Eight years later,
Time flew like the wind, and William is now almost ten years old. Right now, William could be seen running across the hall, his footsteps echoing throughout the hall. Behind him were a group of maids that were chasing William with playful banter.
"Hahaha, you can't catch me." He said, while increasing his speed, his silver hair, which was tied into a ponytail, fluttered and whipped behind him like a silver eel, his amethyst eyes shining with mischief like jewels under sunlight.
William then hid behind a door while giggling to himself, 'Hehehe'.
The maids approached the door; they sensed their young master hiding behind the door but didn't call him.
One of the maids then shouted, "Young master, where are you?"
The other one said, "We are going to find you, young master."
"Hehehee" But William only giggled in response; the maids, of course, heard him; all of them were either adept or experts.
'Our young master is so cute,' thought one of the maids.
But they still called out to him.
Suddenly, one of the maids fell down, clutching her ankle, and yelled, "Ahhh!"
The other maids, who understood her ploy, began acting with her. "Hey, are you okay?"
"What happened?"
"Does it hurt?" the maids asked one after the other, their faces full of exaggerated concern.
William, who heard the maids, stopped giggling; his mischievous glint from before was nowhere to be seen.
'What happened?' he thought in worry. He then immediately dashed towards the maids and kneeled beside the overly dramatic injured maid.
"What happened? Is it bad?" He asked, with tears moistening his beautiful eyes and his lips quivering in sadness.
"I'm sorry," he apologized. Sniff "You got injured because""of me," sniff "Because of me," he said while wiping his tears and snot with his sleeve.
'Ugghh, now I feel bad for doing that', thought the 'injured maid'. Her face crumpled in response to William's distress.
The maids around William Hurriedly replied, "Young master, do not worry, we're just acting." One of the maids then showed the 'injured' one's leg and said, "See, she is not hurt; we are just acting." Everyone else teared up in shame and joy.
'The young master cares so much about us', thought one of them.
'We should be ashamed of ourselves', thought another one.
"Acting?" William asked, and tears stopped rolling down his eyes as he looked at the maid beside him.
"Yes, young master. I was just acting so that I could catch you." The maid said.
William then hugged the maid, his small hands tightly wrapping around her. "I was *sniff* so worried!" he said, tearing up again.
The maid, flustered by her young master hugging her, said, "I-I will do it again, young master; please don't cry." She pleaded while stuttering.
"Yes, young master, we won't do it again." The maids around him agreed.
Just then, Sebastian appeared walking down the hall and asked, "Young master William, are you okay?" He asked, frowning as he saw William's face covered in snot and tears.
The maids around got stiff in fear of rebuke.
"Yes, uncle Sebastian, I'm alright." William responded.
"May I know why you are crying, young master?" Sebastian asked while gazing at the maids sternly.
The maids hung their heads down in shame as Sebastian gazed at them. They bit their lips, expecting a scolding.
However, William looked at Sebastian and said, "Uncle Sebastian, do not scold them; they did nothing wrong; I was the one who asked them to play with me." he said, while clenching his little fists in determination.
'Hoh! The master would be quite proud to see the young master like this.' Sebastian thought in amusement, watching William's determination.
'Young master!' The maids exclaimed in delight as they watched their young master stand up for them.
"Very well, young master, I will not punish the maids." Sebastian replied.
"Thank you, uncle Sebastian." William replied.
"Young master, Master ordered you to see him in his office; he is expecting you now." Sebastian said, stating his purpose for coming.
"Oh! Father is calling me," he said, surprised. A small smile bloomed on his brightened face.
"Yes, young master, but I suggest you see him after I wash your face. The master will not like it if he sees you like this." He suggested.
'If the master sees him like this, these maids would lose their jobs.' He thought.
Oh! Okay." William replied while nodding; he then gestured for the maids to follow him and help him wash his face.
..............................
KNOCK KNOCK
William knocked on the door, washed himself up with the help of the maids, and went towards his father's office.
"Enter."
