Dark Clouds, Brewing Storm

"Ahhh!!!" in her room, the defeated Olivia cries in anguish while punching her pillows. "fuck , fuck, fuck. Why? It's so unfair?" she stops to catch her breath. Tears welling up her eyes, dripping in big droplets onto her pillow.

"I worked so hard, everyone is always better than me." Olivia continued sobbing and hugged the battered pillow. The young lady didn't know for how long she cried, but it's probably long enough for someone to come check on her, or maybe it's that person…

Reluctantly Olivia stood up, cleaned her face, and fixed her clothes to be presentable enough. Putting on her usual resting bitch face she answers the door. There stands William, her twin brother. He looked worried, it was pathetic.

"Hello Via, are you okay?" he asked in a quiet voice , as if she is an animal easily scared with loud noises. Her ears wanted to bleed, it sounds so weak, how dare this guy call her his sister.

"The fuck do you want, are you here to fuckin rejoice, to immortalized the look to rub it on my face that i fucking lost?" She screamed, William didn't flinch, he's already used to her outrage. It's always like this, her screaming, throwing tantrums and him not understanding why.

"I came to check on you, I was worried, you didn't look good earlier."

"Shut the fuck up, we all know that you aren't here for that, go away, your face makes me sick."

Before William can say anything, Olivia slammers the door shut, she doesn't need his pity. There's no time for crying anymore, it just came to her that they are in a competition, she needs to train, to get stronger.

The sky looks darker now, it's still summer, but it'll soon end. Alone in the activity hall, Olivia trains, beating the dummies with a wooden sword, tears mixing into her sweat. She works hard, hard enough to make her palm bleed because of the tight grip on the hilt of the sword.

In their shared room, Roosevelt continues reading, occasionally glancing out the window, while Lactiflora is fully immersed in her sketchbook.

"A storm is brewing…" He mumbles, but thanks to Lactiflora's super hearing, she hears him.

"Mmm, better stay inside." and went back to what they were doing. It was unspoken but they both knew they weren't talking about the weather.

"Tomorrow, before the first test starts, the children will be evaluated, they will pick their colors, as well as the weapon with their family sigil." The youthful family head is now preparing for the test. This generation feels different, it actually feels like they can decrown her, at the same time it didn't.

"That would be a pity." she commented on her own thoughts. The three head butlers looked at each other confused, which made the head chuckle.

"Ah… last time there were 24 participants…" Her smile looked fond, but her eyes didn't. At this rate, if this generation fails, she might wait another 300 years to get demoted, their blood is either getting weaker or they are losing interest with the position. Mind you there's a lot of benefits.

"Anyways, while the ceremony of receiving their colors and sigil is occurring I want Elijah and Benjamin to prepare the forest of the Baskerville sword, make sure that there is no pest running around…" the last part seems more personal and filled with venom. With a snap of her fingers two of the butlers teleported to start with the order, while Rei stood still in the presence of Lunaria.

"And you, you will announce the happenings tomorrow, as well as the orderliness during the event."

"Yes, head."

"You're excused."

"Colors?" In his bed Sakura woke up, it was already 4 in the afternoon. Rubbing his eyes, he sighed, he just obtained the power of divination 2 days before arriving. Although it's still weak and untrained, the visions are getting clearer, day by day.

He remembered his usually quiet father almost jumping with joy after finding out that his 9th son has divination powers like him, but was cut short when the head arrived in their estate. He remembered how his father cried and clawed at the guards as they took Sakura from him. He almost cried at the memory.

"Don't worry chichi, haha, I will return."

His mind then strayed to the Bellrose twin. He remembered how that swordswoman used mana, she shouldn't be able to yet, because she is not born to manipulate them, he knows because he can feel it. On the other hand, Roosevelt, the one he sat next during the first dinner is extremely powerful, it scares him.

Sakura thought to himself, the test hasn't started yet, but it feels like he already knew the victor. On the back of his mind he stomped off the idea that neither Lactiflora nor Roosevelt wanted to be the new head.

Looking out the window, he noticed the lingering dark clouds, that won't do. The atmosphere in the manor feels gloomier, it will make him sadder.

Raising his right hand, with a flick the Dark clouds dissipates, revealing the clear skies.

"Hmm, much better."

Everyone in the manor feels less lethargic. Including Olivia in the activity hall calmed down as if realization washes down on her, and the heavy feeling of jealousy disappears.

"That was so childish." She laughs in a more genuine tone.