Chapter 63: Chapter 63

"I told you, I'll publicly recognize you as a member of the Androny family. And since that is the case, you'll be an official succession candidate, even if you're already the future patriarch of another family. Your contributions and talent are too significant to ignore. No one can argue against it."

Margiory’s explanation was met with resigned expressions from Sokram’s cousins and uncles.

Though they clearly wanted to contest her decision, they couldn’t find a valid argument to counter her logic.

“Oh, then they'd better step up their game because I’m just getting started, haha,” Sokram teased, his tone light but carrying an undercurrent of confidence.

As he led them toward the backyard, he added in a voice loud enough for everyone to catch, “But for that to work, maybe uniting the two families would be better. Changing the name, too, perhaps Andracnakrid? Or Draggonny? I’ll decide later.”

His grin widened as murmurs rippled through the group, sensing the weight behind his casual words.

Jack, unable to contain his frustration, clenched his fists as he snapped, “Why are you acting as if you've already won the succession race? Do you think you're the only one who can contribute to this family?”

His voice trembled with a mix of anger and insecurity, revealing the pressure all his cousins felt as potential successors.

Yet, they were being overshadowed by someone they had always seen as an outsider.

"Oh, I don't know them or anything about them, sorry, haha," Sokram replied, feigning embarrassment with a playful shrug.

His casual dismissal left the others feeling even more awkward.

After that exchange, Sokram left Hilda and Astrid to attend to the Androny family and returned to the grill.

Margiory approached him, her expression complicated. “Baby, are you mad that I didn’t tell you about being a succession candidate?”

Sokram smiled at her and shook his head. “Of course not, Nana. I’m happy that you place so much faith in me. You should be more worried about them revolting in the future, though.”

“Don’t worry about them; they’ll come around. I only fear your father and big brother may not. There’s also Rick and his mother…” Margiory trailed off, looking caught.

“Who’s Rick? Another brother?” Sokram asked innocently as Margiory tried not to look caught.

But he already knew the answer.

After his father ended his marriage with Hilda, he married Vera, his mistress, who gave birth to Rick, Sokram’s younger half-brother.

Even as Margiory tried to hide it, Sokram acted as if he saw through her.

"Wow, really? That’s awesome, Nana. Send my late congratulations. You should have told me earlier; I would have brought a gift."

Margiory sighed, relieved that he took the news so well. “Sometimes I forget you’re a child, and other times I forget how mature you are. You can get someone truly confused sometimes.”

Before Sokram could respond further, he sensed some movement in a tree nearby, and right after, the doorbell rang again. “Oh, more guests. We’ll talk more about it later, Nana.”

Turning to one of the trees in the backyard, Sokram called out, “Uncle Alain, keep an eye on the meat for me, please?”

Alain appeared beside him in a flash, nodding. “Sure, kid.”

Watching Sokram walk back into the house, Alain turned to Hannah and Leona nearby, adding, “His senses are sharp; I had just moved to that tree.”

Leona agreed, pride evident in her voice whenever her disciple was praised, especially by another master she respected. “Yep, he’s something else.”

At the door, Sokram greeted Savannah, Moira, and Savannah’s mother, Mona.

Though not as strikingly beautiful as the other two women, Mona wasn’t far behind.

But her pale skin already bore the marks of aging despite being an elf, which was rare even with her nearing her second century of life, half of a snow elf’s natural lifespan, which, along with her low cultivation, showed she had given up on walking the Path of Evolution entirely. Chapters fırst released on novèlfire.net

Sokram couldn't fathom why someone with such advantages would abandon the pursuit of evolution.

The Path of Evolution was a gift, a chance to transcend mortal limits. But thinking of Savannah's age and remembering the Curse of Fertility, he thought she might have stopped cultivating or sacrificed part of her cultivation to become pregnant, as elves’ fertility was way lower than even dragons.

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Considering this possibility, he welcomed Mona warmly, leading her to the backyard. But he also reminded himself that not everyone saw stagnation the same way he did.

Perhaps her choices were shaped by feelings he couldn't understand, even if those choices led to an unavoidable, slow but definitive death.

However, before he could return to grilling, the doorbell rang once more. This time, it was Amber and Lucy, along with their families.

Sokram intended to greet them as politely as the other guests. But Amber stepped forward first, flashing her most charismatic smile.

“Hi, Boss, these are my mom, Alyssa, and my dad, Zack,” she said, gesturing to the couple behind her.

Then, pointing to two little ones peeking shyly from behind her parents, she added, “And these little cuties are my siblings, Sam and Sylvie.”

Sokram observed their new clothes, the fabric crisp and vibrant, clearly chosen with care.

He realized Amber must have spent part of her compensation on her family, a simple gesture that spoke volumes about how much she cared about her family.

Zack looked ordinary, 1.8 meters tall with dark brown hair and matching eyes.

His discomfort in fancy attire was evident.

Alyssa, however, stole the attention.

Though faint lines of age graced her sun-kissed olive skin, they did little to detract from her arresting beauty.

