"What are you...? A god?"

The serrated edge of the sword glinted menacingly, held precariously in Lou's trembling hands. His bloodshot eyes darted between me and Romeo, who remained frozen in a tableau of shock. Despite his wide-eyed surprise, a flicker of something else crossed Romeo's face - a grim acceptance that sent a cold shiver down my spine.

While Lou's bluster suggested imminent attack, the way his grip faltered and his voice cracked betrayed a sliver of fear. For a man who threatened me with a weapon, he seemed oddly unbalanced.

Ignoring the tremor in his legs, I held his gaze unflinchingly. "Mr. Lou, is it?" My voice, surprisingly steady, startled him. His brow furrowed as if surprised by my composure. "May I ask why you threaten a mere child?"

A harsh chuckle ripped from his throat, his long, matted hair swaying like a dark halo. "A child, you say? Don't underestimate appearances, bug. You may have a small frame, but your presence is anything but 'mere'. That's why Romeo brought you here in the first place, isn't it?" He didn't wait for an answer, his gaze swinging to my uncle.

Romeo stood statue-like, observing the tense exchange with a mix of apprehension and a strange resignation. Lou snorted, his voice tinged with a bitter amusement. "You know the truth, don't you, Bug? That Flow of yours - it's enough to send even a high-level beast scurrying with its tail between its legs." His words hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the volatile power I possessed, the power that made even Lou, a seasoned warrior, wary.

“So what? Does that make your act of pointing a weapon at me reasonable?” My fingers twitched around the hilt of the Morphblade I didn't even realize I'd drawn. Every muscle in my body coiled, ready to spring. This wasn't how I wanted to greet this "new world." But years of honed instincts were a hard leash to hold.

Lou, finally registering the situation, let out a theatrical sigh, rolling his eyes so hard I swore I saw his brain. "Alright, alright, you win! Jeez," he muttered, reluctantly throwing his sword with a clatter that echoed in the tense silence.

Just as I managed to rein in the simmering rage, a familiar voice cut through the air. Romeo strolled over, his usual gentle smile replaced with a mock scowl. "You woke up, at last!" he said, his voice laced with playful exasperation. He reached out, a hand hovering over Lou's slumped shoulders.

But the moment was short-lived. In a blink, Romeo's demeanor shifted. "POINTING A FREAKING SWORD AT MY DEAREST YOUNG LADY?!" he roared, his voice booming through the room. He delivered a resounding slap to Lou's back, sending the man sprawling like a starfish.

"I KNEW you were going to pull something like this!" Romeo bellowed, kneeling down and grabbing Lou by the collar. He shook him with surprising force. "I told you we were meeting the young lady a MONTH ago! Did that information simply evaporate from your head?!"

The outburst, while terrifying, was undeniably comical. Maybe this new world wouldn't be so bad after all. But a flicker of something in Romeo's eyes, a tightening of his grip on Lou’s clothes, gave me pause.

"Jeez," Lou drawled, his voice dripping with mock concern, "just stop shaking me will ya? The bug didn't get hurt, and I threw my sword down. So it's all alright now..."

Despite his words, Romeo kept shaking Lou with a ferocity that sent shivers down my spine. Lou's feigned indifference faltered, replaced by a grimace as he gritted his teeth. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Finally, unable to hold back any longer, I stepped closer, my brow furrowed in confusion. "Romeo..." I began cautiously, "...are you usually this...unflappable?"

Romeo finally released Lou, who crumpled to the floor with a surprised grunt. Standing up, Romeo offered a strained version of his usual soft chuckle. "Well," he mumbled, "some people make me a bit...edgy. Lou happens to be one of them. Don't mind me!" He cast a pointed look at Lou, who remained sprawled on the floor, rubbing his sore back with a grimace.

Seriously, Romeo. Was this a side of him I hadn't seen before?

"Some people, he said," Lou muttered, his voice laced with sarcasm, as he finally hauled his upper body up. His eyes met mine, a hint of amusement sparkling beneath the mock apology. "Well, I guess I have to apologize to you, bug."

I tilted my head, a wry smile playing on my lips. "The way you phrased it and that expression don't exactly inspire forgiveness, you know!"

Romeo swept towards the door, a playful glint replaced by a steely glint in his eyes as he met Lou's gaze. "Breakfast, then," he announced, his voice clipped. Lou, still sprawled on the floor, merely grunted and flicked a hand dismissively towards the kitchen. Romeo's jaw clenched for a brief moment before he turned his attention to me.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

His smile returned, though it seemed strained around the edges. "Young Lady," he began, "if it wouldn't be too much trouble, perhaps you could get to know Lou a bit better? I'm afraid you'll be seeing quite a bit of him from now on."

I nodded slowly, my eyes lingering on Lou's slumped form. The silence stretched as the door clicked shut behind Romeo. Lou finally heaved himself up, wincing as he stretched his back.

"Jeez," he muttered, gesturing vaguely for me to sit. "I know I'm a mess, but I'm still his superior, you know? He has to treat me with some respect!"

There was a hint of something in my voice, a flicker of something deeper than annoyance. I crossed my arms, a skeptical eyebrow raised. "Superior?" I asked, my voice cool. "From what I've seen so far, it seems like maybe respect isn't a one-way street around here, is it?"

