okay

Empress Fawkes' gaze twinkled.

This was the first time she was seeing her grandson in over 20 years. It was difficult for her to reconcile her emotions all at once.

She couldn't help but cast her Internal Sight toward Noah as well, but when it came to the guilt she held on her shoulders, it was mostly related to Leonel. While she felt terrible about not being able to be a part of Noah's life the way she should have been, her negligence had almost led to Leonel's death.

Her negligence was just one matter. Anyone could make the mistake of trusting the wrong person or people. However, the way she dealt with those matters after finding out ended up alienating the entirety of her family.

Her husband wanted nothing to do with her. Her daughter could hardly meet her gaze without resentment leaking through. Her son-in-law couldn't stand to even be on the same planet as her. And, the family she had sacrificed so much to protect… Seemed to show her day after day why they weren't worthy of her giving up much of anything.

Empress Fawkes' hand trembled as it rose to Leonel's cheek.

In the air, it seemed so very fragile. Despite the sheer strength of the woman who owned it, it felt as though the slightest gust of wind might cause it to collapse.

It was only after her frail hand touched Leonel's face that it managed to gain some stability. However, the scolding heat of Leonel's skin didn't escape her attention at all. It felt as though it would burn her completely to ash, but she refused to take her hand away.

Empress Fawkes looked up and into Leonel's eyes. There, she found a gaze that was impossible to read.

While everyone else saw indifference and apathy, Empress Fawkes saw something deeper. She could see that Leonel had been scarred by something. The realization made her heart squeeze with an inescapable pang.

She could tell that this emotion was completely unrelated to her. Maybe it really was most accurate to say that Leonel met her with indifference. In fact, he couldn't be bothered to snap out of his previous head space to register the fact that it was his grandmother before him.

Empress Fawkes didn't blame Leonel in the slightest. All she felt was a surging will to protect him. This was her grandson, her baby boy… She would rather suffer through him looking toward him with indifference for the rest of her life so long as he didn't have to suffer any pain or trouble.

Empress Fawkes' thumb lightly rubbed Leonel's cheeks, her eyes holding back tears she didn't want to shed.

"Northern Star Order, what is the meaning of this?!"

Winged Star Order's voice was tinged with his frown.

The name Northern Star Order spoke for itself.

There were two categories of titles given to those who joined the Star Order Council. The first were unique names. These were decided by your method of battle, your ability, or any other unique affinities or proclivities you might have.

But, there was a second category of titles all together. These were known as Hegemonic Titles.

Hegemonic Titles were passed down from generation to generation, though, not so simply. It wasn't rare for a Hegemonic Title to skip over a generation entirely. In fact, to say it wasn't rare was a misnomer because it was, in practice, quite common for this to happen.

In truth, even many of the Star Order Council were in the dark about how these Hegemonic Titles came about and what exactly their origins were. Only those who inherited the Title would become privy to the information that came with it.

Within the Luxnix family, there were only three Hegemonic Titles.

The first was Snow Star Order. The second was Wise Star Order. And, the final, and most powerful of them, was Northern Star Order.

Empress Fawkes' generation had been greatly blessed. For the first time in Luxnix history, two Hegemonic Titles appeared in the same generation. And, the most fantastic part of it was that this was all predicted to happen by the most recent Wise Star Order.

One generation removed from Empress Fawkes, it was deduced by Wise Star Order that the Luxnix would soon have a great rise in talent. Over the next three generations, they would enter a well spring of prosperity that would allow them to finally step through the final threshold and leave the Sixth Dimension behind.

At first, it was unknown just how true this prediction would be. However, in the very next generation, not only was Empress Fawkes born, but so was her close friend and the inheritor of the Snow Star Order Title.

It was unprecedented in the Luxnix family's history. Not only had it been more than 20 generations since the last Northern Star Order appeared, but to think that it would appear alongside a Snow Star Order! Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

The family realized then that the fortune told by the Wise Star Order was true and they began to prepare.

The so-called state of hibernation mentioned by Seith wasn't by accident, nor was it solely due to Myghell. For two generations now, the Luxnix had experienced an unprecedented boom in talent and they were overflowing. In truth, it could be said that they already had the strength to crush both the Viola and Montex family.

But, they still waited… Waited for the day the third and final generation would mature. Then, they would sweep through the world in one fatal swoop.

Unfortunately, over the years, they had made many mistakes. Their overconfidence, sometimes warranted, but most times not, was tearing their family apart from the inside out. Too many had forgotten that this Northern Star Order of theirs even existed… Or, more accurately, they too easily believed that she would simply fall in line just like she always had.

But, right now, Northern Star Order was no longer just that. She was a grandmother who had just sensed her grandson's pain. She no longer seemed to care about anything else. In fact, she completely ignored Winged Star Order.

"Little Leo… What do you want to do?"

Empress Fawkes spoke as though even if Leonel asked her for the Moon, she would reach out and grab it.

Leonel remained silent for a long while. A hint of sadness plagued Empress Fawkes' gaze. There was nothing that pained her more than her grandson being unwilling to rely on her. But, surprisingly, Leonel finally spoke.

"I… Don't want to be here anymore."

Leonel's voice was cold, indifferent and detached. And yet, to her, they were like the most beautiful melody she had ever heard.

Empress Fawkes finally couldn't hold back her tears any longer as they fell like droplets of rain gently sliding down delicate leaves.

"Okay. Grandma will take you away."