Luna 2

"Welcome home dear."

"Mom."

Luna rushed from the carriage into the arms of the middle-aged woman ahead.

"I've missed you guys." Luna said as she nested her head in her mother's arms.

"I've missed you too." The woman brushed her daughter's head and said lovingly.

"What about brother and dad?" Luna asked.

"They're a bit busy now. They will meet us for dinner so don't worry."

"Alright." Luna responded before taking a short glance around.

'The number of servants is smaller than they were before.' Luna thought, but she held back her sadness so as not to affect her reunion with her family.

In truth, she wasn't bothered about her family maintaining their status, but Luna knew that though she felt this way, others didn't and would want to avoid such a situation no matter what. For example, her parents.

. . .

Later that evening, Luna's elder brother, a young man in his early 20s, came home and met up with her. Her elder brother was the one who cared the most about her in the family as well so the only sibling she had. Being the last born as well as the only daughter, it was natural that she would receive his love and attention so, the relationship between the two siblings was close.

An hour later, her father returned and the family gathered together for dinner. The viscount was a middle-aged man in his early late 30s-early 40s. He had a black van dyke beard with black hair and a gaunt figure.

During the meal, Luna talked about her experience in the academy, especially the most recent event which was the test in the Manchurian forest that had ended very differently from what was expected. When she was retelling the event, Luna made sure to mention how she ended up in the same group as Asher and also exaggerated her relationship with him a bit; albeit she didn't take it too far and only claimed that they became friends.

"Oh, poor dear. You must have been so frightened." Luna's mother said worriedly as she glanced at her daughter with emotion.

"I was alright, mom. Although I was scared, I had strong friends who could help watch my back."

Saying this, Luna recalled how the event had really played out. Even though she was a mage and had gone to the same academy, it was as if she couldn't hold a candle to Asher and his teammates. No, it wasn't 'as if', it was a certainty. She indeed couldn't compare to them. Even if Asher, Owen, and Melissa, the team's top 50 rankers, were excluded, James and Noah were considerably stronger than she was.

"Hmm. It's a good thing you're alive." Luna's father said.

While his words sounded caring, his tone sounded unbothered and this was further confirmed by the fact that his attention was on his food even when he spoke.

Unlike his wife, he didn't seem to be bothered by his daughter's experience.

When the viscount spoke, the atmosphere in the dining hall visibly changed. Luna's mother seemed to sigh but no sound was produced. Her brother frowned at his father's behaviour but he didn't say a word, whereas Luna kept her head down; not surprised but not unaffected by his reaction.

"By the way,"

The viscount continued as if nothing had occurred. He cut a piece of steak and said.

"Marquis Jonathan's son seems to have taken a liking to you."

"!!" Luna's brother and mother widened their eyes in shock.

"Father!" Luna yelled.

"Hmm?" The viscount's aura erupted as he raised his head and glanced at his daughter with stern eyes.

Even with the past life and death experience she had, Luna was incapable of resisting the aura of a fifth-stage Guardian mage especially since the mage was her father.

"Manners on the table." The man sternly said before putting the chopped steak in his mouth and chewing on it.

Although the master of the house hadn't said much, just that statement and the fact that he had brought it up here meant that the man was already considering a certain motion.

"But dear, Luna is still too young." Her mother spoke up.

"My mother got married at 16 years and even her sister got engaged at 14 years of age. If anything, she can be considered ripe." The viscount replied.

Luna's mother kept quiet as he realized that it would be impossible to convince her husband right now. If anything, it seemed like he had prepared for them.

Luna's composure was slowly breaking down on the other side of the table as she gripped her dress tightly underneath the table. Tears welled up in her eyes but she held them back and tried to act normal at the table. Even though she was sad, Luna didn't want to ruin the family's first reunion in six months like this.

"Even so..." Luna's brother spoke up with a deep frown on his face.

"Hmm?" The viscount paused his eating and looked at his one and only son, the future heir to the family.

"The kingdom's rules are quite different from what they were forty-five years ago. A legal age for marriage has been put in place by the combined efforts of the Departments of Personnel and the Department of Punishment and Censures. Marriage under the age of 16 is forbidden." The young man who wasn't a full-grown adult replied.

When the viscount heard the words 'Department of Punishment and Censures', he frowned as he realized he had failed to consider some things. Nonetheless, he had already planned on crossing this bridge and had no intentions of turning back now.

"No rush. We don't need to get her married; just an engagement alone could do."

"Father!"

Luna's brother stood up and roared after his father made his point clear.

"You dare?!" The viscount glanced at his son with a piercing gaze.

The young man was only a peak third-stage Guardian mage, so under the gaze of his father, his bearing seemed to falter. However, a side glance at his little sister who was quietly crying invigorated him. He remained standing while looking at his father with a grievous look on his face.

"Hmph." The viscount snorted, sending a blast of mana along with his breath.

The mana struck his son and forced the young man to his knees as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"If it weren't because you're my son and have been doing well lately, I would have killed you for that." The viscount said.

"Even so, don't push me again, or else..."

Saying so, the viscount stood up and left the room.

The young man's body went cold as he still found it difficult to believe that his father had not only attacked him to the point of spitting blood but had also threatened him with death. Although he was already aware that their father had been on the extreme end as of late, he never expected things to be this bad.

"Brother!" Luna rushed to her brother's side and hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry. Please don't do that again. I'm sorry." Luna cried.

Her mother also rushed to her son's side with a handkerchief and tried to calm his breathing.

The heir to the Cayne family was escorted away by one of the few remaining servants to receive treatment while Luna went to her room with a sobbing face. This night was destined to be a sleepless one for her.

Despite having grown up in a noble family, Luna wasn't the type of child who was obsessed with riches and influence. On the contrary, she just wanted a simple and comfortable life; not necessarily wealthy. However, her father was different.

Not only was the man an ambitious individual, but he was also greedy. This could easily be seen from how he hid the news of the fake magic crystal mine and wanted full control over it. As a viscount who had inherited the title, Luna's father also wouldn't want his family's heritage to come to an end during his reign as the family head. All of these made him more irate and prone to anger.

Luna understood that both her brother and father were under pressure, especially from the branch families, so she did her best not to make matters worse. However, her father's decision of using her for a political marriage didn't sit well with her. This was especially so since when she could think for herself, her parents had treasured her, and both sworn not to give away their only daughter in such a manner. Now, however, those words seemed to be nothing more than a memory.

'There has to be a way. If only I can become a fifth-stage Guardian mage or even a sixth-stage Guardian mage, then everything would be fine.' Luna bit her lips tightly as she sat in front of the lone desk in her room.

A look around and one would notice that the room was lacking the noble air of the favourite daughter of an aristocratic family. This was because some of the items that had previously been in the room were sold to fund her tuition at the academy.

'But, excluding whether I have the potential or not, it would take a lot of time. Even brother, despite going to the First Dawn Academy too, is still a peak rank third-stage Guardian mage after graduation. Then what can I do?'

Luna glanced at the ceiling of her room. As she was lost deep in thought, a face suddenly appeared in her mind.

'If I can't get stronger, I have to make the family stronger and become a valuable asset. White Maple chamber of commerce.' Luna's eyes glistened.

'I have to get my family a seat.'