Dimensional Descent

It took quite a long time for Roesia to calm down after reaching this part in her story.

The relationship she had had with Snow Star Order was very deep. They had only been born a few weeks apart and had grown up like sisters. They had practically been attached at the hip ever since they could crawl on their own.

Even after so many years, Roesia couldn't find it within her to get over that betrayal.

In the moment, the fury she felt for the injustice her grandson had faced trumped everything, but when Snow Star Order's blood touched her palm and the last of her blood was drained away, it all hit her like a speeding truck.

Not only did someone she thought of as a sister betray her, but now she had to suffer the weight and guilt of having killed her and her entire family as well.

One might say that she had no reason to feel guilty, and she had only punished those that deserved to be punished. And, maybe such thoughts were correct to have. Anyone who would do such a thing to a child simply didn't deserve to live.

Unfortunately, the human mind wasn't always strictly rational. For some time, Roesia only blamed herself. Maybe if she had shown the family more support, maybe if she hadn't been so selfish in her choices, maybe if she had followed the rules of the family more closely… maybe, maybe… Maybe things wouldn't have needed to go so far.

Roesia understood why Snow Star Order had done what she did.

While Roesia seemed to always be able to live life the way she pleased, choosing the husband she wanted, allowing her daughter to do the same, raising a family of her own and even benefitting with talented children and grandchildren as a result… Snow Star Order never got this chance. In fact, in a lot of ways, her life was made harder due to Roesia.

Roesia got to pick her own husband, but Snow Star Order's marriage was arranged. Roesia's daughter was the gem of the family, but Snow Star Order's own offspring were mediocre at best, unable to match up to the talent of their mother. Roesia's daughter once again got the right to choose her own husband, but Snow Star Order had to watch as her own daughter was forced down the same path as herself…

When Snow Star Order saw that Roesia's grandchild was still far more talented than her own, maybe if one chose to be sympathetic, they could at least understand her thoughts and the motivations behind why she did it.

While on the surface the reasoning was to bring more balance to the family and rein in what power Roesia's branch seemed to be accumulating, the truth underlying those actions was… Jealousy.

"That day I was barely able to stabilize the situation, but I wasn't sure what else to do. The Scarlet Star Innate Node is especially volatile and difficult to handle. It was one matter if Little Leo was perfectly healthy, but having already barely survived one operation, there was no telling if he'd be able to survive another.

"At the same time, while I held fury for their branch of the main family, the child that was given Little Leo's Innate Node was innocent and couldn't make decisions of his own. However, at the time, it really seemed like the little one would suffer due to the decisions of his seniors…

"Assimilating another's Innate Node isn't rare and there's even quite a large black market for it. However, how well it works is highly dependent on what the Node is and how it fits with your affinities. While the little one had the important Star and Light Elemental affinities, he lacked the Fire affinity. In addition, even if he did have it, the Scarlet Star Innate Node is a different beast all together."

Roseia took in a deep breath and sighed.

"For a while, it seemed that the family would lose both geniuses. Little Leo was very weak and frail after losing Innate Node while Myghell was constantly suffering backlash. If not for the preparation Snow Star Order had made, Myghell would have died long ago. Unfortunately, even Snow Star Order had underestimated the Scarlet Star Node and it all wasn't enough.

"Seeing how things were going, even at the sacrifice of an innocent child, I was willing to attempt to transfer Little Leo's Innate Node back to him. After all, though both children were innocent, I couldn't possibly choose another child over my own grandson, right? Plus, what life did Myghell have ahead of him? His living would only complicate the family's internal strife in the future.

"But, it was then that Little Val return with your aunt.

"Back then, he was, rightfully, furious. If not for the guilt I harbored in my heart, it was likely that there would be no Luxnix family remaining.

"I know that… he was right. Snow Star Order wouldn't have done what she did without the consent of the rest of the Star Order Council, and I knew that Snow Star Order's family had ties to many other main family branches due to her and her daughter's arranged marriages… But I still couldn't bring myself to allow it.

"I will be as honest and upfront with you two as I can. I was weak, and I was always too tied up with former ties. Due to that, I ended up alienating your aunt and your mother, as well as your uncle-in-law and your father.

"I relied on my relationship with Alienor to get Velasco to promise not to seek revenge. However, in return, they both resented me for it."

Roesia's gaze grew a bit misty.

Her son-in-law was a man she never saw without a smile on his face. He always had a joke to tell or a prank to pull. She had to admit to herself that due to this, she thought that he would be easy to convince. In fact, she hadn't even known the true strength of her son-in-law until after that talk they had that day.

Velasco had fallen into a silence and didn't say a word to her. It was only after Alienor described Velasco's origins to her did she understand that it wasn't her protecting Velasco from the Luxnix, but it was rather the other way around.