25 Chapter 23: Changes Pt 1
A week has already passed after that little Birthday surprise.
Within Agnes Mansion, everyone felt it.
A change.
But it wasn't was a dramatic shift, mind you. No slamming doors, no blood curdling screams, although some might argue Elysia's meltdown qualified she left after her epic meltdown.
It was the change in atmosphere, so imperceptibly that outsiders wouldn't notice, but for those who called Agnes Manor home (or, well, their place of employment), the difference was as clear as a black eye on a beauty pageant contestant.
The air in Agnes Manor hung heavy with a tension so thick, you could probably cut it with a butter knife and spread it on some toast, though the cook wouldn't dare make toast after what happened to the cake.
One thing was for damn sure: tenth birthday boy Asher Agnes wasn't the same kid who used to chase butterflies and beg his mama for bedtime stories.
In his place stood… well, Asher Agnes, technically. Same face, same annoying grin.
But the spark in his eyes had dimmed, replaced by a flicker of something… unsettling. Like a stray dog who'd just learned the world wasn't all belly rubs and milk-bones.
…
Pushing the empty trolley, Elara paused for a moment, exchanging a worried glance with another maid. They both knew the destination - the training facility.
"Here you go, Ela," the other maid said, her voice hushed, handing over the food plates. Elara gripped the handle tightly, and the maid went back to her work.
Taking the trolley, now filled with food, Elara started to walk towards the facility room.
The trolley clattered softly on the polished floor, the sound echoing unnaturally in the subdued silence.
'Is the young master still mad?' she couldn't help but wonder, remembering the sight of him glancing towards all of the maids and back to Elysia's disappearing further and further in the distance.
She couldn't pinpoint when the change began, but the young master she knew was gone.
The boy who used to greet her with a shy, "Good morning, Ela," his eyes sparkling with childish curiosity, are now distant… like a light had dimmed within him, or the sparkle in his eyes was replaced by something cold.
Even his rare smiles never quite reached his eyes anymore. Elara closed them for a moment, picturing a younger Asher clinging to Scarlett's side, his small face full of worry.
Back then, his heart had been pure sunshine, timid at times, clinging to Scarlett's side, even then, his heart was pure and bright.
But the things that happened after the Anima awakening… Well, they weren't good.
A small, sad smile tugged at Elara's lips.
"Oh, Master Asher," she murmured, the words a silent plea. "Please come back to us."
Elara had always cared for Asher like a son. He wasn't just another master; he was the little boy who used to hide behind her skirts during thunderstorms, the one who excitedly showed her his scraped knee after a tumble.
Now all that remained was the stranger… that was known as 'Asher Agnes.'
The tragedy that had ripped their family apart three years ago, the loss that haunted them all, had taken its toll on Asher too. It wasn't something he could control.
'It wasn't his fault.' The fault didn't lie with Asher. And, everyone knew it wasn't his fault.
Elara squeezed her eyes shut again, the image of Asher, a tiny, sobbing mess clinging to Scarlett, forever etched in her mind. No child deserved such pain. No child did.
And Elysia… well, they couldn't blame her, could they?
Grief, like a raging fire, consumed logic, leaving behind only the ashes of pain and resentment. That's what happened to Elysia.
There was too much pain, too much loss, too much heartache in this house.
It was a tragedy that left everyone with a wound that refused to heal.
And, maybe, the incident with Elysia seemed to have been the final blow on Asher causing such a change.
Watching the family she'd served for years teeter on the brink of collapse, a helplessness gnawed at her.
Reaching the training facility, Elara waited patiently, a silent plea rising to the heavens.
All she could do, all any of them could do, was offer a silent plea to the goddess Nadia.
A plea for a miracle, for a way to mend the broken relationship between this family, heal their broken soul, and most importantly, to bring back the light to Asher's eyes.
…
Inside the training facility, Asher sprinted on the treadmill, sweat slicking his brow.
The timer displayed a gruelling [02:58:42], nearing the three-hour hell he'd set for himself. It finally wheezed to a stop, mercifully ending the pointless torture.
Three hours. Three freaking hours of running like a hamster on a wheel, and for what? Nothing.
Sure, his lungs burned and his legs screamed(not really), but it was a hollow victory. It wasn't a challenge, just a pointless pursuit.
He could run for hours, but it was enough.
Asher snatched the towel materialised beside him, wiping away the evidence of his exertion.
'Finally it's over.' Asher has been training constantly for the last week to reach the potential limit of his physical stats.
