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Place: Ceremonial room

Time: A Week later

Alexander stood with his siblings in the ceremonial room, which was simple and magnificent. There were no delicate carvings, beautiful paintings, or ornate furniture—just a platform for presentations beneath a glass ceiling through which the moon or sun would shine.

Each young noble glanced around curiously as their parents summoned them back to the estate, pulling them away from their unique tasks. Some were visibly annoyed by the interruption but also somewhat intrigued as it happened so suddenly.

Even the method used to contact those further away was unique and costly, relying on divine talismans from the Temple typically reserved for emergencies—stressing the importance of today's event.

However, the last to join them was Alexander, visibly tired and disheveled, having been woken up and brought here for the occasion. Needless to say, he would have resisted coming if he hadn't known all his siblings were here, as he wasn't in the best mood.

'Urgh, fuck this system.'

After creating the calculator, he was bombarded with notifications, making him pass out. When he woke up, he immediately felt fatigued from all the experience, needing to restrain himself in the following weeks regarding research and other activities that would increase his levels.

For many, it might sound like a dream, but for him, it only brought constant pain. Over time, he grew increasingly critical of the system, placing far less value on it than initially, when he saw it as a miracle.

As a result, he became more aware of the problems, particularly how the skills functioned. While they didn't force knowledge into him, the system intuitively nudged his mind in specific directions—perfect for most as it offered a clear path.

Others, like his parents, recognized this as a problem and developed clear countermeasures. Alexander and his siblings would try to resist those skills, such as in combat, where those patterns were clear and widely known. Otherwise, battles would devolve into mere contests of level.

While his family had methods of controlling these urges when it came to combat and mental fortitude, further practices weren't developed for science and other more academic subjects like artificing for apparent reasons.

'Fuck this eldritch horror of a bitch; I swear—' He frowned, '—the system is deliberately trying to push me into a certain direction.'

In addition to the apparent dangers it posed, the system felt incredibly condescending, as if it were guiding him like a puppy needing help with basic math—trying to explain fractions by slicing a cake when he already knew calculus.

Why did such a thought suddenly occur to him? He had woken up with an intuitive understanding of how to build a far superior, less crude calculator, which took all the fun away.

It wasn't that he had learned anything new, but when he looked at his jerry-rigged monstrosity, he intuitively knew how to modify it into something less prone to explosions.

'I really need to work on how to do the same with my mind.'

Alexander feared that his creativity would be taken away if he continued without worrying, following the path the system laid out before him.

As a result, his goal was to find out how to escape the path. Because there were methods to avoid it physically, he knew there should also be methods for more academic subjects.

"For how long do we need to wait?"

Lorient's confused voice snapped Alexander out of his thoughts. She was looking around, tapping her foot in annoyance.

'Right, what is this all about?'

Alexander also looked around, unsure of what was happening.

'Hm, everyone looks rather casual, though.'

As he glanced around, he noticed they were all standing in a row, from oldest to youngest—a tradition borrowed from human nobility. However, this was nonsensical for Beast-kin, who valued merit more than age.

However, he suddenly felt a little uncomfortable because he was wearing his usual attire—casual, baggy linen clothes and slippers—an outfit far too informal for a place steeped in history.

'Hm, only two of us are wearing nice clothes—' Apart from Narsiz and Janina, who loved to dress up, showing off their charisma. The others were similarly dressed as he—casual at best and overly sexualized at worst.

'Damn—' Alexander's eyes fell on Sarah, raising an eyebrow, '—that's definitely not from Mom's side of the family.'

Sarah, who had once preferred cute ribbons and summer dresses, now wore a tight blouse that emphasized her massive cleavage and equally tight pants.

She had grown into an Amazonian figure, with broad shoulders and a chest far larger than anything he had seen from their Mother or Grandmother.

'What the fuck am I thinking?!'

He shook his head, feeling confused. The pheromones that Sarah was emitting were messing with his mind. While he wasn't aroused sexually, they still made him react strangely.

'Fuck, it's starting—' He remembered the literature he got some months ago from Aro, by an author called Summer, '—I can't believe that I am as affected.'

While beast-kin had distinct and well-defined stages in their lives when they became adults, it was still natural for their bodies to gradually prepare for these moments.

As a result, he would react to the pheromones if someone was aroused. Worse, his heightened canine kin senses allowed him to smell them all too clearly, causing him to unconsciously glance at certain areas without fully understanding why.

As he tried to look away forcefully, he immediately peeked at her cleavage or buttox when he was slightly distracted, making it a constant battle.

'Why am I even thinking like that? They don't even care!'

While he struggled internally, many considered it even cute. Most who caught him glancing at their secondary characteristics didn't react negatively; in fact, they often seemed flattered.

It was also not because he was a puppy, as Narsiz did the same very often, too, and even some maids liked it, flirting back immediately.

One person, however, didn't care about her older brother's glances and was instead focused on someone else, feeling especially pleased when she caught him in the act.

Sarah suddenly looked at him, smiling softly, "The offer still stands—" She winked at him, "—no need to be shy ~♪"

Alexander quickly looked away, still holding onto some of his human morals, "I... will think about it."

