Opening the cell's door, James released his mana, ready for any proactive action for the man on ground, to kill or restrain the man, at slightest hostile intent.

“it's ready, try what you want son.” 

Making necessary precaution, James called him in.

Stepping in, Samuel felt the heavy oppressive feeling of his father's might. None of was targeted at him, but since he hadn't deactivated his wind sense, he could feel it clearly.

But such heavy force, just made Samuel and Kane look much weaker than usual.

Following trail of scent, he closed in to man on ground.

“OOHHH!”

With a sudden roar, the man who was on verge of death, leaped at young boy.

It was as if simple presence of Samuel brought a goal to its existence.

“no, you don't.” 

James had expected his actions and obviously showed his preparedness, but his opponent didn't payed a damn about him and when Samuel drew near, he took action without a moment of hesitation.

If he was capable of rational thinking, he wouldn't do so, as he would knew it was fruitless and senseless.

A net of water accompanying heavy pressure crashed down on poor man body, the strength wasn't enough to kill him but enough to hold him off. 

“awweee…” wailing in pain, he still wasn't willing to give up on resistance.

Trashing around wildly, Kane tried to escape the net confinement, but friction created by his floundering limbs, iron chains and water net, teared his skin, cutting it in several pieces, causing him a ferocious bleeding.

This wild occurrence, made Samuel flinch for a moment. Watching someone bleed wasn't entertaining in his eyes.

Wanting to end the man suffering faster, he concentrated on fresh blood that splattered on floor.

Squatting down and touching that blood, he brought his finger up to his nose.

Smell is totally different from what mixed state his body has, holding only one smell, like what it should be, if we go by it he should be normal but he clearly isn't. Does he carry something on him? Or…

“father, was there any object with him before coming here.”

“no, nothing was with him son.”

Getting a fast negative response from James, he decided to check up on his body more closely.

Samuel's amount of mana was limited and his range was medium, so he could tell difference more easily in short distance.

Examining Kane's body with meticulousness, he reached his neck. Mark of fang, sign of vampire's prey was oblivious, it was supposed to be a bite mark belonging to two months ago, but Samuel could sense a fresh scent of blood on it, as if it'd happened in less than a day timing.

“…father, can you cut his neck?” Samuel said with a rather hesitating voice.

“……!!!”

It was James turn to shake in disbelief.

He had shown a fraction of what he had to do, hoping to educate him for future when he take over his position.

But he couldn't believe that he had asked him to kill someone this early and easily.

(although our bloodline is rather vicious and violent, but this fast and he … I thought he was different from rest of us…)

“lamentable, but it seems you choose this for him.” James sounds truly sad about what happened.

Not sad for dying man but for what he thought and what unchangeable truth was.

Taking out a short sword, he decided to do it, to make Samuel aware of what his choice was.

“…emm, father just a shallow cut I want, not the whole neck.”

Seeing his father heavy expression, he'd noticed ambiguous meaning of word he used, correcting it before anything happens.

“phew…” 

Sighing in relief, James did as Samuel asked him, prepared to watch the results, whatever it was.

Making a shallow cut on his neck, they both stared at him with anticipation, which was responded with strange spectacle.

The wound bled like it should, but on same place, a portion of blood retreated back, like living creature, it intelligently withdrew itself, worming back inside of neck.

“what the hell was this?” James said in an astonished slow voice.

Samuel wasn't faring any better, he was tongue-tied at what he witnessed, but he understood what it was on smell the moment it appeared.

“it's …it's her blood…” With fear of its owner, he identified it with a shaking voice.

“you sure of it son?”

“…definitely, there's no mistake in it.” Samuel could say he wouldn't mistake smell of that woman, not in slightest.

“hm, so this is how it works.” James said in confident tone and had a happy face on as he closed the wound by his magic.

“how what works, father?” Samuel was curious about it so he wanted to get in know with what this was.

“son, you should have already learned the basic of how a human body work, right?”

“you mean heart and brain, am I right?” Samuel returned the question.

“Yes, the brain make entire body operates and for it to work requires blood which heart provide, there are magic to disrupt them, such is blood control that some vampire has.”

“implanting her blood, which shows obvious sign of consciousness, inside of his head, she make the blood does work of a substitute brain and make decisions for the body, controlling it entirely.”

Giving explanation to Samuel brought a possibility also to him.

How many such people could be placed as mute to spy on certain places? Unless a wind magician made exceptional care and analysed their smell, they would go unnoticed until their masters wished it.

“father, can you take the blood out?”

Samuel sounded rather sure that his father could do something about it.

“sadly son, I can't affect the blood without risking it to go wild and explode right inside of his head.”

But expectations he had wasn't responded.

“Is there nothing to be done?”

He asked, unknown if addressed to his father, himself or someone else.

