Chapter 41: Chapter 41 – Bloodlines, Soul Scripts, and Snow Beneath a False Sky

Silence.

Heavy silence.

The kind of silence that only existed in rooms where power itself sat at the table.

Within the highest chamber of the Sinclair Domain’s central palace, enormous pillars stretched toward a ceiling that seemed more like a night sky than architecture. Ancient runes glowed faintly across black marble floors while silver flames floated in the air without fuel, without heat, existing only because generations of Sinclair monsters had willed them into existence.

The Hall of Elder Judgment.

Very few people were allowed inside.

Even fewer could speak freely here.

And among those few—

Even fewer dared raise their voices.

Yet at this moment—

BOOOOM.

The entire chamber trembled.

Several elders nearly lost balance.

Mana exploded outward like an invisible storm.

Aurelius Draven Sinclair had risen from his throne.

Golden eyes burned.

The pressure alone distorted air.

"What."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Then his voice thundered once more.

"...What do you mean?"

The walls shook.

Ancient defensive formations throughout the hall activated automatically.

Because if they did not—

The pressure from the Patriarch alone might split the palace apart.

Across from him, Godfrey stood with hands behind his back.

Smiling.

Not mockingly.

Not fearfully.

Just smiling.

Like a man watching children finally begin understanding a puzzle he solved years ago.

The elders looked toward him nervously.

No one interrupted.

No one moved.

Because everyone present knew something:

Godfrey Ender Sinclair was insane.

Not weak.

Not reckless.

Insane.

The kind of insane only found in individuals too strong to care what happened around them.

Eventually Godfrey sighed.

"...As you know."

Silence.

"...After reaching the Tenth Circle..."

His voice became quieter.

"...Progress becomes impossible."

Silence followed.

No one spoke.

Because everyone knew.

Of course they knew.

Tenth Circle.

The realm called the peak of mortals.

The realm where kingdoms crowned heroes.

The realm where mountains could be erased.

The realm where ordinary people believed true gods walked.

Yet those inside this room knew better.

Because above Tenth Circle—

Existence changed.

Godfrey slowly continued.

"...To become a True Sorcerer..."

"...One must awaken their Soul Script."

Silence.

Several elders lowered eyes.

Because even now—

That subject remained painful.

Soul Scripts.

The greatest mystery of humanity.

No.

The greatest mystery of existence itself.

No scholar understood them.

No kingdom fully understood them.

No race possessed complete records.

They simply...

Appeared.

Unique powers.

Unique truths.

Manifestations of existence itself.

Sometimes inherited.

Sometimes born from experience.

Sometimes from obsession.

Sometimes from suffering.

Sometimes from nothing anyone understood.

No two Soul Scripts remained identical.

Even among family members.

Even among twins.

Even among legends.

Godfrey looked around the room.

"...Some awaken powers resembling their personality."

"...Some awaken powers reflecting trauma."

"...Some gain powers based on experiences."

"...Some gain powers that their ancestor possessed."

"...Others..."

Pause.

"...Receive completely random abilities."

Silence.

Aurelius narrowed his eyes.

"...Everyone already knows this."

Pressure increased.

"...Get to your point."

Godfrey smiled.

Slowly.

Dangerously.

"...Very well."

Long pause.

"...Her mother."

Silence.

"...Comes from a pure bloodline."

Pause.

"...Of Heretics."

The room froze.

No.

Not silence.

Something deeper.

Fear.

Pure instinctive fear.

Heretics.

Names erased from history.

Existences hunted for thousands of years.

People who preached what resided in the body of First Demon King

People who preached forbidden things.

People who worshipped impossible truths.

People who followed...

The First Dream.

Godfrey slowly continued.

"...And unlike rumors suggest..."

"...Their bloodlines were never weak."

"...No."

"...They possessed something terrifying."

Silence.

"...Every generation."

"...Every era."

"...Every blood descendant."

