Noah's POV
"Noah!"
.
.
"Oii boy, you better come downstairs or you'll be really late for the farewell party!!"
Huff,
Staring at the plain ceiling wall, I could not help but sigh. Yes, as you all may have heard; today was the last day of my school. Our teachers were hosting us a farewell party.
To be very honest? I did not want to go there.
My name is Noah D. Romero. I am a noble of the Romero Clan.
An orphan..Noble.
The only family I had left was my Grandma. My head tilted to the side as the doorknob to my room twisted.
The door creaked open, and in came Ma; a word I had grown accustomed to calling my grandma. She was barely as tall as my shoulders, her petite frame filed with an energy that opposed her age.
Her pink hair was tied up in a messy bun, which always reminded me of the delicate cherry blossoms I used to watch with her as a child. Her black eyes sparkled with mischief and warmth, as if the world had never once managed to dim her light.
Ma wore her usual attire—a simple but elegant, soft wool gown dyed in a cheerful yellow, the kind that always seemed a little too big for her small frame.
The dress had splashes of flour and smudges of what I could only guess was chocolate, probably from the sweet pastries or warm bread—as if her treats could fix anything life threw at us. And for her, maybe they did.
"Noah," she said, hands on her hips, her voice dripping with exasperation. "Are you planning to spend your last day at school staring at the ceiling? Or is there some secret mission you're conducting that involves sulking in your room?"
I couldn't help but smile at her antics, though it faded quickly as I clearly understood the intent behind her words. I turned my gaze back to the plain ceiling.
"I don't really want to go, Ma. It's just… what's the point? Saying goodbye to people who barely noticed me in the first place? Celebrating the end of something I barely enjoyed?"
She walked over to my bed, her small feet padding softly against the wooden floor. Sitting down beside me, she reached out and brushed a strand of my hair from my face. Her hands were warm, comforting, and smelled faintly like vanilla.
"Noah," she said, her tone calm but carrying a gentle firmness that made me listen, "you're right, life doesn't always make sense. And people… they're not always as kind or as attentive as we'd like them to be. But hiding up here, shutting yourself away from the world, that's no way to live."
I turned my head to look at her, my chest tightening. "Ma, it's not just about today. You know that. It's everything. The way people look at me like I don't belong. The whispers about being an orphan, even though I'm a noble. It's exhausting..."
Her black eyes softened, and she sighed, reaching out to take my hand in hers; she locked her gaze with mine. "I know it's been hard, my boy. You've carried so much on those young shoulders of yours. Your clan, our family… they refuse to treat you as they should.
Everyone knows that you were born with a...weak constitution. That it will be increasingly harder to assimilate the hollow inside your body since you have-"
My grandma continued speaking to me but honestly? After a point, I stopped listening. It was the same thing again and again.
'I was born in one of the leading clans in the Empire, yet..my so-called 'wealthy household,' did not have a single dime to spend on me. They refused to grant me a single hollow from their treasury!'
Ughhh
My attention turned to grandma as she asked, "But do you know what I see when I look at you?"
I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak.
"I see a strong, kind, and handsome young man who has so much to offer this world. You've been dealt a tough hand, yes, but you've survived. And not just survived—you've grown. That's something to be proud of, Noah."
Even though her words struck a chord deep within my heart, I couldn't help the bitterness overflowing from my mouth.
"What if I don't want to grow, Ma? What if I'm tired of trying?"
She didn't flinch or pull away. Instead, Grandma tightened her grip on my hand and smiled, her eyes glistening with tears.
I knew she was going to cry, and just the thought of it hurt me...
"Then you let me carry you for a little while longer. That's what family is for, right? But you have to promise me one thing."
"What?" I asked, my voice hoarse.
"Promise me you'll give life another chance. Just one more. Go to that farewell party. Meet those people, even if it's just to say goodbye. Who knows? Maybe you'll find something… or someone… worth staying for."
I stared at her, unable to refute her words. She always had a way of making the impossible seem just a little more manageable.
With a reluctant sigh, I nodded. "Okay, Ma. I'll go. But only because you asked me to."
Her face lit up like the morning sun, and she clapped her hands together. "That's my boy! Now, hurry up and get ready. I've laid out your best suit, and don't you dare argue with me about wearing it.
Oh, and don't forget to smile. You've got the Romero charm, after all."
I couldn't help but chuckle as she hopped off the bed and headed towards the door, her energy infectious.
As the door clicked shut behind her, I sat up, her words echoing in my mind. Give life another chance. Maybe, just maybe, she was right.
With a deep breath, I swung my legs off the bed and stood up.
Time to face the world—Yes.
One step at a time.
***
The morning sun greeted me with its warm, golden rays as I stepped out onto the old, cobblestone streets. The air had a fresh scent to it, I could smell freshly baked bread and the earthly scent of the shrubs and flower shops nearby.
It was as if the city was alive, bustling with the pitter-patter of the merchants trying to haggle money from the customers.
I did not give the scene a second thought, in this world; if you were weak...then it was only your fault. This place came under the rule of the Cassian family of the Von Stien Empire; a royal household that was famous for its display of power and 'righteousness'.
That was what everyone said, but as a noble myself- I knew that it came to a single thing.
Power.
To gain it, there were only 2 ways. Either integrate with a hollow...Or train in Mana Arts and become a mage.
Unfortunately, I was born with an empty constitution. It was a condition where one's body was unable to store mana inside them. That was how even the slightest idea of being a mage was washed out of my mind at an early age.
The only other option left for me was Integrating with a hollow..which by the way cost a fortune even for the nobles.
Shaking out of my depressing thoughts, I gazed at my surroundings.
This was the heart of Romania, a city that wore its medieval charm like a second skin—ornate spires reaching for the heavens, ivy-covered stone walls, and a market square that thrummed with life.
Yet, as I walked, the weight of my thoughts kept me tethered to the earlier moment in front of my bedroom mirror.
I'd stood there, adjusting the tie around my neck with an odd mix of frustration and fascination. The reflection staring back at me was… decent, I supposed. At least for someone who usually tried to blend into the background.
My ink-black hair, unruly as always, had been combed back for once, though a few strands rebelliously fell over my forehead. My eyes, equally dark, held an intensity I rarely acknowledged, like they carried secrets even I hadn't been exposed to yet.
The suit Ma had picked out fit me well—perhaps too well. It was a tailored black and blue ensemble, the fabric rich and smooth to the touch, with subtle silver embroidery that shimmered when it caught the light.
The jacket's sharp lines accentuated my broad shoulders, and the way the cuffs hugged my wrists gave the outfit an almost regal air. The tie was a deep navy, its colour echoing the hues of a twilight sky.
Standing there, I couldn't deny that I cut a striking figure—tall at 5'11", with a muscular but fully lean frame that had filled out over the years of physical training my muscle and bones to death-
That was one of the things that made me feel a bit more in control of my situation, at least.
For a moment, I stared into my own eyes, trying to see what Ma claimed to see.
A strong, kind, and handsome young man.
But all I saw was someone desperately trying to hold it together.
Yes...That was it.
***