He knew that shouldn't be the case, given the circumstances that all the former heros had the mark. Why was she a hero yet didn't have the mark. It doesn't make any sense for there to be two heroes in a generation. He pondered on how Cerci had been a hero without the mark.
Feeling frustrated from not getting any answer, Kyle decided to ask Olivia about it.
"Well, about that."taking a pause to look is someone was watching them" Cerci wasn't given the hero's mark but from birth she had an absurd amount of mana even now her prowess surpass that of a hero." looking again to see if someone was watching them" It all started when late Cecilia became pregnant for Cerci, by that time the former patriarch was obsessed with defeating the demon king, having been injured in the last battle he fought. He was too obsessed that it drove him to the edge of insanity. So when he heard that Cecilla was pregnant he was elated that he could create a hybrid that would be strong enough to be on pat with the heros without having the mark.
He researched ways to improve the mana capacity of a human, for days he didn't eat or rest just researching, until he came across an ancient text that saying that if one ventures deep into the Labrinth of Huldru, at the very last floor he would find the World Tree where a bite from its fruit would grant one tremendous power.
Determined to get the fruit he set out with fifty of the strongest mages and warriors of House Lucas to venture deep into the labyrinth to retrieve the fruit.
Three days before Cerci was born, he returned back with only ten fighters- the rest had perished in the Labrinth-,and and three of the fruits.
One of the fruits was prepared by an alchemist and given to Cecilia to take bofore she put to be. The other two were stored for when the child was born. The fruit Cecilia had eaten did it's job but at the cost of her life. Cecilia's body couldn't handle the power of the fruit, she died giving birth to Cerci.
But instead of morning his wife's death, he was furious that Cerci had been born a girl. He ignored her for her first year, leaving her to be raised by the maids.He didn't even bother knowing her name. Until one faithful day when he saw Cerci from his study, casting intermediate magic ment for 4th circle and above without incarntation, while being a 1st circle elemental. She wasn't even supposed to have an element yet but somehow her mana control was refined, changing pure mana to the element she wants.
Finally his efforts wasn't in vain. He took interest in her, not as a father but as a forger, seeing Cerci as an instrument to be forge to become a deadly weapon he would use to finally defeat the demon king. Every day, he would drag Cerci to spar with him, not holding his punches, he would beat her up and send her off to the diviners to be healed.
Later on he would make her consume the two remaining fruits. Even though she had a constitution that accepted the fruits' essence it still hurt her when she consumed it. But he didn't cared about how she felt, all he cared about was her growth. The only safe haven she had while growing up was with the maids that her cared for her. When Ronald found out about it, he had the maids fired.
By the time Cerci was five, she had reached reached the 3rd circle and gained her elements, because of the fruits essence she was a quadro-elemental, and she had the ability to use light magic.
Ronald was ecstatic, that's when his cruelty knew no bounds. He hired renowned mages from around the nation to teach her. The sparring session increased to twice a day, this time he used the full might of a hero. Since Cerci couldn't inherit the hero's mark because she was a girl, he decided to train her to surpass the powers. Every day, Cerci returned with a broken limbs, how was a child ment to endure all that.
That's when my grandfather had enough, he couldn't be at peace knowing that a child was going through all that, him and some elders decided to stop Ronald, but he wouldn't budge . He channeled all his resentment towards Cerci, deeming her responsible for it all.
This continued for years, until Cerci had enough and ran away from home. No one knew where she went or what she did, until ten years later when war broke out between the demons and humans.
She was first seen fighting an entire legion of demons by herself." Looking at Kyle who was fuming, she tried to calm him down" But every since Cerci left, Ronald had regretted what he did, now he's trying to attone for his mistake, that's why he invited Cerci to pessuade her to come back."
Giving her a death stare he spoke, his voice carrying a string of irritation" You think being remorseful is enough to be forgiven for what he did."
" Kyle I'm sorry I said that but you've got to calm down " Olivia yelled at him
" I'm calm " Kyle replied, hiding the rage in his tone
" Tell that to the hall"she yelled even louder
Looking round to see cracks on the wall and portrait of past patriarch on the floor he suppressed his anger.
His voice cold and detached" I've lost interest in this little tour of yours, I would like to go back"
Walking towards the corner they had come from, he bumbed into someone. Looking up his anger resurfaced as Ronald puts his hand on Kyle's shoulder "There you guys are I've been looking for you"