Several days earlier…Rain poured heavily over the Valcroy estate, drenching the stone pathways and shrouding the surroundings in a gray haze.Outside the Family Head's manor, a young boy could be seen kneeling silently beneath the relentless downpour. His entire body was drenched by the rain, his clothes clinging tightly to his frame as cold winds swept through the courtyard, causing him to shiver uncontrollably.The lone figure was none other than Azrael Valcroy, the eldest son of the Valcroy family head.However, that title meant little now. After failing his awakening and being unable to manifest even the lowest grade elemental affinity, he had become known as the trash son of the Valcroy family.He had been kneeling there for over four hours, hoping to obtain an audience with his father—the Family Head. Yet despite his efforts, he was treated as though he didn't exist.Just then, the sound of the manor doors opening rang out.Azrael quickly raised his head, a flicker of hope appe

Both of them turned toward the source of the voice.A young man dressed in luxurious robes was walking toward them.The moment Mirabelle saw him, a warm smile blossomed on her face. The newcomer was none other than Lucien.Azrael's expression, however, immediately darkened. He had never had a good relationship with this half brother of his.By the time Lucien reached them, a smug smile had already formed on his face.He casually wrapped an arm around Mirabelle's waist and pulled her gently into his side, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.The gesture seemed deliberate, as though he wanted Azrael to see it.Mirabelle didn't resist in the slightest. Instead, she leaned comfortably against him, resting her head lightly on his shoulder."He wanted me to speak to you about his mother's condition," she said casually. "Apparently, she doesn't have much time left without proper treatment.""Oh… I see." Lucien raised an eyebrow before glancing at Azrael.He was naturally aw

A panicked voice suddenly shattered the quiet atmosphere. Azrael was pulled out of his thoughts and turned toward the source of the voice.In the distance, Nana was hurrying toward him as fast as her aging legs could carry her.The moment Azrael saw her face, his heart skipped a beat. Her eyes were red and swollen, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.A sense of unease immediately rose within him. He quickly pushed himself to his feet."Nana... what's wrong?""Y-Your mother..." Nana's voice trembled. "Your mother..."Her entire body shook as she struggled to continue."Nana, what's wrong with my mother?" Azrael asked, his voice becoming noticeably urgent.But Nana couldn't answer. She lowered her head as tears continued to pour from her eyes.The moment he saw her reaction, a terrible premonition gripped Azrael's heart. Without waiting for an explanation, he immediately turned and sprinted toward his mother's room.—-------Azrael rushed into the room, his breathing ragg

Meanwhile, in the banquet hall, Severin, who had been casually conversing with the guests moments earlier, suddenly paused. The smile on his face vanished as he expression suddenly became serious.Without explaining himself, he rose from his seat. "I'll be leaving first. There are some matters I need to attend to."Leaving those words behind, he turned and walked out of the hall. None of the guests dared question him. Nor did they dare ask why the Family Head was leaving so abruptly.Moments later, Severin's figure shot through the night sky like a streak of light, heading straight toward Helene's residence.When he arrived, the first thing he saw was Azrael.As if sensing his presence, Azrael slowly turned his head toward the door. Standing there was Severin.For a moment, the two of them simply locked eyes, neither saying a word. Then Severin's gaze shifted past him, landing on Helene's lifeless body lying on the bed.Seeing that indifferent expression on his face, Azrael's hands tr

He slowly opened it to see what was inside, and the moment he did, a surge of elemental essence burst out, spreading through the surrounding area.Inside the sack were two translucent fruits that glowed faintly with energy.Azrael’s eyes widened slightly.Then, almost instantly, he closed the sack.“We should leave this place quickly.”The sudden surge of elemental essence was bound to attract both humans and magical beasts.Three minutes after they left, a brown bear suddenly appeared at the scene and began sniffing around, searching for the source of the earlier surge of elemental essence.It was still looking when a green-eyed leopard emerged from the trees.The moment they noticed each other, their gazes locked, and without hesitation, they lunged at one another, breaking into a fierce fight.—-------“I think we’ve gone far enough. That cave should make a good hiding spot,” Azrael said, pointing toward a cave not too far ahead.“We’ll refine the treasure inside, then I’ll leave t