Time had passed, and the three friends, Neah, Princess Elara, and Rosalia, were on the cusp of entering their fourth year at the academy. The years they'd spent training, studying, and sparring together had forged a unique bond. As their long-awaited break arrived, they bid farewell, knowing they would soon reunite.
Neah, after weeks of travel, finally arrived back home. As he opened the door, he was greeted by two familiar figures—his grandparents from both sides of the family. His grandfather, Arthur Cornelia, was a prominent knight who had served the previous king, and his grandmother, Senna Astrid, was once feared and held the title of "the kingdom's Witch of Slaughter." Their gazes locked on Neah, who greeted them with respect, fully aware of their personalities.
"Honoured grandparents, it's an unexpected pleasure to see you here. I hope your visit has been well," Neah politely addressed them.
Arthur replied with a hint of nostalgia, "I believe it has been quite a while since we last met, Neah."
Senna's tone carried more weight as she remarked, "You've finally arrived, Neah. You've made us wait."
The conversation, while polite, had an undercurrent of expectation and perhaps even disappointment. Neah's relationship with his grandparents has always been complicated. They had their expectations, demands, and their own understanding of what it meant to be part of the Cornelia and Astrid families, both with a history intertwined with the kingdom's politics and legends.
Arthur inquired, "I hear that you've become great friends with the princess, Neah."
Senna added, "Yes, that's the only good news I've ever heard about you, Neah."
Neah replied modestly, "Yes, it seems that the princess has taken a liking to someone like me and has graced me with her friendship."
Arthur nodded thoughtfully and then continued, "I've also heard something interesting inside the royal castle."
Senna chimed in, "So that's why you're also here. It seems we've heard the same rumors."
Neah, somewhat oblivious to their cryptic conversation, asked, "Grandfather, grandmother, I don't quite follow what you're talking about."
Senna looked at him, her gaze penetrating, and said, "All you need to do is agree when they come and be a good child."
Arthur, on the other hand, firmly declared, "For the sake of this kingdom, I will not allow the royal blood to be tainted!"
Senna sternly locked eyes with Arthur. "You just don't understand what kind of opportunity this is, do you? Connections, power, and more!"
Meanwhile, Varian and Seraphella, Neah's parents, overheard the argument in the hallway and rushed in. Seeing the confrontation, Seraphella embraced Neah with warmth and concern. "Neah!"
"May I ask what the two of you are doing with my youngest child? "Vian inquired, his voice steady.
Arthur replied, "Son, as you can see, we're just talking."
Senna added with a hint of disdain, "Hmp, what else are you seeing? "
Neah, trying to ease the growing tension, quickly interjected, "Father, we are just greeting each other and nothing more."
Seraphella held Neah's hand as they walked towards Varian, but then Senna whispered something to herself: "All this untalented child needs to do is accept the marriage." Neah overheard it, causing him to stop in his tracks and ask, "What marriage? "He looked at his grandmother, his curiosity mixed with a growing sense of unease.
Senna raised her eyebrows and smiled slyly. "Oh, you don't know about it? Well, I might as well tell you everything."
Varian, Seraphella, and Arthur stopped, holding their breath as they watched and listened to Senna.
"The princess has taken a liking to you, so much so that even the king himself has heard about you from her," Senna continued, laughing as she went on. "I don't know how you do it, but it seems the king is considering an arranged marriage between you and the princess. Now, Neah, be a good child and just accept it. It's for our family's good. You can finally make yourself worth something to our family."
As tension filled the room, Arthur immediately responded, his voice stern and unwavering: "You wretched woman, do you truly believe that I would allow a hollow like him to taint the legacy of the royal family? "
Senna's voice began to raise, her frustration evident. "You loyal dog! Even after retiring, you're still obsessed with the royal family? But isn't it better this way? He'll finally have some worth for us after all this time."
Seraphella finally spoke up, her voice firm. "Mother, can you please stop? Neah can decide for himself what he wants. Stop deciding what's best for everyone else."
Her words resonated in the room, a plea for respect for Neah's autonomy in a matter as personal as marriage. Yet the tension in the room remained palpable, and the outcome of this family confrontation was far from certain.
As the confrontation continued, a door in the hallway swung open, and Ethan and Evan cheerfully walked in, their laughter filling the air. They spotted their younger brother, Neah, and immediately approached him.
"Neah, you've finally arrived! "Evan said as he warmly patted Neah on both shoulders.
Ethan chimed in, "Let's go to the dining hall, Neah. The food is ready, and all our siblings are here for the first time in a while."
