The Great Begining

It was early morning of a new day. The small town of Mondo was filled with refreshing chattering of the nature.

People had just started getting up in the town.

In the south side of the town.

"Have you heard? Apparently Lady Zerst has awakened their family's bloodline!" A person approached his neighbour and suddenly dragged him into a conversation.

"I have! Not only has Lady Zerst awakened her family's Zerst bloodline, I have heard that she was also admitted to the Great Rise Academy, the best Bloodline Discipline Academy in our Ranze Empire." The neighbour, who seemed to be gardening, was actually waiting for his neighbour to take bait. He immediately stopped his work, and suddenly responded.

"Such a thing happened? How come I haven't heard of it?" The starter of the conversation gasped in suprise and disbelief.

The suprised look on his neighbour satisfied the dark ego of the second person.

After all, The Great Rise Academy was too well known. It was the dream academy for all bloodline familes of their empire. And it was said that only one in thousand applicants passed the hurdle called the Great Entrance test!

"Hehe." The other person chuckled and with an unnaturally proud face started explaining.

"You see, it was top secret information! You know my wife works in the same street as my mother in law right! When she went to work yesterday, my mother in law called her up and mentioned that she had apparently heard a piece of interesting information from her cousin, who apparently works in the same street as the Zerst family's cook's family. When my wife asked her mother to share what it was, my mother in law mentioned that her cousin had overheard that the Zerst Family's cook had returned from her work from her neighbour, so she went up to talk to the cook cause she knew that Lady Zerst had awakened the Zerst Bloodline, and it was at that time, she met a random passerby who said he was from the Great Rise academy and wanted to know where the Zerst family lived!"

"..."

"..."

"Why are you looking at me like that? Why are you removing your shoes?!" The one with the proud look suddenly felt something wrong with the other's actions!

"I just wanted to find out if my shoes were edible?" The first guy looked at his yellow coloured shoes that he had worn for the past three years with a blank look on his face.

"What... Don't... don't come near me..."

Such daily conversations were common across this small town.

....

At the Zerst Residence, in the Guest Hall.

A middle aged man, with long silver hair neatly combed in the middle, and wearing a professional brown coloured suit was sitting at the guest table. On the table was a cup of nice smelling tea.

Entertaining this 'guest from afar' was Master Zerst, the twin brother of Lady Zerst.

"Master Zerst, I will be honest here. I accidentally came across news that Lady Zerst has awakened the Zerst Bloodline and have come here to invite her lady for enrollment in the Great Rise academy." Dean, the silver haired man removed the hat he was wearing and placed it beside the tea cup.

Master Zerst looked at the hat and had a disturbing thought.

'He is going to forget the hat isn't he?'

"'Honest', 'Accidentely'... You say? These two words don't go well together, do they?" Master Zerst shook his head slightly, not believing the words of this stranger.

Dean maintained his facial expressions and gave out nothing. He just continued. "You should know how hard it is for those who awaken. Their only chance to improve is in rare resources, resources that you have no chance of getting your hands on. Especially now, when you and your sister are literally the last remaining members of the Zerst family. The academy.."

"My mother." Master Zerst interrupted Dean.

"What?" Dean was confused.

"Me, My Sister, and my mother are the final members of the Zerst family."

"Oh. Sorry for my negligence! Anyway, you know how important the academy is to Lady Zerst right?" Dean apologized properly.

"I know. I would have gone to the academy if you hadn't come here to find us on your own.. The academy owes a lot to my Zerst family..." Master Zerst dismissed Dean like it was a natural thing.

"Hmm, I will take that as an Yes. I expect to see Lady Zerst present for the next Great Entrance test..." Dean got up, prepared to leave. He wanted the satisfaction of having the final sentence in their conversation.

Though he maintained professional attitude and did not show any emotions on his rather chubby face, he was little uncomfortable talking to Master Zerst, who held the higher position in this conversation.

"You, 'You' expect?" Master Zerst gave Dean a side eye?

"..."

"I meant the academy, the academy expects to see Lady Zerst for the next Great Entrance test.." Dean hurriedly turned around to leave.

He kinda did not want the final sentence of their conversation now.

"Great. But Dean.." Master Zerst nodded towards the retreating figure of Dean, who was walking so fast that he was faster than most athletes running.

Dean who misunderstood that Master Zerst was finding fault with The Great Rise Acedemy, just staight up started running and within a second, he was out of Zerst family residence.

"Your hat...."

....

Late into the night.

In the Guest Hall of the Zerst Residence, Master Zerst hadn't left the hall since his meeting with Dean. He had been in deep thought ever since Dean's departure!

"Zerst.. you're still awake?" Lady Zerst entered the hall, yawning. She had just got up from her beauty sleep, and came right away to see her twin.

"Mmh."

"What is it? What are you thinking about?" Lady Zerst sat on his chair, occupying half of it in the process and pushing him to one side of the chair.

"I am planning our next steps in the Academy. There is only a month before their Entrance Test, I need to prepare for our Academy life." Master Zerst did not mind sharing his chair with his twin.

"The world is at peace. We have all the time we need to accomplish our goal at the academy. Thus, you can rest now" Lady zerst yawned, leaning on his shoulders to relax.

Master Zerst agreed with lady Zerst.

He closed his eyes, away from his usual meticulous thoughts, he drifted into the dreamland.

And in that Dreamland, he once again saw his ancestors, who looked at him in concern with their awe inspiring stature.

"He has it tough..."

He heard his ancestors say, before the Dreamland collapsed and he finally rested... for the day.