"..." Ashter watched, viewing the ceiling of his home—a small little place, fit for someone like him.
He could live a comfortable life, but always missed the smaller luxuries of his life beforehand.
"I wonder if Janus has those very same feelings." He questioned, as was unlike him, that Janus needed to pay for restoring his broken items. Swords, armor, and amongst that, needed to buy supplies and prepare for the long raids that Ashter never thought would cost a lot. It even goes into gold coin territory, which he never expected, he didn't think...
"Never mind..." He sighed before getting up. If he wanted to join them... He needed to buy something.
His item-
"?" He remembered the ones Janus provided... The necklace and the ring. It dropped from the Necromancer Pharaoh, so it has to have some sort of boost to mana... Maybe...
"..." More reason to join... But it felt predatory. Using money as a means...
But then again, if Janus were smart, he would use that as a welcoming gift. After all, Ashter needed some items to boost his capabilities. As time goes on, his mana might not support high enough firepower, and he would then need them to enhance his firepower.
So, he thinks.
Hours passed since awakening, as...
"Oh my..." The woman at the front desk is surprised, seeing the many high-quality Crystals in front of her.
"We finished that C Class Field Dungeon yesterday," Ashter explained,
"I can tell... This is about... Around 10 Gold Coins, you know." She explained that it takes one high-class dungeon to make a small fortune.
"..." That much... Yet...
"... I was wondering how joining a party would take in terms of paperwork," Ashter asked, as the woman chuckled,
"We don't do paperwork here. It's a simple, magical imprint of your card. Look here." She brings out a blank one, as mana formed in her fingertips.
"As an employee here at the guild, we're taught a special magic that imprints a multicolor signature precise and can't be altered or removed. Having it also signified you're in a specific party, which would be the Justice Guild." She shifts the small icon, as a shield is formed with a large "X" in the middle. As if the target of an arrow was a shield.
"Ah..." Ashter nodded, never thinking it was so simple/easy.
"I... I want to join... Wait, how did you know that was the party?" Ashter wondered, as the woman smirked,
"You're a brand new guy when around them. To be honest, even the God of Reason can tell you changed because of them. It's simple logic." She explained,
"The God of Reason..." Ashter remarks on them. People say that when the God of Reason gave their power to a young boy wronged by their gift, the boy eradicated everyone, sparing his mother and crowning her queen of what would be the Castalix Kingdom.
Of course, they also worship other gods, ten of them in total.
Time, Space, Life, Death, War, Reason, End, Beginning, Earth, and Sky.
The Three Gods of Calamity: War, Death, and End.
The Four Gods of Union: Life, Beginning, Earth, and Sky
The Gods of Enlightenment: Reason, Time, and Space.
These gods made the entire world, and many respect and praise them. Even if their power is now a human's, now a demigod's, people firmly believe they're alive somewhere in the world.
It's even said that the roots around the kingdom are the Demigod of Reason's thoughts and nerves connected to the entire world itself, more intensified in the kingdom, Alaric.
Only those he deems worthy of his time can meet them, as he's stuck deep underground researching, writing documents, and constantly being fed and replicating knowledge in papers and books.
The Lowel family, a bloodline connected to the demigod, personally provided him the papers and books, pencils and other items. But as a demigod, he doesn't need to eat, sleep, but does need basic essential items like bathing. But he never comes out and only does so every 50 years, and his thousands of years old.
"..." Ashter thinks on the prospect...
'Could I too become a god?' He wondered, before shaking that idea.
"But if you wish to join their party... I suggest you tell them sooner rather than later." She explained,
"... Yeah," Ashter responds, as he didn't expect to consider them even as acquaintances, as once he was done with someone, he was done with them.
Happened with that weirdo father. It's as if he thinks of himself as an emperor, having so many women for whenever he wishes. Chatting? Sexual encounters?
"What a sicko..." Ashter hated the fact that so many people he helped give birth to won't have a normal life.
A father and mother... Normal lifestyles... Everything.
Even as his sister grows older, his father wishes to marry her off.
"..." Upon moments passing, Ashter is soon seen in front...
'The Lake Manor.' He breathes a bit. He never wished to come back here. But hopefully, they don't make him lift his hand just to speak to his sister.
