The sun was already in its highest peak.
Lucian who had been walking back towards their home, was feeling like he had just swallowed a stink bug.
"Dang it… Money gone… Food gone… what am I supposed to do now?"
Lucian suddenly shivered, his pale face that used to carry absolute confidence were now thrown out to the canal and was replaced by a face as though the world was ending.
Gulp
"I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead. Mom will beat me up."
His face were covered with tears. Of course it was not merely because of getting thrown into the couch, forced to lay on his stomach and get beaten up in the backside with the glorious Excalibur of the Household items, the Slippers.
No it wasn't because of that. It was because…
"I'm cooked! She'll beat up my backside again like no tomorrow!"
Okay, maybe he was indeed that scared of it.
Though what to expect? The Slippers has been deeply integrated in his soul that even the presence of a mother with a held slipper was enough for him to cry out and scream GG.
And…
It came true.
"Fu-"
"Lucian dear~ Where have you been?"
Aurelia's eyes were glowing menacingly, looking at this boy who was at least ninety percent of his father, she was angered to death.
'What if he encountered someone directly from the Schicksal? What will happen to him?'
In truth, everytime she discipline her son, she can't help but wince in grief. Each tear he shed was like a stabbing knife on her heart, making her determination waver, but he knew…
If she didn't engrave it in his body, he just won't stop!!
'Kuuhhh… Why does he have to acquire his father's personality!? If only he was even half of my personality, he can be taught slowly, but no! Everytime I try to gently talk to this little guy, the next day… he would do something more outrageous!! If not for me, this household would have been burned to crisp!'
Thinking of that, she steeled herself and looked at the boy who shared similar face to hers. And then…
All her anger dissipated, replaced by worry. In the end, she couldn't raise a hand and teach the little boy a lesson.
So Aurelia just approached Lucian with a gentle gaze.
"Hmm, what happened Lucian, are you—"
Aurelia paused for a moment.
Something feels weird. She can't quite put it where but… something is not right!
So she looked at the back shirt of Lucian, and saw it glowing faintly.
Her snapped widely, and shouted.
"Cassian! Come here immediately!"
Cassian who was casually chilling in the couch while eating a fried chicken, hurriedly scrambled upright from his wife's calling.
"Y-yes!"
His face drained of color the moment his name was called.
'W-what did I do wrong this time!?'
PTSD at his calling, must be his bloodline adapting to his wife's temperament huh?
So he hurried towards the front yard.
He saw his wife hugging their son with a happy face on her, literally suffocating Lucian in her embrace.
Aurelia gestured her husband to come near her, immediately.
Still feeling puzzled, Cassian nodded and walk towards Aurelia and Lucian in a composed way.
Thinking to himself:
'Although I don't know what is happening right now, looking at her face, it's definitely not her beating me up right?'
Relief showered his entire being.
Safe! Utterly safe! Not even a home run can ruin his perfectly strike score!
Cassian nodded in satisfaction, as expected of me!
When he reached Aurelia and Lucian, he saw that Lucian was getting suffocated from Aurelia's motherly embrace.
"Ahem. Don't you think… you are hugging Lucian too much, wife? Look at him… He is literally getting suffocated to death."
"Ahh?"
Aurelia looked at Lucian whose eyes are literally rolling upwards. She hastily let go of Lucian in panic and shook him.
"Ahh! Son, I'm sorry! Are you okay?"
"Guhh… Mom… Stop… Shaking… Me."
Hearing Lucian's answer, Aurelia let out a sigh of relief and let go of her son.
"That's good to hear."
She then turned to Cassian with unadulterated happiness and joy.
As though she is floating in happiness due to the current events.
"Cassian, look!"
Aurelia said no more and just excitedly tap Lucian's back. Her face looks so proud as if she was showing her priced treasure.
Cassian however, just raised an eyebrow and looked at the back of Lucian.
It was glowing faintly as if it was breathing.
His face turned ten shocked, ten confusion, ten disbelief, ten pride and sixty happiness!
That faintly glowing back, anyone who knows the true secrets laying down in this world would immediately knew what that glowing hue signifies!
It was…
"Stigmata!"x2
Lucian: 0_o
'Ehh? What? Did they just say Stigmata?'
While the two were exclaiming in joy, Lucian was thrown into a cesspit of confusion.
He was in great turmoil, wondering what they meant.
Stigmata? Stigmata? What do you mean stigmata?!
It wasn't that he didn't know what a stigmata is, after all, he was a Captain, meaning a player of Honkai Impact 3rd but hearing that word from his mother and father…
He was in despair.
He thought that maybe he can have it easy on his life and grow steadily but… are you saying that they are actually already involved with the Honkai? Hah!?
Wait…
'Actually, this isn't that bad right? After all, I have a natural born Stigmata. And my father and mother already know one or two about the Honkai, so I they might be able to teach me some few tricks and stuffs!'
Lucian excitedly stood up and rejoiced, wiping away his previously tear stricken face.
His mind is completely rolling with unfiltered joy. If before, he only has the hateful Simulator System, now he has more cheat code that he unlocked!
One has to know that in Honkai, you either die in misery or die in grievance.
What? It sounds the same?
Of course it sounds the same! After all, no matter what you do, if you don't have any cheat in this world, you are literally dead!
You accept it with grief or accept it with hate!
You won't even have enough time to press GG once the Honkai gazes at you!
Lucian was elating everywhere that his happy face was enough to make a certain Elation Star God type F, and make him THEIR adjutant.
Looking at this kid with *Clown* *Fool* etc, written all over his face, Aurelia just looked up on the sky, planting her hands on her face in exasperation.
