Raiden Alaric

I sat cross-legged in one of the meditation chambers, turning the crystalline instruction node over in my hands. The device caught the soft light filtering through the room's aura-enhanced windows, casting small rainbows across the polished stone floor.

Imbue it with your aura while meditating, then enter your aether realm, I recalled Chronos saying. The device creates immersive training scenarios where you can practice techniques safely and repeatedly until they become muscle memory.

After two days of recovery from my spectacular aura exhaustion, I was finally cleared by Dr. Hartwell to start using my aura again. The instruction node had been sitting on my nightstand like a very expensive paperweight, mocking me with its potential. And it's not like I could bother with applying for academies yet either. I have to wait roughly two more weeks until I hear back from the A.A. telling me which ones I can apply for and which ones have offers for me. Sol even said as much when I had talked to him over the phone.

"Is there anything you require, Master Alaric?" came a polite voice from behind me.

I glanced over my shoulder at the newest addition to the household. Celia was a young elf with auburn hair tied back in a neat bun and intelligent green eyes. She'd arrived yesterday as part of Seraphina's rapidly expanding staff roster.

"I'm good for now, thanks," I said, then couldn't help but grin. "I have to say, Seraphina worked pretty fast getting new help. You got here faster than I expected."

"Miss Seraphina is very efficient when she sets her mind to something," Celia replied diplomatically. "She mentioned that my primary responsibility would be serving as your personal attendant."

"Right, which is a fancy way of saying 'human GPS' because I've gotten lost in my own house twelve times already."

Celia's professional composure wavered slightly, and I caught the hint of a smile. "I was briefed on your... navigation challenges."

"Translation: I can't find shit," I repeated with a laugh. "Half of those times I was just trying to find a bathroom. Do you know how embarrassing it is to not be able to find the toilet in my own house?"

"I imagine it would be quite... inconvenient," she said, clearly trying not to laugh.

"Inconvenient is one word for it." I turned back to the instruction node, feeling its smooth surface under my fingertips. "Though I suppose having someone who actually knows where everything is will help. This place is like a maze designed by someone who really, really didn't want visitors finding the exits."

"The mansion does have a rather complex layout," Celia agreed. "There are several wings that connect in non-intuitive ways. Even some of the longer-serving maids occasionally take wrong turns."

"That makes me feel slightly better about getting lost trying to find the kitchen yesterday." I closed my eyes and began to focus on my aura, feeling the familiar warmth flow through my core. "Alright, let's see what this thing actually does."

I held the instruction node in my hands and slowly began to channel aura into it. The crystal immediately began to glow with a soft, pulsing light that seemed to resonate with my heartbeat.

"Master Alaric?" Celia's voice sounded concerned. "Are you quite alright? The device is glowing rather intensely."

But I was already sinking deeper into meditation, feeling my consciousness being drawn into my aether realm. The meditation chamber faded away, replaced by the familiar misty landscape of my inner world.

The instruction node materialized in front of me, now transformed into something that looked like a floating interface made of pure light. Text and symbols scrolled across its surface, and I could sense vast amounts of information contained within.

<Welcome to Advanced Combat Training>

<Please select your preferred training category>

A list of main categories expanded in the air:

Combat Techniques

Aura Manipulation

Weapon Mastery

Defensive Arts

Movement and Positioning

"Aura Manipulation," I said aloud, thinking about my conversation with Chronos. I could see auras, but I still didn't really know how to properly read them or understand what I was looking at.

The category expanded into a comprehensive list of subcategories:

Basic Aura Enhancement

Aura Resonance and Detection

Energy Projection Fundamentals

Aura Concealment Techniques

Advanced Channeling Methods

Meditation and Focus Training

My eyes immediately locked onto "Aura Resonance and Detection." That was exactly what Chronos had mentioned. The ability to sense and identify other people's aura signatures to determine their rank and capabilities.

I reached out and selected the option. The misty landscape around me shifted and solidified into what appeared to be a simple training room with several glowing figures standing at various distances.

