Vlaus listened to the newest reports about the youngest Veilkerhurst's strange new abilities.
First, it was his eldest who claimed that he performed strange magic that manipulated his mana. Then, it was through his daughter who insisted about the existence of some floating text that appeared on a glowing square sheet of paper. He had thought little of it, seeing it as nothing more than a possible pathetic spell by the youngest. It was not until he himself started seeing the phenomenon that he then realized that "paper" were not just nonsensical words. He sensed his youngest coming down the hall to stand before his door, his mana leaving behind those phantom footprints that faded after a few seconds. This was something he had noticed this a little bit after his youngest was born. Whatever surface his hands would touched, wherever he]is feet would walk, the youngest Veilkerhurst would leave some kind of mana imprint. It was not always constant. Yet whenever it would happened, he would take note.
He had arranged for many a physicians and mages to study the youngest Veilkerhurst, wanting to at least eliminate the possibility that this was the result of sabotage. They had no answer for why he would expel mana this way. Some theorize this may be why he was so weak compared to the other members of the family. They had tried to find a way to retain the mana through enchanted clothing consisting of thin metallic mesh woven through his shirts and pants. This did little to help. He had ordered teachers to help the youngest maneuver his mana through his body, figuring that this would help him gain control of the leaking mana. It was still to no avail.
Reilard, before he left for the tower, was able to conclude that his body was doing this naturally as a way to protect the youngest. He had also used methods, some he kept to himself as he made it clear that as long as this competition was in affect he would not show his hand, to get to the bottom of the youngest's handicap. He was able to study how the mana moved through his body and saw that it moved differently from when he was asleep compared to when he was awake. The mana would accumulate in his body, pooling in his core, almost to the point of exploding if it was not reduced. Then, as soon as the youngest Veilkerhurst would wake, it began its routine of expelling itself through the bottom of his feet. Though it was great that his eldest son was able to solve the mystery, even he had no clue as to how to reverse this effect.
And as such, the youngest Veilkerhurst was--and may always be--the weakest member of the family.
Usually, this was when he would arrange for his youngest to spar with Brakus. This was a last resort after having countless of physicians and mages look over the child when he was younger. Vlaus resolved to make the youngest the strongest in physical combat if he was never to progress with manifestations of any kind. He himmself knoew that having a stronger body was better than nothing and had determined that he would become stronger if he made him train with his second son, a more useful way to interact with his family than his foolish wish of going on picnics or walks. Though no matter how long he had the child run drills or go hand-to-hand with other sparring partners, the youngest Veilkerhusrt could never get to a level befitting of his age. It was a frustrating conundrum.
He stopped studying the door to then study his only daughter, Priscilla, as she sat hunched over on the other side of his desk. Sensing the youngest's presence, she had become much more tense than she was before. He noticed that she had become more pale from the long sessions of experimenting she spent in her lab. He made a note to have her venture around the castle in order to get some fresh air and bring some color back into her cheeks. Maybe he should send her on a mission to the nearby town to se about those vagrants that dared to pickpocket the merchants. That was a headache he could do without.
"Are you certain that what you say is true?" Vlaus interrogated her. She has had past bouts of hallucinations due to the fumes of her potion making. Quite a bit of the budget handed to her were spend on filtering spells to clear out the smog that filled the space on a regular basis.
"Father," she looked at him imploringly. "I did not imagine this. I may have written off after the first time, but the fact that it is the same hallucination? There is no doubt that the youngest is doing something. I do not know how he was able to manifest ac accurate log of my physical attribute, but it was there momentarily." She became more pale as she went on, remembering the chilling fact that the youngest had enough information to properly poison her if he so wished it.
"He may have been hiding his talents this whole time which can be viewed as being deceitful and shows a level of dishonesty that could be dangerous."
"Is your concern due to it being dangerous for you?" Priscilla was the only one to witness this magical sheet. Brakus had his mana manipulated, but was training to prevent it from happening again. His wife had relayed information about the youngest becoming more durable, though he still showed a reckless abandon that could be used by other against him. If he was exposing to his sister that he knew her exact measurements that may be a clue to him targeting her. There have been cases of the male members of the Veilkerhurst family underestimating the female members of the family and targeting them. He would have to get to the bottom of if this were the same situation or another one of the youngest's ploy in getting closer to his sister.
Regardless, he would have to watch him even more closely.
"Do not worry," he said. Not to reassure his only daughter, but to stop any more time wasted on what could be a minor issue. "I will confront the youngest about his intentions."
Priscilla wilted with relief. "Thank you, Father." She stood up shakily and turned to walk out of the room. Before she left, her father gave her one last advice, the same he had relayed to Brakus earlier that week.
"Remember, child." His words caused her to pause. He saw her fingers twitch, probably in an aborted attempt to keep them from curling into fists. "You must never underestimate any member who is participating in this competition." Many knew that that was how Vlaus was able to defeat his brothers, who during his time were expected to come out on top when he was enrolled his family's dangerous rivalry.
Priscilla's head turned lightly to her father, her body still strung tightly with nerves and anxiety. She forced her hunched shoulders to relax as she shakily nodded. "Of course, father."
When she left, he sat there awhile. The youngest was causing too much of a disturbance among the top Veilkerhurst family and it was starting to cause unnecessary ripples. Those in the other branches have not heard anything, but it was only a manner of time. Well, the key player in all of this has waited long enough.
He called his youngest in.