But then Evan added, "But hey, Charlotte, that brat hasn't arrived yet. Oh well, she'll catch up."
As Neah, Ethan, and Evan made their way to the dining hall, the tension that had gripped the family began to dissipate. However, it left behind a lingering unease, even though the twins were oblivious to the situation. The adults remained in a solemn silence, and the atmosphere was heavy with unspoken words.
As they entered the dining hall, Neah spotted his siblings at the table. Serena, the oldest among them, smiled warmly at him, but her expression shifted as their grandmother entered the room. They all began to eat, trying to ignore the tension in the air.
Midway through the meal, Senna's intense gaze on Neah became too much to bear. He finally addressed her, "Grandmother, is there something you want to say? "
Senna replied nonchalantly, "Nothing much, dear. I've already said everything earlier." Her cryptic words only added to the lingering discomfort in the room.
Alexander, the second oldest of the siblings, couldn't help but sense the awkward atmosphere and decided to inquire, "Is there anything we should know? "He looked around at the family, searching for answers.
Arthur, eager to change the subject, looked at Neah and mentioned, "Well, let's forget about that. Neah, I've also heard something quite interesting about you recently."
Neah, unfazed, replied, "For a mere hollow like me, you certainly seem to have heard a lot of rumours, grandfather."
Arthur persisted, "Well, it's something so absurd that it even caught my attention. So answer me this: is it true that you've managed to imitate a form-fitted aura? Don't lie to me."
Neah looked at him and replied, "It's just a shabby imitation, grandfather."
Arthur, still somewhat dissatisfied with his answer, demanded, "Show it to me. I want to see it personally, the source of these annoying rumors."
Neah continued to eat and replied, "Let's finish our meal first, grandfather, and I'll demonstrate it later."
As Arthur stood up, he declared, "I'm done eating," and added before leaving, "I'll be waiting at the training ground. Don't make me wait for too long."
As Arthur left, the room was enveloped in an awkward silence. Not long after, Senna followed suit, her footsteps echoing through the hallway.
Once everyone had finished their meals, they made their way to the training ground, trailing behind Neah. Curiosity filled the air, and the tension was palpable. Neah's siblings were left in the dark, clueless about the entire situation.
As they finally reached the training ground, Arthur's voice echoed across the open space, demanding, "Now, Neah, show me this imitation I've been hearing of."
Senna, standing by his side, inquired, "Why are you getting so excited? Do you even have any expectations for him? "Arthur replied dismissively, "No, I don't even have an ounce of expectation for him. Besides, I know that this imitation of his is just a slightly smaller and condensed aura."
Neah drew out his sword and began to release his aura, which coated his entire body. Arthur kept a keen eye on every move Neah made, his expression unyielding. "Hmp, look how thin his aura is. It's truly disappointing, considering he is a part of our family," Arthur remarked, his disappointment evident in his voice.
As Neah focused, a hush fell over the training ground. The onlookers, including Neah's siblings and his grandparents, stood frozen in awe and disbelief. Their eyes widened with astonishment as they watched Neah wield a form-fitted aura that perfectly coated his sword. The air seemed to crackle with energy, and for a moment, time stood still, gripped by the sheer surprise of witnessing such mastery from someone they had underestimated.
Arthur rushed towards Neah, his eyes fixed on the form-fitted aura that coated Neah's sword. He inspected it closely, his astonishment clear in his expression. "This... is amazing... simply amazing," he muttered in disbelief.
Even Senna, who was known for her stern demeanour, was left in silence, unable to find words to express her surprise.
"I can totally feel and see the embryonic aura, but this form..." Arthur's voice trailed off as he continued to study the aura, struggling to come to terms with what he was witnessing.
Neah, aware of the attention and the astonishment of his family, slowly began to withdraw his aura, the form-fitted energy dissipating. He sheathed his sword, his expression calm but with a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.
As Neah stepped back, Arthur couldn't help but speak up once more. "It seems that even being hollow, you, Neah, still possess our family's blood."
Neah stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What did you just say, Grandfather? "He asked.
Arthur repeated with a hint of pride, "I said that you still have our family's blood."
Neah's eyes widened as he processed the significance of his grandfather's words, but it wasn't joy or pride that took over his mind; it was anger. A surge of fury welled up within him, recalling the day he was branded as hollow. The memory of his grandparents' disdainful looks and the words they had uttered haunted him. *"A hollow? Just throw that thing away," they had said. "That thing will be the downfall of our family."
