Chapter 84. A Youth with Demigod Aptitude, Recruiting Trusted Followers
Xilan looked at William, his eyes full of astonishment. “Could that Lynn really have Domain Aptitude?”
But William shook his head. His tone was calm, yet there was a faint ripple in it. “His aptitude is above the Domain.”
With that, he turned and walked toward the long table that had already been prepared in the center of the plaza.
Xilan stood there in a daze. It took him quite a while to recover, and by then stormy waves were already crashing through his heart.
Above the Domain?
Could it be the legendary Demigod Aptitude?
That kind of talent had only ever been recorded in ancient books over the past hundred years. And yet it truly existed?
William had already taken his seat. Beside him, eight clerks had long since spread out the parchment scrolls and stood ready with quill pens in hand.
He said a low, steady “Begin,” and the Royal Family members in the plaza stepped forward one after another, each stopping in front of him in turn.
William looked at the halo of aptitude above every Royal Family member’s head.
Strangely enough, among this group of Royal Family descendants, Golden Aptitude and Sky Aptitude made up the overwhelming majority, clearly the result of careful cultivation. Yet only three people with Domain Aptitude appeared.
By all logic, with such a large population and such a high overall level of aptitude, Domain Aptitude should not have been so rare.
Three hours slipped by in silence. When the last Royal Family member had been examined, the result was exactly as he had predicted—not one bit off. There were indeed only three with Domain Aptitude.
As for Lynn, he had become the greatest surprise of them all. However, William did not reveal his true talent. He merely wrote down “Domain Aptitude” in the record.
When it was the turn of the descendants of meritorious families, the aptitudes in that group were just as eye-catching. Nearly all of them were above Silver Aptitude, clearly chosen by the Royal Family after careful selection, and two among them even had Domain Aptitude.
Once the inspection was over, William picked up the High-Grade Healing Potion on the table and drank it in one gulp. The gentle energy washed away the exhaustion caused by overtaxing his mental strength.
Xilan was directing the Royal Family members to leave in an orderly fashion. In the crowd, some could hardly hide their joy at having been chosen, while others hung their heads in dejection because their aptitude was too ordinary. A few had even turned red around the eyes.
Only after the plaza had completely emptied did Xilan stride quickly to William’s side, unable to suppress the excitement in his voice.
“That Lynn... is he really Demigod Aptitude?”
William nodded, sounding a little emotional himself.
“This is the first time I’ve ever encountered this kind of aptitude. It really startled me.”
Xilan clapped his hands three times in succession, his face filled with unconcealed delight.
“Good, good, good! With talent like this, once he is properly nurtured, he will surely become a pillar of the Royal Family in the future. If Ancestor learns of this, he will definitely be overjoyed.”
William looked at Xilan and finally voiced the question that had been bothering him. “Lord Xilan, why are there so few in the Royal Family with Domain Aptitude?”
The smile on Xilan’s face faded somewhat, and he let out a sigh.
“This was all Ancestor’s arrangement. Not long ago, a Royal Family girl with Domain Aptitude was murdered in the Secret Realm. Her death was unclear and unjust.”
“Ancestor was enraged by it, but he could not uncover the true culprit behind it. Ever since then, all the children in the clan who were found to have Domain Aptitude have been gathered together for unified cultivation and instruction.”
He paused, and a trace of melancholy entered his voice.
“Enough of that. You’ve been working hard for days now, so go back and get some proper rest first. Later, you can go choose the people you want at your leisure.”
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll send you back to the Royal Capital. Your second brother’s funeral should be ending soon as well.”
William nodded thoughtfully, unable to stop himself from wondering: Could the turmoil in the Northern Frontier Secret Realm have started because of this?
A member of the Royal Family with Domain Aptitude had been murdered for no reason at all, and the killer was still at large. That was undoubtedly a vicious slap to the Royal Family’s face. No wonder the upper ranks took the matter so seriously...
While he was still turning it over in his mind, Xilan had already brought him back to his room.
