I glanced below to the wooden back door just behind my mom's towering body. The door soon creaked open to reveal a spider-hybrid, likely from the Arkanea Tribe with disciple clothing. The hybrid hurried inside and saluted to my mom with two hands as the door closed.
"High-rank Disciple Oliver Arche reporting to Lady Siren of the Selvanos! I was assigned to help out in the kitchen, what can I help?"
I held back my laugh and softly landed in a particularly safe spot behind the hybrid, Oliver. My mom beamed in surprise and replied enthusiastically to the poor disciple, "Oh! Whoever sent you must be blessed by Fortuna herself! Yes, dear please help me finish these. You can get those ingredients in the pile near the last stove prepped and ready. Oh, and you might want to take care of my boy first~"
I glared at my mom with a look of clear betrayal. My hands had almost touched the hybrid but he turned around abruptly at my mom's warning. I sighed and stepped out of the shadows, "well, you got me. Fine, I'll go wait in the dining hall. Don't kill anything I can't eat."
I patted Oliver on one of his arms before walking back towards the dining hall. I also lifted the red Treacherous Ivies from one of the tables and crushed it. I threw it into the pot I opened earlier before closing it again.
"I know that was Light Stimulant Potions for Light-type Spells but you'll make it into Half-Corroded Echytr Potions without the ivies."
"You do understand me!" my mom awed and dramatically wiped a fake tear, "if only you'd inherit my enchanting magic and potion-making refinement arts."
"I do read, mom," I rolled my eyes and turned towards the dining hall, "I don't wanna use my virginity to awaken those things. Ew, just. Ew." I mumbled.
The usual giggling of my mom carried an ominous aura that makes me shiver. Caleb pointed out that he felt bad for the hybrid left behind. I simply nodded in agreement and spared a moment to wish my condolences for that hybrid.
It was a really quick walk to the dining hall and I was met with the awed gazes of disciples and the respectful nods of elders alike. The great elder, big uncle Arco patted my shoulder to greet me back.
"You did well, and your grasp on time has grown ever stronger, young master."
"Good job, young master!"
"As cool as always, young master!"
"Mister Caleb also looks great on you, young master!"
Caleb especially fluttered around when he heard the praises directed to him.
I received the praises from the Selvano disciples and a couple elders with practiced ease. Although it wasn't often that these disciples entered the House of Selvano, I sometimes visit the other peaks and Learz Plains where the disciples live every so often. The ones here are people recognized by my father to be inner disciples of the Selvanos and lived in the lower Helvana Peak near the mansion I call home. It was nice to just chat with some disciples my age before the main door was slammed open from the outside.
Most of the disciples scrambled to their places or stood frozen stiff. I shake my head again and inwardly groan at why my parents are so abnormal.
"I heard that, young man. Your mental barriers are still no match for me," the deep voice filled with fatherly concerns reprimanded me and I just leaned back on the table.
"Maybe it was meant to be heard?" your voice filled with amusement rang out on the suddenly still dining room.
A tall man that looks no older than forty walked from the slowly closing main door. He was a glorious man with black hair combed back and a complete suit and tie with a fluttering cape. If he wore a top hat, it'd complete his English nobleman look. He carried the aura and charisma of a fearsome yet also handsome leader, while the inhumanely pale skin made him seemingly glow in an otherworldly air. His expression was eternally stuck on a stern expression but the lack of a frown wrinkle in between his brows showed that it's just how he looks since he was born. On the contrary, the light in his black eyes showed fatherly affection with deep amounts of adoration to his one and only son. It always made me tingle with shivers.
"Hello, father."
"Good morning, son."
There was a standstill for only a few moments. The very next moments, a burst of sound left the ears of everyone else ringing and two male bodies crashed on each other before the largest seat of the dining table.
The smaller of the two pounced on top of the other who grabbed my ankle before I managed to step over my father for the Head of Family chair. I rolled on the ground to avoid falling flat on my face before reaching out to grab the back of my father's cape. Although I missed, it was the perfect opportunity for Caleb to snatch the lifeless cape and attempt a last-ditch struggle. I was already up again and made myself weightless to do a front flip and land gently on the largest chair's cushion.
Except that the soles of a certain someone's boots had already slipped under my thighs and kicked me off the chair. Great uncle Arco also elbowed my father's outstretched hands away to stop the play fighting with a large tick-mark like vein on his shiny forehead.
"You both are the current master and the young master of the Selvano house! Act your place! This is no time for unnecessary fights," his old voice was even more stern and made me and father flinch, both of us lowering our heads as our desolate voice echoed each other.
"Yes, great uncle." "Alright then, uncle."
Caleb quietly quivered in fear as he slowly clutched the lifeless cape he "fought" with earlier, awkwardly looking like he was waving father's cape. I could really see why he is the great elder and Caleb agreed.