. Servants began their day by cleaning and preparing for the day’s activities.

Jack pushed open his study door and stepped inside. The room was exactly as he’d left it: the desk covered with documents, the shelves lined with books, and the large window overlooking the manor grounds providing a clear view of the departing carriages.

He walked to his desk and sat down, his fingers drumming against the wooden surface as his mind worked through the logistics of what needed to happen in the next hour.

Seraphina stood near the door, waiting.

”Summon Father Caelen, S, and my father,” Jack said without looking up. ”Tell them I need to speak with all three immediately.”

”Yes, young master.” Seraphina bowed and departed, the door closing softly behind her.

Jack leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting to the window. Five days in a dungeon. One hundred twenty days of actual time spent training Rhys and hunting for a beast worthy of forming a contractor bond with. It would be the longest stretch he’d spent away from the manor since returning from the tower.

’Father Caelen needs to come,’ Jack thought, his fingers still drumming.

Ten minutes passed. The door opened again, and three figures entered.

Father Caelen came first, his white robes pristine as always, his staff tapping softly against the floor. His serene smile was in place, and his eyes carried that characteristic warmth that made people trust him instinctively.

S followed, dressed impeccably in his butler’s attire. His red eyes gleamed with interest, and his posture was perfect, playing the part of the refined servant.

Alaric entered last, his massive frame filling the doorway. The Duke’s golden eyes swept the room, assessing everything in an instant before settling on Jack. His expression was neutral, but curiosity lay beneath his stoic exterior.

”You summoned us,” Alaric said, closing the door behind him. ”What do you need?”

Jack gestured to the chairs arranged in front of his desk. ”Sit.”

Father Caelen and S took seats without hesitation. Alaric remained standing, his arms crossing over his chest as he studied his son with that calculating gaze that missed nothing.

”I’m going into a dungeon for five days,” Jack announced. ”I’ll be taking Rhys and Sylph with me to train them before we leave for Caeloria. Father Caelen, you’ll be accompanying us.”

Father Caelen nodded without surprise. ”Of course, young master. I serve willingly.”

Alaric’s eyebrow rose slightly. ”That’s fine. But why did you need me here for this? You don’t need my permission to go dungeon diving.”

Jack’s gaze shifted to S, then back to his father. ”Because I’m leaving S here. He’ll remain at the manor while I’m gone.”

”And?” Alaric’s tone carried that edge of someone waiting for the other shoe to drop.

”S is special,” Jack said. ”He can protect this family if you’re ever not around, Father.”

Alaric’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his golden eyes. Amusement, maybe? Or skepticism? ”Special how?”

”S and I signed a contract,” Jack explained, his voice carrying weight. ”He will forever look after this family. No matter what happens. No matter where I am. The Kaiser family will always have his protection.”

Alaric looked at S, his gaze sharpening. The contract demon met that stare without flinching, his red eyes calm and his expression serene.

Then Alaric chuckled.

It was a short sound, dry and almost surprised, as if he’d heard something genuinely amusing. ”You bound a demon to protect us? That’s bold, Jack. Even for you.”

”Not bound,” Jack corrected. ”Contracted. There’s a difference.”

”Is there?” Alaric’s tone suggested he knew there was, but wanted Jack to explain it anyway.

”S serves by choice,” Jack said. ”His power is his own. But the contract ensures loyalty. Forever.”

S inclined his head slightly, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. ”The young master is correct. I will serve the Kaiser family until the end of time itself.”

Alaric studied S for several more seconds, then shrugged. ”Fine. If you trust him, I trust your judgment. But why the precaution now?”

”Because I know you’re hunting the Meredith remnants,” Jack said bluntly. ”And I know you’ll be leaving the manor more frequently to track them down.”

Alaric’s expression hardened slightly. ”The Merediths are my concern.”

”They’re mine too,” Jack countered. ”The Thorne’s are a problem that needs to be eliminated. Anyone related to the Merediths benefits both of us when they’re dead.”

His father’s golden eyes gleamed with approval. ”True.”

”I have information that might help,” Jack continued, leaning forward slightly. ”Word has traveled from traders I use. Some remnants of the Meredith clan have been spotted trying to head south for the ocean.”

Alaric’s ears perked up, the first genuine reaction Jack had seen from him during the entire conversation. His father’s posture shifted, becoming more alert.

”South?” Alaric repeated. ”Toward the coast?”

”Yes,” Jack confirmed. ”They’re trying to flee the kingdom entirely. Probably planning to take ships to another continent where they can disappear.”

Alaric’s jaw tightened. ”How reliable is this information?”

”Very,” Jack said. ”The traders owe me favors. They wouldn’t lie.”

His father was silent for a moment, processing the information. Then he nodded once. ”I’ll move on this immediately. If they reach the ocean, tracking them becomes infinitely harder.”

”I assumed as much,” Jack said. ”Which is why I wanted S here. While you’re hunting Merediths and I’m in the dungeon, someone needs to protect the manor and the family.”

Alaric looked at S again, then back at Jack. ”You are a strong boy, Jack.”

”Thank you, Father,” Jack said, his gaze shifting to Seraphina, who stood quietly near the door. ”Seraphina will coordinate with Octavia while I’m gone. They’ll be pushing the new mana potions I developed.”

Alaric’s lips curled into a silhouette of a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. ”You’re an excellent businessman, Jack. Destroy another family to make a name for yourself.”

Jack laughed; it sounded genuine. ”It’s just business, Father.”

”Is it?” Alaric’s tone carried that knowing edge again.

”Mostly,” Jack admitted, his smile fading slightly. ”But her emissary laid hands on Seraphina. Slapped her because she was a servant. I will never allow anyone to touch her.”

Seraphina’s posture stiffened slightly, though her expression remained neutral.

Alaric’s golden eyes tracked to Seraphina, then back to Jack. ”And?”

”Once someone offends me,” Jack said quietly, his voice carrying cold certainty, ”I return the suffering tenfold.”

The study fell silent. Father Caelen’s serene expression didn’t waver, but his eyes carried understanding. S’s smile widened fractionally, approval clear in his red gaze. Alaric simply nodded, as if Jack had just confirmed something he’d already known.

”Good,” Alaric said. ”Never let disrespect go unanswered. It sets a precedent.”

The conversation was winding down. Jack could see his father already preparing to leave, his mind clearly shifting to the Meredith hunt. Father Caelen sat patiently, waiting for further instructions. S remained perfectly still; his posture was immaculate.

Then a knock came at the door.

”Enter,” Jack called.

The door opened, and a servant stepped inside. A young man, maybe twenty years old, dressed in the Kaiser household’s standard uniform. He bowed low, his voice carrying the careful neutrality of someone delivering important news.

”Master,” the servant said as he bowed. ”Finn has returned from his journey.”