In a cold, gelid room, two figures were sitting around a coffee table.
They were Yuki Frost, the mother of Ayza and Daphne, and Richard Blade, the father of Marcus.
For the first time in over a century, the representatives of the Frost and Blade Families finally meet.
Richard took a sip of the coffee, using its warmth to distract himself from the supernatural cold of the room.
"I have to thank you for your invitation, Lady Frost."
"There is no need. Negotiating on my home field on the date of my choosing is an advantage, not an inconvenience, Lord Blade."
A twitch found itself on Richard's brow.
"I was merely being polite. I assume you are ready to provide an answer about my last letter?"
Yuki took a sip of her own cup.
'Is that coffee with ice?'
"I am quite curious, Lord Blade. What is such a traditionalist family such as the Blade Family thinking? Leaving the conservative ideals of the Awakened Association for the 'dangerous' and 'radical' ideals of the New Blood Association?"
Richard closed his eyes, thinking.
"The Blade Family only stood beside the Awakened Association simply for tradition, after all, we had a great hand in its creation. Now, there are certain things that cannot be trusted with them. It's time for the Blade Family to cut those ties."
"How strange. The Blade Family, the only family that still holds the old customs, is tired of following one of their traditions?"
She chuckled for a bit before checking a message from a familiar.
"And not just that. I heard you are sharing the custody of your son with a vassal family? Even allowing their name to be part of his full name? Marcus Forger Blade, was it?"
Richard's eyes narrowed.
Yuki noticed, of course. It was better to not displease this man. Even though he was simply A Rank, while she was S Rank, there was a reason why he was the head of the Blade Family.
His profession, [Sword Saint (S)] was incredibly dangerous as it used powers that were not mana nor aura.
"Calm down. Tough, it's because of him, right? I heard the Blade Family was also requesting magic teaching materials. You saw a potential in the boy that completely shattered any foolish idea of holding it back with tradition?"
Richard's frown stayed in place for a few seconds before shighing.
"No such thing. The boy is talented, but the family elders are too stubborn to be swayed by mere talent."
"Oh? Then, how?"
Richard looked at Yuki dead in the eyes.
"Aren't you quite a gossiper, Lady Frost?. Why should I tell you?"
This time, it was Yuki's turn to frown.
As she was about to rebuke him, he answered his own question.
"I suppose there is a need for a show of trust, right?" Richard looked out of the window as if trying to see a distant target. "It was the boy. He took the initiative and made a deal with the elders. Although a lot of them were still either doubtful or outright unconvinced, his results in training have been converting a lot of minds."
A small smile of pride bloomed on the family head's face.
"He made a deal with the elders. If I remember correctly, he should be the age of my Ayza?"
"Indeed, he wagered his own awakening. If he awakened with little talent, he was to be left with his mother, if he was talented with a profession related to swordsmanship, he would stay with the Blade Family, and the case would turn into reality, if he ended up with great talent and a profession that could only be properly nurtured by the Forger Family, he would have his custody shared."
Yuki stayed silent for a moment.
"For a moment, I was impressed, but now I am slightly disappointed. Wasn't what the boy did a simple gamble? He couldn't have predicted his own profession, so it was a simple gamble."
"Indeed, but he also made sure to set the table. If he didn't take the initiative to propose the deal, the elders would completely disregard the possibility of him losing his potential by limiting his education to swordmanship."
"I suppose you are right, it's rare for a kid to show such determination."
She took a sip and seemingly stayed silent while she flavored her drink.
"Still, for his talent to urge you to protect him so diligently, what rank is his Talent Stat, exactly?"
"I don't mind telling once a deal is properly decided."
Yuki sighed, it seemed that the Blade Family's "show of trust" wouldn't let her receive more information than this.
"Well, I still need to talk with the council members of New Blood, but there is no need to fret, the Blade Family's prestige is quite famous. The only concern is the possibility that you are an Association mole, but we have ways to confirm things."
She stood up and walked towards the window, where she looked at her family's grounds.
"We would rather trust the words of one of the former Six Great Families, after all."
Before the world fell to ruin and awakened society truly formed, humanity was led and protected not by a government, an association, or pure will, it was the Six Great Families.
Frost, Embers, Stone, Thunderstruck, Blade, and Morgana.
These six families were the backbones of society at the time and were the ones that pulled humanity from the ashes for a better tomorrow.
From there, three families created the Association, and the other three created the Human Kingdom.
Blade, Embers, and Stone were the ones that created the Association, which had the duty to lead humanity's awakened to fight the calamity of beasts and monsters that lurked in the dungeons.
Frost Thunderstruck and Morgana were the ones that created the Human Kingdom, the new form of government of humanity, focused on dealing with mundane problems, although that stopped being their focus ages ago.
The kingdom functioned with two rotating royal families, which were elected every five years.
The Pendragon House and The Real House.
It was without a doubt that the Association was the most powerful, however, of its founders, only the Ember Family remained at their side.
As of now, most of its leading figures were various powerful awakened with their own agendas. After all, the Association was always designed in a way that allowed a simple awakened person to ascend the ranks up to Association President, it was obvious that various ambitious people aimed at the spot.
At first it was a way to cultivate better talents for the future, but it soon became a battlefield, and those that remained did not necessarily have the best intentions.
The ones at the top now were those people, the echoes of their agendas and their battles to keep their power shaking all of society.
Yuki had started a movement, along with other noble houses, to create a new association, one born out of New Blood, one that still allowed people to strive to grow but limited the way to those who only desired the power that the top spot meant.
However, her faction still hadn't been able to actually do anything besides publicly declare themselves the opposition of the current system.
But in the near future, the New Blood Association would finally enter the political game entirely on the royal court and take the first steps for a new society.
"Considering that we are letting go of traditions as of late, I would rather you recognized us as the Blade Family of Now and not the one that founded the Association."
"Oh? Already speaking like a member of New Blood, I hope to bring good news next time we meet."
After she said that, Richard stood up and prepared to leave.
"Ah, before I forget. Could you please say hi to Liza for me? It's been years since I saw her."
"... Sure."
'I guess saying his wife's, well, I guess ex-wife's name is like hitting his sore spot with a hot needle.'
"Well, with that, it was a pleasure to meet you, Lord Blade."
"I feel the same, Lady Frost."
"I should have an answer by the next big event."
"Big Event?"
"You see, I think I'm about to lose a bet, and I will have to keep my promise."
"???"
Richard was confused, but seeing that he was not going to get an explanation, he simply decided to be prepared and turned once again to leave.
Seeing Richard leaving, Yuki once again peered through one of her Ice familiars that was scattered through the mansion.
Through it she could see a bathroom that was normally not used.
The reason for it was simple: it still used electricity and gas instead of mana and magecraft to function.
In there she saw her daughter, Daphne, inside the empty bathtub drawing with mana a very familiar magic circle into the surface of the tub.
"Oh? Like I thought, she is going to force a Rank Up."
Through the familiar's sight, she quickly analyzed the magic circle and how she was deploying it.
'She is doing very well, she most likely had help from Ayza'
Once the girl was finished, she flashed a proud grin and began the next step.
**
Author's Note: Another Chapter! A little bit of world building because I feel that I am neglecting that part of the story. Hope you've enjoyed it, please leave a comment or a review
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