Child from the Dungeon

Secret 1: Fairy King's Ring.

( Months after Charlotte became Carlos in the end of "Calibur's Belongings Part 3". )

" *sigh* " '#####' says, while enjoying his time sealed within Carlos' body.

" Damn, Charlotte! " he calls with the real name.

" If it weren't for her 'body', I would've been able to take the wheel by now... " '#####' curses for how sturdy the seal is to him.

" Still... "

" Perhaps because of her 'parents'... "

" She get the whole components to be my prison in the first place. "

" For she, now 'he'... "

" Tch! Thanks to that 'Goddamn Ring' of the Fairies... " '#####' scoffs.

" It's said to belong into a 'Fairy King', kept by the Clarent House. "

" But from who? which 'Fairy King' that Ring belongs to? "

" I only know the Elves had an 'Emperor'* as it's ruler, not King... "

" They had it, but only ruled some of Alviheim's Regions. "

" So perhaps one of them had their 'Ring' stolen..., by the Clarent House in the past, and kept or perhaps sealed within the Dungeons like what I learned from Charlotte's mind.

" Which one...? which Fairy King? "

" If it's true that the Clarents had it during the 'War of the King's Bloodline', then... "

" Why I didn't know this...? " '#####' asks himself.

" Back then, I swear I had eyes and ears everywhere... "

" So it wouldn't make sense if this didn't come to me during the time, before the Caliburs finally 'knew' who and what I really was... "

" Unless... " '#####' thinks hard, he tries to connect and recount some things from his past.

" Perhaps..., that might be the case. " he thinks to himself.

" The Avalons... "

" I believe they had something on this, which made sense if they killed most of my 'extensions'* during the time of war, but... "

" Oh yes..., that's it... " '#####' finally remembers.

" That goddamn Avalons had 'that' member within them. "

" One of their members who happened to had the very 'Magic Ability' within them, that 'Signature Gift' of their descendancy. "

" Thus, because of that, the Avalons informed the Caliburs as they all rooted all from me, cornering me before I battled them till my last. "

" So perhaps, during those times, the Clarents obtained the 'Ring', keeping it hidden until some unfortunate events happened. "

" And now, the Ring is in the girl's fingertips... "

" Now she's a 'boy', using the Ring's Power to change how people 'see' her Physically, even Spiritually. "

" I must admit, I was also 'deceived' when I first saw the child before I was sealed here. "

" To think such item managed to even 'deceive' my trained sight, for years..., even in Chains. "

" Holded by the Caliburs in their Prison, just because of who I am and what power I possessed. " '#####' remembers the reasons why he was sealed.

" Those things..., Charlotte/Carlos would likely to received it if his real identity get exposed... "

" After all, the child's father, Arthur only want the girl because she made herself as his 'son', while harboring many great talents from both of her parents. "

" Hmmm... "

" I shouldn't sympathize, idiot! "

" Instead of be reminded about her condition, I should try to think further of the paths ahead. "

" Especially on what to do with that 'Goddamn Ring'. " '#####' tells himself, while scheming the path forward.

" Perhaps... " ｂ𝚎ｄｎ𝚘ｖ𝚎ｌ.𝚌𝚘ｍ

" I should think of using that boy... "

" That Pitch-Black one from the Dungeon. "

______

Extra:

* '#####' means the Elf Emperor from Volume 4 "Donovan's Third Year".

* '#####' saying 'Extensions' means his 'Eyes and Ears' he told earlier.

...

Secret 2: Duncan's Plot.

( Months before Donovan's Second Year. )

[ Richter House Meeting Place. ]

" So it's a 'girl'...? " Hector asks Duncan as he told him about the result.

" Our firstborn is indeed a 'girl'... " Duncan tells his father-in-law, the two immediately went into silent.

" What are we going to do? " Hector asks Duncan, for he fears the news will make the whole Richter House into riot.

Duncan thinks for a while, he tries to think hard on his next move.

" Have you been considering what I said before...? " Duncan then asks.

" About 'a way to persuade the other Members'*? " Duncan recounts of what he said during their meeting within this very place.

* Hector looked at Duncan with worried eyes. *

" Are you serious you want to do 'that'...? "

" Yes, like I said back then. "

" We're going to extend Donovan to not just us, but to all other main members from the Richter House. "

" By making him betrothed to the Current Daughters of theirs... "

" Including the one who will born from Irina... "

" Duncan... " Hector hears this with shivers.

" You're making him doing 'that' with his 'sister'...? "

" My 'granddaughter'...? " Hector asks Duncan if he's on his right mind right now.

" I am..., and I'm certain this is the only way... "

" Besides, the Current Generation of the 'Main Richters' are all girls, was I right? " Duncan asks which made Hector went silent.

" Father-in-law, please remember... "

" Donovan might be just some 'random Child' we adopted from the Dungeon, and happened to be wonderfully powerful. "

" He is not from the Richter's Blood, but he does carry the 'Name'. "

" Which is enough to make him able to keep the Richters from loosing its Current Generations, especially since all of them are girls. "

" With him, the whole Richter House would not have to offer their child to the other Royal Houses, even from the ones the Richters rivaled with... "

" Thus, you may had the chance to continue the Bloodline, perhaps... "

" I get your point, Duncan... " Hector replied, he sighs.

* Hector thinks of something. *

" How is my... 'grandson' doing? " Hector asks, he remembers how Donovan had grown beyond his very expectations, he even somehow gets close to him.

" * Sigh* "

" You should've not taken him from the Dungeon... " Hector says as he pauses.

" If this is how you, no- "

" We... "

" If this how we're going to raise him within our very House..., keurkh! " Hector feels bad for his 'grandson', despite his adopted status, he can't feel nothing but guilty for the boy, who had to weight many problems of his entire family in the future.

" I began to wonder about Donovan's life within the Dungeons, back then... "

" How did he live when you found him, Duncan? " Hector asks him out of the sudden while Duncan tries to recount things from the moment he met Donovan.

* Duncan recounts. *

Duncan remembers Donovan's round pale-white eyes, that should've looked scary in general but at that time, during his time within the 'Double Dungeon', he only sees an innocent little boy who happened to live within it.

" Yes, his life would be more calmer within the Dungeons... "

" But still..., for him to live in such a shady place doesn't suits me... "

" I don't know of his real nature yet, but I believe kids like him should've been taken into the world of light... "

" Something that too happened to me when I was a child, before I became all of this... " Duncan says, recounting his whole past.

" I see... " Hector replies.

" I guess I understand why Irina told me that Donovan really resembles you in some way... "

* Hector sighs in relief. *

" Let's just hope he will grow up well as you do... "

" As you grow to become the man my daughter could marry, then... " Hector suddenly reminds of Donovan and his incoming granddaughter.

" Hey, Duncan... "

" Shall we play chess, again? " Hector asks out of the sudden as the two continue their meeting time as a family.

_____

Extra:

* 'a way to persuade the other Members'.

Duncan means the thing he talked with Hector in Chapter 227 "Spin-Off Vol.2 'Clarent Star ': Nightcave".