After being carried back to the guest house by Evenica, Lutious found himself cared for by his mother.
A green light emitted from her hand as she stood over his unconscious body laying on a bed.
"Such a little troublemaker, you are. Try to at least be nice to your mother's heart and behave, there's no need for you to be in danger." She caressed his sleeping body with a soft smile and a sober expression.
It stayed that way for a long time, and the rest of that day was spent in such a manner.
The next day, after the morning routine was through and done with, Lutious was made to sit in the living room with Evenica behind him, and his parents sat across from him, all of them on parallel couches.
"Lutious, I understand that you were mad about what the prince was saying about our family. I do, but you should have never been so rash! You're a smart kid, and should know better than to get yourself in a situation like that." His father scolded him lightly, a stern but calm look on his face, and a soft tone to his voice.
"Not just that! You got yourself in danger!! What were you thinking?! Did you think just because you're a prodigious genius that you can do whatever you want?! That's not how things work!
"Unfortunately our family does not have a high enough standing to put you where you deserve to be, so please stop acting reckless!… But I'll admit, it's nice that you were only pushed when we got insulted, I guess my son does care." Though she started yelling at him, seeming quite mad in tone and expression, it soon softened by the end.
Though both his parents criticized him for his actions, there was more worry than anger, after all, while he made a poor choice, it was not by far the worst one he could have made, and it was true that the first prince pushed beyond what he ever should, so it was hard to stay mad at him, cause even they would be agitated if they had heard Lucian's words directly.
(Really? I thought they would be much more aggravated than this, but I guess it was not so bad… I can go back to training immediately, I can't have this happen ever again.) Lutious smiled internally ready to go back to the grind.
"Thanks, mom and dad. I'm sorry things got so out of control, but I won't let it happen again." He expressed with a wide smile.
"Good, 'cause, for now, you'll have to stay with your sisters. I thought you could go around alone, but I guess your heinous made me forget you're still a kid." Mandrick commented looking at his son with a weak smile.
"Exactly! That and no more going to the training grounds or training! The First Prince declared something unreasonable, and we can't have him just deciding to take you, so stay with your sisters, Evenica, and that Irma girl." Sasha said and immediately it broke the young boy's heart to hear such words.
"No… No… More training?! You can't do that, that's preposterous!" Lutious could not believe his ears, never in a hundred years would expect this outcome.
No more training grounds, ok, easy, he would just find another place or do it in his room, but no mods training?! How could he ever dare to waste a whole day?! When he had so many great dreams, and goals, why would he do such a thing? When Krias was waiting for him, how could he?
"Ah? I've never seen such a strong reaction from you." Mandrick commented despite not being one to have a strong reaction either.
"It's for your good, I and your father talked, and you have been far too isolated with all this training fixation you have. It's important yes, and once we are back home you can continue, but from now on, whenever we are out as a family spend time with your sisters at least! No training allowed!" Sasha expressed with her arms crossed while looking her son in the eyes.
There was a great silence that came as a response to these words, and all he could do was look at his parents with a deep frown as he thought to himself about the situation.
(I don't like, not one bit, I hate what they are doing to me right now, but I can't fully fault them, they don't understand what they are doing with this stupid prohibition of theirs, but it's part of the challenges of life that these so-called parents of mine would make bad decisions.) He concluded in his mind that, after all, he had to forgive them for their ignore in their need to do some parenting or at least that's what he believed.
A frown that he ate up, and decided to swallow whole, going for a blank expression instead as he would then answer.
"As you wish." Lutious just nodded no argument, no fighting, just a calm voice.
However, his expression didn't do a perfect job of covering his sentiments towards the situation as a whole.
"Oh, baby, don't give me that look, it's for your good." Sasha could feel it and immediately said feeling a bit bad for having to do this, but it was for the best after all.
"He'll be mad at us for a while, but I'm sure he'll get over it," Mandrick added with a smile as he talked.
(I can't fault them for not knowing, but it will be hard to care too much from now on, I guess I'm just this kind of unreasonable person if that's how I feel now.) Lutious's expression stayed deadpan as he simply looked at Mandrick and Sasha.
Both had decided out of love, one which without their knowledge had a much greater effect on the opposite side, after all, how could they have known they had a son with a past life and a lot more in his mind than he should have.
