[Aiden's POV]
The hall was filled with whispers and murmurs; likely my legendary awakening has reached many ears. I was hearing voices, but my focus was taken by the existential crisis I have been put under. The meeting with the patriarch was not even a topic on my mind. I knew I would be removed from the list of 'Heirs of the Arclight Clan.'
I waded through the corridors to reach the door of the Patriarch's office; the guards at the door let me in. As I entered the office, I suddenly felt a shift in atmosphere.
The mana in the air felt heavy, and with every motion I was finding it more difficult to move. 'Is this the pressure of a Sovereign-level being?' I thought.
I didn't know if he had reached the Zenith sub-stage or not, but I knew that he had reached the Sovereign level around the time of my birth.
Even withstanding the pain, I moved forward slowly and stood in front of the Patriarch. He was seated on his chair with the same authority he had when he sat in ceremony.
Behind him was his personal butler, Baron Wilcox, who has been with him since he started his cultivation.
This was a unique style of Arclight Clan, whenever their heir awakened their Origin heart. He/She will have a personal butler assigned to them, who is more than just a butler.
I pushed my overthinking away for a moment and got on one knee and saluted, "I greet the Patriarch."
The weight around me slightly reduced, but I kept my head and listened to whatever he said. He asked in a cold tone, "Do you have something to say?"
I swung my head negatively; although there were many things to say, I was neither in the mental state nor in the position to say anything. I just wanted to hear his order, then lock myself in my room and be done with this awful day.
"I have been tolerating your little detour from family ideals as a child's tantrum. I thought when you grew up and entered the academy, you would learn but you still maintained your stubbornness."
"Even after many elders and even grand elders counselled me to rein you in, I didn't listen to them. I thought just maybe when you awaken your Origin heart and are in need of resources for cultivation, you see the truth in our words."
"Now I am very disappointed in myself that I didn't cut you loose earlier. You have brought eternal shame not only on the Arclight Clan but also on me. I didn't raise such a worthless and useless fool."
"You will be lucky if you are even able to enter the Awakened-level in years with your F-rank Origin heart."
With every word of my father, my already strained heart was in tatters. Only just after being humiliated publicly, now here my father was berating me.
I never received praise after being called into the patriarch's office; not even when I topped the Royal Academy, no one in our family had done it.
My eyes almost teared up, my chest tightened, and I started feeling suffocated again, not by someone's presence this time but instead due to the weight of being alone and having nobody to console me even during my worst day.
"Aiden Arclight, this will be the last time you are called Arclight. From today onwards, you are hereby officially exiled from the Arclight Family."
"You are stripped of your rights as heir of the clan. You are to leave the Arclight Mansion by the evening and leave behind whatever resources you have. You are dismissed." The Patriarch finished his speech, ending with my expulsion from the clan.
I was too tired mentally to react, scream, or even exclaim in just a few minutes from the awakening time until now. My thoughts were to stay in my room alone; I guess it's not my room anymore.
I politely asked, "Can I meet my mother?"
The Patriarch replied coldly, "You can go, but she has denied your presence."
I just nodded and silently stood up and left the room. I didn't even know what to think anymore. How did it all come to this? I had guessed about the loss of the heir title, but instead I was getting expelled at my weakest.
Arclight really goes by the doctrine — Power builds legacy. Wealth sustains legacy. Family is optional.
While returning to my room for the last time, I was so lost and mentally absent that I noticed a bit late that I had wandered into my mother's corridor.
A part of me wanted to meet her, ask her, and weep in her arms about this shitty day; however, the other part of me was fed up with rejection and all the things that happened today.
I let the former win; I thought I will never come here again anyway. So I walked towards the door of Mother's room. However, I was stopped by my mother's advisor, Lady Ruthenia.
I always felt somehow that she hated me specially, but today I was in no mood to talk anymore. I half-heartedly asked, "Can I meet my mother?"
"No, you may not. Didn't get your fill by shaming your mother publicly by awakening such a pathetic ability. Just get lost from this mansion before night," she replied with as many venomous and bitter words as she could.
I just lowered my head and walked away; I didn't even feel hurt anymore. I think I am finally getting numb. I walked like a lifeless puppet back to my room, totally unaware of my surroundings.
I entered and closed the door behind me and slid down with my back against the door. My cheeks on both sides were wet; I was not making any sound because I didn't want anyone to hear me and add to my mockery today.
I just stayed there numb, water continuously streaming from my eyes, all thoughts disappeared from my mind, and only one thought remained.
Why did this happen to me? Why am I the one facing such difficulties? While thinking this, I didn't even notice when I fell asleep on the ground with my back against my door.
I suddenly woke up and found myself on the ground. For a moment, I thought I had a nightmare, but the next second, all the memories came crashing back, and I slumped back into the door.
However, after sleeping for a few hours, my clarity slightly returned. I took deep breaths and exhaled a few times.
I was worthless currently, from being heir to a wealthy family to being homeless; this can probably be counted as something special in today's list.
I looked at the clock; it was about 4 o'clock, and I also had to leave the mansion. Although I had stayed outside the mansion for 3 years during the academy, this was different.
I ran my hands through my hair as I started thinking about what to do. I was still hurting, but I guess after little sleep I am back to myself, at least that's what I think.
I thought about all my dreams and ambitions and sighed and muttered, "I really got screwed, didn't I? "
There were mountains upon mountains of work and obstacles in my dreams, turning it into an impossible dream.
I closed my eyes and thought of all the options, but it was taking a lot longer to think as I started remembering today's event.
After about half an hour, I finally decided on things I had to do.
First I had to leave this mansion and reach a nearby city by tonight.
Second, Patriarch said, "I couldn't even reach awakened-level," so I will dedicate all my time to just doing that first.
With a small plan being made, I stood up and washed my face. My stomach grumbled because I haven't had anything all day, but I couldn't do anything about it for now; I just wanted to reach the nearest city before night today.
I didn't pack anything; I couldn't. So I looked around my room for one last time and turned to open the door and leave.
As I opened the door, the maid who wakes me up daily stood in front of me like she was about to knock.
She became slightly surprised but collected herself and said, "Master Aiden, I have received this pouch from Young Master Caelan. He asked me to give you this. Also, I know you didn't eat anything today, and you are leaving, so I made your favorite pies for you, which can last for about a week." She took a deep breath as she finished everything she had to tell me in one go.
I didn't react much and just took the pouch and said, "Thank you, Amy, and say thanks to my brother," and left.
As much as I didn't want to admit it, I was completely broke, so I didn't deny Caelan's help.
I walked out of the mansion; many maids, whom I treated well, wished me well, but I was in a hurry and still in a sour mood, so I just kept nodding.
I stood outside on the paved roads; the huge gate of Arclight mansion was behind me. I walked towards the nearest city, still holding onto hope of turning my life around with hard work.