"This..." Elysia breathed, a long, weary exhalation that seemed to carry the weight of the entire day. She shook her head, the motion a gesture of pure, unadulterated exasperation. "Haah..."
Beside her, Lisanna let out a light, musical giggle, the sound a stark contrast to the heavy atmosphere. She leaned her head against Orion's shoulder, finding an anchor in his steady presence. "Oh, we really can't be too surprised, Ellie. Our man right here did just prove something the entire world thought was impossible for centuries."
"Yes, I'm acutely aware," Elysia sighed again, the glacial mask she so often wore melting into a familiar, deep-seated frustration.
She scoffed under her breath, her gaze fixed on the scene unfolding beyond the transport's armored viewport. "I simply hope they do not intend to do anything as shameless as those other so-called heroes and nobles we saw fleeing the Crucible in such a pathetic display."
Orion simply smiled, a picture of calm amidst the swirling emotions of his companions. He gave both of their hands a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Let's not keep them waiting, shall we?"
With that quiet declaration, the transport door hissed open, revealing the pristine, manicured grounds of the Wintercroft Manor.
The moment Orion's group stepped out onto the polished marble of the driveway, a palpable tension descended, so thick it felt as if the very air had solidified.
Theron and Kaelen, the patriarchal heads of the two greatest noble houses in Cascadia, stood side-by-side. Men whose pride was as much a part of them as their own Aether Cores, whose very posture screamed authority, now looked upon the approaching group with an unreadable gravity.
As Orion met their gaze, they both visibly let out a shared breath, as if releasing a crushing weight they had been carrying for hours.
Then, they did something that made Elysia and Lisanna freeze in their tracks, their minds going utterly, completely blank.
In perfect, synchronized motion, they bowed.
It wasn't the shallow nod of a subordinate to a superior, nor the polite gesture of equals. This was a deep, formal, ninety-degree bow, an act of profound, unadulterated respect—the kind of deference reserved for a world-altering savior, or a conquering king.
"Father!" The word was a choked, disbelieving whisper from both Elysia and Lisanna simultaneously. To see these titans of their world, the unshakeable pillars of their families, bend so low was to witness reality itself fracture.
Nearby, Elara's sharp eyes narrowed for a fleeting second, the only crack in her perfect, porcelain facade. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she, too, inclined her head. Her gesture retained its refined, noble elegance, yet the message it sent was no less significant, a clear acknowledgment of a new, higher authority.
"Mother!" Elysia nearly choked on her own spit, her world tilting on its axis.
In that heart-stopping moment of paradigm-shifting solemnity, Alya let out a weary sigh that shattered the spell.
"Jeez, you three are always so painfully serious," she tutted, her voice a warm melody that cut through the tension.
She didn't bow. Instead, with a flowing grace that defied the charged atmosphere, she walked directly up to Orion. Theron, Kaelen, and Elara straightened almost guiltily, their gazes now filled with a bewildered curiosity.
Elysia was still shell-shocked, while a rare, sharp flicker of suspicion crossed Lisanna's features.
Alya, however, paid them no mind. She grasped both of Orion's hands as if greeting a cherished, longtime friend, her bright, beautiful smile exuding a familiar, disarming charm—the clear origin of her daughter's own.
"Young man," she said, her voice warm and ringing with genuine admiration. "You really are quite amazing. No, that's not right. You are beyond even amazing. I must say, I expect nothing less from the man my precious daughter has chosen."
"Mother!" Lisanna let out an exasperated sigh, a rare, furious blush creeping up her neck as she felt the acute sting of public embarrassment.
The previous, serious momentum was utterly dismantled. Theron and Elara shared a quiet sigh of resignation, their shared glance speaking volumes.
Kaelen offered a wry, helpless smile. "She always did have a knack for this," he murmured, his voice a mix of exasperation and affection.
Lyra, who had been watching the entire exchange with a detached, predatory amusement, found herself thoroughly entertained.
Orion, meanwhile, internally mused that he could now clearly see where Lisanna inherited her more unpredictable and delightfully shameless quirks.
Maintaining his calm demeanor, Orion met Alya's piercing gaze. "Like I said before, I am here to help all of you rise higher than ever before. A Guardian is supposed to protect and elevate those under his protection, isn't that right?"
