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"I'll bring the two options to you. I know you'll be disappointed by them, so don't get your hopes up,"

"Sure, sure…"

Due to the ongoing war, inviting people into your main base was something completely out of the question, but since I wasn't from any prominent family, they let me in with the utmost restrictions.

I wasn't allowed to leave the main room, and the assassins that watched from the shadows sent shivers down my spine.

Everything about them was terrifying despite me being unable to see them… they were more like monsters than humans.

After a few minutes, one of the servants created a metal chair on which I could sit, but as I didn't trust anybody here, I just rejected their offer with the most kindness I could produce and continued to lean against my pillar.

After another few minutes, Orme came back with two pitch-black full face masks, but the difference between the two was like like and day.

One had a cubical and bumpy pattern while the other one was completely smooth, and since I liked the slick design, I immediately selected it.

"Is it magical equipment?" I asked Orme as he handed me the mask and ran my fingers through the inside of it.

"No, sadly it is not. Magical equipment has been very scarce due to the lack of blacksmiths as they've all been leaving the city,"

Makes sense… I mean, it was pretty obvious that staying any longer would get them roped up with one of the families and probably be forced to make weapons for them like a slave.

"That sucks… Well, are you taking the other mask, or do you have another?"

"I'm taking this cubical mask. These are the two masks we've worn ever since the first Meeting of Roses. Not wearing them would just be offensive,"

"Pfft, is everything offensive to those guys?" I chuckled, and Orme chuckled a bit with me as well.

"Well, their position is always threatened no matter where they are, so I guess it's to just remove any nuisances that could potentially oppose them in the future. You can never be too careful," He chuckled.

"Can never be too careful…? I mean, whatever you say," I muttered before walking to the exit.

"Wait! Don't you want to warm up your skills!? We can spar a little if you want!" Orme suddenly called out to me.

"Thank you for the offer… but you can never be too careful," I said as I waved him goodbye, and his slight laugh was more than enough confirmation for the other servants to escort me out of the mansion.

…

"I won't be here for the next few days. But don't worry about me. I won't be getting into any trouble," I said as I finished drinking the rest of my soup.

I was still very hungry, but I knew the old man was running low on rations, and since the big families had essentially cleared the grocery stores, we had nothing else to consume besides some flavored water.

Well, he was growing some carrots in the back, but we had already eaten most of them over the past month.

"That's not possible for you. How about you just try and not die… That would be the best for you," Findir smirked, and everybody else at the dinner table laughed.

"I-I didn't think it was that funny, but okay," I muttered under my breath.

"Okay, everyone, calm down. I have an important announcement to make," The old man spoke up, and everybody zipped up their lips as the air around him shifted into a very serious air.

The old man seemed a bit pained to inform us of the information, and though I already knew what he was trying to say, I just kept my mouth shut.

"I'm sorry, but I want all of you to join a guild. Just to clear it up, I don't want you to join one of the big families, but join a guild and make sure they aren't associated with one of the families… They'll take care of you, and they'll feed you well,"

The serious air around him suddenly spread to the rest of the room, and it felt as if the tension could be cut with just a mere butter knife.

"W-Why? Are we not doing well enough in training?" Aisa asked as she was scared to lose her grandfather.

It really did sound like he was about to die, but it was more like he was trying to push us away while trying to get us to hate him.

"That's right. You are all failures,"

And my predictions came true, and even Findir fell for it as his eyes drooped to the dinner table, a bit disappointed in himself.

Aisa was devastated, tears leaked from her eyes, and her palms were tightened as they sat on her thighs.

"I understand. I'll be sure to make you proud in the future," Cy said firmly as he finished his soup and gently placed it in the sink.

Everybody followed him beside me and left without even saying a word back to him.

"What are you doing? You were the most failure of them all! You have absolutely no talent with the spear, so I have no idea you're even using it!" The old man said.

"No need to be so harsh. I understand… the other kids still haven't experienced true pain, so I understand what you're trying to put them through. In a hellish world like this… experiencing war is the only way you can grow,"

The old man looked as if he was about to cry and his grit teeth audibly ground through the air while looking at me.

"*sigh*... When they finally understand the truth, please tell them that I'm sorry. I'm not going to live much longer, and I can't feed them well… Being on a cut isn't bad, but being malnourished isn't what you want," He said as he looked down at the floor, disappointed in himself.

"Is it of old age?"

"Nah… My past is catching up with me, and I don't want you kids to be involved with it…."

"I understand,"

BAM

All of a sudden, just as I began to pack up my bags, Aisa came rushing through the front door and hugged her grandfather so tight that it looked like he couldn't breathe.

"What are you doing?! GET OUT!" He shouted, but as Aisa continued to cry and cry into his chest, he couldn't help but stroke her hair one last time.