Chapter 89 - The Meeting of the Seven Families
There exists a long-standing community among the seven families.
This community had been in place since the days when information was exchanged through personal messages or courier services.
Strangely, it has no name.
The reason is simple: names have power, and naming this group could have been interpreted as a challenge to the emperor's authority, given the bond between the seven families.
This cautious decision, made by the ancestors, has been passed down to the present day.
Thus, the gathering of these individuals has no name.
There is only the reason for their existence.
And now, On the 38th floor of the Gilliot Hotel, a hall reserved solely for VIPs, four individuals of similar age were gathered.
Two men and two women.
They hadn't seen each other in months, and in some cases, years, but there was no warm greeting.
Instead, a palpable tension filled the air, and the silence was broken by a soft voice.
"…Is this it, just the four of us?"
The voice came from a handsome man with sharp features.
Dressed in an elegant suit and glossy shoes, his shirt was unbuttoned just enough to reveal the outline of solid, muscular chest.
One could say he had a restrained wildness about him, or more bluntly, he was the kind of man who could make several women fall for him.
His name was Kendrick Zahad.
He was known in some circles as the "The young thunder king," and now he spoke.
"Three people not showing up is serious. Don't you think?"
This comment stirred a variety of responses from the others.
The two women, each with her own unique beauty, either furrowed their brows or sighed in silence.
The young man who had been awkwardly glancing around, looking uncomfortable, forced an awkward smile.
"Yeah, I mean, it's not surprising that Ryucard and Carlos aren't here, but Cecile's absence is a bit unexpected... haha."
At that, Kendrick furrowed his brow in displeasure.
This was why dealing with cold weapons was troublesome.
Ryucard Anarion.
Carlos Gerstein.
One was a man who cared for nothing but his sword, and the other was a lazy fool whose mere existence seemed to be an inconvenience to him.
Despite their indifferent attitudes, both were hailed as legendary swordsmen and spear masters.
It was even said that they had secured the position of head of their respective families.
This irritated Kendrick.
Some, like him, had worked tirelessly since childhood, sacrificing sleep and leisure just to gain favor with their grandfathers.
But these two… they seemed to have no care in the world.
Was it because they had nothing left to prove?
No matter the reason, they should have attended the meeting.
Kendrick's expression grew more rigid, and the young man, watching his face like a stock chart, quickly poured him some wine.
"Brother! Drink this first!"
When Kendrick's mood took a dive, it was time for either water or wine.
This was the survival strategy of the youngest person in this gathering, Dayor Hakan.
He represented the Hakan family, who wielded the power of the earth.
Another voice spoke, breaking the silence.
"Still no word from Cecile?"
The speaker was a woman dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans, none other than Anna Solard.
Anna Solard.
The adopted daughter of the former head of the Solard family and the younger sister of the current head.
She had once fought side by side with Jin, risking her life.
In response to her question, Dayor replied.
"Yeah, the last call said it would be difficult for her to attend. I think she might be busy with something."
A cold voice followed.
"Ha, busy? The girl who couldn't even catch a break and was always trailing behind Teah has become a snob all of a sudden."
The woman who had remained silent until now scoffed, turning her gaze to the night view outside the window.
The atmosphere grew chilly, and Dayor, who had been nervously observing, forced a mechanical smile.
Kendrick, who had been sipping his wine, sighed heavily.
"…This is a disaster. How can the representatives of the families show such a lack of responsibility?"
At the same time, Kendrick disparaged the absent Ryucard, calling him a "cursed swordsman," and Carlos, a "sloth with a spear."
But curiously, he didn't even mention Cecile, who had also failed to show up.
It was as if he were purposefully ignoring her.
It was clear that Kendrick cared little for Cecile, as he was more focused on the other two.
Those who, like him, had grown up alongside him and secured the headship of their families earlier.
Unlike those two, he didn't bother with the direct heirs who had been overshadowed by the squires, such as Cecile.
Dayor, as the youngest and most concerned about Kendrick's mood, quickly poured more wine.
"Brother, should I get you another drink?"
Anna, however, seemed indifferent, simply staring out the window, bored with the situation.
She sighed inwardly.
This was precisely why she didn't want to attend.
The issue wasn't with the others' behavior; it was because she was caught in the middle.