<Aura Resonance is the fundamental skill for reading and interpreting the aura signatures of others>

<This ability allows an Ascendant to determine rank, emotional state, and potential threat level through careful observation of aura patterns>

The figures in the room began to glow with different intensities and colors, each representing a different rank and type of aura signature.

<Begin by focusing your passive aura sense. You naturally perceive auras visually, but resonance requires deeper attention to the subtle vibrations and patterns within each signature>

I focused on the nearest figure, and suddenly I felt something I'd never experienced before. The instruction node was somehow feeding me the sensation of what proper aura sensing should feel like. More than just looking, it required feeling the quality of the energy, like sensing the temperature of water without touching it.

<Green ranks emit weak, inconsistent patterns like a flickering candle. Blue ranks maintain steady, controlled flow like a gentle stream. Violet ranks show deep, layered complexity like a symphony of energy>

As the instructions guided me, the node let me experience each type of signature directly. The Green rank felt thin and erratic, like trying to hold onto smoke. The Blue rank had a more solid, reliable presence, like feeling a steady heartbeat. And the Violet rank...

Whoa. The Violet rank figure's aura feels like looking into deep water. There are layers upon layers of energy flowing in complex patterns that make my head spin just trying to follow them.

<Practice identifying ranks without relying on visual intensity alone. Focus on the feel of each signature>

What followed was intensive drilling. The training construct would present me with aura signatures of varying strengths and ask me to identify them based on the sensations the node was teaching me to recognize. At first, I got maybe half of them right. But gradually, I began to develop a natural sense for the different qualities of each rank.

My Origin seemed to thrive in this environment, processing and storing the subtle differences between signatures with the same intensity it applied to combat techniques. Each successful identification felt like absorbing a new piece of combat data, cataloged and ready for instant recall.

<Now we progress to range training. Aura Resonance effectiveness decreases with distance. Practice extending your sensing range while maintaining accuracy>

The figures began moving away from me, forcing me to stretch my perception further and further. I discovered that my range was actually pretty decent for someone who'd just awakened. I could clearly sense auras within about seventy feet, and pick up stronger signatures at nearly a hundred feet.

<Advanced technique: Aura Pulse. This active scanning method sends out a controlled wave of your own aura to interact with nearby signatures and return detailed information>

A new section of training opened up, and suddenly I felt something that made me want to crawl out of my own skin. The instruction node was simulating what it felt like to be on the receiving end of an Aura Pulse, and it was deeply uncomfortable. It felt like someone was watching me shower or reading my diary over my shoulder. An invasive sensation that made every instinct scream to get away from whatever was doing it.

<Warning: Aura Pulse is highly detectable and considered extremely rude in most social situations. Use only when necessary and with great caution. Many Ascendants will react defensively or aggressively to unsolicited scanning>

"Jesus," I muttered, still feeling unsettled by the sensation. No wonder it was considered rude. That felt awful.

<Now practice emitting your own pulse. Remember: controlled, brief, and only when absolutely necessary>

I practiced the technique, learning to send out small, controlled waves of my own aura. The information that came back was much more detailed than passive sensing. I could not only determine rank, but get a sense of the person's current emotional state and whether they were actively channeling aura. But knowing how violating it felt to be on the receiving end made me very reluctant to use it.

As I navigated through the training options again, something nagged at me. The Aura Pulse technique had that invasive, uncomfortable sensation I'd experienced during the first training session. I'd hated it, but now I found myself curious about it.

Why did it feel so violating? What exactly was happening when someone used that technique?

I selected the Aura Pulse training again, and immediately the interface presented the warning about it being rude and invasive. But this time, instead of rushing through to learn how to do it myself, I focused on the receiving end.

I selected that option.

<Experience: Aura Pulse Reception>

The uncomfortable sensation hit me again. That feeling of someone watching me shower, of having my privacy stripped away. But instead of recoiling from it, I forced myself to analyze what was actually happening.