His eyes narrowed.

"...Awakened monstrously powerful Soul Scripts."

The room shook slightly.

Several elders looked up.

Godfrey continued.

"...Offensive Soul Scripts."

"...Destructive Soul Scripts."

"...Existence manifesting Soul Scripts."

"...Existence defying Soul Scripts."

"...Abilities capable of overturning kingdoms."

Long silence followed.

Aurelius frowned.

Godfrey smiled wider.

"...Meaning."

"...Not only is Eternia not illegitimate..."

"...She is pureblooded."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Several elders stood.

One dropped his cup.

Another nearly cursed aloud.

Pureblooded?

Impossible.

No.

Wait.

Their eyes widened.

Because if Godfrey was right—

Everything changed.

Everything.

Not servant blood.

Not impure blood.

Not shame.

Not weakness.

Potential.

Monstrous potential.

Godfrey calmly continued.

"...And considering our rise against another Royal Mage Family..."

Pause.

"...Her value becomes immeasurable."

Silence.

Then—

"...Which family?"

Godfrey turned.

Smiled.

"...House Vaeloris."

The room instantly darkened.

House Vaeloris.

One of the Four Mage Royal Families.

Ancient enemies.

Rivals for generations.

Monsters among monsters.

A bloodline specializing in celestial magic and destruction.

The family responsible for half the political disasters on the continent.

And Sinclair hated them.

Deeply.

Very deeply.

Aurelius slowly sat back down.

Thinking.

Long silence followed.

Several elders whispered.

Others looked thoughtful.

Then—

"...Fine."

Aurelius spoke.

Simple.

Cold.

Absolute.

"...Make Eternia reach Tenth Circle."

Silence.

"...As quickly as possible."

"...Awaken her."

Long pause.

Golden eyes narrowed.

"...Then we crush House Vaeloris with all of our might."

"Everyone in our Sinclair family from just Circle mages to Godlings will join this battle and end their bloodline"

Silence.

Agreement spread through room.

Heads nodded.

Calculations formed.

Political plans.

Marriage possibilities.

Military advantages.

Future value.

No one considered Eternia herself.

Not one.

Because nobles rarely saw children.

Only tools.

Only value.

Only results.

Across the room—

Godfrey smiled.

But internally—

His thoughts differed entirely.

Far, far differently.

Lord...

His eyes lowered.

Are you watching?

Silence.

I will make your vessel perfect.

Before your arrival.

Far away.

Far beyond stars.

Far beyond dimensions.

Far beyond existence itself—

Something watched.

Countless eyes opened.

Countless realities reflected.

And within endless darkness—

The First Dream smiled.

Everything...

Silence.

...proceeds exactly as expected.

Meanwhile—

SMACK.

Kael grabbed his head.

"...OW!"

Eternia lowered her hand.

"...Enough excuses."

Kael stared in disbelief.

"...Why violence?!"

"...Because."

"...THAT ISN’T AN ANSWER."

Leon quietly stood nearby.

Trying very hard not to laugh.

Failing terribly.

Eternia crossed her arms.

"...My hair and eye color are normal."

Kael pointed dramatically.

"No!"

"...Hm."

"Half dark!"

"...Hm."

"Purple eyes!"

"...Hm."

"Suspicious!"

Eternia narrowed eyes.

Strange.

Very strange.

Because part of her wanted to argue.

But another part...

Felt distracted.

Pain.

Darkness.

Eyes.

Dream.

Something.

Gone.

Again.

Why?

Why did she keep feeling like she forgot something?

Shatter’s memories remained crystal clear.

Every humiliation.

Every betrayal.

Every wound.

Back then life wasn’t life.

No laughter.

No games.

No friends.

No childhood.

Only survival.

Only strength.

Only loneliness.

Back then people smiled before stabbing you.

People praised before abandoning you.

People cared only after power appeared.

No one looked at Shatter.

Not truly.

Not as a person.

