We left our residence and drove for 5 hours and we finally reached the meeting place,
It's a long journey inside the car but it is fun since our family's harmony has changed ever since the new year.
We arrived earlier than the given time but when we entered the building, there are already several people there.
We are inspected for weapons but I don't understand why they still inspect us despite knowing we have weapons. 'Are they acting from the outside world? This party somehow looks like [Underworld], after all, or the employees here are new that they just did what they just told?' I asked myself while we are still waiting for our turn to be inspected.
When it is my turn, I got nervous when the inspector touched my socks immediately but it is very weird that he didn't felt anything. 'Just what is that strap? It hid very well!'
After getting checked, he made me go to the metal detector with more than 8 feet in height. Talking about height, I have a height of 5'8 which is still a little bit shorter than my brother.
I passed through the metal detector without a problem, too.
'Why didn't master tell me that the strap alongside with the daggers at it is undetectable?!' I angrily said inside my heart.
"Let's head inside, Theo," father said as he pulled my hand towards the door ahead of us and I just followed him.
When father opened the door, an extravagant hall full of tables and chairs appeared before my eyes. This place is all covered in gray and red. We walked towards the table of 6 people and I remembered that Brutus also joined us but as a butler, not a guest with us.
"5 years ago, at this time, there are only one or two companies alongside us but there is quite a number already," Father said as I looked at the people who are with us.
I already know some of the faces such as the famous celebrity that debuted as a singer but later on, he also became an actor, Paul Brenner. There is also the partner of our company, Shun Company. They are the company who make cars and more advanced technologies. My [Golden Cheetah] car is also from their company. They also made bracelets that can take messages and calls but a holographic one.
'I want one! But they still haven't put it on the market so there is no way I can have one.' I cried silently in my heart and looked for more familiar companies, celebrities, government officials, and martial arts families.
Speaking about martial arts families, there are 12 in the whole eastern part of the United States of America. Our Xeros family is one of them, located in New York.
Xeros in New York, Fronda in Maine, Huston in Pennsylvania, Bastion in Ohio, Anderson in Virginia, Daille in Carolina, Wellston in Ohio, Bernardo in Georgia, Vasquez in Florida, Thompson in Michigan, King in Tennessee, and the Scott in Alabama.
They are one of the most important figures in the whole western part of the USA. Because of that, I know that there are arrogant big families out there. There are also big families from the northern, western, and southern parts of the USA but traditionally, they aren't invited because this is the territory of the west. Even if they are invited, they won't come.
"You look like finding something? You are finding the big families?" Big sister Lily said as I am startled by her sudden voice.
"Eh? Yeah..." I replied and she replied, "Don't let just anyone see your face! They will get attracted here you know?"
"Eh?" I suddenly remembered my charm that they are all talking about. I just replied, "Yes" then I sat quietly.
"But I know how you feel, you know, this is your first time to see other big families. Even in your school, we manipulated your information to not leak that you are our son because we have a lot of rivals!" Father said as he laughed.
I understand their reason but I didn't even think that they manipulated my information in school.
"Since you have the power to protect yourself now, you can now tell in the whole world that you are our son" He continued and replied, "I don't need that!"
Then I didn't even notice that the time is already the start of the party. The lights turned off and the lightings started to focus on the stage.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, it's been five years again and we're here again on this gathering and hopefully everyone will have a great day. Now, since almost everyone is here, let's have the newcomers of the 12 big families have their very first speech and performance later on" The MC announced and continued, "Let's start with the Xeros Family, Rafaela Xeros!"
Everyone's hands clapped as the announcer announced. Rafaela stood up and several boys look at her with amazement and some boys see her with their lust.
'Hey, that's our sister, watch your eye!' I angrily said as I looked at the guy that looked at her. He immediately felt a bloodlust in our direction and got scared.
'I won't let you use your disgusting eyes laid in my sister! You d**n brat!' I secretly cursed him in my head as I looked at him. He seems like he is at the age of 13 or 14.
I looked towards the stage and watching my sister climb up to the stage.
Everyone is speechless, they stopped doing anything including eating and started to hear what she started to say.
"I am Rafaela Xeros, the second daughter of the Xeros family and the current representative of our family for this speech. I know that this is our first time with my brother at this kind of event but we already know what we can expect. Ladies and gentlemen, I am grateful for your presence and I hope you a great day and a nice meal" She gently bows her head, and the crowd who is silent for a second immediately yells and cheered.
"Our family's second goddess is really charming like Theo and Lily!" My father said as I sensed jealousy in my brother's stare at me. "Hey, brother, how'd you get a much charming appearance in a short period of time?" he asked and I replied in confusion, "I don't know brother! You are also handsome but no charm, I think you need more enlightenment!"
By the time I said that I winked at him and saw Rafaela who is on our chair once again.
The eyes of the crowds are gathered to us and some of them probably saw me but I don't care at all!
After the greeting speech from my sister, the other big families did one too.
Willy Huston, Cain Fronda, Lucy Scott, Elizabeth Bastion, Cera Bernardo, Regulus Vasquez, Queen Thompson, Jonas Scott, Zero Daille, Patrick Anderson, and there is a familiar face there...
I am very surprised to see him here as the representative of Wellston. I just met him the morning before we started training under Falcon. He is the paladin of my first team on Olympus, Viole, the [Pure-blooded Paladin]. His real name is Viole Wellston, the first son of the Wellston family.
'It is dangerous to let them see me, Haha'
"What's wrong, Theo? Are you nervous that your performance is next after this?" Big sister Lily asked.
"No, that's not it. I saw some acquaintances from the game, Haha" I said and they saw me looking away from the stage.
"Viole? The next successor of Wellston is also playing Olympus and your acquaintance? What a coincidence" Big brother said as he chuckled in my face that started to redden.
Suddenly, a butler-like man tapped my big sister's shoulder and said something.
"Theo, come up to the stage now. The apparatus or instruments of every performer will be there at the stage, for now, go to the stage" Big sister Lily said and I complained, "Is it? Then, should I perform [Longing] that I composed myself, you heard it already, right?"
"Yes!" They said in unison as I stood up and sighed in my heart.
I followed the man and while walking, I noticed some gazes are not focused on the stage but on me. When our eyes meet, I just smiled at them and started walking again.
Luckily, when I started to look around, there are no familiar faces there like Viole.
"Young master Theo, please wait here" I entered the room behind the stage and continue, "When you heard your name from the outside, enter the stage from here"
"Ok, thanks," I said with a bright smile as I looked at the stage from ahead preparing a guitar, piano, zither, and violin while the curtains are closed. There is also a microphone in the middle of the stage.
'But why are there only five things on the stage? Did the performers choose the same instruments? The piano is popular in solo performance so there must be 5 to 8 people who will use the piano'
I also saw the staff who tunes the piano, checked the sound of every key. He has a perfect pitch.
When he finished tuning the keys, he gave the MC a thumbs up on the other side of the stage.
The curtains opened again and then the MC finally announced, "Now, let's start to the performances of the top prodigies of every big family in order like earlier. Now, let's give a round of applause to the rising genius of the Xeros family. Theo Xeros!"
A sound of clapping echoed through my ears and then I smiled, 'This is my debut in front of other families, there's no way I should be nervous... This is~ only the start of the new journey!'