Book 5: Chapter 67: Exceptional
Lilith crossed her arms in front of her chest, her eyes drawn to the full moon shining through the window. Her flawless face glowed in the moonlight, and her blonde hair glistened like golden threads, swaying gently in the breeze like a divine waterfall from heaven.
She stood beside the window, tapping one foot rhythmically, marking the passage of time like a clock in a tower.
“You seem anxious, little girl.” Uncle Skar sat in the doorway, not hiding the fact that he was taking in the breathtaking scenery. There was no malice in his gaze; it simply served as a reminder of an even more beautiful sight he had witnessed before.
“If you have any troubles, you can talk to me. I might be able to help.”
Lilith let out a deep sigh without sparing a glance at him. “You won’t be able to help, Uncle.”
Uncle Skar smiled and replied, “You never know, I might surprise you.”
There were very few things in this world that he could not do, and a little girl’s concern was unlikely to be one of them.
Assuming that it was only a small matter, he was more than willing to assist this little girl whom he had recently met, as a way of thanking her for giving him a brief moment of comfort for his troubled heart.
“I appreciate your kindness, but what I wish to accomplish is beyond the capabilities of ordinary people.” Lilith looked at him and smiled.
She was impressed by his kindness. It was extremely rare to find someone who still had faith in humanity despite experiencing the trauma of having his beloved daughter abducted and feeling powerless to prevent it. He continued to move forward with courage and was willing to extend a helping hand to a young girl who appeared to be struggling like himself.
Lilith believed that this scruffy uncle used to be a noble of the empire with significant power. The decline of his family had made him a target for the more influential nobles. As a result, one of these nobles’ sons had kidnapped his daughter.
The scruffy uncle went to the powerful noble’s manor and attempted to demand an explanation. However, due to the vast difference in their social status, he was forced to give up and decided to hide, waiting for an opportunity to ambush the person who kidnapped his daughter.
At the very least, he was much stronger than a particular neighbor who had only been whining and crying.
“Ordinary people, huh?” Uncle Skar murmured, lost in thought and seemingly contemplating something. He had no idea who Lilith believed he was, but even if he did, he could only respond with a smile.
“Their inability to accomplish even the most basic tasks and lack of progress over time is concerning. They hold animosity toward each other and prioritize their own interests. Internal conflicts are worse than external ones among them. As a result, I often have to step in and mediate to resolve conflicts.”
“Now that I think about it...” Uncle Skar suddenly slapped his own knee and exclaimed in indignation, “It’s all their fault I didn’t have enough time to spend with my daughter back then!”
“That’s pretty rough.” Lilith gave the scruffy uncle a look of sympathy and continued, “But I feel like I have it much harder. Your struggle is probably caused by people having their own opinions, but on my side... it’s really just a group of complete r̲e̲t̲a̲r̲d̲s̲!”
“Uh... That’s a bit harsh, considering they’re your family.”
“It’s not harsh!” Lilith flailed her arms around furiously. “It’s frustrating how I’m so intelligent and skilled, yet those in my family are unbearably dumb! And to make matters worse, they are also incredibly endearing. It shatters the fantasy I had of them! Can you imagine the look on my face when I first discovered their true nature?”
“I can’t.”
“Like this...” Lilith abruptly grabbed Cornelia, who was sound asleep, placed her across her lap, and delivered a firm smack to her buttocks.
“Eeyah?” Cornelia jolted awake with a bewildered expression on face.
“See? That’s how I looked!” Lilith pounded her chest in frustration. “Damn those b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲s̲! How on earth will they make up for shattering the fantasy of a hot-blooded youth!”
The corners of Uncle Skar’s mouth twitched as he struggled to imagine what kind of family this was. In his memory, the imperial family of the Holy Dragon Empire was nothing like this.
“You really have it rough too, young lady.”
“Of course, but that’s not the worst part.” Lilith wiped away the non-existent tear from the corner of her eye, looking as if she was ready to release all the frustration in her heart with a single breath.
“The worst part is... as Uncle just mentioned, I was born different from everyone else.” Lilith stood up once again, gazing up at the bright moon with her hands behind her back, looking like a lonely warrior who yearned to taste defeat.
“I... am simply too exceptional, to the point where my perspectives are often misunderstood by the world.”