Graceful strums of acoustic strings came together in a nostalgic memory, John humming an accompanying tune. Umara sat beside him on a loveseat, leaning against him with her head on his shoulder, eyes closed as she let herself drift with the music.
But she wasn’t the only audience member. Beside the doorway the Duchess stood silently, unknown to the two occupants. One was too focused on playing while the other was too enraptured by the music to pull herself out of her own little world.
The Duchess couldn't blame her. At first she had intended to enter and disturb them with some small business, but after hearing a few notes, she stood by and took in the music.
It was calming, slightly somber, and well crafted. Either John was a talented musician or he knew some songs and how to play them perfectly. She was inclined to believe the latter.
It didn’t detract an ounce from his talent. Not everyone could play an instrument at all, let alone that well. Few got the chance at all. Instruments were expensive, to say nothing of custom or high quality ones.
The one John received was especially so. The Whetted City was known for both its martial arts as well as the creative arts, be they music, painting, sculpting, smithing, or theater.
There was no better place to acquire an instrument — and that dark blue lute was from the Raven Family’s stash. The number of instruments on that level could be counted on two hands. It was assuredly very expensive.
It had been given away since John had bested Tindereye in a fair duel, while half drunk. That was the official reason, anyway. Far more likely were the prohibitively exorbitant maintenance costs burning a guitar-sized hole in their treasury. Since the Chief was going to give gifts to the Talerria daughters, why not also give one to John to both reward him for the duel and apologize for the disturbance?
Well, that and the golden cigar case. The Duchess had seen it before and back then it had given her a shock, as it had the Chief. Every noble worth their salt knew about those things and they weren’t given to just anyone.
The Chief was probably trying to make an impression on John since he was also Umara’s boyfriend. Regardless, he killed several birds with one stone, getting rid of an expensive paperweight in the process.
And now, John had a lute. The Duchess was already enjoying his music, so she didn’t feel like it was a bad gift.
“I was wondering where that sound was coming from.”
Ikhor appeared in the hallway, walking over curiously.
The music continued as he peeked in, seeing John and his daughter together as he played.
The Duchess had already cast a mute spell, so the clicking of his tongue couldn’t be heard by anyone but them.
“Tsk, look at those two. Our little girl is growing up, eh?”
“You seem to approve of him.”
“And you don’t? Look beyond the status and tell me exactly what’s wrong with him?”
“Well…”
She peeked through the cracked door, seeing him playing like there was nothing else in the world except for him and his girlfriend.
Her eyes narrowed a bit.
“There isn’t much, he’s almost perfect. But like you had been concerned about before, I find his exceedingly high kill count concerning.”
“And back then you had been the one to tell me that it wasn’t anything to worry about. That it was all self defense.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean such a thing is normal. You don’t kill so many people and come out of it so innocent. Maybe I’m wrong, but I can’t deny the possibility that he may have some… psychopathic tendencies.”
“...So what would that mean for their relationship?”
Ikhor asked, his curiosity piqued.
The Duchess only shrugged.
“I’m not sure. I’m at least not worried about him. I’m worried about Umara. Yet another reason I wanted her to stay away from his business. She’s barely been exposed to the harsh realities of war against the Scourge. She’s only see a few people die to those monsters, a far easier reality to bear than seeing one man die at the hands of another. Or a hundred men dying at the hands of one. And then knowing that one is supposed to be your boyfriend.”
“Yes. The Kingdom has been without internal conflict for centuries. Most people believe that humans can only die at the hands of the Scourge because they are our sole visible enemy. Only within the dark sectors of the Kingdom can one find the unseen realities. And John is deep within that darkness. The only question is, how difficult would it be to pull him out?”
“That depends on him. For now he has the Magisterium to distract him. And he seems to be intent on joining the military. Where he goes from there, well, it’s difficult to say. For now, we should focus on making sure nothing irreversible happens.”
The Duchess glanced back at John, staring at him for a few seconds before a pair of eyes suddenly flicked up to gaze into her own.
He gave her a quick smile before going back to playing, causing her to sigh.
“Well, at least he’s not untalented. How unfortunate that he couldn’t simply be a noble. Or even a knight. Such amazing potential squandered on a common summoner.”
