The Youth of Mysteries

CHAPTER 2: The Warm

Filonia woke up early as she expected and finally pulled herself up from her bed. She was too lazy to do something for today, so she decided to lie on her bed as long as she could.

Filonia Avenir is the only female left in her family, and the only grandchild left in the Avenir family. She's 16 years old and had very high respect for professional adults. She's also humble, quiet, and yet a lovable child. She is willing to sacrifice everything just to save her loved ones, even her life. She also loves to bear her problems alone and not bother the other people around her.

While getting ready, she heard a knock on her door. She looked at her table clock and her brow furrowed. It's already nine in the morning, and last night she said that she wouldn't be able to join them at their usual breakfast time.

"Miss Filo, your grandfather is asking for your presence at his office right now." She heard the maid speaking softly on the other side of the door.

Filo's brows raised as she analyzed the possible reason why her grandfather, Alfonso, wanted to meet her in his office.

"Sure," Filonia answered. "I'll be there in a few minutes," she added, and she heard the feet of the maid walking away from her room.

Alfonso Avenir is now the current patriarch of the family since his brother, the head of the family, died in an unfortunate event that befell their family. Alfonso Avenir adores his three sons, two of whom are men and one of whom is a woman. A woman, Filo's mother, died while her husband died trying to save them from harm.

Meanwhile, the second son has been missing for years, and they have never heard a word about him. Even so, they did not stop their search for the second son of Alfonso Avenir.

The eldest son, Maximo, has never imagined himself being in his father's seat to manage the family's affairs. He always wants to fight the vengeful bound spirits that destroy his family. He also sympathized with his niece and his brother for all of the grandchildren, only the two of them being left alive.

In fact, Maximo treasured the two of them like his own son and daughter, because he had also lost his two sons and three daughters in an unfortunate event.

Filonia's older brother, Elias Avenir, is one of the most powerful knights in their family against vengeful spirits. As he gains his power and strength by defeating the vengeful spirit, he made his hatred against the spirit that killed his mother and father and made his younger sister unable to express her feelings.

Filonia is indeed surrounded by people who truly love her, and she herself is aware of that. That is the reason why she continues to move forward, the reason why she wanted to be strong.

Like her brother, she also awakens her abilities. It's something that runs in her family's blood. They're not normal, for they are bound to annihilate those vengeful spirits and those demons behind them.

Filonia had the ability to conceal herself and also see everything within a 20-meter radius, which she can enhance by training appropriate for her ability.

Her brother, Ellias, has the ability to make everything possible in her mind. It is limited, but due to his training, he can smash someone's head by using his hand grip and thinking of smashing the enemy's head. Ellias's ability is capable of dealing with anyone below him, not someone with the same strength as he is or above him.

"Ah, what are they thinking right now?" Filonia said after she took her bath and got dressed.

She's guessing that her brother is the one behind this summons.

'Ah, brother, if you give me a headache, then I'll give you one as well,’ she said in her mind, trying to make her brother feel what she warned in her head.

As a descendant of the Avenir clan, they had an ability to communicate through the mind. In special training that they will take as they reach the age of 20, they can finally use their ability. In Alfonso's office, Ellias shivered for no reason, and he felt that something bad might befall him. It's something like what happened before Filo got mad at him.

"Oh, grandfather, I think Filo is mad at me right now or something like that," Ellias said.

The old man sitting on his Chevelle chair looked at his grandson, trying to decipher what he said but failing, "What are you trying to say, El?"

"I just suddenly felt Filo's warning," Ellias said, and both adults looked at each other.

As Maximo and Alfonso were talking to each other through telepathy, the door in Alfonso's office opened. There, they saw the usual Filonia, with her usual expressionless face.

"Lil sis, can you give us a smile?" Ellias said.

Filonia looked at him first and then gave him the smile that he wanted, yet it wasn't something like he wanted to get. It's a smile like she's mocking, a creepy smile. That gives a chill to three men's spines.

