Future Plans

It's been a few days since I was assigned as one of Darya's subordinates. At first, I felt a little scared as I couldn't match her name to a face. However, once I realized that I became a subordinate of the girl I saved, I was able to calm down.

Not that being a subordinate is a good thing, in fact, I'm planning to abandon this position at the first opportunity that arises. But, as always, challenges bring opportunities.

To free myself, I would need to become stronger, and I have no idea how to do that, but if my goal is to protect her, she will have to teach me how to be strong.

Currently, I was lying on my bed, staring at the white ceiling of my room. Lost in my own thoughts.

My situation improved, albeit slightly. It turns out that Darya wasn't very valued in the family, and her residence was proof of that. Compared to the rest of the Mercer family's houses, hers looked much worse.

This made me a little depressed. I was still in an unfavorable situation.

Self-suggestion consumes mental energy, and I don't know if there's a standard cost or if the cost varies depending on the suggestion I give.

Honestly, I didn't want to feel the pain I felt that day again.

But more than anyone, I knew that with self-suggestion, many of my problems would be solved.

-Creak!

As I was about to close my eyes and sleep, the sound of my doorbell could be heard.

'... Huh? What does she want now?'

Sitting up in my bed, I looked towards the door in confusion.

Being the 'exiled' daughter, Darya had no servants serving her, at least not inside the house.

As I made my way to the door, my mind was flooded with a torrent of questions. But, as I was extremely tired, I decided not to think too much and opened the door.

As I did, I was faced with the girl I was supposed to serve, standing in front of me.

We stood in silence for a moment, until she finally broke the silence:

"Can I come in?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, feeling a little confused.

"Well, of course. The house is yours," I replied, returning to my bed and sitting up as Darya entered the room.

Darya looked around the room, looking uncomfortable. The air was tense and almost suffocating, as if her mere presence could change everything. I felt like a servant forced to serve her, and I hated it more than anything.

As the albino girl looked around, I followed her gaze, confused. It was just a normal room, but something seemed to be bothering her.

"What is it?" I asked, trying to understand the situation.

She looked at me with a confused look, as if she was lost in her own thoughts.

"Nothing," she finally replied, but there was something in her voice that told me otherwise.

I furrowed my brow, deciding to wait for her time. She obviously was here for something, but didn't seem to want to say what it was. I wondered why the hell this girl was here.

Sighing, I threw myself on the bed, trying to relax the strange atmosphere that hung in the room. But deep down, I knew something was about to happen.

Suddenly, a woman entered the room holding a silver tray that carried two cups filled with a steaming brown liquid.

I stared at her, surprised. "I thought you didn't have any servants."

The woman walked over to Darya and handed her a cup before turning to me and doing the same. I looked at the drink, not sure what to expect.

"I don't have any," replied Darya, bringing the cup near her delicate nose to smell the aroma. "It must be from my second brother, or the first."

She took a sip of the hot liquid, and I followed suit. When I tasted the sweet and comforting flavor of hot chocolate, I relaxed a bit. At least one good thing had happened in the midst of all the chaos.

"You're going to drink that even knowing that?" I asked, grimacing.

Darya shrugged, taking another sip. "Why not? It's delicious."

I shrugged too and finished my cup of hot chocolate. "It really is."

After taking a sip of the hot chocolate, I felt a lighter atmosphere in the room. It was surprising how a hot drink could change things.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" I asked, placing my cup on the table next to the bed.

"To thank you," Darya stood up, placing her cup on the table too, and bowed in my direction. "Thank you for saving me."

"I didn't save you intentionally," I quickly replied, lifting her from the reverence. "I saved you to save myself."

"It doesn't matter to me. You saved me, and now I owe you."

"Then set me free."

"I can't do that."

I rolled my eyes and threw myself on the bed again. I already expected this answer, but it didn't hurt to try.

"Do you understand my circumstances?" Darya asked, sitting back in the chair.

"I understand your circumstances," I replied with a sigh. "But that doesn't mean I'm happy with my situation."

She crossed her legs and rested her chin in her hand, seeming to think for a moment.

"You know I can't just let you go," she finally said.

"Why me?" I asked, finally getting to where I wanted to be. "My nexus is damaged, my potential is limited, and I'm not as strong as you think. I can't guarantee that I could do what I did in that place again."