The pulse felt like it was reading me. Not just my aura signature, but deeper than that. Someone rifling through my personal space, examining things that should be private. I could feel it probing my rank, my current energy state, and my emotional condition. There were hints of other information too, but they came back so diluted and fragmented that only the basic details were actually readable.

That's why it feels so invasive. Even though most of the detailed information gets lost in the return signal, the act of the pulse itself is still examining everything about me in that moment.

I let the simulation hit me with the pulse again. And again. Each time, I tried to understand more about what information was being gathered and how. The technique involved interacting with auras on multiple levels, reading patterns and extracting data like some kind of biological scanner, rather than simply bouncing off my aura.

<Now attempt to generate your own Aura Pulse>

I tried to replicate what I'd experienced, sending out a wave of my own aura. Nothing happened. I tried again, focusing harder. Still nothing.

<Visualization: Your aura as a ripple in a pond, expanding outward to touch other signatures before returning with information>

I tried the ripple approach. My aura flickered outward weakly, but it felt nothing like the controlled pulses I'd been subjected to. It was more like throwing a rock in a pond than creating a precise scanning wave.

Attempt after attempt failed. My aura would either disperse uselessly or barely extend beyond my body. The hunger for mastery gnawed at me, demanding I figure this out.

Then I started experimenting. What if instead of trying to push my aura outward, I pulled? Like creating a vacuum that would draw other signatures toward me?

That didn't work either, but it gave me an idea. What if the pulse wasn't about pushing or pulling, but about creating a resonance? Like matching the frequency of other auras and then reading the harmonics?

I tried adjusting the "frequency" of my aura, attempting to create something that would naturally sync with nearby signatures. The first few attempts were disasters. My aura either became too chaotic or too rigid.

But slowly, very slowly, I began to feel something. A subtle interaction with the training constructs around me. Not the invasive scanning I'd experienced, but something gentler, more like asking a question than demanding an answer.

Then it happened. My pulse connected properly, and information flowed back to me about the nearest construct's rank and energy state. But simultaneously, the training environment made a sharp, crystal-clear ping sound.

Of course there's a detection ping. Anyone I use this on will know exactly what I'm doing, which makes the technique even more problematic for casual use.

But the hunger wouldn't let me stop there. If the technique naturally announced itself, could I find a way to make it... quieter?

I kept tweaking the approach, adjusting the intensity, the rhythm, the way I shaped the pulse. Each time I managed a successful connection, that same clear ping echoed through the training space, alerting every construct in the area to what I was doing.

Hours of subjective time passed as I experimented with different approaches: softer pulses, faster pulses, pulses that tried to mimic natural aura fluctuations. Every successful attempt triggered that telltale detection signal.

But gradually, very gradually, I began to understand the mechanics better. The ping seemed to come from the abrupt contact between my aura and the target's. What if I could make that contact more... gradual?

I started working on smoother transitions, trying to blend my scanning pulse with the natural rhythm of the target's aura so it felt less like an intrusion and more like a natural synchronization.

After what felt like an eternity of failed attempts, something changed. My pulse connected, information flowed back, and... silence. No ping. No detection alert.

I waited, expecting the familiar notification to appear. The training node had been remarkably consistent about providing feedback for every successful technique. But this time, nothing materialized in the air before me. No glowing text. No confirmation of achievement.

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That's... odd.

I tried the technique again, more deliberately this time. The stealth pulse connected perfectly, gathering detailed information about the target construct's rank and energy state without triggering any detection warnings. But again, complete silence from the instruction node.

Notifications had accompanied every other technique.

<Basic Aura Enhancement Mastered>

<Emotional Reading: Anxiety Pattern Recognized>

<Combat Preparation Analysis Complete>

The node seemed designed to track and validate every aspect of learning progress. So why nothing for this?