Later, once that conversation ended, Lutious stood there with Evenica behind him, while all three of his sisters looked at him.
No words left any of their mouths for a while and they just sat there in silence, realizing just how little of a relationship existed in there.
"I heard from… Huh… Mom… and Huh… Dad… You three were all training in your specialties as you got ready for the Academy. Though I heard some of it in the carriage, I was wondering a bit more about it." Lutious had a hard time mentioning the ones who put him in this situation even if he understood their perspective, from his, it was still not something he could feel positive about.
"Hmph! You keep hogging all the attention just because you're a genius! You don't care! It's always Lutie did this or that, or look at how amazing Lutie is! Erggh! I hate it!" Cecilia complained unapologetically about her brother.
This caused Lutious and Evenica to look at her after looking at each other.
"She's not wrong, it's your fault for being too much. Were you built to be a legendary hero or something, why do you need all that? If I wasn't super talented and awesome. I would be jealous too." Mera was the first one to speak after her sister.
"I'm not jealous! It's just annoying to hear about him all the time, and he never talks to us too! It's like he's too good for us or something! So annoying!" Cecilia was pissed and got herself even more pissed by thinking about how pissed it made her.
"Tch! Stop being a baby, you're jealous, it's because you aren't awesome like me. It's your fault for letting your feelings go crazy." Mera added unconvinced by her young sister's words.
"Dumb floaty girl! You don't even get as many nice words as me! So I'm awesome! You're just annoying! Not as annoying as Luite, but still annoying!" Cecilia started yelling at her older sister with a frown.
"Stupid bounce girl! You just get compliments because you're the youngest sister! I'm way more awesome! And it's not my fault you're jealous! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Mera responded with an equal intensity.
"No! I'm not!" Cecilia grew angrier.
"Yes! You are!" Mera matched it.
"NO!!!" Cecilia yelled out her lungs.
"YES!!!" Mera screamed with the same energy.
This caused them to look at each other with sparks and it soon descended further into an argument. While they were arguing, however, Feina was the one to speak with her brother.
"I'm sorry if we seem mean or something like that. We don't hate you, it's just hard to have to hear how amazing you are all the time. We're trying too, you know… I'm much better in hand-to-hand combat, but nobody cares." She expressed with a disheartened look, and there was no malice or anger, just a disappointed tone.
(I guess our parents won't stop up about me if it got them all feeling this way… Even though I was not a kid, I still fell for the infallible parents effect, I have to remember they make mistakes too, but these girls, are too young to see that, so they either blame themselves or blame me…
(It's clear which one is easier to fall into doing, even I got mad at our parents just now, because it's easier to blame others than yourself, especially subconsciously, so you don't even notice you're doing it.) Lutious sighed internally feeling a bit dumb, and so…
Just like that in the middle of the whole mess, he burst.
"Hahahahaha! I'm such a dumbass." He could not help but laugh at himself.
From behind him, Evenica just observed with a raised eyebrow, watching in silence.
"… I agree, you're getting the point." Cecilia nodded with her arms crossed, even stopping her argument with her older sister.
"Hey! I was still talking to you!… As for you, Lutie, If you're a dumbass just become awesome like me." Mera shrugged her shoulders not caring too much.
Her focus is more so on her younger sister, who stopped to talk to Lutie in the middle of their argument.
"What are you on about? Mom and Dad swear you are the smartest kid ever, all the time, don't lie, it's not nice." Feina raised an eyebrow and looked at him confused.
"Oh don't worry, I'm sorry it was like that. I thought you didn't like me, so I didn't even try to talk to you girls, but I have such cute sisters!" Lutious got up and hugged all three of his sisters at once.
"Hey! Let me go! Don't touch me! You're dumb and annoying! Let me go…" Even though Cecilia was startled by the sudden act, she soon calmed down and didn't try to fight out of it at all.
"I'm too awesome for this, you know… This is lame, stop…" Mera followed suit avoiding eye contact as she complained.
"… You're pretty strong, and I don't think you're using mana. That's pretty cool, now can you let me go, this is too tight and warm…" Feina narrowed her eyes as she spoke not yet trying to break free, more so giving her brother a chance to let go.
