“W-hat?” Harper stammered.

“Freed what are you saying?” His mother asked worriedly. Her face grew blurry and another face appeared in Freed’s eyes.

Seeing her speak his eyebrows furrowed and he looked at her with severe distaste and disgust as if he was holding back vomiting.

There it was again!

Their faces overlapped!

Freed clicked his tongue and held his fury back. It was not her fault, it was his, it was this body being their son. Yet, he couldn’t tolerate it and finally had to leave and sever his ties with this ‘family’ of his once and for all.

Freed William’s mother from his previous life was beginning to overlap with that of his current life.

Considering he wasn’t even Freed Williams at all this irked him greatly.

Were his true mother an abuser, deadbeat, or unqualified perhaps he would have welcomed a new one with open arms just striking it off as a consequence of being a new person in a new world with a new life.

Yet his original mother was great and loving, the same, no even better than his current one.

He owed her a debt that could never be repaid for the love and affection she raised him with.

It hurt him to leave her behind and he already missed her endlessly after three weeks.

‘I hope you’re doing well, mother.’

He thought back to earth.

Of his wonderful mother, loving and hard at times but always thinking of him, caring for him, making sacrifices for him.

He couldn’t allow her memory to be desecrated, he couldn’t allow her memory to be tainted, nor could he allow her to be replaced.

Others in his position might have willingly integrated into this happy loving family but he could not.

It would dishonor and belittle the love he received from his real parents even if he could never return to earth and had already passed away.

Even if this was rebirth, reincarnation, or a new life!

It was unacceptable to him.

So he decided, to leave this place.

“Freed, why are you looking at your mother like that?” Father Williams's voice was calm and soothing like the summer breeze but Harper shivered, even Freed subconsciously did the same out of habit.

Father Williams only spoke like this when he was very very angry. The last three times already left a deep scar in their memory.

Freed paid no attention to the anger hidden underneath his father’s words.

“I said I’m leaving. I never liked being poor with you lot anyway. Tomorrow I become a Noble Class C citizen, I've already got a Black Iron Curse material through my own channels. I don’t need you all anymore. Living with you poor sods has disgusted me beyond end, i couldn’t wait to turn 15 and be done with you all, i wish it happened on my birthday but now is just the same. Treat it as if your son died, treasure him in your memory because he is. Freed Williams is no more. I have given myself the name. IImar, the same as the Great Sword Sage Ilmar von Ruthaven. I won’t be the same as dirty sinners like you anymore. I’ll become a Mystic Master Plant Controller have my own companion plant, marry several wives, and fight against evil.” Freed, no IImar said pretentiously as he made his way to the door.

His lines while crass were carefully chosen and calculated to seem reasonable from an ungrateful cocky child’s view and hateful enough to incite anger.

There was always what-if. If Freed Williams's parents were convinced he was not their son then it could be troublesome facing a tribunal from the churches trying to flush out evil spirits from his body therefore he chose his words carefully.

He had planned for several days after all so it all flowed smoothly and down to his minute expressions were perfect.

Smash!

The table filled with steaming hot food turned over. Rare Shrimp, Steamed Vegetables, Meat, Pastries, and Soup scattered on the floor. This was almost two silver coins!

Father Williams rushed to his son in anger with a great swing he slapped IImar so hard two teeth flew out. IImar fell to the ground embarrassedly.

“You ungrateful brat! After all we’ve done for you, you dare speak to us like that! Look how hard you’re making your mother cry!”

His fury was like a great beast as his chest heaved up and down. His face flushed red.

Father Williams was truly incensed it was the first time in his entire life that he had been so angry!

Harper was numbingly trying to calm her mother down who had broken into tears and was sobbing miserably.

They looked at the embarrassed figure of IImar who was beaten to the ground. This was their son and brother, Freed Williams yet he seemed like a stranger to them, and that he was.

IImar wanted to tell them that their stupid son killed himself after being rejected by a girl and only regretted leaving them selfishly in his last moments but the words didn’t make it out of his mouth.

He sat on the floor and rose up after a few minutes where he was once again placed there by a hard backhand.

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The room was tense.

After a while IImar rose again, his mouth bloody and face bruised.

Father Williams raised his hand to smack him again but saw a cold gaze lift upwards and look at him.

“You done? Can I go now?” IImar asked with little emotion.

This was still the body of their son although he killed himself stupidly.

Many might think they owed him for possessing his body and take care of his family, treating them as their own as compensation but IImar didn’t.

His predecessor was a stupid child who ended his own life over a stupid reason, he would use this body better than such a coward ever could.

He would even worry that a mirror situation would happen and his parents, relatives, and friends would be stuck with such a coward but fortunately, his original body was crushed to death, having such a horrible end turned out well for him in the end.

IImar didn’t feel he owed his predecessor or his family anything at all.

However, he did feel a little guilt at them preparing a Jubu for him and spending so much effort to care for him and give him their best wishes.

There were also the three weeks he spent under their roof in a daze and acting as their son.

Nevertheless,

IImar felt it dwarfed his feelings for his real family and he could never accept them as his.

Watching his ‘father’ freeze up and anger turning into disappointment and loss, IImar calmly exited their ‘family’ home never to return again.