I experimented further, deliberately switching between normal aura pulses and the stealthed version. Every regular pulse triggered the expected <Detection Alert> notification, but the stealth variant produced nothing. Not even an acknowledgment that I'd successfully performed a technique.

A cold realization began to creep over me. The instruction node contained vast amounts of training data, thousands of techniques and applications that had been programmed into it by whoever created the device. Every successful learning milestone had been anticipated and coded with appropriate feedback.

Except this one.

Which meant the stealth pulse technique wasn't part of the original programming. I hadn't learned it from the instruction node's database. I had... invented it? Discovered it on my own through experimentation and that relentless hunger for improvement?

The implications made my head spin. If this technique wasn't in the node's training library, then it might not exist in the broader world of Ascendant combat arts either. Had I just stumbled onto something genuinely new?

I pushed the thought aside and continued training, but it nagged at me throughout the rest of the session. Every time I used a standard technique, the node provided its usual feedback and guidance, but whenever I attempted variations or innovations of my own, there was only silence.

The satisfaction from these discoveries was intoxicating, but it only fed my craving for more mastery. The instruction node seemed to respond to my insatiable appetite for knowledge, opening up increasingly complex training modules that built upon each other in a cascading series of revelations.

I threw myself into advanced aura reading, learning to interpret the subtle emotional signatures that flickered through people's natural energy patterns. Anxiety manifested as rapid, contracted pulses. Confidence flowed outward with steady presence. Deception created layered contradictions beneath surface calm. The training showed me dozens of emotional states and their variations. The difference between anger and irritation, anticipation and anxiety, genuine confidence and nervous bravado.

From there, I progressed to combat analysis, reading opponent capabilities and intentions through their aura patterns. High-skill fighters showed controlled, efficient energy flow even during intense preparation. Novices wasted energy through unfocused patterns. I could identify whether someone was preparing for defense, offense, feints, or complex combinations by reading the subtle gathering and flow of their aura.

But understanding others meant nothing if they could read me just as easily. Aura concealment became my next obsession, learning to suppress my true emotional state while projecting false patterns. Making my aura appear confident while nervous, calm while preparing for aggression. It was like learning to lie with my entire being.

The final phase combined everything into combat enhancement. I took every technique I'd absorbed from previous fights. Lucas's momentum exploitation, Nico's compression strikes, Sylvan's speed flow, Sol's synchronization, and enhanced them with aura manipulation. Each stolen technique became something uniquely mine, refined and perfected through the marriage of observation and energy control.

By the time I emerged from the training realm, I understood that the instruction node had been a gateway rather than a destination. I had moved beyond learning established techniques into innovating and creating hybrid combinations that the system couldn't recognize. Each breakthrough met with that same telling silence, confirming I was operating beyond conventional Ascendant knowledge.

When I finally emerged from the training realm, I felt like I'd completed years of intensive education compressed into what felt like an eternity of focused practice. My understanding of aura manipulation had grown exponentially, and I could feel the techniques flowing through me like they'd been part of me my whole life.

But more than that, I now understood that I was operating beyond the boundaries of conventional Ascendant training. The instruction node had been a gateway, not a destination. A foundation upon which I was building something entirely unprecedented.

I blinked, trying to readjust to the physical world, and turned to look at Celia. She was sitting nearby with a concerned expression, holding something in her hands.

"How long was I out?" I asked, stretching muscles that felt stiff from sitting in meditation for what had felt like an eternity of intensive training.

"Nearly six hours, Master Alaric," she said, standing up and moving closer. "I was starting to get quite worried. You've been completely motionless, barely even breathing. I wasn't sure if I should interrupt or not."

Six hours? That was impossible. I had spent what felt like days in there, maybe even weeks of subjective time exploring every nuance of aura manipulation. The sheer volume of training I'd accomplished couldn't have been compressed into just six hours.

"Wait," I said, frowning. "Six hours? That's it? I spent... I mean, it felt like I was in there for days. Maybe longer."

