"I’ve made extra potions in case this happens again since attacks like these usually occur close together."

Adrien felt himself paling at Meredith Howell’s words. He looked away from her and back at the strange-looking drink that was still in the cup. He brought the cup up to his lips and closed his eyes before taking a big gulp. The stuff tasted viscous and syrupy as it slowly slid into his mouth and down his throat. The taste wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be, but the texture and smell did not help it in the slightest.

"I’m surprised an attack like this hasn’t happened sooner since they usually occur when one is first learning to control their Mana. When one has multiple affinities and a large Mana pool, they usually have a hard time releasing just one type of Mana. This causes the Mana to build up until it causes a Mana Explosion which then leads to Mana Exhaustion." Meredith Howell clocked her tongue as she shook her head.

Adrien cocked his head to the side as he listened to Meredith Howell’s lecture. Based on her words, it seemed as if he had more than just an affinity to water. But I have a large Mana pool? I always thought that I had a hard time releasing my Mana because I had a small Mana pool. If what they’re hinting at is true, then did Mikyle have to go through this shit when he was younger?

Adrien shook the thoughts out of his head as he returned his attention back to the foul liquid. There was just one last sip left.

Once the cup was empty, Meredith took it from him and placed a glass vial filled with a pink liquid in its place. "What’s this for?" Adrien asked as he curiously stared at the watery-looking substance in the glass vial.

"It’s for your hair since there’s been some physical changes," Mikyle answered with a heavy look on his face.

"What changes?"

Mikyle stood up and offered him a hand. "There’s a mirror in this room. It’s probably best you have a look for yourself."

Adrien took Mikyle’s hand and stood up. His legs shook and complained as they supported him but they managed to stay planted beneath him. Mikyle slowly guided him to a small mirror that was hanging up on the wall near the medicine cabinet.

A small gasp escaped from him at the sight he saw there. His once pale-blonde hair was now an iridescent black at the roots, and was slowly spreading out. The shiny black surface appeared to shimmer and sparkle, much like the night sky when filled with stars.

Numerous answers to previously asked questions, and even more new questions swarmed through Adrien’s mind. Just by seeing that little bit of iridescent black that was shinier and more lustrous than normal black hair, Adrien could tell that he had blood ties to the Shigaron Kingdom since they were the only known family on this Continent to possess such hair color.

So I was right. There’s a strong possibility that the former Crown Princess to the Shigaron Kingdom may very well be my mother. But if that’s the case, then how did I wind up the son of Count and Countess Mallorne?

Adrien wanted to talk with Mikyle right then and there to give voice to his thoughts, especially since Mikyle was having Dor-Shey Da’at look into him and his possible birth parents. But he hesitated when he caught sight of Meredith Howell and the girl that was with her. I know that they’re related to Dor-Shey Da’at and that Mikyle had called them his people, but I still feel uneasy about voicing my thoughts, especially if the rumors were true that the current Queen of Shigaron had killed her older half-sister. Though, if they really do have ties to Dor-Shey Da’at, then they’ve probably already figured out what I’m just now coming to the conclusion of.

Mikyle’s eyes met his’ through the mirror. "Meredith, give us the room." Meredith and the girl that was with her quietly left the room at Mikyle’s orders.

Adrien, who was able to fully see Mikyle’s face thanks to the reflection in the mirror, had a feeling that Mikyle had ordered them to leave to soothe Adrien.

"That vial that she handed me, is that an alchemical potion that dyes one hair?"

"It is."

"This hair, it most likely means I have blood ties to the Shigaron Kingdom?"

"It does."

Adrien turned away from the mirror to look directly at Mikyle. "With the way the Ceciles sisters act around me, the Countess’ reaction, and now my hair. It’s probably safe to assume that the former Crown Princess is my birth mom."

Mikyle brought a hand up to Adrien’s face, letting his fingers get lost in the silky strands of Adrien’s hair. "Yeah. I had a feeling that might have been the case, so I have someone looking into it."

Adrien knew Mikyle was looking into his family situation for him. He also knew that Mikyle was using Dor-Shey Da’at to do it. "Can you have them look into someone for me?"

"Who?"

Adrien leaned his face into Mikyle’s hand and closed his eyes. If the Countess was doing everything she can to pass him off as her’s and the Count’s son, then that left only one possibility as to who his father could be. "My maternal uncle. I never met him before, but I have a feeling that he might just be my birth father."

Mikyle gave a curt nod of his head, a soft smile on his lips. "I was thinking the same thing." Mikyle lowered his hand from Adrien’s face. "What do you know about your uncle?"

"Only that he disappeared not long after I was born." He remembered hearing vague stories about his uncle from the twins from the very few memories they had of him.

"There was an attack on the Vespa County in a small city that is under Count Vespa’s domain nearly eighteen years ago. The people suffered greatly. Savion Vespa was seen out in town a few times after that incident but he never attended any social events nor did he attend any of the meetings with the Ratcliff Merchantry. It’s always been my belief that he died during that attack and the sightings of him aftwards were false reports."

Adrien stared wide-eyed at Mikyle. This was the first time he was hearing this. In fact, he had never been aware of an attack in his maternal grandfather’s County. It was something that happened so shortly after he was born so it was understandable that he was unaware of it.

"Is there any possibility that the attack may have happened because the County was suddenly given a new lord– a lord who had bought his title instead of earning it?" His grandfather, Arnold Ratcliff who had bought a Count’s title and earned the name Arnold Vespa, had only been the new lord of the Vespa County for a short while. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"That’s what many believed, but there was no evidence to support it."

Adrien inhaled deeply. He then made his way to the bed and sat down. Things were happening way too quickly.