When things calmed down and I could see that I was truly in a family environment, my body finally relaxed.
At least that crazy Athena disappeared...
My aunt was a very beautiful woman with long black hair, and she exuded a sense of mortality. It felt like I was looking at another General when I looked at her. She was kind, but even her kindness commanded authority. Margaery was at the forefront of our entire territory, so I understood that she needed to be that way.
After she finished explaining some stories to me, people returned to the hall and resumed their discussion. My mother and I were excused, and some maids took us to a private room where we could rest and take a bath.
"Nate, what do you think?" my mother asked as she brushed my hair.
"It's a lot to take in. I'm still trying to understand what I've learned about our family. It seems like things go much deeper than just a noble going to a shop and buying expensive things…"
My mother let out a small laugh.
"That's because we are more than just nobles. Our responsibility extends far beyond what we have in our pantry to eat in the winter. We have to worry about the pantries of many people and protect them from themselves."
I tried to understand that last part.
"Do we follow the kingdom's laws?"
"In these territories, there is only the law of the Evenharts. We pay respect and adhere to the agreement made with the Founding Emperor, but don't think that diminishes our authority. It would be difficult for us to declare independence when we are a small country surrounded by many under the single banner of the Kingdom of Teresia," my mother said, brushing my hair.
"There's also the matter of food, isn't there? There must be things produced in other places that we buy to support our territory," I said to my mother.
"Yes. This ranges from simple things like crops that only grow in specific soils of other Duchies to us selling what we produce. The agreement between the Kingdoms ensures an economy that operates in harmony. Only the Royal Family of Teresia can conduct trade with the other royal families. To sell what we produce to other duchies or even other kingdoms, we need to be in harmony with the royal family, or we won't have access to that trade."
When my mother told me this, I finally understood the mystery of why, even though considered a kingdom, the territory of Evenhart chose to be called a Duchy. The Royal Family holds the monopoly on trade. It's a unique system that guarantees their power invisibly. It's unlikely that there would be a revolt or mutiny because anyone who did so would be isolated, and others naturally wouldn't want to trade or help someone going against the Royal Family.
The Royal Family is the bridge between the other Duchies and Kingdoms. Even if the Duchies don't buy what we produce, there are other kingdoms that can trade with the Evenharts, but the law states that both the Royal Family of Teresia and the Royal Family of the other Kingdoms must act as the intermediaries. This ensures that they will always have power and profit from it.
I wouldn't say I'm against it; it's a system that ensures harmony through trade… I presume this includes everything I can think of. It must include minerals, weapons, technology, fabrics, clothes, vegetables, fruits, materials… everything that exists was bought somewhere, and for that, trade was conducted.
What good is producing tons of corn or rice if no one will buy it? We need the Royal Family of Teresia to keep our Duchy running, and that includes everyone from the poorest to the top.
Interesting... when I was an Emperor, I didn't have to deal with such things. After all, who would dare defy me? Everyone was under my rule, whether they liked it or not. But I was always fair... even as a dictator.
Being here reminds me a bit of my time in command. I'm glad those days are over. I'll just focus on being a good son to my mother.
'Knock, knock, knock.'
Someone was knocking at the door.
"Lady Katherine, dinner is ready and will be served. Lady Margaery requested your presence," said the servant on the other side.
"We're coming," my mother replied. She looked at me and finished fixing my hair.
"Even though this situation is a bit tense, I still want my son to look cute and well-groomed."
"Mom!" I blushed as she said that.
I had been so absorbed in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed her treating me like a doll. Now I realized I was dressed in these strange, fancy clothes.
The little red hawk that had been sleeping on the bed looked at me and then flew to my shoulder.
"Do I have to take care of you too? Want me to groom your feathers?" my mother asked as she approached the little red hawk.
'Squaak,' it responded in its language.
I feel like we're both doomed if she starts making clothes for you and forces us to match styles.
My mother opened the door, and I glanced at the red hawk on my shoulder.
Wasn't it supposed to leave by now? Our agreement was for it to stay until it was ready to go. But what does "ready" mean for it? It had only eaten meat a few times during the trip, and I didn't even know how to feed it properly to help it regain its strength and leave.
A servant guided us through the castle, although my mother already knew the way. The news of my identity hadn't been officially announced yet, but many people had guessed and greeted us with bows. For those involved in this family dispute, it was easy to deduce that the woman who had fled while pregnant with an heir and returned with a child had brought back the missing Evenhart member.
We walked down several flights of stairs until we reached a beautiful wooden door. The servant signaled for us to enter and then left us.