When he made it a few hundred meters away even with the tightly packed houses filled with families between them and the low murmurs from other communal gatherings he heard his sister’s angry curses directed at him.

Though she was no longer his sister and he no longer her brother. They, no longer his family.

Blood was thicker than water.

Based on chinese principles and the culture of much of the Eastern and even Western world, he even would be cursed and shunned for cutting ties with his family but anyone who grew up in a broken home with unqualified parents would spit in your face if you told them parents could do no wrong and blood was thicker than water.

While in irony this family was not unqualified, his principle of cutting them off stemmed from the same root.

He didn’t think the blood flowing in his veins was enough to keep mum and swallow his distaste, after weeks of pondering he was certain this was the right choice for himself and even for them.

***

IImar left his family home far behind, now it was a past memory to be forgotten like his predecessor.

IImar patted his poor pockets with only 30 copper coins with his heart heavy.

Was he too cruel? Perhaps but better he douse their expectations now than wait until later or ignore his mental health by bottling up these feelings and faking a healthy relationship.

Nevertheless, spitting on smiling faces and genuinely good people left a bad taste in his mouth.

Heading to a local pub, he took a seat and hailed the bartender.

“Barkeep, One Beetlejuice.”

“Coming up.” The bartender was about to squeeze the liquid from the mystical insect that produced the alcoholic beverage when he saw his customer.

Examining the uniform he chuckled, “ Ah the Ceremony is tomorrow isn’t it good lad.”

IImar merely nodded in response.

“Having a drink before then, good choice. I remember I did the same and my father scolded me for stealing wine afterward, ah youth." The bartender took out a neat wooden mug and pushed it forward after squeezing a blue spotted winged insect with a transparent belly attached to a vine.

“If you’re going to do it might as well aim high. A Blue Smoll wine, on the house. Godspeed young man.” The barkeep nodded to his youthful customer.

Several big men drinking and laughing in the bark looked over at them and chortled.

“Hey, Old Fick is getting generous in his old age. To think the stingy old codger who doesn’t allow a tab over 300 peas gave out a wine worth 450 for free.”

“Maybe he’s sentimental with old age.”

“Investing in the future perhaps, after those monstrous kids from a few years back the recent ceremonies have always gathered attention. I heard that Hoover wiped out a branch of the Dark Embrace Cult recently, the disgusting fucktards, serves em right.”

“Say what you want brats are still brats no matter how flashy they are or how favored they are by the Gods. Now Commander Erlind, that’s a real man. Turning a useless auxillary ability like [Quick Mind] into something useful and rising up as the head of the Lighthouse Scouts is what is really legendary. Having it all from the start is just like those rich kids.”

“Hey hey old miller don’t spout bullsh*t. How could buying a refined or pristine black iron material without taking on debt be compared to risking it all and succeeding in rewarding your family’s efforts!”

“Pah- you're just biased because your third cousin’s kid is a part of this year’s batch and you helped out.”

“Fuck you.”

“No, fucky you, you fuckety fuck.”

Hearing the vibrant banter in the background IImar stopped hesitating and decided to accept the expensive gift. If anything he would return and buy from this pub a few times as a way of paying back.

“You look to have a lot on your mind kid, you’re too young to be knitting up your brows for so long. My late mother would say be careful or your face will freeze like that.”

A cloaked man wearing a cowboy hat and a gas mask started a conversation. His sawed-off new-gen shotgun showed he was not easy to mess with at first glance.

IImar glanced at him for a second hesitated but eventually replied, “Just weary from the times, what’s lost can often never be regained. I’ve lost the most precious person in my life so I can't help but try to drown my sorrows.”

“Haha, what do you know about loss kid, though I suppose you might after tomorrow or you might not.” The man swirled his own glass of Blue Smoll before sliding over something wrapped in cloth.

“Take it.” He gulped it all down and stood up. “Whether you succeed or not tomorrow it’s a good lifesaver.”

IImar watched with weird eyes as the man exited the pub.

What a strange person.

Such a random gift.

“Who was that just now.” He asked the bartender.

“Ah that’s Three Coin, he’s actually the leader of the Blood Stained Wolves, he comes here from time to time. Unlike those bastards from the gangs, he makes a decent living so people respect him around here.” The bartender replied.

IImar was about to uncover what he was given but was stopped by the barkeep who chided him in a low voice.

“Oi. you stupid? don’t show it off here. Not to say unlucky things but if you don’t win the lottery tomorrow then doing so will put a target on your back. Old Three is no ordinary run-of-the-mill demon slayer, the Blood Stained Wolves are among the top three even as far as Blue Hibiscus*. His team does missions issued directly by the White Star Aberration Extermination Association. Whatever that is, it definitely isn’t something an ordinary kid from the slums can hold, understand?” (*Blue Hibiscus is the name of the middle area of White Star District)

Seeing IImar look at him oddly and then nod, the barkeep backed off.

Blood Stained Wolves?

Did he accidentally meet some big wig?

Oh, whatever.

In normal times IImar might have given it more thought but after the earlier tense emotional moment and on the eve of awakening he gave it little attention and thanked the bartender before leaving.