Chapitre 21: Intrigue and Accusations

Carmen, whose laser-like focus had been fixated solely on Clarisse until this very moment, suddenly swiveled her head toward Zac. What she beheld sent a shiver down her spine: a calm expression gracing his face, while his eyes held an enigmatic depth that belied his years. The world seemed to momentarily stand still as Carmen found herself ensnared in the magnetic pull of his penetrating gaze.

Simultaneously, Zac was on a mission to uncover the truth, diligently grilling Bella about the situation at hand.

"Spill the beans, Bella. What's the lowdown?" Zac inquired; his tone as composed as a Zen master in meditation.

Bella, still maintaining a facade of nonchalance, responded in a voice as serene as a tranquil lake at dawn. "Not much, really. Just a bothersome fly that decided to interrupt my day. I flicked it away, no big deal."

Zac wasn't about to be hoodwinked by Bella's facade, though. Yet, as he glanced at Carmen's bewildered expression, he sensed that Bella's story was merely the tip of the iceberg. His voice took on a grave note as he declared, "I'm on my way, Bells. Just hang tight."

With a swift nod to Carmen, he demanded, "Lead the way, Carmen."

Carmen, finally shaking off the bewitching trance Zac's eyes had cast upon her, muttered, "Oh... alright then." She sought reassurance from Clarisse, who nodded her approval, and then she led the charge, an intriguing adventure beckoning.

Carmen led the way through the labyrinthine corridors of the castle, her footsteps echoing like the prelude to an impending showdown. Zac, always the inquisitive mind, couldn't resist digging deeper into the tangled web of family drama.

With a furrowed brow, he posed his questions, "Alright, spill the tea, who exactly are Gavin and Dimitri?"

Clarisse, walking beside him, took a deep breath before unraveling the convoluted family ties. "Gavin's mother is a cousin of our uncle's. And Elder Dimitri? Well, he's the cherry on top – he's, her brother."

Zac nodded slowly, attempting to map out the intricate family tree in his head. "So that means Dimitri is Gavin's uncle, right?"

Clarisse's eyes sparkled with a mix of resentment and frustration as she replied, "Yep, you got it. But here's the kicker – Elder Dimitri and our uncle have never seen eye to eye. It's like a never-ending feud. And they use any excuse to hassle us, knowing full well that our uncle cares about us."

Zac's curiosity deepened, and he couldn't help but inquire, "But is Dimitri actually stronger than your uncle? Why put up with the bullying?"

Clarisse's lips curled into a half-smile as she revealed the heart of the matter, her eyes gleaming with determination. "Oh no, my friend, not even close. Elder Dimitri is just hovering around the Advanced-Tier Savant Stage, while our uncle is perched at the Pinnacle-Tier Luminary Stage – he's practically a powerhouse. The real twist? Dimitri's father, our Grand Uncle, matches our uncle's level, which just adds more fuel to this family bonfire of drama."

Zac's brows furrowed in perplexity; the power system of this world was beginning to resemble an elaborate board game with ever-escalating levels and rankings. He turned to Clarisse, who seemed to have become the unofficial professor of this arcane knowledge.

In a determined attempt to make sense of it all, Zac beseeched, "Bells, can you put this whole power hierarchy into a neat, digestible table for me? You know, something I can wrap my head around."

With a nod and a sly grin, Bella worked her technological magic, and an ethereal screen materialized in front of Zac, a mysterious artifact hidden from the prying eyes of others. The table that unfurled on the screen was a veritable treasure trove of information:

```

F Rank

- Low Stage: Acolyte

- Mid Stage: Adept

- High Stage: Virtuoso

- Peak Stage: Ascendant

E Rank

- Low Stage: Savant

- Mid Stage: Sovereign

- High Stage: Luminary

- Peak Stage: Sage

D Rank

- Low Stage: Archon

- Mid Stage: Astral

```

Bella's voice served as a compass through this complex terrain. "Each of these levels, you see, is further divided into four sub-levels: Basic Tier, Intermediate Tier, Advanced Tier, and Pinnacle Tier. In the lower stages, the difference between these tiers is like trying to spot a needle in a haystack—virtually imperceptible, so people don't mention it much. But as you ascend the ladder, the disparity in power between the tiers becomes as clear as day."

As the knowledge settled into his ever-curious mind, Zac had one more question to unravel this family mystery. "So, if Dimitri's father is on the same level as your uncle, what's the big fuss? Why be concerned?"

Clarisse hesitated for a brief moment, her eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions before she finally confessed, "It's not fear, Zac. It's just... our uncle already has a whole circus to manage within the main family. There's an epic competition raging there. We didn't want to be the trapeze act that adds to his already impressive juggling act.

As the trio entered the library, they were met with a scene that could have been ripped from the pages of a suspense thriller. Carmen gracefully swung the heavy library doors open, and the atmosphere inside was charged with tension.

Before them stood Elise, a tempest of anger swirling in her eyes, and Bella, an epitome of icy composure, her emotions carefully concealed behind an impenetrable facade. They were both locked in an intense standoff with a middle-aged man who exuded an aura of danger.

This enigmatic figure sported crimson hair with black streaks that blazed like a roaring wildfire against his nearly porcelain complexion. His physique seemed unassuming, allowing him to seamlessly blend into the human world, yet it was impossible to ignore the undercurrent of malevolence that simmered just beneath the surface. His angular face was adorned with a medium-length beard, adding an intimidating edge to his already imposing presence. But it was his eyes that sent shivers down the spines of those who dared to meet his gaze—those sly, calculating orbs radiated an air of cunning and treachery.

