Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol 2- Descent of Darkness

Episode 123: Damaged Pride

*Aida*

The hours passed by without a word from the generals on our failure to secure the last major event medal. My wounds were almost all gone, but that didn't matter to me. The physical pain didn't compare to that of having had my honor broken.

I spend most of the hours since the event in my room, contemplating what I did wrong.

"How could I have lost?" I mumbled. "I'm perfect... Perfect... just like Father designed me to be... I'm perfection..."

*Knock* *Knock*

"Who is there?" I yelled, standing up.

"It's me," Ben said as soon as I opened the door.

"Oh, I thought it was Father..." I said, lowering my head.

"About him, he wanted to speak with you."

I raised my head. "Really? Did he say about what?"

"No, not a single word."

I grimaced. That wasn't good...

"D-do you think he's mad at me?" I asked, hugging myself. "Do you think he hates me?"

"I... don't know," he said.

I sighed. "Had a feeling you would say that..." I pushed myself up. "Where is he?"

"He said to meet him in this location," he said, handing me a folded paper. "Aida, take care. If he's mad, don't make a wrong move. You know him better than me."

I nodded. "Alright..." Though it felt odd to think that he could possibly hit me. Out of all my siblings, I was his favorite. Unlike them, I wasn't a failure... at least not until now...

***

A man dressed in a nice, ironed out black suit and pants stood in the middle of an alley connected to a secluded part of the city's main plaza. It was the place Father had told me to meet him in.

"Father, Ben told you wanted to talk to me," I said, walking up to the man.

He turned around to look at me. His emerald eyes lacked their usual sparkle. "Yes, I told that failure of your fiancé that."

"Failure? Ben's not a-"

"He is, as are you three. You were doing so well at first, until you embarrassed me in the very end. It would've been better to have had the committee follow through in kicking you guys out of the games. That in itself was a dire mistake. You couldn't even retrieve Experiment R-11 without witnesses around. Even then, you failed to execute said witnesses."

"I'm sorry, Father. I was a tad disoriented at the time after having-"

"You're giving me excuses? That's not like you. Perhaps allowing you to go to Helix Academy was a mistake. Aida, you won't be returning to H.E.H."

"What?"

"You heard me." He turned his back to me. "I don't ever wish to see you again. You aren't welcomed back in H.E.H. after that miserable performance. If you try to come back then I won't hesitate to terminate you."

My eyes widened. "Bu-"

"No buts. Only one of you four will be returning with us, but that's because she's too valuable to toss aside."

Nia? Why her? I'm his daughter! Nia is just an orphan girl the genetic corps took from her home. Her potential can't be that much, especially when compared to mine.