Chapter 6: Birthday Shock

Neo's new training equipment proved to be quite useful in advancing his training, he had been doing nothing but learning how to swing and slash his sword in all sorts of different ways, and with those pipe discs throwing mana balls at him, he could finally put his sword to good use.

The first speed level despite not being that fast was a bit difficult for him to get through especially when he had to avoid some of the balls because he couldn't block all of them at the same time but after a while, he began to get used to it.

Luna promised to get him something new once he turned seven under the condition that he would master the third speed level and that meant being able to block and parry all the balls without allowing any of them to get past him or hit him.

That was his challenge for the year and as expected, he was able to smash it just before his seventh birthday, a week before his seventh birthday to be precise and everyone in the household was there to witness.

That was the reason why Henry decided to throw a little party for him to celebrate his seventh birthday.

It was on the tenth day of July that everyone in the Estevao household including the maids and guards gathered in the living room to celebrate Neo's seventh birthday.

However, they weren't the only ones present for the party, Henry said it was going to be a small party but he still went out of his way to invite three of his friends and their families.

The seventh year was the standard age for most people to awaken their ability so he wanted to introduce his son to them before that happened since they had been asking to see him.

Two of them came with their wives and one of them and among the two that came with their wives, one of them brought along a third person.

The party was already getting started as noon was slowly drawing closer but Neo was still in his room, he was already dressed in a black tuxedo so all he had to do was head out but he was just sitting there on his bed staring at the floor.

It was obvious from his face that something was bothering him.

'The only time I ever got a party thrown for me in my past life was when I turned seven and that was when mother….'

He suddenly heard a knock on his door at that moment disconnecting him from his thought as he turned to the door.

He was planning on ignoring it but then the knock came again.

"It's open." He remarked with a sigh of defeat.

It took a few seconds after he said that for the door to be slowly pushed open and in walked the person he was expecting the least to show up at his door.

He was expecting to see his mother or Emilia at least but the person who just walked in was neither of those two rather it was one of the other maids.

A young lady with short blonde hair and blue eyes that could only be seen through her glasses, she had a slender build and although she wasn't as well endowed as Emilia she still had a good body.

Nicole was apparently the oldest of the three maids but nobody would know that just by looking at her, she mostly kept to herself and didn't like talking that much.

"Young master." She called just as she stepped into the room.

"Oh, it's just you, Nicole."

"Yes, Lady Luna asked me to get you." She remarked.

"Oh, okay, I was about to start heading down anyway." He said before getting up on his feet.

He slowly walked past her and was about to leave through the door when she said something to him.

"Is something bothering you?" She asked.

"Huh?"

He suddenly stopped right in front of the door before slowly turning to her.

"Do I look like something's bothering me?"

"Yes, your facial expression is usually brighter than that. Also, I've seen that look on many people's faces before and they all told me that something was bothering me." She disclosed.

"Oh, I see."

'I guess she has always been the perceptive kind but….'

His gaze slowly shifted to her face at that moment before he quickly lowered it.

'Has she always been this good-looking?'

"Young master?" Nicole called after realizing that he had been staring at her a bit too much.

"Don't worry, Nicole, I'm fine, there's nothing bothering me." He blurted before turning to open the door. "I'll head downstairs now."

"One more thing, young master," Nicole uttered just before he could leave the room.

"What is it?"

"Happy birthday." She said with a subtle smile, something that caught Neo off guard.

'So, she really does smile.'

"Thank you." He nodded before walking out of the room, closing the door behind him.

'I guess there really isn't anything to be worried about, there might be clear similarities but that doesn't mean there aren't any big differences. I expected the maids here to have the same dynamic as the ones over there seeing how Emilia was so similar to Cecilia but that doesn't seem to be the case, I expected Nicole to be just like Miss. Stella because she has that kind of vibe but unlike her, she isn't indifferent about the things happening around her and puts in the effort to show that she cares.'

He got to the staircase at that moment, and without hesitation, he began to head down there, observing everything going on down there in the process.

His father seemed to be standing beside her mother in a black tuxedo similar to the one he was wearing while his mother was in a pretty silver dress that had a somewhat blueish tone to it.