“Little William, from here on, you may move freely about the palace. I’ve arranged guards at the entrance. They’ll show you the way.”
As he spoke, Xilan handed over a knight’s sword. The patterns on the scabbard reflected a cold gleam under the lamplight.
“This is my sidearm. It can unleash three strikes with Legendary Combatant power, and it can recharge itself. It means a great deal to me.”
William immediately waved his hands and tried to refuse, but Xilan pressed down on his hand, his gaze solemn.
“Take it, and cherish ‘her’ well.”
Before William could say another word, Xilan turned and strode away, not giving him any chance to refuse again.
“Lord Xilan...”
William wanted to call him back, but Xilan’s figure had already disappeared at the end of the corridor. His steps were crisp and decisive, with not the slightest intention of looking back.
William rubbed the sword hilt, fully aware of the weight of this gift.
Three strikes with Legendary Combatant power were enough to reverse life and death at a critical moment, not to mention that it could recharge itself.
To a Legendary Knight, this was undoubtedly the kind of life-saving treasure kept hidden at the very bottom of one’s chest. Yet Xilan had simply handed it over to him.
Holding the sword in his arms, William bowed in the direction Xilan had left, then turned and entered his room. After resting for a short while, he pushed open the door and walked out.
At some point, two guards had appeared outside the door. The moment they saw William come out, they immediately saluted. William waved a hand. “No need for ceremony. Show me around.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Along the way, palace buildings stood in dense rows, and the patterns etched into the stonework carried the marks of long years, clearly revealing the place’s deep history.
Squads of knights passed by in gleaming armor, while maids swept past with the hems of their skirts brushing lightly at the ground. All of them bowed respectfully.
When they reached a covered corridor, a graceful young girl stepped forward to meet him. Her Royal Family clothing outlined her trim figure. She curtsied and spoke in a bright, clear voice.
“Your Highness, I heard that you are in need of Attendants. I am willing to serve.”
William stopped and looked at her calmly.
“Why? Why should I choose you?”
The girl lifted her eyes. Earnestness and sharp resolve gleamed within them.
“Your Highness, I am willing to offer absolute loyalty.”
“I don’t want to be buried here. I long to become stronger. With your talent, Your Highness, your future is boundless. Even eating your leftovers would be better than staying here.”
William looked at the girl before him. She stood straight, and there was none of the usual quiet gentleness one might expect from a young girl in her gaze. Instead, there was a sharp boldness, as though she were ready to throw everything on the line.
When he heard the words “Even eating your leftovers would be better than staying here,” he could not help raising a brow. It was blunt, but it was honest.
“Loyalty isn’t proven by words alone.”
William’s voice remained calm as his gaze fell on the inconspicuous bronze badge at the girl’s waist.
“The mark of a collateral branch of the Royal Family? What is your name?”
“This subordinate is Aila.”
The girl raised her head to meet his eyes without the slightest attempt to dodge his gaze.
“If Your Highness does not believe me, you may test me at any time. I rank seventh in my branch. I have Golden Aptitude. No one cares whether I live or die, but I refuse to accept my fate.”
“You can see through aptitude, Your Highness, so you should understand even better than most that a person willing to stake everything can sometimes be more useful than someone with better talent who clings too tightly to life.”
William fell silent for a moment.
He had already examined Aila’s aptitude. It truly was only Golden Aptitude. But the ruthless determination in her—the refusal to accept her fate—was exactly the same as that black, skinny boy he had seen earlier at the training grounds.
“Do you know what following me might mean?” he suddenly asked. “Family strife, hidden schemes and open attacks. It may even be more dangerous than your current situation.”
Aila smiled, and there was a hint of wildness in that smile.
“Your Highness, danger means opportunity. Rotting away in the family while eating and waiting for death—that’s the real dead end.”
William nodded. He neither agreed at once nor refused.
“You may follow me for now. Whether you can stay depends on your performance from here on.”
A flicker of joy flashed through Aila’s eyes, and she immediately bowed.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”