“You say that, and yet he’s proven that he’s above average even among warlocks and knights.”
“Summoners have a limit below warlocks and knights. All of them do. Even the greatest summoners to ever walk through history have never been able to surpass the Great Barrier. And the only one to ever come close wrought his own ruin before he could even try. The chances of John being any different are so low they aren’t even worth mentioning.”
“...”
Ikhor didn’t respond, unable to refute. Those were simply the cold hard truths.
He couldn’t help but feel pity for John. For what he was, he was already extraordinary, but that didn’t change reality — nor the biases others already had against summoners.
All the cards were stacked against him. The noose around his neck only tightened day after day. At some point, he would be forced to face the coming storm head on, and he could only pray that he had prepared enough beforehand to at least survive it.
However, what Ikhor hated most about the situation had nothing to do with John. It was merely the inability to completely extricate themselves from the influence of the noble class.
Umara wasn’t the only one beholden to their interests. Their power was the only reason she had a list of suitors at all, and was the only reason her marriage was a concern. Someone like Shadowbane had none of those issues despite being in an almost identical situation — the Raven Family had enough independence to completely disregard the opinions of all the other nobles, even the Grand Duchies.
The Talerrias were more independent than most, but not to nearly the same degree. Ikhor hated that, and he knew his wife did too.
But they couldn’t do anything about it. Not yet, anyway. Rash decisions couldn’t be made right now, and certainly not for the uncertain variable named John.
But the glimpse of freedom it gave them was one of the reasons he was taking a liking to John. Disregarding everything else about him, it was the slap in the face his mere presence gave the other nobles that he adored.
At the very least, he didn’t feel so bad about prolonging the time he was able to do so. Especially if it made his daughter happy.
“Alright, let’s let them have their time. I feel weird watching when he already knows we’re here.”
“Umara needs to prepare for the party tonight.”
“She can do that later. In fact, you should be following her example and giving your big hubby some love. I’m feeling a bit… romantic.”
Ikhor moved in and wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist, giving her tempting looks, like an alcoholic and a bottle of fine wine.
Talexia glanced at her husband with a concealed grin, moving her mouth and whispering softly into his ear.
“Then, you should come find me in an hour. Once I’m done arranging the servants, I’ll have a little time. But only if you’re done with correspondence.”
“Hohoho! You drive a hard bargain, my dear. But I’m nothing if not generous. Consider it a deal.”
He gave her a wide grin before planting a hand on her butt with a loud Smack.
The corner of her lips lifted a bit as they parted.
……
…
It was Christmas Eve, and the entire Talerria Family arrived in the main estate for a grand celebration.
On Earth, I had thought my family was pretty large. Several aunts and uncles, many more cousins, and some grand relatives. A few dozen was a good estimate. At the very least, houses were packed for holidays.
But not like this.
I looked around, seeing dozens walking every direction around the mansion and hearing even more entering through the front doors. It was already hectic and the first guests had only arrived around an hour ago.
Umara wasn’t even with me. She was taking care of some last minute shopping and it wasn’t like I hadn’t a thing to do, being an outsider. I could only grab a drink and observe from the side, trying my best to blend in with the sparse walls.
I was adorned in my second best suit, themed red for the Christmas occasion. This was actually something I had also convinced Umara to do. They didn’t have the classic Christmas colors like on Earth, so I decided to bring them here and have her join me. Wherever she was, she’d also be in red.
Everyone else was wearing normal suits.
The Talerria ‘Family’ was composed of several branch families tied to the main one. This included the Duchess’ two sisters and brother, along with their families, and some other detached cousins descended from previous Family Heads and their siblings.
Regardless, there were a lot of people. Not too many children were around; mostly adults, including some young adults around my age, roamed the entrance hall.
Because the Family Head, AKA the Duchess, had inherited the great power of her parents, her siblings weren’t as talented and thus didn’t have as hard of a time having more children. But that didn’t mean they were having five or six. It simply meant they were more successful earlier; not many would be Umara’s age, having breached 25 or even 30 years.
This also meant the main line almost always aged slower, subsequent generations appearing at far greater intervals than their cousins. It was also why there were rules imposed upon the branches to effectively disown the ones that were too detached from the main line. Otherwise, there would be hundreds of branches by the time only a few Heads had cycled through.
