The mansion felt…different.
Quieter.
The noise was gone—the constant murmur of nobles, the clinking of glasses, the hollow politeness that filled every corner.
Now, there was only silence.
And in that silence, Arion Brook-The Humble Prince walked greeted by guards and maids alike. Beside him walked Clara, her usual indifferent mask on her face.
They had not talked even once after...their close talk in her bed.
Many nobles were behind Clara after all, and they were behind him too.
"What are you thinking about?" Arion asked the beauty walking beside him, she lingered for a while and then answered in her usual tone.
"About the future." She said bringing a frown to Arion's face. He was currently finding an empty spot to ask Clara about her true intentions, now that his father was outside he was confident of his ability of them having a private conversation without being spied on.
"What type of future, and how far into the future."
Clara looked at him with a weird expression before looking back front, there were many guards and many maids and all of them were looking at Arion with kind smiles.
She even noticed some young maids of Arion's age throw a hateful glare at her.
'They really like him...' She thought.
Once again, the boy was wearing a elegant black robe just like the ones he wore for the past three days.
And of course, he was barefoot, unlike her, who wore expensive white boots that shimmered faintly with enchantment.
Arion walked through the halls slowly, his footsteps echoing faintly against the polished floor. The same walls, the same structure—but without the crowd, the place felt larger.
But he felt better, for some reason the idea of unknown nobles staying in his house was uncomfortable and unsettling.
Even if his father was right there in the mansion, he still felt...somewhat scared.
Most of the guests had left early that morning. The grand halls that once felt suffocating were now open, almost hollow. Only the household remained. Guards, maids, his family, clan elders, himself and Clara were the only ones left.
"Finally," he muttered under his breath.
"I think you are finding a good place to ask me some questions" Clara suddenly said flatly, as if stating a fact. Arion looked back at her, acting nonchalant and only shrugged and put on a sheepish smile.
"I am but before that, I have to deal with some other things."
"That is...?"
"Family." He answered simply as they stopped before a normal lavish door, just like his and Clara's.
His hand paused mid-air for a brief moment, hesitating only for a moment before he saw Clara's hand move to the door and knock three times before she retreated her hand back to her side elegantly.
"Our first little secret." She said quietly. A moment later he nodded absent-mindedly and turned to the door which was opened by the guards.
The room beyond was simple compared to the rest of the mansion. A long table. A few chairs. No unnecessary decoration.
Inside, they were all waiting for him, his mother, his siblings, no elders, no outsiders, just them. He turned towards Clara who gave a quick nod turning back and walking away just as he walked into the room.
Guards went out, leaving only the four of them.
The door was closed, everyone was outside and for a brief moment he felt...happy.
They simply looked at him. Not like nobles but like family, at least his mother and Serina did, Serene still had the unbreakable mask on her face but beneath that was an ocean of hatred.
Arion glanced across them, his expression neutral.
"…What?"
His voice broke the silence like a stone dropped into still water.
No one answered immediately.
For a moment, the room held its breath.
"You've changed," his mother said softly. Arion looked at her and gave her a short smile. "You have been saying that to me for the last three days now."
It wasn't an accusation. It wasn't praise either.
"Still, if you want an answer, I guess you can call it growing up."
Serina let out a small, nervous laugh—but it died quickly when no one joined her.
Serene didn't move, didn't laugh, didn't blink. Her gaze stayed locked onto him like a blade pressed gently against skin—not cutting, but ready to.
"Don't pretend like this is normal." The words were sharp, and the sister who said to him looked sharp too, Arion's eyes flickered to her then a bright smile appeared on his face.
"Oh yeah, how can such a emotional reunion be a normal thing?"
"The so called reunion was over four days ago." She said right after him, her tone sharp and leaving no room for argument.
"…Then what is it?" he asked, folding his arms loosely.
Serene stood up from her seat, looked and him and took a step forward.
"A lie."
"You disappear for days," she continued, her voice steady but laced with something darker beneath, "come back… different… stronger… colder… and suddenly everyone acts like nothing happened?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"And we're just supposed to accept it?"
"Correction..." Arion started holding his palm up. "I didn't disappear, I had the permission of both our parents and the elders too, and moreover it wasn't days, it was years." He completed, the smile still plastered on his face.
Then he grew quiet...
For the first time since entering, the faint ease in his posture faded. Not completely, but enough.
"You're overthinking," he said eventually.
Serene couldn't help but laugh, a quiet, humourless laugh.
"No," she said. "I'm finally thinking clearly."
Serina shifted uncomfortably, glancing between them. "S-Serene… maybe we should—"
"No." Serene cut her off without looking away. "Not this time."
Their mother sighed softly, rubbing her temple as if this moment had been inevitable.
Arion glanced at his mother, and a quiet realisation dawned on him. Serene had been waiting to confront him for six years.
"Arion," she said, more firmly now. "Whatever you're involved in… whatever path you're walking… we deserve to know."
'Hmm, I wonder what she knows.'
There was no force behind her voice, only understanding and disappointment, years of disappointment.
Arion looked at her, properly and for a brief moment something flickered in his eyes, and then it was gone, just as quickly as it had come.
"You want the truth?" he asked quietly, no longer having any smile or frown on his face, it was blank.
"Yes." His sister answered without hesitation.
"No, you don't." Arion answered after a pause. The words came out colder than he had expected. Serina froze, her beautiful smile wavering, her mind thinking of ways to make a cheeky joke to ease the tension.
Angela's expression tightened, her gaze flickering between her three children, and Serene's eyes darkened. She took another step forward.
"Try me."
Arion exhaled softly, almost like he was… tired. He truly was. Not physically but deeper.
"You're still thinking like this is a story where everything can be explained cleanly," he said. "Where people sit down, talk it out, and suddenly everything makes sense."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"It doesn't."
