The second the words left his lips, the two large doors parted, opening with a slowness that only fueled Noah's anxiety.
Once they had fully receded, Noah gained a full view of the room. It was lavish—more so than his own quarters—yet it wasn't as flashy. It possessed a refined, comfortable elegance. Within the expanse of gold, silver, and mahogany, a long table stretched through the center of the room. Despite having at least twenty chairs, only three people sat at it.
At the head sat his father, Victor Von Vale.
To his right sat his mother, Mary Von Vale.
To his left sat his sister, Selene Von Vale.
All of them wore smiles, even his father. Their food remained untouched.
Did they know I was coming? he wondered, a strange warmth blooming in his chest. He didn't have time to identify the feeling before a soft, melodic, and motherly voice reached his ears.
"Come on in, dear."
Noah smiled slightly—to the visible shock of his parents—before walking in and sitting next to his sister. She greeted him with a bright grin. At only thirteen, she was far smaller than Noah, who stood at an imposing six feet.
"Sister, I see you haven't grown an inch since the last time I saw you," he said, a mocking grin dancing on his face.
Selene didn't reply; she simply puffed out her cheeks and whipped her head away with a huff.
Noah laughed softly as he settled into his seat. Silence fell over the room, but it wasn't awkward. Although Noah hadn't spent much time with his family recently, their bond remained intact.
Although… they're probably wondering about the change in personality, he thought. As he decided to start the conversation.
"I awakened," he said matter-of-factly.
[Real smooth. Just coming right out and saying a seventeen-year-old awakened.]
'What else was I supposed to say?'
[...]
'Exactly.'
"What?" his father asked, setting his fork down. His face was a mask of disbelief. His mother and sister were equally stunned.
"What do you mean, dear? You couldn't have awakened," his mother said sweetly, her brow furrowing.
"Yeah! Come on, bro! Don't joke like that," his sister added, trying to adopt a serious tone, though it only came out squeaky and cute.
Noah laughed, reaching over to pat her head. She beamed, clearly enjoying the affection. "I'm not joking. That's why I came to dinner today. I awakened a beast-taming talent."
Their mouths hung open in shock; Victor's cold mask finally cracked.
"Explain," Victor commanded. His tone was final, leaving no room for negotiation. Even Mary and Selene went silent.
"Hmm, well—"
What followed was Noah reciting a heavily edited version of events. He omitted everything regarding Atlas, instead emphasizing the searing pain he felt upon waking up, the subsequent blackout, and finally, waking up stronger with a 'Status' confirming his talent. No one interrupted him. They were paralyzed by the news; someone awakening spontaneously at seventeen was unprecedented—nearly impossible.
[A/N: Everyone in this world who has awakened has a status window. But they don't talk they just show details.]
In the Game, Noah was never meant to awaken. The only reason he could even attend the academy was his family's influence. It was there he would have learned the true meaning of weakness before stumbling upon an inheritance that allowed him to grow stronger through… questionable means.
"Incredible," his mother murmured once he finished. Her voice was a mix of worry and joy—worry because this was unheard of, and happiness because her son could finally protect himself. His time at the academy would be much easier now.
"That's so cool, big bro! Does this mean you can be strong now?" Selene chirped.
"Yes, yes. Big bro can finally get strong," Noah said, nodding his head enthusiastically.
"Mm, that is good, son. Is there any limit to the amount you can tame?" Victor asked. His voice remained cold, but it now held an undeniable note of pride.
Noah didn't answer right away. He didn't need to tell them the whole truth. He wasn't planning on hiding his power entirely—no, he had far grander plans that would require a display of absolute strength.
"Not really. I can only tame beasts two ranks higher than myself," he claimed. He had no intention of revealing that he could tame humanoids; such a thing was even more unprecedented than a beast-taming talent, which, despite being extremely rare, wasn't impossible.
Before anyone could reply, Noah pressed on. "That's also the reason I'm here. I wanted to ask you to take me hunting. I have three months left until the Academy, so I need all the strength I can get." His tone was firm and held a conviction that seemed to convince his parents.
Victor nodded in approval. "Fine. We will set off in two days."
No one spoke as they finally began eating dinner, until his mother eventually broke the silence.
"Did you hear? A commoner boy from the Blanco Kingdom was chosen by their Goddess."
This time, everyone froze. A commoner, chosen by a god?
Noah was the most invested. "What's his name?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.
