This time round Kairos did not go and meet the families of the deceased alone. These three students that died in battle had been claimed as the members of Snowdrifts and their relationship in Kairos’ heart is definitely closer than the eleven who were killed during the ten days siege.

Of course, there are exceptions within the eleven since there are those that died a heroic death like Zhu De, but most of them perished because of a moment’s carelessness or delay.

The group strolled to the end of the busy market and entered a place similar to the slums that Kairos went into the other day except that it is at another side of town.

The reason why the deceased came from families that live nearby each other is no coincidence. It is when one of those people in their team dies that the entire team usually enters an extremely dangerous and chaotic time. If they are unlucky at that time, the whole group might perish in the same battle.

And as most student groups within the academy are formed by their own preference, teams are usually made of people who knew each other well, often neighbours who have been playing together since a very tender age.

It was for this reason that those eleven families that day lived in one neighbourhood, and now these three families they are visiting are in another.

As they walked into the slums, all the inhabitants immediately avoided contact with them.

With so many young children from the academy entering the slums, the residents are afraid that they are seeking ‘fun’ in this area. When they saw how shabby the clothes this group are, many of them trembled.

In the past, they would’ve breathed a sigh of relief if students wearing such apparel appeared, but a rumour has started flying wildly that dressing shabbily is in fashion with the young noble in Saint Cadets Academy recently. Because of that, if it is possible to avoid them, the residents will stay as far away and as quickly as possible.

…..

Back at the academy, in the largest office of the staff building, the principal is still working hard on the future plans for the school when most of the instructors have already retired back to their homes now that the holidays are starting.

Even as in-charge of the academy, Gai was totally stumped about the most recent change of event that Kairos has brought about, and because he still wants to invite the young genius into their faction, he doesn’t have any idea how to best fix this situation.

“Huff… Even the principals of the other schools are calling now our Saint Cadets Academy as the Poor Cadets Academy. The more nasty ones even nicknamed us as the beggar's academy,” the Principal grabs his head with frustration at that thought.

Outside his windows, he could see the students roaming about proudly while showing off their clothes.

Instead of comparing how beautiful their clothes are, many students are instead competing with each other on the patchwork done on their robes.

“Mine is more realistic, can you see the broken threads on it?”

Even where he is in his office, he could hear their conversations, and he had a serious temptation to run headfirst into a brick wall.

“My reputation…”

…..

Looking at the markers he placed on a map, Kairos lead the guys to the first house.

Unlike Xuan Xian’s scrap metal hut, this building was made of a dirty pile of impaired bricks, no doubt collected from the discard piles at construction sites.

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“Is this the home of Sieg?” Kairos called out. As the leader of Snowdrifts and the one who personally lead the group into the battle against the Orc War Chief, he does not want another person to deliver the news on his behalf if possible.

Hearing his words, a middle-aged man with lots of wrinkles walked out from the old hut. His face is pale and bloodless, and the light complexation of his skin are the same as those that came from the north.

He looked to be only around the late fifties but instead carried himself with an air of weariness, as if he has long lived past his prime and is now awaiting his time to come.

“Who are you, children?” He asked with an uncaring voice but is nevertheless in a polite tone. Somehow, it made them feel that no matter who it is that stands before him, even if it is the Emperor himself, this man will still respond this way.

“Uncle, are you the father of Sieg?”

“That’s me, who is asking?”

“I am Kairos, a friend of your son. I came, bearing grave news.”

“…..” A short moment of silence went by as the man looked at the young boy in front of him. His instinct tells him that this boy is truly a friend of his son. He nodded for Kairos to continue.

“Your son, Sieg, had fallen in battle during the recent exam,” Kairos said and then paused, giving the man time to react.

“I know.”

Surprisingly his response is calm and steady. It wasn’t an answer with indifference, but one made of acceptance.

“You’ve heard already, sir?”

“No, but if he survived, my child would have returned home first before anything else. Tell me, how have my son fallen. Was he honourable until the end? And did he carry our family’s pride with him or died like a coward?”

This time it was the group that went into silence.

