Normal POV.
"5 stars ?" Michelo said with an overwhelmed expression.
"He went ahead and pushed himself too hard..this kid". Morganna cried out as she got up from her position.
"It seems the fight has ended…" Gloria muttered.
"Yes….it's impressive he's been able to grow this much…he's truly our pride" Rebecca nodded with excitement.
"Oh please…don't know what's with you boneheads and swords…you really should try magic". Fiona said with a rather satisfied expression.
They all seemed pleased at his results, though their mum, Rachael, thought differently. "He's hurt isn't he ?" She quickly walked after Morganna to where her son stood talking to Bollam.
"I guess it's time he does that…" Fiona said while she looked up to her dad.
"Indeed…it shouldn't be too difficult seeing as how he's gotten to this extent ignoring his age".
"You mean the passage rite.." Thalia said while adjusting her glasses.
They stared at her blankly.
"Don't give me that expression… I meant it when I said I didn't want any part in it". She got up and headed towards the mansion.
"Let's go Bella".
Bella, her personal maid, nodded as she quickly walked after her.
"Did you notice it….those glasses ?"
"She doesn't even have an eye defect so why…?" Michaelo wondered as he got up as well. "Let's go congrat our boy then".
They all nodded, walking towards Raph.
Raph POV.
A small sigh escaped my lips as I watched Thalia walk away in a hurry. She made it a habit of distancing herself from us ever since she started going to the Law school she always wanted and it was painful for her family to watch. Luckily, she always had Bella, who cheered her up; I'll have to do something about her once the series of events is resolved.
"Are you alright, my boy?".
I turned towards my mother and Morganna, who were finding their way towards me, and my lips curled into a tight smile.
"Mother ! I've made my 5th star now".
Though it wasn't stable yet…not until after I've amplified it with mana by meditating, it was still there.
"Honestly…you have such gifted children...I'm sure the other houses would be quite jealous, my lady," Bollam said, laughing out loud.
"You flatter me". My mum replied as she bent down to my size holding my cheeks with her soft hands.
"You little rascal…you're so young…why do you insist on pushing yourself so much". She wiped off the blood on my lips and I giggled.
"Of course to protect you".
She smiled with a baffled expression as she patted my head. "Silly boy" she chuckled while Morganna puffed her cheeks at me.
"You too, Morganna," I giggled.
"Hmph !" She turned away completely ignoring me.
"You've done well, son…" My dad and the rest of my sisters gathered around me, and I excitedly nodded my head.
"I guess I've done my part..the rest is all up to you now". Bollam said as he headed towards the exit.
"Let me walk you there". Father said as he walked towards him.
"Shall we go back to the mansion now…it's oddly cold" Morganna whined.
"Yes….let's go celebrate this feat". Rebecca agreed as we walked towards the castle with the other guards and maids present.
"Charly, instruct the cooks on the preparations for the feast, would you?" my mum said to a gray-haired man in all black. He was Charly Kaftan. A former noble and the head of a fallen house who became our butler to save what was left of his family. In my last life, he was the first to flee because of his opportunist instincts.
'He's someone to be wary of'
"Yes, Ma'am." he nodded and walked ahead of us.
I slowly looked up to the sky staring at the moon. Time is moving fast and soon, if I don't do something about it, I'll lose the most important people in my life.
To protect them in this life, growing stronger, and using the memories of my past life to protect my family is my main priority…at least until the war with the demons begins.
****
"Is your son truly human ?" Bollam asked, scratching the back of his head as he prepared to depart.
He was standing in front of the large gates of the mansion with Michaelo and some guards that stood watch.
"I wonder as well," Michaelo chuckled. "He hasn't ceased to amaze me"
"This much should be expected….seeing as how he's your son"
"...I never intended to put the burden on him since he's my only son….but I'm glad he has shown this much determination"
"..indeed….I guess it would be time for him to go through that…"
"Yes….the trial of Jun where we gain our traits…I'm curious as to what he's going to gain"
"...indeed…he might become even more terrifying than your eldest.."
"..let's not forget the 3rd…her proficiency and understanding of the sword was always remarkable…"
Michaelo felt worried; having talented children would only attract more enemies, and his family was the most important thing. He was determined to be the wall that would protect them all.
"I guess this is where we say our goodbyes.."
".indeed….until we meet again, Bollam"
"...the pleasure is all mine…after all through your teachings…I've been able to advance to the 8th star. I shall come again whenever you require my assistance".
They shook hands, making a promise between themselves. A promise between swordsmen, a strong bond has been formed.
Bollam waved as he walked away towards the town while Michaelo watched closely.
'That man….' His gaze slowly turned cold. 'Was someone sent from the palace…'
He turned back and headed to his mansion. 'My children…they must grow strong to protect themselves….'
The feast had ended without an inch of problem. My sisters and I had fun while my parents watched with delighted expressions. It felt like a paradise I never wanted to disappear, like the calm before the storm.
I went to my room after most of my sisters had slept and immediately started to cultivate my 5th star. If a star formed isn't strengthened with mana, it disperses almost immediately and it becomes more difficult to form it once again. It's a troublesome process, to be honest.
"Huhhh…" I took a deep breath and let it all out as I felt my 5th star stabilize.
"Are you done ?"
My eyes slowly opened as I felt a familiar presence walk towards me.
"Thalia…".
My 4th eldest, she should be 13 now and she's been going to a Law School since a year ago. She was the best student during their final assessment, and a lot of aristocrats took a liking to her.
"Why do you keep pushing yourself ?" She slowly climbed up my bed and sat down facing me. "You're only 10…it pains me when I see you keep trying to push your limit…"
My lips curled into a smile.
"Don't you do the same elder sister…at your school..?"
Her eyebrows twitched. She always had a nasty temper compared to how caring she was.
"Huh? How does studying and training have anything to do with each other?
I chuckled.
"What's so funny, you prick? I'm being thoughtful here, and you…"
"..I just want to protect my family…I don't know what may happen in the future…or what dangers exist in the world…but from the books that mum read us…outside these mansion walls…is a world that isn't nice"
Her expression suddenly turned serious.
"Why does a kid like you have to worry about that….we can protect ourselves you know.."
I raised a brow while staring at her and I'm sure she got the hint since she seemed rather quick on leaving.
"....sword and magic isn't Everything!" She yelled out just as she was about to leave.
"It may not be everything….but it's still something necessary of us….as members of the Jun family to prosper in this world".
She froze at the door and suddenly turned to me.
"That's….Seriously, not something a 10-year-old should be saying…" before fuming out of my room in a rage of fury.
I chuckled. "You can stop hiding now, Father"
"Oh….." Out of the far corner of the room close to the window, a shadow glimmered in the light as his father's figure appeared.
"You're already able to recognize a person's presence through mana alone".
"Of course Father, I'm at the 5th star now".
Since a while ago, Father had walked into the room and stood silently while watching the events unfold.
"She's right, you know…you don't speak like someone that's 10 years old"
My smile only widened. If only they knew I wondered.
"I just obtained my father's profound knowledge"
He chuckled as he sat next to me on my bed.
"Where's your personal maid ?"
"I asked her to help the other maids in cleaning our mess….they need a pay rise you know"
My father chuckled and ruffled my hair. "Maybe one of these days, my son". He smiled.
"Now…do you have something for me Father ?".
My father wasn't someone who would come to his children without having something important to discuss.
"Hmm…" he sighed. "It's about the tradition of the Jun family…the Jun Passage Rites.."
Finally….one of the steps I need to take before I begin to learn my family's sword techniques. Acquiring a trait.