After my mother brought me closer to the crystal,

I placed my hand on it and said [status] as instructed by father Killian.

The moment I finished saying the word,

the crystal started to shine a little and a hologram-like projection appeared in front of it.

%$#@: &^%$# %$#@!*& - Damian

?%$: 3

$#@!: &^%$-#@!

@!`~&: 1

&^^%$#@!%: $#$#

&^%!!$: @??#[email protected]! LV 1

@?=*&^%$#: $#$#

%$#@!: $#$#

&^%$ [email protected]!: $#!

What's written on it ? I don't know, still haven't learned how to read.

The only thing I can in my name from my previous life, Damian.

There's also number 3 below it which may stand for my age, but other than that, everything is alien to me.

Everyone else is looking at the projection half-concerned, half-confused.

[Hmm, there are a few things I want to mention, but first...

What's that gibberish next to his name ?] Asked father Killian

[It looks like a ancient elven language, now that I look at the symbols closely.]

Mother answered totally confused.

[What, way would Arian have another name in ancient language ?] Grandpa asked also confused.

[Well, Arian is already a miracle. Having another bag of surprises isn't that unexpected.

You should already know this, father.]

Father responded to grandpa's question.

[Howard, no matter how much of a miracle Arian is,

being born as a rare half-elf with a rare silver hair and as a cursed red soul which is also considered rare,

now you telling me that he also has a second name in ancient elven language ?

And look at that, isn't that a ultra rare skill "appraisal",

there are only about 20 people that has that skill in the whole Kingdom !!!

Isn't he a little too much of a miracle ?

Tell me son, did you sprinkle pixie dust or dragon scale powder on your tool

before doing the job to get a child like this ?!?]

Calm down grandpa, you gonna get a heart attack if you continue like that.

Also that last part was unnecessary... Anyway, I have a appraisal skill ? When did I get that ?

I never even tried to do something like shouting appraisal at the top of my lungs

while staring at something really hard, as I never expected to have something so convenient.

Also, what is that cursed red soul he mentioned ?

Ugh, so many questions, so little answers...

[Calm down father, don't be so loud you'll scare Arian.

Also, weren't it you yourself who said to be prepared for this ?]

Father tried to calm grandpa a little.

[Howard's right. Also, his second name could be explained as something he has as a elf.

Every elf has a second name, even I do.

The only weird thing is that his name is written in ancient elven language...]

Mother also added, making grandpa relax a little.

"cough" "cough"

[Excuse me, I know you are all confused a little about all this, but can we continue ?]

Father Killian asked after he interrupted the conversation.

[Yes, of course father, I'm sorry I lost my cool like that.

It's just that Arians whole existence is too overwhelming for an old man like me.]

Grandpa apologised.

[No, no it's understandable. After my talk with Howard and Lia at the party,

I was really excited to see Arians status. But seeing it now, I'm not that surprised, really.]

Father Killian answered

[We, beg your pardon ?] Grandpa asked.

Of course, everyone was surprised by his statement.

[I'm sure you all know what a hero is, right ?]

Father Killian, where are you going with that ?

Are you suggesting that I'm some destined hero or something ?

[Of course, nearly every story is plagued with them...]

Grandpa answered, also confused as to where is father Killian going with this.

[Well, those stories must have gotten an inspiration from somewhere, right ?

Hero is nothing but a title given to the person who did many outstanding deeds after all...

But in most of those stories, hero's come from a poor family's or are orphans,

who after many trials and hardship become who there are at the end of the story, right ?]

[Father, where are you going with this ?]

Mother asked. Thank you, just get to the point already !

[Well, just think of Arian as someone who has the potential to become a hero, simple as that.]

You know, you could have just said that immediately and be done with it.

But with that passion in your voice, father, are you perchance a fan of hero stories ?

[Or a villain if we go by your logic, right father ?] Grandpa asked.

[Yes, that is also a possibility. That's why you are here, to not let him go down the wrong path.]

Father Killian answered calmly.

[Although you say that, but he doesn't have any attribute,

so magic is automatically out of the window. Mother will be sad when she hears that.]

