"The first step is always the hardest, but you must take it. It is only by taking that step that you truly begins your journey toward achieving your goals." — Nero Adams.
°°°
As soon as he left the dining hall, he quickened his pace, fleeing the mansion as if escaping hell. It wasn’t until the giant structure vanished from his sight that he finally stopped to wipe away his sweat.
"Sigh! That was nerve-wracking."
He might have appeared calm on the outside as he uttered those words, but inwardly, he was anything but. He had feared that Azariah might refuse him, but fortunately, he hadn’t. Everything had gone smoothly. From now on, he had no ties to this family. The road ahead would undoubtedly be filled with hardships, but that was precisely what he needed for his growth.
It was time to start packing and leave this place. He strolled back to the Annex building, his home for seventeen years. It was time to bid it farewell.
°°°
Azariah departed after Nero left, making his way to his meditation room where he settled onto the meditation mat. Just as he did, a shadow materialized beside him—his right-hand man, someone who had grown up with him, with whom he had forged an unbreakable bond through thick and thin.
A gray-haired man bore a long scar that ran across his face, his light green eyes sharp and attentive.
"Greetings, my lord."
Azariah nodded, crimson lightning crackling around him as he spoke.
"Stefan, what do you think about what the boy said?"
As Azariah’s shadow, Stefan was often by his side, observing everything, so he had naturally been present during Nero’s audience and heard everything the boy had said.
"I commend the boy’s resolution. He possesses the strongest will I’ve seen in a long time. He truly means every word he spoke. He has no attachment to this family. His desire to stand on his own is unwavering."
"I see, I thought as much."
"Is that why you simply accepted his proposal?"
Azariah nodded.
"He is no longer a bird in a cage. He is free to leave. Whether he lives or dies out there, whether he achieves what he desires, is of no consequence. We have no more blood ties."
"Are you really sure?"
Azariah dismissed Stefan’s concern with a wave of his hand.
"Is there any unusual movement from the monsters’ side since I left?"
"Not really, but those rats have begun to move again," Stefan replied, not concealing his killing intent. For a moment, the space around them seemed to twist under the weight of it.
"I’m sorry; I overreacted."
"There’s no need for that. I understand how you feel. It’s truly laughable that humans would worship things that seek to destroy them." With those words, Azariah stood up.
"Let’s go back."
"Yes, my lord."
With that, both lord and retainer vanished, leaving the room empty. They were going back to the fortress in the North, where most of Azariah’s time was spent.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the empire, darkness slowly extended its grasp, attempting to ensnare more souls.
°°°°°
Nero spent a few hours packing his things, which fit easily into his bag since there weren’t many to begin with. He strapped the cheap sword, a gift from the blacksmith he had helped, around his waist, along with the strap that held a few daggers he had bought.
Glancing back at the rundown villa one last time—a place where he had spent so long—he sighed, feeling a wave of melancholy wash over him.
He moved to a secluded area where a tombstone stood, crouching down to place the rose he had specially picked for this occasion.
"Mother, it’s me. I’m about to set off. Please look after me. Guide me if I ever lose my way on this journey I’m about to begin. For you and for myself, I will live, always doing my best. I miss you so much, but I believe one day we will reunite. Until then, please watch over me. I love you." He gently caressed the tombstone that read, ’Here lies a loving mother, Orphelia Adams.’
Satisfied with the moment he had shared with his mother, he left feeling more resolute than ever.
Come to think of it, he knew nothing about his mother, only that she came from a mysterious village in the North.
"Uncovering my mother’s background will be one of my goals on this journey of self-discovery," he mumbled as he stepped out of the Raizen estate and into the city.