Thus they were all freed.
"Sorry, I got all caught up in my thoughts. Anyway, I'm Lutious, your super cool younger brother who is going to be the best. From now on, I'll train with all of you, well, once we leave this place. That, and if something happens to tell me, I'll help." Lutious pointed at himself as he spoke to them.
Silence was the first or immediate response.
They knew who he was, why introduced himself, and what was he even talking about. That was the general thought going through, even Evenica who was watching it unfold closely.
"Totally dumb, I'm not doing that. You're too annoying." Cecilia shook her head completely unconvinced.
"I'm awesome enough on my own, I don't need that." Mera followed looking at him up and down.
"Ok, let's give it a try, and do our best." Feina on the other hand nodded with a small smile
Eyes turned to her, as her too younger sisters didn't expect this from her.
"Well, I guess I can try even if it's annoying!" All on her own, Cecilia changed her mind.
"I'm so awesome, I'll even give you a chance." Mera followed suit with a slight blush.
"Good, can't train right now, but I'm sure we can have fun together." Lutious smiled and got all of them to go with him.
They would spend the rest of the day playing together, talking, arguing, and having fun, like good siblings.
When the next day came, the other nobles of the Broon kingdom began arriving, in other words, the rest of the sin houses finally came.
Soon the place went from calm and mostly empty, to full of life.
As was expected, in time, the introduction ball would officially begin, and they all got ready for it.
No escape is what could be said about it since there was no just leaving, and everyone would have to be there. So they did what they had to, and went there.
The great hall of the Broon Estate shimmered with opulence beyond imagination. Crystal chandeliers hung from impossibly high ceilings, casting golden light over the sea of nobles in fine silks and gilded armor.
A grand tapestry displaying the crest of the Royal Sin of Broon, a seven-sided display of the sin symbols surrounding a crown that could be seen as a shield or spear depending on the angle, loomed at the far end of the room, a reminder of where power lay in this kingdom.
Lutious stepped through the archway, his small figure momentarily hidden in the shadow of his towering father, Mandrick. Around them, murmurs hummed like distant thunder, curious eyes falling on the Okanu family of Lust.
The nobles of higher houses stood in radiant clusters, adorned with their crests. Each group exuded an air of unshakable confidence. Near the center of the hall, heirs and young nobles mingled under watchful parental gazes, their laughter far too perfect, their smiles sharp like daggers.
"This way, please," Said the young maid, Irma, with a weak bow.
She gestured toward a far corner of the hall where smaller houses, and small families of said houses were seated.
Evenica, standing beside Lutious, clicked her tongue in irritation, while his mother, Sasha rolled her eyes, but Mandrick simply nodded, his expression calm.
"Farthest from the center. How generous of them," Mandrick remarked dryly, his tone carrying no surprise.
Meanwhile, his three sisters all seemed to not care too much.
"Keep your head up, kids," Sasha whispered to her children as they walked. Her tone was light, but her gaze held a warning. "We belong here, no matter what they think."
At the same time even from the side, whispers of talks could be heard.
"Is that the Okanu family? From the House of Lust?"
"I didn't think they'd show up this year."
"They've always been… entertaining."
His mother, Sasha, sat there with a serene smile, her bat-like wings and elegant red dress giving her an aura of effortless charm. Beside her, Mandrick sat with quiet authority, his six arms resting casually at his sides. Their presence demanded attention, but the whispers persisted, biting and dismissive.
Cecilia, Mera, and Feina followed sitting there, each dressed in flowing gowns that matched their taste.
Cecilia's icy blue dress sparkled like frost under the chandelier light, while Mera's fiery orange gown flared with every step. Feina, ever the quiet one, wore a deep emerald dress, her amethyst eyes scanning the crowd with quiet intensity.
Lutious adjusted his collar, his expression neutral as his purple eyes flicked toward the gathering of young nobles near the center of the room. Their laughter was light but sharp, and their gazes briefly turned toward him before dismissing him entirely.
"They're already looking down on us," Cecilia muttered under her breath, her fingers tightening around her skirt.
"Let them," Feina said calmly, her voice low. "The weak mock what they fear."
Mera grinned. "We could always give them a reason to be afraid."