"Mn, of course," Alya nodded, her eyes shining with immense pride. Then, her smile turned profoundly mischievous in a way that sent a premonitory shiver down Lisanna's spine.
She spoke without a hint of shame, her voice carrying clearly in the silent air. "Now then, with your outrageous claims proven true, I am absolutely certain the children you have with my daughter and little Elysia will be able to easily break past the C-Rank limit. No, being born beyond B-Rank will simply be their starting standard, won't it?"
Silence.
An absolute, deafening silence descended upon the manor grounds.
Theron, Kaelen, and Elara blinked slowly, as if their brains needed to reboot to process the sheer audacity of what they had just heard.
Elysia and Lisanna stood frozen, their minds a complete blank for a full, agonizing second before the meaning of the words crashed into them with the force of a tidal wave.
Lyra merely cocked her head, her brows curling in genuine curiosity.
Only Orion maintained his composure, a wry, knowing smile gracing his lips.
Alya, completely oblivious to the conceptual atom bomb she had just dropped, continued cheerfully. "Oh, but of course, any grandchild of mine will be showered with the utmost love. Seeing a little Lisanna running around the manor will undoubtedly be the best day of my life!"
"MOTHER!" Lisanna finally shrieked, her entire face a shade of crimson that rivaled a ripe tomato. "That's enough, for heaven's sake, jeez!"
Elysia's face felt like it was on fire. "Too... too shameless..." she stammered, her gaze darting anywhere but at Orion, as if the ground itself were the most fascinating thing she had ever seen.
Theron, Kaelen, and Elara had more resigned reactions, but all three were pinching the bridges of their noses, muttering, "This woman..." under their collective breath.
Only Orion and Lyra remained unperturbed. Lyra, because she genuinely couldn't care less about such matters. And Orion, because this was a line of thought his own power system had already analyzed, confirmed, and prioritized. He was, in his own way, just as shameless as Alya.
"I won't deny it," he stated, his calm voice cutting through the thick haze of embarrassment. "The children we will have will, of course, be beyond special. These so-called Rank limits, these genetic ceilings that have shackled humanity for centuries, won't exist for any of them."
"Ah!" Alya nearly jumped for joy, clapping her hands together with unrestrained delight. "Haha! Our family truly has been given a blessing from the heavens themselves!"
"ORION!" Elysia and Lisanna shouted at him in perfect, mortified unison. For a brief, dizzying moment, their minds were filled with an ecstatic, unbelievable thrill at that incredible prospect, before the tidal wave of humiliation returned at full force. "NOT. ANOTHER. WORD!"
Their simultaneous outburst caused Theron, Kaelen, and Elara to pause. They couldn't help but reflect deeply on Orion's words. He had already proven the impossible once today. If he stated this as fact, it had to be true. This young man standing before them could not only shatter their own Rank limits but also sire a new generation of children without any limits at all.
As leaders of Great Noble Hero houses, whose primary duty for centuries was to ensure the continuation and strengthening of their lineage, they undoubtedly couldn't resist this temptation. It was the ultimate prize, a legacy that would echo through eternity.
Before their thoughts could spiral further into dynastic ambition, Theron cleared his throat, reasserting a semblance of order. "Perhaps," he said, his tone carefully neutral, "we should save such... personal discussions for more calmer times, correct?"
Alya scoffed, finally letting go of Orion's hands and flicking a dismissive glance at her fellow nobles. "You all are always so stuffy, hmph. The beauty of love is a natural act we all engaged in to be here. Why, I remember when you and Elara used to be so passionate when you were younger. And I don't even need to mention my dear Kaelen."
"You..." For a rare, fleeting moment, both Theron and Elara were completely stumped for words, a faint flush appearing on their stoic, aristocratic faces.
Kaelen simply held an exasperated, long-suffering smile.
"Right, but maybe we should discuss the more pressing matters at hand first, my dear," he gently interjected, ever the diplomat.
Alya rolled her eyes but relented with a sigh. "Oh, all right. Fine. But we are definitely not done with this conversation, young man," she said, pointing a stern, manicured finger at Orion.
