"How?" Aidan asked, his voice carrying a hint of confusion. The cheerful atmosphere shifted as a tense look appeared between him and Henry. Uncertainty flickered in Aidan's eyes, but Henry remained unfazed.
Henry leaned forward. "First, to understand how, you need to understand why." He leaned forward slightly. "When the Human Empire was established after the Second Calamity War, the major rankers who played pivotal roles in the conflict were granted the title of Duke.
These titles have been passed down through their descendants to this very day." He pointed at Aidan as he spoke. "And you. Are. One. Of. Them."
Aidan stiffened. He had never thought much about his family's history, but now he was beginning to realize just how deep his lineage ran.
Henry continued, "Among those rankers, five individuals stood above the rest. They contributed the most to elevating humanity, allowing us to stand as equals alongside other races—elves, lizardmen, and even demons. Four of them were granted the title of Duke, while one became the ruler of the Human Empire."
Aidan blinked and couldn't help but interrupt, "Wait—what? I have a question."
Henry clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Don't interrupt me, Aidan. Let me finish before you ask any more questions."
Aidan raised a hand in apology, gesturing for Henry to continue, his attention fully on him, eager to learn more.
"As I was saying, even among those five, two stood above the rest. One was the founder of the Human Empire—the ancestor of Theodore. The other, if he desired, could have established a second Human Empire but refused. Instead, he chose unity over division, accepting a Duke title like his friends."
Henry's gaze locked onto Aidan's. "Your ancestor was that man. The only one equal to the Emperor. He and his lineage were granted special rights—rights that no other Duke possesses."
Aidan's breath hitched.
"And that," Henry continued, "is how the current system of power came to be. Because of your ancestor's choice, even the royal family cannot interfere in your estate's affairs.
The privileges granted to your bloodline come directly from the founder of the Human Empire himself—something he and your ancestor created together."
Henry leaned back, letting the weight of his words settle before adding, "And that's not all. Your father, Duke Liam, is a Fourth Rank being—his power so immense it defies comprehension."
Aidan's mind reeled. Before he could fully process the weight of his lineage, another thought struck him.
"From what I know as a peasant," he murmured, "even one-fourth Rank being is powerful enough to protect an entire nation…"
What? Just one? How is that possible? he thought, his mind becoming a mess. Calming himself, he started to sort it out slowly.
Overall, his family stood on equal terms with the royal family of the empire.
Henry interrupted, "You know no one takes the name Wilson lightly—not even the other races royalty. And now that the Wilson household has produced a second Fourth Rank being, this is truer than ever."
Aidan heaved a heavy sigh before asking, "What is a Fourth Rank being? And what does the Second Calamity War mean?" He fired off his questions one after another, his curiosity growing with each word.
Henry shot him a glare as he rolled his eyes, a smirk visible on his face as he stood up. "I already answered one question, as promised."
"This isn't correct—it's not a different question, just part of your answer. You should at least finish what you said," Aidan protested.
Henry turned away, ignoring Aidan's words as if they'd fallen on deaf ears. "Be ready for tomorrow's class."
Aidan felt a bit dejected as he slumped back in his chair, sighing at not getting more answers about this world, but he quickly recovered, focusing on analyzing what he already knew.
One thing was clear—his backing was strong, almost unreal. Yet, he wasn't foolish enough to let that get to his head. It would be an extremely foolish choice not to use it wisely.
Still, questions came one after another in his mind. What exactly are rankers? Something he had been hearing about for more than four years now.
At the same time, he couldn't help but think: no matter how close his ancestor and the ruler once were, no king would willingly compromise their own authority for so long.
One epoch here consisted of five thousand years—something Aidan had learned from his frequent visits to the library. It was an absurdly long period of time to even think about, let alone comprehend. He just didn't know how one contract stood so firm within such a vast amount of time.
So why did the Wilson family still hold such immense power? The original creators of the contract were long dead, and yet its influence remained ironclad—as if time had no meaning on that contract.
Aidan tapped his fingers on the table, lost in thought. Greed and lust for power are the primordial desires of humanity. If left unchecked, they consume the world, conquer it—or rot the soul, so how it is that no one was consumed by the vast amount of time?
Aidan had a feeling that he was still missing something. His thoughts were interrupted as footsteps echoed. Sophia entered the room, followed by Lily, as she asked the same question as the last time—it was something like a ritual for her to enter the room and ask the same thing.
"How was today's class, my little genius?" She hugged his small figure in her arms while kissing him on the cheeks. Aidan shook his head, expecting the outcome.
Sophia's love for him was something he found unreal. He didn't think mothers like her existed in the world. From the day he was born, the only thing she wanted from him was for him to take care of himself—an extremely selfless thought for any person.
Aidan, for the first time, did not push her back but accepted the love she showered on him. He knew he was blessed with both parents and unlike his life on Earth, both loved him—unlike his Earth mother.
Aidan shook that woman from his thoughts. She was the past, something that would never return. She was not a mother but a part he didn't want to remember—a part of his life that broke him but, at the same time, shaped him into who he is now.
Aidan no longer resisted her hand wrapping around his small one as he mirrored the gesture, hugging Sophia back, a contented smile on his face.
Sophia and Lily both noticed and smiled.