Thoughts ran through everyone’s minds. This man has obviously guessed his son’s death, and no doubt it had caused him to give off such a shattered feeling. This aura is so strong that they instinctively know that if Kairos did not handle it properly, the man would only continue to await his death.

The young boys all turned to look at Kairos, their anxiousness easily visible on their faces. They could only trust their captain now.

“Sir, your son is not a coward. You can be proud. That day……”

Kairos told him the long and short of what happened, and as the man heard how his son had thrown himself in front of Kairos, he carefully observed the boy from head to toe. He had to find out what made this child so special that his child would give up his life in exchange. What he saw with his eyes were limited. Despite there was the bearing of a commander that Kairos exuded, the child wasn’t too different from another, but thinking about it, for a child of such tender age to lead so many through difficult situations and even protect most of them, he must be exceptional.

When the man came to this conclusion, instead of feeling upset at the loss of his son, he was surprised to somehow feel that his son had felt proud of making that decision on that day.

“I’ve heard your message. Thank you. Please leave this old man now.”

“Sir, I’m afraid I cannot just do that. Your son and two others have given up their lives for mine, and I have no way to repay them in return.

The least I could do was to claim them as members of the Snowdrifts, a group that belongs to all of us.

They had seen something in me that caused them to make that decision. Therefore, I want to prove what they believed in was worthy. I will honour them in my way!”

Kairos looked firmly at the man. To be honest, there is no need for him to make this visit at all, death occurring during the exam is nothing odd. What is unusual is the fact that this young boy came over personally, and even honestly said that the cause of his son death is his orders.

Even though the boy did not regret giving such instructions, he is here standing right before him.

It is a strange feeling indeed.

The boy isn’t offering to pay the father, for doing so will only dilute the meaning of his son’s death. Even if Kairos had offered him money, he would have rejected it, but instead wished to honour his son. And, this is something he could understand.

He nodded at Kairos and indicated that he would listen.

“Sir, I wish to take care of the families of my members. Once they joined Snowdrifts, then they are my brothers and sisters, and their families are my family.”

The words sounded resolute. It resonated deeply in the man’s heart, and all of a sudden, he felt that his son is home again, standing right beside this young man.

Indeed, for all he cares, as someone who can face the father of a subordinate who died and bravely tries to take responsibility, Kairos had proven himself worthy to be called a man.

To claim his deceased son as part of a group was a significant thing. In this day and age, to be accepted into a group as a permanent member is akin to gaining a second home. One, in which, all the resources and care that only kinsfolks could expect.

To do so for one who had passed away meant a solemn covenant to watch over all the needs of the still living family of the deceased.

The words that left Kairos’ lips were of paramount gravity. If the group that this child mentioned could not uphold their promise, it will attract contempt from the public, and most probably be destroyed out of the derision it incurred.

If the other groups allowed such bastardisation of the meaning behind clans and sects, how could they uphold their own reputation?

A spark of life relit in the man’s tired eyes. He had lost the will to live after his son was gone, but now, he suddenly felt a curiosity to see how this boy would turn out in the future. Despite himself, he told the boy his name, Siegfried. A master blacksmith hailing from a recently vanquished kingdom in the north.

When his country was destroyed in a war, he had brought Sieg over to Saint Empire as refugees. Thinking that his craft could help him, he had approached the capital city offering his skills that could craft even Titan rank equipment. However, everything fell through with how the empire looked down upon craftsmen and rather resort to importing anything that they lacked.

Only those craftsmen that are of the Trade Federate or part of a clan or family will not lack work.

The truth of the matter was that any person of great reputation has to start all over when they move to another place, but Saint Empire was much worse than other countries. Without adequate resources for a new beginning, and to continue to survive, they had winded up at a small place in the slum area, resorted to crafting simple tools for people. For blacksmiths with no background to speak of, like him, this is their only choice.

In such an environment and insufficient cultivation resources, there is no doubt that Sieg had a very poor foundation. Siegfried couldn’t help but feel that it was his failure as a father that caused his son’s death.

From the story that Kairos had told him, it was not just Sieg who stood in front of the War Chief, defending onto death for their leader, Kairos.

But at the end, only three had died. The three with the weakest constitution.