His father replied this time. "It's Roman. But because he's 'God-touched,' he's now Roman Blanco." He sneered before continuing, "They're even marrying the Saintess off to him."
W-wait, the Saintess? This early? Noah's thoughts stalled. The Saintess—known to most as the Goddess's Voice—was a heroine, but not until much later in the original story. Not until after the Academy. Had the story changed? he asked Atlas.
[It's not surprising. New threads of fate and destiny have entered the world. Some things may happen faster, some later, and some may stay the same. I wouldn't worry too much; the core premise remains.]
'I suppose, but still...'
[Let's not forget your own 'story change.' We still don't know how significant an impact that has caused.]
'Shit, I forgot. But it can't be that bad, right?'
[I wouldn't be so sure. The minds of higher beings work in mysterious ways; they could have executed your change in an elaborate fashion.]
'Well... I suppose. And it's not like I planned to keep the original plot on its tracks anyway,' he thought with a mental shrug.
[Exactly. And with me, it's not like you'll be far behind. Just get your father to capture some C-rank beasts, and we can handle the rest.]
Noah agreed wholeheartedly. He wasn't scared; with his new blend of personalities, both Noah and Kai found the unpredictability thrilling.
"Are you okay, honey?" his mother's worried voice cut through his turbulent thoughts.
His crimson eyes met hers, and he offered a genuine smile. "I'm fine, Mom. Just thinking."
Mary's eyes widened slightly. When was the last time he smiled like that? she wondered nostalgically, smiling back.
Victor, who had been watching the exchange silently, allowed a small smile to form before instantly masking it.
"Hey! Hey! Don't leave me out!" Selene huffed in annoyance.
"Hahaha, we won't. Anyway, I'll be taking my leave now," Noah laughed. He stood up and bowed before turning to leave, the double doors banging shut behind him.
….
In Noah's Room:
Noah sat on his bed, hands behind his head, whistling a tune from Earth. After dinner, he had explored the estate before returning to his room. He had things to uncover and plans to set in motion.
"Atlas, show me my status."
[Understood.]
[Status]
[Name: Noah Von Vale]
[Age: 17]
[Race: Human]
[Rank: E]
[Talent: Supreme Taming (Unique)]
[Affinities: N/A]
[Bloodlines: N/A]
[Physiques: N/A]
[Skills: N/A]
"I look power-poor," he said glumly.
[That's because you haven't tamed anything yet, and you have no points to purchase upgrades.]
"So I just need to tame something, right?"
[Urm... yeah. That is kind of the point. It's in the name.]
Noah rolled his eyes, stood up, and walked over to his door. He poked his head out and glanced at the maid standing guard. She was startled by his sudden appearance but recovered quickly, bowing respectfully. "I greet the Young Master!"
"Yeah, yeah. Come in here." He spun around and walked back inside, his crimson eyes glowing faintly.
"Yes!"
[You're not...]
'I need to test this,' he thought, smiling cheerfully.
[...]
The maid, now standing inside, bowed again. "How may I serve you, Young Master?"
Noah sat in a chair and appraised her thoroughly. She was older, perhaps around thirty, and strikingly beautiful—likely a result of her higher rank. She had long white hair, sky-blue eyes, plump pink lips, and an alluring figure. If Noah didn't know better, he would have thought she was a succubus in a poor disguise.
Feeling his intense gaze, the maid fidgeted nervously, a small blush creeping up her neck.
Noah noticed and smirked. He stood and slowly closed the distance between them. Her eyes darted everywhere but his devishly handsome face. Slowly, he reached out, caressing her cheek softly. The blush deepened, spreading across her pale skin.
"I have a few questions. It's alright if I ask them, right?" he asked, his voice becoming soft and seductive. Her eyes finally locked onto his shimmering crimson gaze.
She nodded instinctively.
Seeing her submission, his smile widened. "Alright, first question." His eyes darkened slightly. "Who do you serve? The House of Vale... or me?"
This was Yuki, his personal maid. The old Noah had never paid her any mind, finding it beneath him to notice a servant. But this Noah? He had plenty of uses for her.
Yuki's answer was instantaneous. "Y-you, Young Master."
"Good," he murmured.
"Now, for the next question." Noah leaned in close to her ear, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine. He whispered in a low, dangerous tone, "As my personal maid... would you, perhaps, die for me?"
[How familiar,] Atlas murmured.