William opened the door and walked up to Ophiscus. "Father, you called?"
Ophiscus looked up to William; a warm smile adorned his face as he watched his son. "Yes, you are going to turn 10 next month. And you will awaken your attribute on your birthday."
William nodded at his statement.
The humans and demihumans in this world awakened at the age of 10, while the rest of the races awakened at the moment of their birth.
"Carina will teach you the power structure of the world and the process of how to proceed on the day you awaken throughout the next month." Ophiscus stated.
"Yes, father." William replied.
"Father." William called out his expression, one of longing.
"Mhmm," Ophiscus hummed in response.
"Will Aunt Vela come?" William asked.
Ophiscus' gaze softened at the mention of his sister; he knew his son missed her and replied,
"Yes, your aunt will be back one week before your birthday."
After becoming a sage, Vela was sent to the forgotten continent to take charge of the army.
'I do not know who that being is, but I have to thank him for making her a sage.' Ophiscus thought as he remembered the day Vela became a sage.
"Yay!" William jumped out in joy as he heard his father mention that his aunt was returning.
'Hehe, I will play every day after my aunt comes home.' William thought, delighted.
He then walked out of Ophiscus' office and began walking towards Carina's chambers.
While walking, William noticed Orion with his two maids and called out, "Brother!"
Orion looked at the source of the voice and said, "William!" and began walking towards him.
"Brother, Aunt Vela is coming home for my birthday." William informed.
Orion smiled in happiness as he heard that his aunt was coming home.
"OH! That's really good news." Orion stated.
"You are turning 10 next month, right? I wonder which attribute you will awaken," Orion wondered.
'No matter which one it is, I know it will be powerful, given that he is supposed to fight an army of saints and sages with it.' Orion remarked.
"Yes, father said that mother Carina would teach me about the process." William replied happily.
Orion shivered at the mention of Carina teaching him.
"D-Did you just say that mother Carina is going to teach you?" Orion asked, stuttering.
"Yeah, why?" William asked, confused by his brother's behavior.
"William, why don't you tell Father that I am going to teach you?" Orion said, worry etched on his face.
"Why?" asked William, even more confused.
GULP
Orion gulped in fear as he remembered the days when Carina taught him.
"M-Mother Carina turns into a devil when she is teaching." Orion revealed it, fear etched deep in his eyes.
"D-Devil?" William asked, scared.
"Yes, Mother Carina becomes a devil and punishes you for every little and silly mistake you make. She will scold you until you forget what she is teaching and only remember her annoyed face." Orion said as he made faces resembling annoyed Carina.
"She will scold?" Asked William, 'Mother Carina will....….scold me?' William was bewildered by Orion's statement.
He could not imagine his gentle and kind mother turning into an angry and annoyed teacher.
"Yes," Orion said as he nodded. "She will scold you, endles-"
"Ahem"
Just as Orion was about to continue ranting about Carina being a strict teacher, a voice as cold as ice was heard behind him.
Orion turned to look around to see who it was, but was shocked to see Carina staring at him with a cold glare.
'Ah! I am dead.' Orion realized.
"M-Mother, when did you arrive?" Orion asked, as he prayed to get out of this situation alive.
"When you called me a devil." Carina said it with a death glare. If looks could kill, Orion would have died 1,000 times by now.
'Ah! I am dead; I am truly dead,' Orion thought.
William walked over to Carina and hugged her. "Mother, will you scold me?" he asked, looking at her with puppy eyes.
Carina's glare melted as she looked at her son, and a small smile blossomed on her face. She pinched his cheeks and replied, "Of course not; our little William is so talented that he will learn everything very easily." She then looked at Orion, her death glare returning. "Unlike a certain someone."
"Ughh," Orion crumpled as he stood at his mother's jab.
"Hehehe, I know, Mother Carina is the best." William said.
"Alright, let's go. I have much to teach you." She said this as she grabbed William's hand and began walking to her room.
She took a glance at Orion. "Hmph", snorted at him and walked away, leaving a sheepish Orion behind.