He remembered the countless hours he had spent training and the endless days and nights he had dedicated to proving his worth. No matter how hard he practiced, he could never see the progress of his efforts. The constant struggle and the relentless pursuit of improvement all seemed futile. And now, someone would casually attribute his abilities to his blood inheritance, diminishing the years of hard work he had put into everything he did. The injustice of it all fueled the flames of his anger, a fire that burned fiercely within him.
Neah tried to calm himself, his anger still simmering beneath the surface, and he looked at his grandfather with a mixture of frustration and determination.
"I'm sorry if I sound rude," he began, "but what does all my hard work have to do with my bloodline? Did it magically give me a good physical body? Did it gift me a functional mana core from the very start? Did it make anything about being hollow any easier for me? "
His questions hung in the air, challenging the assumptions that had plagued him for years. Neah was ready to assert his individuality and prove that his accomplishments were a result of his own effort, not simply his family's bloodline.
His parents and siblings couldn't help but fall into an uncomfortable silence, unable to meet Neah's gaze. They, too, struggled to comprehend the magnitude of his words. In a family composed entirely of exceptionally talented individuals who were considered extraordinary even among the talented, Neah's outburst was an unexpected challenge to long-standing beliefs.
Arthur looked at Neah, seemingly unfazed by his outburst. "Yes, you're right, you are a hollow, and it's thanks to your bloodline that you can achieve something a hollow couldn't," he acknowledged.
Senna chimed in, her tone carrying a touch of condescension. "What do you expect? Two great families made a hollow; of course, that hollow should be somewhat decent." The words hung in the air, laden with their own expectations and implications.
Senna spoke confidently: "With this, we can show that he is talented, and he'll get married without a problem."
Arthur was about to voice his objections, but Serena, without hesitation, drew her sword and exuded a chilling bloodlust towards Senna. Her eyes locked onto her grandmother, and her voice carried a deadly seriousness.
"Is what I heard right, Grandma? "Serena's voice was unwavering. "Haven't I told you before to stop doing this with my siblings? Haven't you learned anything from the last time you arranged one for me? So, whose child should I cut this time? "
Senna, for once, seemed taken aback. Her response was hesitant: "Unfortunately, this time you won't be cutting anyone, Serena, since she is the princess of our kingdom."
The revelation hung in the air, leaving the family in a state of uncertainty and tension.
Time had passed, and the three friends, Neah, Princess Elara, and Rosalia, were on the cusp of entering their fourth year at the academy. The years they'd spent training, studying, and sparring together had forged a unique bond. As their long-awaited break arrived, they bid farewell, knowing they would soon reunite.
Neah, after weeks of travel, finally arrived back home. As he opened the door, he was greeted by two familiar figures—his grandparents from both sides of the family. His grandfather, Arthur Cornelia, was a prominent knight who had served the previous king, and his grandmother, Senna Astrid, was once feared and held the title of "the kingdom's Witch of Slaughter." Their gazes locked on Neah, who greeted them with respect, fully aware of their personalities.
"Honoured grandparents, it's an unexpected pleasure to see you here. I hope your visit has been well," Neah politely addressed them.
Arthur replied with a hint of nostalgia, "I believe it has been quite a while since we last met, Neah."
Senna's tone carried more weight as she remarked, "You've finally arrived, Neah. You've made us wait."
The conversation, while polite, had an undercurrent of expectation and perhaps even disappointment. Neah's relationship with his grandparents has always been complicated. They had their expectations, demands, and their own understanding of what it meant to be part of the Cornelia and Astrid families, both with a history intertwined with the kingdom's politics and legends.
Arthur inquired, "I hear that you've become great friends with the princess, Neah."
Senna added, "Yes, that's the only good news I've ever heard about you, Neah."
Neah replied modestly, "Yes, it seems that the princess has taken a liking to someone like me and has graced me with her friendship."
Arthur nodded thoughtfully and then continued, "I've also heard something interesting inside the royal castle."
Senna chimed in, "So that's why you're also here. It seems we've heard the same rumors."
Neah, somewhat oblivious to their cryptic conversation, asked, "Grandfather, grandmother, I don't quite follow what you're talking about."
Senna looked at him, her gaze penetrating, and said, "All you need to do is agree when they come and be a good child."
Arthur, on the other hand, firmly declared, "For the sake of this kingdom, I will not allow the royal blood to be tainted!"
Senna sternly locked eyes with Arthur. "You just don't understand what kind of opportunity this is, do you? Connections, power, and more!"
Meanwhile, Varian and Seraphella, Neah's parents, overheard the argument in the hallway and rushed in. Seeing the confrontation, Seraphella embraced Neah with warmth and concern. "Neah!"