"Enough," Sasha said gently, though her tone carried a hint of warning. "We always represent the House of Lust. Grace and composure, my dears."
Mandrick chuckled softly. "And a little chaos, if needed."
At the heart of the hall sat the Royal House of Broon, their crimson and gold colors unmistakable. Around them were the most powerful families, including the Houses of Pride, Greed, and Gluttony. While Wrath, Envy, and finally Lust sat further away from the center in circles that got closer to the wall of the gigantic ballroom.
Then there were the members of the Sloth House, or in other words the servants of all the other sin houses, the maids, butlers, chefs, and so on, all members of the lowest noble house, after all, it would be such a disgrace to even have peasants serve them directly.
The Okanu family, of course, was relegated to the outer edges, almost at the very end, only above the Lust house families of lower standing.
As the music began, the hall filled with movement. Young nobles took to the center, their steps graceful and deliberate as they performed the traditional Dance of Nobles, a custom meant to showcase both their refinement and power.
The dance was not just about elegance—it was a display of skill. Partners would take turns weaving intricate patterns with their steps, while subtle bursts of mana or magical effects would enhance their movements.
However, this was interrupted by the arrival of the royal sin house's arrival, and all the attention turned to them. The king, Queen, other wives, concubines, princes, and princesses all came in with grandeur.
The royal knights stood ready with a grand stance, as the royal family took their places separate from all the rest at a previously empty side of the ballroom with thrones, and various tables just for them.
Once they were all seated, the King got up and enhanced his vocal cords with mana. He protected his voice through the whole gigantic room that was the ballroom.
"Welcome to all the noble houses present today, and I'm sorry for any house or family that could not make it here today, but we are not here to be saddened, no! Today we are here to celebrate our youth!
"The future elite of the kingdom! The ones who will one day command everything we have built, and then build their own. May their futures guide them on the right path, and whatever relationships are built today last forever! For a better and greater Broon!" The King said a few words, not pushing it or trying to be too grand, it was simple but effective.
Clapping came from all over the room, as the ball was officially beginning, and a bunch of nobles got up from their seats as the music began to play once more, but it was not for the dances, this time since the royal family was already there, they could start the networking to try and get in good graces with nobles of the same or higher standing for the most part.
(So that's the King… He doesn't look very happy or satisfied…) Lutious thought to himself as he looked at the man sitting on his throne with a sober expression and an almost helpless look. (Then again, maybe he's just a serious guy…)
While he was having those thoughts his eyes wandered through the rest of the royal area, and there were 5 wives, the Queen, and the other 4, 10 concubines, 5 princes, and 8 princesses.
(A big family huh, but then again in the Lust house, some people have more than 10 wives, and upwards of 30 children, so I'm already used to this absurd world. This kind of thing would just completely brain-freeze most people on Earth.
(My parents are oddballs by the standard of the house, but they are that way out of unusual sir circumstances. Evenica told me that in the past before they were together each of my parents had a harem with tens of members, somewhere around sixty each, and after some disaster, they lost everything and after trauma bonding decided to get married…) Lutious thought to himself that the logistics of relationships in this world did not seem to be limited to monogamy, not in the sin houses.
As his eyes wandered, they met with the first prince's and he smiled at the training fiend before getting up, and…
"Attention! I the first Prince, Lucian Heberia Lovicus Nomia Broon, have an announcement to make today." Lucian spoke his vocal cords filled with mana to project his voice.
All eyes turned to him, even the King and the Queen being caught in surprise, as well as the concubines and princess, while the other princes who were aware of the crazy decision he made could only think that he could not possibly follow through, right?
"I've finally selected my personal knight! After careful reflection, I've decided that…" As he spoke, various young men and even a few young women prominent in their houses and families looked with expectant eyes. "Lutious Okanu from the Lust House."
Eyes widened all over, drinks were spat out, and a wave of pure shock and confusion consumed the whole place.
Nobody could believe this was real.
(This crazy bastard… He publically declared this… I'm not having a peaceful life where I can focus on training after this… Not that I ever hoped for peace anyway.) While Lutious did not love the idea of just getting roped into a position like that, he could not hold in the slight excitement that being in the limelight would bring some interesting moments to his life.
It seemed like the peaceful years were already over.