Chapter 502: Not The Best Ending?
"The family estate shall always be open to you, should you ever find the need for respite. Perhaps, during your stay, you might entertain the notion of sparring with my sons?"
“Your sons?”
"Indeed. They are in need of further training, and a seasoned mage such as yourself could impart invaluable lessons upon them."
"I shall give it thought, Lord Marshal, but I’m not much of a combat teacher."
The conversation between Roland and his father continued for a few more minutes. The man seemed quite different than he remembered him. Back when he was between the ages of five and ten, Wentworth was quite distant and the family dinners with him around steadily decreased in time.
‘Is he the type that opens up to people only if they are of a certain rank or strength?’
His father was aware that he had helped Lucienne and that the three Baskerville knights had probably died due to his involvement. This was perhaps enough to earn him some level of respect in his father's eyes. Wentworth Arden seemed to be the kind of man who valued strength and loyalty above all else, and Roland’s recent actions had apparently earned him favor, albeit through a tangled web of misunderstandings.
However, as the conversation drifted through more pleasantries, Roland couldn’t shake the unease growing in the pit of his stomach. His father’s sudden warmth felt temporary and if he discovered the truth about Roland’s real identity, things would quickly turn sour. Roland had already seen Robert hauled away by the knights, and if he wasn’t careful, he would be the next to feel his father’s wrath. So, he subtly tried steering the conversation in a different direction.
“Speaking of your sons, what are your intentions with the young Robert?”