Familiar Figure

After a few minutes, Morgan decided to stay longer in the tub. It is so that he can analyse his- or more accurately, the previous owner of the body's memories. He decided to do this so that people around him won't doubt or suspect him when he's interacting with them.

*****

An hour later

Knock... Knock... Knock...

"Young master?... Young master?" A female voice sounded through Morgan's ears while he is focused on analysing the memories. From the sound of the voice, it appears to be the servant that made his hot bath. Irritated, Morgan answered...

"Yes, what is it?" He said, hiding his irritation.

"The grandmaster demands your presence at the meeting hall." The servant answered.

"... Okay, I'll be there in a moment." Morgan replied with a dissatisfied look on his face, the servant obviously couldn't see him. He is dissatisfied due to the fact that he haven't even analysed the full memories. And here he is, already gonna meet with probably the strongest person in this place.

"..." The servant didn't reply anymore and just stayed on her station.

Irritated, Morgan immediately got out of the tub, went to the wardrobe and took the clothes he fancied the most, and went straight to the door. But when he is about to open it, he stopped midway, and he formed his hands into a fist. He then whispered to himself...

"Okay, from now on, I am Ashenn Vanheid... No more Morgan Quinn... Only Ashenn Vanheid.' After briefing himself, Mor- no, Ashenn now opened the door and left for the meeting hall.

On his way there however, he met a familiar individual...

"Oh brother! You okay now?" It was actually the previous owne- no, it was actually his sister from yesterday, Lily Vanheid. She is wearing a long yellow dress this time, it has black floral designs all over it. And behind her is still the servant with her yesterday.

"Looking good brother! When did you decide to be so flamboyant?" Lily said as she looked up and down at her flashy brother. He is wearing a long and shiny purple robe with intricate golden patterns on it.

'Crap, I should've checked on that first before choosing the clothes to wear.' Ashenn thought to himself, regretting over something that cannot be reverted anymore.

Gulp... "We-well yeah! I decided to mix things up." Said Ashenn trying to make the most natural smile he could.

"Nonetheless, I'm sorry I wasn't able to tend to you yesterday. Don't worry, I'll make it up to you today." Ashenn added, redirecting the topic. From what he currently know, 'he' deeply loved his sister, to the point that he'd do almost anything for her. So he thought that she would doubt him if he didn't do anything to make it up for yesterday.

"Nonsense brother! You were sick then you know?" Lily said in a dissatisfied tone due to her brother's selflessness.

"Oh, is that so." Ashenn replied with a bit of a surprised tone. But he immediately suppressed it.

'Well this sister of mine ain't that bad after all. I thought she's gonna be a spoiled brat. Not that I'm complaining though.' Thought Ashenn, it is because he doesn't know everything about his sister yet. For he haven't analysed all of his memories yet. He even barely know all of the names and faces of his relatives and people commonly around him.

"Buuuuutt... If you really do insist. I suppose spending more time with me would do." Lily said in a cute tone and playful smile as she started walking, Ashenn felt chills run down his spine as he followed his sister.

'What mess have I gotten myself into this time?' He thought, but he just shook it off immediately before saying to Lily...

"I'll spend more time with you after I've gone to the meeting hall. Where are you going by the way?" He asked.

"Brother? Are you sure you're okay already?" Asked Lily as she stopped walking and looked at her big brother.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Why?" Ashenn said, oblivious as to why his sister suddenly brought that up. He followed suit and stopped walking too.

"Where am I going? Seriously? Has your sickness yesterday affected your brain that you've forgotten the very reason you're even here in the first place?" Lily said, bombarding Ashenn with questions.

"..." Ashenn didn't answer, instead, his face turned into that of a confused one.

"Ofcourse I'm going where your going!" Lily hinted to her big brother.

"Wait, were you also summoned by the grandmaster?" Still oblivious, Ashenn asked innocently.

'Reason? Here in the... first place?' He then thought to himself.

"What? No- well technically yes but... NO! It's the big day today! Grandfather summoned us and our cousins regarding the next heir to the title of grandmaster!" Lily said, deciding she cut this guessing game. Now she felt that her big brother is just playing ignorant with her.

'Summoned? Oh! I'm such an imbecile! How can I not analyse the memories that I'm supposed to do today first! Such an idiot!' Ashenn scolded his self in his mind.

"Oh! That! That's today? I totally forgot!" He replied while he hammered his fist onto his other palm. He did his best trying to do an impression of a person finally recalling something.