Celia nodded knowingly. "That's the time dilation effect of aether realms, Master Alaric. When you enter deep meditation and access your inner aether space, time flows differently. Your consciousness can experience extended periods while only minutes or hours pass in the physical world. It's one of the reasons why aether realm training is so valuable, you can accomplish weeks of practice in a single session."

Time dilation. That explained so much. The endless drilling, the hours upon hours of technique refinement, the feeling of having lived through months of intensive study. All of it compressed into six hours of real time.

"The ratio varies based on rank," Celia continued. "Lower-ranked Ascendants might experience mild acceleration, perhaps twice normal speed. But as you advance in rank, the effect becomes more pronounced. Blue Ranks can achieve several times acceleration, Violet Ranks even more so. I've heard that some Red Ranks can spend months training in their aether realm over the course of just a few days. Based on what you've described, your time dilation is quite remarkable for someone who just awakened."

No wonder I felt mentally exhausted despite my body having sat motionless for hours. My mind had been active for subjective days.

"What's wrong?" I asked, noticing she was holding my phone.

My blood ran cold as she held it out to me. The screen showed multiple missed calls. Eleven of them. All from the same contact: Mom.

"Oh shit," I breathed, staring at the notifications. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit."

"Your phone started ringing about two hours ago," Celia said gently. "I wasn't sure if I should interrupt your meditation or not."

Eleven missed calls from my mother. Over the span of two hours. That was... that was catastrophic. That was the kind of thing that happened when your mother was convinced you'd been kidnapped or worse.

"I'm so dead," I muttered, staring at the screen. "She's going to kill me. She's going to absolutely murder me."

I immediately hit the call back button, and my mother picked up before the first ring finished.

"RAIDEN ALARIC, WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!"

I held the phone away from my ear as her voice blasted through the speaker. Celia's eyes widened at the volume.

"Hi Mom," I said weakly. "I can explain—"

"EXPLAIN? You disappear for HOURS without answering your phone, and you think you can just EXPLAIN?"

What followed was thirty minutes of the most intense maternal interrogation I'd ever experienced. My mother cycled through every emotion from terror to fury to relief and back to fury again. I spent most of the time reassuring her that I was alive, healthy, and not lying dead in a ditch somewhere.

"I'm sorry, Mom," I said for what felt like the hundredth time. "I was staying with Chronos, and I was meditating. I just got really into it and lost track of time."

"Well you could have answered your phone!" The frustration in her voice was palpable. "I've been worried sick thinking something happened to you."

Think, Raiden, think.

I still had no idea how I was going to explain to my family that I was suddenly rich. The mansion, the maids, the private je— no I don't want to even think about it. None of it would make sense to them, and I wasn't ready for those questions.

"He's been having me do some intensive training sessions in my Aether Realm," I said, which was technically true. "You know, preparing for the Academy exams and everything. Deep meditation, the kind where you really disconnect from everything. I'm sorry. I should have told you I'd be unreachable."

After what felt like an eternity of explaining, apologizing, and promising to be more communicative, she finally started to calm down.

"You're coming home tonight," she said firmly. "I don't care what Chronos has planned. You're coming home and staying the night."

"Yes, Mom. I'll be there tonight."

"Are you going to eat before you come home? I need to know if I should set something aside for you."

"Yeah, I'll grab something here first," I said, glancing in the direction I think is the kitchen. "Don't worry about saving me anything."

"And Raiden?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you ever scare me like that again."

"I won't, Mom. I promise."

When I finally hung up, I realized I was exhausted in an entirely different way than the mental fatigue from training.

"Thirty minutes," I said to Celia, who had been politely pretending not to listen. "Thirty minutes of pure maternal terror and fury."

"Your mother sounds... concerned," Celia said diplomatically.

"That's one way to put it." I rubbed my temples. "I'll have to go home after dinner, but first..." I paused, looking at Celia. There was something I wanted to test while the training was still fresh in my mind.

"Celia, can I test something real quick?"

