I’m Not a Siscon, Seriously!

On second thought, Eros realized that his family must have high-sequence individuals if they had survived for tens of thousands of years. So, he asked:

"What's the highest sequence in our family?"

The atmosphere suddenly grew quiet. Duke Lenka, who had been slightly proud moments ago about their family and the church being the only ones with complete advancement paths, froze.

After a long pause, he finally muttered, "Sequence 5—Firebearer."

Eros was stunned. A family with tens of thousands of years of history, one that even had a god among its ancestors, and the highest sequence is just 5? That's it? We're doomed!

Duke Lenka, clearly embarrassed, hurried to explain:

"This is because the bloodline has been diluted over the millennia. High-sequence ancestors often sacrificed themselves to protect lower-sequence family members, and many fell in battle before they could have children with refined bloodlines. This created a vicious cycle."

"But now that things have stabilized, the family encourages having more offspring. If someone with strong talent emerges, it could change our current situation."

So, it's quantity over quality now? Eros thought as he glanced at his father skeptically. Are you sure it's the family encouraging this and not just you enjoying yourself?

Duke Lenka didn't notice his son's doubtful look and continued:

"Another way is to follow the example of the royal families and stop intermarrying with outsiders. While this might not guarantee offspring with exceptional talent, at least it would prevent the bloodline from being further diluted."

Eros stared at his father in surprise, while Duke Lenka sighed helplessly.

"It's the best solution we have for now. Depending on just a few Sequence 5s to support the family is far too risky for us."

Eros nodded. He could understand. With the immense pressure from the world's most powerful forces weighing on them, having only a handful of Sequence 5s wasn't nearly enough.

If they were ever exposed, it was unlikely anyone would manage to escape.

During their journey, Duke Lenka explained a lot, and Eros listened carefully, gradually piecing together a more comprehensive understanding of the supernatural side of the world.

Eventually, they stopped in front of an ancient, imposing, and solemn chapel.

Duke Lenka pushed open the heavy, slightly ajar doors, and a soft glow spilled out from the hall within, extending outward.

Inside the hall stood several people, most of them elderly, their hair and beards streaked with gray. Some of them Eros recognized; others were unfamiliar.

Estelle was among them. She smiled warmly at Eros, her gaze clear and gentle like water, silently encouraging him.

After taking a moment to survey the room, Eros's eyes were drawn to the grand, majestic, and awe-inspiring statue at the far end of the hall.

A sense of understanding dawned upon him. That must be the statue of our ancestor.

Meanwhile, Duke Lenka, who had finished speaking with the elders, motioned for Eros to come forward.

He led Eros to the statue and, with a solemn expression, performed a brief prayer. Then he instructed Eros to sit cross-legged at the center of the floor, where mysterious symbols and intricate patterns had been carved.

Turning to the elders who had been waiting, Duke Lenka nodded and spoke in a formal and serious tone:

"Let us begin the ritual of the bloodline baptism!"

As Duke Lenka's words fell, the elders began placing blocks of milky white spiritual essence along the intricate patterns carved into the floor.

Each piece was carefully placed in a deliberate pattern, following the winding, mysterious designs etched into the ground.

As the spiritual essence was positioned, the symbols engraved in the floor began to light up, one after another, glowing softly in the dim room.

With a moment to spare, Duke Lenka began explaining the key points Eros needed to remember.

"There's not much to worry about," he said. "Since this is the world of our ancestor, the baptism will pose no danger to you."

"All you need to do is follow the path that will appear before you. Walk as far as you can. The farther you go, the better."

Eros nodded, signaling that he understood.

He then sat quietly, waiting for the ritual to proceed.

Time ticked by. At first, Eros felt nothing unusual.

But gradually, he began to sense a warm current enveloping his skin, seeping into his body through every limb and bone.

The warmth was soothing, almost lulling him to sleep. His eyelids grew heavy, and he couldn't help but let them close.

Suddenly, Eros jolted awake, realizing that he was in the middle of his baptism and couldn't afford to fall asleep.

Forcing himself to stay alert, he abruptly noticed that he was no longer in the ritual hall.

Looking around, he found himself in an unfamiliar place.

The area was shrouded in a thick, hazy fog that obscured everything around him, leaving him unable to discern where he was.

In the fog-shrouded space, Eros noticed that the elders who had been standing nearby earlier, waiting for the results, were now gone. He was entirely alone.

"Have I already entered the baptism process? But where's the path? Didn't Father say a path would appear before me?"

He looked around the misty space, bewildered and confused.

Outside

In the physical world, the elders who had been observing Eros, now sitting with his eyes closed in the bloodline awakening state, began murmuring softly among themselves.

They were optimistic about this child who had shown extraordinary intelligence from a young age.

They believed his aptitude as a warlock was the best the family had seen in years. The only question was, which ancestral mark would he encounter within his bloodline?

A white-haired elder, impeccably dressed and wearing a monocle, spoke slowly:

"In my view, young Eros should at least reach the ancestral mark left five thousand years ago."

The others looked at him in surprise. Five thousand years ago, the family still had wanderers—Sequence 2 beings, entities who had transcended mortal limitations to become mythological beings.

Is he suggesting that Eros has the potential to awaken a mythological bloodline?

Although they held Eros in high regard, the idea of the now heavily diluted bloodline producing a mythological descendant seemed almost impossible.

Even in their most optimistic scenarios, they assumed it would take several generations of effort to purify the bloodline to the point where it could support a mythological awakening.

This process would take considerable time, and it would require every generation to produce children with exceptional talent to succeed.

Yet, the white-haired elder's words couldn't be ignored, as he was one of the most senior figures present.

Moreover, he was one of the only three remaining Sequence 5s in the family. His statements carried weight, and they trusted he wouldn't speak without reason.

Could it be…?

For a moment, the gathered elders felt a flicker of excitement. It had been countless years since the family had seen the emergence of a mythological being.

While having a mythological bloodline didn't guarantee becoming a mythological being, they didn't see this as an insurmountable obstacle.

What others found impossible, a family with thousands of years of accumulated resources might just accomplish.

Though much of their reserves had been consumed over millennia of hiding and running, what remained was still formidable.

As long as Eros survived, and as long as his talent held up, they could invest heavily—even forcefully push him to ascend.

Even if a single mythological being couldn't change the family's current dire situation, it would bring some relief.

At the very least, if they were exposed, having a mythological being might allow a few to escape, ensuring the family bloodline wouldn't be entirely wiped out.

Duke Lenka, standing to the side, could barely contain his delight. The pride he felt in his son's potential was evident on his face.

Estelle, while more reserved, still wore a soft, happy smile. Her joy was clear.

Time passed, and the milky-white spiritual essence blocks, arranged meticulously on the glowing symbols, were replaced one after another.

Despite the lengthy process, none of those present showed the slightest hint of impatience. On the contrary, their expressions grew increasingly excited.