'You just don't care about it cause you don't have confidence that you can win over the title. Why don't you believe in yourself a little more brother?' Lily thought while heaving a sigh of dissatisfaction in her mind.

"Nevermind." She rolled her eyes and waved off the topic but there is a visible look of dissatisfaction in her face. She then started walking again, Ashenn then followed her again.

'Great! Now she doubting me! She must be thinking that her brother had changed! I better analyse all of the memories after all of this is done. Or this will turn into a bloody mess sooner or later.' Ashenn overreacted in his mind.

"I can help you merge the memories and your soul. That way, you won't have to worry about the long time analysing it. You'd also feel the memories like it was your own. You also wouldn't feel any bit of pain." Veronica butted in as she advised and lent a late helping hand.

'What!? You can do that? Why didn't you say so earlier?' Ashenn complained to Veronica, he was so angry that a frown broke out of his face due to shock and anger.

"Mhmm? Brother? Why the long face?" Lily asked after noticing her big brother frown.

"Oh it's nothing, I just remembered something unpleasant." Ashenn replied, the once frown turned into a smile.

"But you didn't asked me. And I didn't wanna ruin your focus. You looked desperate this time... sooo... yeah." Veronica butted in again. Her way of speech seemed to have changed into that of a human's. But Ashenn is currently too mad to notice.

'Damn, all that effort for nothing. Sigh... Fine, just do it.' Ashenn could only give up on the argument and just accepted the helping hand.

"Ding! Memories x Soul Merging. 1%...2%... 3%..."

Ashenn had mixed emotions about this notification, but he just ignored it and didn't anger his self any longer. But because of this, he didn't notice that he's stopped on his tracks. And at that moment he finally realised it and noticed his sister looking at him weirdly.

"Brother, are you really sure you're okay?" Lily asked her big brother again with a questioning look and tone.

"Yeah, I'm okay... Anyway.., to the meeting hall we go." Ashenn waved off the topic and gestured his hands to his sister to lead the way. Lily just shook off the topic for now and continued walking.

On the tandem's way there, they talked about their journe- no it's actually more like Lily talking about her journeys while Ashenn just mostly nodded in agreement or replied with 'yes', 'uh-huh', 'yeah', and 'okay'. It is not simply because he chose to, he really did not have any choice. He still doesn't have anything to talk about 'his' journeys. But nonetheless, he still listened to his sister attentively.

'So this is what it feels like huh?.. To have a sister... To have... a family.' He emotionally thought in his mind, still smiling at his sister. Finally, for the first time in his two lives. His burning fire of nigh insatiable hunger for the company, care, and most importantly, the love of a family has been quenched partly.

"Ding! Memories x Soul Merge Process Completed."

"Awww, here already? I still had lots to talk about." Lily pouted as she stopped walking. Pulled back to reality by both Lily and Veronica, Ashenn also stopped. Only at that moment that he only noticed that they were already at their destination. Coupled with that are the tsunami like memories that forced their way inside Ashenn's min- no more like his soul, and flooded him with memories that are barely recognisable of whom their owner really are.

The two are at the front of double, fancy wooden doors and at it's side is a what seemed to be a butler. Noticing the duo arrive the butler immediately bowed and opened the doors, the two then entered. What unfolded before them is a medieval looking gray windowless walls. In the middle is a big oval table that should at least have the capacity of seating 60 people, and it's almost full at that. The ages of the people seated varies from old to young, regardless of gender. And that's literally all there is to it, and the room is being lit by torches attached to the wall.

The talking people, upon seeing the duo, only looked for a moment and continued chatting with each other again. The duo then just continued and proceeded to their seats. Ashenn, who now have the full memories, knew where he'd sit. Apparently, each seat there are designated to a specific person. And it is rude to sit on a seat not designated to you. It's actually as rude as taking one's wife.

Upon sitting, Ashenn caught a glance on some youths, it's his cousins actually. Trying to get more affection from a family, Ashenn smiled at them. But unfortunately, what came back were only cold stares.

'Huh, weird. They aren't supposed to be like that. It says in my memory that they're friendly to me even since childhood.' Ashenn, who now know everything just as well as the previous owner of the body does, thought, noticing that something is different with his cousins. But Ashenn's contemplation is interrupted when the doors opened and the butler announced...

"Attention! The grandmaster is here!"