Chapter 343: Alpha Claims
The third inconsistency came only after Ethan decided to verify the story himself.
According to all three of them, both Nathan and Irene had been buried.
So, Ethan had their graves opened to find that there were no skeletons inside.
Of course, Ethan wasn’t foolish enough to immediately treat that as absolute proof.
This could also have meant, that a summoner who knew who Nathan and Irene were could have discovered the graves years later, excavated the bodies, and took their dead parts as catalysts.
That alone prevented the empty graves from becoming decisive evidence. But, neither did they invalidate the first two inconsistencies.
—
After piecing everything together, Ethan eventually arrived at a conclusion.
The problem wasn’t merely that the story surrounding his parents’ deaths had been falsified.
Someone had tampered with their memories.
And that person hadn’t merely altered facts. They had also conditioned them to unquestioningly accept the fabricated version of events as absolute truth.
Every instinct that should have driven them to question the inconsistencies had simply been suppressed.
It was as though the very capacity for critical thought surrounding that particular incident had been erased from their minds.
As for Ethan himself...
What he remembered from that period was vague. And it was impossible to tell whether that haziness came from the fact that he had only been a child during those events, or whether he, too, had fallen victim to whatever had affected Eduardo and the others.
-
And with every inconsistency Ethan uncovered, the search for the truth had begun.
The very first option Ethan pursued was Merlin.
Through the sigil, Ethan requested a favor, asking Merlin to use his illusion magic on the world to determine whether Nathan and Irene Stark were still alive, or at the very least, where they might be.
Unfortunately, that search had yielded nothing.
Merlin attempted several different methods afterward, each one producing the same disappointing result.
Nothing.
Weeks gradually became months. And after nearly two months of exhausting every avenue they themselves could think of, Eduardo and Francesca finally approached Ethan with a request.
They wished to leave Gritnia, to seek help.
They had become convinced that the haze clouding their memories was itself the answer.
If they could somehow remove whatever was suppressing their thoughts, or recover the memories that had been taken from them, then Nathan and Irene’s true fate would reveal itself naturally.
Bernadette had also chosen to accompany them as well.
After all, the three of them had once belonged to Nathan Stark’s notoriously and rather embarrassingly named guild.
Midnight Vanguard of Valiant Warriors.
Ridiculous name aside...Nathan had been the one who found each of them, and gave them purpose.
And after Ethan exposed the contradictions surrounding his parents’ disappearance, they had felt this guilt.
Because if their memories truly had been manipulated all those years ago, then they had unknowingly abandoned the very man they owed so much to.
That realization became something none of them could ignore.
And so, for the last month...
Eduardo, Francesca and Bernadette had travelled far beyond Gritnia’s borders, following every lead they could uncover in hopes of restoring the memories that had been stolen from them.
Unfortunately, despite all of their efforts, not a single breakthrough had yet presented itself.
—
Ethan raised his Arcphone, staring at the screen for a brief moment before lowering it again.
Today was the final day of the week, which meant he would receive another call from Eduardo tomorrow.
Ever since the investigation had begun, the three of them had maintained the same routine. Every week, Eduardo would contact Ethan, report everything they had uncovered, discuss any new leads, and outline where they intended to head next.
However, Ethan found himself anticipating tomorrow’s call more than usual.
Because during their previous conversation, Eduardo had mentioned that the three of them were finally scheduled to meet someone who might actually possess answers.
A woman known as Madam Seraph, who currently resided in the nation of Braet Strain.
———
At the Arcorys Family Residence...
Hayley and Percival had only just returned from another day’s work at the guild.
After exchanging a few more words downstairs, the siblings made their way to their respective rooms on the second floor.
Hayley had barely reached the corridor when she abruptly stopped.
Several household wolves were carrying furniture out of her bedroom.
Boxes, wardrobes, clothes; Everything was being moved into another room farther down the corridor.
"Put Everything Down."
The wolves instantly obeyed, setting every item down almost in unison.
Before any of them could explain themselves, a voice spoke from around the corner.
"See?" Jeremy said as he rounded the hallway with both hands raised. "I told all of you to wait until she got back before touching anything."
Hayley’s expression slowly became irritated.
She looked from Jeremy, to the scattered furniture, then back at the other wolves. "What the fuck are you all doing?"
The wolves visibly shrank beneath her gaze.
One of them nervously opened his mouth to answer—
But another voice interrupted. "There is no need to question them."
Both Hayley and Percival turned to the sight of their uncle, stepping out from the old study at the end of the corridor.
The one that had once belonged to their father.
The wolves inclined their heads slightly.
"It was I who instructed them to move your belongings." Gaston said.
Hayley’s brows slowly furrowed. "Uncle, what exactly is the meaning of this?"
Gaston remained composed. "My wife is expecting," he said. "She needs the additional space."
Almost on cue, his heavily pregnant wife, Nurisina, quietly stepped out from the study.
She had one of her hands resting atop her stomach as she stopped at the doorway, choosing not to interrupt.
Hayley looked from Gaston, to Nurisina then back again. "What the fuck?"
She pointed toward the room. "Phoebe and I share that room, I’ve lived there my entire life. And what happened to asking me first?"
Gaston answered quickly. "You can simply move into another room."
He gestured toward the other wolves.
"As you can see, I’ve made sure your belongings are being handled carefully."
"No." Hayley’s answer came immediately. "I don’t want another room."
She took a step forward. "That is my room, and I’m taking nothing else."
Percival quickly stepped between them before the situation escalated further. "Hold on, you can use mine. My room’s almost as large."
He shrugged. "There’s literally no reason to move Hayley’s things."
Gaston didn’t even consider it. "I’ve already made my decision, and that’s how it’s going to remain."
With that, he turned to walk away.
Hayley’s mana instantly exploded. "Don’t you fucking walk away from me, Uncle."
Gaston stopped, and turned back around with an expression that had become noticeably colder. "Hayley...as your Alpha, I will ask you only once."
"Let it go and move into another room."