Chapter 178: A Past Acquaintance
Chapter 178: A Past Acquaintance
Hector nodded slightly in return, his expression perfectly calm and unbothered by the sudden display of deep respect. He exuded the effortless composure of someone long accustomed to being looked at like a myth.
Standing nearby, the President clicked his tongue, a look of wry amusement crossing his face that clearly said, ’I knew this would happen.’ Letting out a soft sigh, he crossed his arms and looked between the two of them.
"Cut the kid some slack, old man," the President said, before turning his gaze back to Soren. "But yes, this old man is the hero who saved our city from total devastation. And... he’s also the one who stepped in to save you and your wife."
Soren froze.
The pieces instantly clicked together in his mind. ’So it was him.’
Soren looked up, his chest tightening with a profound sense of debt. "Thank you, Sir. I don’t even have the words to properly express my gratitude. If not for you, we wouldn’t be standing here today."
Hector stared at him for a moment before giving a slow, dismissive wave of his hand.
"Raise your head," he said, his voice brief and gravelly. "Saving the city was just my job. As for you... It just happened in the process."
He glanced over at the bed, his stern eyes reflecting a sharp, solemn focus.
"Though I was surprised to recognize that it was an acquaintance."
Soren blinked, raising his head as the words caught him off guard. ’An acquaintance?’
He instinctively glanced toward the bed where Ethea lay peacefully asleep. There was no way a legendary figure like the Icebreaker Emperor was talking about him. That meant Hector’s connection was entirely with Ethea.
Then again, considering who she was, it actually made perfect sense. Ethea was once a formidable seventh-circle powerhouse, just like Hector, and both of them wielded ice as their primary element while operating within the same regions. It was only logical that their paths had crossed.
This simple realization served as a sharp reminder of exactly who his wife was. Before the tragedy that stripped her of her powers, she had stood on equal footing with the very legends who shaped the world.
’...’
Still, regardless of their past relationship, the fact remained that this man had saved their lives and many others. Soren looked at Hector, his expression filled with sincere respect.
"Even so, we are forever indebted to you for stepping in, Sir," Soren said, his voice steady but full of gratitude. "If there is ever anything I can do to return the favor, please let me know."
"..." Hector glanced over at the President, who simply offered a broad smile and shrugged, his expression clearly saying, ’I told you so.’
Sighing inwardly at his antics, the Emperor turned his attention back to Soren.
"You don’t have to worry about repayment," Hector spoke, his gravelly tone softening just a fraction. "Actually, little Zoe is my personal disciple. And I heard you helped her a great deal, so consider the debt settled."
Soren stood frozen, dumbfounded yet again. ’Sister Zoe is his disciple?!’
She hadn’t mentioned a single word about being under the tutelage of a living legend. But as the initial shock passed, the pieces fit together effortlessly. Soren recalled her fighting style. She was an ice and spear user, exactly like the Icebreaker Emperor himself.
’W-Wait...’
While sister Zoe wasn’t exactly his official master, he had still learned an incredible amount about martial arts and combat from her during their time training together. If she was the Emperor’s personal disciple, didn’t that practically mean... he had been learning from a living legend all along? Even if indirectly?
’Urgh, get a grip!’
Shaking his head inwardly to clear his racing thoughts, Soren quickly composed himself to reply. "Sister Zoe helped me a lot, Sir. And I didn’t exactly do—"
Before he could finish his humble deflection, he caught the President’s intense, knowing stare. The look practically told him to stop arguing with a legendary figure’s generosity. Soren swallowed his remaining words, offered a respectful nod, and said, "T-Thank you, Sir."
Hector gave a single, firm nod, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching the corner of his lips. "I also heard you mastered the Glacial Edge Spear arts from her."
Soren nodded before pausing again. ’Don’t tell me...’
"That technique was originally created by him," the President joined in, flashing a grin. "He gifted it to Zoe when he first accepted her as his disciple, along with a part of his legacy. Then Zoe shared a modified version of it with the Bureau."
"O-Oh, I see," Soren muttered, blinking as the weight of the revelation settled in. While he had also learned from Ethea and already possessed a legendary technique of his own, he still felt it was only natural to show proper respect. "Then I am incredibly honored to have learned your technique, Sir."
"Ah, seriously," the President sighed, as if fed up with him. "You paid for that manual with your own hard-earned money, so you earned every right to practice it. Now, let’s stop the polite chit-chat and talk about important matters."
Soren nodded, casting a brief glance at the room before turning back to the two guests. He knew the sound barrier would keep Ethea perfectly undisturbed, but it still felt improper to discuss such matters while standing around her.
"Should we move somewhere more comfortable?" Soren suggested politely. "There’s a quiet lounge nearby. I can get us some tea or coffee while we talk."
"Nice idea," the President nodded, clearly appreciating the gesture. "However, let’s head to the rooftop lounge instead. It’s completely private up there, and we won’t be interrupted."
Hector gave a wordless nod, indicating he was perfectly fine with either choice.
With the venue decided, the three of them stepped out of the room. Soren lagged behind for just a second, lingering by the door to steal one last glance at Ethea.
’Sorry, I will be back soon,’ he thought, offering her a silent promise before pulling the door shut until it clicked securely into place.
Turning around, he quickened his pace to follow the two men down the hallway. Adjusting his stride to match theirs, he knew that whatever they wanted to discuss wasn’t just an ordinary ’important’ matter. Having both the President and a legendary figure like Hector pull him aside meant the situation was likely far more serious than they were letting on.
’...It must be related to Ethea.’