James just stood aside, watching boy deep in thoughts, with a warm smile.

(yes, that is how it should be…)

“father, if this amount of blood that vampire had placed in him turns to water, would you be able to take it out, before his brain get damaged?”

“I can do that, but turns to water, how?”

He was a water magician, so water element special abilities was mostly known to him.

But there was no such thing as turning blood into water in his memory.

“before we begin, I need to take rest father.” 

Moving out of cell, he sat down cross legged, falling asleep in short few seconds.

“the what?!!”

For James this was more strange than blood implanting that vampire did.

“how did you fall asleep here and this soundly?!”

Who didn't knew how heavy Samuel sleep was inside the mansion?seeing him sleeping like this was a sure surprise for any of them.

James knew Samuel had been working on it, but didn't knew how eager he was for it.

The stench of place was horrific but the boy slept without any qualm in it.

James looked at such happening for about a quarter of hour and the boy woke up, as if he knew passage of time.

“Alright father, let's do it.” having recovered his mana, he wanted to make it happen his way, not for him to obey how situation was.

Making a cut on same place, Samuel instantly touched the retreating blood, using a power he hadn't shared with other.

The blood broke down the instant it was touched by him.

“Aaahhh!!” a strange wail rang out from it, the ear splitting sounds it had made their head moments away from shattering.

Kane to fall and lie limply on ground, unmoving.

James although surprised at outcome, didn't lost the chance and sent his mana locking the deformed blood, pulling it out and threw it at wall.

Bang!!

Upon the impact, it exploded. As last resort it had choosed self destruction, but loss of its original constitution because of transformation Samuel done on it, caused a big delay and so it failed.

“father, is he alive? ” Samuel asked worriedly, as the man more resembled a corpse in his eyes.

James checked his pulse for Samuel.

“…he is alive, not to worry. For now let's go back, other two might look for you, I'll send someone to tend this guy wounds and bring him out of here.” 

“Mm.”  Samuel nodded and followed him out.

Reaching outside of dungeon, he had many things on his mind, but still was unsure about them.

After they got out James looked at him serious expression and asked

“what was the magic you used on it?” 

“well, I don't know it myself, I only know how it operates by chance.” Samuel responded honestly, not hide anything.

“it can change any liquid into water and maybe the reverse, but I couldn't try reverse yet.”

He had assumed it to work on same principle as wind sense, a special water element special abilities he was born with.

Not like system really worked on him, so if he didn't take it benefits, he shouldn't have its limitations either.

“useful power indeed.” his father prized the ability in reserve, neither calling it extremely powerful or totally useless.

“if I'm not mistaken, there was a similar ability in past called [Liquid Transmutation].” he made up a lie about it and told him.

The name was his own making, this was a power that never existed in history of Haeron.

He lied cause he wanted to hide the dangerous use that his magic had.

What if Samuel decided to turn someone's own blood into water? The lethality it'd was unimaginable but it was dangerous for boy himself.

James knew Samuel had kept quite a grudge in his heart, which wasn't even wrong for him either. 

But making current him aware of such power wasn't a wise action, James wouldn't care if Samuel went and killed one of the blackwoods or any other but …

(…it'll make her sad…)

Emma would surely be pained if her son committed such a thing. And James wasn't willing to let her experience such suffering.

“Liquid Transmutation, a fitting name …” murmuring to himself as they passed the woods.

“son!”

“what is it, father?”

At his father's call, he stood and awaited what he had for saying.

“study Miles language from now on.”

Though language empire cause of it vast land and awe inspiring might was learned even by foreign nobles, it wasn't so for normal people, so if someone wanted to travel there, it was best for them to learn their's.

“I will, but can I ask why?”

“two year from now on, you'll depart from here and goes to Miles, for your heart passage to be opened up and get enrolled in martial arts sect of Red Phoenix.”

Red Phoenix was one of four sect of Miles, and only one that Samuel could get apply to.

Other three sect required exceptional talent and two of them were specific about gender.

Red Phoenix was quite a strange one in middle.

If you'd talent then you could apply for free and if you didn't you still could register with a hefty tuition. 

Saying so James take out a note book from his chest pocket and handed it to Samuel.

It'd old and tattered bookbinding, like it was something ancient or wasn't kept carefully.

“what is this?” Samuel held the book, looking at either side nothing was written on it.

“son, I've choose you to take my place and this is symbol of you being future Duke.” James said in prestigious voice, the strong standing was fully on display, pressuring the young Samuel.

This old book is our symbol?!

Normally noble families had something as Crest and Symbol, Mostly jewels, ceremonial weapons, clothing they wore and even their appearance such as hair color.

On public everyone assumed genetical blue hair of Arion to be their Symbol and Arions had somehow verified it for them.

