Time passed and before they realized it was already midday, Aster had already spent almost half of his spiritual energy, after all even though the armor manifestation didn’t use his energy to maintain itself, he had to use his own energy to move It the way he wanted to.
Aster sat on a rock and called Aria and Alice to rest a bit before they returned to the city.
“Phew let’s stop for now I’m tired”.
Alice sat down next to him, she took out a handkerchief and started using it to clean her brother’s neck and face, Aria saw her and she wondered why she was so attentive towards him, if not for the hair color that had some resemblance, she would have confused them as a couple just by their interactions until now.
Still, she did not want to be left behind so she took out a bottle of water and with a shy expression she offered it to Aster.
Aster smiled and accepted her offer, after drinking almost half of it he gave it back to her.
“!!!Ahhh!!, that was refreshing being taken care by two beautiful ladies is a blessing hahaha”.
Aria simply hit his shoulder lightly and blushed a bit, after all the things that happened between them, she has somewhat gotten used to his sweet words.
Aster used his hand to grab Alice’s waist and she just leaned her head against his shoulder enjoying her intimate gesture, Aria saw it and she decided to clear her doubts.
“Mm I don’t want to meddle but… sometimes I wonder are you two are really siblings?”
Alice answered her with a relaxed face.
“Well, you could say that we are siblings but at the same time my brother is the most important person for me, in the beginning our family only consisted in my mother and me, it’s not like she didn’t love or anything but before, my days only consisted on a lot of training with almost no family interactions”.
Alice laughed a bit before continuing.
“You wouldn’t believe how much our mother changed after Aster was born, he was like a light in our lives, after that we became more like a family unlike the “instructor-student” relationship I had with my mother before”.
“So, for me he is my brother, the most important person in my heart… the only one with whom I feel at ease and I can’t even imagine a day where he is not there with me, the reason as to why I decided to give you a chance is because when I see you, I can tell that you feel the same way as me”, having finished what she wanted to say she just closed her eyes and enjoyed being in her brother’s embrace.
Meanwhile Aria was lost in her thoughts, “how do I feel about him?” she wondered before replying to herself, “well I do certainly feel at ease with him unlike other guys that had tried to approach me before, and just like Alice said he is now like a… dazzling star illuminating my world”.
Alice seemed to remember something as she chuckled.
“You didn’t get to see him like that but when my brother was born, due to some complications he had a fragile body so we had to help him on his daily life first, actually my mother instructed me on how to take care of him since I was little, hehehe if you think that I’m too close to him sometimes, you should see how our mother treats him even now that he has recovered”.
Aria didn’t want to pursue the matter anymore for now but, in her heart, she was not really convinced, sometimes when she paid attention to Alice, she could see her gaze changing whenever she saw her brother.
Aster shook his head, he stood up and extended his hand towards Aria.
“But now I have a third person I care about so what do you say if we go to your family and made them regret treating you like that?”.
Aria was happy but she did not want to fight with her family so she simply denied with her head.
“No… I don’t want to spoil my mood right now but I will attend to my father’s birthday ceremony on a week would you like to come as my guest?”.
“You can count me on that”.
Aria had a bad premonition but she decided to ignore it, the three of them left the forest and walked to the inn, before eating on the restaurant Alice and Aria wanted to take bath to refresh themselves.
Once they were ready to go, Aria’s uncle rushed to them and told her something in a low anxious voice, Aria’s face turned angry when she heard him, when she was about to excuse herself Aster stopped her from speaking.
“If you are going then let’s meet your family together right now, after all they are interrupting my time with my dear Aria and that deserves an explanation, don’t you think so sis?”.
Alice knew Aster was still angry about how they have treated Aria so she limited to nod.
Aria wanted to refuse but she was in a hurry right now, besides she knew Aster was doing this for her so she guided them to the entrance of her family main building, when the guards saw them coming, they did not greet them and Aria ignored them too.
Once they reached the main hall Aria opened the door and the first thing she saw was the elders of the family arguing with her father.
An old man with a long beard was leading other people.
“Patriarch I ask you to see for the clan, that little girl insulted one of the children of Kalas Rein and now they are applying pressure over our business, our sells have dropped about 30% in just a day”.
Another of the elders spoke.
“Just like the first elder mentioned we need to make amends with them, the Wolfstein family is giving us the cold shoulder since she refused to meet their young master, we need to do something before…”
Aria couldn’t keep calm anymore so she interrupted.
“Wait a moment first elder, if I remember correctly there was no need for me to marry anyone until my 18th birthday, for the Rein family problem the first elder did not mention that Kail Rein tried to poison my drink which caused Fragrant Senior to prohibit them from going to her restaurant”.
The first elder heard her interrupting and he replied.
“This is not a discussion in which the younger generation can participate”.
Arthur Ghale decided to step up for her daughter, “Aria hasn’t done anything wrong, in fact this time is the Rein family who is trying to cause problems just because they are embarrassed”.
The old man that was referred as the first elder was not pleased seeing that the patriarch did not agree to his demands.
“But patriarch what are we going to do about…”.
The first elder couldn’t finish when Aster laughed out loud.
“Old man is your surname Ghale or Rein?”
The first elder was angry, since when a little kid could scream at him in his own family main hall.
“And who are you to speak like that to me young man?”.
Aster smiled, “well I’m the one that detected the poison that idiot tried to sneak into my tea”.
The first elder had a cunning face, “then excuse me but you are not welcomed in our Ghale family, guards!!!! ESCORT HIM OUT of the main hall”.
The guards got near but they committed the error of trying to drag Alice first, suddenly a blast of golden light exploded.
The guards were sent flying and collided against the walls.
While everyone was still processing what happened Aster spoke.
“Seems like idiots like to flock together huh? old man let me tell you a little secret, I even dared to point my sword against Kail Rein’s neck and made him choose to drink his own poison or die”.
The firs elder was terrified, this little child sent flying two cultivators of the earth origin realm like they were nothing, even if he was the first elder, he was in charge of the stores that were under the management of the Ghale family in other words he was a business man, his personal cultivation was only at the soul manifestation realm.
The other elders were in shock, some of them wanted to step up for the first elder before but now they didn’t dare to interfere, seeing that things were getting out of hands the patriarch tried to mediate.
“I represent the Ghale family to greet this little friend, could you please tell us who are you?”.
Aster ignored Arthur, he got closer to the first elder and in a loud voice slowly said.
“I Aster treasure my family more than my own life so tell me how should I calm my anger against you who seem to be on the same side as someone who tried to harm my sister and the girl I like?”.
Aria felt that Aster was not playing around so she touched his shoulder and gave him a pleading look.
Aster knew he acted enough so he decided to stop.
“For Aria’s sake I will stop with this matter for now but if you ever see me, I recommend you to walk away as fast as you can, who knows maybe I won’t be in such a good mood next time, if you don’t believe me then go and ask that Kail Rein”.
Aster turned to see the other elders before speaking.
“The same applies for you all, I don’t care who is backing you, if I ever discover any of you trying to force Aria, death will be the last of your problems”.