'Resent?'
Just what did the original Brandon do for Belle to feel like he resented her?
Another opportunity presented itself.
Therefore…
"...What do you an?"
"So you don't rember?"
"It's been six years."
"It's been plaguing my mind these past few months. But turns out, you actually forgot."
Cold sweat started beading from Brandon's forehead.
Looking at Belle, she seed anxious.
'So their relationship ended off on the wrong foot then?'
Belle then shook her head.
"Since you've forgotten about it, that ans you actually don't resent then."
She smiled.
"That's good enough for ."
"..."
Where the hell is this conversation going?
"It's funny."
She snapped him out of his thoughts as she spoke while looking at the distance.
"You were begging for not to go. To the point where you cried. You begged for everyone not to go, to stay at ho. You even told Mom and Dad to retire."
"..."
"You were eight, and yet you looked so tired. I could still vividly rember it. You spoke as if sothing bad was about to happen to all of us."
Sothing bad?
This…
"Mom and Dad found it cute, I myself felt the sa way. But when I looked into your eyes, I realized there was nothing cute about it."
It was all starting to click.
"Hey,"
She turned to look at Brandon as he looked back at her.
"If it was as irrelevant, to the point where you've forgotten about it, then what was all that about?"
"..."
He couldn't respond.
He couldn't formulate any words, much less be able to give Belle a reasonable explanation.
But he had an inkling.
The last page on the to clearly stated Ti affi…
Though the last page was torn in half, it wouldn't take a genius to know that it was supposed to be affinity.
So…
Did it have sothing to do with ti?
Did the original Brandon have the ti affinity?
Was he really just a re extra?
Did he know what was about to happen in the future, which is why he had begged for his entire family to stay…?
Stay away from harm?
So that ant…
The novel's ending was just as he feared then?
A bad ending.
It was a plausible theory.
Then…
'Why did I replace him?'
Why did he suddenly inhabit Brandon Locke's body?
Ah.
The notebook.
The one that was hidden away with a magic circle.
Could it have the information he needed to solve the puzzle?
He couldn't tell Belle about any of it.
With his thoughts gathered, he pursed his lips.
"What kind of child wouldn't be attached to his family?"
He decided to lie to her.
"Even now, I don't want to see any of you go."
A half life.
It went for Belle. He had now considered her as family.
But he couldn't say the sa for Brianna and Omar.
They were still strangers to him.
"Right."
Belle nodded her head as she fixed her gaze at the stars.
"That's a reasonable explanation."
Her lips curled into a sorrowful smile.
"So you don't resent , right?"
Brandon shook his head.
"I can't say for the back then. But I definitely don't resent you now."
He had finally accepted the mantle.
In a way, the transmigration saved his life from his supposed death.
And he had the original Brandon to thank for it.
There was no need to feel guilty about any of it anymore.
As long as he picks up where the original Brandon left off, then maybe he could be forgiven.
It was the least he could do for the original Brandon.
He was a fake.
Yes.
But he was also the successor.
Similarly looking at the stars, he silently muttered to himself.
"My na is Brandon Locke."
***
Sitting on his desk, Omar recalled what had transpired earlier in the arena.
After finding out that Brandon was a bonafide Hexa-Elental Mage had left him no words.
The sa went for the other Rankers who were present in the arena.
Was this really his son?
Being a Deviant was already amazing in itself, but being a Hexa-Elental Mage at that…
It was absurd.
He could think of a few nas on the top of his head that had the sa amount or even more affinities just like his son.
But then again, it was only a few.
When?
Since when did Brandon beco such an enigma?
His son had already been quite eccentric during his younger years. Now he was even more so.
Even Belle, his daughter, was already ridiculous. But compared to Brandon, she sohow seed normal in comparison.
Brandon…
He could definitely say that his son was about to beco an important figure in the future.
It was the start of a new era.
"A new era of mages…"
Staring at the envelope in front of him, Omar opened it.
It was sent only a few hours ago. The sender was none other than Astrea Academy.
While he was in the arena, his wife received the envelope in his place.
Brianna stood just behind him, and her voice reached his ears shortly after.
"See it with your own eyes and tell what you think."
He was aware why Brianna was acting this way.
After all, it was none other than their children's report card.
It would usually be sent to the guardians, whenever a term ended.
In other words, it was Brandon and Belle's report card for the preliminaries.
Opening it, he took out the two docunts.
Firstly, Belle's report.
Scanning it, he wasn't surprised.
His daughter had been consistent in her entire first year in the Academy.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see that she still remained at the top.
Especially because of her credentials.
Sending her to Britannia to master her [Light] affinity was definitely worth it.
"Mhm."
He nodded and placed the docunt back on the table.
And for the next docunt. The reason why Brianna was acting differently.
Brandon's report card.
Swallowing, he thoroughly scanned the docunt.
As he did so, his eyes widened.
Noticing his reaction, Brianna's voice reached his ears.
"What do you think? Is there so kind of err—"
"No."
He cut her off decisively.
"This is no mistake."
"What makes you say so?"
That was when Omar recounted everything that had happened in the arena.
Though Brandon had so kind of episode at the end, he had still proven his prowess.
Brandon was old enough to handle whatever plagued him.
He also had the support of his older sister, Belle.
Truth be told, he was only overprotective of his children on the surface.
But he was mostly overprotective of his son, Brandon.
That was because, from what he rembered, his son was weak.
Since Omar was a General, it was highly likely that his son would be exploited by his enemies and would be used against him.
He couldn't allow that.
No one sses with his family.
Not the Academy, not the rankers, not the guild, not even the strongest, Lucian Frost.
As he finished recounting all the details, there was still so hint of doubt from Brianna.
"...I can't believe it."
"Then believe it. Our son will beco quite the figure in the future."
But surprisingly, Brianna allowed his words to digest and she shook her head.
"No, both our children will."
Omar smiled.
"Top one, huh?"
Brandon would have to face a lot of problems in the future, given his current standing.
"We have to support him as much as we can."
"Obviously, he's our son."
Brianna then inched real close behind his back and wrapped her arms around him.
She seductively whispered in his ear.
"Our children are quite sothing, aren't they?"
Omar then grasped Brianna's hand and softly pressed his lips on it.
"This calls for a celebration."
Just like that, the two 'celebrated' inside Omar's office.
"...Wait, lock the door first."
Brianna sighed.
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