Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend-Chapter 104: Still Playing These Games, Rhaelor?

In that instant, a sharp cling pierced the air. Raegar lunged toward the woman, but Jasper intercepted, blocking a lightning-fast strike. Sparks erupted in a dazzling cascade as his brother gritted his teeth, skidding backward under the force of the clash.

Raegar looked at Jasper, who was struggling to hold him back, but kicked back just as their mother got in the way with an enraged expression. ''Stop fighting now!''

Elise looked shocked at the sudden turn of events and stepped back as he pointed his dagger at her and warned with a voice full of promise. ''The next time you insult her, my brother won't be there to stop me.''

''Raegar! She's your sister-in-law!'' his mother barked, her voice slicing through the chaos before she whirled on the blonde, her eyes blazing with fury. ''And you, Elise Northwood, never speak ill of Yuki again! Apologize and behave like a proper lady, not some petulant child. What would your father Leonard say if he saw this?''

Victoria ushered Yuki and Elise away from the carriage, leaving him alone as Saki and the others went to relax. He quickly noticed Jasper trailing close behind their mother, eyes fixed on him.

Before a word could be spoken, a mocking voice he dreaded hearing cut through the air from behind. ''See, cousin Draevor, this is exactly why he's a Blackwood and not a Vaelthorne like us,'' the young man said.

Raegar spun around to face Rhaelor, Cassian's eldest son, standing there with a smug, cocky grin. The smile stretched even wider as his cousin's gaze landed on his face, his tone dripping with glee.

''Oh, look what we have here, seems someone's gone and ruined that face of yours, cousin,'' he teased. ''Who do I have to thank?''

''Still playing these games, Rhaelor?'' he answered with a chuckle. ''They're getting boring now, and I can become a Vaelthorne whenever, just like big brother, but I like the Blackwood name, so I'm keeping it.''

Read latest chapters at freёweɓnovel.com Only.

The older boy got visibly angry, prompting an attack on his face, which amused him even more. ''I see the ugly scars have given you some unknown confidence, but as the academy tests are nearby, I hope to see you at the Dawnfire Magic Academy.''

Raegar knew what he was trying to do and ignored it just as his mother, brother, and Yuki reappeared alongside a downtrodden Elise and a smiling Alisha. Victoria looked at Rhaelor, who gave her an innocent smile.

''Hello, aunty, it's good to see you, but I have to go find father to help him with the preparations,'' the young man suddenly said before leaving.

Just then, the blonde woman stepped forward and lowered her head. ''I'm sorry, Raegar. It was wrong to judge me from the scars. I didn't expect you to have fought a Devil Lord to save a strike squad.''

He waved her away with a smile. ''I'm sorry for trying to attack you. I'm protective over Yuki, and you insulted her so I reacted on instinct.''

''It shows how much you care for her,'' Alisha said with a smirk. ''Jasper is the same with us so we understand.''

Following that, Victoria led them into the mansion while speaking with a big smile. ''Raefar, Yuki. I have your outfits in my room, so relax until tomorrow as the family are still arriving, along with the nobles.''

The group walked through the Vaelthorne only to bump into Serenya, who was organizing the maids and their duties. Raegar smiled when seeing the older woman who turned to them only to go stiff.

''Is that you, Rae?'' she asked in a low voice.

He nodded, causing his aunt to burst forward and wrap him in a tight hug as she continued. ''What happened to your face? It looks like a monster tore it apart.''

Raegar returned to gesture with a smile before telling her about his fight with the Devil Lord, which shocked the older woman. She stepped back and cupped his cheeks with glowing red eyes.

''Father is going to be so proud of you,'' Serenya revealed. ''A Vaelthorne Devil Hunter, what a legacy to have, nephew.''

''More like the Aether King,'' Jasper added from behind with a snicker.

Victoria bopped the young man on the head making everyone laugh as Serenta ruffled Raegar's hair before greeting everyone. ''Hello, little sister. It's good to see you with your boys. But I'm curious, where's the girls?''

