Infinite Returns : The More I Give, The Stronger I Become

"Sigh… is this how you welcome an S-rank being?" Lucas groaned, slumping back into his chair after finally finishing his mother's mountain of administrative hell.

He tilted his head up slowly—and there she was, sitting across from him, legs crossed, sipping tea with the grace of a queen who hadn't just forced her son to do an entire department's work.

Sensing his eyes on her, Iris turned and smiled.

"Already done, Lucas? What a good son. Now, come tell me—how was your 50th floor trial?" Her tone was light, but her eyes showed real interest now.

Lucas chuckled softly. With a flash of white flame, he vanished from his chair and reappeared beside her. He took a pastry from the plate and poured himself some tea.

"It wasn't that hard," he said after a calm sip.

Iris laughed, melodic and mocking. "Only you would dare say the 50th floor trial wasn't hard. It's literally called The Great Divider for a reason. Most can't even reach it—let alone pass it."

Lucas nodded in agreement, but then shrugged.

"You know, Mother, I'm not everyone," he said with a soft chuckle.

"I've got an SS-rank fire talent and an SSS-rank sword talent. Comparing me to normal people is just unfair."

There was no arrogance in his tone. No pride. Just plain, inescapable truth.

"Not even Ethan?" Iris asked, smirking over the rim of her teacup.

Lucas's lips twitched.

"Mother… don't compare me to that unfair brother of mine. Where else will you find a C-rank freak summoning a True Dragon's blood out of nowhere?"

Iris laughed. "And it wasn't just that. Even our beast companions evolved. Everything he touched got stronger."

"Thanks to all of that," she continued, her tone shifting subtly, "we've become more powerful than any of the other Original Families. And…"

Her voice dropped lower, serious now.

"They're getting restless."

Lucas sat up straighter. "They? You mean the Bloodsanguines?"

But his mother's response sent a colder chill than expected.

"All of them. The Bloodsanguines, the Mindweavers… and even those flake-covered beastmasters, the Grimfang."

She clicked her tongue in irritation.

"And honestly, the Bloodsanguines are the least of my concern right now. The Mindweavers… those mind-reading bastards are poking too deep."

Lucas's entire expression darkened. His tone dropped, his presence grew heavier.

"They dared to manipulate the minds of our people?"

"They dared," Iris said, her voice sharp and final.

And indeed they had. The Mindweavers had kidnapped and interrogated Yagami retainers in secret, desperate to uncover how the Yagamis had grown so powerful, so rich, in such little time.

"But they'll never find anything," Iris said, sipping her tea with regal calm. "We've made sure Ethan's existence—his talent—stays buried. Only we know the truth."

Lucas scowled. "Then why didn't we retaliate? Why didn't we make them pay?"

"We couldn't afford to draw more attention," Iris explained, setting her cup down. "If we strike the Mindweavers, the Bloodsanguines and Grimfangs will move next."

She looked Lucas in the eye.

"That would mean all three Houses against us. Not just any Houses—Originals. You know your own talent—but don't forget theirs. One manipulates minds and glimpses fate. Another binds beasts—even dragons. And we…"

She smiled bitterly.

"We have a sword."

Lucas didn't flinch.

"Indeed. We only have a sword, Mother."

His eyes flickered red, and for a brief moment, a whisper of white flame danced inside his pupils.

"And that's all we need. A sword can kill beasts. A sword can sever the mind. And as for fate…"

He smirked.

"If my sword can ignore space and time, then why not fate? Why not cut it clean?"

Iris looked at him long and hard.

Then she smiled.

"Indeed. We can do all of that."

Lucas nodded, folding his arms, tone shifting again.

"And besides… Ethan promised me something once I reached S-rank."

He smiled.

"I know it'll be something special."

Because Ethan was always like that—different. Always promising madness and delivering miracles.

Then suddenly Lucas stood, stretching casually.

"I heard Chloe awakened a sword-type talent. I'm gonna give her some pointers—like the good brother I am."

But before he could take a single step toward the door, Iris's voice rang behind him like an execution bell.

"Your father already used that excuse. Come back here. You're not done yet—there's still a stack of scrolls waiting."

Lucas froze mid-step.

'Really, Father? You couldn't think of a better excuse?'

He sighed in defeat and walked back to the desk.

"What a good son," Iris said cheerfully, already opening the next file.

'Ethan's laziness was definitely inherited,' Lucas thought with a grumble as he accepted his fate.

…

Meanwhile— still on Earth.

Far across the continent, within the Mindweaver's territory, a towering silver castle stood tall, rising like a needle through the clouds.

It was a masterpiece of magic and architecture. Everything—everything—inside was silver. The floor. The ceiling. The walls. The furniture. Even the candles burned silver-blue.

And yet, it wasn't lifeless.

There was something elegant about it. Something haunting. Something mystical that made you want to keep looking. Like being caught in a dream made of polished metal and unspoken power.

And deep within the castle's heart, seated on a silver throne in a chamber carved of pure enchantment, was a man.

He looked to be in his early thirties—silver hair, silver eyes, and an expression that made it impossible to know whether he was amused or deadly serious.

He rested his head on his right hand, one leg crossed over the other, a smirk ghosting his lips.

"The second son… Ethan Yagami… all of this is because of him?"

Even after verifying it with his fate-scrying, he still couldn't believe it.

A C-rank. A C-rank caused this?

It was insane.

And yet it was true.

And that truth had Drelvane—Patriarch of the Mindweavers—deeply intrigued.

"Find him in the Tower," he ordered calmly. "Capture him. I can't peer into his soul, into his fate… so I peered into his maid."

He smirked darkly.

"He'll be arriving in Castria soon."

"Don't disappoint me."

A moment passed, then—

"Understood, Master."

"Also… contact my son. Tell him to stop playing games and start moving."

"Yes, Master."

Drelvane leaned back and closed his eyes. The throne beneath him pulsed with silver mana, humming with restrained power.

'I can't wait to see what makes you so special…'

Ethan Yagami.

—End of Chapter 73—