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"Now... do you want to go to the academy?"
His sudden question catches off guard. And my eyes flutter open, blinking twice.
"I.. I have a choice?" I ask, my tone layered with curiosity.
"Well..." He sinks back into his chair, the serious edge in his voice drops; "Normally, you’re not supposed to have a choice. Even I didn’t. But you’re different Charles. I beca a first circle at age 13, and I went to the academy. But you? You beca a first circle at the age of 7!"
My back straightens as I narrow my eyes— staring at him with curiosity.
"So, that ans you have a choice. You can choose not to enter the academy until you’re at least 13 years old. Or you can choose to go this year. Your choice. I’d already prepared for your admission and everything, but I can cancel it at any ti." He shrugs. "After all, in the academy, all the first years there would be twice your age."
His signature heart-destroying smirk is present on his face.
Freak.
"I’m not going to the academy."
His brows curve up as his lips part; "That’s expected." He mutters. "I’ve always noticed sothing different about you. You, you aren’t like the others."
My eyes widen. What could he be talking about? Did he find out I reincar– Okay that’s a far stretch.
"What do you an by that?"
"You have great ambition, a driving force, sothing that compels you to keep moving– Desire. I’d noticed it ever since the day I first saw you. But then, that desire— it’s not to rule, it’s not to dominate or to conquer, it’s not even greed.
You never even try to vie for the position of a Patriarch with the other children. In fact, you avoid them as much as you can. Even my second wife Jina no longer sees you as a threat because you show no interest in the position of the Patriarch."
Sothing crawls up my stomach.
Why does he have this kind of discernnt? It’s like a cheat. He’s overwhelmingly powerful and.. smart.
"You’re right." I speak up, masking anxiety with a calm expression, and an unshaken voice.
"I do not desire the vague sense of dominance that any position of power brings...
I am not out for conquest— to rule anything or anybody...
I am after sothing greater than all of those..
A path that defies the very nature of things."
Well, I’m not wrong. Bending ti and space to go to another world is defying nature, and physics.
A grim light shines in Alexander’s eyes, and his grin.. I don’t know how but.. it’s even more wide than before.
"A path that defies the very nature of things. An anomaly that seeks to defy nature. Interesting, really interesting."
The man.. he’s starting to make feel uncomfortable. I’m starting to question if he’s actually ntally unstable.
"So, does that an the weight of the Flaworths hold you back?"
My lips part, and close back. Then I scan his face and posture— to know his reaction. But he’s just.. just grinning.
I nod.
"Your decision is a good thing, Charles. Because this family, as much as I hate to admit it... They will limit your rising. Seeing how much potential you have— You cannot escape it." He adjusts his glasses.
"The fate of being the Patriarch— It’s an ancient rule, ’The strongest one bears the title of the leader’. And sure, there might be so disagreent amongst the elders because you have an affinity with other elents. But, it won’t stop your eventual ascendance to the seat of the Patriarch.
But you see boy, sothing they don’t tell anyone about being the Patriarch, sothing that even my children fighting themselves don’t know, and hence the reason I laugh at them— is that..."
His gaze soften, his pupils dilate— and his face imdiately goes pale. It’s like he’s trying to recall a grueso and buried mory from within him.
"Is that, we have no freedom. I... I have no freedom, Charles. I’m tied down. I’m tied down by a shackle. And that shackle.. that shackle is... nng."
It’s the very first ti I’ve ever seen him disoriented. He groans, clearly in pain. His fingers massage his forehead, his breath growing more and more heavy. It’s like sothing stopped him from talking.
He wheezes, taking in deep breaths, and his breathing stabilizes— becoming more fluid.
And with a strained and weak voice, he resus: "so... what I’m trying to say is that, you have a destiny.. one far too great, and far too large to be tied down by this sa... Shackle that’s tying down.
So run away Charles. Run. Run far away from here. From this family. Don’t let HIM find you. Don’t even let HIM know that you exist. Don’t let him know that you’re a Flaworth. I have done my best to keep your existence a secret from him. That’s all I could do to protect you.
But the only thing I’ll ask of you as you leave is that— you let know your new na.
One that I’ll recognize when I hear your world-shaking achievents, because I know that wherever you go, even if you answer a new na, and even if you abandon the na of the Flaworths... I know that you’ll still shake the world.. so tell your na Charles. So I may know of my son’s achievent."
Sweat— all over my body. My shirt is damp— wet even. My forehead is drenched, making my hair cling to my forehead, so of it slip into my eyes, drowning my vision.
My chest heaves, my mind unable to properly process what he’s spouting.
"W–what, Alexander. What the hell are you talking about?" As I speak— I realize I just made a mistake; I called him by his na.
Imdiately— I muffle my gasp with my hands. My eyes looking to scan his expression.
He’s.. the man is smiling. Bitterly..
"Alexander.. Yes, it’s been a while since soone called by my na.
And it feels right coming from you.. You never felt like a son to . That level of intelligence, and rationality you display at tis.. it matches my own. But you try so hard to hide it.
But greatness cannot be hidden for long Charles. I know you’re a much larger genius than you let on." His gaze falls on his desk. His fingers fiddle with the quill on his table.
"And as for my na— Yes. You can call Alexander. Because I have acknowledged you— not as a son, nor as a warrior— but as a friend."
His bitter smile grows wider as he speaks, but I only hear bullshit coming out of his mouth.
Utter bullshit. I know he isn’t that bad of a guy. But co on man, calling your 7-year-old son your friend? I thought better of you Alexander.
A small smile leaves my lips as I shake my head.
I can’t deal with this... I have to change the topic.
"I want to learn so fla spells."
He flinches subtly, and his smile fades. I guess he’s surprised of my blatant change of topic.
"Ehehem" he clears his throat, his folded palm covering his mouth, "fla spells? I can teach you so first-circle fla spells."
I nod my, "thank you."
"You’re welco, Charles."
And I stand up to take my leave.
I’ve fulfilled my purpose of coming here: Telling Alexander that I’ve gotten my first circle, and trying to convince him to teach spells by himself.
I expected the second one to be hard, but it was easy. Not only did I fulfill my purpose of coming here, but I even got so.. kind of information.
Slowly, I make my way toward the door.
"When you’re ready to make your move. Inform ."
I nod silently, my stride to the door slow and cautious.
As I place my hand on the door handle, I pause, and I turn back to give him one last glance.
"Best look forward to hearing news of Ed."
I open the door, and I walk out.
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