.I could hear the conversations continue behind us as we made our way through the crowd, the vassals parting to let us pass, their deference forced but undeniable. They spoke of the family's future, of alliances and strategies, but there was always a current of unease when they spoke of us—of me.
Jean's fingers tightened slightly on my arm, I sensed her anxiety.
"Let's get some air." I moved towards the balcony.
I was immune to peer pressure, the thoughts of others, and the politics of the family due to my several lives of experience but Jean was different, she took it all seriously and to heart and carried a mountain of expectations on her back as one of the Gray family's [Divine Bloodline].
She followed me to the balcony and I leaned on the side of the railings with my back to the Ville. She fell into my arms and melted into me.
"It's all so tiring! Why is no one like you? You're clear-cut and true to yourself, everyone else has a hidden purpose, a thing they wish to gain hidden in their eyes, I can't stand them! They're like snakes.." She complained.
'And yet I'm the greediest serpent of them all…'
"I guess I'm just special," I chuckled.
"I don't care what you are, you're mine!" She looked up as if throwing a tantrum and kissed me deeply out of nowhere.
It lasted for nearly a whole minute before our lips parted. She then pushed me away and turned to leave.
"I have to go get some snakes under me, I'll see you later," Her demeanor changed as if she took confidence from me and she walked back into the hall.
"She's one addictive woman," I wiped away the traces of her lipstick and prepared to go back in when a loud commotion coming from a different balcony drew my attention.
I saw a figure I had long heard of, a young man of similar stature to me, only slightly shorter with crimson hair and eyes, the rarest color in the Gray Family, and a scarred body. He was one of the three monsters, along with me and Astel, a psychopath imprisoned for his crimes and given teachers in jail instead of the Ville. The current head of the family's only son and the true successor of the Valant direct branch, Johan Valant Gray.
He seemed to be arguing with a girl who appeared only half a foot shorter than him. Her hair and eyes were blue and her clothes strange. She seemed to be complaining about something and he smiled like a maniac.
'Let's focus.' I centered my senses towards them and finally heard the conversation.
"I can't take it anymore! This is no life!" The 'girl' complained.
"I don't want to hear your voice. If you don't shut up I'll throw you in a hole, lock it, and toss away the key!" Johan responded.
"I can't-" Before she could finish talking, he slapped her into submission and left in a hurry.
'Just by witnessing that I've landed myself in another mess. *Sigh*."
I leaped over the railings and landed on the other balcony silently.
"Are you okay?" I approached the blue-haired girl slowly.
"Ah y-yes, I- it's just-" 'She' stumbled over her words.
"Relax, I can help you with that." I placed my palm on 'her' bruised cheek and Prana quickly returned it to its normal state.
"How?! It doesn't hurt anymore!" 'she' was surprised.
'In for a penny in for a pound! [Status Check]'
I was beyond surprised by what I found:
[Damian Valant Gray]
[GIFT]-[Demon God's Blesing]
[SWORD RANK]-2⭐️
[STATS]: PHYSICAL-34 MANA-16
CHARM-34 AURA-88
[SKILLS]:[Demonic Talent],[Devil Heart], [Demon God's Gift], [Golden Horns], [Heavenly Demonic God Physique]…
Not only was it actually a man, but his status was absolutely insanely stacked, and the list of skills went on for what felt like forever. If such a being trained properly, wouldn't the balance of the world shift?
"Who forced you to dress like a girl?"
"I don't know what you mean! I'm the only daughter of the Valant direct branch, Viola Valant Gray!" He stumbled on a couple of words but it seemed to come out how he practiced.
"Then you wouldn't mind me asking for your hand as my first wife then?" I changed expression.
"What? Eww, hell no! I like women!" He stopped acting.
"Did they hide you as a girl just for Johan's reputation as the true successor? or is there another reason?" I delved deeper.
"*Sigh* They're just mad that
a bastard son is more talented than the real older son, it was either I acted as a woman and did not ever train to not be a threat to him, or I was killed and erased from the records. My mother chose the first option.." It felt like he had waited years to tell someone the truth.
"Is that it? The Valant branch must be idiots, talent should never be hidden!"
"It's all the first wife's plan, she even had my mother murdered and fed the lord lies that caused him to hate us! If only I had enough strength, I'd make them all pay!" He complained.
"If you're tired of the farce, come under me. I can't guarantee much but you can be your true self in my faction and your family can't stop you from making your own choice of allegiance, nor can they directly interfere with my faction as a junior." I made him a deal he couldn't refuse.
"A bastard offering another bastard refuge.. it sounds so crazy it might just work, either way, it's better than dying for nothing!" He made up his mind in seconds.
My deal didn't matter he probably would have jumped into any boat that tried to carry him because he was drowning.
[You have found the unique talent and gained their allegiance!]
[Rewards granted!: [Status Check] will evolve to a special skill [All-Seeing Eye]. +100 points, 1 special-rank lucky draw.]
"It's settled then! Welcome under my wing, Damian Gray!"
…