Evolution of the Ruined Heir

Chapter 223: Revelations

The night of the mission to the Red Maw, Malakai had returned home without Rhett.

Worried, Laila had tracked him down and found him buried in a room filled with women. He had been deep asleep, even when she pulled him out and carried him back to base.

The scene plagued her. It had affected her more than she would like. It made her heart hurt.

‘Why do I care so much?’

She asked herself the same question every night that stupid man went on his drunken way.

But she knew how useless the question was. She already knew the reason her heart acted this way. It had only ever moved for one man. Rhett.

But the bastard was either far too stupid to see her interest, or cruel enough to ignore it. Regardless, Laila decided to absorb herself in something else tonight. She had more important things to attend to.

Calming herself, she left her room and headed upstairs. Turning right, she walked and eventually stopped in front of a door. She knocked.

A few seconds later, the door opened. The cold eyes of a boy no older than fourteen fell on her, and she smiled.

“Ninth Vein… may I come in?”

Malakai stared at Laila for a few seconds before nodding. He stepped aside and allowed her in, shutting the door behind her.

“I see you left the place as it was,” Laila said, scanning the room.

“I didn’t see a need to change anything.”

When no other words came, Laila understood it was him telling her to get to the point.

She cleared her throat. “I’m here because of your earlier words, Ninth Vein.”

“What about it?” Malakai asked.

“You said your father was… killed? Was that a mistake?”

“I wouldn’t make that kind of mistake.”

Laila could sense the coldness in Malakai’s words, and she realized how she must have sounded. How could a grieving son be mistaken about something like that?

“I apologize, Ninth Vein.” She bowed.

“It’s fine,” Malakai nodded curtly. “Like I said, I wasn’t mistaken. He and my mother were killed by people in the clan. I asked you because I thought you might know something about it, since you were my father’s subordinate, but it seems I was wrong.”

Laila had a look of shock on her face. Her voice mirrored it. “Are you sur—” She shook her head and decided to rephrase. “How do you know this?”

Malakai had been seven when it happened. How was it possible that he knew this? Still, after everything Malakai had shown her today, the way he manipulated the Blood Guardian to spill everything, the fact that he took care of a Grade Two Corrupter so quickly, she had watched it all happen. Everything made her want to believe him.

“The Sovereign said so himself,” Malakai said after a second, and Laila froze.

“The Sovereign?” she echoed.

Malakai nodded. “He came to me a few days after the incident.”

“But…” Laila tried to make sense of it all. “The Sovereign was fond of your father. Why didn’t he act if he knew who the perpetrator was?”

“I don’t know.” Malakai had asked himself that same question every day since that meeting. And he could only hope for an answer during his next encounter with the Sovereign, an answer to all his questions.

After that, Laila had asked more questions about the issue. She seemed visibly shaken by the revelation.

She, along with everyone else, had always believed Valerian’s death was an unfortunate mistake. But now, she was finding out otherwise.

Eventually, she left Malakai’s room with a single thought.

‘How would he react when he finds out?’

The image of Rhett flashed in her mind.

It seemed she had just found what she needed to awaken the slumbering beast.

Malakai watched Laila leave his room with a calm gaze. He only turned away when the door closed and her footsteps faded down the hallway.

‘That’s… unlike you.’

Malakai heard Valentine’s words and nodded. ‘I know.’

The ghost was referring to what had just happened with Laila. Malakai had told her about his suspicions, about the Sovereign’s words, about his goal. It was odd. It was the first time Valentine had seen him open up like that to someone else.

‘Don’t mind me, I’m not complaining. If anything, I’m glad you’re finally trusting people.’

‘I don’t trust anyone,’ Malakai replied. ‘I only told her enough. Any idiot could find this out with a little digging.’

‘Still,’ Valentine pressed on. ‘I’m sure you did this to see if she could be trusted or not.’

Malakai didn’t respond. His silence was answer enough.

‘If you ask me,’ Valentine continued after a moment, ‘you can trust her. You can fake many things, but not genuine grief. I saw her eyes when you two were talking about your father, that look can’t be faked.’

‘Let’s hope you’re right.’

Malakai lay back on his bed. He had done this to see if he could gain people he could rely on. He was operating on the hope that these people, Laila, Rhett, Grunde, had once been his father’s subordinates.

If his father had chosen them, then they had to be good people. He trusted his father that much.

‘Enough of that. It’s time to check the rankings.’

Malakai had spent the better part of the day with Igyan. He had walked the man through everything they wanted, especially Renlo, who had practically begged for the kitchen setup. Malakai had declared it a top priority.

Igyan had made a lot of suggestions, and Malakai could tell just how passionate the man was about his work.

They eventually reached a consensus, and the job was scheduled to begin in a week, after a temporary shelter was built for them to stay until construction ended.

He had only just returned to his room when Laila came to meet him. Now, finally alone, he tapped on his lifeguard and navigated through it until he found what he was looking for.

The fresh blood rankings.

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