"Keith."
The name left Killian's mouth quietly.
He must've just left their sister's office, badge on his chest, with his posture straight.
He just stood there, staring right back at Killian. His expressions were unreadable, but his eyes already filled with something that wasn't simple recognition.
Killian walked out of the elevator, adjusting his hair. He thought of apologizing for hogging the elevator, but if it was anyone but him.
He walked ahead, and glanced at Keith's badge one more time.
"Congratulations."
Killian heard the words and wondered if he said it. He turned to Keith. "What?"
"Congratulations. Your badge. You finally awakened something." Keith walked into the elevator. His back still turned against him.
Killian watched the elevator close, his upper lip slowly raised to a scowl.
I finally awakened something? Congratulations?
He sounds like he's insulting me.
His fist clenched at his sides, and he forced them into his pockets. He had no right to speak to him while flaunting a badge he didn't deserve.
Killian marched down to Quara's office and knocked. He knocked even harder the next second. Did his brother come to show off his badge to her?
"Quara?"
He could tell she was in there. He entered.
Quara's head rested on her table; her desk and black outfits were the only dark-coloured in the white-painted office.
Killian tucked his badge into his pockets, as she raised her head. The distant expression and slight pout, told him that she was feeling helpless again.
Since Keith just walked out of her office, he could guess what happened. "Was he given an S-Rank position now?" He leaned on the desk.
Quara threw her head back, sighing. She stretched her hand. "Forget me. Let me see your badge."
Killian frowned. The last time she said he was the only one she could rant to. If she kept it to herself, it would eat her up. And he didn't want that.
"Just tell me what happened." He insisted. "Keith being a B-Rank doesn't necessarily affect you. Unless it does, so tell me how."
Quara dropped her hand on the table. Her eyes shifted to the window. "B-Rank Lower Wardens gets a ton of promotional jobs to advance to B-Rank Higher. They're easier and don't require much experience."
Killian could already tell what happened with those few words. "And some bastard decided to give it to Keith? What does he need promotions for now?"
He got the damn position two days ago!
"Yeah, it wouldn't be a promotion for him since he'd need a lot more points, but it would've been for me. He got it because it's low cost and easier to control. I believe his patron is trying to increase his count."
Patron. Increment of Count. Points. Killian exhaled.
As newbie Wardens, they were advised not to care about increasing their points or realm counts, until two years with experience. It should all come naturally.
Even a patron, like a Manager, was given to A-Rank and S-Rank Wardens. Keith had no business with any of these.
"I don't know what father is thinking, but this is stark hatred for me. He knew I wanted to get promoted. He also knows that here, only one sibling gets priority for a while."
Those words made Killian's shoulders fall.
It had worried me when I thought Keith and I would be Wardens at the same time.
Since he was more talented, I would be overlooked. But I would have accepted it.
Targeting our older sister isn't fair to her hard work for four years. Does it even make sense to be so unfair? To what end?
He sat on the desk. "If father wanted him to be the next World Order, he should've started by beating the World Order's first training points."
He tilted his head. "Yet I did that. And with the Void Element."
Quara raised a brow, then slowly raised her head. "Wasn't the World Order the highest ever? How did you beat him?"
"By becoming the highest ever."
Confusion flickered in Quara's eyes before turning to amusement. "I don't know what velocity you are on, but you should be careful of friction."
That is a compliment, right?
Quara slapped her face lightly. "I should also try to get back my velocity. There are other ways to score points without the easier jobs."
Killian nodded at her resolve. Since Keith wanted to hog all the easy way out, she could leave it to him.
"Your badge?"
Killian quickly took it out.
The black edges on the sigil had smoothed, and the surface was a dark purple hue.
"This is pretty." She touched the surface softly, before scanning it on her laptop.
She showed him the screen. "It is hidden. This could raise suspicion." Killian only hummed in response.
She released the pin of the badge and gestured for him to come closer. "You didn't know how to wear it, right?" she smiled when Killian nodded.
"Keith didn't either." She chuckled.
Killian remembered the badge on his chest. It made him more annoyed that despite Keith disrespecting their sister, he still came to her for help because he knew she'd help him.
"All set. Congratulations on your badge, Warden!"
He straightened his clothes. "Thanks, Sis." He looked at the badge pinned to his shirt.
He felt a sense of pride and accomplishment at his journey so far, that led him to the particular moment of fulfilling his dream.
He got down from the desk. "I will go practice. Tell me when you're done so we'll go home together."
"Oh, that will be the next five hours. You'll wait?"
He contemplated and shrugged. There was no one at home he liked enough to stay home with, except his sister. The servants ignored him too.
"I'll wait." He grabbed snacks from a box, and left the office. "Status," he said, tearing a pack of chips open. His steps slowed down.
[Name: Grim Warden] [Rank: C Lower]
[Element: Void] [Affinity: 45%]
[Capacity: 5% —> 9.5%] [Unlock New Element: 31.7%]
[Diagnosis: Anomaly] [Verdict: Pending]
[Objective: Survive the Sun.]
"The capacity is one thing, but a new element?" He realised he spoke to himself out loud again, and quickly moved towards the elevator.
Care to explain? I know you swallowed my Fire Heart. Is that what you mean?
"Yes. You shouldn't be so conscious about the black smoke during your first mission. I would remove the first objective."
Killian got into the elevator and started down. The Void said he awakened an innate Fire Heart, but innate was the word. Could he freely use it now?
I assumed I would have to swallow a Fire Element to be able to manipulate it. It will be easier if I can use it like everyone thought I could.
Then I didn't lie after all.
"Yes. It is easier to gain Fire Skills. Void Skills need capacity. A lot. You only need 30% capacity to unlock the Fire Heart I swallowed. It's a more realistic goal for now."
The elevator stopped and Killian strolled out, his hands in pockets with a confident stride. "The life of a dual-element Warden. Here I come."
"Of course, I will still make sure you don't slack with your Void Practice."
"I wouldn't. I want to know how to use Retrace Skill." He skipped a few steps on his way to the simulation room. "So, today, we will unlock that Fire Heart."
"The Direwolf that injured you, and the leftover from your Void Bat cost only 4.5% capacity. You want to gain 20.5% capacity at a go? Can you make that much effort within a short time?"
Leave it to me.
I plan to see how far the shadow Writhes tendrils can go.
I also want to infuse the cheap daggers I got with the shadows.
"They'd break."
Yes, but they'd serve me before their demise.
And lastly, I want to exhaust every ambient mana around me, and fill every inch with the shadows.
Like the domain skill; Totality Art - Realmcraft.
"Those are big goals. And you want to achieve it in five hours or less?"
"In five hours or less."