LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 9: [SO THIS IS THE REAL YOU]
He was Amilo Cerchi, Amanda's older brother and head of the Cerchi family,
"Good evening, my lord," Amanda greeted Count Cerchi. "I'm glad you came to Jack's breakthrough ceremony."
"Aw, my cute little sister has grown into such a noble lady. Big brother is so proud of you," Count Cerchi said with a teasing smile, his eyes briefly glancing at William. "Can I hold him?"
"No, you may not."
"Why not?"
"I don't want him to adapt your bad habits."
"Come on, my beautiful sister! Just for a little while."
Suddenly, Edgar appeared behind Amanda. "Hello, Lord Cerchi," he said in his deep voice.
"Hello, Lord Medici," Count Cerchi replied. "I must say, your fight was amazing."
"I'm pleased to hear that Lord Cerchi enjoyed my fight," Edgar responded, subtly asserting dominance as he wrapped his arm around Amanda. "If Count Cerchi has nothing more to share, then we would like to take our leave."
"Wait, no. Wait, Lord Edgar, I want to talk to my sister," Count Cerchi protested.
Ignoring him, Edgar led Amanda away, leaving William to observe Count Cerchi deeply.
"A funny goofball person hiding an extremely calculative and cunning persona. My uncle Amilo Cerchi," William mused to himself, his gaze unwavering. My uncle—an intriguing variable, but one with no immediate use to me."
William's gaze drifted to Jack, laughing with his friends. "But you... you're different."
As Amanda handed William to Baroness Mowbray and kissed him on the forehead before leaving, William's expression remained impassive.
Baroness Mowbray took William to his room, placed him in his cradle, and departed briefly.
Alone in his dark room, William stared at his tiny hands.
"[WHAT ARE YOU THINKING , WILLIAM ]?"
Wiz's voice echoed in his mind.
"Isn't it amazing? Humans, when they are born, are the same, equal. But immediately, they are divided by hierarchy, power, and strength,"
William spoke quietly, his eyes devoid of their usual sparkle. "In the end, they all die, leave everything behind, and become nothing more than nutrients for plants. So tell me Wiz are humans equal ?"
[HMM ... FOR A NON-HUMAN LIKE ME , HUMANS ARE NOTHING MORE THAN VARIABLES . BUT FOR HUMANS , NO ONE IS EQUAL . THEY GIVE PRECEDENCE TO THOSE CLOSE TO THEM OR IMPORTANT TO THEM ," ]
Wiz replied.
William smiled with a large grin. "All humans are equal, Wiz. They are nothing more than rational animals."
"Haha, so this is the real you, William," Wiz chuckled.
William's eyes started to glow, sparkling like sapphires. "What do you mean, Wiz?" he asked innocently.
"Over the next year and a half, William silently endured, growing stronger. While others celebrated their minor victories, he worked tirelessly, manipulating variables and sharpening his understanding of strength. By the time he turned two, he was no longer the helpless infant lying in the cradle."
One and a Half Years Later
A boy with silver hair sat cross-legged, his eyes closed in deep concentration as he absorbed essence. Suddenly, he opened his emerald green eyes.
"I did it!" he exclaimed. "Sir David, look, I did it! I've broken through to level 5. Now I can learn my first skill."
"Congratulations, young master," Sir David, with dark brown hair fluttering in the breeze, said proudly. "But you should rest a bit before learning your first skill. Your body needs time to adapt to the changes."
"Yes, Teacher," Jack said with a broad smile.
Meanwhile, a two-year-old boy with silver hair and sapphire blue eyes watched them.
William observed Jack, who was now jumping with excitement.
"Skills," William whispered to himself, his voice low and detached. "They are the physical implementation of essence, channeling it into the material world for attacks, defenses, movements, and more. As your level increases, you unlock opportunities to learn skills and higher the level ,stronger the opportunity and skill "
Jack approached William, picking him up gently. "Do you know, William? I've broken through to level 5. Now I can learn my first skill," he said with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, little brother. I'll always protect you."
"No, Jack," William thought to himself. "Today, a miracle will happen—the youngest breakthrough in history. And you will witness that miracle. My beloved variable."
"[DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BREAK THROUGH "] Wiz asked.
"Yes," William replied flatly.
"[YOU WILL BE UNDER EVERYONE'S RADAR "]
"Sigh... Wiz, when a genius appears, two groups surround them," William continued, his mind calculating. "Those who want to eliminate the threat and those who want to use them. The Medici family is powerful, so no one will dare to kill me. Those who want to use me will try to build close relations, to make me trust them. They'll drop their guards, and then they'll be easy to manipulate."
Jack handed William a bracelet with level two protection. "Happy birthday, William," he said, planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Because of this brotherly love, I like him," William murmured to Wiz.
["DO YOU REALLY LIKE HIM ?"] Wiz probed.
William looked at Wiz, a faint smile playing on his lips. " Like? What a strange concept Wiz"
[HA HA HA
YOU BASTARD.]
Jack carried William into the grand Mansion, his steps quick and purposeful, before dropping him gently in front of his room. Without another word, he turned and left, closing the door softly behind him.
William stood there for a moment, his eyes scanning the corridor. The mansion was alive with the bustle of servants, running back and forth as they scrambled to perfect the decorations for the birthday ceremony. The air was thick with anticipation, but William's mind was elsewhere.
["ARE YOU SURE YOUR BREAKTHROUGH WON'T MAKE JACK JEALOUS ?"]
Wiz's voice whispered in his mind, the tone laced with concern.
["AFTER ALL , YOU WILL BE KNOWN AS THE GENIUS OF THE MILLENNIUM NOW. WILL THAT PUSH HIM AWAY]"
William smiled faintly, a cold gleam in his sapphire eyes. "Don't worry, Wiz. Jack is a caring brother. Instead of becoming jealous, he'll only become more protective of me. After all, in the novel, when William broke through at the age of three, Jack didn't pull away—he shielded him even more."
He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the chaotic scene before him. "Even if there's a slight chance of him feeling jealousy, I'll act as though I'm still the helpless child I was before. A dependent little brother who needs his big brother's guidance."
Wiz remained silent for a moment, as if processing the implication. "SO YOU WILL BE HIDING YOUR TRUE STRENGTH ?"
William nodded, his voice steady and sure. "Yes, Wiz. A good magician never reveals all of his cards until the end. And I don't need to show all my power right now. Let Jack think I'm just his little brother, someone to protect. It'll make him more at ease, less likely to feel threatened by my abilities. He'll think his role is still crucial to my survival. It's a strategy—a way to eliminate any potential jealousy."
"A CLEVER TACTIC ," Wiz mused.
"BUT YOU DON'T REALLY THINK JACK WOULD ABANDON YOU , DO YOU ? EVEN IF YOU OUTSHINE HIM ?"
William's expression hardened, but his eyes remained calm.
"No, Wiz. Jack isn't the type to abandon me. But I need him close, under my control, more than ever. If I show him my full power now, it could cause him to question his own worth. And that could lead to something dangerous."
He walked further down the hall, past the noise and distractions, lost in thought. The fragile balance of his relationship with Jack was something he couldn't afford to disturb. Not yet. He was far from the age where he would be powerful enough to face all the hidden threats in the world. But for now, Jack's protection was a necessary shield—and William was willing to play the role of the innocent child for as long as it would keep him safe.
"I will hide my strength ... for now," William muttered under his breath, the words a promise to himself. "Until the time is right."
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