Scarlet

The door to White’s booth – a rather grand looking white and silver door with a screen outside of it – opens without me even finishing approaching the thing to reveal an equally grand looking room. One fit for royalty. Which I guess in a way the Knights are like the rulers of the Earth in that they’re by far the strongest humans in existence.

Especially white, whose door is at the center of the five doors.

I cautiously walk through the door before it shuts behind me, finding White sitting on a literal throne at the center of the room staring at me and Aria with a conflicted look on her face. Then, to my surprise, she gets up from her throne and says, “Here, have a seat,” while motioning towards it and summoning two other seats just like it but smaller. One that she takes, and one on the other side of me that I’m guessing is meant for Aria.

After a brief moment of hesitation, I walk over and put Aria down on the ground before sitting on the throne. Then, of course, Aria ignores the other seat to instead sit in my lap, almost making me chuckle in amusement.

But I’m too tense for that right now as I keep an eye on White, quickly finding the woman surprised by the turn of events. She doesn’t let it keep her surprised for long though as she almost immediately waves her hand, dismissing the other chair.

Then we sit in silence for a few minutes. A few very awkward minutes spent watching as the stadium fills up with people, none of their noise reaching us in here.

The only occasional sound is that of Aria moving around on my lap, pushing me further into the throne so that she can scoot between my legs and just lie back with her head resting on my chest instead of her previous spot sitting on one of my legs. Something that both Tar and White appear to be amused about.

I just roll my eyes before finally focusing my attention solely on White as I ask, “So why did you call me here?”

Her amusement gives way to a hint of fear and anxiety as she answers, “Well, I just wanted to see how you were doing.”

I frown at that.

“Nineteen years of never seeing me, and now you’re suddenly worrying?” I ask, perhaps a bit cruelly.

But certainly truthfully.

She flinches at that, meanwhile Aria just ignores the byplay between us and actually appears to be going to sleep. Which is adorable, but not important right now. Even if the position she pushed me in feels more than a little uncomfortable.

“I…” she starts, pauses, then starts again, “I’ve never really been good at putting my thoughts to words, but…” she pauses again, only to continue when she sees my glare. “I know you’ll likely never trust me, but I wanted to try. Even if it won’t likely happen, I have to at least try.”

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I stare at her for several seconds before turning my gaze to the stadium and wrapping my arms around the girl in my lap, quickly feeling her somehow grab one of my arms in her sleep.

You know, I think I’m rather thankful that Aria is here during this conversation.

“I wonder if White knew how much you two got along with each other and had her come as a soothing effect?” Tar mutters, sounding genuinely curious.

And to be honest, I can’t help but wonder that as well.

Not that it’d matter.

“You’re right,” I eventually state without looking at the woman. “I probably won’t ever trust you. Nor will I think of you as my real mother.”

I see her flinch out of the corner of my eye, but I ignore it as I turn to look at her again and finish, “But I’m willing to let you at least try. You did give birth to me after all.”

A small amount of hope appears in her eyes. Something that honestly irritates me even more, because if she really cared for me this much, then why the hell did she abandon me in the first place? Why would a mother abandon a kid to a hellish life just to sate some prophecy?

It’s bullshit.

“Do know that I won’t be inconveniencing myself in any way just to give you a chance, nor will I forgive you for what you’ve done,” I reiterate, making her nod her head in understanding.

Good.

“And now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…” I start before pausing to figure out how to ask, only for White to suddenly ask, “You want to know about my etched skills?”

My eyes widen in surprise, but I nod, nonetheless.

“I thought so,” she says with a nod of her own. White then raises her hand, making a white light shine above it. One that gives me a sort of empty feeling when I look into it. “This is null magic. It’s one of if not the most powerful magic known purely because, at the highest rarity skills, it has the ability to completely erase other magics so long as the user has the mana to do it.”

My eyes widen at that, and I find myself staring intently at the ball of white light.

“There’s actually an etched skill that you should be able to get from me that allows you do to this too,” she continues, making my eyes immediately narrow on her. “One of my etched skills,” she suddenly pauses as she raises a hand and snaps her fingers, making a flash of white surround us, tinting the air around us with white, “sorry, had to deal with some eavesdroppers.” I blink at that before remembering we’re in a magical reality. Although how she’s stopping anyone from snooping is beyond me. Probably some null magic trick. “Anyways, one of my etched mythic skills is called Nullify Magic, and it lets me nullify any sort of magical skill as long as I spend one and a half times the amount of mana that whoever used the skill spent to use it.”

My mouth drops open from shock.

The hell?! That’s broken!

Even Tar seems shocked as he suddenly appears in the air while gaping at White, apparently not having known the skill himself. He doesn’t stay shocked for long though because he quickly appears to realize something and says to me in my head so that White can’t hear, “Your Null Magic Field!!”

My eyes widen.

Holy shit. Nullify Magic is the mythic version of Null Magic Field, isn’t it?!

White looks slightly proud of herself and happy with my reaction, but my thoughts are suddenly drawn to the side when a fae appears next to her, making Tar immediately lower his head in respect and state, “Greetings, Third Prince Sylvanus.”

“And you, Fourteenth Prince Tarankar,” the floating dolphin – yes, dolphin – says in a deep tone of voice.

Wait, fourteenth? Oh, right! His place amongst the royal line of ascension rose when I ascended Classes!

Good on you little tanuki!

Tar snorts in my head.