She looked curious, but nodded. "Of course, Master Alaric. What do you need me to do?"

"Just... stand there. Stay calm." I got up from my meditation position, still holding the instruction node. "And I apologize in advance. I'll make it up to you if this doesn't work."

Her head tilted in confusion, green eyes studying my face. "Master Alaric, what exactly are you—"

I sent out the gentlest version of my stealth pulse I could manage, barely a whisper of aura extending toward her. The technique connected smoothly, gathering information about her rank and emotional state without triggering any detection. She didn't react at all, no flinch, no awareness, nothing. Just continued looking at me with that same puzzled expression.

But I got everything I needed. Blue Rank, currently curious but not alarmed, with an underlying pattern of professional competence and genuine concern.

I couldn't help the wild grin that spread across my face.

"Master Alaric?" Celia's confusion deepened. "Are you quite alright? You have a rather... intense expression."

"It's nothing," I said, still grinning. "It worked just fine."

She stared at me for a moment longer, clearly wanting to ask more questions, but her professional training won out.

"Well then," I said, pocketing both my phone and the instruction node. "I should probably call my mother back, but first..." My stomach growled loudly. "I'm starving. All that mental effort worked up an appetite."

I started toward where I thought the kitchen might be, then paused and turned back to Celia with a sheepish expression.

"Actually, would you mind showing me the way? And Celia, you can just call me—"

"Of course, Master Alaric," she interrupted smoothly, giving a small bow. "Right this way to the kitchen, Master Alaric."

I blinked at her. "I was going to say you could just call me Rai—"

"I understand completely, Master Alaric." Her tone was perfectly professional, but I caught the hint of amusement in her green eyes as she emphasized my title. "The kitchen is just down this corridor, Master Alaric."

I stared at her for a moment, recognizing the subtle rebellion in her overly formal response. She was definitely enjoying this.

"You're going to keep calling me that no matter what I say, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't dream of being so informal, Master Alaric," she replied, her professional mask slipping just enough to reveal a small smile. "Now, shall we proceed to the kitchen?"

I sighed in defeat. "Lead the way."

She led me through the mansion's winding corridors toward the kitchen. The familiar scents of cooking food grew stronger as we approached, and I could hear the sounds of meal preparation.

But when I stepped into the kitchen, Elena immediately intercepted me with a stern expression.

"Master Alaric, there's no need for you to be in here," she said firmly, positioning herself between me and the cooking stations. "Dinner will be ready shortly. Please, allow us to handle the preparations."

I was absolutely appalled. I cannot believe I have been betrayed and usurped of my place in the kitchen. By my own maid at that!

"Elena," I said, putting on my best wounded expression, "what is this treachery? You were perfectly fine with me cooking before. Now suddenly I can't even touch anything in my own kitchen?"

She glanced nervously toward the corner of the room, as if expecting Seraphina to break through the wall like some kind of household hierarchy enforcement officer. The gesture was so obvious it might as well have been accompanied by neon arrows.

"It's just... it's not appropriate, Master Alaric. The staff should handle all meal preparations."

"Elena." I crossed my arms and adopted a tone of mock devastation. "You're breaking my heart here. I told you before that I enjoy cooking. I want to help."

"That's very kind, Master Alaric, but it's not necessary. We have everything well in hand."

What the hell has Seraphina been telling her?

We'd had a perfectly pleasant conversation about cooking together, sharing techniques and recipes, but ever since then, Elena had been acting like the kitchen was some kind of forbidden zone I wasn't allowed to enter. Like I'd turn into a pumpkin if I touched a spatula.

"Elena," I said, switching from mock devastation to theatrical seriousness, "I'm going to help cook dinner. And if you keep trying to stop me, I'm going to have to consider whether your wages need... adjustment. Again."

Her eyes widened slightly. She definitely remembered our previous conversation about this topic.

"Of... of course, Master Alaric," she said, stepping aside reluctantly. "What would you like to prepare?"

