The noise of people outside, in the city mixed themselves to form an artificial cacophony. The leaves just bloomed right for spring, the distant river flow just well. Everything seems to go by their sequence and flow, yet Xian can't even properly introduce herself.
Feeling the pain of the bitten tongue, Xian covered it to ease the embarrassment infront of the two.
During the times she was traveling with Joana and Federick, she would sneak into the spatial space of hers to practice speaking to other people using Xen's expressionless guidance.
This includes introduction yet right now, that practice worth a couple of hours can't be shown. This show the immaturity of a child.
"You okay, child?" Natalia leaned forward, her dress barely clinging both of her chest in elegant way. Her tone has a mix of confusion and worries.
Xian lick the tongue above her oral passage as she calmed down. She forced a smile as she scratched her head in embarrassment.
"I-Im okay... Uhh, my name is Xian Black." She bowed slightly to the two, unable to show proper introduction.
"You seems to be the same age as Noire?" Natalia turned to Larry and the latter nodded in response.
"Noire, umm, introduce yourself to your sister." Natalia step back against the child and push the girl besides her towards Xian.
Noire looked back at her mother and turned back, sighed and lifted both sides of her dress while slightly bowing down.
"Noire Oddidity."
Her tone... Seems forced, I think she had something to be distance... I guess the fact that me and her are only half sisters.* Xian thought as she tried to mimic Noire actions but unable to do it since she was wearing loose pants instead.
"Hun, I'll prepare the dinner now..." Natalia left the room and walked downstairs to the kitchen and started to prepare the dinner.
Noire on the other hand turned to her father before leaving the room unhurriedly towards the study room downstairs.
"Rest for now Xian or perhaps explore the house, I'll be taking a short leave before dinner to leave a letter at the walls." Larry patted the child's head.
"Your mother would always say this to me but... Rest assured, everything in past cannot be changed... For now, collect your mind and we'll both search for answers to the death of Xen."
After Larry left the room, Xian can't help but slop down the bed, it was softer than her bed back at the forest.
I need to be accepted to this family somewhat and attend the academy my mother wishes in the next two months.
My mother's assailant is still unknown, but they're clearly a huge organization, to summon an ancient species again to this time, they sure have resources.
For now, I need to recollect my mind like father said, I can't change the past, but I can shape the future while living in the present.
Thoughts flies in Xian's head. Aside from hiding the fact that she already entered the 2nd stage transcendence, she also hid the artifact from her own father.
I'll tell him all of this once the time comes, for now, I wanted to be selfish and think for my self, andmy self only.
Cause I the one can only help myself in this world.
...
So that was Xian my father kept talking about in the past. She excludes a strong aura earlier that she seems controlling not to overboard, she was hiding something.
But that doesn't concern my family, it seems she was controlling her aura to suppress it. She was the same as father and father always uses suppression to control his aura too.
But there is something off about her. In any case, I need to gain advantage first and think of uses for her... For now, I should befriend her and we'll know in the future.
You should know too that rushing things would result in failure... Don't mock me, I know what I'm doing!
What? She display a sense enhancement behavior from transcending? You cannot be sure...
Noire kept talking to someone inside her head. The more weirder fact is, she was talking past the book she was holding and staring in the nearby reflection from the window infront of her.
She kept tugging and shaking her right leg in the floor while fidgeting with an ink feather pen. A couple minutes passed, she sense someone looking at her through the door at the entrance of the study room.
A pair of eyes flickered in the dark hallway have shock to Noire as she stumbled at the chair and almost fall when Xian dashed forward and stop her by grabbing the frail girl's hand.
"S-sorry to startle you..." Xian murmured, her head full of thoughts that she forgot to talk loud enough.
"What?" Questioned Noire as she clear herself from the embrace of Xian, positioning the chair slightly back to give space between the two.
"Uh... Sorry to startle you." Xian finally said and noticed Noire clearing her distance to her thus she back away enough for them to talk normally.
"Whatever, I didn't fell and do not just stare at people... Its weird." As Noire said this, she took a glance at Xian and looked at the girl who's embarrassed of herself, a thought flashed in her mind.
Yeah, Father said Xian was being raise in seclusion... That is why she was sometimes clumsy... She is socially stupid.
Xian scratches her head as she murmured something.
"What? You know I can't hear you properly."
"Uh... Ah, Yeah, will never happen again."
After this, Xian took a closer look at Noire.
I can tell she is frail and fragile based on her build, father seems didn't taught Noire to exercise because she's a mage. On more closer look, she resembles her mother, Natalia very clearly than our father.
I need to befriend her if I want to stay here without obstruction such as awkwardness... But shit, I can't even properly introduce myself.
Xian thoughts flies in a matter of seconds that she turned instantly from Noire to the room, scanning it further. There is a table in the side just by the door and at the right opposite of the table to the front of the door is bookshelves neatly stored, at the center is a small bulb of light just by the ceiling.
What's this... Magic or technology?* Xian took a closer look at the bulb of light, back home, the house only had lantern to light, and the two often didn't stay late at night.
Even a small light bulb, she didn't know... She's probably unaware even the latest technology of the empire.
"That's a light bulb, powered by the mage of the household, clearly my mother." Looking at her half sister, Noire can't help but to enlighten her.
"I see, magic."
"Sigh, I'll guide you through the house... Follow me." Noire stood up and neatly placed the book she was holding on the bookshelf beside the window.
Then she starts explaining Xian about the study room. The latter was engaged and properly listened to her sister. They went from the study room, to the living room.
It was consisted of a fireplace opposite of the door from the hallway and at its center is a table, besides both side left and right of the door is a sofa just infront of the table. There are small cabinets at each side of the fireplace and a small fork at the corner for the coals and coal fork.
The window at the left side shows outside and opposite of it is a door towards the kitchen where Natalia is performing her duty as a mother, cooking dinner.
Xian sense of smell was enhanced and clearly known what Natalia is cooking and that is a either beef or deer beef.
The kitchen is divided into two parts, the left side before the door is meant for washing and storing necessities for kitchen and eating while opposite of it is the cooking area with a small ventilation before the actual artificial artifact meant for cooking.
Back at the hallway, the very edge opposite of the entrance is the shower and bathroom compromised of bath tub made of porcelain, shower and a special curtained place meant to excess waste.
At the 2nd floor, there is four rooms, Xian's room which is basically a guest bedroom and opposite of it is another guest bedroom, the master bedroom and the maid's room.
"The maid is named Annie Vicio, she's caring and has been with my family since I was born. Currently she's still outside, replenishing our stocks."
"Oh, she's a transcendent too, I think your mother, uh..."
"Xen."
"Yeah, aunt Xen know her since the three including my father went to the academy here at Neap."
Xian was amazed, remembering the academy, she asked:
"Speaking of Academy, I heard its only two months before the entrance examination arrives... Do father and aunt Natalia planned to make you attend?"
"Tsk." Noire clicked her mouth, her usual neutral face became slightly frowned.
"By statistics, I was born with a massive a slow core..."