My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 1030 - 1032: Contrasting Roles

When Sylvia playfully mentioned being an evil stepmother, Damon couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle, finding the thought of it almost impossible.

The Sylvia he remembered was always introverted, quiet, and glued to a book. Now, that book was set aside, and she was engrossed in observing the world around her.

He hadn't noticed it during his three-year absence, but she had undergone a significant transformation. She didn't even seem perturbed by Ranar's unusual presence nestled in his arms.

Damon tilted his head slightly, posing a question that he instantly wished he could retract.

"Hey... you haven't fallen out of love with me, have you?"

Sylvia blinked, clearly taken aback. A gentle smile then graced her lips as she turned to face him.

"As certainly as the sun rises. Whatever makes you think otherwise?"

Damon averted his gaze, suddenly feeling a wave of awkwardness wash over him.

"No, no, I just—"

"I'll have you know I'm no longer a child. I've grown considerably while you were away," she declared, puffing out her cheeks in a pout that only amplified her adorable appearance.

"Right, right. My apologies, princess." Damon paused his sentence, another thought surfacing. "Speaking of you being a princess, I didn't notice any particular reaction from your father when he saw me. Especially concerning that dragon."

Her smile faltered, freezing mid-expression.

Slowly, she lowered her gaze, locks of hair obscuring her face.

"Erm... I apologize for what's coming," she murmured softly. "But I know you will find a way to overcome it."

A subtle sense of unease began to creep up Damon's spine.

"What exactly is to come?"

She flickered a glance at him, then quickly looked away.

"Let's just say... one dragon requires another."

Before he could probe further, she stood suddenly and made a hasty retreat.

Damon felt every hair on his body stand on end.

One dragon requires another.

Could this imply Rexagon's imminent arrival? Or perhaps the elf king had discovered a method to unleash a dragon upon him?

As Sylvia vanished into the distance, Damon suddenly sensed a presence materialize beside him.

There were no audible footsteps, no distinct sound. Just a subtle disturbance in the air signaled the arrival of someone next to him.

He gently adjusted Ranar in his arms, instinctively rocking her.

"Since when did you master teleportation?" Damon inquired, not bothering to look.

The man beside him let out a soft chuckle.

Xander didn't reply immediately. Then, he stated,

"I've picked up a few tricks. With the recent increase in combat, I've advanced to the fifth class."

Damon glanced down at his daughter, observing the subtle twitch of her tiny fingers as she slept, before raising his eyes to meet Xander's.

"What is it you desire? My intuition suggests you're not here for casual conversation."

"Actually, I am," Xander replied casually.

With a flick of his wrist, a bottle of exquisite wine and two glasses materialized in his hand as if conjured from the very air.

"Do you truly intend to return to your wife's chambers inebriated on your first night back?" Damon questioned, accepting one of the glasses nonetheless.

"Just a little," Xander responded, gazing into the deep red liquid before taking a slow sip. "I never envisioned myself getting married. Certainly not within this century, and definitely not this soon."

His voice carried a profound gravity Damon had seldom encountered before.

"After my brother's passing, my responsibilities effectively doubled. I felt an immense pressure to prove myself."

"I hadn't realized the burden of being the heir to a prestigious house was so taxing. Evangeline never seems to struggle with it," Damon remarked, contemplating his own family circumstances.

Xander emitted a quiet, knowing chuckle.

"That's because she has you. The former grand duke already designated you as the leading figure of the next generation. He anticipates significant achievements from you. I doubt Evangeline would even consider contending with you for succession."

Damon's brow furrowed slightly.

"But why? She is the rightful heir. I have no interest whatsoever in leading House Brightwater."

"Evangeline has already conceded. Though she hasn't voiced it, her actions convey her message clearly. She is content to remain in the background."

Damon's jaw clenched, but before he could voice a response, Xander shook his head.

"That prophecy Sylvia shared with us ages ago... it's manifesting for all of us. We never gave it serious credence, yet it has intricately woven itself into the fabric of our lives."

He paused, his gaze drifting into the distance.

"Some among us face greater adversity. My brother died, and now I'm pursuing an elusive shadow that I cannot conquer."

"Evangeline's position is under threat. Perhaps she feels a diminished sense of affection. Being measured against you places her in an unfair position. She is, in her own right, a formidable warrior and leader."

Damon lowered his head, remaining silent.

"The sole individual who did not receive a divination that day was Sylvia herself," Xander added in a hushed tone. "I can't recall any specific prophecy concerning her."

"Nor can I," Damon confirmed.

Xander lifted his gaze towards the moon.

"Her peculiar power is truly quite formidable and deceptive."

Damon gently shifted Ranar in his arms, observing the delicate flexion and relaxation of her sleeping hands.

"You know, Evangeline might have already fulfilled her prophecy. It assured her of being loved."

He recited the words from memory.

"The prodigal son returns home, showered with affection and granted everything. Fear not, for you too are cherished. The radiant sun simply desires to reclaim lost time."

Xander's head shook in disbelief.

