"From this moment on, legally, our marriage is over. We no longer have any connection."
"Aux, fine. But Jeros must remain in my care. I'll be taking him back and changing his surname to my family's name."
"You can take care of him, but even if you take him away, he's still a formal member of the Douglas family. That will never change!"
"On what grounds?" Susan, Muria's reincarnated form's mother, asked angrily.
"It's simply the Douglas family's rule. Since Jeros' compatibility rating has surpassed 60%, he's a formal member. Changing his surname would mean leaving the family, and that's something even we can't decide on."
Aux spread his hands. These were the family's rules. Even if he personally wished to sever ties with his son, Jeros would still remain a Douglas family member.
"We're divorced, and I'm raising our son. Why should he carry the Douglas surname?"
"Madam, since Jeros carries Douglas blood, the family will naturally provide resources for him."
The old man's voice was calm but authoritative, reflecting the weight of the Douglas family's influence.
"Master Pace!" Both Aux and Susan showed respect toward the elderly but energetic man who had appeared without warning. Though he was a butler, he didn't serve any individual Douglas member specifically; instead, he served the family as a whole, executing the directives of the family's leadership.
"What brings you here?" Aux looked stunned. He hadn't expected a family butler to be alerted just because of his divorce.
"If I didn't come, our family could lose a formal member. Preventing that loss is more than enough reason for me to be here, don't you think?"
The elderly man wore a gentle smile, looking at the pair before him. He had no interest in their personal issues; he was there solely to ensure that Jeros' formal membership in the Douglas family remained indisputable.
"Jeros only has a compatibility rating of 64.68%," Aux muttered dismissively. He already had a daughter with a compatibility rating above 80%, so he regarded his son with a certain degree of indifference.
"Aux, you've done well, producing a daughter with over 80% compatibility. But that's no reason to look down on your son. The White Thorn Federation has a population of 2.4 billion, and fewer than five million have a Star Control compatibility rating above 60%. Your compatibility is only 43.57% yourself.
"Your son will likely surpass you, and when he has children, he may well produce offspring even more gifted than your daughter. So, no one can change Jeros' formal membership status."
This was why the Douglas family had managed to thrive in the White Thorn Federation, growing into a formidable force. They never abandoned any family member lightly.
According to Douglas family policy, only those with a Star Control compatibility rating over 60% or significant achievements in other fields qualified as formal members, gaining the privilege to bear the Douglas surname in public.
Even those who didn't meet these standards weren't cast aside. The family valued potential, understanding that although someone might be average, their descendants could be exceptional.
Take Aux, for example. Despite his lower compatibility, he'd fathered two children—one an outstanding boy who could bolster the family's core strength, and the other a girl with exceptional talent, strengthening the family's influence even further.
If they had neglected Aux or caused him to resent the family, the Douglas family might have ended up with two new rivals instead of two assets.
Thus, the Douglas family would rather invest in nurturing even their mediocre members than risk the possibility of losing future talents. The resources required to do so were minimal compared to the potential rewards and the mitigation of risks.
So, Muria's status was confirmed. Legally, he was now a fatherless child under his mother's care. But he remained a formal member of the Douglas family, entitled to the resources that came with it.
...
The sky was overcast, with blue and white lightning crackling across the dark clouds. After several thunderous roars, rain began to fall, gradually intensifying until it felt as though a waterfall was pouring down over the city.
As the rain covered the area, a long, resonant chime echoed through the school grounds, breaking the silence as students started to leave.
"School's out!" Packing up his books, Muria joined the stream of students leaving the classroom. As he scanned the crowd of waiting parents, he spotted a distinctive figure immediately.
The man stood close to two meters tall, dressed in a black suit, with a serious expression and dark sunglasses. No other parents wanted to stand near him, avoiding this "I'm a thug" persona.
"Young Master, you're out of class?" The suited man spotted Muria and walked over, holding an umbrella.
"Mm. Why are you here?" Muria asked, a little annoyed by the man's conspicuous presence. At his current age, he hadn't fully grown, so he preferred to keep a low profile.
"Heh, Young Master, I know you don't like me escorting you, but it's Madam's order to ensure your safety, so I have to follow it."
"Are there some new creatures out there?" Muria asked, looking up, curious.
After his parents divorced, he had left the capital of the White Thorn Federation with his mother, moving to a small fourth-tier city within the federation.
In this small city, a conglomerate dominated every industry, and Muria's mother was the daughter of the conglomerate's head. In other words, Muria's grandfather was a local business tycoon.
Muria was now attending elementary school in this city, receiving what the common folk called a noble education. As he grew older, he gradually became aware of certain things that ordinary people had no knowledge of.
For instance, he'd learned that humans were not the only intelligent race in this world; other intelligent species existed, either hiding in human cities or living in secluded regions. And most of these non-human creatures were hostile toward humanity.
While living in the capital, he never had to worry about these threats, as the defenses in a world-leading nation's capital were unparalleled. No creature dared stir up trouble there.
However, living in this fourth-tier city was different. Strange creatures occasionally appeared, though any that caused trouble were swiftly and brutally eliminated.
"Just some pesky creatures, but don't worry, they'll be taken care of soon!" The man in the suit grinned, seemingly unfazed by Muria's adult-like mannerisms.
In fact, he always treated Muria as an adult despite the boy's mere seven years. After all, Muria was a Douglas family member; his maturity was hardly surprising.
"Good." Muria nodded, feeling a twinge of disappointment. He'd heard many stories about non-human creatures appearing around the city since moving here, yet he'd never encountered any directly.
"Please get in, Young Master," the man said, holding the umbrella as he led Muria to a luxurious vehicle and opened the door.
Muria climbed in without hesitation, and the man folded his umbrella, sitting down in the driver's seat.
The car started smoothly, easing out of the crowded school grounds. As it entered the street, two identical vehicles took positions in front and behind, forming a small convoy.
Muria noticed this familiar setup and squinted but said nothing—it wasn't the first time he'd seen it. Previous trips like this had been uneventful. But this time, things were different.
Boom!
As the convoy drove onto a bridge crossing the river, a loud explosion shattered the silence.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]