The spacecraft slowly landed in a wide open area in front of a mansion. The sight before him made Jacob hold his breath.
It's not just a 'house,' but a magnificent piece of Solan architecture that seems straight out of a dream. The pearly white mansion, with its flowing, curved design, contrasts beautifully with the intricate gold leaf adorning the window frames and pillars, sparkling and shimmering in the afternoon sun.
As Jacob gazed up through the atmosphere, a colossal, dark shadow stretching across the sky was 'The Center,' the floating city of the gods. The city-sized spaceship lay motionless, like the eye of heaven watching over all life below. Faint purple lights began to glow on the ship's surface as darkness drew near; it was a symbol of absolute power that every Solan citizen had gazed upon with awe for millennia.
The mansion is surrounded by meticulously landscaped gardens. Giant ferns spread their lush green foliage, providing shade, interspersed with giant mushroom-shaped canopies and vibrant succulents nestled among the rocks. Lush moss-covered lawns slope down to the edge of low cliffs, revealing a pristine white sand beach and crystal-clear turquoise waters... a private beach completely cut off from the outside world.
As soon as the ship landed, a 'Grey' butler with large, dark eyes and a small, delicate figure, dressed in a sharp suit, led two maids and a dozen or so cleaning droids to line up in an orderly fashion to welcome the arrival of the passengers.
"Welcome home,Lord Jardino... and Master," the Grey butler bowed respectfully.
Jacob stepped down from the vehicle nervously. He had never been called...'Master before, and I've never seen so many servants looking after a single house all the time.
Jadino led the way into the house. Large, intricately carved gold doors slid open automatically, revealing a spacious and opulent central hall. The high ceiling was adorned with chandeliers made of cut crystal, suspended in mid-air by magnetic fields. The floor was paved with uniquely patterned marble, radiating a cool, refreshing air.
"This is... a palace!" Jacob exclaimed, his gaze sweeping over the priceless luxuries.
"Take a look around," Jadino gestured invitingly.
The young man explored the room with awe. Every piece of furniture was upholstered in genuine leather and polished, high-quality wood. One wall of the hall was a giant glass window offering a panoramic view of the sea. However… what captivated his attention and drew his interest most wasn't the sea view or the dazzlingly expensive furniture.
But it was... a colossal oil painting, hanging prominently in the middle of the hallway.
Jacob slowly walked over and stopped in front of the painting... his body was stiff, as if under a spell.
The image showed a handsome, dark-skinned young man in full Soulhildred uniform. His features were sharp, his eyes determined, and his smile strangely familiar. His long hair was tied back… It was as if he were looking in a mirror at a more mature and elegant version of himself. A name was clearly engraved on a golden plaque beneath the frame.
"Solhildred Jaeder Izunité Francesca, Principal Driver of the Royal Passenger Vehicle, Jet 96."
"Is that...my father...?" Jacob asked in a faint voice, his gaze fixed on the painting. A lump formed in his throat. This man was the father he had never met, the father his mother had said was dead.
"Yes... that's Jader," Jadino walked up behind him, the old man's voice softening slightly as he looked at his son's picture, sighing. "I built this house for him as a wedding gift... a house he'll never get to live in."
Jacob gently stroked the picture frame.
"I only saw one picture of my father and mother in their wedding attire once. It was hidden in my mother's bedside drawer. When I asked her about it, she didn't answer. After that, I never saw the picture again..."
"Fara tried to erase everything that belonged to Jader from your life," Jaredino said sternly. "But blood is thicker than water, Jacob... look at you, see how much you look like him."
Jacob turned to look at his grandfather, then at the picture of his father. The truth struck him hard. He wasn't just a homeless slum kid; he was the owner of this house, the heir of the man in the picture.
Jadino walked over and stopped beside Jacob, raising his hand to touch the enormous gold picture frame. The old man's gaze swept over his son's sharp features in the painting, a mixture of pride and weariness in his eyes.
"He looks... like a hero," Jacob said admiringly.
"A hero, huh?" Jadino sneered. "Before he donned that uniform and started posing, he drove me crazy! Jaeder graduated top of Ganymede, but instead of joining the military… he ran off to Mars to become a soap opera star!"
Jacob frowned. "A celebrity?"
"Yes! Once he became a huge star with that movie 'Love Across the Stars,' he went completely wild, using his handsome looks to charm everyone, squandering my money on parties and different women!" Jadino slammed his voice, pacing back and forth like an irritated tiger. "His scandals are making headlines every single day; I just want to disappear into the ground… The only good thing is he never got anyone pregnant!"
The old man took a deep breath, trying to suppress his past anger. "Even at thirty years old... he still hasn't settled down!"
Jacob swallowed hard. "So... what did Grandpa do?"
"I have to tame it!" Jadino snarled. "I dragged it back from Mars, and the only way to stop a wild horse like Jader… is to find the most beautiful and expensive 'chains' to bind it."
Jacob's heart skipped a beat, and he began to guess what was going on. "So Grandpa..."
"Yes…" Jadino smirked. "I spared no expense at the annual virginity auction to buy the best and most beautiful woman…"That's Fara Fallunette, your mother! "
Jacob stood frozen.
"That's how you came to be, Jacob…" The old man's voice was calm yet powerful. "It wasn't from sweet love, but from me spending a fortune to buy your mother, to stop your father's madness!"
Jadino turned his face to look out the window, his eyes clouded over for a moment. "But when Jader died in the ship explosion… instead of your mother seeking refuge under Izunité, she took you in her womb and fled, sacrificing her comfort for freedom and her foolish pride, imprisoning you in that filthy slum!"
The old man whirled around and glared at his grandson, his eyes blazing with a look of victory. He spread his hands wide.
"Fara thought she won… She thought she could hide you in the shadows forever. But look around you now, Jacob! Finally, you stand here, in my palace!" Jardino smirked cruelly.
"Finally, my money and power have brought you back… Fara struggled desperately to keep you away, but in the end, I won… You've returned to being the Izunité you deserve!"