Karl sat on the bed, giving Luna a cold glare.
"We will be leaving in 5 minutes." Luna spoke regretfully.
Karl just kept staring at Luna with the cold gaze.
"Did something happen?" Luna asked noticing some change in Karl's demeanor.
"Hmmm..."
Karl hummed as he stood up and started circling Luna, like a predator circling his prey.
"I-Is something wrong?" Luna asked puzzled by Karl's actions.
"My porcupine, what should I do with someone who betrays me?" Karl asked coldly.
Luna tilted her head more at the unexpected question, unknowingly ignoring the nickname Karl used.
"Father says that one should not stay with a traitor." Luna recited after thinking for a moment.
Who betrayed you though?" Luna wondered.
"Uncle says so?" Karl smiled, his gaze turning colder.
"Well someone very close to me betrayed me. Someone I thought I could trust."
Karl spoke as he continued circling Luna.
Luna's eyes widened at Karl's words and then narrowed the next second.
"You should not talk with such a person." Luna spoke seriously.
"Right? Then porcupine, is that why your father is taking you away? Because you tried to snitch on me?"
Karl spoke as he stood in front of Luna, glaring at her.
Luna's stared wide eyed as she understood Karl's words.
"I-I did not snitch." Luna spoke, making an unfair expression.
"Hoh? Then what were you trying to tell uncle?"
"Th-That!" Luna stuttered, not even thinking of lying.
"Y-You made my hairs-" Luna tried to speak but Karl cut her off.
"So you will betray me? That is why uncle is taking you away. We might never meet ever again because of what you tried to do." Karl spoke as he again started circling around Luna.
Luna stood dazed as her eyes turned teary.
"I-I did n-not mea-mean to-" Luna said her voice cracking.
"So you did something you did not even mean to?" Karl asked as he nodded in understanding.
Luna nodded her head furiously as Karl made a understanding expression.
But the next moment Karl again glared at her coldly, making all the relief she was feeling vanish into thin air.
Karl walked towards Luna and held her chin.
"Doing something you did not want to is being stupid and you know Luna, I hate stupid people the most." Karl spoke as he brought his face closer to Luna's.
Tears started to fall out of Luna's eyes as she understood Karl's words.
"..... not.... hate..... me...." Luna somehow uttered in between the cries as she started wiping away the overflowing tears.
Unknown to Luna who had her eyes closed, Karl was trying his hardest to hold back his laughter.
Karl spoke after a few minutes as he was finally able to control his expression.
"Okay I won't hate you but next time don't snitch on me. Whatever we speak, stays between us, no telling anybody else. Got it?" Karl spoke softly.
Luna nodded frantically at Karl's words, repeating them in her mind.
"Ok now stop crying porcupine. You have to leave so wipe the tears. I was joking about your father taking you away because of snitching so chill. We will meet later." Karl spoke as he patted Luna's head.
At Karl's words, Luna's face became sad once more, not wanting to leave.
"We will meet soon. Probably by then you will not be a crybaby anymore." Karl said with a smirk.
"You promised not to call me a crybaby." Luna whined.
"Okay my porcupine. Let's go." Karl said as he started walking out of the room.
Luna finally noticed what Karl had been calling her for a while but ignored it, as she felt sad as it was the time to go back.
***
Three days later.
'Today is D-Day! Finally I will be able to form a core or ring!... is how I should have been feeling for fuck's sake!
If the novel is not correct... will I have as much potential as Karl in both physical and mental abilities.
Now, I am genuinely nervous like a kid my age, even mom said that today I finally look like someone my age. But I will just have to go through it.'
Karl followed behind a butler, entering an area he never had before.
'Ooh! Finally a new part of map unlocked!' Karl joked to himself.
'After the ceremony, father will allow me to roam the estate freely or at least that is what he said. He does not have the most trustful past.'
Karl narrowed his eyes as he recalled how much angry was after he found out about the mind control.
*sigh*
'I got too angry. According to them, I am a child so they must have not thought that I have planned for the risks and all.
If my three year old son was doing some risky shit and not telling anything about it then I will also try my best to do whatever I can to know of it.
I have not talked with father since the, not like I forgive them, knowing why they did it doesn't reduce my anger in any way.
None of this would have happened if only I had taken into account the possibility of the novel being wrong!
I could have planned differently if I knew ether is something that people can not control!' Karl lamented.
'Whatever. I will not plan anymore. I will just enjoy my life as the kid I am.'
Karl smiled as he entered a crowded ground as big as a soccer field.
The crowd was mostly white haired with the kids sitting in the front rows and the adults in the back ones.
"Young Master, you have to go and sit there. I am only allowed to follow till here."
The butler spoke as he pointed to the area where kids were sitting.
'Damn so these are all people of the hearth family.' Karl mused as he looked at the huge crowd, when he suddenly noticed someone familiar.
"Uncle!"
Karl waved his hand as he ran towards a tall man, wearing spectacles, standing alone at the empty space between the kid section and the adult section.