"Not that smile," was Maximo's comment, and Alfonso just laughed, "Father, how can you laugh like that?"

"Sorry, it's just that it's fun to see your expression when she smiles like that." While laughing, he said.

Ellias and Maximo didn't talk anymore since they knew that this old man was a sly fox. Alfonso is trying to hide the fact that he, himself is afraid of his granddaughter's creepy, forced smile.

When Filonia took her seat, Alfonso stopped laughing and looked at them one by one.

"Filo,"

"Yes, Grandfather?"

"I heard from Ellias that you're worried about the students in your last roaming,"

Filonia glared at her brother, but Ellias just looked away and never met his little sister's eye. 'Why would I look into her eyes if it just means she's going to kill me for telling Grandfather that?' Ellias thought to himself.

Filonia just sighed and said, "Yes, Grandfather." And she bowed her head, "Is that bad?" She asked.

"Oh, no, honey," Alfonso immediately said, shaking his head the same as Maximo and Ellias. She said, "It's not bad, instead, it's a good thing," and smiled.

"Filo," Maximo said, and she turned to face her uncle. "Do you perhaps want to go to school?"

Filonia was caught off guard and, by that, the three men immediately knew the answer. Filonia had never asked for a favor, not even once after the dark era that happened in their family, so this once, just this once, they wanted to fulfill it.

"Yes, grandfather. Am I allowed to go to school?" She asked while pleading and having puppy eyes.

As cute as she is, the three men she heard from were full of love for Filonia. They wanted to keep Filonia forever, but they knew that she wouldn't be happy with that, so, no matter what she wanted, they wanted to give it to her. As long as it is within their reach, they will not need to step into someone's dignity.

"Of course!" The three of them said it in unison.

Filonia was taken aback at the sudden outburst of the three men, but laughed softly as she saw how eagerly they were trying to show their love to her. With her smile, the three men were looking at her with a smile on their faces, and by just looking at their eyes, you could see their love for her.

"So, which school am I going to attend?" She asked.

"That is what we've been talking about. We can't find a school that will fit your taste, so I will give you a mission,"

Filonia's jaw dropped, "What? By just finding a school for me, I need to take a mission?"

"Oh, no, honey, what I mean is an assignment." He corrected.

As they saw how sour Filonia's face was, Maximo immediately intervened. "We want you to find the school you want to attend. No matter what country it is, it's okay," Her uncle said.

"Wow! You're the best, Uncle!" Filonia said and hugged her uncle, and Maximo was filled with love.

"What? Why is it only my son? How about me, my dear granddaughter? " The old man, Alfonso, begged.

Filonia laughed softly as she walked towards her grandfather and hugged her.

"What about me, sis?"

"Ha! Hug your own!"

"But I'm the reason why you're going to study at school," Ellias said, pouting his lips.

Filonia thought for a moment and then shrugged her shoulders, "Okay, fine," and she hugged him. As the mini fun ended, they became serious and they all looked at Filonia.

"Filo, we're granting you this freedom, but it doesn't mean that you should do what you shouldn't," her grandfather, Alfonso, warned her.

Filonia nods her head and says, "Yes, Grandfather."

"Also, please, if there is something wrong with any places you go, just don't let yourself get involved with it. Do you understand?" Her uncle also warned her.

"But, how about the bound spirits?" Filonia asked in confusion.

"If it is unfinished bound spirits, then it shouldn't be a problem. Just don't let yourself get involved with a vengeful one." Ellias said.

"But,"

"There's no but," Alfonso abruptly cut her off, catching her off guard. "I want you to be safe when you're away from us. Unless it's needed, please don't get involved."

Reluctantly, Filonia nods her head because she understands that they're just worried about her; "I understand Grandfather, Uncle, and big brother," and she smiled.

As their conversation finished, Filonia went back to her room and used her laptop to find a school that she wanted to attend.