With an uncertain feeling and a racing heart, Kazien slowly turned his body to look back. The breeze in the plaza, which had felt cool before, now seemed unable to cool the sweat beginning to form on his forehead. He immediately broke into a cold sweat when he saw the sharp and piercing gaze of his second older sister, Virena, who now stood tall on the carriage steps with a dominating aura.
"Y-Yes, Sister Virena?" Kazien asked with a voice that was clearly nervous, his courage shrinking in the face of his sister, who always possessed a terrifying aura whenever she was angry.
Virena stepped down from the carriage. However, instead of easing her aura, she stared at her younger brother with a gaze that grew even sharper.
"You said you would come to visit when my child was born!" Virena replied, her voice still filled with extreme pressure that made several academy guards in the distance swallow hard. "But you never came to see us in Joltam! Look! Your nephew has been born into the world!"
Hearing his sister's scolding, which turned out to be not a lethal threat but the sulking of a new mother, Kazien instantly exhaled a sigh of relief he had been holding in. His tension evaporated without a trace. The silvery-white-haired youth immediately smiled happily and hurried toward his older sister, who was indeed cradling a bundle of soft silk in her arms.
Kazien's three fiancés followed right behind him. The three of them could not hide their enthusiasm and immediately approached Virena, desperately wanting to see the new member of the Altavis family in person.
Virena lowered the cloth covering her baby slightly. Beneath the warm blanket lay a tiny baby sleeping soundly. The baby had fine, shining silvery-white hair, exactly like Kazien and Virena. The characteristics of the pure Altavis bloodline were incredibly strong in his blood.
"How cute..." the three fiancés praised almost in unison, their eyes sparkling softly as they looked at the tiny, innocent face of the baby who occasionally smacked his lips. A sudden sense of motherly instinct surged in their hearts at the sight of such a small creature.
"What is his name, Sister?" Kazien asked curiously, looking at his first nephew with a warm feeling swelling in his chest.
"His name is Vildan Altavis." Virena replied. Her voice, which had been heavy and sharp, softened instantly, radiating the boundless affection of a mother as she gazed at her son.
"Wow... what a great and gallant name!" Kazien praised sincerely. He reached out his hand very carefully and gently touched the baby's chubby cheek so as not to wake him. "Vildan... He will surely grow up to be a very handsome and great man in the future. Hehehe."
"Of course!" Virena chimed in with her chin slightly raised, once again showing her high self-confidence. "He is my son! The pride of our family's blood flows within him! Hahaha."
In the midst of the family's joy in welcoming the new member, the sound of other footsteps came from inside the carriage. Shortly after, Selena, Kazien's eldest sister, stepped out.
Upon seeing her, Kazien, his three fiancés, Erica, and Elisa, who stood not far away, all widened their eyes. The elegant gown Selena wore could not hide her now-enlarged belly.
"Sister Selena!" Kazien exclaimed with a surprised yet joyful tone. He looked at his sister's belly in amazement. "Don't tell me... you're carrying a baby in your womb?"
"Hahaha." Selena laughed softly, her laughter sounding very melodic and soothing, a sharp contrast to Virena's aura. The beautiful woman walked slowly down the carriage steps with her husband's help from behind, then moved toward her brother. "Of course, Kazien. Thanks to all our prayers and hopes, I am currently five months pregnant."
The continuous good news left the group filled with smiles. However, the warm family atmosphere was again interrupted by the commotion occurring around them.
The presence of Sarias, Selena's husband, who had just stepped down from the carriage to accompany his wife, immediately sent everyone in the Larkvood academy plaza into another frenzy. Waves of hysterical whispering erupted once more, even louder than before.
After all, the Azvel Continent, inhabited only by humans, was being shaken again. After being shocked to their cores by the presence of Alvin, a yellow-golden-haired High Elf, they were now seeing another Elf for the second time in the same day. With pointed ears and long green hair that radiated absolute beauty and grace, a face handsome beyond human logic, he stepped down from the same carriage.
Two legendary beings from the Reavel Continent in our capital in one day?! the residents and academy students screamed in their hearts, unable to believe their own eyes. Just how many mythical races is the Garveon Kingdom hiding?!
Ignoring the many shocked and amazed stares from the crowd, Sarias smiled warmly.
"Hello Kazien, how are you?" Sarias greeted in a friendly tone as he walked toward his brother-in-law.
"Brother Sarias!" Kazien greeted his brother-in-law with a wide smile. "I'm doing well. How about you?"
"As you can see, Kazien, I am doing very well and enjoying these times. Hahaha." Sarias answered with light laughter, radiating the aura of a very happy father-to-be.
However, the surprises from the Altavis family's spatial carriage were apparently not over. This time, it was King Nalvon's turn to be so shocked his eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he saw Duke Elgard and Duchess Larina, Kazien's parents, step down from the carriage together.
The noble couple descended from the carriage; Duke Elgard wore a dark blue ceremonial cloak embroidered with silver thread in the shape of an ice crystal, the gallant emblem of the Altavis family.
It wasn't the family emblem that surprised King Nalvon, but rather their physical appearance. At this moment, Duke Elgard looked incredibly young, gallant, and extraordinarily handsome, without a single wrinkle of age on his face. His posture and handsomeness seemed to display a future version of Kazien in his perfect adult form.
The same went for Duchess Larina, who stood gracefully beside him. The woman looked so young, her skin firm and radiant, elegant and extraordinarily beautiful, looking almost exactly like Selena.
The faces of the two looked exactly like a young noble couple who had just married in the past, not like parents who already had many adult children.
"E-E-Elgard?" King Nalvon greeted, stuttering in shock. His dignity as a king momentarily crumbled at the unbearable sight of the two of them suddenly becoming young again. He stepped forward slightly, trying to confirm his vision. "I-Is that really you?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, it is indeed me," Duke Elgard replied in a calm and charismatic tone. He and his wife then bowed, offering an elegant salute to the King.
"B-But how can this be? Why do you and your wife look so young again like this?" King Nalvon asked, still in disbelief, his eyes examining every inch of Duke Elgard's face for any signs of magic illusion, but finding none.
"That is a very long story, Your Majesty." Duke Elgard replied casually, glancing briefly at his youngest son with a meaningful smile. "It would be better to discuss this matter in more detail after we return to the Garveon Kingdom's territory."
Considering that time was moving on and a sea of people was still watching their interaction, King Nalvon had no choice but to agree with the Duke's suggestion. Moreover, the opening ceremony of the inter-academy tournament was due to begin shortly.
Before long, the last group began to emerge from the carriage. All of Kazien's other siblings stepped down, followed by Duke Hubert Guartav and his youngest son, Hudeon.
Once again, King Nalvon was shocked for the umpteenth time that day. His eyes widened at the sight of Duke Hubert, who also appeared physically young and fresh, just like Duke Elgard. The King, possessing sharp instincts, slowly began to connect the dots of all these nonsensical miracles.
With stiff movements, King Nalvon turned his head. He immediately threw a very sharp and inquisitive squint toward Kazien.
Feeling the piercing gaze of the King, who realized who the mastermind behind this age-restoring magic was, Kazien could only turn his face away and awkwardly scratch his head, pretending to know nothing about it.
"Brother!!"