Arcturus Black III couldn't help but feel that fate was cruel to his family. Their prestigious and noble house was on the brink of extinction, with the only eligible heir to inherit the patriarchal mantle being the son of his elegant great-niece, Narcissa. To his dismay, a haughty and spoiled young boy, who dared not practice the Simplified Inherited Technique of the Black House, had the audacity to claim the noble throne of the Blacks!
Even if he were to die, Arcturus would prefer to destroy the entire Black House than see the Malfoy boy inherit it. He wouldn't have the courage to face his ancestors in the afterlife if he allowed a boy who didn't even practice the Simplified Inherited Technique to inherit the patriarchal mantle.
So, as if Merlin had heard his prayers, the Black family's house-elf, Kreacher, came into his presence, claiming to have heard a call from a member of the Black family summoning him! And it wasn't the three daughters of Cygnus!
Arcturus' face, which had always remained cold and indifferent for most of his life, broke into a smile like never before. However, upon learning about the nine-year-old boy with eyes as red as rubies, he laughed, releasing a loud and hearty laughter.
Eyes as red as rubies!
How those words were music to Arcturus' ears.
The reason Arcturus was so excited was that red held a special significance for the Black family, as it was the same color of eyes as their ancestor, whose name was Corvinus Black. The red eyes, or the eyes of the heart, were a rare mutation that appeared in a member of the Black family once every few centuries!
This mutation would only occur if someone inherited the Inherited Technique of the Black House - [Creation and Manipulation of Cursed Spirits].
This wasn't the weakened version that he and other family members used, but rather the same innate technique that their ancestors had employed for over a thousand years to consolidate the unparalleled prestige of the Black family as one of the most powerful on the entire planet.
Arcturus was in complete happiness.
Even at almost ninety years old, having survived two magical wars, and nearly dying countless times at the hands of cursed spirits, Arcturus only wanted to scream to express the excitement welling up infinitely in his chest. Fortunately, he managed to maintain his composure; after all, he hadn't lived so long without being able to control his own emotions.
"Take me to the boy, Kreacher!" Arcturus exclaimed, his voice resonating through the Black Manor. "Yes, Lord Black! As you command, Lord Black!" Kreacher responded, gripping his large ears so tightly it seemed they could detach from his head. He displayed a happiness that rivaled Arcturus' own.
…
As he observed the imposing structure of the orphanage before him, Arcturus furrowed his brow, silently expressing a hope that his potential great-grandson wouldn't fall victim to shyness or low self-esteem due to his upbringing.
If that were the case, he pledged to mold the young one into a true noble in every sense of the word. It was inconceivable that the future heir of the House Black would possess any trace of shyness or insecurity in the presence of other Noble Houses.
Holding his cane, adorned with the Black family crest sculpted onto it - a raven with wings spread wide - Arcturus walked the stone path until he stood in front of a door. With determination, he grasped the iron doorbell in a circular shape and rang it three times, producing a resonant sound that echoed through the surroundings.
The door opened in response, revealing a woman of approximately fifty years, her graying hair arranged in an elegant bun. She wore a kindly expression, with a welcoming smile on her lips.
"How may I assist you, Your Excellency?" Gazing carefully at the elderly man, impeccably dressed in a noble black suit adorned with silver threads, Isabell Morgan, the respected headmistress of the orphanage, inquired with a voice that carried a note of prudence.
"Good afternoon, ma'am." Arcturus removed his hat and elegantly placed it over his chest as he bowed gracefully. "I am Arcturus Black III. I hope you forgive the unexpected, unannounced visit, but I have important matters concerning your orphanage."
Isabell couldn't help but feel surprised, not only by the gentlemanly manners of the nobleman but also by the name itself. He shared the same surname as the young Asterion in her orphanage. It didn't take much insight to realize there was some relation between the two; after all, Black was not a common surname in England.
With a kind smile, Isabell opened the door and gestured invitingly for Arcturus to enter. "It's not a bother, Mr. Black. Please come in, and I will arrange for some tea while we discuss our matters."
…
Inside the headmistress's office, Arcturus found himself seated while being served a cup of tea by the esteemed leader of the orphanage. After serving him, she settled into the chair across from him, casting a penetrating look with her almost-black, deep brown eyes, emanating seriousness.
"I presume Your Excellency has come in search of young Asterion," the headmistress expressed, her voice deep and her gaze incisive.
"Certainly, Mrs. Morgan. Could you enlighten me about him?" inquired Arcturus, his voice raspy, marked by the passage of time, carrying a hint of anxiety. Perhaps sensing this, the headmistress smiled gently, addressing the elderly man calmly as she sipped her tea.
"Asterion has always been a boy of calm and serene nature, offering his help readily, without ever complaining or shedding tears. He excelled in private lessons, securing the top position in all tests. However..." The headmistress paused briefly, seemingly hesitant for some reason, but continued under the unwavering gaze of the man.
"He changed at the age of six. Although he continued to perform his tasks impeccably, he distanced himself from the other children and spent long hours in his room. I would say that over time, he became progressively more distant and cold."
Arcturus listened attentively, fearing to miss any detail. Upon hearing about the young boy's qualities, especially his academic achievements, he nodded with satisfaction, increasingly pleased with the prospect of Asterion as his future heir.
Regarding the account of the boy becoming progressively more distant and cold, Arcturus presumed that the boy awakened his magical energy at the age of six and began to use and experiment with it, including his Inherited Technique.
Why did he think so? The moment Arcturus entered the orphanage, he detected numerous cursed spirits, some for surveillance and others for attacks. The boy had wasted no time when it came to security.
Translated by AI
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Author's Thoughts: In this chapter, I introduced the concept of the Simplified Inherited Technique, which is nothing more than a castrated version of an inherited technique. After all, if all members of a Noble House inherited the Inherited Technique, this world would be seriously unbalanced. The Simplified Technique of the Black House, for example, is the same as Suguru Geto's original, but unlike Geto, who was a genius with large amounts of cursed energy, members of the Black House did not have that privilege. For this reason, the number of Cursed Spirits a member of the Black House can control depends entirely on how much Magic Energy they possess.
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