Fire Mage-Chapter 690: Explanation

Chapter 690: Explanation

Charles and Runeth stood still at the gate, waiting.

Thirty long minutes passed.

Finally, the gates creaked open.

"You may enter now." The guard returned the Elder Seal and whispered something to his companion. Ivan, hearing it, sheathed his sword and gestured for them to pass.

Charles and Runeth stepped inside, walking across a courtyard brimming with greenery and artfully arranged plants. A polished stone pathway guided them past a majestic fountain at the center, its water catching the ambient light in a shimmering dance.

As they entered the mansion, the grandeur only deepened. The spacious foyer was adorned with detailed tapestries and antique furnishings, exuding prestige and power. They moved through corridors lined with historic artwork and subtle enchantments, the very walls whispering tales of the Nightwind legacy.

The symbol of the family—a winged night owl—was embedded into the floor, intricately designed.

Finally, they entered a large chamber.

At its center, seated on an ornate throne, was an elderly man. He had silver hair, a broad forehead, a square face, and sharp, observant eyes. He wore a flowing blue robe and rested his chin on his hand, studying Charles with quiet curiosity.

Five others sat in the chamber—four men and one woman—each dressed differently, each exuding a distinct aura.

Charles’s eyes narrowed as he sensed a chaotic energy from one of the men.

He looked no older than twenty-five, with dazzling blonde hair, crimson-red eyes, and an oval face. He wore a fine blue surcoat over his attire and watched Charles with charming intensity.

For a brief moment, Charles felt something twist in his chest—an unnatural pull on his emotions.

A flicker of surprise crossed his face as information flowed into his mind.

...

[Status Information]

Name: Ekemir

Race: Human / ???

Class: Chaos Maker

Sub-Class: Mind Manipulator

Attributes:

Strength – 25

Dexterity – 29

Constitution – 32

Wisdom – 154

Charisma – 24

Class Skills:

Chaos Body Corrupt Invasion Breath of Chaos Demon’s Eye Wicked Mind Seed Corrupt Mist of Blood

Subclass Skills:

Fate Swift Unpredictable Mind Mind Walking

Unique Skills: ?????

...

Charles scanned all the other Elders in a mere two seconds, but found nothing unusual.

’But there’s definitely an interesting imposter among them...’

At that moment, Patriarch Diego turned a calculating gaze toward Charles.

"Charles... are you the one who brought the Elder Ring? How did you acquire it? And what brings you to my estate?"

Charles calmly met the Patriarch’s gaze, bowed his head, and asked,

"I have a few questions for the Elders and the Patriarch of the Nightwind Family. May I ask them?"

A strange silence fell over the hall.

"And what sort of questions are those?"

Charles didn’t hesitate.

"Do you remember Harry Nightwind from your family, Patriarch?"

"Harry Nightwind? From one of the branch families?" Diego raised an eyebrow, recalling. "Ah, the genius who fell victim to the Raven family’s schemes. Wasn’t that the case you took on, Elder Luna?"

His inquisitive gaze shifted to the young woman seated gracefully at his right.

Wavy blue hair framed her face, and her deep blue eyes held a quiet enigma. Her round features gave her a youthful appearance, seemingly stuck in her mid-twenties. A flowing green robe draped elegantly over her, and the circular glasses perched on her nose added an intellectual charm. She held a book in one hand—an apt symbol of the knowledge she wielded.

Yet behind the mask of youth lay 240 years of experience. Celebrated as a prodigy of the century, her life had not been entirely her own. Political pressure and family insistence had pushed her into marrying the Patriarch’s eldest son, drawing her into the core of the Nightwind lineage.

"Yes, Lord Diego," Luna replied, adjusting her glasses. "But even after interrogating the Raven family’s head for two decades, I’ve yet to find the true cause of Harry’s death."

She turned toward the young man standing before them, eyebrows lifting.

"Your name is Charles, isn’t it? Wait... Harry’s son—the boy that vixen Eve took away—he was named Charles too."

Her eyes widened as the realization struck.

"Y-You’re that child?"

She couldn’t hide her shock.

’Strange... judging by their reactions, the Nightwind family really doesn’t know our whereabouts. And they’re still interrogating Oswald Raven? Are they pretending? Or did the Truelord family hide everything from the Patriarch?’

The other Elders and even Diego were visibly startled, their expressions shifting between shock, confusion, and restrained anger.

’I can understand shock and confusion, but why is Elder Luna angry? And yet, there’s no hostility.’

Though no one acted aggressively, Charles didn’t trust a single soul in that hall.

