"....the potential future 'head' of the Roderick family."
The moment that sentence sounded in the hall, the faces of all the people in the hall changed as if someone added a bitter guard to their drinks. Some frowned, some raised eyebrows, some were just too shocked to even react.
But the most shocked among them was none other than the main person in the play, Jayce. He just thought his grandmother would wish him a happy birthday or would give him some OP equipment as a gift.
Never in his dreams, would he have thought it would end up like this.
Completely ignoring their shocked expressions, Clara continued.
"I just want to give him a special mention as the 'nominal head'. Hope you will all look after him in the near future, at least till he becomes the person he's going to become."
She said with a smug smile.
"Thank you so much for your valuable time. Have a good night."
'Like hell I would have one.'
Jayce thought as he looked around everyone, who were all now started their gossip and murmuring while looking at him, no, gauging and scrutinizing him.
Their gazes were filled with a myriad of emotions. Shock, confusion, distrust, disdain, even some expectation and hope.
Though Jayce was well versed in many things. He still doesn't know deeply about the politics of this world.
'I, for a fact, heard clearly that she said I would become the head, not the nominal head. She is the nominal head, but I'm still not aware of this head. I never met him. Hell, I don't even know his name.'
He then turned towards his family members, but they were just like him, their faces filled with sheer shock. Even his grandfather seemed bewildered.
Then he gazed at the retreating figure of his grandmother. As she felt his gaze, Clara turned back to look at Jayce with a smiling expression.
Jayce's eyes widened at this sight. Not that he was shocked that she was able to tell that he was gazing at her amidst this crowd.
Rather, he was shocked, when he saw that she was smiling, but her eyes were not!
'Does she know?' was the first thought that came to his mind. His poker face had long since breached, now his face looked anything but calm and collected.
'Looking at all of their reactions and the fact that I haven't even met this 'head' of our family, it should be an incredibly powerful position or...no, it must be that.'
'Oh wait!, I'm losing my head. Maybe it's not like that, but rather it's a cursed post. That's why she sacrificed me as a scapegoat. But still it doesn't make any sense. She is my grandmother. Why would she be willing to harm her own family?'
'And why me? Is it because of these weird memories? If so, then why now of all time? Ahhh! I'm going to go crazy!'
But entirely unaware of his thoughts, the trio, who had recovered after all this time from the shock, looked at him incredulously.
"Eh, Jayce, um.. well, congratulations."
Kenn broke the silence by offering a handshake. Jayce tilted his head, but ultimately agreed to shake his hands.
Then the other two followed suit. They do not know the difference between a head and a nominal head. Actually, they were not allowed to know much about their own family and awakeners things since they're not 'child-friendly'.
After that, the other people started to storm around him. Jayce could see that all of these people had ulterior motives, but what choice did he have? He greeted all of them but, thankfully, his parents, uncle, aunt, even Joey and other Rodericks came to his rescue.
As they were trying to help Jayce get out of this predicament, his grandfather, Taylor, had gone missing.
-----
On the balcony of her room, Clara sat on a pristine white tea table, sipping tea with a blank expression on her face.
Suddenly, the space around the table rippled as a figure appeared. Taylor looked at his wife with a face etched with confusion.
He then made his way to the chair opposite to Clara where a cup of tea was served, as if she was expecting his arrival beforehand.
Taylor cast a magic barrier to block the outgoing sound and to block the vision from outside. Unless someone in the king or realm or above spies, there is no other way to see through this barrier.
Not that someone would dare to do so in the Roderick mansion, or even if they did, it doesn't really matter, as they are not even gonna actually speak.
[It's for the family's good, for his own good.]
Clara stated mentally before Taylor could even ask.
[You're saying that the absurd thing you just stated was all for our good? I'm not sure whether it's something involving the head or not, but frankly, I don't care...]
Taylor's eyes narrowed as he continued his sentence.
[It's my grandson's life. I will not tolerate any-]
Before he could finish his sentence, Clara cut him off.
[Sigh... I understand, but the head did tell me about the reason. And, I too think, it's best for him this way-]
[ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING WITH ME NOW, CLARA? How would announcing a 5-year-old boy as a potential Transcendent candidate in front of all these people would be any good for him?]
Taylor roared as he leaked a bit of his aura which came crushing down on Clara like a tsunami. If anyone was able to get inside the barrier he cast, they would be shell shocked at this scene.
Taylor, right now, is releasing the Monarch ranked aura!
Yes, Taylor is actually a Monarch, but this information is highly classified. That except for the human federation, Clara and a few others, nobody knows about it. Not even their children.
But, what he said is the truth. What Clara just did was to announce to the world that Jayce is a potential Transcendent candidate.
One might wonder what it has to do with becoming the head of a paragon family. But, it got everything to do with it.
There are a total of three ways to become the head of a paragon grade family. They are,
One : Become a Transcendent and get chosen by the current head or just be stronger than he is.
Two : When a transcendent of a family doesn't want to remain in that family or is unable to choose a nominal head, either due to their death or unavailability.
Then, the human federation will conduct a competition that is based on the chosen ones (group of people) of that family versus the most talented members of each paragon family of that Empire.
If the former won, then their leader would become the head. If they lose, then their family will be downgraded to Grade 1. It's a one-time option.
If they couldn't give birth to a Transcendent within the next 500 years from competition or attract one, then they will be downgraded regardless.
Three : This is when the Transcendent of one family feels that they have got a potential Transcendent candidate. This is what happened in Jayce's case.
Just like in the second case, a competition will be held but different from the group competition that is held only once, against the same generation(realm wise) of the other families forming a group each.
Here, a competition will be held continuously for three realms: Adept, Master and King. Where the candidate has to fight against the other paragon family's most talented of the same generation (age wise) each at a time, where one fight happens per day.
If the former triumphs, then they would become the head and a high ranking member of the human federation. They will be trained by the Transcendents of HF.
If they lose? Then they lose, that's it. Win or loss wouldn't affect the family or person involved. Or at least that's what they say on paper.
And all the participants will be rewarded heavily based on their fight's result, and it also comes with a possibility of becoming a Transcendent's disciple.
But let's put that aside for now, because why? Just, why would they go through all this trouble? Wouldn't it cause more problems for that possible candidate?
Wouldn't it make him a target? Wouldn't it put a lot of mental pressure on them?
Well, for all that question, the answer is a simple yes. And that's exactly what the Human Federation wants.
Throughout history, only the ones who were hailed as unrivaled in their generation in all the realms they were in, even have the slightest possibility of becoming a Transcendent!!
----
A.N:
Hello!
Hope you all liked the chapter. If there are any issues, leave them in the comment box.
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Thank you!