'It… happens?' the old man continued staring at me as though he were looking at a monster.
I forced a smile and said,
"It seems I won't find what I'm searching for. I'll take my leave now."
"Oh." The old man finally regained some semblance of composure and gestured toward the door not too far away.
I thanked him before hurrying out, though I could still feel his gaze fixed on my back.
He remained rooted in place, his thoughts in turmoil.
How could it be normal for someone to grow stronger without ever beginning the process of cultivation?
It was simply impossible!
In all his more than two hundred years of life, he had never seen or even heard of such a thing.
It was like watching the contents of a bottle increase without any source pouring into it. Something like that was not merely magical. It was miraculous.
'And then there's the fact that he was asking about those ancient monsters…'
The old man stared toward the door, his eyes narrowing slightly.
'There's something deeply suspicious about this kid.'
He had no intention of lying to Aristarkh about the ancient monsters, but information regarding them was among the clan's highest secrets. It wasn't something that could be handed to the public so casually.
'I need to consult her and hear her thoughts on this…'
The old man muttered inwardly, referring to Elizabeth, before lightly tapping a finger against the table.
A gust of wind swept through the room, and the old man vanished without a trace.
…
I left with a distinct sense of satisfaction blooming in my chest after breaking through to the second stage of Rank 1 Cursed Warrior.
Pleased, I began to ponder what to do next. Glancing around, I noticed there was no one in sight.
In the end, I decided to head back to my room. If my guess wasn't wrong, dinner should already be prepared.
Taking brisk steps, I passed through several passages and corridors before finally arriving near my room.
The moment I got there, I noticed a young maid already waiting outside, standing nervously by the door.
As soon as she saw me, she visibly relaxed.
"Young master." She greeted with a respectful bow. "The matriarch asked me to call you for dinner."
"Oh." I nodded before replying, "Lead the way."
The maid lowered her head again and turned around, walking lightly deeper into the inner chambers of the clan.
We walked for about four minutes before she gestured toward a grand door ahead.
Knowing that ordinary maids and servants weren't allowed inside aside from the kitchen staff, I simply nodded and waved her away.
Then, after taking a quiet breath, I tapped the massive door lightly and stepped inside.
'My first reunion with my family after coming to this world…' I hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
As I gently pushed the door open, it released a low groan and scraped softly against the ground, revealing the scene within.
Three pairs of eyes landed on me.
Calming my racing heart, I walked toward them.
'I just need to act well enough that they find no flaws in my behavior.'
Since my predecessor had always behaved in a similarly cold manner, I hardened my expression and approached the dining table.
My mother, with silvery hair like mine and matching silver eyes, raised her gaze to meet mine.
Her hands rested atop the table, tapping rhythmically as though she had been waiting for a while.
She stared at me without the slightest change in expression, simply watching me with that emotionless look, as though I were some kind of tool rather than her son.
My father sat opposite her at the head of the table.
He was clean and laid-back, lacking much of the domineering aura one would expect from a ruler.
Still, there was a quiet dignity about him, and his eyes carried a trace of warmth as he looked at me.
Golden-brown hair framed his moonlight-blue eyes, and those calm eyes followed my approach like the surface of a still lake.
Finally, there she was… seated opposite an empty chair.
My seat.
My sister.
Her hair was a mixture of my father's golden brown and my mother's silver, the two shades crossing through loose strands that gave her an unusual beauty.
Her eyes were as cold as my mother's, and at first she didn't even spare me a glance. Her hands moved with practiced precision as she ate, as though dining with the family were nothing more than another task to complete.
There was an effortless elegance in every movement she made.
Only when she noticed me drawing closer did she finally raise her silver eyes to meet mine.
At that instant, it felt as though the world froze, and a chill slithered down my spine.
I almost took a step back on instinct, but I held her gaze.
A faint smile touched the corner of my lips as I imagined standing at her level before long.
"Interesting. Finally got some balls," my sister muttered under her breath before shifting her gaze away and returning to her meal.
"Son." My father smiled warmly at me, ignoring her rude remark.
"Sit down. Let's eat as a family."
Hearing his words, I returned the smile and sat opposite my sister.
There were only four seats in the dining room, and an array of dishes had already been spread across the table.
To my left sat my father, while my mother remained beside him at the head of the table.
Directly in front of me was my sister.
The table was filled with all kinds of cursed monster meat.
Because they came from cursed monsters, their flesh and bones had been nourished countless times by cursed energy since birth. As a result, they were not only exceptionally delicious, but could also supplement one's cursed energy during cultivation.
I reached for a pair of chopsticks and, after taking a steady breath, picked up a piece of meat.
My father watched me take the first bite before lifting his own chopsticks and beginning his meal as well.
Unlike me, however, he simply grabbed a slab of meat and devoured it directly.
My mother was the complete opposite. She took only small, measured bites.
Her eyes remained on the food before her, yet I could tell her thoughts were elsewhere.
Wondering. Calculating. Measuring.
Suddenly, "Mother?" I called, interrupting her meal.
Elizabeth paused mid-bite and turned to look at me, her silver eyes glinting faintly with curiosity.
The thought of pressing my mother against the table and fucking her from behind, dominating her while she begged for mercy, clouded my mind the moment her ice-cold look met my gaze.