Combat Maid Harem

"I think… I\'m a Rubrignis..?" Lawrend muttered with his eyes wide in disbelief.

"No way…"

"What…"

Aleshia and Aezel couldn\'t accept it. After all, that hateable Vernon was from the Rubrignis Clan. Their impression of the clan was a clan full of arrogant bastards.

\'But why did my father say that the Rubrignis Clan was my enemy? I need to understand this before I leave to the empire,\' Lawrend thought to himself.

"Aleshia, lend me a dagger," Lawrend said.

"Here, Master. Be careful."

She passed him her black dagger.

Lawrend faced his wrist upright. He then slowly slit it.

His blood fell down and landed on the small pond below.

*FIZZ*

The blood in the pond boiled heavily. Lawrend continued pouring his blood into it.

*Fwoom!*

A giant flame lit up in the center of the small pond. It glowed brighter and brighter before a figure of a phoenix appeared.

The Phoenix boasted bright red feathers that looked realistic. If Lawrend didn\'t know that this Phoenix was summoned from the flames, he would have thought that it was a real animal in front of him.

*KAAHHHH*

The Phoenix expanded its wings outward and gazed down at Lawrend.

"Member of the Branch Clan, what is your name?" the Phoenix asked in a deep voice.

"Lawrend Horiel. But who are you?"

Lawrend was taken aback that it was able to speak. After all, it came from the flames.

"Hm? You summoned me, didn\'t you? How come you don\'t know me?" the Phoenix asked in confusion.

"Umm…"

Lawrend was at a lost for words how to explain how he got here. If he said that he barged in here and poured his blood in the pond, would he believe him?

"Don\'t tell me your clan was destroyed? But this Ancestral Blood Pond seems okay…"

The Phoenix looked around and saw that the pond was in tip-top shape.

"I didn\'t know I was a part of this clan. I just barged in here to take revenge on someone," Lawrend answered honestly.

There was no point in lying. His honesty might even earn the trust of this unknown Phoenix.

"Interesting. Your bloodline is comparable to the ancestor. With your talent, it shouldn\'t be hard for you to take control of the clan, right?"

It was obvious to Lawrend what the Phoenix was getting at. He wanted him to prove to everyone in the clan that he was a part of them.

"But I don\'t even know why I got kicked out of the clan…"

"Well, find it out. I thought it was weird for me to be summoned by the ancestor. It turns out it was a talented kid. Come to the heart of the Primitus Continent. The Ignis Clan will be waiting for you."

"I will."

Lawrend nodded his head solemnly. He became interested about this clan that was located at the center of the continent.

"Take this. It will protect you from any attack an Earth Mage or an Earth Sword throws at you."

An orange gem flew from the Phoenix\'s mouth and landed on Lawrend\'s open palm.

"Thank you. What do I call you?"

Lawrend bowed respectfully.

"Considering your bloodline origins, I\'m your ancestor. The ancestor I talked about earlier was our collective ancestor. She was the most powerful Phoenix," Lawrend\'s ancestor explained,

"Wow…"

Lawrend couldn\'t believe it. He never expected that he was actually part of a much bigger clan. From the looks of it, Earth Mages were just crap in his eyes.

"KAHHHH! See you, Lawrend!"

The flames above the blood pond faded, and the Phoenix was nowhere to be seen.

Lawrend turned around and looked at Aezel and Aleshia.

"M-M-Master, how could you speak earlier?" Aezel asked with fear etched in her eyes.

"I thought I was done for…" Aleshia muttered in a daze.

"What happened to the two of you?" Lawrend asked in surprise.

"When that Phoenix appeared, a powerful pressure pressed against me. It sealed any of my movements," Aezel answered.

Aleshia nodded her head behind her.

"I see… I didn\'t feel any pressure. It must be because I\'m his descendant," Lawrend explained to them.

"Y-Y-You\'re a phoenix, Master!?" Aleshia exclaimed loudly in disbelief.

She never even saw him use fire spells until he tried to drain his mana again. She doesn\'t believe it.

"I don\'t know. But I\'m definitely sure that I\'m his descendant. I felt a connection with him," Lawrend replied.

"Fufufufu. I knew it. This must explain why Master was so talented. I chose the right man," Aezel said and embraced his arm in between her chest.

"*Cough*"

They turned their heads to the sound and saw the head of the Rubrignis Clan staring at them awkwardly.

"Your Highness, did you perhaps touch our ancestral pond?" the Clan Head asked as he walked closer.

"..."

Lawrend had a mix of emotions as he stared at the Clan Head, knowing that he was related to him.

"Where is Vernon?" Lawrend asked.

"He\'s outside. We returned to the entrance but found that you already left," the Clan Head replied.

"I see. Let\'s go then."

Lawrend walked forward to leave.

"Wait! Your Highness, that gem in your hand is a property of our clan," the Clan Head said as he pointed at the orange gem in Lawrend\'s hand.

"Hm? How are you so sure?"

Lawrend furrowed his eyebrows at him. He saw greed glowing in his eyes.

"I can feel a connection with it. You definitely took it from our ancestral pond!" the Clan Head shouted with a face full of excitement. He couldn\'t wait to get his hands on it.

"What are you talking about!?" Aezel asked angrily.

She grabbed his robe and looked at him straight in the eye.

"Aezel, relax. Here take it."

Lawrend stopped Aezel, and he gave the orange gem to the Clan Head.

"Wh–"

The Clan Head looked at the orange gem brimming with power in his hand. He was surprised that Lawrend gave it to him so easily.

"Now, die!" Lawrend shouted angrily and grabbed the Clan Head\'s hand that had the gem.