The Dark Werewolf

The Grimoire - Part 3: Trial Cleared

"Huh?", Rin was preoccupied with the light so much that he had forgotten about the riddle but it seemed like the voice decided to move on.

'Sigh looks like I couldn't answer the first question...', Rin was a bit sad.

'Hmm, but indeed, that was something to think about...', however, he was a bit happy that such a question was asked to him.

"If you are told that tomorrow is the end of the world and if you are given with a choice to save only one among your mother, your best friend, and a stranger, whom will you save first?", that was the second question which the voice asked.

The question was quite tough for Rin. He didn't know what exactly he had to answer with.

Of course, while saving someone, one would give priority to the ones which are the most closely related so obviously, the answer for that should be a mother.

But then again, he could save his best friend too because that person would also be close to him.

No one would give up their dear ones to save a stranger would they now? So the question seemed quite simple but at the same time, it wasn't.

Rin realized the true meaning of the question after analyzing each and every word separately.

"I don't have a mother now do I?"

"I don't even have a best friend..."

"So obviously I would choose a stranger since he or she is the only valid one left who could be saved!", Rin answered this after thinking for a minute or two.

"Haha, is that so? You are quite smart...", the voice responded to what Rin said.

Indeed, the question was a bit typical and was aimed to force on what the exact words were used.

As soon as he said that, suddenly, a blue orb of light appeared. Rin wanted to catch that too and thus he wanted to run towards it, but there was no need to do that.

That was because the orb of light was attracted towards the previous white star-like mark that was drawn on his palm.

The mark started to glow with bright white light and even before he could do anything, the blue orb of light had already settled in the palm. Now another star was formed which overlapped the white star.

the stars were quite big and accommodated the entire palm thus there was no more place for other stars to fit. Maybe that was why the second star that was formed overlapped the first one.

“Alright, so what is the third question?”, Rin asked.

He wanted to finish the questions as soon as possible and get out of this illusion or whatever it was.

“…”

“Alright, so here is the third and final question…”

“What makes a kingdom? Is it money, buildings, or the King?”, the voice asked.

After hearing the question, Rin started to think deeply regarding this matter and after thinking for a few minutes, he replied, “I think neither of those.”

“I think the answer is – People.”

“Even if we don’t have money, even if there are no buildings and even if a king is present or not, as long as its citizens live together, a kingdom can always be formed.”, Rin replied.

“Ha…”

“Hahahaha.”, a loud laughing voice could be heard.

Rin was startled because of the sudden laughing.

The laughter soon stopped right after which another orb of light appeared and this time, the orb was attracted towards Rin.

The red orb got absorbed by his right palm and another star sign was formed.

Suddenly his hand started to burn.

“Argh!”

“Wha-”

“What is happening?”, he seemed confused.

The burning sensation was for real and he couldn’t control it no matter what.

‘Just what the heck is going on!?’, he asked again and again.

He took a look at his right palm only to realize that a weird inscription was being formed. The three-star marks had vanished and now a black-colored inscription started to appear.

It then slowly started to spread all over his palm and then covered his entire right arm too, till the elbow region.

As the inscription grew in size or spread, his pain increased and ultimately he fainted.

The dark sphere that had surrounded Rin vanished right after that.

The man, who was standing a little behind him, looked at the disappearing sphere.

Rin was lying on the ground with the grimoire in his hand. He was completely unconscious.

“He is finally out!”, the man said this and then looked at Rin carefully.

The inscription had been engraved onto his right arm and the man could see it clearly.

“No way, did he really become the owner of this Grimoire?”, he had a small smile on his face.

*gulp*

‘Doesn’t that mean, he is our young master?’, he said to himself.

‘Yes, it is true.’

‘I cannot be mistaking about the mark of royalty.’

‘But this is indeed weird, this is the first time I’ve seen someone having such a big mark.’, he kept on staring at Rin’s right arm.

Yes, the mark that Rin had was the mark of Royalty. The ones who use grimoire, usually don’t have such marks but those who are of royal lineage can use a different power or a greater power. Thus, they would always have a weird inscription on their arms or chest.

The inscriptions would come in varied sizes. Power of the individual increases with the size of the inscription.

So the size of the inscription also denotes the rank and strength of royalty.

Now that Rin had the largest mark, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he was the strongest of all the royal lineages out there. But of course, he lagged experience and without that, he would be nothing but a weakling.

He proceeded to pick the Grimoire but as soon as he touched it, his right arm was burnt.

Yes, his right arm caught fire all of a sudden and as soon as he left the grimoire, the fire son vanished.

‘Damn, first a weird jolt of lightning and now a burn?’

‘Just how strong is this Grimoire?’, he asked himself.

‘Well, whatever, I shouldn’t touch it.’

He then used his ring to store the Grimoire. Yes, it was a spatial ring in which tons of things could be stored.

Without wasting any more time, he lifted Rin and then left the museum.

‘First I have to take him to some safety and then when he wakes up, I will explain everything to him.’

He dashed as fast as he could and within a few seconds, he arrived in front of a large mansion.

A guard, wearing the uniform of a security guard and a cap, was standing outside, guarding the mansion and upon seeing him, he walked towards him in order to stop him from entering the mansion.

He was wearing a shady outfit so such a reaction was inevitable.

“Seven, it's me.”, he said in a low voice.

The guard stopped right away and bowed his head while taking his cap off.

“Greetings, Lord Vars.”

“Yes.”, he nodded his head.

The guard then opened the gate of the mansion and let Vars walk inside. Just as he entered, a butler greeted him as well.

“Greetings Lord Vars.”

“Yes Ruff.”, he said and was about to enter when the butler noticed Rin.

The guard had noticed as well but he controlled his curiosity and thought that it would be rude to ask.

But as for the butler, he would have to handle every matter in the mansion so he thought that it was right to ask about the boy.

“Lord, this boy is…?”

“Arrange a room for him.”

“And from now on, refer to him as Young Master.”, he said without answering who he actually was.

The butler looked like a middle-aged man, a little older than Vars.

He used to think that he is quite healthy but after hearing Vars call him Young Master, he rubbed his ears a bit to check if he heard wrong.

“So, I have to call him Young Master?”, he asked yet again.

“Yes.”

“Not only you, but for me as well.”

“In fact, everyone in the Kingdom Werewoll would have to call him that.”, he smiled while saying this.

“…”

“Wait…”

“Lord…”

“Doesn’t that mean…”

“Yes.”

“It is exactly as you think.”

“He is of Royal Lineage.”, he smiled yet again while saying this.

And just as he mentioned this, tears fell from Ruff’s eyes and he bowed immediately.