That was another thing I noticed.
There were two old people I sensed with some extreme power. They were subtle about their entrance, but I could guess who they were.
Prior Heads of the Family. The Ancestors.
The position of Family Head wasn’t passed down by generation. Those who reached that level of power were able to live for significantly longer and didn’t need to be replaced so often. That wasn’t to mention how it wasn’t always guaranteed to find a suitable heir each generation. Quite often, a few generations passed before someone inherited the title.
This also meant Umara wouldn’t be the next Head unless she showed power and talent just as great as her mother, and was yet another reason why her marriage was a big deal. She was quite literally the perfect candidate as the daughter of the current Head. Her fate had basically been sealed the moment Talexia rose to her position.
Or, would have been, if not for me. Which was why other nobles were so pissed. I was screwing them out of far more benefits than I realized.
“Haaah… Little poor me.”
I let out a hefty sigh, prying myself off the wall I was leaning against and heading upstairs.
After a doorway or two I found myself on a balcony overlooking the city. Christmas Eve was the most festive time of the year and every hour, people were counting down to midnight when the new year would start.
It was already dark out, so I could see all the bright lights illuminating the streets between the city’s buildings. The central palace in the city center was a mile or so away from the Talerria Mansion, but because one of the central streets led from the front of the mansion directly to the palace, I could see the entirety of it with an unobstructed view.
There were so many decorations hung over the street that it was a bit blinding. It certainly painted a spectacular picture, showing off the city’s prosperity and joyous atmosphere.
For a moment though, I suddenly thought of the Taveras and how they must be doing. They had gone to war as soon as that auction was over, and I had no doubt that it continued on even into Christmas. It would only end when Patriarch Tavera completed a crown with the Authority 11 heart. Whoever used it would receive a massive boost in power and cement their position for decades, if not a century, to come.
Back then, I had the fleeting thought that perhaps the Patriarch wasn’t only Authority 9 as his bounty had claimed. After all, you couldn’t use a Crown that was too potent for you. If he were merely Authority 9 and tried to use a Crown made from that Authority 11 Heart, he might explode.
So either he was far stronger than the public knew, or there was someone within the Mafia who the Patriarch was placing his hopes in. The Patriarch was getting old, so he wouldn’t necessarily be the one to use the Crown. Someone who would live for far longer would be the most optimal choice.
Despite being relatively close to the man, I still knew next to nothing about their internal operations. They kept their cards close, so I’m sure I was in for a surprise when all of this concluded.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
As I thought of those things while gazing off into the distance, I suddenly sensed Umara walking back into the mansion. We immediately found each other’s gazes, even through the walls, our telepathic connection never having been disrupted even while she shopped, and smiled.
Our new range record had hit a mile. Umara had been shopping by the palace, about a mile away, and while the connection got a little foggy, we never experienced any disconnections.
I imagined that a mile and a half was our furthest possible range. Quite useful in a world where radio didn’t exist. Maybe I’d try to explain that to Sawn and see if he could replicate the tech.
She waved before disappearing into the house, so I turned around and started making my way over to her.
When I found her, she was greeting all of the family that she knew. I let her be and watched from the side, catching the occasional thought from within her mind.
It was pretty clear which of the family she liked and didn’t like. It was mostly cordial, with few being close to her and others not so much. I only made note of the adults she liked.
Because none of the family needed to do things together like preparing the food, everyone was free to do whatever they wanted until the dinner or until some activities were started. Christmas in this world involved a few traditions, one of them being gift exchanges.
I thought it was a bit unfortunate though. For me on Earth, making dinner was one of the fun parts of Christmas. A dozen people crammed into a small kitchen, all scrambling to finish cooking in time or to keep something from lighting itself on fire, had a certain charm to it. Perhaps an argument here or there about whether it’d be better to add more milk or butter to soem mash potatoes, or how much seasoning should go on the beef.
That wasn’t even to mention the simultaneous management of rambunctious children, yelling at them to take their activities outside and preventing them from climbing up on the roof in the process.
Here, there were neither of those things. There were few children at all, and those who were there were properly behaved under parental pressure to look better in front of the Duchess.
It was boring. Perhaps it was a bit friendlier since everyone was family, maybe a bit more comfortable, but it still felt like any other noble party.
