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Chapter 2: An Adventurous Soul

  A loud shout of distress echoed in the distance as the body rolled in dirt and grime. When the battered figure came to a stop, he slowly rose from his position. Those crimson eyes gazed upon the other man’s figure still prim and proper. As he continued to gre, his injuries healed in the process.

  “You’re always slow, Kelzo.”

  “Argh!” Kelzo grunted as his figure id down on the ground with the other man’s foot stomping on him. He compined while heaving deep breaths, “This is hell!”

  The fight abruptly came to an end and the sparks in the air eventually died down as the cshing powers slowly subsided.

  The man standing before him harrumphed. “This is what I’ve told you before. You shouldn’t let your guard down. If you also want to st in battle, you should improve your stamina.”

  He choked out, “I have good stamina. Thank you!”

  “Like father said, you’re getting old, Kelzo,” said the other man sitting on the rock nearby.

  “Shut up, Tybalt!”

  The older man huffed at their banter and tucked his sword away.

  “Well, compared to others, you’re already an excellent fighter. If you are against us, I believe you’ll be defeated in no time.”

  Kelzo slowly stood up with the help of his uncle and wiped his sweat away. “Because I’m not as monstrous as you think.”

  Tybalt harrumphed. “Says the one who ughs manically while letting magic rain down on the poor enemies.”

  “It’s definitely Kelzo.”

  “See? Even father agrees with me!”

  His shoulders drooped down in frustration. “Why are you always ganging up on me?”

  The father and son smiled at him and their likeness irked him more.

  He patted himself and noticed his torn clothes. “Well, whatever. I need to return to the mansion and pack my things. Bye—”

  As he entered the portal he opened, both men tagged along. Karel clicked his tongue, also baffled by his uncle’s mischievousness.

  They arrived in front of a rge estate and the butler immediately received them. Rows of servants greeted them upon their entry and Karel begrudgingly walked towards his own mansion with the other two men trailing behind him.

  Tybalt, “You should rest some more, you know.”

  His uncle, “I agree.”

  Tybalt, “Your destination can wait.”

  His uncle, “Uh-huh.”

  Kelzo stopped in front of his room and sternly looked at them. “I already told them I will leave after our st sparring session. Actually, I should have left earlier if you didn’t insist on this.”

  “The sparring sessions will help you in the future, Kelzo.”

  “Yes, uncle, I know. This is enough.”

  His uncle shook his head fondly.

  Tybalt walked past him and opened Kelzo’s room, his father followed him inside as he said, “I still recommend resting some more.”

  “No rest for the wicked, uncle.”

  The older man chuckled at his stubbornness. He truly had the same blood in him. “Hah, do what you like.”

  Kelzo informed his retives about his upcoming travels beforehand. This time, he chose the southern continent of Grantierra as his next destination.

  “While it’s true that the magical roses remained scattered across the world, it doesn’t mean you just get to arbitrarily choose where you are headed, young one.”

  Kelzo chuckled. “Uncle, you’re too stern!”

  Said uncle grimaced. “Say that I will have wrinkles when I nag too much and I will definitely increase your training’s difficulty!”

  Kelzo ughed out loud. “Alright, I will listen to uncle then.”

  “Good!”

  “You know, Kelzo, I think the eastern continent is a better destination than Grantierra.”

  “And why is that, dear?”

  Tybalt furrowed his eyebrows at his cousin’s endearment. “It’s never been peaceful in Grantierra.”

  Kelzo shrugged. “Like Ramaya is any better.”

  Tybalt huffed. “But, Kelzo…”

  He waved his hand in dismissal. “I understand, alright? I already went to the eastern continent centuries ago and I was fine!”

  The other man hummed. “In short, you haven’t been to Grantierra.”

  “Yes, uncle. That’s why I chose that pce.”

  “How long will you be gone this time?”

  Kelzo’s face lit up. “I don’t know yet. I might stay for a lifetime again then return to Ramaya. What do you think, uncle?”

  Tybalt looked at his father Eliwood then at Kelzo’s beaming face. “Leave him be. He’s old enough to take care of himself, father. Besides, his power is too convenient and easily escapes dangerous situations.”

  Kelzo beamed brighter hearing his cousin’s words.

  In the end, Eliwood relented. “At least see us once in a while, Kelzo.”

  Kelzo ughed as he packed some more of his luggage. “Of course!”

  Tybalt fondly shook his head at his cousin’s cheerfulness. With his demeanor, he really seemed not older than him.

  Eliwood, “Ah, before you go…”

  “Yes?”

  “You need to choose a pseudonym. We can’t use our real names now that the regime has changed.”

  Kelzo pondered before turning to Tybalt. “How about you?”

  The younger man shook his head. “I won’t be joining father in serving the next imperials personally. I would like to travel some more.”

  He frowned. “Can’t I do the same?”

  Eliwood shrugged. “Well, considering how you suck at melee combat, I think it’s better to come home once in a while and train.”

  Kelzo protested. “I’m now good at it!”

  A frown painted the older man’s lips. “But, you’re not honing it.”

  Kelzo smiled, strained as he changed the subject. “I’ll use the name Karel then, uncle.”

  Eliwood waved his hand in dismissal. “Alright, Karel.”

  Tybalt also waved his goodbye. “See you again soon, Karel.”

  “I’ll see you around!”

  After shooing away the father and son duo, he bade goodbye to his paternal uncle, the patriarch of their cn and teleported south. He emerged in the southernmost part of the Ramayan Continent where the interracial and trading city of Deorya currently stood.

  The seaport bustled only a few streets away from his position and noticed the workers manhandling the outgoing cargo. He recognized the crates from Kuju Prefecture and the sealed containers from the Dwarven City of Pals and the Elven Kingdom of Beiyul.

  Karel took a look around his surroundings and noticed a few passengers. He approached the officer standing nearby, and asked, “Are there any avaible cabins for passengers?”

  “Yes—” the officer-in-charge of the shipment immediately straightened up his posture and saluted him. “Your—”

  “Drop the formalities.”

  The officer wiped the cold sweat off his forehead seeing someone reted to the Emperor standing before him. He had only seen him from afar during official affairs back in the empire, so it’s truly a sight to see the blond hair and crimson eyes up close.

  “Reserve me one. Where is the ship headed by the way?”

  “To Astadvran, Your—” He cleared his throat loudly. “If you wish to go to the Eastern States, you need to ride another ship from there.”

  He nodded. “I understand.”

  Karel wandered off for a while as he waited for the ship’s departure tomorrow morning. He also purchased lighter clothes knowing the south’s warmer climate compared to the empire.

  “To think that I’d take this seriously,” he whispered to himself as he browsed the catalog of ready-made clothes.

  Kelzo’s adventurous spirit never dwindled even after the Ramayan Civil War and continued to seek the reason for his existence by traveling around the world.

  His remaining uncles and aunt continued serving the current Imperials while he and Tybalt wished to see the world of Trojka. Thankfully, their guardians let them go and experience what the world had to offer. He also often reminisced about the time he went to the northeastern continent centuries ago. Not knowing any better, he only relied on his power to achieve what he wanted.

  “I was so pompous back then.”

  Right, he already learned his lesson. This time, at the very least, he won’t sully his name. A smile painted his lips as he called onto the clerk, now certain to purchase those clothes.

  Ah, somehow, this trip is making me excited.

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