Three months into their new life, the family had grown more comfortable with their upgraded circumstances. The estate felt truly like home now. Mia had made friends at the academy and came home each day bubbling with stories about essence theory classes and mock tower simulations. Father's small workshop had expanded slightly; he now taught two eager local boys basic craftsmanship on weekends, refusing any payment beyond "a smile and hard work."
Joshua often joined these sessions, demonstrating simple essence-infused techniques to reinforce joints or sharpen tools without damaging them. The boys looked at him with wide-eyed admiration that bordered on hero worship, but Joshua made sure to treat them as equals. "It's not about talent alone," he told them one afternoon. "It's about patience and practice. I wasn't born with everything I have now."
His mother's community garden had become a neighborhood gathering spot. Women and children came by in the evenings to tend plots and share recipes. Joshua watched from the sidelines as his mother mediated small disputes over watering schedules with the same calm authority she once used to haggle for lower prices at the market.
Yet the minor struggles of sudden elevation grew more noticeable.
One evening, an unexpected guest arrived during dinner — Lady Elara, a minor noble from a nearby district. She was elegantly dressed, with sharp eyes that missed nothing. "I apologize for the intrusion," she said smoothly, presenting a bottle of fine wine. "Word of your family's remarkable turnaround has reached even our circles. I simply wanted to offer congratulations and perhaps discuss opportunities for collaboration."
Joshua invited her to join them at the table, though the atmosphere shifted immediately. His parents exchanged glances but remained gracious. Lady Elara spoke at length about the importance of alliances in the current climate, dropping subtle hints about how "rising talents often need guidance to avoid stepping on established toes."
When she finally left, Father leaned back in his chair. "That one had the smile of a fox. What do you think she really wanted?"
"Connections," Joshua replied quietly. "Or maybe to see how much of a threat I might become."
The next day brought more concrete shadows. Joshua traveled to the central market district to inquire about star shards — small, crystallized fragments of stellar essence needed for foundation tempering. The first two suppliers he approached claimed their stocks were depleted. The third quoted a price three times higher than the market rate from just weeks ago.
"Demand has surged," the merchant explained with a shrug that didn't reach his eyes. "Higher-ranked cultivators are buying in bulk these days."
Joshua sensed the lie but didn't press. He knew this was the beginning of interference. Those already comfortable in their positions of power were starting to limit resources for anyone showing too much promise. It was a quiet way to slow down potential rivals without open conflict.
Back at the estate, he found his mother arguing gently with a persistent tailor who had shown up unannounced, offering "exclusive noble fashions at a friend's discount." The man kept insisting that "someone of your son's rising status deserves only the best silks infused with protective runes."
Joshua politely sent the tailor away and helped his mother finish hanging laundry. "It never ends, does it?" she said with a tired laugh. "Yesterday it was a banker offering 'special investment plans.' Today it's clothes. Tomorrow… who knows?"
In the afternoon, Joshua took Mia to the academy's parent-teacher meeting. The head instructor praised her progress but pulled Joshua aside afterward. "Your sister has real potential in essence manipulation. However, there are rumors that certain influential families are… discouraging scholarships for students from newly elevated backgrounds. Nothing overt, but the selection committees have grown stricter."
Joshua's jaw tightened. This was the same pattern he had heard whispers about — talented newcomers being quietly pushed aside so others could maintain their dominance. It fueled the fire inside him. He couldn't protect everyone yet, but he could at least shield his own family.
That night, after the house had gone quiet, Joshua sat in meditation again. He circulated essence through his body, focusing on the slow tempering process. His skin felt slightly tougher, more resilient. The bones hummed with latent strength, and he could sense the blood and organs beginning to purify. But without sufficient star shards, real breakthroughs would take far longer than they should.
He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. The minor headaches of wealth — the sycophants, the opportunistic visitors, the subtle social shifts — were manageable. The deliberate gatekeeping, however, was personal. It reminded him why the tower stairs called so loudly.
Still, he refused to let bitterness poison these days. The next morning, he joined his father in the workshop and helped Mia with her homework. Small moments like these kept him anchored.
Power changed many things, but it didn't have to change who they were as a family.