A smile emerged on his lips. That whole act was over.
The birthday party was over. Along with it, the naive facade he'd worn for his pathetic birthday party, finally slipped away. No more pretending to be the grieving little brother, the wide-eyed innocent. The naive fool Elysia so desperately believed him to be.
The awakening of his Anima wasn't just about power, talent and potential, that much was clear.
Some individuals sometimes underwent a subtle but undeniable change, after all, it's the awakening of the 'soul' in the form of Anima.
And it can be a small change from change to appearances, to massive shifts, such as an increase in intelligence(IQ/Thinking Abilities), or even a physical transformation.
So, a change it Personality is nothing new.
Most of the time they're not sudden but the rare times they would instantly change a normal person to something befitting their soul.
But the thing was, 'Asher Agnes' tried, really tried, hadn't he? Desperately, to mend his relationship with his 'beloved sister' Elysia.
All pathetic attempts that met with a wall of ice. So much for familial bonding.
Expected by 'him', of course.
Amd currently, he should be devastated, right? Wracked with sadness? He would be trying to hide the pain? Isn't that the case?
Maybe… maybe by working hard to not show his weakness, that's how this world works right?
There would be some changes that may occur due to this, After all Asher is just a freaking 10 Year old kid.
That's why 'he' is focused on getting on the training, to do something better, to utilise the talent he has.
'Except… training was a dead end now.' It was starting to feel like running in circles – literally, in this case. He'd pushed his body to the limit, and like a squeezed orange, there was nothing left to extract. Hours spent grinding yielded insignificant results.
Now, Asher can only level up or get techniques and fighting styles.
An emotionless voice cut through the silence.
[Master, Elara has brought the food. Should I let her in?]
"Yeah, let her in," Asher replied. "And tell me the menu."
[Honey-Glazed Roast Boar with Spiced Apple Stuffing, Forest Gazpacho with Grilled Flatbread, Stingwing Soup, Gol… Spiced Honey Wine]
"Hmm, good I guess," Asher hummed in disinterest. While the ingredients and materials came from <Tier-1 > monsters, it all depended on the chef's skill, who could bring out the true potential of these dishes.
Also, in the early stage of the Awakened Individuals, it's not suitable to consume food/items that contain a lot of energy.
High-tier monster meat was great, packed with tons of potent energy within them, but it was dangerous for the newly awakens, like giving a toddler a Ferrari – the potential was there, but the execution was gonna be a disaster.
Their bodies, still predominantly human, couldn't handle the overload. It could cripple an awakened kid.
Humans, after all, were fragile things. Pushing to their limit is okay, but breaching that limit may fuck them up, you know what I'm saying.
Slowly, Elara pushed the trolley laden with food into the training room.
She saw her master who barely acknowledged her with a curt nod as he continued wiping sweat with the towel. Her eyes flickered for a moment but went back to normal.
"Good work, young master." Elara gave a silent bow, and began arranging the food on the table that rose from the floor with a quiet whir.
The aroma of the meal filled the air.
"It smells good~," Asher said with a content smile, a hint of a satisfied crease forming between his brows. He walked towards the table and took a seat.
[Master, A message comes from Lady Scarlett]
"Hm~ What now?" Asher muttered, already picturing another round of "how are you feeling?" lectures. 'Like I don't already know,' he thought, taking a giant bite that left a splatter of oil on his cheek.
"This message~," he mumbled with a mouthful of meat, juice dribbling down his chin.
[She invites you to meet her in her office after your meal.]
"Hm, okay, tell her I will be there," He looked at Elara who stood quietly, then spoke again.
[...Acknowledged, Master.]
Having tasted the meal, he attacked the dishes one by one moving from one dish to another.
His taste buds took the familiar blend of spices and herbs – Most of the dishes were cooked specifically for Fast recovery, Pain alleviation, and lastly Mild poison resistance.
How very thoughtful. Though, considering the family he lives in, it's hardly a surprise.
Yeah, that's right, some of the food is cooked to build up the poison resistance, because for obvious reasons apparently, ten-year-olds are dodging assassins these days.
Also, because it's easier to build up <Poison resistance> than other elemental resistance.
He finished the meal efficiently, some bites of the meal were devoid of pleasure, others were a mix of sweetness and spices.
Finally, with a nod of thanks to Elara, Asher walked back to his room, showered, and changed. Before walking towards Scarlett's office.
Pushing open the familiar door, Asher entered Scarlett's office.
A flicker of surprise crossed his face at the sight of a stranger…
