"Amon, my child… How would you like to be engaged?"
"... What?"
Amon couldn't comprehend the words from the Patriarch's mouth, and his face reflected his confusion. Brows were furrowed deeply while his tongue stopped moving. Amon's golden eyes, which had never wavered even after facing the man who could claim his life at any given time, quivered in pure astonishment.
"Ah, that's right. You're still ten, so you probably wouldn't understand what I mean."
The Solaris Lord looked over at the other person in the room and repeated himself with more details.
"Aaron. An engagement opportunity has come up, and I would like to betroth your son to one of our allies."
"My lord… I'm afraid I don't understand…"
"Mmmm, I know it's sudden, but hear me out."
The Patriarch smiled warmly and flashed his pearly white teeth.
"You are aware of the Elune House, right?"
"!!!"
A shock wave pulsated through Amon's body as he heard that familiar name. The Elune House played a significant arc in the story of [Bright] where an Archdemon was summoned into Hyades. During that process, the Elune House was decimated entirely beyond repair, leaving few survivors. For that House to be mentioned here gave Amon a dreaded sense of foreboding.
"Just like the Solaris House, the Elune House is one of the most influential families in Hyades. While the Solaris House specialises in Knights and Warriors, the Elune House is a lineage of Magicians and Summoners. Even though they don't have our heritage and strength, the Elune House is still a vital part of the Hyades Republic, with many prominent Magicians holding important positions in the union."
Thinking that Amon needed some explanation, the Patriarch introduced the Elune House briefly.
"Our Houses have crossed paths multiple times in the past, be it as enemies or allies. Fortunately, during this era of peace, our Houses have been on friendly terms for about a century. And well, they would propose that we unite our two Houses' friendship with a partnership."
"A partnership?"
"That's right," the Patriarch continued smiling. Evidently, his mood was soaringly good. "They've discovered a mana crystal vein in their territory and wish to consult our expertise to mine and protect their newly found riches. Furthermore, after processing their mana crystals into artefacts, they will share a percentage of the profits with us."
"Congratulations, My Lord! This is great news!"
Amon's father knew the actual value of a mana crystal vein. They were rare and in great demand, given the magic industrialisation that had taken place in the Hyades Republic. Finding one could change the riches of a territory overnight, and there were organisations dedicated to finding those elusive resources. While the Solaris House didn't need money or resources, having a percentage share of the mana crystal vein was a welcome investment.
However, Amon couldn't share his father's delight.
Narrowing his eyes, the young boy sieved through his memories. Naturally, he knew of the magic crystal vein. In fact, it was one of the reasons why the Elune House fell in the first place. The villain would have used the mana stored within the massive mine to summon the Archdemon, thereby destroying the Elune House for good.
But, the vein wouldn't be discovered for another few years. For it to appear now…
"That's not the last of it too! To solidify our partnership, the Elune House has proposed that we join our two Houses in matrimony."
"My Lord… Forgive my ignorance. If the Elune House wants to join our houses, wouldn't a union with one of your grandsons be proper? If not, there are plenty of other talented young men in the Solaris House to consider. Why Amon?"
Amon's father, just like his son, was brutally honest with his words. Aaron was well aware of his family's position. While he was a Guardian Knight, that didn't give him much prestige in the Solaris House, given that about a thousand Guardian Knights were around. It would make a little more sense if he were a Pillar Knight or a Sun Knight, the two highest ranks possible in the Solaris House under the Patriarch.
Aaron didn't have the capabilities, and he didn't come from a prestigious background. Therefore, he couldn't fathom why Amon would be chosen for this marriage.
However, never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that…
"Aaron, your words are completely logical. But we weren't given a choice. The other party named Amon specifically."
"I'm sorry… What?"
Amon's father dropped all formal language and spat out at the Patriarch. If he had the chance, he would have also dug his ears. Likewise, Amon had a hard time believing the Solaris Lord's words. Ever since he'd entered this world, Amon had been living a low-key life. He'd never attempted to make a name for himself, nor did he do anything prominent to convince others of his identity.
"It's true. That other young'un said that if it wasn't Amon, she wouldn't marry into the Solaris House, and the partnership would be called off."
"Does she know Amon?"
Wide-eyed, Aaron looked at his son with complete disbelief. Amon has never left Solfea even once. The young boy rarely adventures out of the Solaris Estate, too. It was almost impossible for him to come into contact with a girl from the Elune House, which was a thousand kilometres away.
