"Claude, you've been disappointing,," The voice from inside said.
"Father," Ellis turned around, staring at the door that led to the building.
Everyone in the family, as well as the Vaergahl family turned to look in that direction as well. The footsteps intensified as two figures appeared, a middle aged man who had the same features as Ellis with a well trimmed beards walked out, accompanied by Grey, Void elegantly standing on his shoulder, like always.
"Thoma, how?" Claude asked, shocked, but he soon took note of the person walking beside him, "Isn't that the kid we have been searching for?"
"Father, you're better now?" Ellis walked towards his father, a little unsure of how to react.
"Haha, yes," Thoma laughed as he took Ellis into his hands.
Grey smiled softly, his face a little pale from staying awake throughout the night, working on how to make Thoma better.
While the duo hugged tightly, Zylres approached Grey.
"Boy, where is the bandit leader's storage ring?" He asked, his imposing figure pressurizing Grey.
Grey waved his hand, and the pressure coming his way disappeared, "Huh? What ring?"
"Don't play dumb boy, we know you have the ring with you," Zylres said.
He was a little taken aback by how easily Grey was able to disperse his intimidating aura, but he didn't think too much about it, the blood essence came first.
"I have no idea what you're talking about? Ellis, what's happening?" Grey turned to Ellis.
"Oh, that. Well you see…" Ellis gave him a brief summary of what happened the previous day.
"Wow! A Dragon's blood essence! Now that's impressive, how did you lose it?" Grey exclaimed, before asking a question that infuriated the people from the Vaergahl family, especially the youngsters.
"The bandit leader's storage ring, where is it?" Zylres asked, starting to get annoyed by Grey's behavior.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I might not be from a big family like you, but I don't loot people, that's disgraceful," Grey said proudly, putting on a dignified expression.
Zylres was about to approach Grey when the old man with dark hair walked up to him and whispered in his ears, "Zylres, I can't sense the aura of the blood essence on him, he doesn't have it,"
"What? Impossible! If he doesn't have it, then where is it?" Zylres' eyes widened, his eyeballs almost popping out.
"I don't know, but I know for a fact that it's not on him," The old man said, his eyes showing frustration.
They thought the blood essence was with either Ellis or Grey, hence they didn't worry too much about it. However, things are different now, since it's not with either of them, it meant that the band leader must have either kept it somewhere or passed it on to someone else.
"Damn it, how annoying," Zylres said, almost exploding with anger.
Luckily, the second old man was with him so he helped contain the energy that shot out of his body.
"Hmm, such a strange cat," The old man with dark hair raised his brow when he saw Void on Grey's shoulder.
He could sense that he was different, but no matter how hard he tried, all he could sense was a normal cat.
"Since you're here, why don't you all come in for a drink? It's been a while we encountered each other," Thoma said, standing face to face with Zylres.
"I'm sorry, but we don't have such luxury time, there are more important things we want to handle," Zylres replied.
Since they've been able to confirm that the blood essence is not with Grey, there was no use in staying here any longer. The sooner they start searching for it, the better.
What was more annoying was that the Dragon would not give them a second blood essence because it took too much energy from it. After giving them this one, it would have to recover for a long time before it can give them another one.
"*Sigh* Alright, but you're welcome to come whenever you want, as a guest of course, not an enemy," Thoma said with a smile.
The people from the Vaergahl family nodded, the old man with dark hair apologizing for their behavior before they left. Since their assumption was wrong, it was normal for them to apologize. After all, the O'Brien family is not a small family.
"How did you enter his room?" Claude turned to Grey after the Vaergahl family left.
Since Grey was with Thoma, it meant that Thoma's recovery has something to do with him.
"He helped me," Grey pointed at Ellis.
There was no use in hiding it anyway.
"So you know where he has been all this while?" Claude turned to Ellis, infuriated.
"Yeah, but I wasn't sure he was there since I couldn't reach him," Ellis nodded.
"And you allowed the Vaergahl family to demean us when you could easily provide him and end all this nonsense," Claude yelled as he approached Ellis.
"He said he could help with father, I couldn't allow you to disturb him," Ellis replied.
Thoma stood in front of Ellis, blocking Claude from approaching.
"You all have been really disappointing," Thoma turned around, looking at all the Elders.
They dropped their heads, not wanting to look Thoma in the eyes.
"You in particular, sending my son out on missions that might kill him," He said before turning to Ellis, "And you, why didn't you speak of this?"
"Father, I… I didn't want to make you worry," Ellis said.
"How come I wasn't able to detect you in the Family Head's room?" An Elder approached Grey, a curious expression on his face.
Ellis whispered in Grey's ears, "He's the array master who made the array in father's room. You don't need to worry about him, he's not interested in all this struggle,"
"Simple, I modified it, I added a small loophole to it," Grey replied after getting confirmation from Ellis.
"Impressive, come, tell me what you did," The Elder held onto Grey and disappeared with him.
None of the people here made a sound, not even Thoma or Claude.. This Elder was one of the oldest and strongest Elders in the family.
