First step - chapter 2 part 3

The audience welcomed us as soon as we entered the hall.

[Audience] - Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Leone!

[Audience] - Miss Annet looks as radiant as ever.

[Audience] - Is that the young sir!? He looks so much like his mother, but it should be noted that he has his father's golden hair, just as attractive, ho ho ho (noble laugh).

[Lucius] - Neo, all these people came here just to see you. You're the star tonight.

[Annet] - Although it's true we wanted to throw you a party for your smile, and I still insist on throwing you one, this party is for your arrival in our lives. Moreover, it's your debut as the newest member of the Leone family.

My first thought was: Did they really want to do such a thing for a smile? It wasn't even a smile.

The appearance of my parents, the hosts of the party, was more than notable. My mother, a war heroine admired by all, and my father, an eight-circle mage who helps protect the kingdom's borders and maintains diplomacy. Now that I think about it, father isn't so useless after all.

[Lucius] - Ah! Achoo!

- It's okay, Mr. Lucius.

[Lucius] - Ah, yes, I'm fine, someone must have been talking about me.

After the guests' welcome, I saw a horde of beasts approaching me, but it was already too late, I was captured by them.

[Neo] - "Well, let's be positive. At least today I managed to control my hands, though I can only open and close them. It's something." - With that thought, I stayed calm while surrounded by beasts elegantly dressed in suits, whom my mother called friends.

- But how cute he is, he looks so much like you, Annet - said one of the nobles while pinching my cheeks.

[Neo] - "Stop pinching."

[Annet] - Haha, do you think so? I say he turned out identical to his father.

- He'll be a heartbreaker when he grows up, ho ho - Mother was blushing from her friends' comments about me.

[Annet] - My little Neo, you're quite the Adonis, huh. You're already driving these lovely ladies crazy at your age.

I was already sweating from all the movement. One after another took me in their arms. I felt like a beach ball bouncing from hand to hand.

In an attempt to escape that exhausting situation, I looked over to where my father was, but...

[Lucius] - Hip, stop right there, guys!

[Safien] - Come on, Lu, let's celebrate! Hahaha.

- Exactly, come on, another drink.

[Neo] - "And now I've lost him, there goes my only means of salvation." - I could only sigh.

Father was also attacked by beasts he called friends. Though they were nobles and drunk, they still maintained their elegance while drinking.

After a while, the ladies got tired and went to enjoy the party. I thought they would never get tired until they left. Mother continued introducing me to the guests.

Due to my parents' influences, all these people came here to meet the son and future heir of the Leone family. But their true intentions were different, as they brought their children, making me play with them in hopes of establishing a connection from such an early age.

But what kind of connection are they seeking? I'm just a baby, I can't even hold a conversation. There's nothing to gain for my plan.

[Mothers from different families] - Oh dear, don't you think little Neo would like to play with the others?

[Annet] - Hmm? I think it would be good for Neo to interact with others his age, though he's not even three months old yet - Mother hesitated, looking at me.

[Neo] - "Why are you looking at me like that? I can't even move properly and you want to leave me with a bunch of snotty kids." - To avoid being covered in mucus, I turned my head side to side trying to say "No."

But my mother understood something else.

[Annet] - What do you say, Neo? Do you want to play with the other kids?

[Neo] - "I'm saying no! For goodness' sake, don't do it, those snot, no!" - I kept shaking my head side to side saying no, but it was in vain.

I saw how she left me at the mercy of these kids. It's not the first time they've betrayed me, I'm already used to it.

[Annet] - Well, have fun, Neo!

I waved my arms nonstop for someone to get me out of that chaos, but it was all in vain. As I plunged into that ball of kids, slowly sinking among their drool, I sighed accepting my fate.

But I was saved by mysterious hands that lifted me from the pile of drool.

- Oh, so it's you, isn't it, Neo?

I put on a puzzled face as I looked at the older man who had lifted me. I turned my head to the side, and he did the same at the same time as me. There we could be seen as an older man and a baby wondering who the other is.

[Neo] - Hmm? "Doesn't matter who he is, but he saved me."

- Hmm? "Is it really him?"

We were interrupted by someone: my mother, who came quickly with a smile and joy in her eyes, as if she had seen someone she hadn't seen in a long time.

[Annet] - Oh, father, it's you! I didn't know you could come from so far away.

At that moment, all the guests were surprised, except me, who was just tired of everything.

[Guests] - It's him! The Lord of War.

[Neo] - Is he my… grandfather?

Lydo, former patriarch of the Leone clan, known as the Lord of War for his past exploits. It is said that he wiped out an enemy army alone, besides being a monster in battle. His silhouette looked like a god descended to earth to wage war, hence his nickname.

[Lydo] - My dear daughter, after learning of his birth, I came as quickly as possible to see my grandson and arrived just in time for his debut. Although your mother will arrive in a few days along with the carriage.

[Annet] - And how did you get here then?

[Lydo] - I came running.

[Annet] - ... Ah - Mother was speechless, it was from the excitement. No, it wasn't that, it was more because of the sweat Lydo was shedding, though he didn't stink.

The presence of the Lord of War was impressive, but the most surprising was how he acted with his family, in every sense of the word, he was adorable, the way he acted with his daughter.

