Jennifer Blackthorne
After assuring Bruce that he would have plenty of time in the Imperial Academy to take afternoon naps, Alchemist Ron left the city of gold and headed back to the Imperial Academy. He informed the family that Bruce will be automatically enrolled in this year's class and will be under his tutelage. Everyone was extremely ecstatic and thanked him before he left.
"Say, Lisa, what is your reward for me today since I have shown such elegance and greatness?" Bruce was currently laying on Lisa's lap and eating a candy apple, his reward for getting into Imperial Academy.
"What is that you want Bruce? More candy apples every day?" Lisa smiled as she combed his white hair. This had always been a ritual for them. Bruce would lie on Lisa's lap while eating candy apples whenever Bruce was done with whatever task his parents wanted him to do for the day.
"Promise that you'll keep taking care of me forever"
Bruce answered honestly as he continued to chomp down on the candy apples. Lisa looked at him earnestly upon hearing his response and answered in a depressed tone.
"Bruce, you will be a dragon soaring through the sky very soon. I'm just a normal girl with no extraordinary capabilities in this world. I'm very happy being your servant, but at some point, our statuses won't match anymore"
Bruce stopped eating and smiled at Lisa before saying something that she would remember forever.
"Lisa, I don't care about your status in this world. To me, you're my family. Even if I'm a dragon soaring through the sky, you'll always be my precious Lisa that I will protect and cherish"
Lisa started to tear up because she had never expected this response from him.
"Naughty boy, are you trying to hit on me? Remember that I am 10 years older than you!"
"Haha, it doesn't matter how old you are. You'll always be precious to me. Plus, you should feel happy because this handsome guy will always need your candy apples!"
The two enjoyed the rest of the night and slept together cheerfully.
The next day, countless marriage proposals came to the Stellae family. Bruce's reputation has been spread throughout the kingdom. Imperial Academy even sent out the guardian units to protect Bruce until he arrives at the academy. Facing so much more work, Logan started to tear up.
"Why is it that I have to do so much more work and the boy gets to be lazy? Life is so unfair!"
"Hush!" Elizabeth berated her husband.
"Bruce has done a great deed for us. Now that we have extra income from the mines, we can start to grow our powers within the kingdom even more."
Elizabeth also had to handle the new paperwork, but she was much more gleeful than Logan when facing the mountain of work.
"I sense that the Hopkins family won't take this defeat easily. They'll probably try to assassinate Bruce whenever they can"
"Even with the imperial guardians here, there's no telling what they might do since they have the protection of their ancestor, a Peak Divine King expert."
Logan began to feel extremely worried about Bruce. He then understood why Bruce remained low-key throughout his life.
His talents were simply too astonishing. Laying low and acting lazy all the time significantly decreased the number of threats to him. But he still felt that his son was actually lazy and none of his laziness is pretense.
"No need to worry. I've asked my mother to come over here to protect Bruce to ensure that he arrives at the Imperial Academy safely."
"Just make sure your dad does not hit on my mom again!" Elizabeth reminded.
Logan began to recall the moment both parents met each other. It was clear that Elizabeth's mother was a beauty in her own right, but Elliot decided to hit on her. After the fiasco, Elliot's face turned into a black panda. He was also forced to kneel outside the castle for a week straight.
"Don't ask me that. Every time I brought it up, he would beat me up!"
"Hehe, I can't wait to see that old man make a fool out of himself again." Logan laughed lecherously.
"I swear all men in this family are such children" Elizabeth sighed as she thought about each of the men in the family, from Bruce to Logan and to Elliot.
After several hours, the couple felt a strong icy aura approaching the Stellae castle.
"She's here let's go greet her!" Elizabeth excitedly left the table to go grab Bruce and went outside.
A beautiful middle-aged woman with white hair landed near the castle. She had an icy expression, but it softened when she saw Bruce and Elizabeth.
"Grandma! It has been a long time since you visited us"
Bruce went ahead and hugged his maternal grandma, Jennifer Blackthorne. Out of everyone in the family, Jennifer spoiled him the most. She would let him nap and bring him any delicious food that he wanted to eat.
"It's good to see you, Bruce! "Jennifer expression's softened when Bruce hugged her.
"You've grown much taller and more handsome since the last time I saw you. Tell me, has anyone in the family bullied you?"
Logan's face began to despair as he begged Bruce not to say anything negative about him to Jennifer.
"Nope, I've been treated quite well. Could you go see Grandpa? He's dying to meet you to apologize for his past behaviors. He happened to be in the castle at the moment."
Wanting to see chaos ensues, Bruce requested Jennifer to see Elliot. It's always funny to see his grandpa getting beat up.
"Maybe at a later time, I have something important to discuss with you all now."
Everyone turned serious and walked to the family room.
"So, as you know, Bruce's reputation has been spread across the kingdom and to the other kingdoms. His life is now under threat from multiple entities"
"The Hopkins family is small fries compared to the influences outside the kingdom. The Imperial Academy has a sufficient level of protection for Bruce since it's backed by the 15 kingdoms"
"Bruce's life should be out of danger once he arrives at the academy. It is my recommendation for Bruce to stay at the Academy until he graduates"
After Jennifer explained her recommendations, everyone began to contemplate the best choice for Bruce.
"I agree with Grandma. It's the best choice for me to go to the Imperial Academy as soon as possible and stay there until I'm strong enough to protect myself"
"Though, I don't think it will go smoothly as everyone hoped" Everyone looked at Bruce when his expression turned grim.
With the Imperial Guardians and Jennifer protecting him on the way to the academy, it should be a safe trip. After all, Jennifer is a Divine Emperor expert. A powerhouse in her own right. Not many people in the world would want to offend her in any way, especially by killing her grandson in front of her.
"I know it sounds crazy with all the protections around me but hear me out for a bit"
"We know that the Alliance of Kingdoms was created to challenge the Dark Forces faction"
"Since I am born in the Fire Kingdom under the Alliance, the Dark Forces would spare no expense to kill someone who has the potential to upset the balance"
"The easiest way to kill me at the moment would be to strike the entourage during the trip to the Imperial Academy. It would be the most effective method with the least cost to the Dark Forces."
After Bruce explained his thoughts about the current situation, everyone in the room then realized how dire the circumstances were at that moment.
"Son, when did you become so wise?" Logan could not believe his son was able to see through the predicaments at this age. The boy was usually sleeping or eating every day without doing anything productive.
"Dad, I have always been wise. Maybe you would have noticed if you stopped looking for ways to beat me up every day"
Hearing what Bruce said, Jennifer released a murderous glare at Logan for beating her precious grandson. Logan trembled in fear and cried out for justice.
"Please mother-in-law, I was just trying to make him train and study. I really have his best interests at heart!"
Bruce chuckled at the situation and proposed a solution to the current predicament.
"Everyone please calm down. I have a way to solve this situation, it's a bit risky but it should have a higher success rate than me sticking out like a sore thumb during the trip"
After hearing Bruce's solution, everyone went into shock. Logan tried his best to process what his son just said, and he couldn't figure out how his son had come up with such a twisted method.
"Bruce, are you really my son?"
Bruce: "…."