I hope yall enjoy the cahpter.
Also its meant to be a little fast passed in place so it might feel clutered, but trust me I got this, its meant to be that way.
ALSO WERE AT 400K YIPEEEEE (insert celebration memes)
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Chapter 62: A Hero To Be
The silence in the lounge was heavy. Erald sat across from them, his posture stiff and his expression grave. The name "Nava" still lingered in his mind, carrying the weight of old, dangerous history. He studied Varion carefully before finally speaking.
"…I won't pretend your name doesn't concern me," Erald said, his voice low. "The records of what happened in the past don't paint a good picture. So I will ask you plainly."
His gaze hardened.
"Do you truly care for my daughter? Or is this some fleeting interest? Because if you are playing with her feelings, I will not allow it, no matter who you are."
Varion didn't look away. He tightened his grip on Prinz's hand and answered without hesitation, his voice steady but filled with raw conviction.
"I love her," he said. "This isn't some passing interest or a game. Prinz is important to me. More than I know how to explain. I will protect her with everything I have. No matter what comes, no matter who stands in my way, I won't let anyone hurt her. Even if it costs me my life."
The moment the words left his mouth, the air shifted.
A calm, mechanical voice echoed directly into the minds of everyone present.
[Notice. Individual: Varion Nava has fulfilled the acquisition conditions for: Unique Skill: **Aegis**]
[Unique Skill: **Aegis** has been acquired.]
Varion's eyes widened slightly at the sudden notification. He could feel the new skill settling into him and what it did coming to him instinctively.
Prinz's parents remained silent, both clearly surprised by what they had just witnessed.
The tension in the room was broken when the air in the center suddenly warped. A spatial magic circle lit up without warning, and Empress Elmesia El Ru Sarion materialized inside the lounge. She wore elegant robes, and her expression was calm but alert as she took in the scene.
Erald and his wife immediately stood and bowed.
"Your Majesty," Erald said with respect.
Elmesia gave a small nod in return but didn't speak right away. Her gaze moved across the room before settling on Varion. For a moment, she simply stared at him, her eyes narrowing with quiet confusion.
'…Why does he feel so much like him?' The thought passed through her mind before she could stop it.
She pushed it aside and finally spoke.
"I felt a significant disturbance from the Divine Tree," she said. "I came to see what caused it."
Before she could say another word hundreds of lesser elementals and spirits began pouring into the lounge from every direction. They moved excitedly completely ignoring Elmesia and the others. Instead, they swarmed toward Varion and Prinz, circling them with open curiosity and affection.
Elmesia watched the display with clear interest.
"…This is unusual," she murmured."I can sense that you are a Dragonoid. That makes their reaction even more curious. Most spirits are extremely wary of Milim nava. They tend to avoid her entirely, even running in fear from her. Yet here they are, drawn to you, like this; it's strange." Her gaze sharpened as she studied Varion more closely.
Before anyone could respond, the frantic movement of the elementals suddenly stopped. The light in the room began to gather and intensify, condensing into a single, brilliant point of celestial radiance.
From that light, a powerful presence took form.
A Greater Spirit of Light appeared before Varion. Unlike the smaller elementals, this being carried an air of ancient dignity and authority. It hovered in front of him for only a few moments before suddenly surging forward. It dissolved into a stream of blinding light and forcefully merged directly into Varion's spiritual core.
Varion took a half-step back, one hand instinctively pressing against his chest as the light faded. A deep, unfamiliar weight settled inside him. He looked visibly confused by what had just happened.
Then, the Voice of the World spoke again.
[Confirmed. Individual: Varion Nava has successfully acquired the spiritual vessel: **Hero's Egg**.]
The words hung in the air.
Erald and Elmesia both froze, staring at Varion in open shock. Even Prinz had gone still beside him, her expression tense.
Prinz's thoughts were spinning rapidly.
'Why would the Spirit grant him this?' she wondered. 'This doesn't match anything I've read about how someone acquires a Hero's Egg. The conditions… they don't line up at all.'
Inside Varion's mind, Great Sage was already working.
[Analysis in progress. The integration of the Greater Spirit of Light has been confirmed. However, data regarding the "Hero's Egg" is insufficient. Further observation required.]