He also disliked being interrogated and asked his next question directly.

"And does anyone know what happened to Martin Nightwind?"

"Martin Nightwind..." Luna’s expression darkened as she recalled something.

"Charles... it’s really you!" she suddenly rose to her feet, releasing a wave of wisdom power and trying to pressure him.

But a mysterious force pulsed through the hall, blocking her power from reaching Charles.

Only then did everyone shift their attention to Runeth, gauging his strength.

’Rank-5 powerhouse?! How did I not notice him before?’ Even the Patriarch looked visibly shaken.

"Please, restrain yourself, Your Excellency," Diego said, voice grim. "I don’t know your relationship with the son of a traitor and bloodline killer, but we need to detain and question him."

Runeth gave a small, amused chuckle and stepped forward.

"Forgive this poor man for his lack of manners. My name is Runeth. I’m Charles Nightwind’s teacher. I know it’s rude to interfere, but I can’t stand idle while my student is forced into a cell. Do you think he killed Martin Nightwind without reason? Instead of imprisoning him, shouldn’t we try to understand why he acted?"

His words made the Elders and the Patriarch fall silent. It was clear what he was suggesting.

"You make a fair point," Diego muttered, then turned to Charles with a thoughtful gaze. "Go on, tell us your reason."

Charles gave a respectful bow and began.

"On June 5th, Year 6396, my mother and I were kidnapped by men under the command of someone named James. We were tortured. I eventually defeated him and saved my mother, only to learn he served Martin Nightwind."

He then recounted everything: his joining of the Withering Shadows, the land dispute where Eddie Nightwind once lived, and the brutal murder of his mother at the hands of Martin and his friends.

"After that, I had no choice but to flee. My teacher sheltered me. And when my grandfather, Oswald, discovered my mother’s killers and invited me to hunt them, I didn’t hesitate. I killed every last one of them—with his help."

He pointed to Runeth, then asked coldly,

"Now tell me, what crime have I committed?"

The hall fell silent again.

"Though your actions may be justifiable, you should’ve come to us," Diego replied, his gaze firm. "Let me ask: is your purpose here to uncover why Martin killed your mother?"

"Yes. I’m also here to prove my mother’s innocence. From what I know, she didn’t kill my father—someone else did."

The hall turned eerily quiet at his bold declaration.

"What you say sounds reasonable," Diego said, turning to Luna. "With this information, dispatch a new team. Investigate Martin Nightwind and his associates thoroughly. And send word to Undergrove. Have them collect everything on Charles and the events in Riverdale."

"And what of them, Lord Diego?" asked an elder with a bushy moustache and bald head. "Should we let them stay in the guest house?"

"Let Lord Runeth stay in the guest house, Michael," Diego said, then looked at Charles. "As for Charles, confine him to the underground prison until the investigation is complete. But do not interrogate him, Luna."

"Yes, my lord."

"I support that decision," Runeth added calmly, causing a ripple of surprise through the room.

Despite the tense atmosphere, Charles remained composed. Elder Luna obeyed the command without a word.

Patriarch Diego then addressed Runeth again with a level tone.

"Your accommodation has been arranged. You’ll be escorted shortly. As for Charles, he’ll be held during our investigation. Justice will be done."

Runeth nodded without protest, understanding the delicacy of the moment. The Patriarch gestured for the guards to escort them.

As Charles was led to the underground prison, his mind raced through the layers of Nightwind politics. His true identity had clearly shaken the elders, but something about Ekemir, the Chaos Maker among them, continued to gnaw at him.

’Their acting was good, but I’ve confirmed they had a hand in my mother’s death. What gives it away is that Diego never asked where we’ve been all these years. If I hadn’t left bait about Riverdale and the Undergrove, they might’ve fooled me completely.’

His thoughts shifted to Ekemir.

’Even the Patriarch sees him as one of their own... his deception and mind manipulation are dangerous. Should I enslave Elder Luna and extract the truth? No... there’s no rush. Better to play the long game.’

For now, Charles had another goal: to master Causality Manipulation—a skill that might one day rewrite the fate of everyone in this very hall.

As Charles and Runeth were escorted to separate locations, silence once again blanketed the chamber.

"Charles Nightwind is still alive... Didn’t you say he died fighting a Mage from the Iron Kingdom?" Patriarch Diego turned his gaze to Elder Luna.

"That’s what the report from Undergrove stated," Luna replied. "What would you have me do with him now, Lord Diego?"

"Keep him in the jail for two more days, then release him. With his current strength, he poses no threat to us."

His words left the chamber in stunned silence.