Chapter 84 - Engagement talk
After the match ended, we returned to where Mom and the Empress were waiting.
The moment I approached, Mom smiled.
"You did well, Gray."
"You’ve improved a lot."
A bright smile immediately appeared on my face.
"Thank you, Mom."
Hearing her praise made me genuinely happy.
Mom simply reached out and gently ruffled my hair.
I didn’t mind.
In fact...
I liked it whenever Mom did this.
So I simply stood there and happily accepted it.
Seeing the scene, both Luna and the Empress were slightly surprised.
The most surprised was Luna.
The person who had calmly analyzed every one of her attacks and defeated her with perfect precision just moments ago...
Now looked like nothing more than an ordinary child happily receiving praise from his mother.
As for the Empress, she had already heard how close Seraphina and Gray were.
Although the sight surprised her slightly, it wasn’t entirely unexpected.
After watching us for a moment, she smiled warmly.
"You both fought very well."
"And Gray..."
"You’re much stronger than I expected."
"You truly have incredible potential."
I smiled politely.
"Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty."
The Empress nodded before asking,
"However..."
"Tell me something."
"Did you hold back against my daughter?"
The moment I heard that, I quickly waved my hands.
"Oh, no."
"Not at all."
"When I fight, I use my full strength."
"Holding back against an opponent would be disrespectful."
"I used Devour and my binding techniques because they were the most effective way to defeat Luna."
"I didn’t use every ability I possess..."
"But I used every ability I needed."
The Empress smiled faintly at my slightly flustered expression.
"Hmm."
"I could tell."
"But can you explain the ability you used at the end?"
"The one that absorbed Luna’s Light Bullets."
At those words, Isabella, Elena, and even Luna focused their attention on me.
I nodded.
"Oh, that."
"That’s the first skill I created after awakening."
"I combined my Darkness and Space Affinities to create it."
"It allows me to absorb mana-based attacks and convert part of that energy into my own mana."
"Of course..."
"It has quite a few limitations."
"I can’t absorb attacks from opponents who are much stronger than me."
"And there’s also a limit to how much mana I can absorb at once."
"But despite those limitations..."
"It’s a very useful ability."
The Empress nodded with an impressed smile.
"So that was the first ability you created..."
"And it’s already such an incredible skill."
Even Isabella gave a slight nod after hearing the explanation.
Creating a skill at such a young age was already impressive.
Creating one with such unique effects was something else entirely.
Meanwhile, Luna silently memorized every detail.
The next time she fought Gray...
She would be prepared for that ability.
The Empress then smiled gently.
"Alright."
"You children should go and get some rest."
Then she turned toward Seraphina.
"Seraphina..."
"I have something I’d like to discuss with you."
I immediately nodded.
"Understood."
Astrid led Amy and me away.
Just as Elena was about to follow Amy, the Empress stopped her.
"Elena."
"Stay here."
"I have something to discuss with you as well."
Elena nodded obediently.
"Yes, Mother."
The three of us left the room.
As we walked through the palace corridors, Amy suddenly looked at me expectantly.
"So..."
"Do you have any snacks?"
I innocently blinked.
"Snacks?"
"What snacks?"
Amy narrowed her eyes.
"Don’t be stingy."
"I saw you stuffing your Space Storage full of food yesterday."
"What’s wrong with sharing some with your amazing older sister?"
I looked at her with a mischievous smile.
"Oh, I packed plenty."
"But why should I throw them into a bottomless abyss?"
Amy froze.
A second later...
She finally understood what I meant.
"...Did you just call me a bottomless abyss?"
The moment she raised her hand to hit me, I was already hiding behind Astrid.
"Astrid!"
"Help!"
"There’s a wild beast on the loose!"
Astrid couldn’t help laughing.
Amy’s face immediately turned red.
"What did you call me, you brat?!"
"Come here!"
"I’ll show you who’s the wild beast!"
The next moment, the palace corridors were filled with the sound of our footsteps as we circled around Astrid.
Astrid could only sigh while trying—and failing—not to laugh.
Eventually, several palace maids arrived.
They politely guided us toward our respective rooms.
⸻
Inside another room...
Only Seraphina, Aurelia, Isabella, Elena, and Luna remained.
Silence filled the room for a few moments before Aurelia finally spoke.
"Seraphina."
"I wanted to discuss the engagement between our families."
"We made that promise many years ago."
"And I believe the banquet the day after tomorrow would be the perfect occasion to announce it."
Seraphina nodded thoughtfully.
"Have you discussed this with your daughters?"
"What are their thoughts?"
Instead of answering immediately, Aurelia smiled.
"Before that..."
"What does your son think?"
"I noticed he’s quite the deep thinker."
Seraphina nodded.
"I haven’t explained the details to him yet."
"Amy only mentioned that he was engaged."
"He knows he’ll meet the other party during the banquet."
"But he doesn’t know who she is."
She paused before continuing.
"I also told him..."
"If either of them finds someone they truly love in the future..."
"They’re free to cancel the engagement after discussing it with each other."
Aurelia nodded in agreement.
She had never intended to force her daughter into a marriage she didn’t want.
Especially not when it came to choosing the person who would spend the rest of her life beside her.
Seraphina continued,
"After hearing that..."
"He said he had no objections."
"And that he was willing to give it a chance."
Aurelia smiled.
"I’m glad to hear that."
"He isn’t impulsive."
"He thinks things through."
She recalled the spar from earlier.
"And today’s performance impressed me as well."
"Your son is a very good child."
Then she turned toward Luna.
"So..."
"What do you think about the engagement?"
"If you truly don’t like it..."
"You’ll always have the choice to cancel it in the future."
Luna blinked in surprise.
"...Me?"
Aurelia laughed softly.
"Yes."
"And don’t worry."
"No one is forcing you."
Luna’s mind immediately became chaotic.
Gray’s face unconsciously appeared in her thoughts.
I’m... engaged to him?
After a few moments, she calmed herself and answered honestly.
"...I need some time."
"I only met him today."
Aurelia’s smile widened slightly.
Luna hadn’t rejected the idea outright.
"That’s perfectly fine."
"Think it over."
"But I’d like your answer before the banquet."
"If I don’t receive one..."
"I’ll take it as a refusal."
Luna nodded quietly.
After that, Seraphina and Aurelia continued discussing various matters concerning the upcoming banquet.
Meanwhile, Luna quietly walked over to Isabella and Elena.
Like always...
Whenever something important happened...
She wanted to hear her sisters’ opinions first.
Then carefully think everything through before making her own decision.
But in the end, the decision would be hers alone.