Varion stood there, one hand still pressed against his chest. At first, he only felt confusion as a heavy weight settled deep inside his spiritual core. But beneath that confusion, something else stirred. A strange, distant sense of familiarity It left him feeling strange and slightly off-balance.
Prinz noticed immediately.
Her golden eyes filled with concern as she stepped even closer, still holding onto his face with both hands.
"Varion?" she asked quietly. "Are you okay? You look unsettled."
He blinked, forcing himself to focus on her voice. The strange feeling lingered, but he pushed it down for now.
"…I'm fine," he said, though his voice came out a little rough. "Just… surprised."
Across from them, Erald slowly leaned back into his seat. The heavy, serious atmosphere that had surrounded him moments ago was beginning to ease. He had been deeply wary of Varion due the "Nava" name; he carried. There was far too much dangerous history for him to ignore, but what he had just witnessed changed things.
The [Aegis] skill, born from Varion's genuine desire to protect Prinz. The way the spirits had swarmed toward him without fear. And now the Hero's Egg itself. These weren't things that happened to someone whose intentions were malicious or evil.
Erald's posture gradually relaxed, though he still looked somewhat overwhelmed. The sharp edge of his caution was dulling, replaced by something closer to his usual personality, albeit still heavily restrained.
Elmesia, on the other hand, had already begun thinking several steps ahead.
She watched Varion quietly, her mind turning over the implications. The brother of Milim Nava had just been chosen by the World itself to carry a Hero's Egg. That alone made him an incredibly significant figure one that could shape the future of the continent. And right now, her own cousin was standing right beside him, clearly deeply attached.
Elmesia's eyes flicked briefly to Prinz.
'She could be the perfect bridge,' she thought. 'If Prinz stays close to him, it would benefit both her and Sarion. Perhaps… an official position would be appropriate. Something that keeps her near him while also serving the nation.'
The idea was already forming in her mind on how Sarion could benefit along with prinz.
But she also now needed to ensure Varion had time to grow. So she needed to keep this a secret and ensure Varion did as well.
"Varion," she said, addressing him directly. "What just happened here… you should not speak of it to anyone outside this room or those you trust with your life. Not yet atleast."
Varion looked at her, still slightly disoriented from the sudden changes inside him.
Elmesia continued, her tone pragmatic. "A Hero's Egg is not something that appears often. If the wrong people were to learn that the brother of Milim Nava now carries one… it would bring you a great deal of trouble. There are those who would see you as either a powerful tool… or a threat that needs to be removed before you can grow stronger. For your own safety, keep this to yourself for now."
Varion gave a small nod, understanding the warning even through his current discomfort.
The conversation had barely finished. when Prinz noticed something was wrong.
She glanced up at Varion and frowned. He was starting to look pale, and a thin layer of sweat had formed on his brow. His breathing had become slightly heavier, and he was leaning on her more than before.
"Varion?" she asked quietly, reaching up to touch his face. Her eyes widened slightly. "You're burning up. You have a fever."
"Im fine prinz" Varion said with a weak smile trying and failing to look convincing.
Elmesia cut in before prinz could reply
"This is to be expected," she said. "No matter how special you are, the laws of this world still classify you as a monster. The amount of holy energy contained within a Hero's Egg is not something a monster's body is meant to handle. It will have an effect on you… but it should only be temporary, maybe a few days at most if I had to guess, but there's really no way to tell."
Prinz didn't wait for anyone else to speak. She stood up and gently pulled Varion to his feet, slipping under his arm so she could support his weight against her side.
"We're done for today," she said firmly, looking at her parents and Elmesia. "He needs to rest. We're retiring to my room."
Erald immediately straightened up, his earlier dramatic energy flaring back to life.
"Now hold on just a moment!" he said, already rising from his seat. "There is no way I am allowing—"
He was instantly cut off.
His wife's hand shot out and gripped his shoulder with surprising strength, while Elmesia turned her head and gave him a single, sharp look. The combined warning was enough to make the Archduke freeze mid-sentence. He deflated slightly, though he still looked deeply unhappy.
Prinz didn't even acknowledge her father's outburst. She was already used to his over-the-top reactions. Instead, she focused on Varion, adjusting her hold on him as she guided him toward the door.
"Come on," she said softly, her voice losing some of its firmness as she spoke only to him. "Let's get you to my room, you need to rest."
Varion didn't argue. He simply leaned into her support a little more as they walked out of the lounge.