I Died and Became a Noble's Heir-Chapter 368: Old Friends

"Jack exceeded even my expectations," Alaric admitted quietly. "I knew he was strong, but seeing him actually fight at that level..."

"I want two things," Chiron interrupted, his tone shifting from enthusiastic to direct. "First, send your boy to Draconia. Let him hunt to his heart contents. Dragons, ancient spirits, whatever lurks in the deep territories. He’s wasting potential here fighting elves and their contracted pets."

Alaric’s eyebrows rose fractionally. Chiron Stormblood, The Lightning God of Draconia, the strongest man alive, didn’t extend invitations to his territory lightly.

He trained only his direct family and the heads of his sub-clans, and even then only when they proved themselves worthy of his time.

"You want him in Draconia?" Alaric asked carefully. "That’s not an offer you make often."

"No, it’s not," Chiron agreed bluntly. "But your boy just channeled white lightning and fought a mythical spirit without dying. That’s rare enough to be interesting. Rare enough that I want to see what he becomes when he’s actually pushed beyond his limits."

He leaned slightly closer, white lightning crackling more intensely. "Draconia will test him properly. No politics, just survival and strength. If he thrives, excellent. If he breaks..." Chiron shrugged. "Then he wasn’t worth the attention anyway."

"I’ll discuss it with Jack," Alaric said carefully. "But the decision would ultimately be his."

"Good," Chiron nodded. "And second..." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that even Alaric had to strain to hear despite standing inches away.

"I want him to marry my daughter."

Alaric’s carefully maintained composure cracked fractionally, genuine surprise flickering across his features. "Charlotte? Chiron, she’s..."

"Obsessed with him," Chiron finished bluntly. "I’m not blind. I’ve seen how she watches your son. How her lightning responds when his name is mentioned. During that entire fight, she didn’t move, she stood there like she was witnessing something sacred."

He paused, his white lightning pulsing once before continuing. "Charlotte is my only daughter. Brilliant amd wants to be strong, but she’s never cared about anything except combat until now. Your son has given her something beyond training to focus on."

"Marriage alliances require both parties to agree," Alaric pointed out. "And Jack has made it very clear he won’t be pressured into arrangements he doesn’t choose himself."

"I’m not asking you to pressure him," Chiron clarified, his tone carrying the absolute confidence of someone used to getting what he wanted through brute strength. "Send him to Draconia. Let him spend time with Charlotte outside the context of noble politics and marriage negotiations. If something develops naturally, good. If not..."

He shrugged with complete indifference. "Then she’ll get over it eventually, and I’ll still have had the chance to see what your boy can do when properly challenged."

Alaric studied his old friend’s face, reading the calculation beneath the straightforward request. Chiron genuinely wanted to see Jack pushed to his limits, that much was obvious. The marriage proposal was secondary, a potential bonus rather than the primary objective.

"I’ll discuss it with Jack," Alaric said finally. "But I make no promises beyond facilitating the conversation. And don’t forget he’s already engaged to Aurora Sunblade.’

"Fair enough," Chiron replied. "But we both know what it’s like having multiple women. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind."

"Maybe, he hasn’t shown too much interest in women until now. So who knows whats going on in his head." Alaric shrugged.

"Now, let’s return before the vultures start circling. I want to watch these nobles try to negotiate access to your son without admitting they’re terrified of him."

-------

Father Caelen moved through the destroyed garrison like he’d done it a million times. His robes somehow remaining pristine despite the dust and debris coating every surface.

Hus staff tapped against cracked stone as he approached the crater where Sylph knelt over Rhys’s unconscious form.

The tiny wind spirit’s hands glowed with green light as she channeled healing magic into her contractor, but the exhaustion evident in her face made it difficult to heal him effectively.

"Still pushing yourself beyond wisdom’s counsel, I see," Caelen said softly, coming to stand at the crater’s edge.

Sylph’s head snapped up, her black-and-green eyes widening with recognition. "Caelen? What are you doing here? I thought you’d sworn off..." She paused, reassessing. "You’re bound to him, aren’t you? The boy who just... defeated me."

"Bound is such a limiting word," Caelen replied with a slight smile. "I serve Master Jack by choice. He freed me from constraints I’d carried for longer than you’ve existed in this realm, little wind."

"Don’t call me little," Sylph muttered reflexively, though the usual fire behind the retort was absent. "And I wasn’t defeated. Rhys surrendered. That’s different."

"Is it?" Caelen descended into the crater, his movements smooth despite his apparent age. "You were moments from being dismissed back to your home plane. The boy’s final technique would have shattered your manifestation if the elf hadn’t surrendered first."

Sylph’s jaw clenched, but she didn’t argue the point. They both knew it was true.

Rhys was lying between them, his breathing was shallow but steady. His eyes were shut, but you could tell he was awake from the slight tension around his lips.

"I need to heal him," Sylph said quietly. "But I’m... I don’t have enough left to..."

"I know," Caelen interrupted gently. He raised his staff, and golden light began gathering at its tip with warmth that contrasted sharply with the electrical devastation surrounding them.

"That’s why Master Jack sent me."

Sylph’s eyes widened. "He what?"

"Sent me to heal you both," Caelen confirmed, already channeling the healing magic toward Rhys’s broken body. "With explicit instructions to ensure you recovered sufficiently to have a conversation."

The golden light washed over Rhys, and the elf’s breathing immediately deepened. Cracked ribs mended with audible pops. Electrical burns faded from his skin. His internal bleeding stopped and reversed as divine healing worked through his system at a profound rate.

Sylph stared at the display, her small face showing confusion that bordered on disbelief. "Why would he... after I attacked him when the duel was over... why would he heal us?"

"You’d have to ask him yourself," Caelen replied, redirecting the healing magic toward Sylph. "Though I suspect it’s less about mercy and more about curiosity. Master Jack finds interesting people... interesting. And you, little wind, are certainly that."

"Stop calling me..." Sylph’s protest died as golden light enveloped her small form. The healing magic felt different from her own magic.

Her charred hair regrew in seconds. Her destroyed outfit reformed as if time itself had reversed. The exhaustion pulling at her essence evaporated, replaced by vitality she hadn’t felt since before the fight began.

"You should stop," Sylph said urgently as Caelen continued channeling. "If your master realizes you’re expending this much power on someone who attacked him..."

"As I told you before, Master Jack told me to heal you," Caelen repeated patiently. "This is his will, not my choice. And Master Jack’s instructions are absolute."

The healing completed, and Sylph floated in the air feeling better than she had in decades. It felt like she was restored, as if the fight had never happened.

Rhys’s eyes opened slowly, his gaze focusing on the crater’s edge above them. He could hear everything despite keeping his expression carefully neutral.

’Why?’ the elf’s mind churned with the same question Sylph had voiced. ’I challenged him. I lost. My spirit attacked him after I surrendered. Why would he heal us?’

"The young master wants to meet you," Caelen said, addressing both of them despite only Sylph being visibly conscious. "When you’re ready. But he’s... interested in having a conversation."

Sylph’s expression cycled through confusion, suspicion, and cautious curiosity before settling on wary acceptance. "Where?"

"The manor," Caelen replied. "Whenever you feel prepared. Master Jack is patient when it suits him."

He turned to leave, then paused at the crater’s edge. "Oh, and Sylph? It’s good to see you again. Even under these circumstances."

"You too, old friend," Sylph said quietly. "Even if you’re serving a terrifying child."

Caelen’s laugh echoed through the destroyed garrison as he departed, leaving Sylph and Rhys alone with questions neither could answer.