"Thank you." I moved toward the prep station, already feeling more at ease. "Let's see what we're working with here."

As we cooked together, Elena gradually warming up despite her initial resistance and continued nervous glances, I made another decision.

"Elena," I said while stirring a sauce, "when we're finished here, I want you to gather all the maids. We're all going to eat dinner together."

She nearly dropped the pot she was holding. "Master Alaric, that's... we couldn't possibly..."

"You could and you will," I said firmly. "This house is too big for me to eat alone every night."

When dinner was ready and Elena had reluctantly gathered everyone, the maids filed into the dining room looking completely confused. They stood around the oversized table in a cluster, clearly uncertain about what was expected of them.

Maybe Mom rubbed off on me a little too much.

She'd always instilled in me that no one was allowed to go hungry when she took charge of the kitchen. Everyone ate together, period. It didn't matter if you were family, friends, or the neighbors who just happened to stop by.

"Please, everyone sit down," I said, gesturing to the chairs around the massive dining table.

The maids exchanged uncertain glances.

"Master Alaric," one of them ventured hesitantly, "are you sure? It's not really..."

"Proper, I know," I finished. "But I'd rather have good company than eat alone in this enormous room. Please, sit."

It took considerable effort to actually get everyone seated. The maids kept trying to serve rather than sit, hovering behind chairs like they were afraid sitting down would somehow break the fundamental laws of the universe.

Even Seraphina seemed deeply uncomfortable with the arrangement. She kept glancing at me as if seeking constant approval for every action: whether to pick up her fork, whether to take a bite, whether breathing was acceptable at the dining table.

"Seraphina," I said as she attempted to remain standing behind her chair, "please sit down. That's not a request."

"Master Alaric, this is highly irregular," she said, though she finally took her seat. Her eyes immediately darted to my face, checking for any sign of disapproval. "The household hierarchy—"

"Can survive one dinner where we all eat together like normal people," I finished.

Maybe Mom could do some better convincing than me...

As everyone finally, and reluctantly, settled into their seats and began eating, I decided to conduct another test. This one would be purely passive, just reading the natural aura signatures of everyone present to confirm what I'd suspected about the household's composition.

I let my awareness expand, using the techniques I'd just learned to sense the aura patterns around the table. The information came easily now, each signature as distinct as a fingerprint.

The maids were all Blue Rank, just as I'd expected. Their auras showed the steady, controlled flow that marked their advancement level.

But when my senses touched Seraphina's signature, I had to work to keep my expression neutral.

Violet Rank. Definitely Violet Rank.

Her aura had that same symphony-like complexity I'd experienced in the training constructs, layers upon layers of controlled energy flowing in intricate patterns. It was beautifully contained, projected at a level that suggested Blue Rank to casual observation, but the underlying depth was unmistakable once you knew how to look for it.

My initial hunch had been correct. Seraphina was far more than she appeared to be.

Throughout the meal, she continued seeking my approval for every small action: a glance before reaching for the salt, a quick look before taking a sip of water. It was like she was terrified of making some invisible mistake.

I really need to have another conversation with Seraphina later.

Something was seriously wrong with this dynamic, and whatever she'd been telling the maids about keeping me out of the kitchen was just the tip of the iceberg.

I took another bite of dinner, mind racing with questions. Why was a Violet Rank Ascendant working as a head maid? What was her real background? And what had she been telling everyone that had them all acting like I was some kind of untouchable lord?

Looking around the table at the uncomfortable faces, the nervous glances, and Seraphina's continued need for approval, I felt a wave of defeat wash over me.

This wasn't what I wanted. I just wanted to cook in my own kitchen and eat dinner with people instead of rattling around this massive house alone. But somehow, everything I tried to do to make things more normal just seemed to make them more complicated.

I kept my expression carefully neutral and continued eating, but internally I was already planning that conversation with Seraphina. Whatever was going on here needed to be addressed, and soon.

But more importantly right now...

How the fuck do I explain to my family that I'm rich?

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