BXBX NOVEL Chapter 31: Chapter No.31 Before The Plot Starts
Jason emerged from the shadows with a sneer on his face, his eyes narrowing as they fell on Samael and the group. The guards accompanying him bristled with hostility, their hands hovering near their weapons.
"How dare you, a half-breed, talk to the heir Ashwood like that!" one of the guards barked, his voice filled with contempt.
Samael's jaw clenched, a mixture of anger and exhaustion evident on his face. He tightened his grip protectively around Mother and Alice, shielding them instinctively from the advancing group. Liliana moved closer to Sionna, positioning herself between the guards and the rest of the family.
"We're leaving," Samael stated firmly, his voice cutting through the tension. "Stand aside."
Jason chuckled darkly, his gaze flicking over the group with disdain. "You think you can just waltz out of here after everything that's happened?" he taunted, taking a step forward. "You and your little band of misfits have caused quite a stir."
Sionna shrank back slightly, fear evident in her eyes as she glanced between Samael and the guards. Liliana, however, stood her ground, her expression unwavering despite the tension crackling in the air.
"We have every right to leave," Liliana retorted, her voice steady. "These are Ashwoods, and they've suffered enough under your so-called protection."
Jason's smirk widened, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Protection?" he scoffed. "More like an inconvenience. You think I'll just let you walk away?"
Samael's patience wore thin, his voice sharp with authority. "Jason, step aside now," he commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
The guards exchanged wary glances, torn between their loyalty to Jason and the authority that Samael now asserted. One of them hesitated, eyeing the weakened state of Mother and Alice.
"Sir, perhaps we should..." the guard began tentatively, but Jason cut him off with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"I am here to announce the order of Lord Ashwood to escort Samael to the Ashwood estate for an important announcement regarding the family's future."
Jason's announcement hung heavily in the air, a thinly veiled threat disguised as a command. His guards shifted uncomfortably, uncertain of their next move in the face of Samael's clear resistance.
Samael's jaw clenched tighter, his protective stance around Mother and Alice unwavering. "I am taking my family home," he insisted, his voice low but firm. "We do not need an escort."
"I will be there on my own or do you want me to go in front of all the family elders and court like this," Samael said while gesturing toward his clothes which were torn and bloodied from the recent rescue.
"That... "
"You might lose face in front of father and elders might not continue to support you as the heir anymore, Due to not upholding the family's reputation," Samael said with a smirk on his face.
Jason's expression darkened at Samael's words, the sneer slipping from his face to be replaced by a simmering anger. His guards glanced nervously between their lord and Samael, sensing the shift in dynamics.
"You dare threaten me?" Jason's voice was low and dangerous, barely containing his rage. "You think you have any say in this matter?"
Samael stood his ground, his gaze steady despite the tension thickening the air. "I'm not threatening," he replied evenly, his voice carrying an edge of authority. "I'm stating a fact. The family elders value honor and integrity. They won't look kindly on coercion."
"... hurry," Jason whispered as his jaw clenched tightly.
"What?" Samael asked with confusion, his brow furrowing slightly at Jason's unexpected reaction.
Jason hesitated, his fists clenched at his sides. "I said, hurry up and make yourself presentable," Jason muttered through gritted teeth, his voice seething with barely contained frustration. His gaze flickered between Samael and the rest of the group, his command now laced with an unmistakable urgency.
Samael's smirk grew as his plan worked like a charm. His gaze remained steady, masking the surprise he felt at Jason's sudden shift in demeanor. He knew he had struck a nerve, leveraging the precarious balance of power within the Ashwood family hierarchy to his advantage.
"As you wish," Samael replied coolly, his tone laced with satisfaction. As he walked into the estate with Liliana and Sionna, they could hear Jason's terse orders to the guards behind him, the tension in the air began to ease. The guards, sensing their lord's change in demeanor, stepped back, giving way as Samael and his family made their way into the estate.
Liliana maintained her vigilant stance, her eyes flickering between Samael and the guards until they disappeared inside. Sionna clung close to her side, her relief palpable as the immediate threat seemed to subside.