When we entered the room, there was a long table filled with all kinds of food. In my five years in this world, I had never seen so many different dishes in one place. It was a true feast. The people who had been talking and laughing turned to look at us. My aunt was at the head of the table, and there was only one chair next to her. It felt like I was seeing the same scene as the throne room. Three empty chairs were nearby, and the rest were occupied by people I understood to be the 'Legado de Evenhart.'
"Come, sit. The old Sifu will get grumpy if we don't start eating," my aunt called to us.
The little red hawk seemed to get hungry, as it jumped onto my head and stared at a large piece of meat.
We walked to one of the chairs and sat down. The other chair remained empty, and I knew who it was for.
My cousin... I hadn't seen her.
Aunt Margaery noticed my look.
"My little one is dealing with her own crisis. She's a bit sad about being the center of this mess," she explained to me.
Right, the engagement with her is what this whole thing is about. Poor girl... she's only five years old.
"So it's true!" said the blonde woman, looking at me and then at the hawk on my head.
"Calm down, Bonnie. Let's introduce him to everyone first," said Margaery.
My aunt stood up and started pointing at everyone, explaining a bit about them.
There was Bonnie, a blonde woman with short hair. She was quite short and didn't have much of a chest. I know it's an unnecessary detail, but you'll understand why I mention it when you get to know her. Bonnie had the nickname 'The Butcher,' and I was told I wouldn't want to know how she earned that name. She seemed to be a lively person with an extroverted personality.
"You're like our little brother now!" she said, squeezing me against her non-existent chest. Despite her height, she was very strong.
Margaery also introduced Hugo formally.
The next person was a tall and slightly overweight man. He was bald but had a big beard. When he greeted me, he lifted me into the air and gave me a hug. I felt like I was being grabbed by a bear. His name was Lionel, and his intimidating appearance didn't match his personality, which my aunt described as 'strong in body but soft-hearted.'
"I'll be looking after you, young master!" Lionel said, shaking my hand with his rough yet gentle touch.
The next person was a tall woman with a large chest. I know it's another unnecessary detail, but it will make sense at some point. The woman was dressed entirely in purple, and I discovered she had a bit of an obsession with the color. Her long black hair flowed past her back. She had a charming personality, and her voice always seemed to be either seducing someone or threatening them. Her name was Samantha, and she hugged me tightly, almost crushing me.
"What a cutie, I can't wait for you to get older so we can play!" she said, pressing me against her ample chest. My mother gave her a stern look, and Samantha looked embarrassed.
The next person introduced to me was a somewhat thin man with a frightening appearance for a five-year-old. I was told he specialized in poisons and substances and managed our crops and land. Yusuf could identify any plant just by looking at it and could tell which ones were poisonous. He spent most of his time outside the castle tending to the land.
"At your service, young master," he said, bowing to me.
The last person introduced was an old monk named Sifu. I noticed he was Asian, like the true humans I had killed. A part of me was curious about this fact; I had heard he was saved by the Human Empire and understood he was an ex-citizen. He looked at me, then at the little red hawk, and laughed.
"It really is a phoenix, Hugo. It seems my time teaching you wasn't wasted on that thick head of yours," the old man said, sitting down.
Everyone at the table was surprised.
The monk greeted me by bringing his hands together and bowing.
"Ah!" Samantha complained and clicked her tongue. "I made a bet and lost…"
My aunt soon sat down, and we began to eat. At first, they continued their conversation, but at some point, everyone looked at me.
"We've been hearing some stories about you," said my aunt Margaery while eating.
The little hawk had grabbed a steak and flown to a corner of the room.
The old man occasionally glanced at me and the small phoenix and smiled.
"Hugo told me you're quite the fighter for someone your age and that you killed three true humans," she said with a smile, raising a wine glass.
Everyone followed suit and drank.
"Blood for blood!" she said as she drank.
"The boy's five years old and killed three true humans. What were you doing, Hugo? Shitting your pants?" Samantha said.
I tried to interject before the conversation escalated.
"They were injured, I just got a little clever."
"A kill is a kill, especially with those bastards. They see it as a reward to kill us. They wouldn't let you live even if they were missing both legs and arms; they'd try to kill you to their last breath," my aunt said.
I knew that firsthand. The soldier tried to kill me even with his neck slit...
I looked at the hawk eating meat a bit further away.
That thing saved me. If it weren't for him, I'd never see my mother again...
I clenched my fists.