Sarah was clearly teasing him, but what she had suggested at some point was something Alexander was definitely not interested in, but apparently was also quite normal.

'Patricia seemed more normal now.'

Alexander suddenly thought of his best friend, whom he now understood much better. At first, he sensed that she was trying to bond with him clumsily in a more friendly manner, but it was probably not the case.

As he experienced what it meant to go through such a phase, her approaches probably had another meaning.

'I need to write to her later and find out—' He wasn't stupid and understood that she could be interested or even attracted, but it didn't mean full-blown love.

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Even Alexander had female friends in his past life who he found very attractive, but there were no feelings involved. As such, when he thought about her, a canine kin girl who matured much faster than boys, he dearly hoped she was just aroused for a reason he couldn't understand now.

Alexander chuckled inwardly, 'Yeah, right. Who doesn't fancy a body like mine? Frankenstein's Monster looks better.'

However, as his body gradually matured, he became more comfortable with himself, though the highly sexualized culture remained alien to him.

He slowly became more conscious of all the approaches around him as his sense of smell picked up some disturbing things regarded as entirely usual among his kin.

Alexander suddenly caught himself again as he stared at his sister and brother, whose scent was even more intense and appealing, causing another internal crisis.

Suddenly, he recalled a memory from his past, adding to his confusion.

'I did it once, but it was an emergency after being on sea for—'

Fortunately, before he could spiral into a confused state reminiscent of puberty, Narsiz interrupted his thoughts. His brother looked at their parents in annoyance, frowning.

"I would appreciate it if we could change the topic, as I had a very bizarre dream—" His stare intensified as he looked at their parents, who were still speaking quietly a little further away, "—I don't like that they are wearing their formal attire."

While their Mother was clad in her traditional armor, beautifully engraved yet marked with battle blemishes—a masterpiece crafted from demonium—their Father wore a traditional druid robe reserved for ceremonies. Simple but exquisitely made from the finest materials, it emitted a sense of purity and the divinity of nature.

"I think I know what is happening—" Lorient started frowning, "—I read something about it."

She was dressed slightly more formally than Alexander, but it was apparent the attire had been forced on her as she kept tugging at it, trying to make herself more comfortable.

Tense from a sleepless night and overwhelmed by his siblings' scents and sensations, Alexander looked at her in shock, becoming cocky.

"You can read?!"

A sudden wave of bloodlust hit Alexander, making him even more irritated. He whipped his head in her direction, his body tensed.

"What?!"

"You little shit—" She snarled, flashing a teasingly menacing smile, "— it seems I didn't educate you enough as your older sister."

Alexander smirked, showing his fangs, "What are you gonna teach me? How to not control your aura?"

Lorient turned toward him, clenching her fists, "Says the little shit who went crying to Narsiz because of a bad test."

Alexander's glare intensified, "Oh?! You think you are hot shit because you can now beat the living shit out of Winnetou?"

"Who the fuck is Winnetou?!"

Alexander suddenly felt a tug on his pants. Looking to the side, he saw Janina looking angry at him.

"Why are you being so mean?! She can read, you know!"

It took Alexander a moment to process the absurdity of her statement before he burst out laughing.

"Hahaha!"

Lorient wasn't amused and stepped toward him, but Sarah quickly intervened, stepping in front of her and blocking the way toward Alexander.

"Okay, that's enough."

They stared at each other. Sarah was now taller than her older sister, making her condescending glare even more humiliating when she looked down at Lorient.

Lorient, however, merely smirked, baring her fangs.

"Oh? Still so brave?"

Sarah tilted her head slightly, her face flushed as she looked stoically at her older sister, clearly affected by her current condition.

"I am in a bad mood and don't have the patience to deal with you, so why not shut up and go back in line?"

Lorient's right eye twitched, "All right—" Her bloodthirst became palpable, "—I will take both of you, but don't think I will pull any punches."

Alexander obviously heard this and grew irritated.

"Try it—" He readied multiple spells, dozens of constructs to be activated in but a moment, and contraptions to be conjured instantly, "—I got much stronger than you could imagine."

Alexander desperately needed an outlet for all his stress. Looking at Sarah and Lorient, who had also become tense, he knew he wasn't alone.

"I only need to beat him quickly up, so—"

Alexander cut her off, "—I am for it. She can try while I will turn her into a fucking porcupine."

Narsiz grabbed Alexander's shoulder, squeezing it slightly.

"You will not do any of your crazy magic—" A sudden vicious aura coiled around Alexander, "—otherwise, I will put my weapon into you."

Alexander twisted his head to look at Narsiz, smirking. He was in a bad mood, making him say things he shouldn't have.

"You shouldn't be so implicitly sexual with your words, darling."

Narsiz blushed, then suddenly grew angry, "You little fucker! I wrote you this in trust!"

"What? Not like you will seriously do something—" Alexander winked, licking his lips in a teasingly humorous way, which, for some reason, made Narsiz's face turn beet red.

