The Romina family was slack jawed, unable to comprehend what my Framework information said about me. To be fair, I felt goddamn overpowerered considering what I had to do since I got here. It was a stroke of luck since I probably wouldn't have been able to save my Cici without the power the Framework gave me. Granted, it seemed to be who I've always been, and my sickness had been caused by simply being without mana for so long. If I hadn't have met Cici... I'd probably be dead.
"Elias..." Anya said, her face white, and her eyes in disbelief, "As far as I was aware, a class Rank of S is held by only a few people in the world... and the Rank of S+ was thought to be a myth, as we've only heard about it, but have never seen it. But this...."
Anya seemed unable to formulate a response to what she was seeing, as did everyone else. I didn't know what to say, as all of this was new territory for me. I just knew that I was damn powerful.
"Eli..." Cici said, making me turn to her, "It says your race is Divine and Primordial... those are beings of legend... no, legends among legends, and your class... SSS+..." She trailed off as she continued to stare at me, and her look was a bit different than I was used to, and it worried me.
I reached out to her, and she hesitated.
"Cici... are you afraid of me?" I asked, my heart suddenly in intense pain.
Her eyes widened, and she shook her head as she began to tear up.
"No! I could never be... but, Eli... you're some kind of legendary being... and me? I'm just a a normal Beastkin... I don't..." She said, and I finally understood what she was getting at, and I was having none of it.
I wrapped her in my arms, my grip strong and protective, but it was gentle, and I held her head to my chest. She didn't resist, but I felt more hot tears fall on me as I stroked her hair.
"Don't you even think about saying that I'm too good for you. YOU are too good for me, and yet you want to be with me. I want you, Cici, and only you. I love you, and this changes nothing for me." I told her, my tone firm, and my voice full of surety.
She sobbed into me as she gripped me tightly, her tail flicking back and forth, and her ears twitching with what I've come to know as happy movements. I kissed her head again, only for her to lean up and kiss me on the lips again, and obviously, I eagerly returned it. When our kiss broke, her tear filled yet sparkling eyes met mine.
"I love you too, Eli. I'm sorry I even thought like that..." She said, but I just shook my head as I used my thumb to wipe away the tears.
"Don't be sorry, love. I just don't want you to be worried, or think like that. That's not who I am, Cici. When I was weak, and could barely move, you stayed by me, and helped me. You loved me anyways. I will always be there for you. This power I now have changes nothing about that." I said, making her smile as she nuzzled my hand with her cheek.
"You're right... my mate isn't superficial..." She said, kissing the back of my hand, which caused the slightest twitch of my penis, before she added, "But that still doesn't change the fact that your powers, your stats, everything... it's insane."
"This is cute and all..." Warren said, his eyes as wide as dinner plates, "But how is anything like this possible?? And look at these powers, and this Framework designation. Primordial of the Abyssal Flame? What the hell even is that???"
The man sounded a little manic if I was being honest, but I really couldn't blame him. It was a lot to take in. Hiago didn't even seem to be bothered by it, but he was just a kid, so he probably was still trying to figure out life in general.
"Elias... this is... I don't even no. You have a power unlike anyone else... I don't think anyone else is this strong... and this answers many questions while leaving more... the divine truly are real..." Anya said, her brows knitted in thought and confusion, "I've heard of beings known at Primordials, but that's about it. It's just a word to me... or it was."
I scratched my neck, unsure of how to respond, but I tried my best.
"When I came here, the Framework said I was a Framework entity... and I was also really sick." I said, and then went on to explain the sickness I had dealt with for my whole life, and my subsequent coming to this world, and finding out everything.
"So... you had mana deprivation? Hmm... That means that this world is where you were originally from, but who brought you to the other world, then?" Anya said, and I shrugged.
"I have no idea. The people who raised me aren't even my real parents. Just people who adopted me." I said, my tone sad as I thought about my mother.
Cici suddenly got angry, but not at me.
"That man doesn't deserve to be called a parent! I've heard what you've said about him, and heard him yelling at you through that weird device of yours. And your mom stays with him??" Cici yelled, her face red with fury, and I gotta say, it looked damn hot.
"Sweetie, it's not that simple," I said, trying to explain in better detail, "He's a police Captain, so... like, you all have law enforcement here? City guards and stuff maybe?" I asked, and Cici nodded hesitantly, "Yeah, so, pretty much... he can get away with a lot because of his position. He puts on a big show while at work, so people like and respect him for what he does, even if all that amounts to is getting drunk and hurting my mother."
I seethed at the thought of him laying a finger on her. Yeah, she had some issues of her own, but ultimately she was just a victim stuck in a terrible situation.
"I'm so sorry to hear that... it's awful... I could never imagine hurting my family like that... it gives me the chills." Warren said, and my respect for him rose.
"He wasn't always like that, but somewhere down the line, he started to think that it was a mistake to try and raise a dying kid. I think there's more to it than that, but... I just don't know." I admitted.
I never really was very good about talking about these kinds of things, mainly because I had no one to tell them to. Cici had helped me greatly already, and I had poured my heart out to her when I had thought she was just a cat. Still, the thoughts made me clench my fists. I wish I could something, I wish...
I blinked.
"Hey, that portal can take me right back to Earth, right?" I asked, then clarified, "That's the name of my world. Kinda feel stupid I didn't mention that before."
"Yes, you can... do you want to go back?" Cici asked, her eyes a little downcast.
I reached out, wrapping her lithe body in my arms, and she melted against me.
"First of all, please stop sounding like that. I meant it when I said I wanted you, and I'll never leave you. Anywhere you are is where I belong." I said gently, feeling when her tears began to soak through my shirt as ai gingerly ran my hand through her beautiful hair, "Second, I want to help my mother. With this power I have... I can."
Cici smiled at me, and nuzzled her face into my chest as she began to purr quite loudly, and her mother actually smiled softly while her father just nodded at my words, giving a wry grin.
"You have to be careful if you do. People over there might not be too accepting of your... new condition. It is a world without magic, after all." Anya warned me, and I nodded.
I would be careful, and while it wasn't going to be right away, I would be going back, and I would get my mother away from that asshole. After I kicked in his teeth.
"I'll be careful. I'll just get her out of there and come back. Maybe I'll even bring her, if you don't mind... I can't leave her there... she had nothing and no one else." I said, and Anya nodded firmly at me.
"Of course! We will be happy to help her. You're going to be married to my daughter in a couple of days anyways. It would feel wrong not to." Warren said, and I both nodded, and then blinked rapidly.
"A couple of days?"