At his side stood a boy with long, flowing crimson hair that cascaded like a river of blood down his back. His eyes, as dark as the abyss itself, were devoid of empathy or kindness, revealing the darkness that seemed to engulf his very character.

Zac couldn't help but surmise, *This must be Gavin, the character Clarisse warned me about. * As he observed Gavin more closely, it became evident that the boy's clothing bore the scars of recent battles, singed and torn in multiple places. Scattered across his body were burn marks and wounds, all in various stages of healing, creating a tapestry of resilience. A fit of unbridled anger simmered in Gavin's expression as his eyes bore into Bella, setting the stage for a confrontation that promised sparks to fly and secrets to unravel.

Clarisse, like a guardian of justice, boldly stepped in front of Elise, her presence emanating authority and unwavering resolve. Her question hung in the air like a gauntlet thrown down in challenge, "Gavin, Elder Dimitri, what do you think you are doing?"

Elder Dimitri's face twisted in displeasure; a sour grimace etched across his features. He was acutely aware that Clarisse's arrival had thrown a wrench in his machinations. Clarisse was no pushover, unlike her sister Elise, and that was a fact he couldn't afford to underestimate.

His calculating eyes darted toward Clarisse, taking stock of the situation and those who had joined her. He paused momentarily on Zac, the newcomer to this power struggle, his identity shrouded in mystery.

With a veneer of false concern, Dimitri spoke, "Oh, my dear niece Clarisse, this outsider dared to harm a member of our family. I was just about to punish her for that," as he pointed an accusatory finger at Bella, who loomed in the background.

Elise, her fury unabated, couldn't hold back her defense, "Big Sister, it was not Bella's fault. Gavin was the one who started it."

Dimitri, feigning hurt feelings, retorted with manipulative finesse, "Elise, I am disappointed in you. How can you side with an outsider who has harmed a member of our family?"

Sensing the tension in the room and the sly undercurrent of manipulation, Zac decided to step forward with a composed, rational tone. "Elder Dimitri, I believe it's crucial to unravel the full story before any judgments are passed. Hasty accusations can lead to grave injustices, and I'm sure that's not what the Crimson Family stands for."

Gavin, bristling with irritation, abruptly interjected, "Little brat, who are you to interfere in the matters of the Crimson Family?"

With unwavering resolve, Zac countered, "Well, I may not bear the name of the Crimson Family, but the person you're accusing is my closest friend. I do believe I have the right to intervene."

Clarisse, her eyes sharp as daggers, swiveled her gaze between Zac and Dimitri, her verdict clear, "Zac is correct. We need to hear the accounts of all parties involved to ensure a just resolution."

Gavin, temporarily silenced by Dimitri, eyed the young boy standing beside Zac, making a mental note to adjust his strategy. "Very well, let us hear what everyone has to say. It's only fair," he grudgingly conceded. The stage was set for the grand unveiling of the tangled web of familial conflicts and hidden truths.

Clarisse, her patience and poise unyielding, turned her attention to Elise, awaiting her side of the story. Elise's voice crackled with the heat of her anger as she recounted the events.

"Big Sister, I was just helping Bella get acquainted with information about the various races," she began, her tone laced with exasperation. "That's when Gavin, with all the subtlety of a charging bull, barged into the library. He waltzed in and immediately started hurling insults at me and Bella. He even had the gall to demand Bella accompany him."

Gavin, standing with an air of self-importance, chimed in proudly, "She should be grateful that I bestowed such an honor upon her."

Zac, seething with suppressed fury, had to mentally restrain himself from intervening as Elise continued. "When Bella rightfully declined his 'generous' offer, he turned aggressive. I tried to stop him, but I, an Adept at the pinnacle stage, stood no chance against Gavin, who was prancing around at the basic tier of the Ascendant stage. That's when Bella intervened and gave him the thrashing he so richly deserved."

Gavin, fuming with humiliation, erupted in protest, "Lies! She used some dark sorcery, or how else could an Adept stage defeat an Ascendant stage like me?"

Dimitri's eyes narrowed, a sinister glint flickering across his otherwise composed expression, although only Zac could discern the subtle shift.

Dimitri was in the dark about the truth. Gavin, in his shame, had spun a twisted tale, conveniently omitting the details. He had told Dimitri that he was beaten by the group, not naming Bella specifically. Dimitri had noticed that the two girls were merely at the Adept stage, with the lone exception of Carmen, the maid, who was at the advanced tier of Ascendant stage. So, he'd jumped to the erroneous conclusion that the formidable maid had been responsible for Gavin's ordeal.

Intent on making trouble for the newcomers, Dimitri had sought a reason to target them. Elise was clearly not in the wrong, and Carmen had gallantly defended her young miss. The only scapegoat remaining was the outsider girl, Bella. And thus, Dimitri decided to invoke the Crimson Family's strict code against outsiders harming family members.

However, when he heard that Bella had single-handedly triumphed over Gavin, he was dumbfounded. It was no small feat for a girl of her age to attain the pinnacle tier of the Adept stage. But to cross the formidable chasm of tiers and engage in a one-sided battle with a basic-tier Ascendant powerhouse was nothing short of miraculous. Dimitri couldn't help but feel a pang of unease, knowing that such extraordinary potential might pose a significant threat if it were harnessed by Damien.

"Clarisse, my niece, no matter the circumstances, an outsider assaulting a member of the main family is a crime," Dimitri declared, his tone brooking no argument. "I must take her into custody and administer appropriate punishment." The room brimmed with tension, and the fate of Bella hung precariously in the balance.

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