[Audience] - How… adorable!

[Neo] - "I don't know what they're talking about, but I'm suffocating here."

My grandfather, who felt the audience's gazes, said:

[Lydo] - What are you looking at, never seen a man hug his daughter! Eh! - with a piercing look made the guests avert their eyes and wander off.

My father saw the atmosphere getting tense and went over to my grandfather to calm him down.

[Lucius] - Oh. But if it isn't my dear father-in-law.

I stared at my father - "Now you're sane, aren't you?"

[Lydo] - How are you, Lucius? Haha, I hope my daughter isn't giving you trouble.

Father responded nervously.

[Lucius] - How could she, except that time she almost filleted me, haha...ha Please, sir, save me!

[Annet] - Haha... What did you say, dear? - She drew her sword, ready to fillet him.

Father felt a chill and a fear that ran through his body.

[Lucius] - Ay! Nothing, dear! Please, put that down, dear, dear Ahh! Let the wind become one and protect me! - Casting a spell to protect himself.

That day my father almost died filleted.

[Lydo] - Well, where's my grandson?

Mother, after having hit my father, responded:

[Annet] - You have him in your arms - pointing at me.

[Lydo] - Is that so?

[Annet] - Yes.

[Lydo] - I see, haha.

[Lydo] - So you, little one, are my grandson – My grandfather looked at me closely, as if examining me, then I saw a smile of confidence and joy. After that, I received a hug from him.

Like father, like son. The old man's hug almost sent me to the beyond. I survived, thanks again, to my father's intervention.

[Lydo] - Nice to meet you, Neo.

[Neo] - A bu búa "I can't detach myself because of his sweat."

[Annet] - It seems he's taken a liking to you, dad.

[Lydo] - You think so.

[Annet] - I think so, because he doesn't want to detach from you, look - My mother tried to separate me from my grandfather and couldn't.

Of course I can't, all his sweat stuck to his hands and got onto my clothes.

[Lucius] - Come on, Neo, come to daddy.

[Neo] - Mmm "Help me" - Though I tried for him to help me, he understood something else. In his eyes, he believed I was ignoring him.

Lucius was emotionally hurt by his son or so he thought.

[Lucius] - I think I'll throw myself out the window.

My father spoke seriously as he headed to the windows, opened one and started to lean out

. My mother quickly went after him, grabbing him by the feet.

[Annet] - What the hell are you trying to do, IDIOT!?

Lucius was determined in his goal.

[Lucius] - What else could I do? I'll throw myself and end my suffering.

[Annet] - What are you talking about now?

[Lucius] - What do you mean what am I talking about? My only son completely ignored me, but above all, I never saw him as happy as now. I'm so jealous that my father-in-law is more loved by my son than I am, his own father.

Happy? That's your distorted image of me. What I feel now is sweat and a strange sticky sensation.

[Lucius] - Nothing else remains for me in this world, so let me go.

[Annet] - Are you stupid or what? - Mother hit him on the head.

[Lucius] - Ouch - he fainted from the blow.

My mother was dragging my father on the floor, while the guests seemed already accustomed to this type of scene.

[Annet] - Ho ho! I apologize for the commotion. Don't worry, guests, my dear will be fine.

My father was not fine at all, he was foaming at the mouth and his eyes were spinning.

[Lucius] - Ad... hel... help me - he whispered.

[Annet] - Hehe, let the party continue - "Snap!" My mother snapped her fingers, and the band started playing.

[Annet] - Well, if you'll excuse me, father, I'll go get my husband to recover. Is it okay if I leave Neo with you for a few moments?

[Lydo] - Sure, haha – he laughed nervously, fearing the same might happen to him.

My grandfather, who I couldn't detach from due to the sweat, carried me around the hall, talking to the guests, introducing me.

To the party came various nobles from different parts of the kingdom. Among the guests, I could recognize several names that appeared in the novel, like that man who was drinking with my father at the beginning of the debut.

His name is Safien, baron of the Salien family. In the novel, he is one of the first to support the hero after his sick daughter is cured with a mana core from a rare beast, which the hero obtained on one of his missions in the "Solaris Academy."

Also the older, rough-looking man over there, chatting with a member of my clan. He is Marquis Eyder of the Lawrence clan, who will train the hero in the second arc. Eyder is a great warrior thanks to his clan, just like the Leone, they are also a family of warriors protecting the kingdom's border.

The Leone and Lawrence are like brothers-in-arms, both protect the kingdom in wars, guarding the borders from invaders. As for how they get along with each other... well.

- I still remember when I saved your ass in the last war, you screamed like a girl, hahaha.

[Eyder] - That's not how I remember it. It was I who saved your ass when you were surrounded by Aridia warriors.

- Ha, what are you saying, fat ass, it was me who saved you from those warriors.

[Eyder] - Ha, what are you saying, you fat ass, eh!

- Eh!

[Eyder] - Eh!

They said with a sarcastic and intimidating tone while looking each other in the eyes.

[Eyder] - Pfft... hahaha.

- Pfft... hahaha.

Well, you could say both families get along...

Hours passed and night fell. I was introduced to all the guests. Besides meeting some secondary characters from the novel, although without much relevance to the main story.