Her piercing blue eyes sparkled with intelligence, while her sharp cheekbones and delicate jawline framed a face that seemed sculpted by time itself.

The elegant dress she wore accentuated her petite yet curvaceous figure, leaving Sokram momentarily entranced before he forced himself to look away.

The children, with their piercing blue eyes and brown hair, looked like miniatures of Amber.

Their shyness brought a smile to Sokram’s face. He glanced at Amber, wondering why she concealed her figure beneath oversized mage robes when, now that she was dressed in an elegant, well-fitting dress, she rivaled her mother’s beauty and allure.

Sokram greeted them politely, but two things caught his attention: Amber's parents' cultivation was surprisingly high for farmers, both at Tier 5, which was even rarer in the slums.

Additionally, they seemed surprised, or perhaps taken aback, by how Amber introduced him as her boss.

He decided to address this later.

Next, Sokram greeted Lucille, Ayame, Lucy, and was finally reintroduced to Luke, his sworn brother, an oath Sokram would honor even across timelines.

He had to restrain himself from hugging Luke, controlling his emotions as he extended his hand for a formal greeting.

Luke, unlike his mother and sister, was a night-elf.

His long, straight raven hair cascaded down to the middle of his back, framing monolid eyes with dark brown pupils. Standing at 1.6 meters tall.

But contrary to Sokram's expectation, Luke ignored his greeting and stared intently at Sokram and blurted out, “You’re the one who took my big sis from Big Brother Tim?!”

Sokram sighed; he had realized that Timothy was the amazing big brother Luke often spoke about in his previous timeline.

But he couldn’t reconcile that image with the kiss-ass Timothy he now knew.

With resignation and knowing what would happen next, Sokram nodded, "Yes, that is me."

In the next second, Luke swung at him.

Sokram easily dodged the strike and teased, "Not a bad punch, but it still lacks a little technique."

Before Luke could swing again, Lucy intervened. “Luke! What are you doing? This isn’t how guests should act!”

“Why are you defending him?! Weren’t you supposed to be Big Brother’s woman? Didn’t you two promise to stay together forever? And now, because this rich brat appeared, you’re kicking Big Brother to the curb! You…” Luke ranted, but before he could finish, the air turned icy cold.

Even Amber and her parents retreated into the house.

Luke spun around hastily, only to meet his mother’s chilling gaze.

Lucille stared silently, yet it felt as though she had pierced straight through his soul.

Lowering his head, Luke fell silent.

But Sokram interjected on his behalf. “Lady Lucille, please forgive him. I can understand his frustration. Timothy must’ve been a good big brother to him, despite being a lousy teammate. He’ll understand what truly happened later. I’m sure my grandmother Brunhild will want to make a big show of those recordings.”

Lucille exhaled deeply, calming herself.

“Thank you for being so understanding,” she said, smiling at Sokram before turning back to Luke. “Behave.”

A single word, but it carried weight.

Luke nodded mutely, and Sokram led the last of his guests inside.

Seeing Lucille enter, Margiory approached and greeted her warmly.

They acted as if they had been best friends for years, taking her and her family to a table close to her own.

Sokram became curious about the business venture they had entered into the previous day, but knew it would become clear in due time.

Instead of inquiring, he led Amber and her family to a table near his family and returned to the grill.

He saw that some of the meat was ready to be served and thanked Alain, telling him to join his family table instead of going back to the tree. But Michael and Klaus kidnapped the old man on the way and brought him to sit with them.

Hilda and Miralyn helped by bringing drinks and refreshments to the guests as Sokram focused on grilling two huge pieces of boar ribcages.

The guests chatted among themselves, but Sokram noticed that Amber’s family remained isolated; the only ones who interacted with them were his family members.

When it came time to serve the meat, Sokram purposefully left them for last.

Before approaching their table, Sokram paused at the grill, retrieving the pieces he’d reserved for himself.

Balancing the plates carefully, he joined Amber’s family, setting the food down with a warm smile.

With practiced ease, he began slicing the ribs into smaller pieces, his movements drawing curious glances from those nearby.

All eyes were on him, anticipation hanging thick in the air.

Once he finished, Sokram raised his glass and began a short speech. "Thank you all for accepting my invitation. As you know, I’m the newest addition to our hunting team, and after recent events, hosting this barbecue became a must, right?"

Everyone laughed, knowing what he was hinting at.

Sokram continued, "But that wasn’t the only reason I invited you all here. I must admit I have a few ulterior motives, nothing too grand, but something that can bring our families closer and bring us all some profit."

The crowd perked up, especially the Lion-kin and Wolf-kin.

Amber’s parents, however, looked puzzled, unsure of what Sokram could want with them.

Before anyone could ask, Sokram declared, "But first, let's eat! I've been dying to taste this since we hunted these boars! Cheers! To new friendships and a better future!"

Sokram raised his glass, the clinking of glass echoing through the backyard.

As the guests followed suit, he couldn't help but notice the calculating glint in some of their eyes.

The barbecue was more than a celebration; it was the first move in a game where the stakes were higher than anyone realized.