May 1st, 1346, Early Morning
Aaron was awakened by his personal valet and went to the washroom to take care of his needs. Walking down the long corridor toward the first-floor hall, he suddenly heard a voice call out from behind him, "Brother!" At the same time, he felt a weight settle on his shoulders. His spiritual intuition hadn't given any warning, so Aaron didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.
"Aphne, are you starving? Do you want your big brother to carry you downstairs for breakfast?"
A small head peeked over Aaron's shoulder. Golden hair was loosely tied back with a dark blue diamond hairpin, and clear blue eyes blinked beneath long lashes, set in delicate, gentle features.
"Yeah! Big brother, it's been so, so long since you last carried me!"
"And today you're going to the Ancestral Tower to take the potion. Why won't you listen to Mom and Dad and wait a few more years? The earlier you take the potion, the higher the risk of losing control." A trace of worry flashed in Aphne's bright eyes.
Aphne—full name Aphne Will—was twelve years old, Aaron's younger sister and the youngest daughter of the Duke of East Tucker. As a member of an angelic family and a duke's daughter, even at her age, she had a solid understanding of Sequence potions and supernatural powers.
Aaron turned his head slightly and patted Aphne's head, his voice soft and reassuring. "Aphne, you're already so grown-up. You're telling me this now because you don't want Mom and Dad to overhear and worry, right? Don't worry. Your big brother never does things unprepared. I'm confident—and besides, Father and Mother will both be there. Father has already become a demigod. He can protect me."
The current Duke of East Tucker, Gusman Will, had advanced to Sequence 4 "Iron-Blooded Knight" of the Red Priest pathway six years prior. He commanded the East Tucker Fleet and oversaw all matters related to MI9 in East Tucker County.
"Alright... but you have to be careful, Aaron. Mom and I will be waiting for you at home."
"Of course. Now, let's go eat." Their voices, one mature and one childish, gradually faded as the two figures walked away.
——
Dining Hall
Exquisitely carved chairs were neatly arranged on either side of the marble dining table. The walls and ceiling were adorned with intricate murals depicting angels with illusory wings and the coat of arms of the Will family.
At the head of the table sat a stern-faced middle-aged man whose very presence exuded authority. Beside him was a gentle-looking woman with golden hair—the current Duke of East Tucker, Gusman Will, and his wife, Duchess Celine Wolf.
The duchess smiled as she watched the siblings descend the stairs. "Aphne, come down from your brother's back now. Aaron, after you advance to Sequence 9 today, come find me. I have a gift for you."
Even the usually rigid duke allowed a rare smile. "Aaron, relax. With me here, there's nothing to worry about. Now, both of you, come eat."
——
After a hearty breakfast, Aaron followed his father to the family's ancestral tower at the heart of their territory—a towering, rust-red copper spire studded with weapons. It was said that the founder of the Will family, the first Duke of East Tucker, an angel who walked the earth, slumbered beneath its foundations.
In the tower's grand hall, the duke stood on a raised platform flanked by two other men with unfathomable auras. Aaron stood among a group of teenagers, the youngest at fifteen but already tall for his age. His eyes flickered with brief surprise as he surveyed the scene.
Unlike Klein, who couldn't conceal his supernatural traits at low sequences, Aaron was confident that his four epochs of fusion with the Nation of Disorder allowed him to consciously strengthen or weaken his connection to the Sephirot, masking its presence. This deception could fool any Beyonder below the level of an angel in their respective pathway.
He had expected to encounter demigods of the Black Emperor and Justiciar pathways within the family, but he hadn't anticipated three of them. Truly befitting an angelic family.
The duke's authoritative voice rang out. "You've all attended mysticism introductory classes, so you know that low-sequence potions are simple to prepare. You represent the future of the Will family. Today, the two elders and I will oversee your advancements."
"Now, when I call your name, come forward to receive your prepared potion and ingest it on the spot."
"Daisy Will, Sequence 9 'Lawyer.'"
"Seorra Will, Sequence 9 'Arbiter.'"
"Marquis Will, Sequence 9 'Hunter.'"
"Harnar Will, Sequence 9 'Apothecary.'"
"Anhel Will, Sequence 9 'Apprentice.'"
Aaron's eyebrows twitched slightly. The Hunter, Lawyer, and Arbiter pathways—all of which could lead to demigod status—were reserved for main family members, while the incomplete sequences were given to branch family descendants.
"A millennium-old angelic family must have its own adaptive rules. But whether there are potions beyond demigod hardly matters. For most, reaching mid-sequences is already the end. The higher the sequence, the greater the risk of madness and loss of control. And with the conservation of Beyonder characteristics, the higher you go, the rarer the ingredients become."
"Aaron Will, Sequence 9 'Arbiter.'"
The Duke's voice snapped Aaron out of his thoughts. He looked around and realized he was the only one left. Quickly rising, he approached the platform.
The two previously silent demigods also lifted their heads, their gazes fixed on Aaron.
Before him, resting in a silver container, was a viscous, pale golden liquid—hard to say whether it was a drink or a solid. Taking a deep breath, Aaron picked it up and swallowed it in one gulp.
A cool, slippery sensation flooded his mouth, slid down his throat, and settled in his stomach. The thick liquid churned inside him, sending waves of icy stimulation through every cell in his body.
His vision blurred instantly. Dark golden mist swirled before his eyes, colors smearing together, while layers upon layers of illusory whispers rose and fell around him.
This feeling—these murmurs—were all too familiar to Aaron. Though his sight was obscured, his mind remained clear.
Soon, the surroundings came into focus. Endless dark golden mist churned beneath a grand, grotesque double-spired palace.
Suddenly, understanding dawned on him. His consciousness plunged downward, merging with his physical form.
The mist dispersed rapidly, and the palace vanished. Aaron opened his eyes. The expected double vision and whispers never came.
"Do you see any abnormal overlapping images? Do you hear voices you shouldn't?" The duke had floated silently to Aaron's side, his tone concerned.
"No double vision, no strange voices. Father, I feel... incredible." To prove it, Aaron hopped lightly in place.
The duke's stern face broke into a smile. "It seems Aaron is naturally suited for the Arbiter pathway. Before long, the Will family will have another Demigod."
The two elders on the platform nodded slightly before vanishing into thin air.