Only then did he realize that he had gone too far. He knew his brother was going through a rough pre-mating season, dreaming about many things he couldn't control—some of which involved Alexander.

However, they talked about these things often and openly because they had a strong relationship. Narsiz just needed someone to listen. Honestly, his dreams were disturbing—things Alexander would never tell anyone about, especially the nastier ones.

Alexander immediately calmed down and tried apologizing, knowing he had accidentally hurt his brother.

"Sorry, I went—" But before he could finish, Janina tugged on Narsiz's pants too, "I think you two would make a great couple, but Alex should be the Lord!"

The arguments quickly descended into pure chaos as they began yelling and discussing nonsensical things—the usual.

"Hahaha! Of course, I am the husband!"

"Where did you learn this, Nina?!"

"I read a book about two princes and—" Narsiz cut her off, "Since then do we have such smut?!"

Alexander started laughing even harder, "Hahaha! Always? Most of our literature is either about sex or gore. Barely anything is appropriate."

"Don't call it smut! Edward and Peter are a beautiful couple—" She glanced toward Alexander, "—and how they overcame the evil stepmother is even more heroic!"

While Narsiz was baffled by their collection of novels, filled with vividly described sex and battle scenes, his older sisters were having another discussion.

"What is it with you always defending Alex?—" Lorient suddenly smirked, "—are you in love with him?"

Sarah's expression darkened, "Careful."

"Why? What are you going to do?"

Sarah suddenly released her aura, which felt like a massive weight pressing down, as if a metallic press were forcing someone to the ground.

Lorient's eyes widened, her smile brimming with excitement.

"Guahaha! Let's battle it out, sis."

Sarah smiled, knowing she was about to take the teasing too seriously.

"Tsk, you made me all excited."

Before it could escalate into a full-blown brawl, a sudden, forceful, yet calm sensation invaded their minds. It pushed them all to their knees, filling them with overwhelming drowsiness—everyone groaned, barely able to keep their eyes open.

"So, my little pups! Now, calm down, or sleepiness will be the least of your problems!"

Their Father approached them, gradually dispersing his aura of nature and allowing everyone to stand. Beside him, Marisia stood, looking unamused.

Everyone straightened up as the gravity of the situation finally sank in. They stopped fooling around, realizing the severeness of the moment, especially since their Father rarely acted this way.

Their Mother stepped forward, her footsteps silent and her expression almost unnervingly stoic. She stopped directly in front of Lorient, locking eyes with her.

"I will keep it brief—" her aura intensified, "—my daughter, Lorient M. Leonandra, heir of my name and blood, do you intend to inherit the title of the Lady? Will you become a Knight, upholding the values of our Household? Whether in love or misery, will you maintain pride and honor until your last breath, serving the Count and Countess?"

Everyone fell silent, staring at her, not knowing what to think. Lorient glanced at her siblings, particularly at Alexander, before turning back to her Mother and shaking her head.

"I do not want that, Mother."

Before anyone could react, as the meaning of her words sank in, their Father stepped forward, standing directly in front of Narsiz and locking eyes with him.

"My son, Narsiz K. Leonandra, do you intend to inherit the title of the Lord?"

His words were far less elaborate and straight to the point.

Narsiz shook his head immediately, "I do not, Father."

Their Mother walked to Sarah, standing before her. The tension in the room grew as the ceremony continued—something no one had anticipated that their parents would decide on an heir.

"My daughter, Sarah M. Leonandra, heir of my name and blood, do you intend to inherit the title of the Lady? Will you become a Knight, upholding the values of our Household? Whether in love or misery, will you maintain pride and honor until your last breath, serving the Count and Countess?"

Sarah chuckled slightly, not taking it seriously, "I do not, obviously, Mother."

Their Mother then turned to Janina, smiling gently.

"I know it is a little too early and unfair, but Janina M. Leonandra, do you intend to inherit the title of a Knight?"

Janina stared at her wide-eyed, then laughed, "Haha! Of course not, but what about—" She was interrupted by her Mother, "—not now, darling. Wait a moment."

Usually, such a ceremony would be postponed until everyone established their legacy, ensuring their interests and ambitions were clear, as rushing could lead to problems later.

However, Janina was obsessed with art, a passion that only grew as she spent every waking moment painting and writing. It was a safe assumption that she had little interest in combat or governance.

Their Father walked up to Alexander, standing before him with a smirk. Alexander hadn't expected this, especially given his Grandmother's reluctance for him to follow this path. But it seemed his parents had other plans, and he didn't mind at all.

"My son, Alexander K. Leonandra, do you intend to inherit the title of the Lord?"

Alexander straightened up, matching his Father's smirk, "Of course I do! Why else did I work my ass off to bring prosperity to this shitty region!"

Everyone around him chuckled softly, though Janina and his Mother frowned because of his word choice, adding to the light-hearted atmosphere.

However, Alexander and his Father were still exchanging glances, with him sensing that something was wrong.

His smile widened, "You little shit, we know what you did with the refugees."

—The room fell silent, and everyone's faces showed a mix of anxiety, fear, and disbelief.