"The Family head is back!" That's been the only song singing in Charles's ears for the past two hours, all the maids that had been passing his room have been saying it. Even Jennette had told him.
"Curse this stupid enhanced hearing of mine, I've had to listen to their chimes all day!" Charles said as he was constantly interrupted from his analysis.
He had been trying hard to recall the battle between him and Teke that had occurred the last day.
It was his first real life battle even if it was not to the death, he had planned to take it easy and still keep his abilities under the veil, but that was hard to accomplish as the kid he had fought with had exuded killing intent, showing that he was ready to kill Charles.
It pissed Charles off, the thought of dying again and experiencing that cold feeling of his ghost living his body did not sit well with him at all, he decided to beat the kid up, to let him know that life and death aren't things to be toiled with simply because one possesses power.
"I guess I have to go greet the Patriarch huh? Alex. I'm really itching to hear what he has been doing for two whole years." Charles said as he stood up, he was pissed because he had no time to do his monk business today because of the constant interruptions.
He dressed up in a formal attire, one fitting for a noble.
"Pretty weird that Jennette never dresses me up again. Haha, feels like just yesterday when I was a year old, she doesn't even stay in my room all day anymore. Four years of life does come with it's perks huh." He looked himself in the mirror as he said this, adjusting his fit.
The greeting of the Patriarch wasn't just a normal greeting, It was a whole family gathering as every member of the family would come to welcome him, including the mysterious siblings that he hadn't seen before.
"I can't wait to see more of those red haired brats, I'm sure they're gonna be plenty, Alexander does seem like a man with great stamina." Charles let out a devious cackle as he said that, knowing what it takes for a man to have that many kids. He looked like he'd be about his early fifties, No one knew his real age, he never celebrated his birthday or talked about it.
He had approached the door leading to the dining hall, he hesitated to open it, remembering the first time he entered there.
'i couldn't breathe properly that day. It was nightmare, from what I've seen, almost all Flameworth's are hot-blooded, what if they all try to do an aura or pressure competition inside there? What if it's gonna be like that day with Alex but on a larger scale? Am I strong enough to withstand such overwhelming pressure now?' Charles pondered.
'No! Standing around and cowering isn't going to make me know what's happening in there, thinking about it isn't going to make me stronger, I resolved myself to get stronger the moment I discovered hope to meet Marcelle again, I'll count this encounter with this family right now as a stepping stone to my growth. I'll never give up!' Charles opened the door slowly, gulping as he walked in slowly.
'huh? What the-?' Charles was bewildered.
'This isn't what I expected.'
He walked slowly and steadily and approached an empty sit to sit down.
"It's only you here." Charles said as he focused his gaze on James who was at a chair in the corner of the long dining table, folding his arms and staring at the table with brooding eyes, he did not look back at Charles.
"You're wrong. It's the two of us." James said with a voice filled with indifference, he kept staring at the table.
"Is something wrong James?" Charles asked James calmly.
"You're all tensed up."
"Don't you know what today is?" James asked Charles In a low and calm voice.
"The day that we're supposed to greet Alex right?" Charles said as he asked James, wanting to here his explanation for why he looked so worried.
"Alex? You have some guts calling the Patriarch by his name!" James gnarled, he glared at Charles as he gnashed his teeth, the Flameworth's didn't tolerate disrespects, even among family members.
"I address everyone by their name, never by their title, I have a philosophy for it, you wanna listen?" Charles said as he rest his elbow on the table, using his palm to support his chin.
"What are you spewing?" James eyes widened as he asked Charles, he didn't expect that answer, he expected Charles to cower and beg him not to tell and use it as an upper hand to gain dominance over Charles. It was a quick thinking that he did.
'i could probably use this as a chance to kick start my 'runaway from Flameworth' plan. I had to make adjustments because of that stupid Teke.' Charles thought as he smirked, noticing a slight loss of composure from James, he knew these games, he was a CEO in his first life, one that had mastered the art of bargaining and negotiation, he couldn't be manipulated easily.
"I believe the name is what holds value to your existence, it births the existence of even the so called title one gains. If one were to die, what would the living remember him for? The title he gained? No. It is his achievements and achievements can only be linked to a name." Charles said with a smile on his face as he spouted some random bullshit that came out of his mouth.
James was silenced, he had no words to reply to Charles. He had lost.
'flexing his smarts. Tch' James thought to himself as he closed his eyes, relaxing his head on his chair, waiting for the rest of the family to come.
"Actually James, I have something to di-" Charles was cut off as he felt a familiar energy.
His body froze where he sat, he couldn't move or speak.
James was sweating profusely, express was that of fear.
'oh shit, I let my guard down! This f**ker again!!' Charles thought to himself as he moved his eyes left and right to detect where the energy was coming from, his eyes were the only thing he could move.
~Clap Clap Clap
A series of slow but loud claps echoed throughout the silence of the room, it was the only sound that cut through the tension that filled the room at that moment.
Out of thin air, a flame appeared, it carried the presence of a figure in it, and that figure was Alexander, he was wrapped in the flames, he had appeared with his strange fire teleporting ability.
"Very well said Charles!" He said In a commanding but cold voice, one that seemed to tear out the very eardrums of Charles and James.
END OF CHAPTER