"May I ask what the two of you are doing with my youngest child? "Vian inquired, his voice steady.
Arthur replied, "Son, as you can see, we're just talking."
Senna added with a hint of disdain, "Hmp, what else are you seeing? "
Neah, trying to ease the growing tension, quickly interjected, "Father, we are just greeting each other and nothing more."
Seraphella held Neah's hand as they walked towards Varian, but then Senna whispered something to herself: "All this untalented child needs to do is accept the marriage." Neah overheard it, causing him to stop in his tracks and ask, "What marriage? "He looked at his grandmother, his curiosity mixed with a growing sense of unease.
Senna raised her eyebrows and smiled slyly. "Oh, you don't know about it? Well, I might as well tell you everything."
Varian, Seraphella, and Arthur stopped, holding their breath as they watched and listened to Senna.
"The princess has taken a liking to you, so much so that even the king himself has heard about you from her," Senna continued, laughing as she went on. "I don't know how you do it, but it seems the king is considering an arranged marriage between you and the princess. Now, Neah, be a good child and just accept it. It's for our family's good. You can finally make yourself worth something to our family."
As tension filled the room, Arthur immediately responded, his voice stern and unwavering: "You wretched woman, do you truly believe that I would allow a hollow like him to taint the legacy of the royal family? "
Senna's voice began to raise, her frustration evident. "You loyal dog! Even after retiring, you're still obsessed with the royal family? But isn't it better this way? He'll finally have some worth for us after all this time."
Seraphella finally spoke up, her voice firm. "Mother, can you please stop? Neah can decide for himself what he wants. Stop deciding what's best for everyone else."
Her words resonated in the room, a plea for respect for Neah's autonomy in a matter as personal as marriage. Yet the tension in the room remained palpable, and the outcome of this family confrontation was far from certain.
As the confrontation continued, a door in the hallway swung open, and Ethan and Evan cheerfully walked in, their laughter filling the air. They spotted their younger brother, Neah, and immediately approached him.
"Neah, you've finally arrived! "Evan said as he warmly patted Neah on both shoulders.
Ethan chimed in, "Let's go to the dining hall, Neah. The food is ready, and all our siblings are here for the first time in a while."
But then Evan added, "But hey, Charlotte, that brat hasn't arrived yet. Oh well, she'll catch up."
As Neah, Ethan, and Evan made their way to the dining hall, the tension that had gripped the family began to dissipate. However, it left behind a lingering unease, even though the twins were oblivious to the situation. The adults remained in a solemn silence, and the atmosphere was heavy with unspoken words.
As they entered the dining hall, Neah spotted his siblings at the table. Serena, the oldest among them, smiled warmly at him, but her expression shifted as their grandmother entered the room. They all began to eat, trying to ignore the tension in the air.
Midway through the meal, Senna's intense gaze on Neah became too much to bear. He finally addressed her, "Grandmother, is there something you want to say? "
Senna replied nonchalantly, "Nothing much, dear. I've already said everything earlier." Her cryptic words only added to the lingering discomfort in the room.
Alexander, the second oldest of the siblings, couldn't help but sense the awkward atmosphere and decided to inquire, "Is there anything we should know? "He looked around at the family, searching for answers.
Arthur, eager to change the subject, looked at Neah and mentioned, "Well, let's forget about that. Neah, I've also heard something quite interesting about you recently."
Neah, unfazed, replied, "For a mere hollow like me, you certainly seem to have heard a lot of rumours, grandfather."
Arthur persisted, "Well, it's something so absurd that it even caught my attention. So answer me this: is it true that you've managed to imitate a form-fitted aura? Don't lie to me."
Neah looked at him and replied, "It's just a shabby imitation, grandfather."
Arthur, still somewhat dissatisfied with his answer, demanded, "Show it to me. I want to see it personally, the source of these annoying rumors."
Neah continued to eat and replied, "Let's finish our meal first, grandfather, and I'll demonstrate it later."
As Arthur stood up, he declared, "I'm done eating," and added before leaving, "I'll be waiting at the training ground. Don't make me wait for too long."
As Arthur left, the room was enveloped in an awkward silence. Not long after, Senna followed suit, her footsteps echoing through the hallway.
Once everyone had finished their meals, they made their way to the training ground, trailing behind Neah. Curiosity filled the air, and the tension was palpable. Neah's siblings were left in the dark, clueless about the entire situation.