The man was Harry, younger brother of Kevin.
Harry smiled softly as he saw Karl.
"Go and sit there kid." Harry instructed warmly, pointing towards the front row.
Karl nodded as he walked and sat in the front row, right in front of which was an elevated platform like a stage.
'So these are the kids my age!' Karl happily looked around at different kids the same age as him sitting all around.
'Oh she seems to be the most beautiful girl among all the girls here. And I can guess from that kid's facial feature that he will be bullied in life.' Karl classified different kids on whatever he could judge them on.
"Hello." Karl said as he stood up and sat beside the shy looking kid he thought will be bullied.
The kid was visibly startled, not expecting someone to greet him.
"H-hello!" The kid greeted, bowing his head which surprised Karl.
"Do you know me?" Karl asked raising an eyebrow.
"F-Father told me about you!".
Most of the other kids were also interested in the interaction between the two.
"Who is your father?" Karl asked as he tried to recalled the few people who knew him so well to even describe him.
"Karl, take care of Raun for me."
Harry was the one to reply to Karl's question which shocked everyone present.
All the kids were told the name of the duke's son and also knew Harry, so were pretty surprised as they found out who Karl was.
'He is brother Garry's younger brother! Damn why did brother never tell me!' Karl was also pleasantly surprised at the new discovery.
"Where is brother Garry? It has been long since I met him!" Karl asked Raun excitedly.
"A-academy..." Raun muttered in a low tone, bowing further.
***
As Taner entered the ceremonial grounds, he noticed that everybody's attention was at a white haired boy, even the kid sitting beside the boy was bowing to him.
'Is he trying to bully? With me here, how can he become a bully?'
Taner sneered as he started walking towards the boy.
"Hey move, I want to sit there." Taner said arrogantly which made the boy tilt his head.
Taner thinking that he had scared the boy made a shooing gesture.
But the next moment, Taner was confused as the boy started laughing.
"What if I do not?" The boy mocked.
Just as Taner was about to shout at the boy, he noticed everyone giving him a condescending look.
'What? Why is everyone looking at me like that?'
Taner wondered as he suddenly recalled his father's words.
'N-No way.'
Taner swallowed as he guessed the boy's identity which also explained everyone's reaction.
"A-Are you Karl?"
***
'Kek at least he is a quick thinker.' Karl mused.
"Yes I am. Do you want me to move?" Karl asked mockingly, raising an eyebrow.
"... No. I was talking to this guy." Taner shook his head as he pointed towards Raun.
"You did you not hear me! Move I said!" Taner shouted at Raun, taking out his anger due to the embarrassment he felt.
Raun stared wide eyed at Taner but quickly stood up and stepped aside.
'Is he not gonna interfere?' Karl wondered as he looked back at Harry who was giving Taner a cold look.
"Can you not interfere?" Karl shouted out loud grabbing everyone's attention.
Harry shook his head with a bitter smile as everyone looked at him.
"Heh!" Taner smirked at Karl's question as his brother had already told him about rules of kids.
Karl also understood something again as he asked again.
"Can no one interfere?"
Harry frowned at Karl's words, understanding his intention.
"No one will interfere with kids unless one is seriously harmed but manners are something everyone should keep in mind no matter what." Harry answered focusing on the last part, reminding Karl not to do anything stupid.
Karl smirked at Harry's answer as he activated his etherised blood.
To others nothing changed but Karl could feel the power rising in his body.
The next second, Karl extended his hand, grabbing Taner by the neck and stood up as he lifted Taner's body.
Before Taner could react, Karl twisted his body and threw him on the ground.
Taner landed head first on the floor and then laid on the floor upside down.
Taner's body bounced a bit as he fell headfirst, making him too shocked to even think.
The kids stood up and looked back at their parents due to the sudden act, but all the adults stayed silent as they also knew the rules.
"Raun you sit where you were sitting. He wanted me to move so I will move my seat."
Karl said with a smile as he quietly lifted his seat and pushed it a bit behind the first row.
Then Karl bent forward as he took hold of Taner from his hairs and threw him where his seat earlier was.
"You!!!" Taner roared furiously as he broke out of his stupor.
But before he could speak any further Karl kicked him on the jaw making his teeth slam hard against each other.
Taner ignored the pain as he quickly tried to stand up but was again kicked on the face, making him lose balance and tripping.
Before Taner could try anything else, his face was bombarded with kicks.
Karl with his right leg started kicking Taner on his face without stopping.
He made sure to not hit hard enough to draw blood but enough to feel pain.
Taner used his arms to cover his head but Karl ignored it as he continued kicking.
"St-Stop!!" Taner shouted as even his hands started hurting.
Karl ignored Taner and started kicking him even harder as he tried to instill pain in Taner's bones.
"Please stop." Taner pleaded, his voice cracking.
Karl finally stopped kicking and put his right leg on Taner's head as he opened his mouth.
"You, become my chair."