Orion chuckled, unfazed. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
With a nod, Alya's demeanor shifted, her playful charm receding to reveal the sharp, formidable intellect of a Noble Matriarch. "So, I suppose the Valerians are officially done for, correct? And that little Sterling boy, Ryan, what of him and his family?"
Orion's smile remained, but it lost all its warmth, replaced by a chilling finality. "Indeed. The Valerian Family, as a political entity and a noble house, won't exist anymore. As for the Sterlings, as long as they willingly submit and serve our houses with absolute loyalty, they will be allowed to live. And for the rest of these families, heroes, and opportunistic villains... well..."
"Hah," Lyra scoffed, stepping forward, a predatory light dancing in her eyes. "Each and every one of them will truly learn by example when we're done with the Sterlings and Valerians tonight."
Everyone's attention snapped to Lyra. Elysia's sapphire eyes narrowed. "You mean to say...?"
Lyra's smirk was as sharp as a shard of glass. "It's exactly what I mean. Since we're the so-called Guardians of this Province now, we'll perform our first official duty. We'll personally march to the Valerian estate, crush every last remnant of their power, and ensure those Sterlings bend the knee so hard their foreheads kiss the floor."
"We?" Lisanna questioned, her gaze locking with Orion's, seeking confirmation. "You'll be going with her?"
Orion nodded, his expression placid. "It's spectacular overkill, of course, but it's more than just a purge. It's a message. A declaration to everyone outside this Province, and most especially to the Provincial Hero Association Directorate. It will show them that the new leadership of Cascadia will not hesitate to act decisively when we see a reason to do so."
"Then naturally, we will be going with you," Elysia stated, her voice firm. It was not a request, but a simple statement of fact. "I have a distinct feeling that you, as the older brother, will not bother with truly overseeing your younger sibling's more... enthusiastic actions."
Lisanna nodded eagerly beside her, her earlier embarrassment forgotten and replaced with steely resolve. "Mn, that's right. If we let you two run wild, we'll wake up to a city of ash and ice."
"Tch," Lyra clicked her tongue in annoyance but wisely held her tongue when her gaze met Orion's silent, unyielding warning.
Orion smiled at the girls, a genuine warmth returning to his eyes. "Naturally. You two will need to get used to this kind of work. It is the foundation upon which our new era will be built."
For a moment, Theron, Kaelen, and Elara looked as if they wanted to speak up, to offer their own elite forces, to contribute to the final dismantling of their lifelong rivals. But they stopped themselves.
They knew, with a certainty that was both humbling and terrifying, that there was nothing they could possibly provide. Any army they could muster, any intricate scheme they could devise, would be utterly insignificant next to the monstrous, world-breaking power these four young individuals possessed.
They couldn't even object to their daughters going.
What place in the entire world was safer than right beside two beings who could be stronger than B-Rank heroes?
At the same time, Alya raised an intrigued eyebrow. "Hoh, you four will be quite busy tonight then. But before all of that delightful chaos," she declared with unwavering authority, "you all need some dinner. I'm absolutely certain you're quite hungry after such a busy and productive day."
For the first time since arriving, a genuine, non-sarcastic smirk appeared on Lyra's face. "Heh. You really are more likable than most of these other dull, stuffy nobles."
Orion smiled warmly. "I think that would be an excellent idea. We can all eat together."
"ORION, NO!" Elysia and Lisanna shouted, a faint, creeping dread finally piercing their hard-won composure. A battle against a legion of C-Rank heroes was one thing, but a family dinner with Alya Vance's relentless matchmaking on the menu was a horror of a completely different magnitude.
Theron, Kaelen, and Elara were already sighing, resigned to their fate.
Alya, however, clapped her hands in delight. "Excellent! Let's get going then. I know you young folks must have a big appetite."
"Can't deny that," Orion shrugged, his amused gaze sweeping over everyone's varied, dramatic reactions.
Lyra was already looking forward to the food, a rare glint of simple pleasure in her eyes, while Elysia and Lisanna had their heads in their hands, muttering darkly about the "nightmarish battle" to come.
As he followed them towards the grand entrance of the manor, Orion mused to himself. A small, relaxing amount of downtime is quite nice.