As they finally reached the training ground, Arthur's voice echoed across the open space, demanding, "Now, Neah, show me this imitation I've been hearing of."
Senna, standing by his side, inquired, "Why are you getting so excited? Do you even have any expectations for him? "Arthur replied dismissively, "No, I don't even have an ounce of expectation for him. Besides, I know that this imitation of his is just a slightly smaller and condensed aura."
Neah drew out his sword and began to release his aura, which coated his entire body. Arthur kept a keen eye on every move Neah made, his expression unyielding. "Hmp, look how thin his aura is. It's truly disappointing, considering he is a part of our family," Arthur remarked, his disappointment evident in his voice.
As Neah focused, a hush fell over the training ground. The onlookers, including Neah's siblings and his grandparents, stood frozen in awe and disbelief. Their eyes widened with astonishment as they watched Neah wield a form-fitted aura that perfectly coated his sword. The air seemed to crackle with energy, and for a moment, time stood still, gripped by the sheer surprise of witnessing such mastery from someone they had underestimated.
Arthur rushed towards Neah, his eyes fixed on the form-fitted aura that coated Neah's sword. He inspected it closely, his astonishment clear in his expression. "This... is amazing... simply amazing," he muttered in disbelief.
Even Senna, who was known for her stern demeanour, was left in silence, unable to find words to express her surprise.
"I can totally feel and see the embryonic aura, but this form..." Arthur's voice trailed off as he continued to study the aura, struggling to come to terms with what he was witnessing.
Neah, aware of the attention and the astonishment of his family, slowly began to withdraw his aura, the form-fitted energy dissipating. He sheathed his sword, his expression calm but with a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.
As Neah stepped back, Arthur couldn't help but speak up once more. "It seems that even being hollow, you, Neah, still possess our family's blood."
Neah stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What did you just say, Grandfather? "He asked.
Arthur repeated with a hint of pride, "I said that you still have our family's blood."
Neah's eyes widened as he processed the significance of his grandfather's words, but it wasn't joy or pride that took over his mind; it was anger. A surge of fury welled up within him, recalling the day he was branded as hollow. The memory of his grandparents' disdainful looks and the words they had uttered haunted him. *"A hollow? Just throw that thing away," they had said. "That thing will be the downfall of our family."
He remembered the countless hours he had spent training and the endless days and nights he had dedicated to proving his worth. No matter how hard he practiced, he could never see the progress of his efforts. The constant struggle and the relentless pursuit of improvement all seemed futile. And now, someone would casually attribute his abilities to his blood inheritance, diminishing the years of hard work he had put into everything he did. The injustice of it all fueled the flames of his anger, a fire that burned fiercely within him.
Neah tried to calm himself, his anger still simmering beneath the surface, and he looked at his grandfather with a mixture of frustration and determination.
"I'm sorry if I sound rude," he began, "but what does all my hard work have to do with my bloodline? Did it magically give me a good physical body? Did it gift me a functional mana core from the very start? Did it make anything about being hollow any easier for me? "
His questions hung in the air, challenging the assumptions that had plagued him for years. Neah was ready to assert his individuality and prove that his accomplishments were a result of his own effort, not simply his family's bloodline.
His parents and siblings couldn't help but fall into an uncomfortable silence, unable to meet Neah's gaze. They, too, struggled to comprehend the magnitude of his words. In a family composed entirely of exceptionally talented individuals who were considered extraordinary even among the talented, Neah's outburst was an unexpected challenge to long-standing beliefs.
Arthur looked at Neah, seemingly unfazed by his outburst. "Yes, you're right, you are a hollow, and it's thanks to your bloodline that you can achieve something a hollow couldn't," he acknowledged.
Senna chimed in, her tone carrying a touch of condescension. "What do you expect? Two great families made a hollow; of course, that hollow should be somewhat decent." The words hung in the air, laden with their own expectations and implications.
Senna spoke confidently: "With this, we can show that he is talented, and he'll get married without a problem."
Arthur was about to voice his objections, but Serena, without hesitation, drew her sword and exuded a chilling bloodlust towards Senna. Her eyes locked onto her grandmother, and her voice carried a deadly seriousness.
"Is what I heard right, Grandma? "Serena's voice was unwavering. "Haven't I told you before to stop doing this with my siblings? Haven't you learned anything from the last time you arranged one for me? So, whose child should I cut this time? "
Senna, for once, seemed taken aback. Her response was hesitant: "Unfortunately, this time you won't be cutting anyone, Serena, since she is the princess of our kingdom."
The revelation hung in the air, leaving the family in a state of uncertainty and tension.
