CHAPTER 36: MY STEPSISTER AND I HAVE A DATE (IT’S MANDATORY)

I followed Kimiko into the dining room, my guard still sky-high after our conversation. The domestic scene that greeted us was like something from a family sitcom—Luka arranging plates of glistening bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and perfectly browned toast while Natalia sullenly poured orange juice into glasses.

"There they are!" Luka boomed, his face lighting up with genuine joy at the sight of his wife and stepson. "Just in time! The bacon’s at peak crispness!"

I slipped into my seat, adopting the eager-to-please son persona I’d been crafting. "Everything looks amazing, Dad. Thanks for cooking."

"My pleasure, kiddo! Gotta fuel up that new muscle you’ve been building!" He clapped a hand on my shoulder with enough force to stagger a normal man. I absorbed the impact without flinching, earning an approving nod. "Strong as an ox now! What did I tell you, Kimiko? Just needed some motivation!"

"You were right, dear," Kimiko said, settling into her chair with graceful economy of movement. Her eyes never left me, despite her words being directed at her husband.

Natalia sat across from me, her entire body radiating tension. She changed into baggy sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt—clearly chosen to hide any evidence of our activities—but nothing could disguise the hickey peeking out from beneath her collar. Her eyes flicked to mine, then away, a flush crawling up her neck.

"Salt, Dad?" I passed the shaker before Luka even reached for it.

"Thanks, son!" He seemed genuinely touched by this tiny gesture.

"So how was the conference?" I asked. "Did you give that presentation on team combat?"

Luka’s fork paused halfway to his mouth, his eyes widening in surprise. "You remembered that?"

I nodded, crafting my expression into one of earnest curiosity. "You were practicing it before you left. Sounded fascinating."

The big man’s chest swelled with obvious pride. "It went great! The Guild Leadership actually asked me to expand it into a training module for the C-Ranks!" He launched into a detailed explanation, his hands gesticulating wildly, occasionally causing his fork to fling bits of egg across the table.

I nodded attentively, asking relevant questions at appropriate intervals while monitoring the women at the table. Kimiko watched our interaction with that same unsettling intensity, though her expression remained warm and loving.

Natalia picked at her food, stealing glances at me when she thought no one was looking, each glance lingering a little longer than the last.

"Natalia," Kimiko said suddenly, causing the girl to jolt. "Is that a mark?"

"I—it’s not—"

"Oh," Kimiko laughed. "Must have happened during training."

Natalia’s face flamed red. She shot me a murderous look that promised future retribution. I smiled back pleasantly, taking a deliberate bite of toast.

"How’s that ring working out for you, Natalia?" I asked, smoothly changing the subject. "The ice catalyst seemed to stabilize your output yesterday."

"You’ve been training together?" Luka asked, his eyebrows rising in surprise.

"Satori’s been... helping me test the Cryo-Lich Ring," Natalia admitted grudgingly. "He’s surprisingly knowledgeable about energy modulation."

"That’s my boy!" Luka beamed, his chest puffing out like a proud rooster. "Always said you had a good head on your shoulders when you chose to use it!"

"Did you get to see any action on this trip, Dad?" I asked.

Luka launched into an animated story about a surprise Gate that had opened near their hotel, gesturing wildly with his utensils. "Took down a B-Rank Magma Crawler! Guild’s throwing a bonus our way for the quick response."

"That’s wonderful, dear," Kimiko said, her hand resting on his massive forearm. The gesture was casual but there was something possessive in it, a quiet statement that this mountain of a man was hers.

"Oh!" Luka exclaimed suddenly, setting down his fork with enough force to rattle the dishes. "Speaking of the Guild, I’ve got fantastic news!"

We all turned to him expectantly.

"My Guild got a corporate table at the VHC Gala in two weeks," he announced, grinning broadly. "And they’ve given me seats for the whole family! It’s time to show off my two prize-winning kids to the world!"

My fork froze halfway to my mouth.

The VHC Gala. The most prestigious social event in New Vein’s Hunter community. A gathering of the elite, the powerful, and the connected. A place where careers were made, alliances formed, and reputations cemented.

A place where every eye would be watching.

[New Mission Issued: The Alpha’s Debut]

Objective: At the VHC Gala, publicly establish a new social standing and decisively humiliate an arrogant Scion without revealing your true power.

Reward: 50 SP, new Title [The Social Predator]

"The VHC Gala?" Natalia’s voice rose an octave. "But that’s—we can’t—I’m not—"

"Not ready?" Luka finished for her, misinterpreting her panic. "Nonsense! You’ve been ready for years! This is your chance to network with the best Hunters in Valoria before the entrance exams. Make connections, show off that beautiful ring of yours!"

"I don’t think..." Natalia began, her eyes darting to me.

"It sounds like an amazing opportunity," I interrupted smoothly. "Thank you for including me, Dad. I know these seats must be extremely valuable."

Kimiko nodded. "Honestly, the timing couldn’t be better. With your new Aspect manifestation, this is the perfect place to make your debut."

Silence crashed over the table.

"Aspect manifestation?" Luka asked.

Kimiko’s gaze hadn’t left my face. "Satori was just telling me about it. It’s some sort of fire manipulation!"

Luka laughed. "This calls for a demonstration after breakfast! And we’ll need to get you registered with the Global Aspect Registry right away. Can’t have my boy going unclassified!"

Shit. Registry meant official testing. Blood work. DNA verification. Things that would immediately flag me as an anomaly.

"I was hoping to wait until after the entrance exams," I said carefully. "I want to focus on training rather than paperwork right now."

"Fair enough," Luka conceded easily. "Plenty of time for all that. But definitely not too early to start showing it off at the Gala! You’ll need a proper suit. Nothing off the rack will do for my son’s Aspect debut!"

"Dad, about the Gala," Natalia tried again, her voice strained. "I really don’t think—"

"It’s mandatory, sweetheart," Luka said firmly, his jovial tone hardening just enough to indicate `this wasn’t up for discussion. "The whole family will be there."

Natalia’s jaw clenched, her fingers white around her fork.

"It’ll be fun," I said, smiling at her across the table. "We can go shopping for your dress together. Something to complement that beautiful ring of yours."

If looks could kill, I’d have been reduced to a smoldering pile of ash. Her eyes promised murder, but her words when they came were sugary sweet.

"That sounds lovely, brother dear." The emphasis on our familial relationship was pointed enough to draw Kimiko’s gaze.

"Wonderful!" Luka boomed, oblivious to the subtext. "We can go after breakfast!"