The Ties That Bind

After a relaxing fifteen minutes in the bathroom, I was greeted by a stern-faced Sarah; her mood perplexed me as to why she was looking at me like this.

"We're going to be late, young master,"

She asserted herself with a solemnity in her tone that called for an explanation, which I refused to provide.

"Alright, let's get moving."

I replied, rejecting her cryptic stare and motioning with an outstretched palm for her to lead the way.

"Sigh..."

As she began to direct me, she sighed quietly, her breath carrying a trace of impatience.

"I heard that sigh."

I responded, slightly amused, only to be met with more stillness.

'And she's now ignoring me.'

She was definitely acting like a jerk, in my opinion.

We arrived at the dining hall after a short walk. As I pushed the door open, I noticed three people already seated: a middle-aged man at the head of the table, a 12-year-old boy, and a 12-year-old girl to his right.

"You're late, brother,"

As I hurriedly took my seat, the young girl spoke up, her words falling on deaf ears. I was more concentrated on the assortment of delicacies in front of me.

Marine Morton, a recognizable figure from the game one of the sub-heroines. she was dressed in a pink frock that suited her long purple ponytail and flaunted the kind of baby fat that signaled she was far from mature.

"He's always late,"

Her twin sibling added his two cents, mirroring his sister's attitude. I was uninterested in their commentary. The kid, with his navy blue trousers, brown shirt, and matching purple hair, resembled Marine, though he was less talkative.Daniel Morton is his name.

I tuned out the noise and focused on the platters of food in front of me. I hadn't had such a wide range of dishes in years, so I took advantage of the opportunity to try a little bit of everything.

"Your awakening is scheduled for the following week.Be ready."

My father's words cut through my concentration.

Looking up, I noticed the middle-aged man in front of me, who appeared to be Eden's father. His muscular build and short beard were complemented by a mixture of purple and white hair, indicating his strength and age.

His name is Aldric Morton, and he is the Duke of the kingdom.

"Yes".

I responded with a simple nod because I wasn't interested in talking to him but his words did interested me,

But my concentration on the food was unaffected by that.

My thoughts returned to Eden, who had grown increasingly arrogant after his successful awakening, displaying a remarkable affinity for all the fundamental elements of magic.

My mind was filled with memories of the game's mechanics. I remembered that the awakening process included exposing children aged 13 to 15 to mana, which determined their future path.

Those with sufficient talent could become magicians, while those with less talent could become knights—the two main paths to power in this world. Becoming a knight was also a difficult task, as awakening one's aura early allows for more time for growth.

My musings drew me deeper into thought, causing me to feel strange. How could I, a person with notoriously selective memory, have such vivid recollections of a game that I played a decade ago?

[It is, indeed, a mystery.]

'Indeed,' I responded subconsciously, lost in thought until I realized something inside my head had spoken.

"And Eden, I must insist that you cease your drug use; it's been months since your engagement was called off."

My father's stern voice summoned me back to the dining hall, but his reprimand went unnoticed because I was preoccupied with the inner voice in my head.

"I'll be in my room," I said, quickly rising from my seat and leaving the table, determined to avoid any attempts to detain me.

"I'm talking to you, Eden," the table's leader said, his voice authoritative, but I had no intention of giving in to his demands.

"Do I need your permission to move now?" I fired back, turning to face him with firm resolve. I refused to submit to his authority simply because he was Eden's father; I had my own set of standards.

"You don't talk back to your elders, so show some respect," he admonished, his tone becoming sharper for a moment.

'Fuck the elders,'

I thought but didn't say it out loud because it would be too disrespectful, and I don't want to mess up before I have a plan to get out safely.

"I. Will. Be. In. My. Room" .

Before I started walking out of the hall, I said it again, empathizing with every word.