The Only Son Amongst The Daughters Of Eros

Aeric ascended the grand staircase leading to the Royal Institution's assembly hall. It was quiet from where he was, but he could hear the murmuring going on up the stairs, inside the assembly hall.

The golden railings gleamed under the morning light filtering through the tall, arched windows, and the faint hum of anticipation was rippling around the air as he walked.

With every step he took, he had flashes of this exact day, a week ago. It was unbidden but vivid. Headmistress Lysandra walking in front of him, leading the way, and him, stupidly gawking at her ass when he was heading to an extremely serious situation.

Aeric scowled at the thought of it. It might have been only a week but he had been so so stupid back then.

He felt so sure in himself and so sure in the system, thinking that it would do everything for him and he didn't have to worry.

'It's all party of the game,' he had believed. What a load of crap. The game was basically his world, and this... this was his life now.

When he had stepped up before everyone and placed his palm on it, the Divine Crystal had not glowed, and that moment had marked the beginning of his ostracization. The whispers, the rumors, the disdainful looks, the onslaught on him led by Aryanne.

It had all stemmed from that single occurrence.

But Aeric knew better now. The Depravity System's intention wasn't to stop the crystal from glowing so people wouldn't know of his high Affinity, it had only silenced the revelation of his true Class, keeping it a secret from everyone.

The lack of light that day had been a mere byproduct of its interference. Once one's light glows, then their Class would surely be revealed.

He finally reached the top of the stairs, his hand brushing over the smooth wooden frame of the assembly hall's door.

Not many people did a Day of Declaration twice. In fact, no one at all did. He was the first. But he was also the first to do many things, such as popping out of a Mother as a male.

Steeling himself, he pushed the door open.

The Divine Speaker, a tall figure in flowing white robes adorned with gold embroidery, turned to face him, his stern expression meeting Aeric as they both recognized each other.

Beside him stood Headmistress Lysandra, her hair tied in a high bun, her piercing eyes fixed on Aeric as she crossed her arms.

In the center of the both of them, the Divine Crystal rested on a pedestal, its surface shimmering faintly, waiting to reveal Aeric's Affinity.

At the end of the hall, the elegantly dressed Daughters of Eros sat in anticipation, some excited, some unbothered, and some curious.

Having mastered the first tier of the [Insight] Skill, Aeric knew how to filter the voices of their thoughts as he strode into the room.

The hall suddenly fell silent on seeing him. Heads turned, eyes followed him, and soft murmurs rippled in his wake. His crimson eyes, sharp and commanding, looked at everyone in the room.

The tailored red and gold outfit his mother gave him that morning hugged his athletic frame perfectly, the cape trailing behind him with just the right amount of flair.

His dark hair, styled with the grace of his maid, Evelyn, framed his face, making him look every bit the heir of Starlight's prestige.

Everyone was captivated, some were enthralled.

Each step he took made him seem more confident than he even believed he was, his boots clicking sharply against the polished floor.

In that moment, Aeric's aura was undeniable, blending quiet arrogance and a commanding presence that left no room for doubt; he belonged here, he was a Child of Eros.

He reached the front row and seated himself in the same chair he had taken the last time, with Meira and Linnette, seated beside him, the newest entrants to the Institution just like him.

But since they had both had successful Declarations during their turns, today, their roles were as spectators.

The Divine Speaker cleared his throat, and heightened his voice. "We are gathered here today," he began, "for the second attempt of the Declaration of Divinity for Son Aeric of Starlight." His tone was solemn, laced with gravity.

"Approach the Divine Crystal, Son Aeric!"

Aeric rose as his name was called. All eyes followed him as he made his way to the stage, his every step measured, his head held high.

The Divine Crystal called on to him as it sat on the pedestal with no glow at all on its glass like texture.

"Place your palms upon the crystal," the Speaker instructed.

Aeric stepped forward, his hands hovering momentarily above the crystal before pressing down firmly.

The hall seemed to hold its breath. For a moment, there was silence, the crystal didn't spark up with any glow.

'Hah! I knew it. The Divinity still refuses to accept him! He's still a damn abominati—'

But slowly, the light came. First, the Divine Speaker let out a sigh of relief, he didn't want to be dragged here again to attempt another Declaration. But then his eyes widened.

The light was increasing. It had been a faint red at first, but it grew brighter and brighter.

Gasps erupted from the crowd as the light intensified, a searing, blinding red that filled the hall.

'Welp. I guess the Priest was right about the intensity of my glow.' Aeric thought, watching everyone gasp and cover their faces.

The others that could stand the bright light, had surprise etched on their faces. The glow was unlike anything they had ever seen, its intensity far surpassing any previous Declaration.

From outside the Institution, the window of the assembly hall was pierced by red rays of bright light, shining through even at day.

And inside it was even brighter. The teachers: Lady Magda, Elzibeth, Savana, Cresttla, and many others were in disbelief. And so was the Headmistress.

The Divine Speaker squinted against the brilliant light, his voice faltering as he spoke. "I, the Divine Speaker of the Royal Institution, declares that Son Aeric of Starlight possesses an Affinity of Divinity, two hundred percent!"

The hall erupted.

"Two hundred percent?!" Explore stories on empire

"Impossible! No one's ever reached such a level!"

"What kind of power is that?"

Aeric stood at the front of it everyone, his hand still on the crystal. He was smiling, but it didn't show in his faceless expression.

He hadn't expected such a blinding red. But the shock, the awe, the disbelief, them realizing that he was more powerful than every single one of them — it was exactly as he had anticipated.

The Divine Speaker, his composure shaken, raised his hand to quiet the room. "We shall now reveal his Class."

Aeric felt the stirring in his Soul Core, the System warned that an outside force is attempting to extract information.

Adeptly, he activated his [Deceit] Skill. Like mechanics, his Soul Core shifted, the Skill suppressed the God Tyrant Class, making it transparent so that the light shining to reveal the Class would only see the Swordbearer Class which was behind the God Tyrant.

The Speaker's voice rang out again. "Son Aeric's Class is… Swordbearer."

A stunned silence followed, broken only by scattered murmurs.

"A Swordbearer? But with an Affinity of two hundred percent?"

"Is it a waste of Affinity or is he about to be the most powerful Swordbearer ever!"

Aeric had the biggest smile hidden away at this point. It felt like a new part of his story here was being written, and no one was going to underestimate him like they did when he first arrived.

In the corner of the room, as the light softened, Luna stood with her arms crossed, her narrowed eyes fixed on the Son of Starlight.

The powerful Moonlight Daughter didn't care to question her growing hatred for him, but it was growing, and it was fast.

Aeric's gaze met hers, and he allowed a smirk to appear on his cold face, taunting her daringly.

And this only made her angrier.