The sun rose up from the horizon as a loud knock echoed on the door of Dein's room.
From the inside, he shouted.
"Wait! I'm dressing up!"
The knocking stopped. Dein let out a sigh of relief when that happened. He doesn't want anyone to see him right now after all. After all, he's still naked.
He opened his wardrobe. There hundreds of clothes of different design lay but Dein cannot pick anything. What look should he go for today? What should he wear? He can't think.
Before, Dein would just say the occasion and dozens of servants would immediately prepare clothes for him. They would even dress him up. But now, he cannot do any of that because of his flaw.
He can't accept help from anyone and even if they forcefully help him, he would still be in pain.
So he has to take matters into his own hands and pick his own clothes. That said, he doesn't know what to pick. He had already went through different clothing since early in the morning but the style simply doesn't fit him in his eyes for some reason.
'Ugh, dammit. What do people even wear in their first day of school?'
Uniform? Probably? He wouldn't know, he'd never been in school before after all. The father just hire tutors of various fields for him and his siblings after all.
[Why not just go for the simplest one?]
Serious spoke in Dein's mind. Well, he has a point. Not everyone in the academy would be a Legacy, though a few of them would probably be, Dein still doesn't want to catch too many eyes.
But still… 'How can you even define simple in terms of clothings?'
He snorted in his mind. Not expecting an answer. But just then however, the image of the little girl appeared and it pointed towards a few set of clothes while giggling.
Even Scaredy exclaimed in his mind.
[Ah! Yes, that would look good!]
Hearing their suggestions, Dein sighed.
In the end, he ended up wearing a black, fitted long sleeve under a white one that's only button up to his chest. He tucked it in in a slightly baggy, black pants. Then he wore a few accessories and a black boots.
He could moved freely and unrestrained and even though the accessories are a bit eye catching. The clothes itself is simple enough.
Simpler than his other clothes that is.
Finally, Dein left his room. He did not hurry to leave, walking around the house first. After all, he might never returned. On the way, Dein made sure to talk to his siblings. He made sure to say good bye to everyone but it seems all of them had already accepted the fact that he'll leave again after just reuniting with them for a single day.
After all is said and done. Dein opened the front door. Outside the manor, a luxurious PTV waited for him patiently.
It was a PTV Dein had sat on for many times but seeing it now, he felt nostalgic even though he haven't left yet. He took a deep breath of the air around him and looked back at the manor behind. Where his siblings are now watching him leave except for Freya, she's probably at work already.
Finally, Dein entered the PTV. The driver is surprisingly his father. Not one of their servants.
"Good morning, father."
He greeted him. His father nodded with a smile, waving to the people outside until the door finally closed.
"Good morning to you as well, Dein. Did you have a good sleep? Any nightmares keeping you up?"
Father said enthusiastically as he started driving. The buildings of NQSC revealed itself to them as Dein marvel at the sight. Of course, a place packed with buildings going high into the sky and down underground isn't actually the most beautiful thing. In fact, if this isn't city center of NQSC, toxic air would permeate them. And the place would become more packed and chaotic.
But Dein don't mind that right now. As he answered his father with a smile.
"Nope. I already braved my way out of my nightmare father. I decided not to think of it anymore"
That is indeed the case. Last night, Dein had already accepted the fact that he'd killed people, his 'trauma' in his first nightmare had already dissipated the moment he learned how worried his family is. And so, everything Dein had done inside the nightmare had become acceptable for him.
And he would do just that again in order to return to his family.
"I see… so you don't need counseling, is what you mean?"
Dein nodded with a smile. Meanwhile, father scratch the bridge of his nose.
"Um, so, can I ask why you still want to attend the academy son? Wouldn't it be better if Freya and the other awakened in our Clan help you prepare for winter solstice instead? No one's forcing you to go to the academy, you know that right?"
Father explained. Of course, Dein knew that as well. As a Sleeper. He can enroll himself in the Awakened Academy, there, they will help him prepare for winter solstice.
But it wasn't mandatory. A sleeper can do whatever they want, they can choose however they want to prepare for the solstice or not prepare for it at all.
Furthermore, there's only a few weeks left before the solstice. Dein would definitely learn much more from Freya, an literal Saint, than in the academy. But…
"I can't do that father, I might be gone for two years here but I know how the other Legacy clans our pressuring us. Calling us fake Legacies… also, I'm sure everyone is busy taking care of the kids at the orphanage as well as working as a vassal of clan Valor inside the government."
He explained. Everything he said is true of course. Even though that's only the situation two years ago. Hearing Dein, Father sighed.
"Really you. You don't have to worry about that son. Everyone's doing just fine. Freya and the others are doing a phenomenal job helping the government as per Clan Valor's order. It is to maintain a good relationship between the two after all. As for the orphanage…"
He turned to Dein from where he's driving and gave him a wide smile and a thumbs up.
"I can handle that myself!"
Hearing that, Dein cannot help but smile as well. This old man, his father, is really just too kind. No wonder their clan is getting pushed around. With a sigh, Dein said.
"I'll still go to the academy father. Sure, it'll be great to just train home as I won't need to leave but I won't be able to adapt to my flaw if I just stayed home. I'll need to learn how to depend on myself rather than dozens of servants every time…"
That's what Dein had decided. After all, with his flaw, servants had become entirely meaningless to him. He would need to find a way to do things on his own now and he won't be able to do that when he's at home.
At least that's what he believes.
And so, as the PTV finally stopped. Dein opened the door of the vehicle and found himself in front of a gigantic red gate.
He's finally here, at the Awakened Academy.