Chapter 150: Aldren
Cedric made a few more introductions to Maverick.
And over the course of the introduction, some recognized him immediately, much like Elena, recalling fragments of childhood memories that had long since faded into the recesses of time.
Others, however, had no recollection of him whatsoever and were meeting him for the very first time.
Then there were individuals like Cassian, people whom Maverick had initially overlooked, only to discover that they possessed extraordinary talent concealed beneath remarkably unassuming exteriors.
Eventually, the introductions came to an end, and Maverick was finally acquainted with the younger generation of House Valehart. With the formalities now behind them, the atmosphere gradually relaxed.
Maverick, however, did not.
The youths naturally separated into smaller groups, conversing amongst themselves with an ease born from years of growing up together.
Laughter resurfaced every now and then, accompanied by playful banter and casual discussions regarding cultivation, recent training sessions, the exploits of House Valehart following the Awakening Ceremony, and even the latest salacious gossip surrounding Valoria’s nobles and the Great Houses.
Evidently, the youths were in no particular hurry to return to the gruelling training regimen that Instructor Aegon had been putting them through and standing a few distance away, it seems the Instructor himself doesn’t mind them slacking off.
Meanwhile, despite the lively atmosphere surrounding him, Maverick remained quietly beside Cedric, listening far more than he spoke. Had someone observed him from afar, they might have mistaken him for nothing more than a detached spectator rather than the nephew of the Patriarch himself.
That, however, wasn’t entirely accurate.
The truth was that despite his almost roguish disposition during childhood, Maverick had never been one for unnecessary conversation.
Instead of mingling or engaging in protracted pleasantries, his attention drifted from one person to another as he silently observed their mannerisms, speech, and interactions.
Maverick had always been fond of this sort of observation, and in his opinion, there was nothing inherently wrong with it.
Learning their names was one thing; but understanding who they truly were was another entirely.
Thus far, they had only revealed the surface of their personalities. It was now up to Maverick to uncover what lay beneath, and what better way to accomplish that than through careful observation, meticulous deduction, and patient scrutiny?
Every exchange between the youths revealed another fragment of House Valehart’s younger generation.
But compared to what he had expected, they were surprisingly ordinary; not in a way that diminished their lofty status, but in a way that made them feel human.
There was competition between them, certainly, but it had yet to descend into the poisonous rivalries so prevalent amongst noble households... Or perhaps they simply concealed their covetousness well enough to maintain the illusion of harmony.
Yet after watching them for some time, Maverick reached a different conclusion.
The competitiveness between them was genuine, but it was healthy. It resembled the kind between comrades striving toward the same summit rather than enemies attempting to drag one another into the abyss.
As Maverick continued his circumspect observations, one of the youths suddenly approached.
The newcomer was a massive young man whose neatly braided golden hair had been gathered into thick warrior’s plaits that hung behind his broad shoulders.
Unlike Maven, whose physique was broad yet athletic, this youth possessed a considerably heavier build. His shoulders resembled carved slabs of granite, while his forearms were thick enough to rival the trunks of young trees.
He looked like a rampaging mountain bear given human form, every step he took seemingly capable of making the earth tremble beneath his feet.
Cedric noticed his approach almost immediately.
"Aldren..." The young heir called with a curious smile. "Shouldn’t you be resting with the others after Instructor Aegon’s training session?"
Aldren scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
Despite possessing a physique that resembled a moving fortress, the simple gesture somehow made him appear unexpectedly approachable.
He laughed heartily before replying,
"I was. But then my heart started bothering me, so I figured the rest could wait. I’ve got an itch that needs scratching."
Cedric’s brows rose knowingly, amusement flickering within his golden eyes as he asked.
"Aldren... Don’t tell me this itch is what I’m thinking it to be."
Aldren answered with a broad, almost boyish grin. "You already know it is."
Despite the almost cryptic manner in which the two communicated, Maverick had already pieced together the subject of their conversation.
Throughout the introductions, he had managed to learn a fair amount about Aldren.
Like Elena and Cassian, Aldren was also the grandson of one of House Valehart’s Grand Elders. He had likewise reached the Initial Stage of Rank One Etheryean, placing him amongst the most outstanding talents of the younger generation.
Ordinarily, someone blessed with both an exceptional lineage and extraordinary talent would carry themselves with no small measure of arrogance.
Aldren, however, was the complete opposite.
In fact, if Maverick were asked to describe him with a single word, that word would be... Forthright.
Aldren was the sort of person who spoke whatever came to mind, laughed whenever something amused him, and never bothered disguising his emotions behind polite façades or calculated smiles.
It was an exceptionally straightforward temperament; the kind that naturally inspired trust. And Maverick had little doubt that Aldren was exactly that sort of person.
Unfortunately, such honesty also came with its own weaknesses.
People like Aldren were often easy to manipulate and remarkably susceptible to the machinations of more calculating individuals.
Even so, Maverick found himself rather liking the young man’s personality.
This was because if there was one quality he appreciated above all else in someone, it was straightforwardness.
Sadly, this attribute had become an increasingly scarce commodity, particularly within noble houses.
However, despite all these admirable qualities, Cedric had also mentioned one rather infamous idiosyncrasy about Aldren.
He was absolutely obsessed with fighting. Not because he was violent nor because he delighted in hurting others; rather, he simply lived for the exhilaration of testing himself against worthy opponents.
It was a passion that bordered on obsession.
And it is precisely because of this peculiar disposition that Maverick already had a fairly good idea what Cedric and Aldren had been talking about.
And as it turned out, he wasn’t wrong...