Only as usefulness.

Only as a weapon.

Yet now—

Kael argued beside her.

Leon awkwardly smiled.

People waited for her.

Talked to her.

Dragged her into ridiculous situations.

Shatter would have called this stupidity.

Weakness.

Distraction.

But Eternia...

Eternia liked it.

That realization felt strange.

Very strange.

Kael suddenly blinked.

"...Wait."

Slowly.

Very slowly. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

He smiled.

Dangerous smile.

"...Leon."

Leon froze.

"...Hm?"

"...You almost casted a spell earlier right?"

Silence.

Leon’s eyes widened.

"...Y-yes?"

Kael suddenly formed water.

Tiny sphere.

Very tiny.

Leon blinked.

"...Kael."

"...Hm?"

"...Don’t."

"...Hm?"

"...Kael."

Silence.

Kael grinned.

Then—

SPLASH.

Water hit Leon directly.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Leon froze.

Dripping.

Slowly—

Very slowly—

He stood.

"..."

"..."

"...Kael."

Kael laughed.

Laughed loudly.

Very loudly.

Then ran.

Immediately.

Leon shouted.

"I ALMOST DID IT!"

Kael screamed while running.

"THAT’S WHY IT WAS FUNNY!"

"I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Watching them—

Eternia blinked.

Then—

Smirked.

Small smirk.

Because Shatter remembered running too.

Once.

Long ago.

Not for fun.

Never for fun.

Running from monsters.

Running from nobles.

Running from death.

Running from hunger.

Always running.

No one chased him playfully.

No one laughed.

No one waited.

Maybe...

Maybe this body really changed things.

Maybe fate changed things.

Maybe...

She wasn’t Shatter anymore.

"...Stop running."

Neither listened.

"...Train."

Still nothing.

Eternia sighed.

Then chased.

Kael turned.

Laughing.

Then—

Another water ball.

Leon dodged.

Perfectly.

Silence.

Very long silence.

Water struck Eternia directly.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Silence.

Kael slowly stopped running.

Leon slowly stopped running.

Both looked terrified.

Extremely terrified.

Eternia stood there.

Wet.

Very wet.

Head lowered.

Silence.

Long silence.

Very long silence.

Then—

She smiled.

Dangerous.

Very dangerous.

"...It’s on."

Kael paled.

Leon paled.

Mana exploded.

First Tier Water.

First Tier Cold.

Expansion.

Range.

Fusion.

BOOOOOOM.

Snow erupted.

White storm swallowed everything.

Ground froze.

Trees turned silver.

Cold wind exploded outward.

Within moments—

Entire training grounds transformed.

Snowfield.

Massive snowfield.

Silence.

Kael blinked.

"..."

Leon blinked.

"..."

"...RUN."

Too late.

THUD.

Snowball.

Direct hit.

Kael screamed.

"BETRAYAL!"

Leon looked shocked.

"...You can make snow?!"

THUD.

Direct hit.

Leon joined battlefield.

Then chaos began.

Absolute chaos.

Snowballs flew.

Magic exploded.

Kael hid behind barriers.

Leon accidentally shattered trees.

Eternia launched magical snowstorms.

Laughter echoed.

Hours passed.

Hours.

And for the first time in both Shatter’s lives—

He forgot training.

Forgot revenge.

Forgot survival.

Only for a little while.

Only for a few hours.

But still—

It happened.

And somewhere deep inside—

Shatter smiled too.

Even if no one saw it.

By afternoon—

Three exhausted bodies lay across snow.

Breathing heavily.

Kael stared upward.

"...I hate both of you."

Leon laughed weakly.

Eternia looked toward sky.

Silence.

Warm silence.

Strange silence.

Because she realized something.

Very slowly.

Very quietly.

Very carefully.

...I don’t want this to end.

And that realization—

Terrified her.

Far away—

Unknown eyes watched.

Smiling.

Waiting.