Umara slipped by my side.
“So? What do you think?”
“Eh. It’s quite tame.”
“Well obviously. It’s not Vatsy’s Gala.”
“I’m not comparing it to that. You know, I never thought I could miss screaming children and the smell of burning food.”
“Burning food?”
“The occasional mishap when cooking Christmas dinner. One time, my family cooked a huge pot of special sauce. It took an entire night to marinate about three gallons of the stuff. And then, when we went to go serve it, my uncle dropped the pot and spilled it all over the kitchen floor.
“Oh my god.”
Umara turned to me, her face horrified at the thought.
I chuckled and shrugged.
“We barely managed to save a tenth of it, and it took two hours to clean. We ended up eating dinner much later that year.”
“Sounds like a tiring Christmas.”
“It was. Our house smelled like the sauce for a week after that too. But it’s those kinds of memories that stick with you. Not how perfectly everyone is conducting themselves during what’s supposed to be a fun holiday.”
I glanced around with those words, Umara following my gaze to look with me.
Bright smiles, professional handshakes, the occasional chuckle and a bunch of business talk.
The adults were networking, while the young adults were hiding in corners with the few friends they had made while they were younger. As for the 5 or so children I had spotted, they were following their parents, neutral expressions on their faces.
I’m sure this was normal for all of them, but it had yet to feel like a holiday for me. I couldn’t help but feel disappointed when comparing this with my memories from Earth.
Or maybe I was feeling homesick. My family back on Earth should be celebrating Christmas right now too. This was the first time I had ever missed it.
It sucked.
My mood rapidly fell, even though I had been telling myself to stay positive for Christmas.
I guess Umara sensed it too, because she was quick to come in close, looking up at me while taking my hand.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just remembering.”
“Yeah… I’m sorry you can’t be with your family. If I could give you anything, it would be that.”
“Thanks… But hey, it could be worse. At least I’ve got a pretty girl to keep me company.”
“Hm, well, you’re not so bad yourself.”
Umara smiled and leaned in coquettishly, wrapping an arm around my neck.
Right when we were about to kiss though, we heard a deep voice.
“John.”
“Eep!”
Umara jumped when she recognized her father, quickly backing away from my face in embarrassment.
Ikhor looked at us with a neutral expression for a bit before turning to me.
“If you two wish, the young ones are gathering in the Atrium to swim. I opened it for them since it’s better than walking around bored with their parents. Otherwise, the mansion is open to you. Please enjoy yourself.”
“Understood. Thank you, sir.”
“Midnight will be the final countdown. Everyone will be gathering on the balcony for that.”
He walked off with those words, leaving us to our devices.
I smiled, thinking that maybe I was on Ikhor’s good side. He seemed to be more lenient with us than the mother, which was the opposite of what I was used to. I could sense his goodwill when he told me to enjoy myself. And, perhaps a slight bit of pity.
I turned to Umara and motioned with my head.
“To the pool?”
“I suppose that would be more enjoyable. I haven’t had a night swim in a while.”
Hand in hand, the two of us headed to our rooms to change before going to the Atrium.
We arrived to a slightly livelier recreation of the entrance hall. Most of the young adults and children had gathered here, split into various small groups depending on how well they knew each other. It was, however, much friendlier than the scene we just left, familiarity and youthful energy combining to break down more than a few social conduct rules.
That, or the parents just ditched them here, getting their alone time with each other without having to occupy the little ones.
Umara and I didn’t catch too much attention when we entered. I took a seat with my guitar case while some cousins walked up to her to talk.
I was naturally introduced in the process. I stood and shook some hands, meeting some guys and girls around our age. Two of them were even Magisterium students, and both knew me by name from the Elite leaderboard.
It was hard to tell what they thought of me. Here and now, they didn’t express any animosity, but it was hard to tell what they really thought behind closed doors. They seemed neutral, however, probably because of the irrelevance of Umara’s marriage to them and their distance from the Elites.
After some cursory greetings, we went to the side of the pool.
She dipped a toe in.
“Oh, its cold.”
“Good.”
“What are- ah!”
She squeaked when I wrapped her in a bear hug, every gaze instantly snapping to us.
“Don’t you da-!”
“Haha!”
