In the airplane cabin for first-class passengers, a flight attendant was serving dishes to two men in a row of seats. One was a middle-aged man with a neat hairdo and the other was a handsome young man with emerald green eyes.
Klaus had no appetite though a plate of steak with black pepper sauce was set before him. Steve knew that something was bothering his son.
"You are with me, but your mind is not here. You've been like this since you returned from the certification exam. Is something wrong?"
"Ah, I'm okay, Dad. It's not an important thing."
It had been three days since Klaus had completed the third test. And now, he was on a flight to Seattle.
After an hour of sitting on a plane and a road trip that took a few minutes, they arrived at a mansion on the outskirts of Hunts Point.
A mansion sat on the shores of Lake Washington, standing tall and proud, it commanded the attention of anyone who passed by. The sprawling estate boasted an impressive array of amenities, including a shimmering swimming pool, a pristine tennis court, and a vast green field.
A year had passed since Klaus had last visited this mansion. It was when he attended a family event, celebrating Christmas Eve.
"Welcome, Mr. Steve, Mr. Klaus."
A beautiful maid clad in sexy clothes greeted them as they entered the mansion.
Inside, the ornate decor and luxurious furnishings spoke to the opulence of the estate's owners. Crystal chandeliers glimmered overhead, plush carpets cushioned every step, and the grand staircase seemed to stretch up to the heavens.
"Mr. Robert awaits you in the living room, with your brothers and sisters."
Steve looked tense after hearing his siblings arrive early. The man signaled Klaus to hurry up.
Entering the living room, they saw three people sitting at a round black table. A man stood up and drew close to them. He had curly brown hair, wearing a white shirt and black pants that gave a casual impression.
"Ah, look at this, our little brother and nephew are here."
Steve smiled and hugged William, then Klaus followed suit.
The man named William was the eldest son in the Lee Family. He's the CEO and majority shareholder at LR Finance. He was married to a woman, but it ended in divorce. From his failed marriage, he had a son, who was a professional awakener.
"You look bigger than the last time we met," William said, patting Klaus on the shoulder.
"Well, my puberty kicked in."
Klaus and his uncle laughed simultaneously. The two of them seemed to be getting along.
"You have a great sense of humor like me, unlike your father," William said. "Come, sit down."
Klaus glanced at Steve, his father seemed to remain calm despite William's obvious sarcasm.
When they sat down, a beautiful woman waved at Klaus. She had long black hair and milky-white skin. Her smile looked sweet with a black mole under her right eye.
"Klaus, how is Joanna? I heard something was happening to her." A soft voice escaped the woman.
"She's getting better. That girl is quite strong, Lily."
Liliana, better known as Lily, was the only female descendant of the Lee Family. She married a wealthy German businessman and changed her surname to Liebert. However, she remained a part of the Lee Family. She was the leader and major shareholder of LR Cosmetics.
Steve took out a black box from his coat pocket, and handed it to the old man sitting at the opposite table.
The old man seemed to have a sharp gaze despite his age. His graying hair showed the sweetness and bitterness of the life he had lived.
That man was Robert Lee, the head of the family yet the man behind LR Enterprise's success.
"It's for you, dad," Steve said.
Robert took the black box and opened it. His face fell flat as he saw a platinum watch with diamond on the edge. The old man closed the box and put it on the side of the table.
Steve had a flat expression as his gift was put away, as if it was worthless, and William silently grinned.
"I told you not to come on my birthday, let alone bring gifts. Birthday means getting older. I might die soon, I'm not taking a watch to my grave." Robert sounded cold as he said it, not caring even if it was a gift from his own son.
"I apologize, dad," Steve replied, bowing his head.
For some reason, Klaus wasn't angry or upset, he understood what his grandfather was saying. When people die, they no longer had any business in the world. Whatever they had accumulated during their lifetime would be pointless.
Willam drew close to his father, putting his arm around him. The man smiled like a fox when he did so.
"Come on, Dad. Steve just wants to make you happy. Please, don't be mad, it is your birthday after all. We're just here for you."
Robert snorted. "If you really want to make me happy, you'd better stop making LR Finance lose money."
Instantly, William pulled his body away. At the same time, Liliana laughed softly.
Robert turned his attention to Klaus. The old man gave him a sharp look, but Klaus seemed undaunted.
"Klaus, you've grown up a lot since last Christmas. You've graduated from high school, right? If it's you, I'm sure you can get into the Ivy League. Where are you planning to go? Harvard? Yale? Ah, I forgot Yale doesn't exist anymore."
Klaus smiled. "I'm not going to college, Grandpa. I'm interested in pursuing a career in awakener field."
Instantly, the atmosphere in the room changed.
Robert opened his eyes wide, staring intently. The smile on Liliana's face faded. William began to take on a serious expression. Steve kept his poker face.
"Do you know what you're talking about, Klaus?"
"Yes, I know, and I'm serious. I've even become a certified awakener."
Robert was silent for a moment, taking a deep breath.
The air became heavy. The pressure was on the shoulders of everyone sitting in this room. Klaus, however, could still relax.
Robert frowned. "What's your rank?"
"F-Class," Klaus replied confidently.
Of course, his answer didn't make his grandfather happy. Even William could be heard stifling a laugh, and Liliana shook her head.
"Klaus, you are no fool." Liliana joined their conversation. "F-Class is the lowest rank. You need to absorb a lot of monster cores to increase your rank, and that takes a lot of time and money. Over the past seventeen years, F-Class has only been able to advance to D-Class. And even then, there are only a few of them."
"That's right, Klaus. You'll probably only fight slimes or goblins for the rest of your life," William chimed in. "You better focus on your study, don't get weird."
Everyone in the room doubted Klaus, except his father. They wanted Klaus to give up on becoming a professional awakener.
Robert looked at Klaus seriously, a hint of disappointment on his face.
"I don't know why you want to become a professional awakener. If you want to be a professional with your condition, you will be nothing. You won't be able to be like your cousins. Having a dream is good, but you have to stay realistic."
Klaus had two male cousins, and both were awakeners. Liliana's son was a B-Class while William's son was an S-Class.
Compared to the two of them, Klaus lost out in terms of stats and status. His grandfather was more supportive of them, especially William's son.
Of course, Klaus could unleash his true power, but he decided to keep it a secret. He remembered causing a lot of damage to this world when his power wasn't completely sealed. He had already prepared a plan.
Life wouldn't be fun if everything came easy.
"I think you misunderstood what I meant." Klaus finally got his chance to speak.
Everyone in the living room frowned. They seemed to be wondering.
Robert raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean, Klaus?"
"I have no plans to become a professional awakener, I mean, I don't want to go in and out of dungeons."
"Then what are you going to do?" Robert asked.
Klaus grinned. "I want to create a company that employs awakeners, no, I want to create a guild. I'll make A-Class, S-Class, and even Top-Class awakeners work for me. I want them to swear loyalty and be proud to serve me. I will be an owner of guild."
Everyone fell silent.
Robert, however, smiled broadly in front of his kids.
Suddenly, laughter broke out. Robert laughed so hard, his laugh echoed throughout the room.
Liliana and William looked dumbfounded, as they realized why their father was paying so much attention to his grandson who became an awakener.
William bit his lip, while Liliana squeezed her hand under the table. They were one step behind their youngest brother, Steve.
"Hahaha! I'm relieved, finally, there's a descendant of mine with vision."
Robert stood up and slammed the table, instantly everyone was surprised, except Klaus.
"I don't think I need to mince words. Let's get down to business, the reason why you all came all the way here. Let's discuss who has the right to inherit LR Enterprise!"