…The moment that thought crossed my mind, Iliad scrambled to his feet and dove under the dining table.
I froze, startled, but the Head of House merely let out a hearty chuckle. No one else said a word.
“Heave-ho!”
“……!”
A few seconds later.
I stared blankly at Iliad. He had hoisted the massive dining table into the air, a grin of pure self-assurance plastered across his face.
It was a display of raw, inexplicable strength.
* * *
“I’m going to be a Vice Admiral when I grow up.”
A while later, I had swapped seats with Older Brother Nein. While he chatted with the Admiral, I sat with the twins, Iliad and Neiad.
“Isn’t it cool? The Admiral will probably be Older Brother Mical, so I’m going to assist him right by his side.”
“Is Older Brother Micard stronger?”
“Of course. Older Brother Mical is incredible. He’s truly amazing.”
Iliad grew animated, regaling me with stories about Older Brother Micard. But wait—Iliad had just lifted the entire dining table. How could anyone be stronger than that?
“Well, you’ve never won against him once, though.”
“Hey, I almost won once!”
Neiad’s haughty remark drew an immediate retort from Iliad, though he notably failed to claim an actual victory.
‘I’m curious about Older Brother Micard,’ I thought.
Does he even know he has a new little sister? Will he like me? Older Brother Elzen is already becoming quite close to me.
“He’ll be back soon,” Iliad continued. “It’s just taking time because he went all the way to the edge of Mt. Radum.”
“Mt. Radum?”
“You know, the mountain at the western end of the Pashayen Estate. The one that connects to Bellarion.”
I vaguely recalled seeing it on a map. Geography wasn’t my strong suit, but the name finally clicked.
“I hope he comes home soon.”
“Yeah. It would be easy to return if he were alone, but since he has others with him…”
I should ask about the mission later. But am I allowed to?
“Then, does Shu get missions later too?”
“Well, it depends on what kind of abilities you possess.” Iliad answered brightly, holding up three fingers. “Look here. Older Brother Mical and I are good at close-quarters combat. Types like us get a lot of solo missions. They call us tanks.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“But for group missions, we also need support from the rear. People with long-range weapons or auxiliary abilities. They call them dealers.”
He folded down two fingers.
“And the last one?”
“Healers. If we have a Resonator, the Pashayen Family is invincible. We’ve never lost a single estate war.”
“Whoa.”
Come to think of it, I’d heard Grandmother was the current Resonator. I had never met her, though.
“But a Resonator shouldn’t easily leave the estate. We never know when a war might break out; they are the ones who must be protected most preciously.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“That’s why when we go out on group missions, we take an Awakener with healing-type abilities. You could become a healer like that.”
My heart swelled with anticipation. What kind of abilities would I have?
*I want to go on missions, too.* I wanted to be useful.
“If Shu becomes a healer, I will protect everyone who ate with me at this table.”
“Oh my, you really will.”
When I clenched my fists and made the vow, Older Brother Nein beamed at me, doting on me openly. Even the Admiral’s lips curled into a faint smile.
“Indeed. As an Awakener and a member of the Pashayen Family, protecting this land and sea is a noble cause.”
“Yes!”
“To think you’re already planning on fighting enemies. How commendable.”
*Of course,* I thought, *it’s best to avoid conflict entirely. It would be even better if we could just reconcile!*
But if I had to fight… I wouldn’t hold back.
“I won’t let them get away with it.”
“That’s right. Enemies who don’t know their place must be struck down. Like this.”
*Bang!*
It happened in an instant—too fast for my eyes to track.
“Ah, I was going to handle that!”
“Stay still, Iliad. It is not your place to step in yet.”
Iliad grumbled, silenced by Older Brother Nein’s sharp warning. I blinked, lost, and realized Angela looked just as confused.
“Tsk tsk. To think that having a single meal could be this troublesome.”
The Head of House clicked his tongue, his expression turning stern. I followed his gaze.
“Oh.”
A black-masked figure—clearly a villain—was keeled over on the floor. There were three of them in total. The Admiral had been stepping on one, but he quietly moved his foot away when he caught my eye.
[The Fire Spirit King, ‘■■■■■’, explains that those guys had been hiding in the shadows since the meal began.]
*Eek, really? I had no idea!*
[The Water Spirit King, ‘■■■■’, reassures you, saying the adults will take care of it anyway.]
*So, are they villains?*
[The Fire Spirit King, ‘■■■■■’, says it is an enemy ambush.]
Thanks to the shimmering text, I finally understood the chaos.
“They said not to even touch a dog when eating!”
My shout echoed through the room, cutting through the icy tension. The Head of House let out a roar of laughter.
“Indeed, they are men who don’t know basic manners. Those Bellarion rats are always like that.”
It seemed the Pashayen Family had a poor history with Bellarion. Scratching my cheek, I reached for my remaining dessert. I realized I was starving again.
“Shuperti.”
The Head of House’s sudden call made me gulp down my mouthful.
“You seem to have gotten close with Iliad and Neiad. I’ve heard you met Elzen, too. Then, the only one you don’t know at this table would be Angela.”
*That’s not entirely true,* I thought. *I fought with Angela a little bit.* But since Angela remained silent, I stayed quiet as well.
“That child’s name is Angela. She is your cousin.”
“Yes.”
Was he about to tell us to get along?
“You all know that the number of Awakeners in the Pashayen Family is significantly lower compared to other families.” The Head of House looked around at everyone, his tone grave. “Because we hold the sea as a natural fortress, we don’t have to worry about invasions from abroad, but small and large disputes still occur along the borders leading to the capital.”
“…….”
“It is a time when every Awakener is precious. Do not forget this. No matter your background, as long as you are an Awakener, you are adopted into the Pashayen Family and are equal to those born of Pashayen blood.”
Grandfather looked directly at Aunt Cecilia. She narrowed her brows as if something displeased her, but she remained silent.
“Angela, since you are relatively similar in age, cherish your younger cousin and guide her.”
“Yes, great Grandfather.”
Angela answered demurely, and with that, the meal concluded.
* * *
The Pashayen Successor Education Hall housed seventeen children—a mix of adopted children, the grandchildren of the Head of House, and the grandchildren of his siblings.
All of them were Awakeners who possessed or had already manifested their Bijou. Those who weren’t had to be educated privately at home.
In truth, the purpose of the Successor Education Hall wasn’t really the lessons.
Traditionally, the ‘Class President’ of each generation becomes the next Successor. The ‘Class President’ is a figure who leads the other Awakener children while simultaneously serving as an object of both admiration and rivalry. Their existence provides the pillar for that generation of Awakeners.
Because they lead from such a young age, the family continues to function without friction even as the generations shift.
Then, what is the role of the Vice President?
It is a position that stands in for the Class President during their individual missions, a place to learn the ropes of leadership. Awakeners are assigned to key family positions once they turn fifteen. To lead an organization effectively by then, one must be prepared.
Because it was savage.
Though I’ve explained it at length, it could be summarized in a single line:
A battle of egos among adults.
Otherwise known as the “My Precious Little Baby” battle.