Vera, Dragna Empire. Miko arrived here with the company of his father, Leon. The reason Leon was with him was because Leon had grew up in the country as the heir of the clan which ruled it, the Saevus Clan.

“I haven’t been here in a while.”

Leon looked through the window of the car they were driving in. Miko did the same. Everywhere he looked he saw skyscrapers and other tall buildings with billboards on them.

“This place really is a business country huh?”

The Dragna Empire had several famous countries under its rule, but there were four in particular which stood out. These were the criminal den, Gael; the tourist hotspot, Lushun; the metropolitan city, Vera; and finally the capital, Dragna City. Since Gael had now become Renacido, Miko currently ruled one of four.

“Vera is like a country-size commercial city. 80% of the empire’s businesses can be found here. Of all the countries, this one probably generates the most revenue for the empire. Not even the capital or Lushun can compare.”

Leon said.

“Vera provides services for the entire continent after all.”

“Oh…”

“You don’t seem to be all that excited.”

“Well, I was suddenly summoned here by my grandfather who I haven’t met before; and from what I hear, he’s someone extremely hard to deal with.”

Leon thought about it for a while before speaking.

“Well, my father is indeed hard to deal with, but there shouldn’t be any problem with your meeting. In fact, this is a chance. If you’re able to turn him into your ally, then you’ll have the backing of the entire empire.”

“I know, but I just get the feeling that’s why he invited me.”

Miko rested his head in his palm.

“Whether it’s him, Joesph Flameheart, or the Dragna clan they’re all trying to use me to accomplish their respective goals.”

A sharp light appeared in his eyes.

“They are all looking down on m and for that I’ll make them all suffer. I’ll use them instead and sucked them dry of everything valuable. I’ll step over their corpses and continue my path to the top.”

“An eye for an eye, huh? You’ve always been like that. I think you get that from your mother.”

Leon leaned back in his seat and laughed.

The car drove in silence until it arrived in the center of the city. There was a large villa that seemed out of place while being surrounded by tall buildings. On the gate was the symbol of a crimson cat.

“This is where the Saevus Clan, which is by far the largest clan in the empire lives?”

Miko looked at the villa and could only see one house from the outside.

“Once we drive inside you’ll understand.”

Leon replied. The gates slowly opened up and the car drove into the villa. A crimson light engulfed the car. Miko to looked outside.

“Wha?!”

His eyes peeled open. He was inside a valley with countless houses scattered across the land. The sky was crimson and he saw many people with crimson hair walking about dressed in medieval clothing.

“The Saevus Residence is in a different space?”

“That’s right. Just like the five branches of the Dragna clan, our clan has its own dominion.”

Leon answered beside him.

“But why are they dressed like that?”

“Our clan likes to keep its traditions alive. This may sound surprising but we are pretty old fashioned and conservative by nature. However, my father turned the clan and its members into one big conglomerate. He said that in order to survive we must learn how to adapt. So we have two personas in a way.”

“Conservative on the inside but adaptable and innovative on the outside….That’s brilliant.”

Miko mumbled while Leon nodded.

“That’s right. Markus Saevus is a brilliant person. Did you know? In the past, the Saevus and Flameheart Clan couldn’t begin to compare to the Dragna clan. That was because of the divine generation which produced those like the Branch Leaders, and Grand Elders like Raven, Krow, and Kroc. The reason why the other two were able to catch up was because of a drought period in the Dragna clan.”

“Drought?”

“That’s right. Maybe because they produced too many geniuses at once, the Dragna clan went thousands of years without producing a real genius. During that time, both the Flameheart and Saevus Clan started having one genius after the other and was able to cut the gap. The drought ended when your uncle Nova was born. After him, the Branch Leaders started producing geniuses with their own children. But on the other hand the Saevus clan experienced a similar drought. Yet, the clan didn’t lose power.”

“And your father was responsible for that?”

“Yes. He used business to compete with the other two clans and cemented our clan’s place in the three clans. Even now after the drought ended the Saevus Clan still focus on business as much as it did back then.”

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“Your father seem to be a capable leader.”

“Yeah, but he has a bad personality. Or rather he just hate losing to a fault.”

Leon gave a wry laugh.

The car drove until it arrived at a castle on top of a hill. The castle had the Saevus Clan symbol on it.

“We’re here. The Saevus Castle.”

Leon exited the car and said. Miko exited and stared at the castle for a bit.

“Let’s go.”

Leon approached the gates. The guards there immediately let him in and bowed with reverence.

“Welcome back, Young Master.”

“Is my father in?”

The guards nodded.

“And my brother?”

“Master Marc is out on clan business at the moment.”

“I see. That’s too bad, I wanted him to meet Miko.”

Miko walked through the gate. He was a bit surprised the guards didn’t greet him like they greeted Leon. They only gave him a nod to acknowledge him.

“Confused?”

Leon asked him while they were walking towards the castle.

“You thought they would try to make you have a good impression of the clan by sucking up to you?”

“Well, Yeah.”

Leon laughed.

“You would never see that with this clan. We’re prideful and would never lower ourselves to anyone. Our ancestors slew a great demon king and took his blood into their bodies turning themselves into kings.”

Leon grinned and looked at Miko.

“And true kings will never lower themselves to please anyone.”

“….Looks like you have a lot of pride in your clan. I find it hard to believe that you left it.”

“It isn’t that hard to believe. I simply found something more valuable than my pride.”

Leon started rubbing his son’s head playfully.

“I see that you two are close.”

