(Brendan POV)
I threw open the door to my father's office, finding my father seated at his desk with Sergei standing by his side.
"Brendan? Son! You're back!" My father yelled out in excitement, almost knocking over his chair in his attempt at standing up.
I gave him a wave, "Yeah… How have you guys been?"
He moved around the table to stand in front of me, clapping me on my shoulders with a wide smile on his face.
"Perfect! Just perfect Brendan! I thought we wouldn't see you for the next half a decade or so!"
I gave him a wry smile, "That was the plan but… I was admitted to a Major Sect and they got invited to attend the Princess's ceremony. My Master granted me leave to visit you guys."
"Oh? How generous! You must invite him over for dinner then! We can prepare a feast for both you and him some time!"
"I'll ask Master about it, though I'm not sure if he can make it."
Father grinned at me, "Nevermind then, you must be famished now, right? Sergei, tell the chefs we have another mouth to feed this afternoon!"
Our head butler bowed and left the room without a sound.
I waited for the door to close shut before I dropped my smile, "What is this thing that I've been hearing? Something about a child coming here yesterday with a pretty lady?"
Father froze, his eyes widening, "Wha… What? Where did you hear that?"
"You forgot I'm close to the guards?"
Father's face scrunched up before he took a step back, "Yeah… What you heard is true… They did come here yesterday…"
I gritted my teeth, I can't believe this! Father was the last person I expected to do this! Even after all that he had taught us when we were young! How we had to stick together especially when we were suffering together as a family!
The saying that a man's loyalty is tested when he has everything holds true here. Mother had stayed with us even at our lowest point and this was how father repaid her?
I fumed, "How long?"
Father slumped against the table, "When… When you were still studying at the Minor Sect… I met her while I was out drinking..."
"Let me guess… That's why our family got rich?"
He nodded, "I… I was made an offer I couldn't refuse… I thought about it, I really did. But… If it meant that our family could live a little better…"
I sighed. Father was quite a charmer when he needed to be, or else there would not be any way for him to be so successful as a merchant, even with outside help. Mother had never failed to keep recounting to us on father's younger days and how he 'swept her off her feet' after all.
Some high noble lady must have became interested in father which resulted in our current situation. The question is, how much are we depending on her and what she is using to control us.
"Does mother know?"
Father nodded, "I couldn't hide something this big after all."
"And she's fine with it?"
"Not at first of course… But she also agreed later that it would have been the best for your siblings too… It would've been foolish of us not to grab the lifeline thrown to us, even if it means… Doing what we did."
I can't believe it… Mother was willing to sacrifice so much for us.
Sighing, I dragged my hand down my face, "And now the past is back to haunt us huh? What did she want?"
Father looked away, "They… They wanted you, Brendan. They want to pull you into it too."
What.
That woman wants me to… Join them? Ah… She's trying to build her own harem I see. I'm not sure how I should feel about a woman wanting both the father and son for herself however…
No thanks.
I sucked in a breath, "And? What did you tell her?"
Father looked up at me, a grim expression on his face, "We never wanted you to get involved Brendan. Truly... Both your mother and I we… We just wanted you to continue with your Practitioner studies without minding us. We rejected them, said that you were never here when the deal was struck but… They wanted everything."
Oh I know this template… The noble parents send their eldest child to marry into another family to protect their own family. What I want to know is why is it that in my case the gender is reversed?!
No, I am Master's disciple now, there is no way I will give myself over like that!
"Which family is she from?" I asked.
Father shook his head, "You can't fight them, Brendan. They are beyond your understanding. We know how much you've sacrificed for our family after your brother disappeared… We would've kept you out of this if we could but now… Now that you have shown your face here…"
"That's it!" I snapped my fingers. "I'll bring my Master here tomorrow! Surely he can do something about this! Maybe even stop that girl from demanding anything else from us in the future!"
"Impossible Brendan…" Father smiled sadly. "No matter how strong your Master is, he would never agree to get himself involved with them… Their backer is a God."
A god huh? Could Master be strong enough to take on a god?
From what I've seen so far, I don't believe there's anything Master could not do. Father is just saying such things because he isn't familiar with the Practitioner side of the world, with him being a non-Practitioner and all.
Yes, this can work. I just need to bring Master here to listen to our plight. I'm sure Master would be able to do something about it!
Though it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that I am sort of using Master for this, I can't fully devote myself to him if I still need to worry about my family like this…
If Master rejects to aid us, then I will gladly sacrifice myself then, even if it means that I will be discarded by Master.
"Wait right here, father! I will go and speak to my Master and invite him over! I can say it's for a dinner with all of us! Once you know who he is you won't object to it either! Master is a kind person, he will surely help us!"
Without waiting for his response, I rushed out of the room, ignoring father's shout of "What about lunch?" echoing from the room behind me.
Now there is no time to waste! I must convince Master to come to my home tomorrow night!
