"It's fine. It's fine. Everything is going to be alright." Nella couldn't help but let out some tears, knowing how hard it was for Theo.
He had been fending off by himself since he was still a child.
Just simple family support would actually make his life a hundred times better. He didn't need to have a big house or money… He just wanted someone to be there for him.
Even if they needed to live in a small apartment while barely fulfilling their stomach, it was fine. At least, he knew he had a home to return to.
After reaching this point, his only hope was to meet his last family member and go home together. Unfortunately, reality hit him hard.
His parents turned out to be alive and never cared about him this whole time. It was easy to meet him with their status, so he knew his parents never visited him.
And the last member of the family was actually not a blood-related brother.
All of those hit him hard, wreaking havoc on his heart.
Nella tried to calm him down by hugging him. She waited for a moment and gently said, "Theo. I know that my words may be hard to believe since everything is crumbling apart in your head. I also know that you may have some trust issues after this.
"Still, I want you to know that I will always be your family. If you don't know where to go, my place will always be open for you. If my father doesn't accept you, we can just leave the house for a while. I can't do many things, but I can lend you my ears."
Theo didn't reply or move. He simply closed his eyes with mixed emotions in his heart.
Even when Nella gradually laid down on the bed while embracing him, Theo didn't show any reaction.
Nella continued, "You know… When I told my father I wanted to help him become the family head, my father broke my heart. He literally told me it was impossible.
"I had a grudge back then, thinking my father discriminated against me because I'm a woman. However, I soon learned the truth. It turned out there's someone more capable than me.
"My father called me a little genius of Magic Control, but my father once called you the genius of Adaptability. Have you ever thought you can learn many things easier than others? It's your talent. It's not smart or whatsoever.
"At that time, I idolized you because I wanted to work with such an amazing person. If you became the family head, I wanted to be someone supporting you. I wanted to see what kind of scene flash before your eyes. I wanted… many things.
"However, two weeks ago, when I first met you. I quickly investigated everything and matched the record with my past research.
"It was then I realized you are much cooler than I thought. You are literally the person I look up to. With such a hard life, you can still rise to this point. If it were me, I don't know whether I can continue living or not.
"That's why… Please never give up. Just like how you always are, please stand back on your feet and march forward. Instead of clinging to the past, how about creating a bright future for yourself?
"Just remember, if you are stuck, I will always be here. I will be someone you can rely on… Even if you surpass me in the near future, no matter how small it is, I want to help you. You don't need to trust me right now, but I won't give up until I gain your trust.
"My views may be a bit childish, but this is the feeling that has grown inside me for twelve years and my stubbornness won't leave you alone." Nella smiled.
Theo's body shook as he gradually calmed himself down. As Nella said, he somehow couldn't trust everything people told him and it might continue for quite a long time.
But one thing for sure, he needed to demand an explanation from his big brother. Depending on what he found, he prepared to sever the family relationship with them.
'What kind of trickster I am… God of Mischief entrusts me that title, but it turns out, I have been tricked this whole time. Which one is an illusion… Which one is reality?' Theo gently pulled Nella's hand off as he rose from the bed and returned to his chair.
He closed his eyes and muttered inwardly, 'The answer to that question is… Whichever I believe in. If I believe this is the reality, it shall become a reality. God of Mischief gave me three conditions to annoy people, but the truth is… It's not how to annoy someone, but how to manipulate their mental state by forcing your reality on them while making everything turn into a mere illusion in their mind. That's how he tricked people in his myth…
'I see. My current purpose is to learn more about the truth of my family to know how to deal with them. Second, I have established my own reputation in this competition. Third condition… It's to not lie. I can see it now.
'It's easy to lie to confuse people. And when many people believe in that lie, it can be treated as truth. However, God of Mischief doesn't want something like that. This lie will only end up as the imagination in many people's heads…
'What God of Mischief wants is an illusion that can become a reality. In other words, it's never been a lie in the first place. If I believe it's the truth, that means when I tell someone about it, I tell them the truth, not a lie. If I believe that's the reality, that means it's the reality! Others have no choice other than to believe it. The illusion that doesn't end up becoming a mere imagination but a reality!
'To think how to annoy someone can become a guide of the true illusion… Both are the truth.' Theo took a deep breath to calm his heart down. 'I don't care about it anymore. From this point on, I shall only trust myself. Even if other people told me a lie, if I deem it as the truth, it shall become the truth.'
He sorted his thoughts for a while before looking at Nella once again. He opened his mouth with a gentle smile on his face. "Thank you, Nella."
*****
Author's Note: I have updated Vol.2 Character List.