"Then we'll leave. What about you?"
Abraham said, "Since they've been here, they'll have left traces. Even if you made their corpses disappear, they'll be discovered sooner or later."
"And by then, it won't just be these people you have to face."
"Don't worry. I'm a genius of Ulada Magic Academy, and I have the Saber to protect me. A mere kingdom marquis can't do anything to me."
"Besides, I didn't kill any members of the royal family. Out of consideration for Ulada Magic Academy, they won't try to kill me. After all, I'm a genius mage who's caught the attention of the Dark Church."
Abraham's expression shifted. "Have they come looking for you?"
"Not yet. If I wanted them to, they could probably come at any time."
Jonathan didn't explain further.
All he had to do was reveal that he was a sixth-level mage and a sixth-level warrior, and he would definitely attract the Dark Church's attention.
As for the seventh level, he'd better not.
It was best not to attract too much attention.
Besides, this could also become one of his trump cards.
"If you're worried about making a living, I have plenty of valuable things. You can take them all."
Seeing Abraham frown, Jonathan assumed he still had some reservations. He patted him on the shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
"Actually..." Jonathan began. "There's something I've kept buried in my heart for a long time."
"I knew that sooner or later, I wouldn't be able to keep it from you."
"That sounds serious. Let's hear it."
"It concerns your birth."
Jonathan's expression froze. "You're bringing this up now because I'm connected to the Bred Family or the Bandas royal family?"
Abraham sighed. "Your instincts are as sharp as ever."
"That's right. You're a direct descendant of the main branch of the Bred Family, which was wiped out. The current head of the family is your second uncle, and Sanita should be your aunt."
Jonathan thought it sounded far too dramatic. "So the young master of the Bred Family I killed could have been my cousin?"
"That should be right."
"Then you..."
"The Saber was responsible for wiping out your family, and I was one of the members of that mission. As for who ordered it, that was the current head of the Bred Family—your second uncle."
"I see. Then I didn't kill the wrong person."
Abraham said, "I've kept this secret for a long time. Ever since you went to Black Phoenix City, I've constantly worried that someone would recognize you."
So this was why he'd been so gloomy and drinking his troubles away, Jonathan thought.
"Now that I've said it, it feels as if a thousand-pound weight has been lifted from my heart. Whatever you decide to do to me, I won't object. Sanita is your aunt. Just make sure she's taken care of."
Abraham didn't dare look at Jonathan. He was afraid he'd see a pair of hateful eyes.
"Oh, I see. I never knew Aunt Sanita and I were related like that. So should I call you Father or uncle by marriage from now on?"
Abraham hadn't expected Jonathan to be thinking about something like that. He looked up, and when he saw the same eyes as always, he felt his heart settle.
"What kind of nonsense are you thinking about?"
"You're the one imagining things!"
"Father, I lost all my old memories a long time ago. You could say I was reborn. All I remember is that my name is Jonathan—Jonathan Rhode—and that you took me from a pile of corpses and cared for me."
"Without you, I'd have been dead long ago. I wouldn't have the strength I have now."
"As for the people who killed my family, I'll deal with them myself. You don't need to worry. Just live your own life."
Abraham said firmly, "I understand. I'll take your aunt and leave."
"Before you do, I think you two should get married. That way, I won't miss your wedding if I don't get another chance."
"All right, we'll do as you say. Should we tell your aunt about your past?"
"Not now. We can tell her later."
"Mm."
Abraham told Sanita everything except the truth about Jonathan's birth, then asked if she was willing to leave with him.
Sanita hesitated only briefly before agreeing.
She had hesitated only because she was afraid she would bring disaster upon Abraham.
Three days later.
Blackstone Town held a grand wedding. Jonathan invited everyone in town to celebrate and offer their blessings to the newlyweds.
The next day, Abraham took Sanita and left Blackstone Town, saying they were going on their honeymoon.
Jonathan didn't give him all the Magic Crystal Cores. He gave him only eight seventh-level Magic Crystal Cores and several thousand gold coins.
He kept the remaining few hundred gold coins, five seventh-level Magic Crystal Cores, and one eighth-level Magic Crystal Core for himself.
For someone without the strength to protect himself, the more wealth he had, the less safe he was.
That same day, Jonathan set off for Black Phoenix City.
Two or three days later, he returned to Ulada Magic Academy.
"Brothers, I'm back!"
Jonathan called out loudly, but there wasn't a soul in the living room. A moment later, though, he heard a commotion from the rooms, and all three men came rushing out at almost the same time.
"Jonathan, you're finally back. It's been two months. We were worried about you," Ford said.
"Yeah! You didn't get hurt, did you? Take your clothes off and let us see."
"Hey, I'm not a woman. What are you doing? Stop pulling at my clothes!"
Jonathan had no choice but to take off his shirt and let them look. The others immediately began inspecting his body.
Collette clicked his tongue. "With a physique like that, are you sure you're a mage?"
"Quit putting your hands on me!"
"You've seen enough. Can you stop worrying now?"
As he spoke, he began putting his clothes back on.
Ford said, "That's an incredible physique. I'm so jealous. I've even put on a bit of weight."
"Train with me from now on. You might not end up as freakishly fit as him, but I guarantee you'll get a physique like mine."
Collette patted Ford on the shoulder with a big smile.
At last, he'd have someone to lift weights with!
Charles, meanwhile, asked Jonathan about his adventures in the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
"It was all right. I didn't run into any danger. Otherwise, I couldn't have come back without a single injury."
Charles nodded, taking him at his word.
Collette said, "To celebrate our great genius's safe return from the Magical Beast Mountain Range, I'm treating everyone today. Eat as much as you like!"
Jonathan grinned and patted his stomach. "Then I won't hold back."
Collette suddenly had a bad feeling, but he'd already offered. How could he take it back?
In the end, the meal cost him nearly two hundred gold coins, wiping out a whole month's living expenses.
His face turned green from the bill!
He even made a threat: "You lot just wait until I get my chance. I won't be a McNeil if I don't get revenge for this!"
Two days later, Jonathan applied to be tested as a sixth-level mage. He cast one sixth-level Dark Element spell and one sixth-level Earth Element spell, and passed the test with ease.
Within just an hour or two, the news had spread throughout Ulada Magic Academy.
A sixteen-year-old sixth-level mage wasn't a once-in-history genius, but in the present-day Yulan Continent, his cultivation speed was still among the very best.
If Linley hadn't entered a state of unity between heaven and man after that heartbreak, his spiritual power would have increased tenfold, and he would have been at about this level.
There are too few readers following along. With five hundred people having saved the story, I still have fewer readers keeping up than someone with fewer than three hundred saves.
The important thing is that these need to be active readers. By that, I mean accounts that have made a purchase within the last three months. Even spending just a dime counts.
Please help me out and get Coiling Dragon up the rankings. It's only around seventieth on the new-book chart right now.
To thank everyone, I'm working hard to stockpile chapters. If the story does well after it goes premium, I'll release a lot more to repay you!
Before you continue