I let out a playful laugh as I sent both our bodies into the water, a wave surging from the point of impact.
After a few seconds underneath, we both rose back up with deep gasps, brushing hair out of our faces.
She splashed some water at me.
“That’s the second time!”
“Hey now, your hair looks just as good.”
“Not the point! I like to acclimate to cold water! Where’s the heat anyway?”
“The butler just turned it on.”
Faey suddenly appeared in the water beside us, startling Umara a bit.
“I told them to.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Hi Faey!”
“Hi John!”
Faey and I smiled and waved at each other.
That’s when I had a spontaneous thought, grabbing Faey’s arm and pulling her over to a side of the pool.
“Hey, you wanna do something cool?”
“Sure?”
“Alright. I’m going to sink under the water, and you’re going to get behind me and put your feet on my shoulders. And then when I jump back up, you’re gonna jump off. Comprendo?”
“Okay?”
“Okay.”
I smiled as she went behind me, holding both her wrists as Umara watched inquisitively.
“Ready?”
“Mm.”
“Alright.”
Taking a deep breath, I sunk down under the water, waiting there as Faey’s feet found my shoulders, getting comfortable.
Then, I bobbed up and down a couple times before launching her up with all my strength.
She soared over the water, letting out a scream.
“Ahh!!!”
I laughed as she went under, taking a few seconds to come back up with a bright face.
She brushed her ashy gray hair back with a smile.
“That was cool!”
“Woah!”
Some of the other kids nearby were mesmerized, like they had never seen anything like this before.
I motioned toward one, who looked to be an 8 year old boy.
“Do you want to try? Come on.”
“Okay…”
He was a bit hesitant, but there was an underlying excitement as he swam over.
I went under and let him get a foothold before launching him through the air.
“Whooaaa!”
He resurfaced, clumsily smearing aside wet hair coating his face.
“That was far!”
“I want to try!”
A few more kids came over, encouraged by the bravery of one of their friends.
I smiled and threw them forward, one by one. It wasn’t particularly tiring and there weren’t too many, so I spent the next few minutes letting the kids take turns getting thrown across the pool.
It was only when I got tired of doing the same thing over and over again that I finally stopped, taking a rest.
I swam over to the side of the pool where Umara was lounging and watching, pulling up in front of her.
I only rose to her chest when I stood. After sweeping my hair back, I reached my arm around her and felt up her spine, making her smile as she spread her legs a bit, allowing me to get in closer.
She softly greeted me.
“Hey.”
“Hey. You know, we haven’t kissed today.”
“I know. I’ve been busy.”
“You have. But that actually works out, because I have an idea. Tell me, what do all the adults do at the end of the new year’s countdown?”
“I’m not sure what you mean. There’s nothing particularly special that happens, other than the fireworks.”
“Then let me tell you about one of the traditions we have where I come from.”
My hand moved a bit lower. There was nobody behind her to see it, so I decided it couldn’t hurt to get a bit bolder.
“At the end of the New Year countdown, everyone who’s in a relationship is supposed to kiss. One kiss, right at the start of the new year. It’s a sign of good luck. Or to some, it’s a kind of promise that they make to the one they want to spend that year with.”
“I see… Everyone does this?”
“All the couples, yes. Millions of people across the nation, all kissing at once right when midnight comes. Apparently nobody does it here, but I wouldn’t mind taking part in this tradition with you, if you’d like.”
“O-Of course.”
“Hm, that’s good. Then, we’ll need to make sure we don’t kiss before then.”
I smiled before moving in and planting a kiss on her collar. I could feel the wave of chills she got on her arms.
“Y-You just said no kissing!”
“Not technically a kiss. I need your lips for that.”
‘Well stop anyway! T-There’s kids here!”
She whispered harshly, embarrassed by the gazes on us. I didn’t even have to turn to know how many were looking.
But it was fun teasing her, so I just laughed. Thankfully for her it wasn’t bright in the atrium; only the moon, the stars, and the creepy floating plant things that cast light across the water, hiding her blush well.
After that I jumped out of the water, grabbing my lute and gliding my fingers across the strings.
“Anyway, here’s Wonderwall.”
……
…
“Is everyone here?”
The Duchess asked softly while looking around.