But today Samuel was truly introduced to their real Symbol, which was…

“…a blank ancient note book.” said Samuel, confused of what it supposed to mean. The note book had distinct familiar feeling for him.

“that is right son, this is blank, or at least this how you see it.”

His word was hinting enough about what he was hinting at.

“…I can't see it?”

At his question, James slowly swept his hand on the worn out cover of the book.

After his hand passed, blurry word appeared on book's surface.

Mirage and its Origin, was what written upon it.

James made a strained smile and said “this is your family's true power and it secrets, I've only give you access to first half of book, which only shows you how to use The Mirage magic.”

“learn it but don't show it to your brother and use it to read the later half of it, hopefully you'll be ready for what you'll find in it.”

Samuel wanted to ask for more, to become aware what was inside of it but he didn't, if his father wanted to tell him, he would, him insisting wouldn't be wise.

“…after reading it once, meet me in study, I've something to tell you.”

So his father left him wandering, on short span of an hour, he got his mind occupied by many information his father presented him.

Though why me??

But him becoming Duke was strange in his eyes, just like his father insistence on Simon being kept in dark about everything.

Looking at book in his hand, he decided to postpone today's training and read it instead.

“Oh, so were here bro, we're searching for you.”

 The young voice that reached his ear, made him flinch and hide the book hastily.

“hmm.” Simon reached and gazed him suspiciously in tow with Carolina who waved her hand silently with bright smile behind him.

“Carl, doesn't he looks pretty suspicious, like he has done something bad?”

“don't think so, he isn't like you right, Si?”

“you're still angry over that!!”

Seeing Carolina providing a escape avenue, he didn't wasted it.

“what bad thing can I do here, alone in garden? I was practicing like usual.” he said with an innocent tone.

“who knows, but if you wanted to do something bad, call me in, together will be more fun.” Simon said and made wink at him.

Shaking his head, Samuel said “today I'm tired, going to rest early.”

“hey, that's not cool at all, it's morning and …”

“let him go, you know he sleeps few times a day.”

Carolina stopped the Simon which wanted to follow after Samuel, bringing him away.

And so Samuel moved back to his room, leaving the duo alone.

While such morning events passed in mansion, somewhere inside the city, inside a house's basement where no light reached a woman was tasting an excruciating pain. 

A woman which Samuel was too much familiar with by now and seen her death in a sense.

“…Ha…he broke it, this wasn't mentioned in his abilities, damn it.” 

Her face contorted under fierce pain and her body was laying powerlessly on sofa.

But even under maddening suffering a smile bloomed on her lips “this only make me want you even more and I will have you.”

She had tried and failed spectacularly in her plans but even after seeing power that guarded the mansion, she still was persistent in her goal to capture the boy.

A petite white pale hand suddenly grabbed her head from back forcefully.

“ahh…” Making a painful scream, she called out to hand owner “lil' sis, let go, let me …go.”

No response came besides the force that held her grew much more severe.

Crack!!

“it's breaking, it's breaking damn it, let go…” her voice become more high pitched, more like a begging wail.

She was weakened due to Samuel act of breaking her magic and Emma power which killed her ' clone ', so she was at mercy of her sister.

“father…said…no…making…move…now.” An emotionless voice said slowly word by word, not releasing her clutch over breaking skull she held. 

“lil' bitch, show some love to your elder sister.”

“you want love? ” The voice sounded like young girl, not more than early teen, giving a refreshing feeling like spring breeze. “here, have some.”

Holding Ramona's left shoulder with her little other hand, she broke shoulder bone in a domineering and brutal fashion.

“Aaargh…”

Disregarding the miserable shriek, she ripped off the entire arm in one swift motion.

“do you still want more?” 

Her voice was devoid of any guilt or pity at what she did …it could be said that it even seemed a bit joyous, like she was fun.

“twisted little shit, you'll regret this …”

“Heh.”

The threat she made only brought a chuckle and an another lost armed.

“Ah, you little …”

“it's hopeless struggle sis, father said to bring you back.”

A bloody hand caressed Ramona's cheek, making her shudder, as low whisper came up.

“Just bringing you back, even if you're in body bag, broken all over, do you get it now? I decides your fate now.”

“and you know how much I love to see suffering!!”

As she spoke a churning hate encompassed the basement, a showcase of her true desire to enjoy her suffering.

“wait, wait up… I've things left to do…”

“…already cleaned up.”

Saying so she dragged her away, leaving the severed arms.

“you killed them?!” Ramona pupils widened at news her sister shared with her.“ they were my pieces, you …”

“silence sis.”

Grabbing Ramona's neck she twirled it with two hand making her unconscious.

“good riddance, always making trouble.”

Soon their figure dissolved in darkness, departing from city, leaving it with trouble for both sides.