"Even my master is acting a bit weird...."
Mira spoke, her face filled with a frown as she did.
"Things are heading in a direction we can't foresee, and we need to be prepared to deal with it," Grandpa Max spoke as he placed the cup on the table, his old eyes brimming with power as he looked at me.
"I was worried about the future that is heading our way, but after seeing you, I no longer have such worry. You have grown into a splendid young man, little Austie," Grandpa Max spoke, the pride he has for me filling his voice, one which made all the girls in the room smile.
"Now you just have to tell me what plans you have for this upcoming war..." Grandpa Max spoke again, this time leaning against the sofa as he looked at me.
"What makes you think I have a plan?" I asked back with an intrigued voice, to which he looked deep into my eyes.
"I have lived a very dangerous life and a long one. Through my path, I have seen different types of people, and you, my grandson, are showing me the eyes of a conqueror, one that is planning to rise above the rest," his words sounded out in the room as a smile started to fill my face. I do have several plans, each one lighting up in the dark, but I also have plans within the light, one which will make all my family members and the people I care about heroes of the world, one that will grant them great powers and responsibilities, which in the end will lay in my hands.
"Can't fool your eyes, Grandpa Max. I do have my plans, but I can only share them once everything is set in motion," I replied to which he asked.
"Is this because of trust?"
To this, I shook my head as I spoke. "There are no other people I trust more than the people gathered in this room. This isn't about trust, it's just that the plans I have will only work if they move in the way they are supposed to."
My reply made him silent for a moment till he spoke again. "A plan that will only work if we act as we are supposed to, am I right?"
"Bingo," I replied, My answer didn't make the rest of the girls happy, but loving as they all are, they stayed silent. I held my mother's hand while my complex feelings started to fill Mira.
"You can do what you want, my grandson. I will always be behind you to support it, but just know that when things get hard, we will all be beside you," Grandpa Max spoke, his face turning stoic as I replied.
"Of course, don't I know that," my answer was with a stunning smile. Afterward, we all went into a deeper discussion about the future of our family.
....
"How long till you reach supremacy?" Grandpa Max suddenly asked as the room was only left with me and him. For a moment, I was truly surprised as I asked back.
"Grandpa?"
"Don't look surprised. I have seen those ambitions in your eyes, the very ambitions I have seen in all the kings or generals I have slain, the desire to be absolute and have all power in their hands," his words made me silent. It would seem that I let out some true emotions of mine when I am with Grandpa Max, the skill of God-level acting not being able to hold under the happy influence of family or in front of a man that I highly come to respect and care for.
"What makes you think I will succeed?" I asked.
"Well, aren't you my grandson?" Grandpa Max asked back in a knowing voice, his tone lax yet the arrogance in it made me chuckle. My eyes turned serious as I spoke to him.
"I'm not sure. The world is full of uncertainties, and I can't tell how things might end up."
"Will you be able to wrap it all up in 10 years?" He asked.
"I might be," I replied, to which he turned silent, the strong body of his relaxing as the body of a tired man soon played in front of me.
"Grandpa..." I called out as I sat beside him, holding his hand. I know very well the reason for his question, it is due to the very fact that his body and mind won't hold out for much longer. He is old, and he should have retired from the army, but it would seem he keeps rushing into fights, perhaps to get over the fact that while he managed to keep the Empire safe, he couldn't have protected his wife, my grandmother, Nectoria Lionheart.
"Don't worry, I will be able to last for 15 more years," he spoke, to which I bit my lips. If I wanted, I could easily extend his life, keeping him healthy and happy and even extend him to immortality if I am to get permission from Orpheus. But I can't do it, not because I don't want to, just because of the fact that Grandpa Max rejects it.
The day I had got my powers to help him, I did send him a message for it, but he rejected my idea completely. The only reason he stays within the world of the living is to safeguard the Lionheart such that nothing bad might happen to me or my family, his very existence is a threat that keeps several enemies of my family at bay.
But if I reveal my identity, they will all meekly turn away and start licking my family's legs, and I can't do that. If I do, he will directly lose his will and die. It's the coming war and uncertainties of the future keeping him in the world of the living, all my grandfather wants to do is to return back to the embrace of my grandmother, a woman whom I never met yet heard lots about.
His very existence is a sigh of fear across the world. Just a tap from my grandfather and lines of women would form to be with him, his legend etched into the very annals of history, and no mortal and God shall be able to defile all he has done, and for it, I will make sure that he receives everything he should.
Perhaps one day, I might be able to talk to the greatest creation Goddess to bring back my grandma and reunite these two, but I know thats a great pipe dream, breaking that level of mortal-set law is extremely dangerous. And even above that, let's say I bring her back, why don't I bring my father back too?
Now, wouldn't that be for the best?
Yeah, not gonna happen...
If I do that, I will be opening up a can of worms that will come to bite me in the ass in the future.
"Don't worry about me, I am not going to drop dead someday," Grandpa Max spoke in a serious voice, his presence getting back to normal as he stood up from his seat, his back straight as he started to walk out of the room. My eyes were on his back as I leaned onto the sofa.
'All that power yet not able to do a single thing....'
But this didn't pull me down at all as I smiled. Perhaps I won't have to be the one to revive my Grandmother, perhaps he could be the one mysteriously gifted with the chance to resurrect his wife and live a long and happy life till the end.
'Looks like another thing is being added to my bucket list.'
Chuckling to myself, I stood up from the sofa. Right now, all my family members are dealing with their duties, and it's now my time to head towards mine.
'Shira, hope you are ready to see everything burn in front of your eyes....'
With such a thought, I left the room, going to meet my cute little feisty tomboy slave.
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