I Was The Weakest Beast Tamer

3. Father's Secret

Evren looked up. In the past, he would have just glared at him and walked past without a word. But now, with everything that had happened to him today, Evren looked at Lucien in a whole new light.

"You know, you should train harder. You're not that strong."

"W-what did you say?!"

Evren stepped up another stair until he was standing right in front of his brother. He then gave Lucien's shoulder a casual, double pat.

"Take good care of that body of yours. Make sure you don't get cleaved in two," Evren said in a flat tone.

Lucien choked on his own breath. His brow twitched violently.

"Ha? What did you just say? Are you cursing me, Evren? Have you completely lost your mind?!" Lucien snapped, brushing Evren's hand away.

"I'm just worried about you, brother," Evren paused before continuing. "Ah... I guess I care about you quite a bit."

"Don't say disgusting things like that in public!" Lucien turned his face away. The tips of his ears turned red. "Father is looking for you. He's in his study."

Evren just gave a lazy nod. "I'll head over right now."

"Damn brat," Lucien muttered as he stepped past Evren.

"Hm... should I even bother trying to save him?" Evren murmured, watching his brother's retreating back.

A moment later, Evren was standing outside his father's study. He knocked twice, then walked right in without waiting for an answer.

Behind a large mahogany desk sat Duke David Tristan. Lying beside the desk was a Sky Lion—a high-tier guardian beast the size of a wardrobe with pure white fur.

Evren pulled out a chair opposite the desk uninvited.

"You don't even have basic manners, Evren," Duke Tristan's voice rumbled low.

The lion beside him opened one eye, glanced lazily at Evren, and let out a soft snort.

[About time you showed up. This old man has been nagging since this morning. I've had to listen to it all while lying on this hard carpet.]

The lion grumbled as it licked its own paw.

[Why won't he buy me something softer anyway? Am I supposed to pluck the goose feathers from the pond and make my own rug myself?]

Evren bit the inside of his cheek, fighting desperately to keep a smile from breaking out in the middle of this deadly interrogation.

"I've heard everything," David continued. He leaned forward, staring sharply at Evren. "Did you deliberately humiliate your own family in front of the other nobles?"

Evren leaned back in his chair, slipping both hands into his trouser pockets.

"I simply chose not to force a creature that didn't want to submit. That's called respecting an animal's privacy."

"Privacy?!" David slammed a fist onto his desk. "You are a son of the Tristan family! Our bloodline is raised on the blood and fangs of beasts! Don't make a clown of yourself with such a foolish excuse!"

David stood up from his chair, pacing back and forth in front of the large window.

"You know I'm like this because I care about you, right?" David asked, gazing out the window.

His father had always cared. Too much, in fact, to the point where whatever Evren wanted was always granted.

"I never asked you to be a beast tamer, Evren." David looked at him now. "But please, don't make yourself a joke in this family."

"I don't have any other skills that don't involve beasts."

"Then you could just act as if you were invisible or dead!"

The room fell dead silent. David instantly turned his face away, looking startled by the words that had just slipped from his own mouth.

Evren clenched his fists tightly. His gaze dropped down to the surface of his father's desk.

Right then, the palm of Evren's left hand throbbed with heat and his vision began to flicker.

He looked up.

The phantom of a red-cloaked man—the exact same person who had hired the hunters at the ruins—stood right where his father was standing now.

The man placed a file folder on the desk. In the corner of the document, a red wax seal bore the initials ‘DT’. 

He then whispered something... about a murder seven years ago?

Evren couldn't catch it clearly.

"Evren? Are you listening to me?" David's voice shattered the illusion. He stopped pacing, staring at his son with a furrowed brow. "Why is your face so pale?"

Evren blinked rapidly. The silver gleam in his eyes faded, shifting back to blue. He took a deep breath and looked at his father.

'Oh…dad. Were you involved in my mother's murder? Did you kill her?' Evren thought to himself.

"It's nothing," Evren replied, his voice a bit hoarser than usual. He forced the corners of his lips up into a flat smile. "I just didn't sleep well."

David stared at him for a moment before letting out a long sigh and sitting back down in his chair.

"Since you've proven to have no talent as a Beast Tamer, I am stripping you of your status as a Tristan heir candidate."

In the corner of the room, the lion let out a soft snort, looking at Evren with sympathy.

[Well, at least now you don't have to study or train. Just enjoy your wealth.]

Evren didn't care about the succession rights at all. His mind was entirely fixated on that document with his father's initials.

"There's a noble banquet next week," David continued. "I don't want you causing any trouble until then. So starting tonight, you will live at the Orchid Pavilion in the northern part of the mansion. Handle your own needs out there, and do not set foot in the main building without my permission."

Hearing the words Orchid Pavilion—the most remote, desolate, and isolated building in the entire Tristan estate—Evren nearly broke into a wide smile.

That place used to be his mother's private archive room. It was the absolute perfect spot to hide, stabilize the fox's core, and investigate his family's dark secrets without anyone bothering him.

"Understood, Dad," Evren answered, standing up from his chair. "I'll move over there tonight."

David frowned in surprise at Evren's unusual compliance. He waved a hand dismissively. "Get out. And don't cause any more trouble."

The moment he stepped out of the room, Evren slumped against the corridor wall. His hand gripped his left chest tightly. Cold sweat soaked his temples.

[Welcome to the family of liars, you damned human... Now, let's see how long you can survive.]

Evren jerked, instinctively covering both ears.

"Nox? You're still alive?"