The Bones of the Ancient God

Chapter 7: The Power Beneath the Seal

When the woman saw Kaelan approaching with his face covered, her body immediately tensed. Her fear grew even stronger. Although in the dim light she could see her son on Kaelan’s back, the woman still thought Kaelan was part of the kidnappers, or someone who would kill her. “Huuu… huuuuu…” the woman’s voice was unclear because black tape covered her mouth. Her eyes blinked rapidly, and tears continued to flow without stopping. Kaelan stopped at a safe distance, without rushing. He kept his voice calm and did not raise it, so the woman could understand his intentions. “Don’t be afraid, I’m not a bad person,” Kaelan said softly. “Your child is fine, Ma’am. He is only unconscious. I managed to save him.” The woman stared at him without blinking, as if she was still trying to understand and was still hesitant to believe him. Kaelan continued, restraining himself so as not to frighten the woman further. “But after you return, please report to Mr. Arthur, the head of the neighborhood. I have tied the three kidnappers to a pine tree by the river. So you must hurry to catch them and take them to the Sheriff’s office.” Kaelan carefully lowered the little boy and placed him near the woman. After that, he reached for the rope that bound the woman. He untied the knots one by one, making sure the woman would not suddenly fall. As soon as the last rope came loose, the woman immediately sank slightly because her legs were weak. But her instinct moved faster than her exhaustion. She immediately grabbed her child and hugged his small body tightly. “My child … my child …” her cries broke out uncontrollably. She pressed her face against her child’s head, as if making sure her son was truly there and had not disappeared. Only then did she look at Kaelan. Her face was wet with tears, her chest rose and fell rapidly, and her body was still trembling. She seemed as though she wanted to kneel as a great expression of gratitude. But Kaelan quickly stopped her, raising his hand slightly as a signal for her to stop. “Ma’am, I’m not God, so don’t kneel before me. Now, please go home. But this must be a lesson, make sure this never happens again.” The woman nodded quickly, her tears still flowing. She continued hugging her child as if she were afraid to let him go even for a second. “Thank you, Young Master. You saved my child,” she said through sobs, her voice hoarse after being covered by tape for so long. “He is my only child. I could die if he were taken away from me.” Behind the face covering, Kaelan smiled faintly. He did not reveal his face, but his tone showed that he understood. “I understand,” Kaelan replied briefly. After saying that, Kaelan immediately turned around. He chose to walk quickly away, then ran along a random route. He deliberately did not choose the path usually used by the villagers, so the woman would not know which direction he had gone and would not be able to guess who he was. In the middle of his run, Kaelan murmured softly, as if speaking to himself. “Young Master … it is usually a respectful title for the child of a noble family, but people here often use it to show great respect. Not bad, since I am indeed the King’s son and am being called that,” Kaelan murmured while smiling and running faster. When he arrived home, Evelyn had not yet returned from the market. The house felt quiet, with only faint sounds from outside entering through the gaps in the walls. Kaelan stepped inside with his breathing still not completely steady, then slowly closed the door. However, as soon as he was truly inside his home, his head began to hurt again. The pain came so suddenly, like a blow stabbing from within, making his body tense instantly. “Aahhh… it hurts,” Kaelan whispered while holding his head. Although it lasted only a fraction of a second, cold sweat immediately covered his face. Kaelan pressed his temples with his hand, as if trying to keep the pain from spreading. His vision trembled, his breathing became heavy, then the pain slowly subsided. When the agonizing pain in his head finally disappeared, Kaelan instead felt something else. His body felt extremely tired, as if the energy that had filled him earlier had been drained away. The energy that had just filled his body disappeared. It did not disappear completely, but the difference was very clear. His muscles felt heavy, his breathing no longer felt light, and his steps, which had been so agile earlier, now became slower. Kaelan stood still for a few moments, trying to understand what had just happened. His face tensed, his eyes narrowed, then he whispered as if asking himself. “What exactly was that power? Why do I have a power like that?” However, the more he tried to find an answer, the more his thoughts spun. Before he could remember anything further, his head seemed to give him another warning. A faint pain began to appear again, enough to make him hold his breath. Kaelan immediately stopped thinking about the strange power inside his body. He took a breath, forcing his mind to calm down. He walked toward the bathroom. As soon as he entered, he immediately cleaned himself. The water running over his body felt soothing, reducing the remaining tension that had been clinging to his shoulders and neck. After taking a shower, Kaelan put on his school uniform. He straightened his collar, pulled the bottom of his shirt so it would not be wrinkled, then exhaled softly. At least for now, he could become Kael again, looking like an ordinary schoolboy. Not long afterward, footsteps could be heard from outside. Evelyn returned from the market. Kaelan immediately went out to meet her. As soon as he saw his mother appear in the doorway carrying the groceries, Kaelan’s expression changed. The tension that had been in his body seemed to disappear, replaced by genuine relief. “Ma, thank goodness you’re back,” Kaelan said quickly. He immediately hugged Evelyn. His behavior was so different compared to when he faced the three kidnappers. In front of his mother, Kaelan became a child his age again, one who still needed the attention and presence of the person he loved most. Evelyn smiled and returned Kaelan’s hug. Her hand briefly rubbed Kaelan’s back, calming him, as if assuring him that everything was fine. “Of course Mama is fine,” Evelyn said gently. “Now Mama will cook first, okay? Wait at the dining table, it won’t take long.” Kaelan nodded. He released the hug, then looked at his mother for a few moments, making sure Evelyn did not look overly tired. “Okay, Ma,” Kaelan replied softly. He then watched Evelyn walk toward the kitchen. The kitchen looked old and worn. Some parts of the wood looked rotten, and several corners seemed ready to collapse at any moment. Spider webs hung in several places, already blackened from being left untouched for too long. The kitchen did not feel comfortable, but Evelyn continued moving as usual, as if she was already accustomed to the conditions. Kaelan stared at his mother’s back as she busily put away the groceries. In silence, a determination grew stronger inside him. “I have to have money so I can help Mama. I cannot let people keep calling Mama poor.” Kaelan watched Evelyn cook, and the delicious aroma immediately made his stomach growl. “Mama’s cooking really is the best, even before it is finished, it can already make me so hungry.” Evelyn was indeed very good at cooking, and because her cooking was so delicious, King Alaric had appointed Evelyn as the only chef assigned to serve Kaelan. So Evelyn had not just cooked for Kaelan, she had been the one serving Kaelan since he was little.