Primordial Heir: Nine Stars

Finally, he had achieved it. The tension that had coiled within him for so long began to ease. One might have assumed that a youth raised in the secluded back mountains of the Raizen family would be ignorant of these harsh realities. But Nero was no fool. He had spent his life solitude not only training his body but also observing, reading, and understanding the ruthless world outside. And now, he had secured his weapon.

”Your father will try to get you to come back after he learns you’ve awakened a second Law, especially the Law of Lightning,” Khione said, her voice quiet but certain. She had listened to his reasoning for going public and found it sound, but this was the unavoidable consequence.

Nero, who held her comfortably against his chest, let out a long, heavy sigh. Khione could feel his mood darken, and she understood why. If you knew his history, his reaction made perfect sense.

He had been labeled a cursed child, shunned by his own family, and left to fend for himself since he was young. If he hadn’t mustered the courage to cut ties and forge his own path, he would likely still be wasting away in some forgotten corner of the Raizen estate, alone and ignored. His father, the clan patriarch, was aware of everything that happened within the family yet never lifted a finger to help. To him, his children were not loved ones; they were tools to be used for the clan’s glory. This was a common mindset among the powerful families, but his father took it to an extreme. His burning ambition was to surpass the strongest clan, the Samael imperial family, and he was willing to do anything to achieve it.

He had initially allowed Nero to leave the family and take his mother’s surname, Adams, seeing no value in a son who seemed to possess no great power. Azariah Raizen had, however, been keeping a distant watch on Nero ever since he awakened the Law of Fire. If he were to learn that his son had now also awakened the Raizen family’s signature Law of Lightning, he would never stand idly by. He would move heaven and earth to drag Nero back into the fold, by any means necessary. Hence, Khione’s pointed question.

”Like hell I’ll ever go back to that place,” Nero declared, his voice calm but firm as still water. ”The day I left and took my mother’s name was the day I severed all ties. He can try whatever he wants; I’m not going back. I am an Adams now, and that’s who I’ll be forever.” He rarely showed strong emotion, but now, all he felt for his former clan was cold disdain. They were strangers to him.

”I will support you,” Khione stated loyally. ”But you should know he won’t give up. It might even lead to a war. From what I know of that man, if he can’t have something, he’ll make sure no one can.”

Nero didn’t doubt her words for a second. He knew his father’s character all too well.

”Then I’ll destroy them if he forces my hand,” Nero said with a quiet confidence that left no room for doubt. ”The Raizen family will disappear, and in its place, the Adams family will rise to join the seven great families, even becoming their leader. You will be my queen, and our children will be exceptional.” Ever since he awakened his first Law, he had considered the possibility of a conflict with the Raizen clan. He would not hesitate to protect the future he was building.

”For now, his hands are tied because I’m still a cadet at the academy, which grants me two years of official protection,” Nero explained, his mind clearly having already mapped out the political landscape. ”If he tries anything, it will be when I’m outside on missions. Besides, now that I have you, he’ll think twice. Your father knows about our relationship. Any dissatisfaction he had with me will vanish the moment he learns about the dual Laws, and he’ll start thinking of ways to tie me to the Undine family forever. He may love you, but he is still a clan head; the clan’s benefit comes first. So, I’ve inadvertently earned his protection—his reasoning will be that he’s protecting his future son-in-law.”

He continued, laying out his strategy. ”The reason I’m choosing not to hide this is also to draw the attention of Lux’s father and Adam’s father. We are friends, and if their clans can’t have me join them, building a strong relationship with me becomes essential. This is how I earn their protection, too.”

Khione was silent for a moment, taking in his shrewd calculation, before a soft chuckle escaped her lips. ”You are really clever. I like that.”

”Happy to hear that, my little ice queen.”

The small boat, guided by its quiet magic, continued its gentle path. The heavy conversation about power and politics slowly melted away, replaced once more by the simple, profound peace of the night. The tension in Nero’s shoulders eased as he focused on the woman in his arms and the beauty surrounding them.

Reaching into the unseen space of his spatial ring, he retrieved a slender bottle of pale white wine and two delicate crystal glasses. The soft pop of the cork was a festive sound in the otherwise quiet atmosphere. He poured the sparkling liquid, caught, catching th light and looking like they held captured stars. He handed one to Khione, their fingers brushing as she took it.

”To us,” he said softly, his voice a warm murmur. ”And to nights like this.”

”To us,” she echoed, her voice as clear and cool as the wine they sipped.

The wine was crisp and slightly sweet, a perfect complement to the fragrant night air. They drank in comfortable silence, watching the world drift by. The boat carried them under a canopy of weeping willow trees, their long, trailing branches creating a curtain of shimmering leaves. For a moment, they were in a private, green-hued world, the light dappled and magical. Then they would emerge into an open stretch, where the moon shone full and bright on the water, turning its surface into a sheet of rippling silver.

They passed banks crowded with night-blooming jasmine, its intoxicating scent wrapping around them like a perfumed blanket. They glided by a sculpture of a graceful swan, its stone form glowing in the celestial light. It was a scene from a dream, serene and perfect.

Nero set his glass down and drew her closer. Khione leaned into him, her head resting against his shoulder, her white hair soft against his cheek. He could feel the steady, calming rhythm of her breathing. He looked down at her face, illuminated by the moon. Her usually cool, composed features were softened, her lips curved into a faint, contented smile.

The boat drifted into a tunnel of wisteria, the heavy purple blossoms hanging down around them like a regal tapestry. The air was thick with their sweet, grape-like scent. In this intimate, flower-draped corridor, the world outside ceased to exist.

Nero gently tilted her chin up. Her crystal-blue eyes met his, and in them, he saw not ice, but a deep, trusting warmth. He leaned in slowly, giving her every chance to pull away. She didn’t. Instead, she met him halfway.

Their lips met in a kiss that was as soft and gentle as the moonlight bathing them. It was not a kiss of frantic passion, but of deep, abiding affection. It was a silent promise, a seal on the bond they had reaffirmed tonight. It spoke of shared secrets, of unwavering support, and of a love that was their sanctuary in a complicated world.

Above them, the wisteria blossoms seemed to glow with a light of their own. A few loose petals, shaken by the gentle motion of the boat, drifted down around them like scented purple snow, catching in their hair and on their clothes. The only sounds were the soft lapping of water and the whisper of their shared breath.

It was a moment of pure, unadulterated romance. It was beautiful.

When they finally parted, they didn’t speak. No words were needed. A soft, happy blush colored Khione’s cheeks as she nestled back against him, her hand finding his and lacing their fingers together. They stayed that way, wrapped in each other and the beauty of the night, until the boat completed its journey, carrying them back to the shore, their hearts full and perfectly in sync.

From the shadow, the shadow guard heard everything, she decided to inform her master, Khione’s father but suddenly she felt chill down her spine, a pair of chilling blue eyes were staring into her direction. Khione was telling her to disappear to let her have her private moment, not to say anything weird if not she knew what would happen.

The shadow guard chuckled. ’’To think the young mistress will change so much. This young man is sure something. The master will bit his lips in jealousy again but he knows what his important. Sigh! Children grow so fast.’’ she dissolved like a mirage shortly later.