12 The Resolve of a Leader

He'd already to some extent expected this reaction from his Granddaughter. He'd made his choice on the matter once he saw how she'd been treated when she'd come into his meeting.

The fact that she had the sight, was already more than enough reason for him to support her and allow her to do what she wanted. It was also, still feeling guilty at his own neglect of her care.

Although he was a little shocked at her sudden change, it also made sense that she wouldn't show it in front of his daughter. Who he was almost sure had a hand in her mistreatment, but that didn't mean he wanted to move against his own child!

Looking towards his granddaughter, he thought that she was lovely. Like a flowering that was defiantly blooming in the cold frost of winter. This child would have been a force to reckon with if her veins hadn't been trash.

Yet, she'd shed hope on her situation, she said that she could fix her destroyed veins. If that was the case then she wouldn't be only a genius, but a holy child!

It felt like a fire had been built in his long-dormant heart.

Although, if he didn't allow her to weed out the family then she'd choose to toss it aside and tread her own path. She'd forsake her own namesake to wander as a nameless orphan. Then not only would the family lose a shining jewel from its crown, but he'd also lose the only link to his son.

A shape pain shot through his chest at the thought, she was merely a six-year-old child, bow could he let her roam on the streets.

Lowering his eye's from her, he glances towards the table and the stack of papers on it. She was indeed right, there was a problem within the family, and he'd let it grow into the monster it was.

A cancerous weed, indeed, had grown in the midst of the family. He could only let out a sigh, it was his fault he'd placed his trust into a hungry pack of wolves. He'd offered everything up to them on a shiny silver platter for them to devour whole.

\"What shall you choose, Grandfather?\" Her sweet voice carried the tone of a haughty woman. He clenched his hands into a tight fist. He'd have to make a choice!

He turned his head to look at the young girl to the left of him. Even though she was merely waiting for an answer, a powerful pressure seemed to ooze out of her body. It felt like an invisible weight was pressing down onto him.

The more he looked towards her the more something began to take shape behind her. He saw the form of a ghastly looking woman floating over his granddaughter's head. Her hands were outstretched towards him.

The clawed hands were dyed a deep black and were dripping with a black and red substance. Purple flames seemed to be burning around his granddaughter like a halo.

His eyes were glued to her, and he couldn't remove them from the bewitching woman that was wrapped around her. The clawed hands stopped reaching towards him and were resting on the top of the chair his granddaughter was sitting it.

Inky black hair curls around her, and it made him draw in a short breath. He felt like he was looking at the hungry aura of a beast.

A shiver ran up his spine, he felt as if he was looking into deaths doorway! Was it even possible for a child to produce this sort of aura? It was a combination of bloodlust and pure malice.

He'd felt a similar aura on the battlefield where it was a constant battle of life and death. But this was a child that had never been onto a battlefield and never been exposed to one either. It was as if she'd fought a life and death battle.

Yet, he knew that she'd never killed anyone…

But it felt like she had!

He blinks a few times and when he looks at her again, the aura of malice and bloodlust was gone. So was the woman figure that hung above her.

Instead, his granddaughter sat there with a sweet smile on her lips. It was like he'd imagined the image of the woman; he couldn't help but blink more as he looked at her. But no matter how much he did the apparition of the woman never appeared.

At that moment, he felt a mixture of emotions, worry, concern, and fear. Yet at the same time an overflowing sense of love and admirations, when he looked at her.

Looking into her bright and clear eyes, he made his decision. There was only one course of action to take.

\"My Granddaughter, Cloud, I will support your claim,\" his voice was clear and resolute as he locked eyes with her. He'd grown soft with his family, and in the wake of it a beast had been produced.

A beast that sought blood and carnage. This beast would bring his family back to prestige, and he'd either make an enemy out of her or become the backbone that supports her.

He'd decided that he'd be the backbone, no matter what. Even if she'd become a monster. He'd follow her into the pits of hell and slaughter because she was his family.

Now he only had one thing to do, and that was to nurture her. He'd spare no expense to make sure that his granddaughter had an unshakeable foundation.

\"Thank you, Grandfather, I wouldn't disappoint you. I will clean up the scum in your place,\" a sweet smile rolled onto her face as she began to stuff herself.

He continued to think as he watched her eat. He'd have to nurture her; he began to plan how to raise the little monster in front of him. A lot of time had passed by the time she'd polished off most of the food on the table that had the highest concentration of spiritual energy.

\"Grandfather, if you'll excuse me, I think I will head back to my room,\" her voice was soft as she turned away from the table and looked at the two maids. They'd be silent through the whole exchange, but they felt as if the little Young Miss was amazing.

\"Cloud, if you need anything you know that you can ask Grandfather for anything, just give Yoko the word and it'll be done. For now, I would like that you don't venture out from my wing of the house.\"

He needed to make sure that she didn't rush, she was extremely fragile at the moment.

She turned her head and gave her Grandfather a small bow.

\"I will do as you ask, Grandfather,\" she assented to his wishes and left the room.

He slammed his hands on the table after she'd left, they easily split in half. The food and plates crashed onto the ground and he still hadn't vented his anger.

He wasn't angry at his granddaughter; it was quite the opposite he was angry enough that he wanted to go and kill the maid and servants that had bullied her.

But he sensed if he did that, he'd ruin his Granddaughter's plans, all she needed was from him was time, he'd be the shield that kept the vultures away from her.