Knocking on the door, the echoing is heard, as Ashter cocked a eyebrow,
'I can sense his mana...' His eyes narrowed,
'But he's at most a B Class.' He thinks that the man was a mage who specialized in spawning strings to constrict the movement of others. While horrible on its own, in conjunction with other people, they won't do anything to them, and therefore, if he had stayed in the Adventurer life would've made it big.
But this is all that's needed to be the big bad of the family. With nobody smart AND powerful other than him, the man was made the head, and therefore allowed him to use his wealth to bring in women to bear his children, sell them to others, bring in the wealth from them, etc.
In fact... There's more to the manor. It was three large homes in one large property. The manor in front is the main house, while the other two are lesser members who he deems a disappointment in terms of genetics, potential, etc. The ones with the ability to use mana are in the main home.
But since his pure power dictated and intimidated others... He was able to control everything.
"... Yes?" Spoke a maid, as she opened the door, seeing the man.
"Hi... I am here to speak with someone." He explained,
"... Are you a special guest of Sir Lake?" She wondered, opening the door.
"Uhm... N-Not exactly." He said, as in a room...
"..." A man's head flinched. He feels someone strong come into contact with something that alerts him.
'Who is it now? Could it be someone in the military?' He wondered, as the man has brown hair and blue eyes, almost an exact splitting image of Ashter, who possesses his hair but retains his mother's (Possible retcon) striking green eyes. Since she left after his son left, she went to the Grove where other elves accepted her. This is due to Ashter resenting his father and the mother managing to get out on her own, as the Grove didn't sell her, but her father. S,o being in the Grove met the other elves had sympathy and took her in no matter the reason.
"!?!" But the maid's eyes widened as she recognized him!
"Y-You're the eldest...!" Being the eldest (Possible retcon) son of the Lake family, he was recognizable upon noticing the way he spoke. The looks clicked immediently, as other maids were confused, but...
"Seems my son has paid me a visit." Spoke a man, sophisticated and all. Mana constantly pours out of him, as Ashter immediently was reminded...
His threads are EVERYWHERE. The fact that he's a B Class said a lot. His mana control was astonishing.
"I am here to speak to my sister before you sell her like some trophy." He hated these concepts but h,e can't change the way people think since everyteveryonehat way of thinking.
"Like a trophy? Your mother said the same thing and ran off." He said, as Ashter steps forward, about to pass him, knowing where she likely sleeps.
"..." The man was ticked,
"!!!" And Ashter's legs were constricted.
"Did I say you were at all welcome here, boy?" He wondered, as Ashter glared,
"I have the right to see my sister," Ashter responds,
"..." The man stared, as he wasn't amused,
"You may have power since you left... But I don't intend on letting in strangers disowned a long time ago to stay here." Since he wasn't even an adult, Ashter was off on his own (Possible retcon) and making a living being a mage. While his magic isn't one to scoff at due to his age, since he can live for longer than generations at a time, he would only become stronger as time matures him.
But right now he's only a C Class, a class below B Class.
"!" But a fireball was formed in his hand,
"Let go of me... Or I will blow up this estate with no remorse!" Ashter ordered,
"Tsk!" But two strings wrapped and forced him down,
"YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO ORDER ME AROUND, BOY!?! I AM EREN LAKE, NOT YOUR FATHER BUT YOUR SERPERIOR." Eren shouts, as Ashter growls, staring into his eyes,
"You may have my face... But your eyes. You're just a soft weakling who doesn't know their place." Kneeling in front of him, the two men stared at one another,
"?" But the flames kicked up a notch,
"Let go of me. NOW." He ordered,
"I only... Want... To see my sister!" He said, but...
"B-Brother?" Spoke...
"!?!" The pair's eyes widened,
"Harper!" Ashter responds,
"Harper... Go back to your room." He ordered, Eren attempting to-
"Father... Let him go." Harper ordered, as she was to be given to a man today... So... He reluctantly agreed, the threads being pulled away, Ashter rushes and hugs the girl,
"Harper...! I... I am glad..." Ashter breathes a bit,
"Brother... Why... Why are you here?" She wondered, as maids and the reluctant Eren stood there, watching.
"I... I want to say bye. I... I know he wishes to sell you off... Give you away..." He said, breathing a bit.
