While poverty was the primary nozzle used by the empire to water the common people with negative emotions like hunger, despair, greed, jealousy, and selfishness.
They cultivated trauma.
Refined. Controlled. Emotionally concentrated trauma, tailored specifically for their children.
Yes. Trauma was planned.
Ivory explained that each noble family had a special thod by which they operated.
Ivory explained that every noble family possessed its own thod.
So specialized in identity fracture. Others in existential pressure, conditional affection, or absolute isolation.
Of course, because these induced traumas were controlled from the birth of the child to the ripe age for Soulbounding, they helped to create more... stable bonds.
In certain cases, the possibility of choosing a Soul of significant strength was possible.
However, that was a subject for another ti.
Of course, the children of these noble houses did not know that they were lab rats until they were of age and trained to repeat the sa process to their own children, therefore regurgitating the trauma to the next unfortunate generation.
Ivory explained that her family, a Viscount house descended from two forr baron lineages, employed two primary thods.
The first was isolation of the ward from any form of parental care.
A generally set ti for procreation was made, and therefore all children of that generation were born around the sa ti. Sotis, they could be accurate enough to all be born in the sa week.
After which mothers were separated from their children, and handed to caregivers
But even these caretakers were rotated every two weeks, ensuring no lasting bond could form.
Psychologically, two weeks was enough ti for attachnt to begin.
Which made it the perfect ti to sever it.
This process was repeated throughout their lives, until the age of ten.
At this age, children beco used to not having bonds with people. However, while this is the initial goal, it is not the desired end result.
One could say that they are half-baked.
The second thod was to introduce a variable, one that will really allow the trauma sink in.
A pet.
Pets ranged from different animals, small to big, tad to wild.
The children were required to hunt and kill the animal’s parents, then raise the orphaned offspring themselves.
They were instructed not only to feed and protect their own pet but also to sabotage and destroy the pets of their siblings.
Yes.
The aim was to care for yours while trying to end the pets of your brothers and sisters.
Those that had their pets killed were severely punished publicly.
This further created more isolation and a lack of trust for each other.
An isolation, except from your pet.
Ivory explained that the bond ford during this phase was often the purest love a noble child would ever experience.
And then when they were sixteen years of age, the ripening occurred.
At this point of her explanation, Soren noticed sothing: her eyes seed... distant.
Like she was reliving the mont more than she was telling him about it. Her fingers moved subconsciously, tracing lines on the squared window.
Unlike commoners, the qualification exam and the Touching Glass Ceremony are perford on the sa day.
For her, the Ivory noble family called it the ripening.
On the day of the qualification exams, they were required to slaughter their pets and present their heads.
"My pet—no, my..." She muttered a na, too soft to hear, as if she wanted to tell Soren, but her tongue hesitated uttering the na. As if it would resurrect mories she did not want to give up.
Soren watched her attentively—enough to not make a sound. He even went a step further to quiet his breathing as much as he could, not interrupting her mont.
Her fingers shook, and one hand tightened around her waist as if craving comfort.
Soren could see it clear as day. Even her training as a Soul cha Pilot could not hide the vulnerable humanity masked by habitual perfection.
"... I had to cut his head and present it—my qualification to be Soulbounded."
Subconsciously, Soren’s fists tightened.
What kind of sick...thing was this?
Soren knew what it felt like to lose soone you love.
Even though many days had passed for him, Machos dying in his arms was still clear as day.
It was still the most devastating emotional ache he had ever felt.
At that mont, there was nothing he would not have given to have Machos back.
That was his most cherished person in the world.
At least he was lucky to still have people like Pencil and Tommy.
But Ivory, she had... no one.
Yet, she had to look her most cherished in the eyes, move the blade across their neck, and then present the head as a gate fee to a future planned for her long before she was born.
Surely, such a thing will shatter any person.
A tear slipped at the corner of her eye. She turned away, wiping it with well-practiced elegance.
She looked back at Soren, rembering she was giving a lesson.
"I carried... my emotion of loss and fed it to my shade. It produced incredible results for when learning the Forms." She added, feigning that smile again.
Soren wanted to say sothing--anything, but the words did not co.
She suddenly turned around. "Now, you know it. I hope this much helps you with your ... assignnt." She moved her head again, holding it back.
No doubt, unlocking old mories had poked a hole in a well-built dam.
"If you will excuse , I have matters that need my attention." She turned to leave.
"Wait..." Soren called to her.
She paused. Surprised.
Even he did not know why he stopped her. Maybe it was just Misery, finally finding company.
But he really did not want her to leave.
"Do... you really have to?" He muttered—words that seed to ooze out of his lips before he could stop them.
She walked up to him, one step at a ti, then she leaned in—looking into his deep brown eyes.
"I... I have already given it my all. There is nothing else... to lose." She sighed. "Besides, I must ensure soone takes responsibility."
Her fingers threaded into his hair. "Oh... how pitiful."
She turned, walking away. "Rember to be in the lesson area by 18:00 for your First Form evaluation." She reminded him.
The automatic doors opened, but she paused for a second, as if reluctant to leave.
It was only after the doors closed behind her that she let herself breathe easy. ’Why the hell did I tell him all that?’
She took a deep lungful of air, calming her mind.
She turned to her right.
Bloodshine.
She stared at Ivory with a kind of territorial hostility. Like Ivory was trying to touch sothing she had already declared hers.
Ivory giggled a bit, and then she walked away.
anwhile, Soren’s mind was a ss. There was a lot to unpack.
Ivory’s story was an intense one. Even now, his heart beat heavily in his chest.
But he forced the tears back. It was not that she was not deserving—she was, pitifully so.
That was why he had to do this.
However, certain answers had been made clear.
For example, he now understood why she used instructor Marcus.
It was so that all bla could be pushed to him. This would allow her the opportunity to still remain as an instructor within the academy.
Such terrifying planning.
Secondly, he now knew why the other cadets had gathered at the cafeteria and not the lesson area.
Ivory must have tampered with the communication system on the train.
Still, she had particularly told him to be in the lesson area and not the cafeteria. It could only an one thing.
In her initial plan, Ivory did not want him dead.
But why!?
And lastly,
He might have just figured out how to get his First Form.
(Author’s note: Privilege Chapters are now up. Enjoy, and please show the book so love with golden tickets. Thank you.)
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