He took a step forward, towards her, the faint echo of his bare foot against the floor seemed louder than it should've been.
"There are things you don't understand," he continued quietly. "Things you shouldn't understand."
Serene clenched her fists.
"That's not your decision to make."
"It already is. Do you know why?"
The air shifted, Arion continued locking eyes with her. "Because its my goddamn power."
"So what?" she demanded. "You think you're above us now?"
Arion didn't answer, his mind going overdrive from the weird question, he had not been prepared to answer that question. How could his garrulous mind not think of this question?
He hesitated, and in that hesitation, in that silence, he felt that something more than words was passed.
Serina's eyes widened slightly.
Their mother's lips parted.
Serene smiled. And it was not a kind smile.
"I see," She whispered.
Arion's expression hardened just a fraction.
"…That's not what I said."
"It's what you meant."
Arion was quiet for a moment, looking at all three in front of him, he suddenly missed his father. Even if he was more dangerous than the three here, he would be unable to corner him emotionally, hell it would be him who would emotionally corner that emotionless father.
Pushing the thoughts about his father away, he paused and then looked at her, Serene spoke this time more dangerously.
"Is it because of her?" The question lingered on the air, no one moved to answer.
Clara.
Arion's gaze flickered for less than a second but she caught it, her smile widened.
'Of course she caught me...' Arion was finally back to his senses after that weird question.
"So it is." Serene spoke.
"…Careful," Arion said.
"With what?" she challenged. "The truth?"
Their mother stepped in quickly this time. "Enough. Both of you."
Arion looked at the three of them, each of them having different expression flickering in their eyes, though there was one common thing in their eyes.
Uncertainty.
Serina swallowed hard.
"…Why does it feel like everything's about to break?" she whispered.
Arion smiled internally turning to her, his face suddenly sad.
"It's bad...would be mind helping me then? My prodigious sister?"
Something dangerous flickered in Serene's eyes but before she could ask anything, Arion nonchalantly shook his head and returned to his seat and sat down.
"Ah, I can't speak my heart out openly with so many people watching me, it is embarrassing to cry front of three people, so I would rather not be cornered emotionally."
Serina looked at him with a hint of curiosity, then spoke.
"What do you mean by "can't speak my heart out", were you perhaps planning to say something to Serene?"
Arion looked at her and grinned. "Why yes, but sadly we two have been hating each other for as long as she can remember so well it would all be in vain." He said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
Serene walked back to her seat and sat down, she finally grew silent.
"How are you, Arion. When are you going back to the academy?" His mother asked with a kind smile.
Looking at his mother's kind smile, he gave her a smile of his own and then looked apologetically at Serene and Serina then cleared his throat.
"Well, I'll be leaving in a week. Still, I know you guys have questions about my power...Like Serene has of course, so you can ask me questions." He paused for a brief second, looking at them with a thoughtful expression and then smiled again, a kind, genuine smile.
"I'll answer to the best of my capabilities."
Serina was the first to ask a question, standing up abruptly and pointing a finger at her brother, then with a serious expression asked.
"Is Lady Clara your girlfriend?"
The room went silent, and then Arion shook his head and sighed. "No...And stop asking questions like that."
Serina grinned teasingly and opened her mouth as if to say something but stopped when Serene gave her a blank look. Shivering with a nervous smile, his hyper-active sister sat down looking at him.
Serene meanwhile, had gone back to her usual aloof look, devoid of any mockery or anger she showed before. Now she looked at him calmly, with no expressions on her face.
"Your Bonus, mind sharing it?" His mother asked, her voice gentle and kind like always. Arion smiled, and shook his head.
"I can't tell you everything but I'll spill some for you."
His mother smiled and nodded, then she gave a sideway glance at Serene then back at him.
"So?"
"Hmm, well nothing much, I can summon swords and manipulate a few of them, that's it."
"And that sword?" Serene asked. Arion looked back at her and then shrugged.
"Secret, I guess. but yeah, it's a super strong sword, that's it."
Serene looked at him and then shrugged siting back down.
Arion smiled. "Let's talk later okay?" She just nodded.
Serina leaned forward, curiosity plain on her face. "So… is that all?"
Arion tilted his head, a faint grin forming as he tapped his fingers lightly against the arm of his chair. "Uh, nah. I guess… since Mother might tell Father anyway, I can uncover a few of my secrets." Serina's eyes lit up immediately. "Secrets, eh? This will be fun."
Arion exhaled softly, his gaze drifting for a brief moment before returning to them. "My Bonus has to do with swords. I can manipulate them… and my blood too. I can heal myself—and I can never die from blood loss." The room grew still. "And that sword you saw… its name is Voidflare. I can't tell you what it is exactly, but it's strong."
Silence lingered.
Serene's eyes narrowed, her voice cutting through the stillness. "And you're calling yourself a Novice?"
Arion shrugged, leaning back as if it didn't matter. "Unless I somehow became an Initiate in a matter of days… yeah. I'm still a Novice."
Their mother hadn't moved. Her gaze stayed fixed on him, something fragile breaking through her composure. "…You can heal yourself," she said softly. "And manipulate your blood… So what we saw that day… all that blood…" Her voice wavered. "You were actually hurt…" There was fear there. And sadness. And buried beneath it— pride. Arion said nothing.
Serina broke the tension with a grin, leaning back in her chair. "Just so you know, Serene and I are Initiates now. So don't go provoking us, okay?" she added lightly.
Arion let out a quiet huff. "I'll keep that in mind."
Serene exhaled, her expression settling back into its usual calm, though her eyes remained sharp. "If you're done," she said, "we should talk. Like you suggested."
Arion's gaze flickered toward her for a moment before he nodded. "Yeah."
And just like that, the meeting was over.