'Oh God… This shrimp is at it again! Stop curling up and go back back in here! Damn it! This is all your fault, CASSIAN AURELIUS!! Just look at that spicy red cooked shrimp! I would have rathered gotten a lazy tuna than this idiotic shrimp.'
Despite all of her unwillingness and bitterness, she still hardened her resolved and make sure that this little shrimp gets taught some good lessons!
Because without her, this household will get crumbled into dust!
Aurelia: ಠ_ಠ
Cassian: (・_・;)
'Why do I feel the disturbance of the wind becoming stronger? Must be the Honkai…'
Cassian felt as if someone were stabbing daggers on his back, but he just shrugged it off, because his instinct were telling him to not turn around and see.
Or else… Forget about getting utterly destroyed by a weeping angel, even a weeping angel would turn its wings and flee from the shear density of the current localized black hole.
"Ahem! Lucian Schariac Aurelius! Stop what you are doing and go back in here!"
Snap!
Lucian's whole body turned rigged, he mechanically turned his head towards his mother whose whole being seems to turn into a demonic entity with her eyes glowing and her hairs seems to float rhythmically like tentacles.
Although… He doesn't know why he suddenly gotten the Schariac surname on his full name—because he never really knew what his middle initial's full name—his body unconsciously knew that he would be absolutely fried to toasted if he even make a single mistake on not following his mother.
He even started wondering why his mother, who is clearly also a Western, was as terrifying as the Asian Moms.
With a stiffened back, Lucian asked his mother in an equally stiff voice.
"Mom. What is it?"
Aurelia's scary aura slowly faded away, but her face still stern and furrowed.
"Nothing. We just have something to talk about. Now let's go towards the living room."
"Yes! Ma'am"2x
Lucian and Cassian both answered with loud voice like a soldier saluting his superior.
"Dad… Are we cooked?"
Lucian asked his father in a low tone, still scared that his mother might have heard him and struck him with a flying La Chancla with a seething 100% accuracy.
"I think we are fine… Maybe… At worst, we might just be grilled, at least alive."
Then as if strucking a cord, Cassian suddenly showed a guilt-driven expression.
He patted the young boy on the left shoulder.
Lucian looked at his father with an equally guilty expression.
"Father… I—"
Cassian interrupted the boy with outmost seriousness and pain on Lucian's shoulder, as if they were going to part ways and each take on a hazardous journey.
"No. It's okay son, it's my fault. The fault lies within me. It's okay, it's fine. I'll shoulder this on my own. Just remember… The Aurelius Clan shall always be filled with glory! Where others break; we bend! Where others fall; we stand! It doesn't matter how hard the journey is, we are the pioneer of the new Era! Aetate matamur, ac superamus! "
Lucian's eyes turned misty, he was filled with indescribable emotions he could not quite understand.
But he knows one thing…
"Father! I'll honor your and our Clan's glory!!"
Cassian at this moment were filled with pride and love of a father towards his most prized son.
He can even safely say; "My son is the best in this world! Now you little bunch, fear and lament! As my son's glory is unstoppable!"
…Just his usual Chuuni personality.
"Son!"
"Father!"
"Son!"
"Father!"
"Son!"
"Father!"
Aurelia: ಠ_ಠ
Aurelia's head were spinning. She can't understand a single grain of her husband's and son's brains.
She even had the nagging feeling of wanting to thoroughly splice their brains out to see what was wrong with their brain.
She wanted to smack the two's head and dragged the two in.
But she held it in…
She held it in…
She…
"So—"
Twack!
Cassian dead. GG. Press F to pay respect.
"FATHER!!!!"
Tears overflowed in Lucian's eyes as he tried to reach out towards his father but…
Twack!
He was also instant K.O. by the flying 100% heat-seeking mythical weapon, The Slippers, A.K.A, La Clancha.
Through drooping eyes, Lucian saw his mother pick up his father and himself and muttered.
"Mom… why…"
Aurelia didn't answered that question, instead, she just expressionlessly carried the two towards the living room but deep within her heart, she was heaving and seething with anger.
If a human was a volcano, she would have already erupted with a cataclysmic phenomenon along with heavy tsunami and a 9.9 Magnitude Earthquake.
…
After several minutes, Lucian Aurelius has finally awakened.
He gazed at the white ceiling with a profound gaze and questions.
'Where am I?'
'What am I?'
'Who am I?'
"Lucian Schariac Aurelius, you are finally awake."
A voice rang out towards his ears. Lucian looked towards his left and hurriedly sat straight up.
There he saw his mother and… who is this?
A beaten up guy with purple and black bumps on his face, swollen like no tomorrow and his left eye swelling.
'Ohh… It's Father…'
He shivered, then mechanically looked at his mother's expressionless face.
"Uhm… Mom?"
She continued gazing at his son's frame with unblinking eyes and said with a low voice.
"Today, you'll learn about our family. No buts. If you interrupt me…"
She didn't continue it but to Lucian, it was a clear warning of; "Young Man, your mother might love you, but even I have a limit on how I spoil you, so don't you dare break off that reverse scale."
So Lucian just nodded and held his breath.
Aurelia was satisfied with how her son reacted, so her demonic aura was gone, replaced by the gentle aura of a Schariac member.
"As you see, there are a lot of things we must talk about but… Let me start with our family."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"Our families are deeply tied with the truth to this world. Your mother and father. We are a part of the ruling clans in protecting the world, and we are also an S-Rank Knight and Valkyrie, one who protects this world."
"Ehhh!?"