"MOTHERRR .....MOTHERRR." Pearl came racing into Cynthia's personal library with a beaming smile, her long beautiful golden-brown hair floating through the air.
On hearing Pearl's loud and excited tone, Cynthia raised her eyes from the book she was reading and looked towards the rushing Pearl who had a wide smile on her radiant face -"What's the happy occasion?" Cynthia asked with a calm and gentle smile.
Catching her breath for a moment Pearl replied while shouting with excitement- "MOTHER, I HAVE STARTED CONSUMING ENERGY, SOON I WILL BECOME A CULTIVATOR."
Pearl was so loud that Cynthia had to protect her ears with energy, Cynthia did mind Pearl's shouting, she knew how hard Pearl had been trying these few months. Pearl was an emotional kid and she had been low-spirited since her Great Grandfather secluded himself.
"Congratulation darling, I am sure you will become a strong and wise cultivator in the future." Cynthia said while getting up from her chair and gently embracing Pearl.
"I will become a cultivator before I am ten, you can bet on that. I will consume energy 10 hou.... no 12 hours a day to develop my cest, then father and everyone will be soooo proud and happy." Pearl said with the same level of excitement she had earlier.
Cynthia's face became dull hearing Pearl, -"Pearl if you do not become a cultivator before ten years of age or even if you don't want to follow the path of cultivation, people who love you will still stand beside you and be proud of you." Cyntia said while gently caressing Pearl's golden-brown hair.
After deeply thinking for a while Pearl spoke with an innocent tone but with somber expressions - "Does that mean father does not love me ?"
Cynthia was startled hearing Pearl, she stuttered-"Huh... N...oo... Darling your father is just getting old and grumpy because of all the work, don't mind him much" she said trying to lighten the mood.
"Hehehe, you know mother I even spotted a white hair on his head." Pearl giggled and said.
"Hahhahahahha" Cynthia burst into laughter.
As they both were having their light-hearted conversation, the door opened wide.-'Creaaaaakkkkkkkk'
Jamine came rushing in "Mother I want your help with somethi-... Huh why do you have to be here to ruin my mood ?" Jamine had rushed in and was mid sentence when he noticed Pearl.
"I want to ask you the same question." Pearl replied, all her smile and laughter vanished into thin air. All her life Jamine had not missed a chance to humiliate Pearl. Initially, Pearl turned a deaf ear to his rude and humiliating comments but she soon realized Jamine had taken her silence for weakness, it was the then started to retaliate.
Jamine's eyes twitched, he then ignored Pearl and looked towards his mother and said- "Mother I want you to help me with my skill, come with me." Jamine said
In the whole nation, Cyntia was renowned not only for her elegant beauty but also for her vast knowledge of skills and her expertise in economics. Since birth, she was keen to gain knowledge and had spent most of her life around books on skills and different aspects of economics, due to this reason she was just a mid-rank 6 human cultivator. Before even becoming the queen Cynthia was the finance minister of the nation, she was the youngest finance minister that ever walked on this planet. Even Augustus deeply respected her decisions when it came to finances.
"Jamine I am having a conversation with Pearl right now, I will help you later" Cynthia calmly said.
"Why are you wasting your time on someone like her, you should utilize it to clear my doubts and help me become stronger, this will help both me and the nation in the future." Jamine said without even looking at Pearl as if she was non-existent.
'What is wrong with him, why has he become so arrogant. Is it because of his awakening and a little fast progress, has it gotten to his head ?' Cynthia thought.
Jamine has always been full of himself, looking down on anyone and everyone who was weak or of low birth, but since awakening and learning his first skill (fire breath), Jamine's attitude worsened. His father Thomas had a huge role in fueling his arrogance, he had already given Jamine a grade weapon from the royal family's treasure hall, Thomas even handed him an extra skill to memorize.
"Mother you should teach him first, he is in dire need to learn basic manners, nowadays he even harms people without any reason and then covers it up with lies." Pearl said with a disgusted look on her face.
A few months back on the occasion of reaching Cultivation rank-3 Jamine had thrown a small party in a reputed restaurant. There Jamine burned the hands of the head chef with his fire breath because she took more time to prepare the food than expected. When there was a commotion regarding the incident he shamelessly lied 'that he had not yet mastered his skill and the incident was due to his lack of mastery '. Even though everyone knew what the truth was no one wanted to object to Jamine's words.
"I just gave her what she deserved. Do you want me to show you a bit of a replay?" Jamine said while releasing his human-rank aura. Feeling the sudden increase of aura around her, Pearl's small fragile body shivered unconsciously but she was still staring at Jamine with her brown fiery eyes. His aura could break her body but not her spirit.
"JAMINE THAT IS NOT HOW YOU TREAT YOUR SISTER." Cynthia shouted
"SHE IS NOT MY SISTER." Jamine shouted back in response.
Cynthia who was generally calm and composed was startled by Jamine's reaction, not even the king himself had ever raised his voice on her.
But Jamine was not done yet, he turned his face towards Pearl and continued furiously-"You motherless trash, you are not her daughter so don't try to act like one."
Jamine's word pierced through Peal's heart, her brown eyes filled with tears of sorrow and pain. Pearl had always loved Cynthia as her mother right from her birth, but just a sentence reminded her of the bitter reality. It was the first time someone had reminded her of Cynthia not being her biological mother.
Pearl held her hand to her chest, she could feel a numbing pain in her heart as if something tangible had just penetrated through her heart.
Cynthia's eyes widened hearing Jamine, she got down on her knees and hugged Pearl tightly who was sobbing with her head low. Cynthia could see the sorrow in Pearl's flowing tears and feel the grief in her heart.
Seeing her mother hug Pearl so passionately, Jamine's mood soured further.
"Fine, there are many knowledgeable cultivators in the nation, I don't need your help." Jamine left the room with fuming anger.
"I am sorry on his behalf Pearl." Cynthia said apologetically. Cynthia somewhere knew both she and Thomas had pampered Jamine since childhood, but she was not aware that their love would take shape into such arrogance and presumptuous behavior.
Pearl did not reply, she just stood there and sobbed continuously, by the time the numbness had spread throughout her body just like venom.
'Jamine will be punished for his toxic behavior.' Cynthia thought while gently lifting Pearl in her arms and taking her to her room.
Note-[ (1)Jamine's ability fire breath is a normal fire nature ability, as he memorizes it further only the ability's strength will increase.
(2) {Just a reminder} When he received a skill other than his first (received through skill selection room) he had to learn it from 0% and could wield it only when learned 50% of it.]