Everyone sat at the dining table.
Mia somehow tricked everyone and managed to make Azzy and Claire sit beside each other.
Wesley Leveret then started to ask Azzy and others about their parents, just for formality.
While Snivy replied that her father is a prosecutor while her mother runs a clinic, Azzy and Gideon stayed silent.
"What about you, Gideon?" As Wesley asked him, Gideon took a deep breath and replied, "My parents died when I was a child. I was brought by my aunt. I'm not sure what she does though. All I know is that she's part of some organization."
For a while, silence filled in the room. Snivy stared at him in pity for a moment before Wesley nodded and commented, "You grew up to be a fine young man. I'm sure your parents will also be happy if they were to see your performance in the tournament."
"I've done nothing though. Azzy was the one who brought us to the finals." Gideon mumbled to himself in disappointment.
Although everyone heard his words, no one commented.
Wesley then spoke to Azzy as if he heard nothing, "Azrael, what about you?"
"I'm not sure. I never met my birth parents." Azzy plainly replied while cutting the steak.
As a person who served the country as the President for two terms, naturally, Wesley won't show displeasure on his face even if someone swears at him, much less talk with an indifferent tone.
Moreover, he also researched Azzy while providing a hidden guard for him. So, keeping a calm face, he further commented, "I heard that you are adopted by the Princess of Snieca and the Divine Physician."
Since it wasn't any secret and his foster parents were also public figures, Azzy corrected him, "They are my foster parents."
He didn't give any explanation after that and left it to everyone's imagination.
Wesley smiled as he thought, "Just as I have expected."
After receiving a piece of crucial information, he proceeded to ask, "Mia told that you transferred to Aclein academy this year. Then, what about before?"
Since those two people were someone that he couldn't dare to offend, Wesley wasn't able to find out about Azzy's past.
According to the records of the school, he was from Angels Orphanage that is located in the town of Sliya.
However, according to his spies, there's no record of Azzy over there. Even the Orphanage director said that he never saw Azzy when he was shown a photograph.
It made him doubt whether he's really an orphan.
And the chance of him being a spy from Southern Qudour is impossible. After all, according to the data he received, Azzy was sure to reach the 9-star realm if nothing unfortunate happens and he even has the potential to reach a demi-god rank.
Only fools would send people like that as a spy.
With his foster parents ended up to be high-level figures, Wesley was almost convinced that Azzy's background wasn't ordinary.
He was ninety percent confident that Azzy was a high-born noble and was probably left with Oakley and Affea because of some reason.
Upon hearing his words, Snivy and Gideon thought Wesley was focusing more on Azzy than others.
Insecure Claire once again started to worry that this politician might be trying to scout him.
As for Mia, she frowned, thinking, "Why does it seem like father is trying to interrogate Azrael?"
Meanwhile, Azzy answered with two simple words. "Self-taught."
"I see…" Wesley nodded while thinking that this boy is indeed tough to crack.
However, he didn't give up and continued to try to extract the information, "That means, both of your foster parents were the ones that sent you to the school, right? Then, I guess you met them only a year ago?"
As Azzy nodded, Wesley continued, "How does that happen? I mean, after all, they don't have normal identities. So, I'm kind of interested in it. Do you know them from before or it just happened coincidentally?"
Even though Azzy got annoyed with his continuous questions, Azzy tried to be calm, reminding himself that he's Mia's father.
If it was a stranger, by now, Azzy would have already answered him like "why does he care about his family?"
But, right now, he's also a guest to this house and he shouldn't be extremely rude towards the host unless his bottom line was crossed.
Along with him, even Mia also got irritated by her father's words.
Before Azzy replied, she opened her mouth, "Dad? Why are you asking him so many questions? Why does that matter anyway? The present is more important than the past. And presently, he's my friend, my junior and we study in the same academy. That's all you need to know."
"Hey, Mia…" Her mother, who was silent until now, tried to reprimand her for talking with Wesley like that.
Right then, an aged masculine voice was heard from the door. "Just like how the future depends on the actions of the present, the present depends on the actions of the past, Mia."
Everyone turned their heads towards the source and saw it is Mia's grandfather, the King's father-in-law, and the head of the leveret family, Jewell Leveret who was having a book in his hands.
"Father?" Wesley appeared to be surprised. "You returned, so quickly? Didn't you tell that you have an important lunch meeting with Lord Nigellus?"
"It looked like the royal ancestor and your brother-in-law has some important guests. Just as we started eating, Nigellus was also summoned by the King. That brat left for the palace, leaving me alone to continue lunch."
With a look of frustration, he continued, "What's the meaning of having lunch alone in his mansion. Do I look like I went there for food or something?"
Jewell then joined the others for lunch.
"Oh, I forgot that you aren't properly introduced to each other." As Wesley introduced his father and Mia's friends to each other, Jewell looked at Azzy and commented, "So, you are Azrael, huh."
He then turned his head towards his granddaughter and further said, "You shouldn't have brought him to this city where there are enemies."
"Enemies?" Everyone looked at the old man.
Azzy had the inkling of who it is going to be. Looking at Jewell, Azzy asked, "Is it the Church or the royal family?"
Staring back into Azzy's eyes, Jewell asked in return, "What if I say both?"
Azzy's friends had a look of shock on their faces.
"Father…" Wesley called his father to tell him to stay quiet.
However, before that, Azzy put his head down and spoke once again in an indifferent tone, "It doesn't matter."
His friends abruptly turn their heads from Jewell to Azzy.
"What if your enemy will be the royal ancestor, who is a rank-9?" Thinking that Azzy was taking the matter lightly because of the school principal, Jewell told him that who is going to be his real enemy.
"Father, we can discuss this matter later. Let the kids finish their lunch peacefully." With Wesley's request, Jewell stayed silent but his eyes were fixed at Azzy as if he was waiting for an answer.
However, there's no change of expression or action in Azzy. He continued to munch the meat for a few seconds. After calmly swallowing it, Azzy then replied once again that it doesn't matter to him.
His reply stumped everyone from his friends to Mia's grandfather.
"We have to leave, right now." Claire voiced her opinion in worry.
"It's alright." Wesley waved his hands with a smile. "No one knows you are here anyway."
Right then, Mia told him about how they met Theodore on the train.
While Wesley's expression changed into seriousness as he was worried about how he hadn't got a reply from Aegis yet, he still assured them that nothing will happen until the tournament is over.
He further explained to them that even a rank-9 like Royal Ancestor can't offend WAMO.
Since they are finalists, neither the church nor the royal family could make the move directly.
However, he still warned them to be careful particularly Azzy that he couldn't leave out of sight from their appointed guards.
After lunch is over, everyone returned to their rooms. Gideon and Azzy were sharing a room. Snivy and Claire were sharing another guest room. Of course, Mia had her own room.
Half an hour later, Azzy was seen sleeping on the bed.
Looking at him, Gideon let out a sigh, "how fearless this guy. Does he even know how powerful a rank-9 expert is?"
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l