''They should be getting ready back at my quarters,'' his mother answered. ''Come by my room tonight; we should catch up; it's been months since I last saw you.''

Serenya nodded in agreement. ''Of course I will. I'll get to little Raegar some more,'' she replied.

Following that, his aunt resumed her work just as a flurry of maids rushed in, their voices overlapping in a frantic clamor about the wedding set for tomorrow. Their faces, tight with worry, betrayed the mounting pressure of the looming celebration.

When Victoria saw this, she hurried them along to get out of the way of the preparations, guiding the group through the sprawling mansion with steady resolve until they reached a calmer wing.

There, Blackwood Guards stood watch while some patrolled the halls, others stationed along the corridor. When the men and women spotted Raegar, they were shocked at his faces but didn't react too much.

At that moment, Jasper, Alisha, and Elise moved toward a nearby room as his brother paused to offer a farewell. ''Mother, I'll see you at dinner. For now, I need some rest and a bit of time with these two,'' he said with a nod.

The older woman hugged all three of them as his brother turned to him and apologized. ''I'm sorry for Elise's words, Raegar. Her history with demi-humans is bad, so please leave what happened in the past.''

''Of course,'' he replied with a friendly smile before approaching the blonde who was standing off to the side talking to Yuki.

The maid was chatting, but when he appeared, her expression lit up, and Elise looked nervous, but he held out his hand. ''Would you like to put what happened behind us? You will be my sister tomorrow, and I'd prefer to get on.''

Everyone was shocked as Victoria and Jasper smiled as the young woman took his hand. ''I would like that Raegar. I'm sorry about my reaction to your scars. I was just shocked that someone so young received them.''

''Don't worry about it,'' he said with a wave. ''One day you'll have to take me and Yuki up north to see the Bleakspire Mountains. I heard just looking at them creeps you out.''

Elise nodded with a smile. ''I would love to, but be warned, the northern part of the empire is freezing. I suppose you know that thanks to attending Drakenwood Academy,'' she warmly responded.

Following that, Jasper dragged the blonde away as Yuki did the same to him, speaking. ''Come on young master, I want to make you some food, but you go take a bath and relax until I call you.''

Raegar let out a soft chuckle and followed her instructions, stepping into the bathroom as he shed his clothes. An hour later, the cat woman, Yuki, tugged him out with a playful insistence, presenting him with a steaming bowl of stew and a chunk of warm bread.

The unexpected gesture caught him off guard. ''This smells incredible,'' he remarked, tearing into the fresh bread.

Raegar dipped a torn piece of bread into the hearty stew and popped it into his mouth, relishing the burst of flavors across his tongue. As he ate, his mother swept into the room, her face lighting up with a wide smile as she looked at the cat woman.

''See, Yuki, I told you he'd love it. No need to worry over the food; he's always been one to enjoy a good meal,'' Victoria said.

The cat woman giggled before nodding in agreement. ''You're telling me? He's has a horde of eastern food in his storage ring.''

''So what?'' he defended himself. ''I like to taste all kinds of food.''

The trio laughed as the pink-haired beauty suddenly stood up with a smile. ''I'm going to check on mother; she's been quiet since arriving,'' she informed.

Raegar noticed his mother avoided the young woman's eyes prompting him to smile. Once Yuki left, he questioned her. ''Did you accept her as a sister wife then? Saki is a wonderful lady who could help you with father.''

Victoria's cheeks flushed red before she shot back, trying to hide a smile. ''How'd you figure that out, you little shit? But yes, I gave her my blessing to be with your father. Does that trouble you?''

''No, I'm not sure why you're bringing another woman into the mix, but Saki's a good woman just like Yuki, and its not like we're related, so it doesn't affect us,'' he replied with a shrug. His acceptance eased the tension in her shoulders, a visible wave of relief washing over her.