The two of them stopped when they saw someone appear not too far away from them. It was a tall, crimson haired man with a well groomed beard. He was very muscular, and was dressed in a crimson and gold doublet and black pants. His fierce crimson eyes remained someone of an enraged demon.

“Father, it’s been a while.”

Leon bowed. Miko didn’t need to hear how he addressed the man to know who he was. That was because he needed only a glance to tell.

The man in front of him was his grandfather, Markus Saevus.

“Its been a while, Leon.”

Markus approached his son and patted him on his shoulder. He then looked at Miko who was beside him.

“?!”

The moment Miko looked into his eyes his body felt hot. It felt as if magma was running through his veins. He immediately realized that his demon blood was acting up.

“I see…You’re Miko.”

Markus looked down on Miko as if he was dissecting him with his eyes. Miko gritted his teeth and stretched his hand out.

“It’s nice to meet you, Grandfather.”

Markus looked at his hand for a while and then smiled.

“You have guts.”

Markus took his hand and squeezed it.

“Good, it looks like you have a king’s heart.”

He released Miko’s hand and turned around.

“Follow me to my quarters. We can discuss why I called you here there.”

He walked away and Miko and Leon followed after him. He led them to his office where Markus sat behind his desk, while Miko sat before him and Leon sat on a coach in the corner of the room.

“First, let me make something clear.”

Markus spoke.

“Since your birth I’ve never considered you my grandson.”

Miko was caught off guard while Leon sighed in response to Markus’ words.

“What a way to start our conversation.”

“I’m only being honest. Honesty is something that many take for granted. When I really want to get to know someone, I try my best to be honest with them. You’d be surprised how well you can figure out a person’s character by just being honest with them.”

“I see. Then I’ll be honest as well. I never thought of you as my grandfather and probably never will.”

Markus nodded.

“That’s fine.”

“You see Miko, my father doesn’t believe everyone who shares your blood is your family. He’s someone who chooses his own family. So he isn’t trying to anger you in the least.”

Leon quickly explained.

“For me, the status of family is something you have to earn. Loving someone unconditionally just because of blood relations is madness. I only love those I believe deserves my love. I must have a full grasp of your character before I call you my family.”

“Oh, I can actually agree with that. Not everyone who you have blood relations with deserves to be treated like family. I like the idea of choosing your own family. I do it myself.”

Miko smiled.

“So to you I’m a total stranger and not your family?”

“Exactly.”

“Then why summon me here? What do you want from a stranger like myself?”

“That depends on your character. Whether I want everything or whether I want nothing to do with you….It all depends on you.”

(Now that’s an unique answer.)

Miko nodded.

“Then you called me here to figure out what kind of person I am?”

Markus nodded.

“I’ll be honest. I once thought about killing you when you were a baby.”

“?!”

This time Leon jumped up. Miko however remained calm.

“What changed your mind?”

“You’re not curious as to why I wanted to kill you?”

“It’s because you thought I was going to be a vessel for Beleth’s reincarnation right?”

“You knew?”

Miko nodded.

“The Saevus Clan not only inherited Beleth’s power when they devoured him, they were cursed as well. A part of Beleth still lives in all of us. Meaning, there’s a chance of him being reborn through one of us. For example, let’s say someone was born with his blood being very potent in them, there’s a high chance they could become a vessel for his resurrection, right?”

Markus nodded.

“When the demonic effects from your birth first happened I thought that it was because of Beleth’s curse, but someone explained that wasn’t the case.”

“Joesph Flameheart?”

“I’m surprised. How did you know?”

“He seems to understand the circumstances around my birth better than anyone.”

“I see…..I backed down back then, but because I realized that you were special, I and the rest of the clan stayed away from you.”

“You mean you just observed me from the shadows.”

Markus nodded.

“Then what about Kristen? Why are you guys so interested in him?”

Miko recalled his younger brother being called to the Saevus clan every now and again for check ups and examinations, while he and his younger sister weren’t. That must be because Beleth’s blood was particularly strong in him. But he had the feeling that there was more to it.

“We wanted to turn him into an anti-you weapon.”

“Come again?”

“While not as much as you, Kristen is quite special. His demon blood potency is among the highest in the clan’s history, yet he doesn’t show any signs of turning into a vessel for Beleth’s. Other than the progenitors of the clan, only a handful of people could achieve this.”

“And you wanted to turn him into a weapon against me….Why?”

“Because a lot of people were plotting to use you to accomplish their own goals. Who says that those goals won’t negatively effect my clan? So I needed a weapon of my own.”

Miko’s eyes sharpened. He was angry not because Markus was plotting against him, but because he was planning on using his little brother. For Miko, messing with his family was the greatest sin one could commit. Especially his parents and siblings. After all, he once wanted to destroy the world because of his mother’s tears.

“Well, I eventually abandoned the idea.”

Markus leaned back in his chair and said.

“….Why?”

“I started seeing Kristen as family the more I interacted with him.”

Markus eyes softened.

“He’s really a good kid, you know? He did everything I asked without question. He would always ask how I’m doing even when he was in pain…He’s really a cute kid.”

“…….”

Miko glared at him in silence for a while.

And then-

“I know, right?!”

He started smiling from ear to ear.

“Kristen is really cute despite the occasional rebellious behavior.”

“Oh, he acts like that with you as well? I was really surprised when he first lashed out at me. But his guilty expression soon after was worth it.”

“I know right.”

The two started laughing and continued to talk. Seeing them like this Leon sighed.

“Looks like we avoided a bloodbath thanks to Kristen.”