The attack on Astralis Academy still haunted every corner of the city.
Newspapers screamed the same damning headline for days: The Astralis Academy Attack.
Angry letters and petitions flooded the Academy gates while furious parents stormed the grounds, demanding answers about their children's safety.
All efforts made by the school to compensate the families of the deceased failed spectacularly as most parents could not bear swapping their dead children for money.
This threw Headmistress Vale and Director Nicholas under heavy scrutiny, especially after the Union stepped in.
With the Union's interference, all forms of heavy scrutiny from the loudest families and organizations surrounding Astralis Academy went quiet.
Apologizing on behalf of the Academy, the Union promised to catch the attackers and now planned regular inspections of the Academy.
Unable to oppose the Union, the citizens had little choice but to watch and wait.
Back at the Cross Mansion, Aiden lay on his bed idly.
He ran a hand through his disheveled brown hair, not bothering to push it out of his golden eyes as he stared at the ceiling.
The world appeared in dull shades of grey — a dull haze that mocked the warmth his eyes were supposed to see.
Memories of that night flashed through Aiden's mind—gone as quickly as they came.
The media had dubbed it "The Bloodbath at Astralis Academy," but Aiden thought it was far too gentle.
In his mind, it would always be the 'Astralis Massacre'.
A preferable title akin to what they had to go through that night. They lost so many…. Students died. Some had even turned on their own for power.
'Although we emerged victorious in the end... but at what cost?'
'The loss was too much.'
'I gave that speech, didn't I?'
'Can I really live up to it?'
The victory speech he had given still tasted like ash in his mouth.
Since arriving at the Cross Estate, Aiden had not once left his room.
His mind had been in disarray.
The nightmares could not stop; the fear had gotten to him tremendously.
Blood flooded his vision.
No matter how hard he tried to blink it away, it returned — again and again.
His fingers trembled fiercely as his mind drifted to what he could have done that night.
'I could have killed Kain.'
Gripping the bedsheets tightly, Aiden felt a huge wave of disappointment.
If not for Director Nicholas, who stepped in and stopped it.
Aiden sighed.
'What could he have done then?'
He did not let himself finish his thought.
Before—
Knock.
Knock.
"Who is it?" Aiden asked.
"Master Aiden, Lady Millia requests your presence on the balcony."
A crisp voice responded calmly as he opened the door. Aiden looked towards Butler Fred's eyes dismissively.
"Sure."
"Thank you, sir."
Locking the door behind him, Aiden got up from his bed.
The maids and butlers all attended to Aiden from his room.
It was particularly unusual, as it had never happened before — except for one time, which was after the death of Eli.
As he walked to the bathroom, he studied his reflection in the mirror.
Dark circles lined his eyes.
He… looked… exhausted.
"I can't meet Mom like this," he muttered.
Walking through the quiet halls, Aiden's footsteps echoed through the marble walls as they radiated different colors from the glass.
Looking at one of the windows, Aiden studied the clear blue skies for a second before muttering to himself
"Beautiful."
Walking towards the balcony, Aiden spotted a woman who sat on a chair in a field of roses.
The afternoon sun kissed her pale skin as she shaded herself with a parasol.
The sunlight gave the roses a soft glow which was eerily comfortable in Aiden's eyes.
Sipping on some luxurious leaf tea, the gentle breeze blew, softly kissing her skin.
"Good afternoon, Mum."
"Oh, Aiden."
Millia responded as she put her teacup on the table quietly.
"How have you been faring?"
Millia asked.
"I'm… managing,"
Aiden responded, averting his mother's gaze.
"Please stop standing and sit down with me."
Aiden flinched at his mother's request.
It was not only Aiden — all the servants around them flinched at Millia's request.
Ever since Eli's death, the Cross household had taken a different turn.
Millia, who was once warm and free, became distant and kept more to herself.
His father, Toshinoro, continued burying himself in his ambition, completely neglecting Aiden.
Toshinoro's act created a seed of contempt within Aiden, who believed that his father's actions caused the death of his brother.
That resentment never faded. If anything, it only grew stronger… Maybe destroying his father's legacy was the only way Aiden could ever feel satisfied.
In order to achieve that, Aiden had to become a student of Astralis Academy.
Aiden worked tirelessly as Fred, his butler, aided him as much as he could.
This bore fruit as he claimed first place among the first years.
"Aiden, you look tense," Millia spoke calmly as she stared at his trembling hands.
"?"
Aiden snapped back to reality.
Observing his mother's face, which stared down, Aiden stared down as well.
Noticing his fingers, which had been trembling for some time, Aiden put on a fake smile.
Clasping his hands together, Aiden snapped his mother from her thoughts.
"Mum… how's business?"
Silence.
"…Farris."
"Yes, ma'am?"
Adorning a crimson maid uniform, Farris spoke out.
Her auburn hair tied in a ponytail; she put on a gentle smile and grace.
"Oh Farris, please pour a cup of tea for my son."
Hearing Millia's request, Farris turned her attention towards Aiden.
As her gaze fell on Aiden, every form of gentle grace which Farris had put on immediately dissipated.
Staring at Aiden, Farris's eyes were devoid of all emotions.
"Yes, ma'am,"
Farris responded calmly.
'What did I do wrong?'
Pour. Pour.
As Farris poured the tea gently into Aiden's cup, Millia studied her son.
Sipping on the tea as gently as he could, Aiden's eyes flickered towards Millia.
Watching his mother's calm gaze, tension kicked in.
"What's wrong?"
Millia's voice softened.
"It feels like just yesterday… when you were still my little boy, letting me lead the way."
Her voice trembled.
"…and now you're walking a path I didn't guide you on."
Tears slipped down her face. Noticing this made Aiden's heart ache.
He stood abruptly, then dropped to one knee before her, wiping her tears.
"Please don't cry, Mom."
"Aiden, what really went wrong at the Academy?"
Heavy silence fell.
Swallowing hard, Aiden felt his throat tighten.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come… I didn't know what I'd do if I lost you too."
Millia continued her sobbing.
'Hah. She's worried I'll end up like Eli.'
The crack which Aiden had tried to seal finally cracked open like a fountain.
Waves of emotions kicked in as his composure faltered.
"I couldn't save them…"
His voice trembled.
"They died…"
His hands clenched tightly into her dress.
"I was weak… I lost control… I almost killed someone…"
Tears streamed down his face.
"I let them die, Mum…"
Sniff.
"I'm still too weak…"
He buried his face into her dress, crying.
Waaah.
His voice echoed throughout the garden.
Millia held him in her embrace tightly.
This time, Aiden didn't push away, nor did he hold back.
Smiling shyly towards Aiden, Millia thought to herself
'You are still a child, aren't you?'