Chapter 862: Secret
Khan knew about Cora"s attendance at the tournament. He had reviewed the guest list and even provided her family with a free trip. Khan was also aware that her tower included Martha and Princess Felicia, so seeing them together didn"t surprise him.
However, the situation was far from ideal. Khan only wanted to leave and be alone, and lingering in the area might insult his allies since he had just asked for their patience.
Also, Khan hadn"t seen Cora in years, and the events following their separation didn"t look too good. He had broken up with Cora before Milia 222"s mission, only to return from it with a new girlfriend. Amber had rea.s.sured him about that, but he struggled to believe her.
There was another problem. The network had long since shown Khan"s new appearance to the world, but that would be Cora"s first time seeing him with her own eyes. She had been the most human of Khan"s girlfriends, so his alien look could trigger sad reactions.
Despite the worries, Khan couldn"t find the strength to run away. He slightly feared that reunion but felt he owed it to Cora. Her reaction would probably confirm how alien he had become, but he needed to face it.
Monica was the first to understand why Khan had stopped and promptly followed his gaze. Luke and the others soon imitated him, and the soldiers eventually moved away, revealing the newcomers.
Princess Felicia"s arrival lowered many heads, but everyone still noticed her companions. Martha"s appearance didn"t surprise anyone, but the other two women reminded the descendants of old gossip.
Khan wasn"t surprised when Amber and Cora froze on the spot. They had known him as a playful and joyous young man, and the figure in their eyes had nothing in common with that.
It wasn"t only the alien attire. Khan"s bright eyes, cold face, and aura highlighted a profound transformation. He wasn"t a professor from Reebfell anymore. He was someone else or something else.
Some bitterness spread in Khan"s mouth. Cora and Amber"s mana still retained the sweetness and slight innocence he recalled, almost describing what he had chosen to throw away. Khan could have had that peaceful, pure life. It was in his reach, but he had rejected it.
That deeper meaning was so evident even the descendants noticed it. One side of the scene had the ruthless leader engaged with a quasi-princess and surrounded by alien figures. Meanwhile, the other had pure, sweet humans who knew almost nothing about wars and tragedies.
Khan almost started reviewing his life choices when the grip on his hand tightened. Monica"s face didn"t change, but Cora"s arrival awakened a heavy feeling. The two had never met, but the network had built a history between them.
Monica didn"t steal Khan from Cora. She was sure of that. Still, Khan had also told her much about her, highlighting her good and overall supportive character, and the news of his new girlfriend was bound to have hurt her.
Seeing the couple holding hands couldn"t look good, either. As much as Monica hid it, she felt guilty and the need to clear the air between them.
Khan could read Monica"s thoughts, and her need for support gave him the strength to ignore his mood. His brain pushed the bad feelings to the back of his brain, allowing him to focus on positive details.
"Long time no see," Khan announced. "I"m happy to see you are doing well."
Those weren"t casual pleasantries. Amber and Cora did look truly well. The mana had kept them young and devoid of wrinkles, and their power had also increased. Both had become third-level warriors, and their careers had probably witnessed similar benefits.
Khan"s kind words dispersed Cora"s hesitation. She stepped forward, slowly followed by Amber, until the two reached the couple.
"Kha-," Cora called before lowering her head and changing her words. "Prince Khan."
Amber was about to echo Cora"s words, but Khan lifted his free hand, interrupting her and addressing the matter. "It"s just Khan for you two."
Amber couldn"t help but show a slight smile, but sadness still reeked out of her expression. The situation was far from happy, and Cora"s presence was bound to worsen it.
"Khan," Cora called, lifting her head and falling silent. Her eyes darted left and right on Khan"s face, searching for details that matched her memories. She found some, but they only confirmed that the man she had loved didn"t exist anymore.
More sadness inevitably spread through Cora"s mana, but she didn"t focus on herself. Warmth enveloped that sour feeling, bringing out her good heart.
"I"m sorry about your father," Cora exclaimed. "How are you?"
"I"m okay," Khan rea.s.sured, wearing a weak smile. "I only need some time."
Khan"s smile was genuine. He was glad Cora didn"t lose her pure heart, but the audience felt utterly shocked. Khan had broken his cold expression, something the descendants didn"t believe possible anymore.
Cora fell into a daze, staring at that familiar smile. Even Amber recognized that expression, and Martha was no exception. As much as Khan had changed, that part of him still existed. It was simply buried under immense political pressure, tragedies, and more.
Nevertheless, as the seconds pa.s.sed, Cora"s silence created an awkward atmosphere, which she didn"t seem to notice. The event continued for so long that Amber considered pinching Cora, but Khan acted sooner than she did.
"I was about to retreat to my quarters," Khan revealed. "Do you mind if we talk one of these days?"
Cora snapped back to reality, nodding and agreeing. "Of course. Take all the time you need."
The return to reality forced Cora to realize what had happened. Her eyes widened in panic as she inspected the lofty guests in Khan"s group and ultimately looked at Monica. Her gaze immediately went to the floor afterward, intensifying Monica"s guilt.
Khan exchanged glances with Amber, and her complicated feelings explained the issue. As much as Cora and Khan had a past, his status had skyrocketed, and Monica was no commoner. Cora wouldn"t normally have any right to stand in their presence, let alone delay their
departure.