"You actually recalled them."

Damon nodded gradually, his expression solemn.

"Every one of them is imprinted upon my memory. They were truly worth remembering."

"Evangeline's words seemed to resonate more as reassurance than a stark prophecy, as if destiny itself stood by her side."

Damon finished his drink, extending the glass for a refill.

"Matia’s prophecy, however, was a twisted narrative. It sounded beautiful, yet it foretold her demise and subsequent rebirth."

Xander whispered the cryptic phrases under his breath. "The fairy without wings shall ascend once more. The one who was lost will return..."

He paused, a shadow crossing his face.

"So, Matia truly met her end. It was always a suspicion we held, though Sylvia forbade us from ever uttering it. We all played along, maintaining the facade. Nowadays, she is nearly indistinguishable from her former self, save for a newfound coldness. That whimsical fairy who questioned everything has vanished. I haven't witnessed a single moment of hesitation from her."

Damon let out a sigh, a melancholic sound.

"It would indeed be peculiar if she hadn't changed after such an ordeal."

Then, his gaze shifted deliberately towards Xander, and he repeated the prophecy that concerned him.

"Fearsome shadows descend. The noble knight's heinous acts are laid bare. He extinguished both night and day. His own reflection fills him with revulsion. His dark transgressions will be consumed by ravenous shadows. His ultimate destination is death. You are destined to be his silent avenger, condemned to an eternal pursuit of an unseen foe. May you never lay eyes upon its countenance."

Xander became rigid, his body freezing mid-motion.

He bowed his head, bringing the goblet to his lips again, the potent wine searing a path down his throat.

"I still yearn to know," he managed to rasp out. "I still wish to witness its face. I still desire retribution for my brother."

Xander kept his gaze fixed downwards as he uttered these words.

Damon's brow furrowed. Xander's brother was indeed the focal point of the prophecy. He was the knight mentioned at its inception, while 'night and day' alluded to Damon’s parents. Years later, Damon, manifesting as the enigmatic Amon, had ended his life directly before Xander’s eyes.

Reflecting on it now, perhaps Damon should have shown leniency. Perhaps he should have offered forgiveness. Yet, the mere thought of the man who had murdered his parents walking free, living his life with impunity, caused an unyielding refusal to stir within him.

Forgiveness was a formidable challenge. Forgetting, an even greater one.

"So, how progresses your pursuit? You possess the agency to relinquish this burden, Xander. Harboring such animosity is taxing, and vanquishing your adversary will prove equally arduous."

"I am fully cognizant of that fact," Xander ground out through clenched teeth. "I comprehend. Nevertheless, I remain resolute."

"May you never encounter its visage. You were granted a solemn warning," Damon stated. "When you ultimately confront your inner demons, the experience will be far from pleasant."

Damon paused, a moment of contemplation before continuing.

"Regarding your firstborn child."

"Indeed, I am aware," Xander interjected swiftly. "I shall entrust them to you the instant they utter their inaugural word. As stipulated by our accord."

A surge of anger coursed through Damon's chest.

"You would truly disown your own child? I am extending an offer to annul this pact. The vow can be rescinded if both parties concur. It was a stipulation we ourselves penned."

"Negative," Xander declared with unwavering firmness. "You alone possess the capability to aid me in defeating Amon. That contract ensures you uphold your end of the bargain."

"So, you would abrogate your parental rights over your own offspring?"

"Victory necessitates profound sacrifices," Xander retorted matter-of-factly.

"Victory? You speak of revenge, Xander."

Damon lowered his gaze to his slumbering daughter, his heart heavy.

"I erred, Xander. My attempt to dissolve our agreement was a mistake. You forfeit any claim to fatherhood."

Xander's demeanor darkened ominously. His eyes flickered towards the infant nestled in Damon's arms before returning to meet his gaze.

"And you, Damon, have grown enfeebled."

Damon continued to gaze at his daughter, her peaceful slumber a stark contrast to the turmoil around them.

"What you perceive as my weakening has, in reality, forged me anew, rendering me stronger. You simply lack the perspective to grasp it from your current vantage point."

Xander lifted the bottle, taking a long draught directly from it before rising resolutely to his feet.

"I trust you haven't forgotten your own prophecy. Perhaps the most damning one of all."

It was Damon who recited the words.

"I extend a gentle caution. A forewarning. Be vigilant. Your true peril has merely commenced. That much, I guarantee. Truth is a steed of tempered steel. Your falsehoods will shatter. Your concealed truths will be brought to light. And when that day arrives, you will face betrayal at the hands of one you hold dear."

"I am thoroughly apprised of its implications," Damon responded calmly. "Yet, so be it. When that fated moment arrives, you too shall discover that some of my deceptions pale in comparison to the unvarnished truth. Just as your child will uncover your reality, you shall unearth the truth concerning your brother."

Xander turned, preparing to depart.

"I harbor no fear of the truth."

"You ought to," Damon whispered, his voice barely audible, yet laden with a chilling certainty.