Rising god-Chapter 103: Curse & Familiar Face

The throne room of the Sun Palace fell silent, the weight of Emperor Ar’den Gel Sol’aris’s presence commanding every breath. His ethereal voice, resonant with divine authority, addressed Baines. "I was saddened to hear you missed the tournament, but striking a blow against our enemies is an ample apology."

Nods rippled through the court, ministers and sun-ranked nobles affirming the emperor’s words.

"I grant you One Sun, effective immediately," he declared, his gaze shifting to an aide. "Recommend him to the Red Sun."

The Red Sun, the empire’s elite force, led by an Imperial Commander, was a name that sparked awe.

Whispers stirred, but a group of red-and-gold-clad eunuchs stepped forward, prostrating themselves. "Your Highness, forgive us lowly ones, but the Red Sun requires mastery of both aura and mana. Jin is renowned only for his aura."

"He doesn’t know magic," another added, the realization dawning on the court. Baines’s achievements had dazzled them, but the Red Sun’s dual requirement was non-negotiable. He had to learn to use both.

Another minister proposed, "Your Highness, he should spend at least a year at the Imperial Academy to learn magic."

The emperor paused, his luminous eyes studying Baines.

A faint cough escaped him; however, the room’s anticipation drowned it out. "Then it is decided. Jin, you will spend a year at the academy, then join the Red Sun— *cough*" Another cough cut him off, masked by a resounding applause.

Baines glanced up, his soul energy subtly activated, revealing a truth hidden in the emperor’s aura.

’The emperor is sick.’ His gaze flicked to the three princes and princesses on their lesser thrones, their souls tinged with the same affliction.

This was the imperial family’s curse. The consequences of being a direct descendant of a god of such caliber were a low lifespan. The sun god’s descendants never lived beyond sixty years of age. That was the reason the empire was still this small, but the fact that they still stood tall spoke volumes about their strength. Include their deity-level treasures and the Solaris could be unbeatable.

A servant approached, presenting a golden sun emblem on a velvet platform. Baines took it and turned to leave, the applause echoing behind him.

...

Outside, another servant bowed. "Sir Jin, I am your exclusive attendant for all your needs."

"What does this do?" Baines asked, holding up the One Sun rank.

The servant’s eyes widened. "It grants ten personal guards who obey your every command, access to the imperial library, a sun weapon, a head-priest-level sun blessing from the Church of Light, and a distress signal for aid. You can purchase a home in the capital with daily necessities, access to some restricted areas..." The list continued, detailing privileges that marked Baines’s new status.

’Not bad,’ Baines thought, nodding. The benefits were similar to those of a baron or even a count. He had his own allocated funds he could use to even found a clan; however, to get a land, he would have to forfeit some of his privileges. If there was anything that even soured his mood currently was the idea of going to an academy.

First off, he heavily despised people his age. It was like they didn’t understand real life because of the luxuries they had enjoyed since they were young. For example, Tasha. There was no way he didn’t know what she was thinking.

She wanted to be on his level without knowing what he had even sacrificed to get there. Could she slay an entire family, no better still, could she endure just one pain Baines had; however, she didn’t see all that and just wanted to reach him. The worst part was, the academy would be filled with bastards like that.

As they exited, a familiar figure approached, his smile warm but probing. Vole Malakar, the man who’d shifted Baines’s view of the empire, stood before him after over six months.

Baines halted, his eyes narrowing. ’He’s a 7th star?’ When they’d last met, Vole was a 5th star, yet his aura now radiated a stable 7th-star power.

"Haha, it’s been a while," Vole greeted, his voice cheerful. "When I heard your tales, I thought they were exaggerated. Turns out, you’re more capable than I imagined." His warm gaze scanned Baines, but inwardly, he sighed. ’He’s done something dark.’ Vole could sense the shadows clinging to Baines’s soul. They were so heavy.

"Since it’s been a while, let’s catch up," Vole said, waving off the servant and leading Baines through the palace’s quieter corridors. They arrived at a secluded restaurant, its ambiance serene, with soft light filtering through stained-glass windows. Servants brought steaming dishes and fine wine, and the two settled into a private booth.

"Why are you helping me?" Baines asked bluntly, biting into a spiced roast without hesitation.

Vole blinked, feigning confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You already know I’ve done something," Baines said, his eyes locked on Vole’s. "And if you really tried, you’d uncover it, so why help me?" Baines didn’t want to believe Vole wasn’t aware he wasn’t in Ashenfall for the legacy. Basically, Vole was among the few alive who knew his real identity, maybe except for his name, but his true self.

Vole sighed, his expression softening. "The same way I sense your dark deeds, I feel the pain inflicted on you." His gaze met Baines’s, steady and earnest. "Will you tell me what happened?"

"No," Baines replied, shaking his head.

’So, betrayal was among,’ Vole deduced, reading the unspoken truth. After a pause, he ventured deeper. "What if you later learned my family or the empire also caused your pain?"

"Then this empire would vanish from the map," Baines answered as if stating the inevitable.

Vole cursed inwardly. ’Shit, he means everyone.’ Maybe the worst part was Baines’s readiness to strike, even now, if Vole confirmed such a truth.

Swallowing, he pressed further. "What if, after all this, the people you seek are dead?" He was very curious about that part.

"Haa..." Baines scoffed, a bitter sound, and unknown to him, the red-flecked in his eyes flashed briefly.

He didn’t answer, but Vole understood. ’The world would burn.’ Baines’s rage, barely contained, awaited a spark to consume everything. ’gods help his enemies,’ Vole thought, glancing skyward for a moment.

"After you find them and finish your revenge, what will you do?" This was his last question.

Baines went silent.

’So, he hasn’t even planned for an afterwards.’ The way Vole saw it, revenge was his final goal.

Reaching into his pocket, Vole placed a bracelet on the table with a soft tap. "As you already know, your fame is a double-edged sword," he said. "It’ll hinder you, and your attitude will anger many. The One Sun rank doesn’t make you untouchable, but this bracelet can help with that, albeit a bit. This bracelet can hide your aura, alter your features, and block truth-detection from us."

He was basically shouting, You can enter the academy as an ordinary student.

Baines nodded, slipping the bracelet onto his wrist. Its subtle hum confirmed its activation. He stood, preparing to leave.

"Wait, no thank you?" Vole asked, half-joking, his eyes wide.

Baines turned, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, and I’m borrowing your name."

"My name?" Vole’s jaw dropped, his truth-reading faltering as the bracelet shielded Baines’s intentions.

’Shit, did I just make a mistake?’ he wondered, a chill creeping up his spine.

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