"Go," Khan whispered, glancing at Monica. The two didn"t need to talk to explain themselves,
so a whole conversation happened in that second.
"But-" Monica tried to complain, but Khan caressed her cheek, interrupting her.
"It"s okay," Khan rea.s.sured.
Monica didn"t want to leave Khan alone. Although she wouldn"t be much company, she preferred to remain nearby if he needed her. Yet, the situation had become too complicated, and she couldn"t hide her guilty stench from him.
"I"ll find you soon," Monica muttered, leaving a short kiss on Khan"s lips before releasing his
hand.
The audience didn"t understand what was happening, but Monica promptly addressed the matter. She stepped forward, facing Cora and Amber, before voicing her request.
"Miss Ommo," Monica called, using her most respectful tone. "Could we talk?"
Cora didn"t expect that request. Part of her wanted to refuse it. After all, Monica was Khan"s fiancée, while she was only an ex. However, refusing the most famous member of the Solodrey family wasn"t something someone in her position could do.
Also, Cora looked past Monica to search for Khan, but he had already turned to leave. His group even followed him, leaving Monica as a barrier between the descendants and him. That wasn"t the politest move, but someone with his situation and status justified it. Also, he had said his goodbyes, so he had no reason to linger in the area any further.
The walk outside the arena felt endless, and Khan set off as soon as clean air reached his nostrils. His figure disappeared into the sky, quickly crossing it to get to the area with his caves. One of them had a stash of booze, and he didn"t hesitate to dive into it.
Khan didn"t plan to do much. He only wanted a break from everything, a few hours away from all the politics and social obligations. The booze and cave provided that, but his mind started
fighting against him.
The tournament would resume the following day. The social obligations were still there, waiting for Khan. Nothing was solved, and Khan was only delaying the inevitable. He would have to attend everything sooner or later, especially the heartfelt talk with Cora.
"I guess their expressions say everything," Khan thought, losing himself in the blue light shining on the bottle in his hands. "We live in different worlds."
Khan couldn"t linger in those sad thoughts for too long. The stench of synthetic mana eventually reached his nostrils, and two auras followed. He had visitors, but their ident.i.ty
made the unexpected event pleasant.
"Here he is," Lieutenant Dyester announced when he noticed the blue glow in the cave"s back.
"I told you it was the third to the right."
"My Prince!" Abraham called, hurrying to Khan"s position. "Your fiancée thought you might
want company."
Khan chuckled, shaking his head before throwing a sealed bottle at the visitors. Lieutenant
Dyester caught it mid-air, opening it and gulping down a large mouthful. He pa.s.sed the booze to Abraham afterward, which he seized after some slight hesitation. "Abraham," Khan called, leaning on the rocky wall behind him. "I"m sorry I handled the
funeral by myself."
Abraham almost choked on the booze when those words reached his ears. He forced himself
to drink everything before coughing a few times. The event made Lieutenant Dyester scoff and retrieve the bottle, but he didn"t intervene in the conversation.
"It"s fine, My Prince," Abraham rea.s.sured as the two reached Khan. "You had every right to handle Sir Bret"s death privately. By the way, my condolences."
"Condolences," Lieutenant Dyester added. "He looked like a good man."
Khan inspected the two men before looking at the ground before him. Lieutenant Dyester and
Abraham understood the silent order and sat on the rocks. Khan even opened another bottle, planning to share it with those friends.
"He is buried on the Second Impact"s ground zero," Khan revealed, "In case you wanted to
visit him."
"I will," Abraham nodded. "Eventually. Right now, I"m quite busy helping his legacy."
"We heard about the mess in the arena," Lieutenant Dyester changed the topic.
"Descendants, exes, and more."
Khan sighed. He wasn"t surprised that gossip had already spread, but the matter remained annoying. Monica and the descendants were used to the public pressure, but Khan didn"t want Amber and Cora to experience it. Yet, it was too late for that.
"I"ll plan meetings tomorrow," Khan decided. "Cora and Amber first, the descendants later. Maybe things will go well enough to have a dinner together afterward."
"Don"t push yourself, My Prince," Abraham said. "Mourning periods are the norm, and your family situation is special. You could take a week off and be fine."
"I can"t," Khan shook his head, looking at his bottle. "I need to do this. I have to show my face
and prove that everything is great."
"Khan, your father died yesterday," Lieutenant Dyester declared. "Nothing is great."
"It doesn"t matter," Khan claimed. "The world can"t see any weakness in me. The tournament must also be a complete success, and only my presence can ensure it." Lieutenant Dyester and Abraham exchanged glances. Khan"s resolve was praiseworthy, but
his behavior bordered on obsession. Everyone could see he needed a break, but he sounded
too stubborn to accept it.
"My Prince, you don"t need to push yourself so hard," Abraham commented. "You-."
"Yes, I do," Khan interrupted, raising his voice. He quickly noticed his mistake, and a secret
escaped his mouth when he looked at the two puzzled men.
"An enemy is on its way," Khan explained. "Something big, deadly. Something that might endanger life as we know it."
"What?!" Lieutenant Dyester asked.
"My Prince, are you okay?" Abraham questioned.
"Shut it," Khan ordered. "Do you want to know why I must push myself? Stay silent for a
while."