SYSTEM ASCENSION

Zeal smiled. ”Why are you taller than I am?”

He folded his lips.

’When I used to carry you on my shoulders.’

”Did you just use your eyes?” Elias tossed him a bag. ”Wear clothes, pervert.”

Zeal caught the bag and pulled out the clothes. He put on the trousers first.

”How did you know I’ll need clothes?”

”You fight recklessly.”

”Hmm, really?”

He wore the cloth and zipped up. ”is this your clothes?”

”Why?”

”I’m basically swimming in it.” He tugged the collar.

”That’s what I’d like to know. ”Elias stepped closer. ”What’s the downside of your ability?”

The question caught Zeal off guard.

”What?”

”I’m asking about the downside of messing with the timeline?”

”You...” Zeal gasped. ”Are you worried about me?”

Elias flinched. ”what?”

”You’re worried about me!” He snickered. ”My little highness is worried about me.”

”That’s not it!”

”Awn, he’s flustered!”

”No! Shut up!”

”It’s no big deal.”

”Huh?”

Zeal huffed, gripping the edge of his collar over his mouth. ”It simply takes my time as a replacement. In other words, your clothes are this big because I’m younger than an hour ago.”

”...”

Elias stepped closer and grabbed his shoulder.

”Then why do you keep using it?!”

Zeal flinched. ”I... it’s not a big deal...I mean, I just got younger that’s all. Think of it like immortality, although I have to quit using it for a while, or you’ll have to carry me as a baby.”

His explanation only made Elias furrow his brow in suspicion.

”C’mon. What’s the look for? Do you think I am lying?”

”You don’t look like you’re lying,” Elias released him. ”You look younger too. But you’re not telling the truth either.”

Zeal flinched.

”I’m... fine. Really.”

He grabbed Elias hand and dropped the bullet they had shot at him.

”I didn’t see this when I was with them.”

Elias raised the bullet into the dim light of the sky and observed it. ”this is condensed poison.”

”I thought as much.” Zeal muttered. He swayed slightly and released a slight cough.

”Can I...shut my eyes?”

Elias’ eyes returned to him. ”Only for a moment.”

”Only for a moment,” he repeated calmly, eyes going shut. ”Alright...”

He collapsed forward, and Elias caught him before he could fall.

The noise continued to unfold around them, while the league master lay unconscious in Elias’s arm. Elias simply pocketed the bullet, before putting his hand around Zeal’s thigh, lifting him off the ground like a little child.

He turned back to the direction of the portal and began to leave.

From a distance, the numbers in the scene saw Zeal being carried outside.

”Was our league master that small?” Owen placed his hand on his chin and asked.

Remy glanced over and snorted right after. ”He was smaller when he beat the living daylight out of all of us. He slapped me so hard I forgot my gender.”

Owen grinned. ”I broke two ribs.” He turned around. ”Let’s finish up before he wakes up. I don’t want to experience that again.”

___

Torzi empire continued to be busy even after a week of the incident. Many of the children were returned home, and those who had lost everything were given a place to stay. As for the disposals, only two were left alive because they had hidden from Zeal and were later captured. During interrogation, they were discovered to be henchmen and knew nothing.

During those one week, Zeal and Elias continue to stay in the Dashad household. While Zeal spent the week eating the patriarch’s dessert, Elias spent it with Quil’s siblings. Each day, he’ll take the children out of the house to sound league branch and would only return a sundown.

By the beginning of the second week—

”Open the gates!”

The massive gate shifted open as horses galloped in. Carriages followed behind.

Zeal stared out the window from the top floor with the patriarch, hands folded across his chest.

”I was wondering why I didn’t see your little Brats. So they were not around.”

”They went to the academy.” The patriarch replied.

”And the brats mothers?”

”Probation,” the man snorted. ”They had a huge fight recently so I gave them time to sort themselves out. Alone.”

”Hmm.”

Zeal turned away from the window and returned to sit. The man also followed him.

”I have been meaning to ask. Did you use your ability on yourself?”

”What do you mean?”

”It seems you can manipulate time,” the patriarch sat opposite him. ”Did you somehow make yourself younger?”

”I can’t use it on myself, but it’s similar.” The league master shrugged.

”You look younger than Rowen. Almost like the same age as sir Elias.”

”Really?! Did I shrink that much?!” He gasped. ”What sort of big brother would be younger than his younger brother?!”

The patriarch snorted. ”The boy was taller than you to begin with.”

”Damn you!”

”That comes down to the boy,” the patriarch was suddenly serious again. ”I don’t understand why the disposal would venture into the black empire and kidnap the heir. Black empire is an unbridgeable fortress to begin with.”

”It seems Richard sent them over to Salvador for an alliance sealing. Knowing Elias, he probably chose to tag along and got caught up in the kidnap.”

”And why hasn’t he acted? The black emperor I mean.”

Zeal leaned back. ”Hmm, I dunno? Knowing Richard, he probably prioritizes a problem over his son’s life.”

”What? He doesn’t care?”

”That’s not it,” Zeal tilted his head. ”From the start, Elias was an anomaly that didn’t go through the basics steps like learning how to walk or talk. Everything comes naturally. He started hunting monsters when he was two. I remember always pursuing him around,”

”Basically a monster in human skin.”

Zeal laughed. ”Yeah. Like that. Anyways, no matter how the father loves his son, he’ll only drag back the child who needs no protection from him. Richard must be trying to find him, but isn’t going extreme because he knows Elias.”

”So both father and son are delaying the war?”

Zeal shrugged. ”Richard has a short temper. He might wake up and burn down the Aoi continent. He’s quite a doting father.”

”Aaa...” Patriarch Dashad massaged his forehead with his thumb. ”We’re just riding the father and son’s unpredictable character.”

”Yes. Exactly.”

Before the man could say anything else, the door opened. A maid rushed in.

”I apologize, patriarch,”

”What is it?”

”The young masters and mistresses are back,”

”I know.”

”But...” The maid hesitated.

”What is it?”

”An incident occurred. Sir Elias broke all the young masters’ right hands.”