Akio froze. He couldn't move his body for some time. Time was passing in the slowest manner possible for him. He could feel the countless drops of sweat rolling down on his back.

He hesitatingly stepped into his father's chamber. He tried to look up at his father's face but couldn't bear to face him. Instead, he saw a pale figure standing beside his father.

He knew immediately. That was his mother. The only reason he was able to recognize her immediately with a glance was because of her neck. His mother's neck was a rather peculiar one. I was somewhat thin and long and didn't really match up with the rest of the body.

『We heard the news, son.』

『I-It...』

『SILENCE!』

A thunderous voice boomed across the room.

『To think that you would be a failure. Do you even understand the amount of shame I had to go through because of you?』

Akio wanted to reply to this but he kept silent.

『Yes, your father is absolutely right. If we keep it like this, we might even be ousted from society. We might become an outcast.』

This time it was the mother who spoke.

『Since you are our biological son anyway, I would like to give you three options.』

『The first option is to be our son, but would never be allowed to leave the house for the rest of your life.』

Akio's heart could not bear to hear it. He kept staring at his own feet. He didn't want to say anything.

『The second is of course to kill yourself.』

Akio could not believe it. Was that his father speaking? What about his mother? Why wasn't she objecting to these absurd suggestions?

『The third is to be disowned but have a new place to live and all the necessary things in order to keep attending school and sustain basic life.』

Akio just couldn't bring himself to say anything. Maybe it was fear. Maybe it was shame. Maybe it was shock. He couldn't pinpoint a single reason. Hell, he couldn't even control his thoughts. His head was feeling light and oozy.

Even if his head was in a bad condition, he could make out what his father was saying.

『At least, living is better than dying.』

With this thought, he resolved himself.

『I would like to go with the third reason.』

『Very well, you shall move out in the evening.』

Akio was just about to turn around when a thought struck his mind.

『What about the magic academy in four years? Will you still pay for my expenses there?』

『Ahahahahaha! What do you think you would do there with no ability? You should just learn to stay in your place and accept the truth.』

『Then let's talk about the same situation hypothetically.』

Akio wasn't ready to back down just yet.

Immediately, Akio was met with a stern face from his father.

『Let's see.....hm. Hypothetically, huh. Hm.....Okay. Even if you somehow manage to get into the academy, you will receive no support from us. After all, you have no connection. Think about it, why should an upper-class family like ours bother to help out a stranger with no connection whatsoever to us? If you want to still get in, you will have to get in as the valedictorian or the salutatorian. Only then, will you be able to receive a scholarship.』

『.....I see.』

With these words, Akio walked out of the room. He didn't want to see his former family anymore. For some strange reason, he wasn't sad. Maybe it was because he already knew how his family was from the start. Or maybe he had an inkling of what was about to happen that it didn't faze him.

In the same way, he had come to the room, he left it. His brother who had led him, was nowhere to be found. Did he listen till the end? It didn't matter to him anymore. After all, he was a stranger in another family's house now.

Just as when he'd come, as he has going back, his footsteps echoed through the hall.

*Clack*

*Clack*

*Clack*

What was he supposed to do now? He had no idea. He was not thinking anything as he took one step after another. He was moving like a lifeless corpse.

Reaching his room, the only thing he did was jump onto his bed face first.

*sniff*

『Why must this happen...』

『to me.....?』

He said as his fat tears drenched the pillow below him.