Chapter 9: Beginning

"I want to put him up for adoption," Zeoticus said after much deliberation trying his best to be gentle in his words.

"what?! Zeoticus what're you saying he is still our child!" Venelana said completely opposed to the idea almost instantaneously, a small bulge in her stomach, indicating she was pregnant.

"Darling please…hear me out I know he is our child but…I don't think we can love him properly," Zeoticus answered putting a calm comforting hand on Venelana's thigh, His eyes filled with just as much desperation as Venelana's for this decision.

"What do you mean we can't love him properly?" She said after a moment of soundlessness.

"Think about it We have a third child on the way who will most likely have Demonic energy it'll require much more of our attention and care than Aureolus…I-I don't want to do this just as much as you but I think it's for the best." Zeoticus said using all of his acting skills to make Venelana feel that he cares.

"I-I no Zeoticus I'm sure we can care for him properly." Venelana said hesitantly can they?… Venelana thought back to the past seven years each year she slowly grew more and more distant towards Aureolus.

She still cared deeply for him, Loved him to death but she couldn't deny that she was being slightly neglectful towards him even if it was unconscious, The last time they had dinner with him was two years ago.

For crying out loud the boy had been in Olympus for the past six months and she only noticed his disappearance after three days to which she asked Zeoticus where he had gone.

"No, I think I'd be better if we gave him to a more loving and caring home other than us," Zeoticus answered.

"But how would he be able to just find another home? And forget about us?" That was also a glaring problem Venelana saw how would Aureolus react to that?

"We can wipe his memories and let him start anew with a loving and caring home." venelana's eyes widened at that growing angry.

"Zeoticus that is cruel We can't that is still our flesh and blood!" Her voice was trembling on the verge of breaking down, It was a cruel fate for a mother to abandon her child and hand over her flesh and blood to another.

"How else can we venelana?! I don't want to do this as much as you but...I care about our child this is why I'm doing this It hurts my very soul to do this but I know this is the right course of action for us and him," Zeoticus said trying to guilt trip Venelana.

"Venelana listen to me…If you care about him truly like I do, Then you won't be selfish and let this happen this is the best for him, He will have a loving caring new home forgetting all about us, It'll be painless for him but painful for us." Zeoticus perfectly reversed black and white turning him and Venelana into the victims.

"I-i…I don't know dear...what about Sirzechs? Surely sirzechs won't stand by this?" Venelana said giving it a moment of thought subconsciously she wasn't opposed to the idea but denied it fervently.

"Sirzechs can't interfere with the family's politics…This is our decision as the king and queen of the Gremory family he isn't allowed to interfere no matter how much he wants to." Zeoticus had already thought of everything and was determined to erase the stain upon the bloodline.

"I still don't fully agree with this Zeoticus..he's still our child.…" Venelana struggled her eyes betraying deep hesitation and sadness.

"Venelana you're being selfish honey please this is for Aureolus," Zeoticus said his voice like honey.

"How am I being selfish for wanting to care for my child?!" That was Venelana's reverse scale her pride as a mother shouldn't be challenged.

"Because you're allowing your desires to be a mother overpower what is logical in this situation! Aureolus is being neglected by us subconsciously! He should be in a loving caring environment than here with us!" He wasn't lying.

Subconsciously or consciously both of them had been gradually growing distant from Aureolus.

"I-I…" Venelana didn't have a response, her eyes welling up with tears.

she knew it was the truth deep down as a devil regardless if it was her own flesh and blood she still held tiny drops of disdain for him.

As Zeoticus wrapped his arms around her resting her head on his chest.

"I know…this is difficult for both of us…but this is the best decision the hardest decisions require the strongest wills Darling please just believe in me on this…"

Zeoticus held her close a small smirk forming on his lips one which his precious wife couldn't ever see.

"kid…Why do you care so much about others approval?" Aureolus tilted his head in confusion from Heracleas's words.

"I don't know…I just always wanted acknowledgment from others…something I never had?" He said unsure of himself.

"Why do you crave it specifically from others?" Aureolus stopped at that question stumped.

"I-i don't know…"

"Aureolus… will anyone else be there to accompany you in death?" Aureolus shook his head in a negative

"…why do you care about allies friend's family in life when you know they aren't needed in death?" Heracles said kneeling to get eye level with Aureolus.

"Because you need friends and family to be happy?"

"…The thing about you kid is that you think everything is a team sport, Life is an individual one," Heracles smiled flicking his forehead "…be greedier kid it's okay to want."

"I don't understand...Be greedier?" Aureolus wasn't able to comprehend what Heracles was trying to say.

Wasn't he already greedy by wanting his family's approval or was that too small of an outlook?

Heracles didn't say anything a small smile on his face "I'll see you one day, But this is where we depart kid, Dont die." With that, a teleportation circle appeared underneath Aureoles's feet before he could even react by transporting him back to the Gremory mansion.

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Okay so this may be a breaking point in the story some of y'all may like this new way of him separating from his family some of y'all may hate it but I think it makes a lot more sense for Venelana to be manipulated just a bit, rather than outright hating her child she thinks she's doing a favor towards him, Plenty of drama but plenty more sense.