"But the exchange will be done officially," Jude said, his tone steady and authoritative despite his young age. "The ice bear core will be taken back with us. And both houses will send their exchange."
Torvin nodded slowly, accepting without resistance.
"In acceptance," he said, inclining his head with a respectful gesture fitting for two noble houses negotiating. His robe fluttered with the morning breeze, and frost dusted the shoulders of his cloak.
Then he paused, gathering his thoughts. "But… young master Jude, I would like to ask you for a favor."
Jude looked at him with a confused expression, brows raised slightly.
"A favor?" Jude repeated. His tone wasn't rude—only genuinely puzzled.
"Yes," Torvin said. "Please, can you stay friends with my disciple over here?"
Jude's eyes shifted toward Kael, then back to Torvin. His expression didn't change, but inside his mind, thoughts raced.
Friend with Kael? Even if the little brat wasn't rude, each of the Great Houses dislikes each other.
They are meant to become rivals in the future.
The idea itself felt almost laughable to him. The rivalry between the Five Great Houses was woven into the structure of their world—competition, tension, and pride passed down for generations.
Jude spoke aloud, giving Torvin a polite nod of respect.
"Master Torvin… the Five Houses are all rivals. How can I stay friends with him?"
Torvin sighed, but his eyes softened.
"Yes, but you are both still young. The house rivalries are not your concern yet."
His voice carried a hopeful warmth—as though he wished their generation would be different, less rigid, less bound by tradition.
Kael stood stiffly beside his master. He felt left out of the conversation, frustrated at being talked about instead of included. He didn't understand what was so special about Jude; on the surface, Jude seemed around his age, maybe a bit younger.
But despite that, Kael couldn't figure out why his master held so much respect toward this Avernus boy.
Jude replied after a moment of quiet thought,
"Okay."
The acceptance sounded calm, though he wasn't truly invested in the idea. His mind still whispered warnings of the future he knew.
Kael silently straightened. He wouldn't dare protest—he didn't want to get scolded by his master again. But inwardly, confusion lingered.
Why does this boy talk as if he's older? Why does Master Torvin treat him with such seriousness?
Kael couldn't understand.
Torvin looked at Jude once more with a brief smile.
"Seeing that we interrupted you earlier," Torvin said, "let me make it up to you."
His mana flared outward, swirling through the cold air.
A summoning circle expanded beneath his feet, bright crimson runes spinning in a perfect, rotating pattern. Sparks of fire flickered along the circle's edge.
A giant wolf materialized—bigger than any normal beast, its fur streaked with deep reds like smoldering embers. Intricate fire-like symbols crawled across its body, glowing faintly as heat radiated from it.
A fire wolf.
Rare, dangerous, and notoriously aggressive. They were known for turning forests into blazing infernos if not controlled properly.
With a sharp snap of Torvin's fingers, the wolf sprinted into the forest. Snow hissed beneath its paws as heat melted tiny holes into the ground. Two minutes later it returned, silent and majestic, with a dead deer clamped firmly in its jaws.
Torvin gestured.
"A small meal for your morning, young master Jude."
Jude simply replied, "Thank you, Master Torvin."
The fire wolf suddenly walked forward slowly, each step deliberate. Its huge paws crunched into the snow, steam rising from its heat. Torvin frowned, confusion forming on his face. He attempted to call it back with another gesture, but the wolf ignored the command completely.
Instead, the massive creature stopped right in front of Jude.
It towered over him, a fiery giant compared to the small young master of House Avernus. The wolf's molten-orange eyes stared intensely at Jude, heat warming the air around him.
The knights stepped forward instantly, their hands gripping their swords tightly.
"Call back your summon, Master Torvin!" the head knight said sharply.
Before Torvin could respond or give another command, the giant fire wolf bowed.
It lowered its head all the way to the snow before Jude—a gesture of submission, respect, almost reverence.
The world froze for a breath.
Jude glanced at the knights.
"It's ok," he said calmly.
He stepped closer, raising a hand. The fire wolf didn't resist. Instead, it stayed perfectly still as Jude gently patted its head. Despite the beast's blazing aura, Jude's touch didn't burn. The creature behaved like a domesticated pet, docile under his hand.
The members of House Ravencross were stunned beyond belief.
Torvin's eyes widened, his breath caught in his chest.
How is this possible? he thought. Fire wolves are aggressive by nature… and this particular one is the worst among my summons. Yet now it bows… to Jude Avernus?
A beast that feared no flames, no blade—showing obedience to a child?
Impossible. Unreal. But it happened.
Jude turned toward Torvin.
"You have a good summon, Master Torvin."
Torvin bowed his head respectfully.
"Thank you, young master Jude."
The wolf rose, took a final look at Jude, then walked back to Torvin's side. With a wave of Torvin's hand, the summoning circle reappeared briefly and the wolf dispersed into fading crimson mana.
Torvin stepped back and gave a final bow.
"We will be going now. Young master Jude."
"Yes, Master Torvin," Jude replied.
The three members of House Ravencross turned and left, disappearing slowly between the snow-covered trees. Their silhouettes faded into the thick forest mist.
Silence returned to the clearing.
Then a voice echoed in Jude's mind—deep, ancient, and irritated.
Abaddon spoke from within,
How dare a lowly beast act proud.
Jude rolled his eyes slightly.
"You didn't have to scare it like that," he murmured in a whisper only Abaddon could hear.
Hmm, Abaddon replied with a low rumble. It was lucky I only scared it.
Jude exhaled softly, half amused, half resigned.
The morning light grew brighter, melting the edge of the frost.
The encounter was over, the alliance temporarily shaped, and the path ahead was once again clear.