"From my short conversation with her, she seems obsessed over the boy."
"... What's her name?"
Amon's voice dipped into a near growl. Only one prominent character in the Elune House was mentioned in [Bright]. She was the main villain in the arc where the Elune House fell and the only person worth remembering. If possible, Amon would have killed her to prevent the tragedy from happening, thereby eliminating one threat in the future.
Fortunately, it wasn't long until Amon got his answer.
The doors behind them creaked open just before the Patriarch could comment. The first person that Amon saw was a wizened man who looked barely over sixty. His pale, white skin betrayed that he didn't see the Sun for long periods, and his slightly hunched back hinted at his sedentary lifestyle. However, even with all those lacking physical attributes, Amon's skin crawled just by observing the aged man's mana.
It was like peering into a bottomless pit, where the darkness was akin to an abyssal void. Comparing the man's mana reserves to his own was a needless task. It would take years, decades even, for Amon to increase his mana to that extent.
Few humans in [Bright] could give Amon this sense of dread. The Solaris House Lord, Alrock Solaris, was one of them, and for the man to match the Patriarch, it could only mean one thing…
The wizard before him… Was the Elune House's Lord and the man whom the Archdemon possessed when it was summoned.
Yugor Elune.
"Yugor! You're here!"
Unlike his friend's enthusiasm, the old man held a bitter expression as if he didn't wish to be in the building. With his hands behind his back, Yugor observed Amon with growing interest. However, his eyes were hollow and lacked a single ounce of empathy.
"Alrock… Is that the child?"
"Yes! This young'un here is Amon Solaris! The boy your young'un is interested in!"
"... He's untalented."
Yugor spat out in disgust. As a seasoned magician with decades under his belt, his eye for talent was among the best in the world. With just a glance, Yugor could tell Amon was untrained in mana. Not only that, but the magician knew that Amon hadn't been trained as a knight yet and lacked the Solaris House's signature techniques.
"I don't understand what my granddaughter sees in him…"
"Ha! Ha! Even the mighty Wizard Saint becomes a fool for family!"
"Shut it, Alrock."
Yugor snapped at his old friend. His already deep wrinkles folded even more as he thought of the terms and conditions his talented granddaughter brought to him when she discovered the mana crystal vein. She wished for the Elune and Solaris House to join in a partnership to manage the massive vein they'd found, and to honour that agreement, she wanted to be engaged with a Solaris family member. And not just any Solaris member, a young Solaris boy she had her eye on.
The first condition was understandable for the seasoned, old Lord. He knew the benefits of partnering with the Solaris House more than anybody. But what stumped Yugor the most was his granddaughter's insistence on being engaged to that particular boy.
And his confusion deepened after meeting Amon in person.
There was nothing spectacular about the boy. Talent-wise, he was below average. Appearance-wise, he did look decent, but he wasn't anything impressive. Nothing impressed Yugor, and with his brief interaction with Amon, Yugor had already determined that he wasn't a good fit for his granddaughter.
'I wanted to raise her as my heir too… Her talent only appears once in a thousand years; we can't just let her marry into the Solaris House.'
While Yugor was thinking of ways to dissolve the engagement, the Patriarch's voice woke him up.
"So? Where's our little VIP maiden?"
"She's… On her way… She wanted to check her appearance before meeting that brat."
"Hoho?! Aren't you lucky, Amon!"
"..."
At this point, Amon had determined the identity of the young girl. Yugor Elune only had one granddaughter, and that girl was why the Elune House fell in the future. In [Bright], she is a villain who summons an Archdemon and is also responsible for the downfall of the mighty Elune House.
The talented young magician was said to be a once-in-a-lifetime gift and the genius meant to lead the Elune House to glory.
"Apologies for my late arrival!"
Amon's eyes were fixed on the door so he didn't miss the moment when the girl entered the room. A snowy white complexion that seemed to be reminiscent of a winter night. Transparent, red rubies that sparkled in the night hid within her bright eyes. And finally, long white hair that seemed woven from the finest silk the land offers.
There was only one beauty in [Bright] that fits that description.
The young girl, no older than ten, brightened her eyes as she saw Amon standing in the middle of the room. Skipping over with her hands behind her back, the young girl smiled until she was five steps away from Amon. Radiant as a flower that bloomed in the warmest of Springs, the girl's resonant voice echoed out from her lips like sweet morning dew.
"Nice to meet you! My name is Yue Elune!"