Darya stood up and walked to the bed, standing on the edge of it. "Your nexus is big enough for me," she replied confidently. "And you're not one of my brothers, which is rare in this family. Besides, you're my age."

I furrowed my brow as my thoughts divided over her last statement. "What does that matter?"

She walked over to the window and began to observe the landscape.

"As long as we're here, we're safe," she said, sighing. "But my strength won't grow by itself. I need to strengthen myself, I need talents, reliable people."

She turned to face me with a serious look.

"In our family, stealing talents from others is an obligation. That's how we can match the powerful ones. That's why I have to go to the Spiral." She clenched her fist tightly. "At that academy, that's where people from the 4 great clans and those adrift go to fortify themselves. My brother graduated from there, and my second brother is in his last year. There, I have no protection."

She turned to me with a serious and intense look. "I need protection in there, and that's where you come in," she said, emphasizing each word. Her tone of voice made it clear that she wasn't joking.

I looked at her, trying to understand. "What do you mean me? I'm not strong enough to be your protection."

Darya shook her head. "It's not just about physical strength, there are many types of skills that can be useful in the Spiral. I've seen you fight, and I know you have potential. Besides, you have something I need: your ability to infiltrate places without being detected."

"But I can't just go with you to the Spiral. What if they find out that I'm not a student?"

Spiral.

It was one of the names I found when researching this world on the internet. It was a highly renowned academy focused on nurturing the new generation of awakened individuals. The problem was, if you weren't influential, your chances of getting in were minimal; the exam was known to be extremely challenging.

That's when I remembered that the novel I was reading had a story about an academy.

'This was an academic novel. At least one arc was set in this academy.'

I looked at Darya, considering the possibilities. It was risky, but it was also a unique opportunity to improve my skills and learn more about the world and how abilities work.

Moreover, the chances of the protagonist being in that place were very high.

If there was a place that would make me strong, it was this.

"I thought about it," Darya replied. "That's why, from now on, you'll be my bastard brother. That way, you can get in without taking the exam."

Upon hearing Darya's suggestion, I fell silent for a moment, pondering the implications of assuming a false identity to enter the Spiral. It was a risky decision, but the opportunity to study at one of the most renowned academies and develop my abilities was too tempting to be ignored.

"That's crazy," I finally said, shaking my head. "What if they find out? What if this causes problems for you?"

Darya shrugged, as if none of it mattered. "I've already thought about it. My father has enough influence to cover up this lie and ensure that nothing bad happens to us. Besides, it's not like I can trust anyone else to protect me in there."

I knew she was right. The Spiral was a highly competitive and dangerous environment, especially for someone like Darya, who didn't have many reliable allies. And if I could become a student at that academy, I would have access to resources and training that would allow me to strengthen my abilities and become a more powerful awakened.

"Why not just take the test?" I asked Darya, curious. "Don't you think I would pass?"

"Of course you would," she replied, sitting on the bed. "But you would be paired with someone else, and you wouldn't be there to help me."

I nodded, understanding what she meant. "And your father? Does he already know about this?"

"Yes," she said, nodding her head. "I talked to him before coming here. He doesn't care, he knows he has to give me an edge to even the odds."

Despite her confidence, Darya seemed sad to mention her father in the conversation. Perhaps him not caring was worse than being against it.

"Okay," I said, wanting to comfort her. "I'm in. Let's do this together."

"Great." She smiled, victorious.

Darya stood up from the bed and coughed a bit, looking a bit weak.

"I'll prepare everything, don't worry about it." She clapped her hands and a man entered the room."

He was wearing a different uniform than the employees, it was clear he was someone important in the Mercer family. He was tall and muscular, with short blonde hair and a scowling face. A deep scar crossed his left cheek, while an eye patch covered his right eye.

He was the first person I saw who didn't have white hair in this place.

He entered the room carrying a small book in his hands.

"For now, we must correct your nexo energy flow." She took the book from the man's hands, who remained silent, and offered it to me. "This is my family's energy technique. Normally, you wouldn't be able to receive it, but now that you've accepted the plan, you're officially one of us."

With a nod, the man silently left the room, leaving me alone with Darya and the book in my hands. The book's cover was black leather, with golden letters written in a language I didn't understand. Carefully, I opened the book, feeling a strange energy coursing through my body as Darya watched me closely.

"I'll leave you alone." She smiled, heading towards the door. "This is very personal, you'll understand why."

Then she closed the door and left.