"... I love you, Harper." He hugged her, as Harper smiled,
"... I love you too, brother." She said that since she was born, she hadn't been accepted due to her weird body. She had the body of a human but never showed the capabilities her mother had, unlike a few of her other siblings from her parents. She was one out of six siblings, and four had shown a perfect mixture of capabilities from both parents. The others were either hideous or like her, seemingly a normal human.
"When... Where can I find you if I wish to see you?" Ashter wondered,
"... I am being sold and will be living in the Beastmen Tribe." A tribe of beastmen, a large area, a few weeks, if not months, away from here.
"..." Ashter breathes a bit, as he brings out a pouch.
"Here." He gives her some coins, surprising the girl.
"..." With a stare... Harper knew what he meant.
But as time goes on, staring back, Ashter was about to leave once more. Harper stared from the top of the stairs, staring back at him.
"I suggest you leave before I lose my patience," Eren ordered, as Ashter can feel them... The strings are all around him. His senses as a mage were prominent, as mages are the job class that has the keenest mana sensing. So he can sense them...
"... I will visit you whenever I can, Harper," Ashter said, before leaving.
***
"One... One drink, please." In a bar, Ashter sulks over a drink as he gulps it down. He... Even if he...
"Sigh..." Ashter sighed, as...
"Seems you're not having a good time." Spoke...
"!" Ashter didn't-
"Ah... Forgot..." Ashter sighed as Janus stood there, wearing more casual clothing.
"It seems you were a lot busier than we expected. To be honest, I would've assumed you would be here to accept or decline my offer." Janus chuckled,
"..." Ashter thinks for a minute...
"... Do you think... Women are objects to be sold off in the name of 'family status'?" Ashter asked, as Janus sighed,
"Of course not. But we just have to live with it. Lola... Never mind." Janus said,
"It's up to us and women to make a name for ourselves. As Adventurers, we had to learn or utilize our talents in training our mana. This grants us the capabilities to become "us" in a sense." Janus explained,
"Lola and Fran still face hardships even if they're C Class Adventurers. Fran was once a part of a great Beastmen family, after all, in the Beastmen Tribe. But due to her... Lack of potential... She was expelled from her family, then from her tribe because she did illegal raids." He explained,
"I remember... That." Ashter sighed. He felt the drink kicking in,
"... While I don't wish to use you at your weakest... The offer is still up, as we must go to another kingdom for a business opportunity we can't pass up. We'll be leaving tomorrow, early morning sharp. So please consider it." Janus places the necklace and ring down,
"This is a gift now. But if you're set on joining us, please meet us at the front gate with plenty of supplies for tomorrow's journey." He said,
"However, if you don't wish to join us... I hope we can all see you again." He explained as Janus walked off.
"..." Ashter stared at the items,
Remembering the times... Fun times. Just being able to have fun at the springs... He felt alive, he felt needed, he felt like a success!
But those times...
***
"Ah...!" Ashter was wacked in the side with a wooden blade, as a beastman stood there, a wolf-like beastman with only the ears and his feet being wolf-like. The rest of his body was that of a normal human, but his muscles were prominent despite his being only around 10 years old. Ashter was almost 12 and would leave a year later at 13. He coughed, as he stood there...
"Get up." He ordered an instructor to be seen.
"O-Ow..." Ashter cried a little, feeling his side throbbing with pain.
"No man should show weakness. No man, with a future of leading the Lake family name, should cry like a bitch!" The man hits him, as he is thrown to the side, as the beastmen child smirked,
"What a weakling elf. Hahaha!" He laughed, as Ashter stared, and as he got up...
"..." He felt...
"Hng...!" He felt...
Rage.
As he screamed, a fireball was produced and shot at the boy,
"!?!" His eyes widened, as he cried as he was thrown back, slamming into the wall,
"I WILL SHOW YOU WEAK, YOUMUTT!!!" Screaming, he charged another,
"ENOUGH." Shouts...
"A-Ah...!" Stepping back, the fire dissipates, as standing there...
"N-NO! PLEASE! DON'T LEAVE ME DOWN HERE!" Screaming, Ashter begged as a collar was strapped around his neck, as whenever he tried to go to the iron bars,
"UFG!" He was choked, keeping him back,
"PLEASE! PLEASE!!!"
***
"..." In the morning, he awakened from that recalled memory. As he looked up at the window...
"..." They're gone... Just like his mother, it was the middle of the day...
He hopes and prays for their safe journey.
End of chapter 5.