Roots(1)

My name is Lucy Gracefield ; born into a clan situated on the outskirts of the city. Nestled on the fringes of the bustling city, the Gracefield village flourishes amidst verdant greenery and towering trees. With its idyllic setting, the village boasts around a hundred charming homes, making it a sizable community in its own right. Surrounded by nature's embrace, the village exudes tranquility and a sense of connection with the earth, providing a serene retreat from the urban hustle and bustle just beyond its borders.

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I was born out of sin, and my birth took my mother's life. Since that day, I have never truly left my home. I don't speak to my brothers or my father, and whenever I see them, I can feel the hatred in their eyes,

They kept me locked up at home, not allowing anyone to see me. People didn't usually ask questions because my father was the head of the clan. My mother was not a native of the village, a C+ranker who fell in love with my dad and chose to stay behind in the village ,

My father and mother loved each other deeply, and they had three sons. On the night of my birth, it was a moonless night—a time when the moon does not cast its light, a night shrouded in darkness. It was believed that no life should be born on such a night, a night that was destined for my death. Yet, it was on this very night that I was given life.

On that night, I was born. I was meant to be dead, but instead, I took my mother's life. I am a murderer, stained with my mother's blood—or so my father said, and my brothers echoed. That's what I was made to believe, and that's what I want to believe. Since the day I was born, I have not gone outside or met anyone. I've only stayed inside, going downstairs to eat with my family. When we sit around the table, the only sounds are those of forks and knives scraping against plates,

"How was your day, Dave?" my dad asked my eldest brother.

"It was alright," Dave replied. "I just broke through to the next rank. I'm now a D-rank. I hope I can become as strong as Mom someday."

He stared at me with scorn and hatred. My mother was the strongest ranker in our village. We didn't have many strong rankers—my dad was the strongest, a D+ ranker, while my mother was a C+ ranker. She was a city ranker who stayed behind out of love for my dad.

My dad then turned to me and said, "Tomorrow, you'll be turning five, which I didn't know because they never celebrate my birthday. You'll undergo the ritual to awaken your innate ability, and I hope you won't disappoint us. At least, then you might be useful and redeem yourself for killing your mother, my wife."

When my dad said these things, he and my brothers looked at me with hate and disgust. They left the table without bothering to finish their Food , leaving me alone .