Lou's bravado faltered for a moment. He scratched his head, avoiding my gaze. "Arrogant bug," he mumbled, the words lacking their usual conviction. He sank back down onto the floor with a sigh. "Jeez... this is going to be a long day, isn't it?"

Lou scrambled to his feet, a grimace twisting his features. He snatched a dark cloak from a nearby chair and tossed it in my direction with surprising hostility. "Ugh, your Flow, bug," he muttered, the word thick with discomfort. "A bit… much, wouldn't you say? Overbearing, even. This cloak should help… tone it down a bit."

The reaction wasn't a surprise, being a Flow user myself. I caught the oversized cloak with a raised eyebrow and settled it over my shoulders, waiting for him to gather himself. His hand hovered hesitantly over the sword on the floor, then clenched into a white-knuckled fist.

"Alright, alright," he mumbled, finally meeting my gaze. "Lou Haventon. Your uncle's superior, many other people’s superior, but not some stuffy professor at Chasles. Actually, I'm one of the Academy's Seven Sponsors. Consider yourself fortunate to be… in the company of someone as important as me."

Lou snatched a fleeting glance at the sword, his hand hovering for a heartbeat before clenching into a fist. Then, with a clatter that echoed in the sudden silence, he flung it back down. The erratic movement sent a shiver down my spine. Was this some kind of bizarre power play, or a symptom of something more troubling? The title "Seven Sponsors" held a certain power as well, but Lou's nervous energy painted a confusing picture. Swallowing my questions, I offered a polite nod.

"Lina Lapis," I said, my voice calm but firm. "It appears my fate may be placed in your hands. Here's hoping you're up to the challenge."

…

"Arrogant bug!" Lou spat, clearly riled by my defiance. The irritation was mutual, his lack of composure grating on me. Then, his demeanor shifted abruptly. His gaze snagged on the Morphblade still clutched in my hand. "Hey... Bug..." he began hesitantly, a sheepish quality replacing his earlier aggression. "Why do you have that... thing?"

I raised the Morphblade, turning it over in my hands to better examine its intricate design. "Romeo gifted it to me for my birthday," I replied, my voice laced with a hint of suspicion. "Why the sudden interest?"

Lou sighed, slumping onto the sofa with a disrespectfulness that mirrored my own simmering anger. "That thing," he muttered, pointing at the hilt with a grimace. "Your uncle pushed the Academy to its limits, commissioning one of the greatest artificers to create it. And he gives it to a six-year-old? Unbelievable."

My grip tightened on the Morphblade. Romeo? Why would he do something like this? The question hung heavy in the air. Unable to formulate a response, I locked eyes with the blade, its smooth surface offering no answers.

The silence stretched until Lou broke it with a defeated sigh. "Now I see why he did it," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. I snapped my head up, confusion clouding my features. My gaze met his, his usually gruff demeanor replaced by weariness and a flicker of... regret? "What do you mean?" I demanded, my voice edged with a newfound urgency.

"The thing on your hand," Lou rasped, exhaustion etched into his features as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It's a Flow guzzler. Needs a ton of juice to function properly. Us regular Flow users? We have a limited pool, you see, and it takes time to refill. We don't exactly waste it on fancy shapeshifting weapons, get it?"

I gripped the Morphblade tighter, my suspicion hardening into a dull ache. Romeo knew all this? Why give me something I couldn't use effectively?

"You, however," Lou continued, a hint of grudging respect creeping into his voice as he finally straightened up and retrieved his sword, "are a different story. If your Flow truly is limitless, then having the Morphblade... well, that'll be a sight to behold. Let me tell you, Romeo pulled some serious strings to get that thing built. The one and only Morphblade in existence. You owe him a big thank you, Bug."

He tossed the sword down again, but this time, the clatter barely registered. My mind buzzed with a newfound appreciation for Romeo. To go through all that trouble, to endure potential embarrassment, just to get me this incredible weapon... Gratitude welled up within me, a silent promise to thank him properly.

A sudden bang shattered the thoughtful silence. The door flew open, revealing a frantic Romeo, his face flushed with exertion. I shot up from the chair, startled by the abrupt shift, while Lou remained unfazed, sprawled comfortably on his seat as if such dramatic entrances were commonplace.

"I scoured the entire place!" Romeo exclaimed, slamming the door shut behind him. "Nothing but potential stomach aches in sight! That's not what you said, Lou!"

Lou shrugged nonchalantly, scratching his ear. "Jeez, relax, Romeo. Food? I don't even remember mentioning food."

"Then why didn't you say something?"

"You Never asked," Lou countered with a sardonic smirk.

The air crackled with a chaotic energy, a stark contrast to the serene atmosphere of my home. Was "lively" even the right word? These two, entrusted with my care, barely managed to take care of themselves. Shame on them for leaving a six-year-old questioning their maturity! But wait... their connection to the Flow world offered a glimmer of hope.

Perhaps they held the key to my past. Could they unravel the enigma of Ash Wyvern? After all, speaking the same Glorian tongue hinted at a connection between worlds. More importantly, I craved answers. Who orchestrated my assassination? Who cursed me? The Academy and these elusive "Seven Sponsors" also demanded investigation. The more threads I unraveled, the closer I'd get to the truth. A grand adventure, it seemed. And who was I to say no?