Father said that after he looked at the projection again.

[That leaves him with only sword, spear, axe or bow but with his body, that would be hard to imagine.

I was hoping that he would have an attribute so he could become a mage or a wizard,

but if its like this, we would need to strengthen his body first...]

Grandpa was concerned, thinking what to do next.

[Aren't you forgetting about something ? We live in Veles village after all.]

Killian asked as grandpa looked at him as if he's just cursed his mother.

[Excuse me, but is there a problem with that ?]

Father Killian was confused because of grandpa's reaction.

[No, it isn't a problem. It's just that Father is very strongly against the concept

of people absorbing ma.beast soul cores, effectively becoming beasts themselves.]

Father answered with a smile as he scratched his head.

[I could understand the concern, not too long ago they were treated like monsters,

but that was only because of superstition and religion at the time.

Now it's being treated as an honorable way of life and a lot of parents

are encouraging their children to become one.]

Father Killian answered as he understood what the problem was.

[Is being a "Eater" the only option he has ?] Grandpa asked.

[No, there are always other options. But if you asked me,

being a "Eater" would be ideal for Arian who has a red soul....

By the way, what do you know about the soul types ?]

As father Killian was explaining, he suddenly stopped and asked a question.

Yes, this was bugging me for awhile now, please explain.

[Not much, only that you could determine which soul type someone has

based on the color of their eyes and that yellow and orange are the most common ones.]

Grandpa answered.

[Correct, there are 3 soul categories, demon, dragon and human category. Each category has 3 soul types.

Red, dark red and black in demon category, dark blue, blue and light blue in dragon category

and orange, yellow and white in human category. Overall there are 9 soul types.]

Father Killian answered.

[Then Lia has a dragon type soul ?] Father looked at mother and asked.

[Well yes, it's rare but there are elves with dragon type souls.] Father Killian answered.

[So Lia is also a rare case huh, and here I was wondering from whom did Arian inherit that surprise bag.]

Grandpa answered jokingly.

[So what has this got to do with "Eater" being the best path for Arian to take ?] Father asked.

[Well, as you all know, killing ma.beasts will result in absorption of their soul fragments.

This makes our own soul bigger and stronger and in turn, also our bodies.

This is measured in the status by levels. However, absorbing the ma.beast soul core

will result in our soul becoming similar to that of a ma.beast the soul core belonged to.

This is also reflected on the body. Absorbing multiple soul cores could result in our soul

becoming a higher soul type, for Arian that would be dark red and then black soul type.]

Father Killian explained. From what I could gather from grandma's stories,

ma.beast is actually just a short version of their real name, magic beast.

They're something like monsters in RPG, and it's one of the adventures jobs to hunt them down.

[Wait, wouldn't that result in him becoming a real devil ?] Mother asked.

[Better be a healthy devil than a unhealthy human or in this case, half-elf.

I could understand your concerns if we lived in Holy Gaia Empire, but luckily we do not.

Thanks to our Kingdoms racial law, you could freely walk on the streets

without fearing to be discriminated even if you are a devil or even a dragon.]

Father Killian answered.

[I see, Then it has been decided. Too bad we need to give up on the sword and magic...]

Grandpa said disappointedly.

[Oh no, on the contrary. You should teach him both sword and magic even if he could not use it yet.

Here's my advice, right at the beginning of the next cycle,

have him run around the mansion to build his stamina

and swing a wooden sword or something to straighten his arms.

See how it go and the adjust his training if needed.

And when he's about 4 cycle old, have mrs.Abbey start teaching him about magic.

And as Howard and Lia are already leaving in 3 lun,

it would be best for Arian to occupy himself with something to do.]

Father Killian answer make grandpa happy,

but he said something that I have been overheating from time to time.

There are 10 months in this world called lun, and each has about 36-37 days called sol.

So are mother and father leaving somewhere in about 3 months ?

[Leaving ?] I asked.

[Oh, don't worry Arian, mama and papa are going on a adventure for a while,

well be back in no time.] Mother said with a sad smile.

Liar...