There was slow melodic music playing in the background with the maids attending to the few guests they had.

His parents seemed to be talking to the invited guests when Henry suddenly turned around to spot him making his way downstairs.

"Look at that, the birthday boy finally decided to show himself." He said with a bright smile on his face.

Luna quickly turned to the stairs at that moment, and as soon as she spotted her son a smile appeared on her face.

"It's not nice to keep us waiting, big man."

"Oh, so this is Neo." The middle-aged man standing in front of them said before taking a sip from the glass of wine he was holding.

"Oh goodness, Luna, he looks just like you." The woman beside him commented with her gaze on Luna.

"True, but he did get a few things from his father," Luna replied.

"Oh? Like what?"

"Hmmm, tardiness perhaps." She remarked.

"Tardiness?" She chuckled with her hand covering her mouth as she slowly shifted her gaze to Henry who had an awkward smile on his face. "You say the most hilarious things, Luna."

"I do?"

Henry didn't waste any time introducing his son to his friends as soon as he got down and at the moment, Neo was stuck talking to the couple his parents were talking to before he got down.

"You're turning seven today, correct, Neo?" The man asked with his gaze on him.

"Yes."

"I see, that means you'll be awakening your ability soon, I wonder what it'll be, fire just like Henry, maybe your mother's lightning or something entirely different."

"Our little girl will be turning seven next year but I guess that doesn't since she's already awakened her ability." The wife chimed in.

'Her daughter, I guess that must be the one hiding behind her.' Neo said inwardly.

"Oh, yeah, my apologies I should have introduced you to her earlier." The man said before turning to grab the little girl hiding behind his wife by the arm. "Come, Miriam, you can't hide behind your mother forever."

It didn't take him long to pull her out of her mother's back and now Neo was looking at a girl about his age with red hair tied back into a ponytail and sky-blue eyes.

"Um….hello." She stuttered.

"This is our first daughter, Miriam Telnah."

Neo slowly scanned her from head to toe and after that, he only had one thing to say to himself.

'I guess it's nice to finally get to see someone around my age, she doesn't look like she wants to be here though which is understandable because I sort of feel the same way.'

"Oh, little Miriam," Luna uttered before quickly making her way to the little girl. "I haven't seen you since you were just a baby."

"Hello." The little girl muttered looking more overwhelmed.

Luna sort of sensed this as she slowly took a step back to give her some space.

"So, what ability did she awaken?" She asked, looking at the mother.

"Water." She responded.

"It's the same ability my mother has." The husband chimed in. "However, for some reason hers has healing properties."

"Really? That sounds like it could be useful." Luna said before turning her gaze to Miriam.

She stared at her for a few seconds before turning to Neo.

"I hope you get along with her, okay?"

'Yeah, if she doesn't make it too difficult.'

"Anyway, come over here for a second, I want to show you something." She uttered before grabbing Neo by his arm pulling him toward the door.

'What does she want to show me now?' He sighed inwardly.

"So, what did you want to show me?" He asked as soon as she let go of him.

"Well, I said show but I meant give."

"Give?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to give you a little something before the party starts so you don't mistake it for your actual birthday present." She explained.

"Oh, what is it then?"

"This." She said before revealing what she was hiding behind her back and right at that moment, Neo saw a vivid image of his reality cracking.

'This can't be?'

All the other similarities didn't feel that special to him but this one, this one was way too specific.

'It doesn't make sense for her to have that and why would she decide to give it to me now on my seventh birthday?'

He had lost his red bracelet when he lost his life in his former world but right now his mother was holding a replica of that bracelet, there was no mistaking it.

'I thought it was all just a coincidence but the significant parts seem to be happening exactly and that bracelet….'

His mind suddenly flashed back to the bracelet exploding when he was in that dark astral plane and right at that moment he felt a stinging pain in his head.

"Arghhh!" He cried out in pain with his left hand on his forehead.

'What's going on? Why is everywhere turning dark?'

"Neo," Luna called with mixed expressions of confusion and terror written all over her face. "What's wrong, Neo?" Her voice quavered.

She reached for him to try and calm him down but before she could get her hand on him, he crashed to the floor and passed out.

"Neo, no." She gasped with a terrified look on her face.