Her older brothers were too busy with their responsibilities to participate, while her nephews were either too young or inexperienced.
So, the responsibility fell to her.
Her father had told her to take it easy and withdraw if things got too risky, but she knew it was her turn now.
"Ha."
As she let out a resigned sigh, a distant chime echoed from the elevator.
Soon, someone emerged from it, and without thinking, Anna turned her head.
There, she saw a familiar profile.
Without realizing it, her face lit up with surprise, and she spoke.
"…Jin?"
Jin, noticing her reaction, turned his head toward her with a smile of recognition.
"Anna?"
At the same time, Kendrick's gaze snapped toward the exchange.
The cheerful greeting came immediately.
"Hey, Young Thunder King!"
In that instant, Kendrick's wine exploded from his mouth in a fountain-like display.
*
"Wow."
Jin marveled.
The wine spilled from Kendrick's mouth and instantly froze in the air, taking the shape of crystal-like icicles.
"······"
After a brief silence, the face, as cold as frost, slowly turned toward the source of the sound.
She was a woman with sharp eyes that left a strong impression, one that Jin had never seen before.
But what did it matter?
The strange atmosphere of the unfamiliar hotel was already uncomfortable enough.
Upon noticing two familiar faces, he immediately walked over to them.
Then, he smiled at Anna, who had risen to greet him.
"Long time no see."
With a friendly greeting, a light hug followed.
However, Anna had stretched out her arm for a handshake, which led to an awkward embrace instead, leaving both of them stiff and uncomfortable.
"Ah."
Before her surprised expression could fade, Jin stepped back and moved toward the side.
"Yo, Thunder King."
"Y-You, why are you here?"
"Well, yeah. It's good to see you too."
Jin, clapping Kendrick's shoulder while looking quite out of character, took his place beside him.
Then, he turned to the couple on the opposite side, who were clearly puzzled by his sudden appearance, and spoke up.
"I'm Jin. Nice to meet you."
A sudden introduction.
Normally, there wouldn't be a reason to respond, but when the person had been so familiar with Kendrick and had even hugged Eanna, it was different.
"I'm Dayor Hakan."
"···Katrina Marzie."
Jin's eyes widened at their responses.
"Oh, I know them! Hakan, Marzie!"
He clapped his hands, almost like a student excitedly finding a familiar question on a test.
He had recently spent several weeks researching the family, intending to join the rotation.
Though he didn't know all the details of their history, he was now familiar with their names and their distinctive traits.
Wanting to show off what he had learned, he eagerly blurted out.
"Hakan is Earth, and Marzié is Ice, right?"
This was basic knowledge that even a five-year-old pureblood could recognize, but the way Jin said it so confidently had Dayor nodding in agreement.
"Y-Yeah, that's right?"
Unaware, Dayor answered and then smiled faintly upon realizing he was shaking hands with Jin.
The previously tense atmosphere melted away with the arrival of a familiar face.
For Dayor, who had been diligently trying to please his seniors as the youngest member of the group, Jin's presence was more than welcome.
In short, it was a situation where Jin was very likable.
"Would you like a glass of wine?"
"No, I don't drink. Just give me a cola."
"Oh, right! Cola, coming right up!"
As Dayor shouted that, Kendrick, who was close enough for their shoulders to brush, repeated the question he had asked earlier.
"Answer me. Why are you here?"
"Me? I'm here to join the rotation."
"What?! I'm sure I…"
Kendrick stopped mid-sentence, suddenly closing his mouth.
He realized the gaze directed at him for a brief moment.
He hesitated, carefully choosing his words so as not to reveal that the attention from his grandfather had shifted to this wild kid.
He spoke cautiously.
"D-Did the family offer you an enrollment suggestion?"
"No?"
"No?"
That was a relief.
Kendrick, who had briefly feared that his grandfather had contacted Jin, frowned.
"Then why do you want to join the rotation?"
"Because I want to, duh. Do I have to report every little thing to you?"
Jin retorted with a sulky expression, then turned his head and continued.
"Someone's just —so inflexible. There is no need for the interrogation? Don't you agree?"
Seeking confirmation, Dayor averted his gaze, his lips pressing in as though holding back a laugh.
At that moment, Dayor's affection for Jin grew even more.
Meanwhile, a glass of cola arrived at the table, and Jin shrugged his shoulders as he looked at the staff member walking away with a polite bow.