Small groups had gathered around chairs and couches set outside by the butlers, families and close relatives grouping together to celebrate the New Year together.
The atmosphere was quite joyous as midnight came. The children were excited to be up so late while the parents had loosened up with alcohol.
And off in one corner was their own music, played by none other than John.
He sat on one of the couches, painting quite the humorous picture.
Faey was in his lap. The Duchess couldn’t imagine how the two had gotten so close so fast. But neither she nor the four other girls squeezed onto the same couch as John posed any obstacle to his playing.
They all carried looks of contentment on their faces, gazing at the moon or relaxing with closed eyes as they let the music fill their ears.
And Umara, the one person she expected to be in his embrace, was in a chair to the side. It was like he had ditched her for these other girls.
It was quite perplexing to Talexia, but she couldn’t possibly think of anything to do about it. John’s charisma seemed quite magnetic.
At least it wasn’t totally uncalled for. He had been playing with all of the kids for a couple hours. They all seemed to love him and his games. Even those just watching enjoyed his antics. It was no wonder they were drawn to him. That was before taking into account his music. He wasn’t really a singer, but that didn’t diminish his music. It was entertaining for everyone within earshot.
Well, it would all be ending soon. Midnight was almost here and everyone would be leaving not long after that.
“Only a few minutes left.”
Talexia looked down at her Aerial and mumbled. The city sprawled in front of them was fast climbing toward a climax.
John was glancing at his Aerial too. She could sense a slight tinge of anticipation from the little his Aura gave away.
She wondered what it was. Umara had also released a larger twitch of anticipation a few seconds after John, so she assumed the two were up to something.
“One minute!”
There was a shout, and everyone looked out toward the city.
In the sky appeared a huge timer cast by a magic projection. It ticked down second by second, a dull roar from the city growing louder with it.
Adults filled their drinks for the final toast of the year while kids crowded to the front of the balcony to get a better view of the city beyond.
John rose from his seat, placing aside his lute as everyone moved to the edge of the balcony for a closer look.
Umara glanced over from behind everyone, seeing John arrive at her side.
She muttered while learning against his chest.
“A new year. I can’t imagine what it has in store.”
“Neither can I. The last several months have felt like a decade to me. And a lot more is about to happen.”
“Well… what better way to face it than together.”
“How corny.”
“I was trying to be romantic.”
She blushed a bit before glancing back at the timer.
Everyone shouted as the final seconds ticked down. The entire city was chanting in unison.
Umara glanced up, seeing John staring out with a neutral face, unable to guess what he could possibly be thinking about.
“...I love you.”
She mumbled, causing him to look down with a small smile.
“I love you, too.”
“3!”
“2!”
“1!”
“Happy New Year!”
Fireworks were launched into the sky, filling it with color as the entire city roared at the top of its lungs.
Off in a corner of the balcony. Umara lifted her head and grabbed Jihn’s suit, pulling him down, receiving a long, deep kiss.
Her mind was filled with happiness. Her first kiss of the year with the one she wanted to spend the rest of the year- no, the rest of her life with.
To her, it felt like this moment was the start of a new beginning. Up until she met John, her life had been normal. And then he came along and completely upended the place, sitrring and rearraging until it was unrecognizable.
It felt like she was a part of something bigger now; her future now felt entirely uncertain.
But she didn’t give a damn so long as she was with him. If they had to take on the world, then so be it.
No matter what, as soon as they went back to the capital, things would be different. She already felt like an entirely new person. This was just an expression of her change.
And she had no regrets. She couldn’t possibly imagine life anymore without him. In fact, she was almost scared of even thinking about what it would be like if he were to disappear.
Just the thought made her emotional, her eyes tearing up a bit until they finally separated.
They looked into each other’s eyes, their ears filled with nothing but the explosions in the sky, their faces reflecting the colorful displays.
John let out a long breath.
“...How did I ever find someone as perfect as you?”
“...”
Umara froze speechlessly, a tear falling out of the sheer intensity of emotions filling her mind. It was such a genuine question that its corniness couldn’t even register.
John’s head tilted a bit, likely confused as to why she was crying.
But there were so many love chemicals filling her brain that she wasn’t able to speak, simply pressing her forehead against his chest and hugging him.
He returned it while looking up, watching the fireworks and thinking of the future.