If I had Aura, that would never have happened. With Aura, I'd have an invisible armor and incredible strength... but in this world, I only have mana. I need to learn to master mana!
A famous warrior in my world was a great user of Aura; his name was Hercules. Many said he was some kind of god or demigod, but the truth was that Hercules's power came from his skilled use of Aura. He had incredible strength and a deadly technique that concentrated all his Aura into his fists. Each punch could kill an opponent instantly.
Aura is an invisible armor that covers the body, and that bastard could distribute his armor, concentrating it just in his fists or arms, increasing his power and strength even more. Knowing how to concentrate Aura in a single point of the body was something not even legendary generals could do.
"By the way, we retrieved that enchanted chain you found along with your animal. I'm impressed with it; it will be very useful for us," my aunt praised.
Everyone at the table froze for a moment, understanding what she meant. It seemed everyone was a bit afraid of her demeanor.
"I... I guess I'll have to start tests on prisoners..." Yusuf said with difficulty.
"Of course, I want to know how much pain that thing causes and if it can kill someone. If that chain doesn't kill but only causes pain... it'll be a lot of fun," she said, drinking her wine and laughing.
"Damn Torture Witch! I'm eating here, I don't want to remember those screams and those horrible scenes!" Samantha complained, and everyone agreed.
"I just got a little excited..."
I understood much later that my aunt was famous for being able to extract information from anyone... in ways you wouldn't want to imagine.
"About the little bird. Is it safe for Nate to keep this creature?" my mother asked.
The old Sifu responded, "Safe? For him, yes, but not for his enemies. Phoenixes are protective guardians and very loyal. It won't harm him or those close to him, as long as it's not mistreated. Once it chooses someone, it never abandons them. They are proud and somewhat possessive birds; loyalty comes first. Because of that, it will repay the favor he did for it. Just as he saved it, the phoenix will save him until the end of its life."
"Great, another one to fulfill its purpose," my aunt said.
I was confused by Sifu's words. "I don't understand. I just made a cooperation agreement with it. I saved it, and then we agreed it could stay with me until it recovered and then it would go home."
The old man laughed. "Then why does it still stay with you?"
He asked me, but I didn't know how to respond. "It said it would stay with me until it recovered," I said.
He laughed again. "The chain, from what I examined, only causes pain and does not actually harm the body. There may be lasting effects, and we don't yet know what it can cause to someone in contact with it for a long time. But remember, phoenixes are healing birds. This chick should have recovered by the time it was found. If it stayed, it won't leave."
I looked at the little hawk, which was devouring a steak bigger than itself.
"So I was tricked?"
"These birds don't lie and are intelligent. If it said it would stay until it recovered, it will. But you mentioned that the agreement at the end was it would rest and then go home. Did you not consider that it might have chosen you as 'home' in the agreement?"
Damn...
I looked at it again.
I hope it doesn't bring me problems, but having something with healing powers near my mother is good... I won't reject it if it promises to help me protect her.
"How dangerous is this bird, old man? I remember you telling me stories about your people that they were deadly beings," Hugo said.
"If it somehow unlocks its power... they are dangerous enough to invade the Royal Capital and make the castle their nest," he said, looking at the little phoenix.
Everyone widened their eyes. "Are you telling me that little bird can grow and get bigger?" my aunt asked.
"Bigger is an understatement. According to my old masters, an adult phoenix could swallow an entire ship. They become gigantic."
What!? It really gets that big?
"I won't have the money to feed something that size," I said.
What will I do to earn enough to feed something like that?
My aunt and my mother laughed. "You don't need to worry about that kind of thing; you're an Evenhart. If your little friend stays with you, it will be treated as an Evenhart. We're used to dealing with something like this; you'll understand soon when you meet our guardian," Margaery said.
Guardian?
Everyone went back to eating.
Yusuf looked at Sifu and asked, "Old man, why did you use the example of the Royal Capital and not our castle?"
The old man stopped eating. "Because that's the first thing the King of Teresia and his family will think when they find out the truth about this phoenix..."
Everyone fell silent as they understood the implications.
"But don't worry," Sifu said. "The people of this continent don't know what a phoenix truly becomes. To them, it's just an extinct powerful bird they will try to possess to satisfy their greed. The true size of a phoenix is something even my old people don't know; it was knowledge passed down from my ancient masters, and few were aware of it. To access its full power, a phoenix needs to evolve, and no one knows how to make that happen."
"That doesn't mean the royalty won't still be interested in this phoenix..." Hugo said, looking at the small bird.
"Let them try to take it, then," my aunt replied.