The atmosphere in the dining room was tense and silent. Erica was still frozen in place, her eyes moving restlessly staring at Kazien. Her young and lay brain had difficulty processing all the information about the divine mission and the extinction of the High Elf race. She didn't know whether to believe or consider all this the ravings of a madman.
Not only Erica, but Hellius, the Troop Commander as well as the Main General of the Altavis territory, along with his trusted deputy, Wexler, also felt the same shock. For decades of serving the Altavis family, this was the first time they heard someone speak about the Goddess so vividly and familiarly.
Hellius, who was usually calm and calculative, gathered the courage to ask. He needed certainty, not just a bedtime story.
"Young Master..." Hellius's heavy voice broke the silence. "Are you really serious? Have you really met the Goddess directly?"
Kazien turned, looking at the general with a sharp but honest gaze. "Of course! Why would I speak of lies to you at this dining table? There is no benefit for me to boast."
"But..." Hellius hesitated, his military logic rejecting it. "It feels very impossible. An ordinary human cannot possibly—"
Sreeet.
The sound of a chair shifting cut off Hellius's words. Kazien stood up from his seat with a firm movement. He didn't let Hellius finish his sentence of doubt. Kazien knew, words alone would not be enough to convince soldiers accustomed to seeing physical evidence.
Kazien closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating his energy.
Flap!
A strong wind suddenly blew inside the closed room, rattling the glasses on the table.
Blinding white light exploded from Kazien's back. As the light dimmed, everyone in the room held their breath. A pair of beautiful wide silver wings, shimmering like solidified moonlight, had spread majestically on Kazien's back. The feathers looked soft but radiated an intimidating aura of holy power.
Elisa covered her mouth with her hand. Allen and Arken gaped wide. Erica, Hellius, and Wexler widened their eyes to the maximum, witnessing a miracle that should only exist in paintings.
"This is proof of my power!" Kazien's voice sounded more authoritative, echoing with a different authority. "This is the power given by Goddess Nirfelia to me! It can be said that right now I am a Demigod!"
Kazien flapped his wings slowly, creating a glow of light illuminating the shocked faces before him.
"I am also an immortal being." he continued calmly. "I will never age and will never die by natural causes or weapons in this world! Even if my heart is destroyed, I still cannot die!"
That confession hit them harder than a sledgehammer. 'Immortal' and 'Demigod', Duke Elgard's third son was no longer just a genius person, but an entity surpassing human logic.
However, after seeing those wings with their own eyes and feeling the holy aura radiating from them, the doubt in Hellius and Erica's hearts vanished instantly. It was real. Very, very real.
Slowly, the light on Kazien's back dimmed and the wings disappeared back into his body.
"I hope," said Kazien while looking at each person in the room one by one, "you can keep secret what you saw tonight! I don't want outsiders or the royal side to know about my power before the time comes. It will trigger chaos."
Elisa was the first to realize. She nodded firmly, realizing how dangerous it would be if this information leaked.
"Yes, we promise, Kazien!" answered Elisa firmly, representing everyone. "We will take this secret to our graves. If we violate it, let Goddess Nirfelia herself punish us!"
The atmosphere became very serious and sacred. However, Duke Elgard, who had only been listening while smiling faintly, decided to break the ice. For him, no matter how important the divine revelation, family dinner remained a priority.
"Alright, alright! That's enough heavy talk for now!" interrupted Duke Elgard while tapping his glass with a spoon. "Look at the soup? It's not steaming anymore. For now, let's all eat together before the food gets cold and tasteless!"
The Duke's command was absolute. Although their hearts were still rumbling in shock after learning the fact that Kazien was a Demigod, they all reached for their spoons and forks again. Dinner continued solemnly, even though each person's thoughts drifted far away.
Elisa spooned a piece of meat into her mouth, but her eyes never left her nephew.
I never expected that my nephew is a Demigod. thought Elisa in amazement. No wonder... no wonder he could make someone immortal like himself through that eternity contract bond. This truly surprises me! What kind of Altavis blood flows in his body?
Next to him, Allen looked at Kazien with an increasingly adoring gaze.
Wow! My Love is a Demigod? thought Allen blossoming. No wonder he could make us immortal like himself. We must not divulge this fact! It would be dangerous for us.
Arken, sitting on the other side, also had similar thoughts.
My Hubby is truly great! exclaimed Arken in his heart. I never expected that I would have an older brother as well as a future husband who is a Demigod! Those silver wings earlier... were very beautiful. As beautiful as his handsome face.
Meanwhile, Erica still hadn't touched her food. Her hand trembled holding the fork.
He really has met the Goddess! Those wings were real! screamed Erica inwardly. This family... they are truly hiding a terrifying fact from the public.
Hellius, the general, chewed his food slowly. His eyes occasionally glanced at Kazien with new respect.
No wonder Young Master Kazien could match my strength since long ago, even copy my swordsmanship skills very easily. Apparently, he is a Demigod chosen by the Goddess herself. thought Hellius. I am sure, Young Master Kazien must have a very important task to be chosen directly.
Amidst that silence, Wexler, whose observation was sharp, turned to his own son, Dave, and also Hellius's son, Victor, who were sitting at the table as family members.
Wexler realized that Dave and Victor looked calm, not at all surprised when Kazien's wings appeared earlier.
"Dave... Victor..." called Wexler softly, staring sharply at his son and his superior's son. "You two don't look the least bit surprised by this truth. Did you already know it?"
Dave, sitting beside his father, smiled faintly. "Yes, Father! We have known it from the start."
Victor, Hellius's son, nodded confirming Dave's words. He looked at his father, Hellius, and his father-in-law, Duke Elgard calmly.
"We already knew, Uncle Wexler. But we decided to keep it secret and act as if we never saw anything, until the time Kazien himself felt ready to tell Father and you." answered Victor politely but firmly.
"Not just us." added Victor again. "Commander Sarias and everyone here also already knew the truth."