*Click*
The moment Alex and Venessa heard the sound of the doorknob clicking, both had a different reaction.
Alex just sighed.
'How bad is your timing...?' He muttered inwardly with a shake of his head.
But Venessa...
*Swoosh*
With a swift motion, she broke free of Alex's hug and stood beside him with a regal expression mixed with her cold look.
*Creak*
The door was pushed open, revealing Mira, who was sent here by Alex.
"..."
No one spoke anything for a while, both Vannesa and Alex staring at Mira, their expressions unreadable.
The girl, however, just stared back at them with no hint of nervousness or fear in her eyes; it was as if she wasn't even feeling anything.
"Mother, is she...?"
Alex didn't complete his words, as he knew Vannesa got what he wanted to say.
"Yes, she has a physique similar to mine."
Vannesa answered as she gestured for Mira to move closer.
She didn't speak further about this topic as she didn't really pride herself on the physique she had; other than making her powerful, all it did was cause trouble for her.
"I see."
Alex also didn't push her further.
The question he asked was not actually because he was confused; it was just so that he could still seem curious to his mother.
He knew all about the novel and the game, so how could he not know about the physiques that one of the main female leads of the game and her master had?
"I don't think there is a need for introductions since you have already met, so let us move toward the awakening hall without delay."
Vannesa added the moment Mira reached close to them; her voice was cold, unlike the previous gentle tone.
"Yes, mother."
Alex nodded his head, with his expression turning serious, but if one looked closely, one would notice a hint of excitement hidden deep within them.
He was finally going to know what kind of talent he had, if he had a physique or not, and what kind of element he had awakened.
[You could just call out for your status window and take a look at it, you know.]
Sophie, who knew all too well about Alex's emotional state, commented, but Alex just shook his head.
'It would spoil the fun, I don't want to show some fake reaction in front of my mother; she is sharp and she might catch on to something.'
His words were based on his understanding of her as his mother as well as the coldest and most complicated character of the novel.
There was a reason why he refrained from touching the system before the awakening ceremony.
Even if someone—his mother, of course—were to notice something odd after that, he could just contribute it to the awakening of some strange element or something like that.
So, for now, he focused on the path in front of him.
*Step**Step*...
*Tip**Top*...
The sound of heels hitting the floor echoed through the hall with some maid and butler passing through them—bowing with respect and reverence until they had passed by them—that too was a rare sight as this manor belonged to his mother, who only kept a few trusted aids next to her.
The hallway was plain, with not much decoration other than some flower pots and photo frames that gave it a simple yet sober look.
The walls, just like the room's walls, were painted with silver, with intricate patterns drawn over them, something only visible if one looked closely.
As they walked toward the awakening chamber, Alex's gaze paused as he found Mira glancing at him from time to time, and their gaze just happened to meet.
'She is cute.'
He muttered inwardly as he smiled at her, only to get a nod from her before she turned to look ahead as if she were never stealing glances at him.
Alex's gaze then turned to look at his mother's back as she was walking a foot ahead of them.
'Who would've thought that I would become the son of the most hyped character in the game and novel?'
He muttered inwardly as he laughed at the absurdity of the situation.
He was someone who was never supposed to be in any of the scripts—not in the novel, and not anywhere else.
[The goddess did say that she had prepared a new body for you.]
Sophie chimed in again, not wanting to stay silent as she had been doing that for 16 whole years.
'She is a goddess for a reason, I guess.'
Alex shrugged inwardly, not really bothered about who this goddess was or what she wanted from him.
He had time to dwell on those matters later; for now, he was just marveling at the power of that goddess to make things that hadn't even happened possible.
He, Alex Drakathor, wasn't a character in the novel.
Vanessa Drakathor never had a husband in the story, much less a child; all she had was a disciple—Mira.
So, Alex being in this world, that too as Vannesa's child, was anomalous, but again, he didn't care about it being strange.
Alex loved his mother, and he knew that she did the same, so no matter what it was, he would want to keep it like that.
Also, being Vannesa's son came with some very unique perks as well.
First is that he would always be at the center of the ongoing plot as everything revolves around the protagonist of the novel, and his mother, Vanessa, was like a guardian angel for one of the main female leads—one who was involved in almost every major plot.
That meant that Alex, as the son of that guardian angel, would definitely be pulled into the plot.
It could change, though; nothing was fixed after all.
He, as the son of Vannesa, had already taken away the luxury of being loved by Vannesa from the protagonist, Mira, unknowingly.
But well, with the type of monster Mira was after she awakened her physique, she would be fine unless someone above her level came into question.
"My Lady." X2
The head butler and the head maid bowed, greeting Vannesa, as they pushed the door they were waiting next to, causing it to open with a short creak.
*Creak*
The door opened, revealing the interior of the room, or better call it a hall due to how big it was.
The hall, unlike the simple and sober look of the whole manor, was a bit more fancy, with a kaleidoscope of lights brightened at every corner, multiple chandeliers hanging down the ceiling, and several precious antiques placed in an orderly manner.
There was a large carpet flowing down the mid-path in the hall, several names and images printed all over the carpet, as if trying to remind the people who walked over it about the events drawn on it, giving the hall a bit of a regal touch.
It was the awakening hall, and although it was for the personal use of Alex, there were some other people—all around the same age as Alex—seated on the comfy sofas placed all over the hall for the comfort of those who sat over them.
"It is time, Alex."
Alex, who was busy observing the hall, turned to look at his mother, who was now staring at him with the same cold eyes, with gentleness hidden deep within them.
"Um."
Alex, however, just smiled at her before he, along with Vannesa and Mira, moved forward to start the ceremony.