The System Favors Me Too Much

Chapter 36: Sam Is Suspicious

"Let's talk about why I asked Jin to bring you along, Hana," Agor said.

Sam was spending some quality time with his big sister, Grace. Agor had been kind enough to let Grace stay with Sam for a few days, while Hana and Jin were meeting with the principal and vice principal.

"What do you want to talk about, Agor?" Jin asked, though he had a good guess about the topic Agor wanted to discuss with Hana.

Jin suspected it was related to the entity terrorizing the Forbidden Forest. This creature was the very reason the forest had earned its ominous name.

"It's about that thing," Agor began. "Its patterns have changed. It's no longer confined to a single place. It's moving, and it has started to attack students outside its usual hunting grounds."

"Up until now, something has been keeping it from entering cities, locking it in the deepest parts of the Forbidden Forest. But whatever that was, it's no longer effective," Agor continued.

"Save the lecture, Agor. I don't have that technique. My grandfather took it with him when he died," Hana said, shaking her head.

"Perfect, we officially have no way to stop it," Agor said, rolling his eyes and sighing. "That thing has become extremely agile. Whatever was keeping it from going on a rampage is no longer working."

"And now it's expanding its hunting ground. It won't be long before it reaches the cities or the academy," Ragnar added, sighing even harder.

"Then why are you still keeping the children in the academy? It's not safe for them here anymore," Hana said. "Send them home."

"Actually, it's not safe anywhere," Ragnar replied. "The population in the cities is much higher. If we know anything about this creature, it's that it grows stronger by consuming the souls of the living." "There's a high chance it will go after the cities."

"Is there really no other way to kill it without my grandfather's technique?" Hana asked. She had many techniques from the Tachibana clan, but the only high-grade one was the Infernal Bird Reincarnation Art, which only worked for those of the clan's bloodline.

Her grandfather, Ryuga Tachibana, had once created a technique that could target a person's soul. It was exactly what they needed to kill this creature.

This creature, which had been terrorizing the forest, lacked a physical body. It was invisible to the naked eye and made no sound. The only way one could sense its presence was when it started draining their life force. By the time they realized what was happening, it would all be over.

This entity was a massive conglomeration of souls, preying on living beings and devouring their souls to grow stronger.

It had no emotions, no morals, only an insatiable and unquenchable hunger to feed.

It never slept, never rested, and would never stop. Its sole purpose was to inflict pain upon its victims as it drained their life force.

"What did Rowan say about this?" Hana asked.

"What can the Hero King do? Only a method that targets the soul can kill it," Agor replied.

"We need to devise a solution or brace ourselves for a significant loss of lives."

...

Grace was about to return to Mystic City, the city of magic, after spending two days with Sam since he woke up from hibernation.

She hugged her brother tightly, burying his face in her bosom. "You know I love you, right?" she asked.

"I know. I love you too," Sam replied as she released him from her embrace.

"How is Xenovia doing? I haven't spoken to her in a while," Sam asked, avoiding eye contact.

"She's doing her thing... I know why you don't come to Mystic City anymore. She doesn't hate you, you know," Grace said.

"I know... She's better off without me," Sam said, smiling, though Grace doubted its sincerity.

Grace glanced at him for a few seconds but chose not to press further. "Anyway, the spellbooks I gave you contain a lot of unconventional spells according to the Mage Tower."

"Some of them are highly dangerous and require significant sacrifices for their results. I advise you to be very careful with them."

"Mm, I will," Sam nodded.

"How is your magic training coming along?"

"It's progressing well, I think."

"Remember, what makes you unique is that you are a hero with the ability to wield magic. Don't just focus on one side," Grace placed her hand on his shoulder. "Your magic is just as important."

"Mm... By the way, I've been meaning to ask you something," Sam said hesitantly.

"What is it?"

"I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like you guys are hiding something from me."

Grace narrowed her eyes, struggling to keep her face from betraying any sign of guilt. She didn't want Sam to pick up on anything.

Sam was hyper-vigilant, analytical, and very observant. If she showed even the slightest change in expression, he would suspect something was wrong and wouldn't rest until he found out what she was hiding.

He watched closely, studying every muscle in her perfectly carved face, every vein coursing through her neck, the movements of her eyes and eyelids.

"What do you mean?" Grace asked.

"Nothing, it's just a feeling," Sam replied with a slight smile.

"Well, I don't think I'm hiding anything from you," Grace shook her head as she began to get ready to leave.

Grace thought she had successfully deceived him, but she was unaware that Sam had the ability to sense others' emotions.

Sam deactivated his charm ability, fighting the urge to call out his sister for lying. He had been using his charm for a while and could feel the guilt she experienced every time she tried to misdirect him from whatever she was hiding.

It was the same guilt he sensed from his maternal grandparents.

'I can't believe my whole family is hiding something from me,' Sam thought.

...

In a quiet corner of the library, Grandma Hana and Grandpa Jin engaged in conversation with Yuki and Isabelle.

"How is your mother doing, Isabelle?" Hana inquired, her gaze fixed on the long, golden-haired girl.

"She's fine," Isabelle replied softly.

"You know, I've known you since you were a baby. Your mother used to bring you to our home quite often. Now, you've grown into such a fine, gorgeous woman," Hana remarked warmly, before turning her attention to Yuki.

"How are things with my grandson? Grace told me he's been keeping his distance from both of you."

"And you, Yuki dear, you're just as beautiful. You may not know this, but I was there when you were born."

"I didn't know that," Yuki admitted quietly.

"It's alright," Hana reassured her.

"How are things with my grandson? Grace told me he's been keeping his distance from both of you."

"Yes," they nodded in agreement.

"Tell me something," Hana continued, her tone earnest.

"You two know how you are connected to him, how you will eventually end up by his side forever in the near future. What do you think about him? I mean, what are your feelings on this matter?"

"Hana, don't you think this is too much?" Jin interjected, trying to halt his wife from prying into sensitive matters.

"You stay quiet. It was your idea to keep things from our grandson, and now he's questioning Grace about whether we're hiding something from him. I feel guilty," Hana retorted sternly, her gaze silencing Jin.

"I'm sorry, but I need to know," Hana redirected her attention back to Yuki and Isabelle.

Yuki and Isabelle exchanged glances before Isabelle spoke up. "Ever since the awakening ceremony, I couldn't stop thinking about him. It's not that I want to, but his face keeps recurring in my mind."

"I feel the same way," Yuki added softly.

"Is it because you're his saintesses?" Hana pressed on.

"Has anything unusual happened during these two weeks you've been living with him?" she continued.

"Other than feeling a constant desire to be by his side, nothing out of the ordinary," Isabelle replied.

"Actually, this feeling has been intensifying."

"It's not just that. When he collapsed after his fight with John three days ago, I felt like my heart was being torn out. It was just a feeling, but it was incredibly strong."

"I felt this overwhelming fear of losing someone so important... It was suffocating," Yuki confessed, speaking at length for probably the first time.

Even Jin couldn't help but become curious upon hearing this revelation. "Wait, how long have you been experiencing these feelings?"

"It's been slowly growing stronger ever since we started living with him," Isabelle explained.

"This is new... I wonder if the third and fourth saintesses are experiencing this as well," Jin pondered aloud.

"This could be a sign. The saintesses may be subconsciously drawn to him," Hana mused, raising an eyebrow.

"The prophecy is clear: the saintesses will find their way to the man born of miracles on their own."

"I believe that's exactly what's happening. The saintesses are beginning to feel the need to be with him," she concluded confidently.

.

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. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

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