"I'd be fine with just a can."
As he thought about how it wasn't exactly a fancy hotel, he raised his glass for a toast.
"Alright, here's to a pleasant meeting."
Dayor and Anna raised their glasses toward the center of the table, and the daughter of the Marzie family, introduced as Katrina, also joined in.
The sound of the clinking glasses echoed as they met, each of them bringing the glasses to their lips—except for Kendrick.
Kendrick's face was more frozen than when he was cursing those who weren't at the gathering.
The current situation left him flustered and irritated.
The added embarrassment of performing a fountain show in front of his younger 'friends' only intensified his frustration.
His face reddened after a single glass of wine.
He swore he wouldn't forgive this.
His list of charges was already clear.
The crime of taking his grandfather's attention.
The crime of causing confusion by suddenly joining the rotation.
The crime of embarrassing him.
Death sentence confirmed.
Please, make it to the finals.
I'll personally smash you.
Unlike the angry Thunder King, the rest of the group seemed quite jovial.
"Can I call you 'hyung'?"
"Oh, of course. That's fine."
Jin, with his absurdly good social skills, became closer to Dayor, and since Dayor was inherently a warm person, they quickly became friends.
From then on, Dayor continued to ask Jin all sorts of questions, to which Jin answered freely, avoiding any awkward topics.
For instance, when Dayor asked how Jin knew Anna, Jin simply said it was a long time ago and that his memories were a bit hazy.
Apart from such topics, Jin was more than happy to share whatever he could.
Before long, everyone knew about Jin's exploits.
"I've heard of the Mute Town civil war. To think you were the one who stopped that conflict. That's really impressive."
"You were the one who fought against Elina Vincent? And you received the hotel keycard from her?"
While receiving the satisfied reactions, Katrina, who was flipping through the solo intranet by pressing her terminal, subtly raised the corners of her mouth.
"Quite a supernova, huh."
Her face, which had been as cold as ice until now, finally softened a little, as if acknowledging that the other person had at least earned the minimum qualification to be worthy of her attention.
At last, she asked Jin the first question.
"You seem to be someone from a branch family who awakened on their own. Why didn't you join Zahad's registration? Did you hold back from joining the rotation, thinking that an Esquire rank would prevent you from participating?"
But she didn't get an answer.
Grrr—
With a loud growl from his stomach, Jin placed a hand on his abdomen and awkwardly rose from his seat.
"Sorry, let's talk next time."
"...Why all of a sudden?"
"I guess I ate too much meatball spaghetti earlier. The signals are screaming. I'm going."
With that, Jin, speaking without a hint of shame, began backing away from the table.
He looked at the direct family members staring at him blankly and said,
"Everyone, stay on your toes. I'm here to win."
With that, he turned and hurriedly left with quick strides.
"..."
"..."
In the suddenly subdued atmosphere, Dayor looked toward Kendrick, who seemed a little off.
As expected, Kendrick's eyes shot sparks as he watched Jin walk away.
It was the same for Katrina, who had been passed over with a question she wanted answered, and she was equally frustrated.
Crackling—
As frost began to spread on the window, Dayor, swallowing dryly, broke the silence.
"Well, I guess I'll head out too."
Just as if waiting for this moment, Anna stood up and began leaving as well.
"Sister?"
Suddenly caught between the two furious individuals, Dayor's face grew darker.
"Both of you, calm down for now."
***
The next day.
After spending the night in a palace-like guest room, Jin had a hearty breakfast before heading out of the hotel.
Without even the chance to take in the distinctive sights of District 8, he asked around and made his way to the registration desk.
It wasn't hard to find the long line, so naturally, he joined it.
After quite a wait, when Jin finally faced an employee, the staff scanned him from head to toe with a light blue glow.
"Name?"
"Jin Evernight."
"Registration complete. Best of luck."
The process was unexpectedly swift compared to the long wait, and Jin scratched the back of his head as he stepped aside.
At that moment, the status window, which had been silent for almost ten days, suddenly popped up with a greeting.
「Family Rotation」━━━━━━━━━━━━
A festival for purists returning every seven years.
Win the tournament and prove yourself.
*Reward: 30,000 XP
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
"Ah."
Jin instinctively closed his eyes tightly, having inadvertently learned the difficulty level of the event.