As they got into the car and drove off to the Ragnar house, Leo and Damian discussed Seth and his future, the conversation inevitably drifted toward talents—the lifeblood of the Ragnar family.
Talents.
Innate abilities bound to the soul, unique to each individual. Some might resemble another's, but true replication was nearly impossible.
"Like the one within you," Damian said, his crimson eyes sharp and unwavering. "And yours… seems different."
Seth nodded, trying to mask his nerves. Why'd he nod when he knows nothing. Damian continued, his tone calm but heavy with meaning:
"You know, for a person to use their talent effortlessly… almost endlessly… they require an ether pool."
"Ether?" Seth asked.
"Yes," Damian replied, leaning back slightly, long black hair catching the light. "It's essentially the mana you read about in fantasy novels. You know what those are, right?"
"Yes, sir," Seth said, posture straightening, voice firm. Even as a child, he understood the weight in Damian's words—talent was more than raw ability. It was life, strategy, and survival, all intertwined.
"But… sir," Seth asked, genuinely curious, "how can one determine another person's talent without seeing it firsthand?"
Damian's crimson eyes met his, and a faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Don't call me 'sir,'" he said, voice calm but commanding. "Call me… Father. Or Dad, if you like. I am not your employer. Relax."
A snicker broke the moment. Leo, his hand and head leaning casually against the window, let out a quiet, mocking laugh.
"Pfft," he said, amusement clear in his tone.
"Hey!!" Damian barked suddenly, voice sharp but carrying an almost comical edge of panic.
"Yes… Father," Seth said, a warm smile crossing his face. Despite the tension in the room, he felt… lighter, accepted—at least for the moment.
Leo and Damian paused, both momentarily mesmerized by Seth's warm smile and composure.
Damian cleared his throat and continued. "If you wish to discern another's talent… it is difficult. Not impossible, but difficult."
Seth tilted his head. "How?"
"You must possess immense control over your own ether," Damian explained, voice steady, eyes never leaving Seth. "With it, you can sense the essence of others' talents. In my case, I can determine the type of talent someone wields simply by extending my ether and observing its resonance."
Seth blinked. "And how do I…?"
Damian shook his head slightly. "That… young one, is something you will learn when you are ready. As for the second part… I cannot share that with you, at least not yet."
Seth's brow furrowed. "Then may I ask… what did you mean when you said you saw my talent? You know I'm… untalented, right?"
Damian's crimson eyes softened just slightly. "Appearances can be deceiving, Seth. The world often underestimates what it cannot immediately see."
"And I cannot reveal your talent to you immediately," Damian said, his voice calm but heavy with meaning. "It is far better for you to witness it yourself. But know this—when that time comes, Seth, you will no longer be the same."
---
After arriving at the Ragnar estate, Seth noticed two girls who appeared to be about his age.
One had hair as golden as sunlight, while the other's hair was a deep, dark crimson that seemed to shimmer in the light. Both girls' eyes lit up the moment they saw their fathers.
Yes—by father, i mean Leo. He was somehow a father. As well as Damian.
The blonde-haired girl was Ari Ragnar, lively and cheerful, her smile radiating warmth. The crimson-haired girl was Arielle Ragnar, her gaze sharp yet curious, like a quiet storm brewing beneath her calm exterior.
Seth observed them quietly, feeling both out of place and strangely intrigued by this family dynamic he had suddenly been thrust into.
Arielle was the daughter of Leo, and Ari was Damian's daughter. The resemblance between them was uncanny, as if they were reflections of one another in different shades.
The two girls hugged their fathers tightly and exchanged cheerful small talk, their laughter filling the grand hall.
Leo's smile widened as he waved over the family's head butler.
"Walter," he said, voice firm but warm. "Please take Seth to his room. Make him feel welcome—give him a hot shower, and the finest clothes he wishes for. Ensure he is comfortable."
Walter bowed deeply, his expression respectful but unreadable. "At once, Master Leo."
Seth, standing there, felt a mix of awe and disbelief. In the span of a few hours, his life had shifted from despair at the orphanage to the luxury of the Ragnar estate.
Walter led Seth away from the others and into the sprawling Ragnar estate.
The house was enormous, far larger than anything Seth had ever seen. Is this what titans' money looks like? he thought internally, eyes wide with disbelief.
They arrived at a room, the nameplate on the door boldly displaying: "Welcome, Seth". Walter gave a small nod, signaling him to enter.
As Seth stepped inside, he couldn't hide his surprise. The room was beyond anything he had imagined: a massive bed that he wouldn't have to share with anyone, a pristine private bathroom, neatly folded new clothes, and the subtle luxury of every little detail.
For the first time in his life, Seth felt… a strange mixture of awe, disbelief, and a small flicker of hope.
WHUUM!!
A sudden gust of wind burst from within Seth, tearing through the room with a deafening force.
Chaotic, violent red energy erupted around him, twisting and crackling as if the very air refused to contain it. Seth screamed, writhing on the floor, pain radiating through every fiber of his being. What… what is happening? he thought, terrified and bewildered.
All he had done was step into the room—and now this. His body glowed, scarlet light flaring with a life of its own.
Yet Walter remained eerily calm, as if such displays were routine. He observed quietly, unmoved by the six-year-old screaming in agony.
It was Seth's original awakening—the moment a Titan truly realizes the power within their soul.
But… something was off. Titans are born with their talents, their essence sealed from the beginning. They do not awaken. So why was Seth's power surfacing like this?
The answer would not be simple, and the pain continued to escalate, a warning of the dangerous path he was about to tread.
<[End of chapter 4]>