Chapter 30: Conditon

Jash had thought long and hard about how to tell his parents about awakening, but he decided to be just direct with it.

But he found it a bit odd that his parents had already started breakfast without waiting for Caera or asking about his well-being.

'Whatever. That's not relevant for now,' decided Jash before dropping a bombshell remark.

"Dad, I want to try awakening."

Jash barely stifled his laughter at his parents' reaction to his words.

Carcel almost choked on his food while Sera spat her food directly onto his face, stunning him further.

Without skipping a beat, Jash felt Sera touch his forehead before asking, "What got into you, Jash?"

"Did something happen again?"

"Tell me what happened?" Sera said in a cold voice. She never thought her son, who disliked training and always denied Carcel's bow training, would ask for something like this.

'She won't stop if I don't respond...' Jash thought, knowing his mother and chose to interrupt her before she could question him further.

"Mom, it's not like that. I just found the motivation to awaken myself, but if you don't want me to do it, then never mind..."

​"NOOO! WAIT!" Carcel shouted, midway through cleaning himself with a napkin. He got the chance he always wished for, and would he waste it now? Hell no!

He was a smart man, so he knew if he questioned Jash anymore, he would most likely lose his motivation he just found towards awakening.

Despite being an extremely loving father towards his children, Carcel did not want his son to lag behind others his age and would always try to persuade him to just watch him train, if not train with him.

But Jash just liked to lay around, always declining as if he had some stringent hatred for fighting. Carcel would love to be harsh on his son, but his wife's death glares would always strike whenever he tried to do so.

"I will tell Edward to arrange everything by tomorrow. Don't word–"

Jash felt like jumping up and down in joy after hearing those words, but his happiness deflated as his mother immediately interrupted.

—Bam!

"NO WAY! How can you even allow it? After everything that happened!"

Sera slammed her palm on the table in anger at her husband, who had acquiesced so readily!

She had just been stumped for a second, processing the conversation and he already agreed. It didn't sit well with her at all!

"You can't just–"

Interrupting his mother's speech, Jash asked, "Mom, didn't you want me to awaken last year only?"

He knew what was going on in his mother's head and wanted to find a compromise to awaken before something untimely happened.

'It was one thing for me to be lazy and not awaken, but if I know a potential future, I would be the most idiotic person alive if I don't try to change it!'

Thinking so, he added, "And what's the guarantee that whatever happened to me will not happen if I don't awaken?"

"Don't you both still go out and fight monsters at the same level as you, if not stronger. Even grandpa has to do it!"

Jash shifted his gaze to his father right after he finished his sentence, hoping for timely help, and he wasn't disappointed.

"He's right, Sera. Even we don't know what unknown danger lurks behind, let alone him. Awakening and growing stronger will at least provide him with a chance to fight back. It's all for the best."

Carcel explained in his usual stoic voice, yet the excitement on his face couldn't be hidden from his wife.

"Battle Freak," Sera mumbled in a low voice, only audible to her and Carcel, who chose to ignore his wife's whining.

Sera's heart pained, learning of her son's ailment. She was just too soft and caring, only to her family though.

If she could have her way, she wouldn't allow any of her children to become Hunters and fight for their lives. Her heart always wanted her son to smile and be like other children but she didn't know what could make him give up being lazy.

Unfortunately, the world they lived in wasn't so kind to anyone, forcing her to steel her heart and approve her son's awakening, in hopes of it changing his disposition.

"Alright, I will allow you to awaken, but on one condition," she sighed, addressing Jash. Yet she was firm on her condition.

Naturally, Jash couldn't be happier as this outcome was more than welcome from his side.

"You will have to get checked by a priest from the church, who will arrive in a few hours."

Hearing Sera's stern voice, Jash was momentarily stunned before he nodded readily.

'Great! I can ask about the protagonist or the other guy!'

Unknown to his parents, Jash found this to be a great opportunity and refrained from speaking anymore.

'If only I could go to the church myself...'

While Jash hoped so inwardly, he knew it was a far fetched dream.

Firstly, he was a duke's son, so his parents wouldn't allow him to go on a normal day, let alone right after he was targeted.

Bringing him out his reverie was his mother's gentle tone, "Since you wish to awaken, you should know one thing: As you are awakening a bit later than others, you might find yourself a bit behind but don't let it get to you, okay?"

Jash could sense Sera's worry from her words alone. 'She probably thinks I might compare myself to others and get depressed.'

"Whatever results you get from awakening, don't forget you are the son of Ramille and nobody can look down on you," Carcel added while clearing his mouth as he finished his food, easing Sera's tension at the same time.

"You guys..." Jash felt a little emotional as a warm smile crossed his lips. "Mom, Dad, you need not worry. I know what I am doing."

Taking a deep breath, he finished resolutely, "Knowing me, do you think I will care enough to get depressed?"

After finishing speaking, Jash got up to leave the room as he too had finished his dinner while subconsciously a determined smile emerged on his face.

***

{A/N}

I have guests at home so only one chapter today. I will try to make it up to you guys tomorrow.