Chapter 172: Dinner

[Valcor Residence - Dining Room]

The family gathered around the dinner table, the atmosphere was warm despite the undercurrents of concern that had become familiar over the past weeks.

Damian sat at one end, his long crimson hair tied back loosely, wearing casual clothes that made him look almost like the boy he’d been before everything changed. Almost.

Alaric occupied his usual position at the head of the table, his silver eyes observing everyone with quiet attention. Lyandra sat beside him, her maternal presence providing stability.

Sebastian had joined them, it seems that the estrangement between Alaric and Sebastian was reducing as time went by.

And Luna sat across from Damian, her silver eyes watching him with an intensity that made him uncomfortable, but he’d learned to accept.

’Why do these humans burn their food before eating? Hot or cold, food is food, just eat it without wasting so much time.’

Kuro perched on Damian’s shoulder, occasionally stealing food from his plate with shameless audacity.

"I’ll be returning to Tranquil City tomorrow."

Damian spoke between bites, his tone casual.

"The first year ends in a couple of months. I need to handle some organizational matters before it ends and then prepare for the second-year."

Sebastian set down his fork, genuine interest crossing his face.

"It’s been a long time since I visited the Central Region. Maybe I’ll come see you when you’re settled. Hehe, I wanna meet some old friends while I’m at it."

His dry tone made everyone smile.

Alaric and Lyandra exchanged a look, one of those married-couple communications that contained entire conversations.

Then Lyandra spoke, her voice carrying unusual formality.

"Damy, since you’ve chosen your path, we want you to know that we’ll support you completely. Whatever you need – training, resources, connections – you can reach out to us."

Alaric nodded agreement.

"We may not be Academy professors, but we have decades of combat experience and understanding. If you need guidance on skills or strategic planning or anything else, we’re available."

Lyandra continued, her maternal concern showing through.

"I can also transfer funds if your organization needs financial support. Running a large-scale operation requires significant capital, and–"

"Mom, I don’t need anything."

Damian interrupted gently, smiling to soften the refusal.

"The Mafia is earning substantial money now. More than enough to fund current operations and expansion plans."

Everyone looked at him with curiosity, clearly wanting details about how a criminal organization generated legitimate income.

But Damian just smiled mysteriously and said nothing more, enjoying their speculation.

"You can all visit me when Luna comes to Stormhold Academy after her entrance exams."

The casual statement made the atmosphere shift immediately.

"..."

Alaric and Lyandra’s faces showed worry as even Sebastian’s expression turned grim.

Damian noticed the change, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"What happened? What’s wrong with Luna attending the Academy?"

Sebastian was the one who spoke first.

"You know Luna has SSS rank talent. She informed us in her childhood, but we’ve kept that information completely contained.

We never let it spread beyond this family. It’s actually one of the primary reasons your parents started reducing their contact with the military."

He gestured to Alaric and Lyandra.

"They didn’t want anyone to find out about her capabilities. Didn’t want her to become a target or tool."

Alaric leaned forward, his stern face showing rare concern.

"We’ve never heard of anyone having confirmed SSS rank talent before. There are speculations about some individuals possessing it – like that Elizabeth Murdock, the Student Council President at Stormhold Academy – but no one has ever verified those claims."

His silver eyes were troubled.

"Even during Elizabeth’s Academy assessment, the reports showed SS rank talent but slightly higher, not quite SSS rank.

And those are just rumors... She’s from the Murdock Imperial Family, protected by SS rank guardians, with enough influence to make Gia report whatever talent level they choose."

Lyandra’s voice was quiet but intense.

"We don’t fear the Noble families. We’ve fought enough of them to know we can handle their power.

But even we can’t take on the Imperial families if they decide Luna’s talent makes her valuable enough to... acquire."

Silence spread across the table.

Everyone understood the principle being discussed:

The tallest tree attracted the fiercest winds.

Having the strongest talent wasn’t necessarily a blessing – it could be a curse that painted a target on your back.

Damian reached over and took Luna’s hand, feeling how tense she’d become during the conversation.

Then he smiled, the expression carrying confidence that made everyone pause.

"Don’t worry about it. Luna’s rank is SS."

"Huh?"

Confusion rippled across the table.

Luna spoke up immediately in her defence, with a pout on her face.

"I’m not lying! My status screen really shows SSS. I’ve checked it multiple times. The rating is genuine."

Damian’s smile widened slightly.

"Gia will report her talent as SS rank. I could have asked her to reduce it further on official records, but that wouldn’t be logical.

Luna’s progress will be fast after awakening, and I don’t want people thinking there’s something anomalous about her development that requires investigation."

He squeezed Luna’s hand gently.

"Her SS rank will still attract significant attention since she isn’t from a Noble family.

But there’s nothing we can do about that. Luna needs to handle at least this much pressure on her own shoulders if she wants to walk this path."

Everyone except Luna went completely still with shock.

Luna had known Damian would figure something out – he’d promised as much – but even she hadn’t expected him to have direct contact with Gia.

Alaric’s voice came out strained.

"...Contact with Gia isn’t something that happens easily. Even Sebastian and I don’t have that level of access despite our records and contributions... How did you manage it?"

Damian leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other, resting his arms on the armrests, and placing his chin on his right hand.

The posture was eerily familiar to his parents – the exact position he’d taken months ago when he’d first told them about choosing to attend Stormhold Academy after awakening his past life memories.

"Let’s just say that Gia owes me some favors. Personal ones that she’s motivated to honor... Let’s drop this matter."

His mysterious tone and deliberate posture created an aura of confidence and control.

Then Kuro materialized on the table, grabbed the chicken piece from Damian’s plate, and vanished again with what could only be described as a mocking grin.

"You little–"

Damian’s mystique was shattered completely as he glared at the empty space where his food had been.

And looking at his reaction, reminded everyone of the old Damian.

Everyone burst into laughter, the tension breaking as they watched the supposedly mysterious criminal mastermind get trolled by a bird.

Caw!

Kuro’s caw echoed from somewhere in the house, clearly enjoying himself.

Damian sighed heavily, accepting defeat.

"That bird has no respect for dramatic moments."

The laughter continued for several moments, warm and genuine.