Mattimeo: Blood And Desire

4

The Ravenshire Clan's main hall was packed.

Dozens of clan members filled the chamber, their voices blending into a restless sea of whispers and shocked murmurs.

The moment Roland stepped through the entrance, silence descended so abruptly that even the faintest cough sounded loud.

At the center of the hall stood Gia, Richard, and Nicholas, surrounded by questioning elders and anxious relatives.

The instant Gia saw the family head, her heart lurched. Her fingers tightened involuntarily, and each breath became shallower than the last.

Before Roland reached them, her father stepped behind her and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Remember what I told you," he whispered into her ear.

His voice was low but carried an unmistakable warning.

Then he stepped away and returned to the crowd as everyone instinctively made way for Roland.

The family head strode forward, his expression unreadable.

"What happened?" he asked. "What is this I'm hearing about my Mattimeo?"

A heavy silence settled over the hall before an elderly man stepped forward.

"Roland, I know this is difficult to hear, but take heart. When my son returned and informed me of what happened, I was shocked and deeply saddened as well."

Roland's eyes narrowed.

"Your son reported it to you first?"

The old man's expression stiffened.

"Why didn't he come straight to the main hall?" Roland continued. "Why wasn't it reported immediately?"

The elder frowned slightly.

"I am a high-ranking elder myself. Reporting it to me is essentially the same thing. Besides, that isn't the important issue here."

Roland's gaze sharpened.

"What happened exactly?"

The force behind his voice made several younger clan members flinch, while others immediately lowered their heads.

Richard stepped forward.

"Family Head, it's my fault."

His voice cracked as he lowered his head.

"I abandoned him. I should have stayed behind. I should have risked my life for him."

His shoulders trembled as guilt filled his expression.

Roland's patience snapped.

"Get to the point."

Richard took a deep breath and began recounting the events.

As Roland listened, an icy chill spread through his heart. His face remained calm, but the fists hidden within his sleeves slowly tightened.

When Richard finished, Roland spoke in a low voice.

"You mean you saw him being torn apart by the scorpions?"

"Yes, Family Head."

Richard lowered his head.

"It was terrifying to witness."

The hall grew even quieter.

Roland turned toward Nicholas.

"What he said... is it true?"

Nicholas stiffened.

"I... I don't know."

His voice was filled with shame.

"The moment the Eight-Legged Venomous Scorpions appeared, I ran. I didn't stay behind long enough to see what happened."

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

Nicholas lowered his head even further. Admitting he had abandoned his teammates was humiliating, but lying to the family head would have been even worse.

Roland stared at him for several long seconds before shifting his gaze.

"What about you?"

His eyes settled on Gia, the only girl among them.

Instantly, her legs threatened to give way.

A chill spread through her body under Roland's gaze. Those sharp eyes seemed capable of peeling away every lie and exposing the truth beneath.

"I... I..."

Her throat tightened, and the words refused to come out. She swallowed hard as everything her father had told her suddenly vanished from her mind.

Just as the pressure became unbearable, a hand suddenly gripped her shoulder and pulled her slightly backward.

"Leader, I believe you're pressuring her too much."

Alfred stepped forward.

"You know Gia is an extremely timid girl. She may feel intimidated by your presence and be unable to speak properly. Besides, Richard has already explained everything."

Roland slowly turned toward him.

"I still want to hear from everyone who was there. Is there a problem with that, Alfred?"

The glare he shot him made several nearby clan members shudder.

Alfred forced out a smile.

"Not at all. It's just that..."

Before he could finish, Gia suddenly stepped forward.

"I'll speak."

The entire hall turned toward her.

Gia clenched her fists.

"Like Nicholas, I also ran away. But I didn't run very far. I waited for a while before Richard arrived and told me what happened."

She lowered her gaze before continuing.

"We were both frightened and ran."

Alfred nearly sighed in relief.

She had not repeated his exact instructions, but at least she had not ruined everything.

Nearby, Richard frowned as pressure mounted inside him. He was now effectively the only witness who claimed to have seen Mattimeo's final moments. If the family head continued digging deeper, suspicion would naturally fall on him.

Roland remained silent.

His instincts screamed that something was wrong. Throughout his life, that sense had rarely failed him, yet after replaying every statement in his mind, he still couldn't find a single obvious flaw.

Yet a suffocating chill continued to spread through him.

Could Mattimeo truly be dead?

Even entertaining the possibility felt unreal.

Mattimeo had always been strong in spirit. Even after losing his spiritual roots, he had never surrendered. He had searched endlessly for a way to restore them, refusing to accept defeat at every turn.

Roland had always known it was impossible, yet he had supported him anyway because he admired that determination.

When Mattimeo insisted on entering the Level Two Dungeon, Roland had initially refused. The dungeon was simply too dangerous for someone as weak as him.

However, after countless pleas, he finally relented and personally arranged for the clan's most talented youths to accompany him, believing they would be able to keep his son safe.

Yet despite all those precautions, this was the result.

Without another word, Roland turned and walked away.

The crowd parted instantly, creating a clear path for him. No one dared stop him or utter a word. Under countless uneasy gazes, he left the main hall and walked through the corridors until he reached his office.

The door slammed shut behind him with a heavy bang that echoed through the building.

Only then, away from the eyes of the clan, did Roland allow the mask of composure on his face to crack.