"It almost seems like yesterday since I last saw you!"
"Strange enough, Uncle Holi, wasn't it a few days ago that I had my blade against your neck? Refresh my memory if you can?"
"Hahah... of course!"
The suffocating presence of two S-rank warriors flooded the train station as one of the great elders, Uncle Holi, and my brother Abel exchanged pleasantries.
Engaged in an intense handshake that tested their strength and endurance, they both smiled fakely while I and my fragile body were on the verge of collapsing from their face-off.
While Abel turned to Uncle Holi, a woman of impressive height with grey hair cascading down her slim black gown sighed before shoving Holi away.
A simple shove launched Holi from his spot and finally into the bullet train, where he tilted the poor vehicle and sent it tumbling down the rails.
The Scions shivered, Umbra beside me cringed, Sir Felix burst into laughter, and I, on the other hand, groaned as I imagined the sheer pain from that crash.
As for Abel, he had withdrawn his hand before the push, sparing him from the flight.
"Enough with your games, Father. Our guests already have enough on their plates."
With graceful steps, the woman in black—who just happened to be the daughter of Holi and the strongest among the great elders, Lady Camilla—spoke.
Her presence was commanding, and the mere sight of her even caused Abel, who once had a lax stance, to shift into a poised and guarded one.
Trailing behind her was Lyold Bladeheart, a bearded man with messy blonde hair; he too was among the four elders, the most mysterious of them all.
Then there was Selena, the daughter of Camilla and the third anomaly of our family.
Dressed in a one-piece dark blue dress, her ashen hair fell across her pale shoulders while her golden eyes—unique as my brother's—fell on me.
She smiled much softer than usual; I ended up furrowing my brow, only for Umbra to pull me closer.
"Yo, cute girl alert," he muttered, and I sighed.
"She's my cousin."
"Can you, like, link us or something?" he pleaded.
"I'm eleven, and trust me—it's better if you avoid her."
"Why though?" Umbra tilted his head, blinking at Selena, who smiled back at him.
"She's dangerous. That's all the advice I can give."
Frankly speaking, I expected he would not follow, and I just as much wanted to see his face as he witnessed Selena's true personality for himself.
Was I being a good friend by doing that? Probably not, but wasn't friendship built on a little mischief?
"Well, that ain't stopping me."
Before I knew it, that fool was walking to Selena. To prevent him from making a fool out of himself, I dragged him back.
It didn't turn out great since I was inferior to him in strength, so I was the one who ended up being dragged.
As I gave in to my fate, I passed Lady Camilla and Sir Lyold, who both nodded in acknowledgment of my presence.
I was rather shocked since those two hardly glanced at me, but today it was different.
I didn't know if it was because of my newfound strength or because I'd placed my all into saving Alice, but for reasons I attributed to those two specifically, the House of Bladeheart was treating me better than usual.
I was glad for the shift in perception, but my mood immediately turned sour when I took notice of my uncle again.
He hadn't joined the elders as they greeted Abel and rather chose to stay on the sidelines, watching everything go down like an observer.
Ever since he showed his true colors, around the time my father died, I had grown to detest him, and yet today it wasn't hatred that I felt for him but dread and an unwillingness to near him.
It was as if my body actively wanted to repel his presence.
"Hello, my dear nephew."
Snatching me from Umbra, he addressed me as the latter came to a halt and stared daggers at him.
Abel, by then, had also drawn the family blade and was prepared to cut down Kain for touching me, but Camilla blocked his path with one hand, gesturing for him to watch.
Umbra was also forced to calm his hostility after noticing this. He continued forward but didn't approach Selena, just choosing to observe.
As for me, I was scared shitless. I felt like Daniel in the lions' den, ready to be devoured by the lion that was my uncle.
Kain, under the watch of the various powerhouses, smirked and crouched, meeting me face to face.
"I heard you were a nuisance..."
He sounded almost proud as he patted my shoulder.
"...to the assassins, of course."
Fixing my slightly wrinkled suit, he stretched his hand toward my head, but—
"Come now, you're making the boy tense."
Halting his actions, someone grabbed his hand before it could make contact with my head. Sir Felix, holding Kain's hand by the sleeve, commented, giving me a chance to step back, a sigh of relief escaping my lips.
"Of course... of course."
Unbothered by the fact that he had been interrupted, Uncle Kain stood back up and released his hand from Sir Felix's hold.
"Mr. Ideal is right. Why don't you go mingle with your cousin, Mr. Hero? She needs it, after all."
The last part was rather ominous, but he got one thing wrong.
I am no hero... I am a knight.
The knight of Alice Bladeheart.
I didn't fight or save her because it was the right thing to do but rather because it was my duty.
Heroism wasn't my calling... it would never be—at least, I hope.
"Come on."
Grabbing my hand, Umbra, trying to be supportive, dragged me to face Selena, who had been watching everything with a smile on her face.
Still tense from what had just happened, I kept my thoughts and words to myself and decided to leave the pleasantries to Umbra.
A second later, I regretted it deeply.