I Can Devour Monsters' SSS Talents

”No, it doesn’t.”

Several people were surprised by this answer for a moment.

Lian continued.

”I don’t expect you to be happy about this situation either, but my family name doesn’t mean you can treat the responsibility I accepted as worthless.”

He paused briefly.

”If the problem is that a Vorhelm got a Pendragon Mark, then you should probably talk to the Dragon Pearl itself, since it was the one that chose me.”

He then smiled.

Several guests failed to hide their smiles completely, while some even burst out laughing.

However, the protesting elder was not amused at all, and he opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment...

”Enough.”

Rhaenar’s voice was not loud, but all the whispers near the altar stopped.

The patriarch looked across the family elders.

”Seris is my official heir, and Lian is my approved guest, the rewards for both of them have been decided and will not change.”

Then he looked directly at the protesting man.

”I will deal with the issue of the lost Marks separately, but today’s ceremony will not turn into a place for more complaints.”

The man remained still for a moment before lowering his head.

”I understand, Patriarch.”

Rhaenar gave a small nod.

”Good.”

With the same calmness he always showed, he announced the end of the ceremony.

No threats or displays of power were needed, the decision had been made, and as long as Rhaenar Pendragon stood at the head of the family, no one could change it simply because they were unhappy with it.

However, as Lian left the altar, he clearly noticed that some of the young members and elders were still giving him hostile looks.

It seemed that having an Ancestral Dragon Mark would bring its own troubles, but he didn’t care, the Blessing from that Mark was so powerful that he had no intention of giving it up.

If the Pendragons were so upset, they could go cry about it.

He didn’t even care about the Vorhelm family, his own family, so why should he care about the Pendragons?

The ceremony had ended, but discussions about it continued throughout the palace corridors.

As he passed through one of the side halls, he felt several curious gazes on him.

Some guests openly looked at the back of his right hand, while others began whispering to each other after he passed.

Of course, he had no interest in listening to all of it.

If he reacted every time someone started a rumor about him, he would probably never have time to write his system reports or practice his skills.

”Lian.”

He turned around when he heard the voice.

Cassius Vorhelm was walking toward him from the end of the corridor.

His older brother was still wearing the formal clothes of the Vorhelm delegation, but unlike during the ceremony, his expression was a little more relaxed.

When he came closer, his gaze settled on Lian’s Ancestral Mark.

”I still can’t believe it.”

”Which part?”

”That a Vorhelm managed to get a Pendragon Dragon Mark.”

”Apparently, the Mark itself had no problem with it.”

Lian raised his right hand slightly and smiled.

Cassius let out a short laugh before shaking his head.

”I wish the rest of the family could take this as easily as you do.”

His tone became more serious this time.

”Do you know what will happen when Father hears the news?”

”He’ll probably be happy.”

The young Vorhelm paused for a moment, considering what he knew about his father, that man would definitely be happy about this and would see it as an excuse to make fun of Rhaenar.

A Vorhelm had managed to change a centuries-old tradition that the Pendragons were extremely proud of, and had obtained a Mark for himself.

It was like a slap in the Pendragons’ faces.

Cassius looked at him and sighed.

”Yeah, Father will be happy, and that will upset some other people.”

There were already many political conflicts within the family.

Lian smiled but said nothing.

Cassius walked with him for a few more steps before stopping beside a tall window, where other people passing through the corridor would not be able to hear their conversation easily.

”Two Celestials have shown interest in you in less than a few days, one of them personally invited you to join the Primal Firmament, and Rhaenar Pendragon has also allowed you to receive his family’s greatest legacy.”

He glanced at the quiet corridor.

”How do you think the other Vorhelms will see this?”

”That depends on which Vorhelm you’re talking about.”

Lian put his hands into the pockets of his clothes.

Cassius smiled for a moment.

”Exactly.”

Then his expression became serious.

”Some of them want you to return, they were already talking about it even before this ceremony, but now they have more reasons. In their eyes, if the family allows you to get closer to the Primal Firmament or the Pendragons, it’s losing one of the most talented members of your generation.”

He paused.

”But others are afraid of the same thing, they’re afraid you’ll return and try to take revenge.”

His older brother said this in a calm tone, but the meaning was clear.

