Prince George deactivated the barrier, and Shang entered.
Shang had taken note of Prince George's demeanor, and he had noticed that it didn't seem to fit the context.
Prince George had said that he looked up to Shang, but he had this worried and concerned expression on his face.
It was almost like he feared Shang.
Shang double-checked if Humanity was still active, and it was. So, it couldn't have been that.
But then why would an Initial High Mage, and Jerald's son on top of that, be apprehensive in front of Shang?
'Something isn't right,' Shang thought with furrowed brows.
Nevertheless, Shang continued walking towards Jerald's castle. Agon hadn't taken his castle with him, which meant that Agon's old castle was now Jerald's.
But it didn't look like back then anymore.
Jerald had essentially buried the husk of the exoskeleton beneath ore and stone, creating the image of a more traditional castle.
Shang saw a couple of True Mages walking through the castle. Based on what he was seeing, Shang guessed that these True Mages were something like clerks that organized all the information of the Kingdom.
Shang stepped into the castle and walked towards the throne room. He had already found Jerald with his Spirit Sense.
He had changed.
Jerald wore a long green beard, and he wore an old crown on his head. In a way, he looked exactly like one would expect a King to look.
Regal, majestic, powerful, wise, old.
Shang had difficulty accepting Jerald's new look and aura for a while.
It was so different.
In the past, Jerald had a kind but stalwart aura. He had the aura of a true leader that could unite the people behind a common cause.
In a way, Jerald's aura still felt like that, but there was one stark difference.
Passion.
Jerald, from the past, had this burning passion behind him that motivated everyone around him to fight for his cause. People wanted to follow him because they believed that he could lead everyone into a brighter tomorrow.
Now, there was no more passion in Jerald's aura.
It was like Jerald had accepted his place in life and stopped advancing.
He was content.
He was okay with where he was.
He didn't need to suffer anymore or change things.
He was fine with the life he was living right now.
When Shang felt Jerald's aura, he felt pain.
Shang had believed that Jerald would keep advancing. After all, Jerald had a great drive and amazing talent.
Yet, that wasn't the case.
One thought shot through Shang's mind.
'Will I leave Jerald behind just like Astor has been left behind?'
All the changes were still difficult for Shang to grasp.
Shang had been doing nothing but train for the past 75 years.
This wasn't anything special to him, and since his mind was always fully focused on improving himself, Shang also didn't feel the passage of time as strongly.
Yes, he knew that he had been training for a long time based on estimates, but it didn't feel that long.
In terms of feeling, Shang felt like only three to five years had passed.
It was like Shang had gone on a vacation, but when he returned, everyone had suddenly changed, and the world was different.
It was like the world had moved on without him.
Yet, while Shang felt like no time had passed, everyone else felt like an eternity had passed.
Jerald had taken control of the Kingdom.
Jerald had successfully combined the Spirit Spring Kingdom and Storm Kingdom.
Jerald had found love again.
Jerald had gotten another child.
Jerald had fought a long and difficult war against the Magic Purity Kingdom.
Jerald's children had fully grown up, and one of them had even reached the High Mage Realm.
It was actually possible that Jerald was already a grandfather or even a great-grandfather.
Jerald had gone through the entire life of a normal human, and every human could attest to how long one's life felt.
And Shang hadn't been present for any of this.
Shang had also felt Sylvia's aura for a brief moment, but she quickly left his Spirit Sense's range.
But for the brief moment Shang felt Sylvia, he could scarcely believe what he was feeling.
Nervousness, shock, fear, uncertainty.
This was how Sylvia had felt to Shang.
Together with Prince George's reaction, Shang was certain now that something was up.
And he was sure that Jerald was the reason.
Shang's eye narrowed as he stepped past the throne room and into Jerald's personal living room.
As he entered the room, Shang's and Jerald's eyes met.
Shang could see worry, nervousness, resentment, and helplessness in Jerald's eyes.
And Jerald only saw cold apathy in Shang's eye.
When Jerald saw what he thought was cold apathy in Shang's eye, he got the confirmation he needed.
He had made the right choice.
Jerald's aura stabilized on refusal regarding Shang but acceptance of his current situation.
When Shang saw the hostile look in Jerald's eyes, he felt like a dagger had been plunged into his chest.
The pain immediately woke Shang's anger and fighting instinct, and he glared coldly into Jerald's eyes.
For a while, none of them spoke.
"What is going on?" Shang asked coldly.
"Isn't this what you wanted?" Jerald asked coldly.
"Stop being ambiguous," Shang said with a deep voice. "You know I hate that."
"Do I?" Jerald asked with a cold voice as he looked away from Shang. "How can you expect me to know you when you never showed me who you really are?"
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Shang suddenly shouted in fury. "I have no fucking idea what's going on! I've been training, and as soon as I come out to visit you, you act like I want to kill you!"
"Because that's what you will do!" Jerald shouted in anger as he shot up from his chair.
Shang's brows furrowed with incredulity and anger. "What?"
"Agon told me," Jerald said.
Shang only looked at Jerald.
"Agon told me about the Child of Calamity."
"He told me how you can control the Abominations and how your power also increases the Abominations' power."
"And I know why you never told me, Shang," Jerald said.
Shang didn't answer.
"Knowing this secret of yours is like me holding a knife to your throat," Jerald slowly said.
"If I just inform Relon, you will be dead within minutes."
"And that's why you never told me."
Shang didn't answer.
Jerald only looked at Shang.
"Your power is the most important thing in the world, and you can't allow anyone to threaten it."
"Because, if someone were to pose a danger to your life…"
"You would kill them."
"That's why you never told me."
"You didn't want to kill me."
Silence.
"Well, now I know, and I've come to terms with my fate."
"I haven't told anyone about this. So, I would like you to leave my family out of this."
"Take it as a repayment for all the help you have given me in the past."
Silence.
