Strongest Mage with the Lust system

"It's not that Butler George didn't want to tell you everything but he wanted me to tell you. I didn't told anything before because I was afraid that it will make you more depressed." Ashton smiled and continued,

"But now that returned to normal and even became a two star mage at such a young age, It's time to tell you the complete truth about your mother's death."

Max nodded. He wanted to know the whole truth about the situation and it seemed to him that her mother's death wasn't just an act of revenge.

"Butler George should have told you that the first time I met your mother was when she saved Wiley and me from our deaths. After that, we three became good friends. Your mother was living in the royal city at that time, alone."

"We both fell in love and married, she came to live with me here. Your mother was a kind but a string woman. Even though we both were three-star mages, she was stronger than me and with her lightning element in use she was unmatched in the same realm. She could even fight initial stage four-star mages on equal footing." A hint of pride appeared on Ashton's face when he said this.

When Max heard this, he wondered if she were still alive; maybe she would have long become a four-star mage or a five-star mage. Would that count Wiley dare to suppress them like this. Ashton continued,

"I always knew that she wasn't any ordinary woman but she didn't tell me anything about her family and I also didn' ask. When we first met, she had two artefacts which she cherished the most; one was that blue stone pendant, and another one was a blue sword.

One time count Wiley asked if he could hold her sword but your mother didn't let him and it was at the time when we were best friends and shared everything. Count Wiley felt unsatisfied at this and said 'It's just a ordinary sword. Why do you like it so much? Tell me, I'll give better magic swords.' But your mother just smiled at him and we also forget this.

After your mother and I got married, although we weren't in contact with Wiley as he was also busy with his Viscount's duties, he would come to meet us sometimes. Two years after we married, Wiley came to visit us and we all got drunk while chatting. In his drunken state he misbehaved with your mother. Your mother got angry and heavily injured him and gave him a deep scar on his face. She wanted to kill him as she didn't expect her friend to do something disgusting to her in pretense of being drunk but we finally let live but cut off all ties with him.

"After ten years since then, he came back and apologised. As we were best friends in the past, we welcomed him. But he kept mentioning that blue sword and wanted to buy it but your mother refused. After that he returned to Vista city where he was appointed as a viscount.

But since that day, your mother started to behave strangely and was always worried. When I asked her about what she was worried. She finally told me that she was worried that Wiley would want to steal her sword. I felt strange about it asked that why was she so sure about it. Finally, she told me that her sword and that stone pandent was something her parent had left behind and that her sword which we always thought as ordinary was in fact a half step Monarch weapon and Wiley might have realised this fact. This was why she was always worried 

Although I was shocked at that moment as even the royal family only has one emperor grade treasure and wanted to ask why she didn't tell me before, I just reassured her that he might have brought up this topic casually and she didn't have to worry too much.

But who knew her worry would turn out to be true. Wiley has indeed found out her sword's secret from somewhere. Two moths after he visited us, he ambushed your mother to steal the sword but when he found out that she didn't have it with her, he wanted to capture her and then take the sword but your mother... She broke her arteries and suicided. 

Then he took a deep breath, unparalleled sadness flashing in his eyes, "Your mother had taken her precautions before she went out. She left the sword in her room and established a formation that won't let anyone under King level mage enter her room without the key. When Wiley found out this, he returned to think of some other plan to steal the sword. And when I heard that your mother had died, I led my forces to kill him but that bastard had already broke through to the four star realm and had two other four star mage protecting him. I could barely escape with my life." Ashton sighed.

Max heard him in silence and recalled that when he went in her mother's room with Butler George, he indeed saw a long case on the bed, he wondered 'Was that sword in the case? Why would you leave it in open- Oh well based on father's words that room is the safest location in the manor.'

After a while Ashton calmed down and said "Now that Wiley must have sent his son here to try and steal the sword when I wasn't here. Surprisingly, When they couldn't open the door, they went to destroy the formation protecting the room. They would have succeeded if I didn't return before I was supposed to. I suspect that the locations of the formation nodes were leaked to them by someone, or they wouldn't have been able to locate their locations."

"Father, do you suspect that someone from our family leaked the information to them?" Max asked and realised that when his father erected that sound barrier, it was because he suspected that someone among them has betrayed the family.

Ashton nodded "Yes, only our family members have permission to venture in those areas where formation nodes are. Although these nodes aren't too conspicuous, you can still find them." He then added after a pause "Max, remember not to trust anyone completely. Even your own blood can betray you, let alone others."

Max nodded. He had already seen the treacherous nature of human beings in his previous life. Whenever he watched the news on T.V., there were always a few news proving how cruel and heartless a human can be.

...

Max returned to his room after talking to his father and cultivated his mana core. He could tell that almost one third of his mana core has solidified already and it will take at most two more months until it reached perfection. After that he just need to increase his mana and he will be able to break through to the three-star realm.

"I need to increase my other attributes in the meantime." Max mumbled and opened his status screen.