Joseph died with the final blow to his chest. Master Clayton sat still in front of the dead body for some time. It was only when Alex calls out his name he stands up again and comes out of the cell without looking back at the corpse.
Master Clayton smiled bitterly "You must have a lot of questions to ask. Let's go back to the manor first. I want to tell you and Selena about something."
Alex nodded and simply followed behind his Master after he orders the prison guards to get rid of Joseph's corpse.
Upon returning home, Alex saw Donald, Jack and a few familiar faces from the Raging Sun Mercenary Group like Hugo, Fitch, Gardy, including Theo and Joe, he asked: "Theo, Joe, why are you all here?"
First, all of them congratulated him for winning the war.
"Alex, we got the message that you won the battle and became the Lord of this city. Everything is alright back in the village so we came here to see you." Theo said.
"Yeah and we also wanted to discuss whether we should transfer all the people living in the forest back to the Pearl Village." Joe continued.
"I think there is no need for us to do that. Our Raging Sun village can very well become a frontier for mercenaries and hunters to go deep into the Swamp Marsh forest. It has natural defenses on each side making it easier for us to defend the village during Demon Beast horde. Because of its strategic location in the forest, it will flourish much better than the other villages as it is easily accessible through the sea making it easier for merchants to buy materials from there and then transport their goods by ships. It's better if we develop it into a fortified town." Alex explained.
"Alex that's a really good idea. Jack and I had the same thought as well." Donald nodded his head in approval.
Hugo, Fitch, and Gardy were also satisfied with Alex's decision to develop their village into a town.
"Alex, what's the situation at the border right now," Jack asked.
"Uncle, the situation there is now under control. A messenger had arrived this early morning from there and brought good news. The three thousand numbered force that I had sent there the previous night had successfully subjugated Darien's remaining force and had also successfully defeated and captured soldiers of the Merchant Union."
Donald, Jack, and Master Clayton were surprised but also got relieved in their heart that at least there is no force strong enough on this Island that can pose danger to Alex.
The others were shocked and also ecstatic on hearing this news.
Alex smiled and said: "Currently, half of them are coming back here while escorting prisoners. The other half should have launched a counter-attack by now to take back all the villages and land that Darien had lost to the Merchant Union and to Lord Frey in the previous war. I have told them that if it is possible than capture as much land as they can by themselves today before our two enemies react."
"But Alex, it's too dangerous to do that. What if the Frey's and the Merchant union join hands against us." Hugo couldn't help but speak his concern because he had the experience of fighting in two wars as militia against them some years ago when he was younger.
Maybe it was luck but in both the war's he was lucky enough to not become cannon fodder and die.
Gardy and Fitch were also worried about that. Theo and Joe knew Alex long enough to believe and trust that he would not take any decision that would make him or his people suffer in the long run.
"Uncle Hogo, no need to worry. We will not lose to them even if they come together." Alex simply said.
After having some more conversation with them, Hugo with Fitch and Gardy took their leave from the mansion. Alex asked Theo and Joe to stay back for now.
He then told Uncle Donald and Jack to come to his study room as Master Clayton had something to tell us.
Alex sent the maids to call both of his Aunts, Selena, Anna, Hank, and Tom there. Everyone is considered as a family, therefore Master Clayton told Alex that he wanted everyone to listen to him about his past.
"Master Clayton, let's go to the study room," Alex said.
Master Clayton nodded as he followed Alex to his new study room.
After some time, everyone arrived and seated in the chairs as they waited to listen to Master Clayton.
When Aunt Julie and Meg with Selena and Anaa entered the room, they all seem to have a smile on their faces except Selena whose face was unnaturally red probably due to embarrassment.
It seems that Julie and Meg were able to extort Selena to tell them everything that happened between her and Alex. Julie even wanted to tease Alex the first time as she entered the room.
But looking at the serious faces of the people already sitting in the room, the ladies piped down sat on the remaining chairs.
Master Clayton did not waste any time. He looked at his daughter first and then said: "Selena my daughter, didn't you have always asked me to tell you about our past. Well, its time I tell you and the others about it now."
Master Clayton kept on speaking for almost an hour as everyone seriously listened to him without any sound. At the end of the story, Selena was already crying.
No one on this island could have expected Master Clayton to actually have such a past. Alex was really shocked when heard Master Clayton from the start till the end, he had always been guessing about his Master's past because they never talked about it openly.
The Novaria Kingdom was a famous and prominent kingdom on the Belmont Subcontinent some twenty years ago. Most of the desert in the south of the Belmont subcontinent was in control of this kingdom.
The king of the Novaria Kingdom at that time had three children.
Master Clayton's real name was Clayton Novaria, the second prince of the Novaria kingdom. He had an elder brother by the name Jord Novaria who was also the crown prince.
Master Clayton also had one younger sister whose name was Zara Novaria. She was three younger than Clayton.
Zara Novaria had only lived with her two brothers till she was eight years old as after that she joined one of the five strongest sects situated on the Belmont subcontinent. The Fiery Phoenix sect had its base in the southern desert region near the Novaria kingdom.
Therefore they had a very high influence on the kingdoms and tribes around that region. The Novaria Kingdom was one of its allies as they provided them with tribute each year.
In return, the Fiery Phoenix sect helps the Kingdom by providing them with protection from other sects situated on the Belmont Subcontinent.
The sects usually don't take part in the wars between two or more kingdoms as they only provide them with protection if there is an involvement of other sects in any war.
The fiery Phoenix sect was a female dominant sect as most of its disciples are females while the male disciples are very small in number. The ratio between male and female disciples is around 1:10. Zara Novaria joined that sect as she was very talented in cultivation.
Twenty years ago, when Master Clayton's father became ill for some reason, it was declared by him that his son Jord Novaria who was also the crown prince would ascend the throne to take over matters of the kingdom in his hands. Clayton Novaria had a good relationship with his elder brother so he did not contest for the throne. Master Clayton's though not talented, he only had an interest in alchemy and not for power.
Such a situation is very rare in this world as it is considered by the common people that there is no love between royal siblings and they would kill each other for power. Nevertheless, the Novaria Kingdom was fortunate as the two brothers Jord and Clayton were not like that.
Anyway, on the day of the ascension ceremony, there were many guests who had arrived there to take part in the ceremony and congratulate the new king.
But not all came with good intention. One such group was Joseph who was of Clayton's age at that time and his master Elder Rey from the River Mountian sect.
Just when Jord was going to get crowned, Elder Rey's group came forward and suddenly started attacking the protectors of the King. Everyone was taken by surprise as no expected something like this to happen. If the Riverland Mountain Sect disciples really killed any of the Novaria family members than it would mean an all-out war with the Fiery Phoenix sect.
But Elder Rey really did attack and he was not alone because a number of unknown people garbed in black clothes hiding in the crowd sprinted out to take out all the royal guards protecting the King and his family.
It was a massacre as no one was able to stop those unknown assaulters.
Jord suddenly turned around to face Clayton his younger brother standing behind him and than shoved something into his hands while hiding it from the eyes of everyone.
"Clay, do you remember that tunnel we found while playing in the palace when we were little. Use that tunnel and escape from here. You need to go to the Fiery Phoenix sect and seek asylum there. Little sister Zara should be able to help you there. No matter what, never let this fall into the hands of our enemies. Especially our third uncle. Remember that, now go and don't look back." Jord did not get much time to say anything more as the enemies were already coming closer. That's why when the royal guards were still covering him, Jord threw Clayton inside the palace gates at their back with only brute strength.