Lian had spent a large part of his life outside the family’s attention, but those who had once considered him unimportant now had to think about the possibility of his return.

And for some of them, that possibility was not welcome.

”I’ll return in a few days, it’s better to give my report in person before the news reaches them through several different versions.”

”That’s a good idea.”

”And one more thing, do you know Father will be returning soon, probably within the next month?”

”I don’t know what decision he’ll make about you when he returns, but you’d better be prepared, I think he might summon you.”

Lian raised his shoulders slightly.

”I don’t plan to return for now.”

Cassius looked at him before nodding.

”I know.”

There was a little sadness in his voice, but he did not try to convince him.

”I just want you to know what’s happening before someone else makes a decision for you.”

”Thanks, Brother.”

Lian gave him a small smile.

Cassius smiled as well, then made a brief gesture with his hand and walked away down the corridor.

Lian watched him leave for a few seconds.

Among all the members of the Vorhelm family, Cassius was still one of the few people who could talk to him without thinking about political interests.

Of course, that did not mean his brother’s position was simple, Cassius himself held an important place in the family.

And Lian’s possible return could even affect his future, but so far, there had been no sign of hostility in his behavior.

He took a quiet breath, it seemed that after the Pendragons, it was now time for the Vorhelm troubles.

His father might really order him to return, and although he said he wanted to ignore him, things were not that simple.

His father was not an ordinary man, even among all the Celestials, he was an absolute Overlord.

There was a reason even Rhaenar Pendragon called that man a madman, it wasn’t because his father was an unstable lunatic.

It was because none of the other Celestials wanted to face him directly either.

A few minutes later, Seris joined him. She had changed out of her formal ceremony clothes and into something simpler, her hair rested neatly on her shoulders, and there was no sign of what had happened over the past few days.

Lian smiled when he saw her.

”Did you escape from the congratulations session?”

Seris nodded.

”It’s over.”

The two of them walked along a corridor overlooking the palace’s inner garden.

The evening light fell through the tall windows onto the stone floor, and the sound of the garden fountains created a peaceful atmosphere, unlike the noise in the ceremony hall.

They said nothing for a while.

The young Vorhelm noticed that she occasionally looked at the Mark on her own hand.

”Are you still thinking about what happened today?”

”The Marks.”

The girl nodded.

”Do you think you made the wrong choice?”

”No.”

She answered without hesitation, but after walking a few more steps, she continued.

”Some people will hate me.”

Lian said nothing for a few seconds, he knew Seris would not bring something like this up without a reason.

She usually paid little attention to what others thought of her, but today’s situation was different.

Those who had lost their Marks were members of her own family, people who were supposed to be under her leadership one day.

The problem was that the real reason behind what had happened could not be explained either.

”Probably some of them will.”

He nodded, when people lose something valuable because of someone else, even if that person is their own mother, they can become angry, let alone in the current situation.

Seris looked at him.

”When someone loses something they’ve worked toward for years, it’s natural for them to look for someone to blame, especially when they don’t know the whole truth, but that doesn’t mean your decision was wrong.”

”I know.”

She nodded.

”Good, because if the same situation happens again, I won’t change my decision either.”

The girl turned her head toward him.

”An heir isn’t supposed to keep everyone happy all the time, sometimes they have to choose the option that causes the least damage out of several bad choices.”

Seris looked at him for a while before slowly nodding.

Lian added with a small smile.

”Besides, I’ve become a bearer of a Pendragon Mark now too, it seems some of your family’s troubles have reached me as well, and they’re not happy with me either.”

”I’m sorry.”

Her lips lifted slightly, she was the one who had suggested that plan.

”Well, at least those wings are beautiful enough to make putting up with a few angry old men’s complaints worth it, so I guess we can put up with their complaints together.”

He laughed and added softly.

This time, Seris did not hide her smile, although it was so brief that someone else probably would not have noticed it.

Lian looked at her and decided to leave the matter of the Marks aside for now.

”By the way, I have a question.”

”Ask.”

”What exactly is the Dragon Blood River like?”

”Dragon blood is kept in it.”

The young Vorhelm fell silent for a moment before looking at her.

”I figured that part out from the name. Can you elaborate more?”