Samael further went into his mother's room and softly laid her down on the soft bed before glancing around the familiar room with a mixture of relief and weariness. The chamber, adorned with tapestries depicting the Ashwood crest and the serene landscapes of their estate, felt like a sanctuary compared to the cold confines of the dungeon they had just escaped.
Alice also climbed on the bed beside her mother, her eyes flickering with a mix of awe and uncertainty as she took in her surroundings. The room seemed to embrace them with a comforting warmth, a stark contrast to the darkness and despair they had endured in captivity.
"Have them freshen up themself and get them something to eat, While I finish my business with my father."
Liliana nodded, her expression softening as she guided Sionna to assist with Mother and Alice. "We'll take care of them," she assured Samael, her voice gentle yet resolute. "You focus on handling things with your father."
Samael gave her a grateful nod, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he turned to leave the room. The weight of the past days' events still clung to him, but the immediate priority was to confront Lord Ashwood and address the precarious situation that had arisen.
***
[Samael Ashwood's POV]
'It's just been a day or two since I transmigrated in this novel. The plot is gonna start any day now and I need to set things right before it all spirals out of control.'
I thought as I made my way into my room and quickly changed into clean clothes. The blood and grime from the dungeon clung to my skin, a stark reminder of the harrowing rescue. The familiar surroundings of my chamber, with its dark wood furnishings and rich tapestries, offered a brief respite from the turmoil.
Glancing at the ornate mirror on the wall. My reflection stared back at me, my unique half-snow-white and half-pitch-black hair with heterochromia iridum with one eye a piercing blue reminiscent of sapphire, and the other a vibrant crimson red giving me a striking appearance that set me apart even among the Ashwood family.
'System, Collect all the rewards.' I said in my mind.
[Collecting the rewards...]
[12500 Destiny Points, Title: Charmer, Skill: Sword Fury(Lvl.1), New Affinity Unlocked (Nature), Plot Exchange Card x1]
H-How?!
I thought it was only 2500 DP, Nature Affinity, and Plot Exchange Card. But where did other rewards suddenly come from?
'System, clarify the rewards. How did I receive more than expected?' I asked with a mixture of surprise and curiosity in my voice.
[When the host cured the protagonist's sister by taking her virginity, the host took the protagonist's future wife as his lover. This altered the destiny of one of the main supporting characters in the novel, leading to a chain reaction that unlocked additional rewards.]
'There is such a thing too? But now it makes sense to the system's name "Heavenly Destiny System".'
[Correct, The host gets rewards by breaking the destiny of others who are also involved in the original story and by altering their fate in any way.]
'Well, this is a good thing.'
As I changed into clean clothes, my mind buzzed with the implications of the unexpected rewards from the Heavenly Destiny System. The system had evidently granted me more points and additional benefits due to my actions altering the destinies of characters in the novel's plot.
It was a revelation that both intrigued and reassured me, knowing that my decisions could influence outcomes far beyond what I initially anticipated.
With a quick glance in the mirror, I adjusted my attire, smoothing out the wrinkles and ensuring I presented myself appropriately before my treacherous father. My dual-colored eyes reflected a mix of determination and contemplation.
I left the room and then estate altogether as I saw Jason standing just outside leaning against the wall with a frown on his face which intensified by watching me.
"Let's go already, We are late because of you half-breed," Jason snapped impatiently, his voice laced with thinly veiled hostility.
"Yeah yeah," Samael replied nonchalantly, brushing off Jason's derogatory remark with a calm demeanor. He knew Jason's disdain stemmed from a mix of jealousy and frustration over recent events. Despite the tension between them, Samael maintained his composure, unwilling to escalate the situation further.
I started walking ahead leaving my estate behind and going towards the center of the Ashwood family's territory where the grand castle-like estate of the Ashwoods stood tall and imposing. The path leading to it was lined with ancient oak trees, their sprawling branches casting dappled shadows on the ground.
.
..
...
[To Be Continued]
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[Word Count: 1573]