Mantle of the Gods [LitRPG / Slow Burn / FTB Harem]

Everyone looked at Trent.

I didn't realize just how old he looked.

Considering there were a lot of people, like myself and Ether, born with white hair, that wasn't a good indicator of a person's age. Magic could do a lot to rejuvenate someone, and while I'd known he was over one-hundred-thirty, it'd never clicked just how old he was until now. Probably because we had been having to keep up with him and not the other way around.

My pretend father sighed. "Jenne brought up a good point, sending you back in there, will be doing so without backup…" His eyes fixed on Kara. "But we could tip the scales."

The older version of Ether pointed at herself. "You realize that I got drained while you were out? I'm barely higher level than they are."

Trent looked at Miel. "Your mother should be able to handle that." He closed his eyes as he did some mental math. "As much as I'd like to send her in there as a Tier Three, Twenty-one is as high as we can get away with, if we're going to maintain our plans."

"I can do that this evening." The older woman nodded.

Kara looked disappointed. "Why would Klix let me go and not Ether?"

"Connections." There was a hint of anger in Trent's voice. "Your sister was folded into the seal. She's now part of the weapon your grandmother cooked up twenty years ago, and she's hijacked me into it." His face was softer as he looked at the younger woman. "Considering your situation, you'll be taking your sister's place."

Kara's face went from confusion to horror as fast as she turned to her mother. "You're sending me to school?!?"

"It was an in-the-moment decision, but there's an opening that we can make on one of the teams in your year. We've already gone over the details, and it's not uncommon for heirs to leave school early for rare opportunities." Miel rubbed her daughter's back. "I'm being brought back into the Warray family, which will give both you and Ether the family name."

"Wait, we're Warrays?" Ether scrunched her brow. "I thought we were just Mundane."

"Your father is Mundane." Miel looked between her daughters. "My father was an Adventurer who cared more about the Dungeon than he did family matters. I chose to leave that part of my life behind when I became a Scarlet." She sighed. "Now it seems I have to leave being a Scarlet behind to become part of the family."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"You're not…" Trent glared at her.

"I'm not taking over the family." Miel shook her head. "I'll have to get a limiter on my CB to pull me down to Tier Six, but even then, I'll be stronger than anyone else. Don't worry, old man, I'm not planning on throwing the family that sheltered me into chaos."

"What's she talking about?" I looked at Trent, who didn't seem convinced of her declaration.

"Family politics." Miel folded her arms in front of her. "Sometimes a godsired will get power leveled and take over the family. It's frowned on and a good way to get the rest of the family to cut off connections with a city since most of the time the person who takes over isn't gentle about settling in." She spread her arms out in front of her. "I'm going back in to protect my family, not rule them."

Trent grumbled something under his breath. "Fine. I'll get Mavery to make the arrangements."

The former Scarlet looked devastated. "But why? Is this because I was drained? Because I can be leveled back to where I was!" She pointed at me. "What if I sleep with him too?"

"No!" Ether pushed her chair back and slapped her palms on the table. "You're not taking this away from me!"

"I didn't say I was going to take him away from you, Snowball." Kara glared at her younger sister, then turned to Trent. "I've got the same blood she does and a lot more experience…"

"And that's precisely why you're going to be there as a watcher!" Trent's voice rose, then descended into a coughing fit. Once he caught his breath, his gaze promised that he wasn't going to budge. "You're godsired, which means yes, you can be in this life." The old man closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he spoke again, his voice was softer. "You can also choose not to be in it. Atlas, Rix, and Pixie don't have that choice." The hardness returned to his voice for a moment. "Ask your grandmother how many times she wishes that she could have walked another path."

Trent sank into his chair. "If you want in, fine. What's one more?" He held up a finger. "But! You can't join until after you graduate. AND you convince your sister to let you be a part of it." He threw a look at me. "And he's only sleeping with one of them, so don't think that will give you a shortcut."

Kara sat down in her chair. Her face was sullen, but there was a glimmer of hope. Judging by how tightly Ether was gripping my arm, I doubted that glimmer was going to get any bigger.

"Some of us have things to do." Trent waved his hands to dismiss us. "And I need to talk to my son."

I swallowed as the list of things he'd told me not to do ran through my head. I'd checked a lot of those boxes.