Chapter 30 : No! we are not.

Next morning...

ZZZZZZZZZZ...

The sun crept up, its rays casting a warm glow through the window, but Axis remained asleep. The recent events had clearly left the small child exhausted.

Knock, knock, knock...

...

Knock, knock, knock...

...

Knock, knock, knock...

"Who is it?" Axis mumbled, still groggy from sleep.

"Young master, it's Edgar."

"Who's Edgar?"

"Young master, I am Edgar, the personal butler of the duchess."

"Come in..."

The door creaked open, revealing a wrinkly old man with barely any hair on his head, dressed in a black and white butler suit.

"Thank you for letting me in, young master."

"Speak."

"I have come to help you get ready."

"Ready for what?"

"Breakfast, young master. The duchess has invited you to have breakfast with her."

"Does that mean I can decline?"

"Y-Young master, have mercy. These old bones of mine can't handle your pranks."

"What makes you so sure I was kidding?"

"You weren't?"

"No."

"Serious?"

"Super duper serious."

"Young master, please prepare a good burning spot for me," Edgar said, his voice filled with exaggerated despair.

Axis chuckled, finally sitting up. "Alright, alright. I'll get ready."

"Thank you, young master," Edgar sighed in relief, a small smile of gratitude on his face. "Let's get you presentable for the duchess."

Butler Edgar helped Axis bathe and get dressed quickly. Axis marveled at the old butler's proficiency.

'I have to say, I was worried considering his age, but he is even more proficient in doing chores than Ranel. Especially his mastery of magic and how he uses it to decrease the time needed,' Axis thought as Edgar dried his hair with air magic.

Getting dressed in a comfy loose white shirt and black pants, Axis looked at himself in the mirror.

"You look simply adorable right now, young master," old Edgar commented while skillfully putting shoes on Axis's small feet.

"Old Edgar, I didn't know you swung that way."

"Young master, that joke is not funny in the least," Edgar's face contracted, making his not-so-hairy head shine like a torch in the sunlight.

Following Edgar, Axis reached the dining room. It was his first time there, as he mostly ate in his own room. Sitting at the end was the duchess, waiting. Beside her sat a woman in her early thirties with dark blue hair and deep blue eyes. She was pleasing to the eyes, and unlike the cold exterior of the duchess, she felt warm.

"Oh, Axis, you are here. Come sit," the duchess invited, a small smile on her face.

"I am not sure you remember, but this is your aunt Mathrilda Hccede," the duchess introduced Mathrilda.

"Hccede... Hccede... I think I've heard the surname Hccede before," Axis mused to himself, which was picked up by both the duchess and Mathrilda, as they were both strong.

"Yes, Hccede is the name of the house of tamers, and Mathrilda is also a duchess and one of the most powerful summoners and tamers you will ever see," the duchess added.

"Hello, Aunt Hccede."

"You can call me Mathrilda or Rila like before. I don't like to use honorifics."

"Okay, Aunt Rila."

"Why don't you drop the 'Aunt' part too?"

"Hmm, I'll think about it."

"Good boy," Mathrilda said with a warm smile. "I heard you woke up. It's good to finally see you. I am sorry I couldn't come earlier. There was a beast tide in my territory keeping me busy."

Axis looked between the duchess and Mathrilda, feeling a bit more at ease. "Thank you. It's good to see you too."

"Though, Aunt Rila, what is a beast tide?"

"A beast tide is a phenomenon where a large number of beasts—whether magical, demonic, mutated, or otherwise—behave strangely and all move towards a single direction, devastating everything in their path."

"Sounds like a pain."

"It is," Mathrilda replied with a sigh.

The duchess nodded approvingly. "Now, let's eat. We have much to discuss."

Breakfast was served, and the atmosphere was surprisingly relaxed. Axis felt a strange sense of belonging as he ate with his aunt and the duchess, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time. But being blinded by the feeling is a mistake Axis won't repeat.

'This new person, Mathrilda Hccede... is she a friend or foe? Things are uncertain. Better to tread carefully,' Axis thought.

As they ate, Mathrilda asked, "So, Axis, are you going to partake in the upcoming placement and school selection? You are 5 years old this year if I remember right."

"Yes, I'm 5," Axis replied, looking curious. "What's the placement and school selection?"

Mathrilda glanced at the duchess before explaining, "The placement and school selection are events where young children with potential are tested and can choose schools based on their rankings. The higher-ranking students even get different kinds of perks from the schools."

"Sounds like a hassle," Axis replied, not particularly fond of crowded places.

"Haha, now that I think about it, you underwent mana awakening yesterday, right?"

"Yes."

"Then did you test your mana rank?"

"Yes."

"Which class were you placed under? Must be elite."

"No."

"No worries. Even common class can be great, and if someone bullies you, you can come to me."

"No."

"Ahh, sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you..."

"Mathrilda, Axis did not fail the awakening," the duchess intercepted her.

"I was placed in the special class," said Axis while drinking some water.

"You were placed in the special cl—what?" Mathrilda looked at the duchess, who simply nodded.

"Mother-son duo is not kidding with me, right?"

"Yes, we are," the duchess commented.

"No, we are not," Axis interjected, throwing the scroll containing information about his class assignment towards Mathrilda.

...

Hello readers this is any_sirel hope you are having a good time reading the novel and continue to do so.

my update frequency will be a mess cause I am a university student and it has started though I will try to update as often as possible.

though to be fair when collections hit 100 I will upload 5 chapters and when viewer count hits 50k I will upload 5 chapters as bonus as fast as possible.

Thank you for understanding.