CHAPTER 17: CHAPTER 17: ONE IN A MILLION GENIUS

After hearing that shocking revelation from his mother, Aiden leaned forward on the bed, his voice sharp with urgency. "Mom, did Nana ever tell you who your biological parents are?"

On the other end of the call, Ophelia sighed softly before answering. "I asked them back then, but they told me my biological parents were dead. They said those people weren’t important and that there was no use searching for them anymore. Since they were already gone, I didn’t see the point in clinging to ghosts. And honestly, Aiden, your Nana and grandfather have always treated me with so much love. They raised me, gave me a family, and I never wanted to hurt them by chasing after people who no longer existed."

Aiden’s shoulders slumped. It felt like the last solid lead had slipped right through his fingers. A dead end. If Ophelia’s parents were truly gone, then his mysterious bloodline must have come from people he would never meet. The frustration pressed heavy on his chest, but before he could drown in it, his mother’s voice cut through his thoughts.

"Aiden," Ophelia asked carefully, "how did you even know I was hiding something? And why did you bring it up so suddenly, like it was urgent?"

Aiden froze. He couldn’t tell her the truth—not about the academy, the tests, or the bloodlines that had turned his world upside down. His mind raced until a quick lie surfaced.

"I was showing my roommate the family picture we took with Nana and Grandpa last year," Aiden explained, forcing a light laugh. "And he... well, he joked that you and I don’t look like Nana and Grandpa at all. He said he understood me not looking like them, but you’re supposed to be their direct child, right? He asked why you don’t have any of their features either. At first I brushed it off, but later, when I looked closely at the photo, I realized he kind of had a point. That’s what made me wonder."

Ophelia was quiet for a second, then her voice came firm, almost protective. "It doesn’t matter that they aren’t my biological parents. They raised me with love, and that’s what counts. To me, they are my parents. And to you, they will always be your grandparents. Don’t forget that, Aiden. They love you very much."

Aiden’s chest softened. "I know, Mom. I really do. I love them too. You don’t have to worry about that."

"Good," Ophelia replied gently. They lingered on the line a bit longer, trading a few light words. Aiden asked after his father, listened to the usual motherly fussing, and tried to keep the conversation easy. Eventually, the call came to its natural end.

When the screen finally went dark, Aiden let out a long breath and collapsed backward onto his bed. His eyes drifted to the ceiling, thoughts swirling like a storm. So that’s it. My only clue is gone. My bloodline must have come from grandparents I’ll never meet, and since they’re dead, I’ll never know the truth.

He shut his eyes and muttered under his breath, "It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I survive this academy, no matter how hard it gets. I need to get strong enough to reach the end... and then meet Ryker."

At the thought of Ryker, his heart stumbled. He could see again the sharp lines of Ryker’s face, the power and grace in the way he had saved him that night. He’s so strong, so untouchable... Will I ever be like that? If I train here at Skyline, will I become as awesome as him one day?

His mind began to drift into daydreams, weaving scenarios of finally meeting Ryker again—how he would thank him, how Ryker might look at him, what he might say. But the thought of Ryker’s fiancée shattered those fantasies like glass. His chest tightened uncomfortably.

Stop it, Aiden. Don’t be the kind of person you despise. He’s engaged, and you’re just... you. He let out a shaky laugh that wasn’t quite amused. "Why did he have to be engaged so young? Nineteen and already bound to someone. He must really, really care about her. My first love is doomed before it even began. What a pity."

Rolling to his side, he whispered firmly, "No. I’ll just thank him for saving me, nothing more."

Deciding he had wallowed enough, Aiden dragged himself toward the small bookshelf by his bed. His fingers brushed over familiar spines until he pulled out one of the comic books he had brought from home. The pages absorbed his attention, giving his restless mind something else to hold onto.

Time slipped away unnoticed until a knock echoed against his door. Aiden didn’t even glance up, already knowing who it was. "Come in, it’s not locked," he called.

Julian walked in, giving him a quick once-over. His brow arched. "Why are you still in your school uniform?"

Aiden blinked, glanced down at himself, and chuckled sheepishly. "Oh... after the call with my mom, I guess I forgot I was still wearing it."

Julian shook his head in disbelief. "Then come on. Get out of it. It’s lunchtime."

Aiden stretched and reached for his phone. His eyes widened when he saw the time. "Wow, I didn’t realize it was this late. I’ve been reading for two hours already?"

Julian leaned against the doorframe. "Clearly. Now hurry. Or are you planning to eat in that uniform?"

"Can’t I?" Aiden asked lazily.

"You can," Julian replied with a smirk. "But once classes start next week, you’ll realize you’ll practically live in that uniform. For now, though, everyone’s enjoying their free days without it. So if you show up in yours, you’ll be the center of attention again. I thought you didn’t like crowds staring at you."

Aiden groaned, dragging himself to his feet. "Fine, fine. I’ll change. Wait for me."

Julian waved a hand. "I’ll wait, just hurry."

Aiden opened his wardrobe, picked out a casual outfit, and retreated into the bathroom. A few minutes later, dressed more comfortably, he joined Julian. Together, they left the apartment, walking side by side toward the dining hall.

On the way, Aiden’s curiosity bubbled up again. "Hey, Julian, I’ve been wondering about something. When I searched about Skyline Academy before coming here, I saw that a lot of its graduates are really successful. But if all we do here is train to control our powers, how did they manage to succeed in regular careers? Doesn’t this place skip normal education?"

Julian smiled knowingly. "And who told you that Skyline doesn’t teach normal subjects?"

Aiden blinked in surprise. "Wait, really? I just assumed they didn’t. How could they possibly train us in our powers and still teach mundane things like math and history? That seems impossible."

Julian chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint you, but it’s not impossible. We train with our powers four days a week, and the other three days are for regular classes. They manage both."

Aiden stopped walking for a second, staring at him. "Hold on... are you saying I’ll have to train with the three races, survive the academy’s brutal tests, and still pass exams on top of that? No breaks at all?"

"Pretty much," Julian said with a shrug.

Aiden groaned loudly, clutching his head. "This school is insane! Are they trying to kill me by the end of the first semester?"

Julian laughed softly, shaking his head as if amused by Aiden’s lingering worries. "Don’t worry, you won’t die," he said, his voice carrying a light teasing tone. "The only reason we were able to push ourselves that hard earlier and keep going like clockwork is because we’re not human. If we were, exhaustion would have hit us ages ago. But for us, things are different. We don’t get sick from something as ordinary as being tired, and we recover much faster. On top of that, our minds work differently too. The stronger someone’s potential, the sharper all their other traits become. That includes the brain. Your thoughts and memory speed up, meaning you can learn things at an almost unbelievable rate compared to normal people. But I think you’ve noticed that already. Even though you’ve always thought of yourself as human, you should have realized something by now. You don’t even need to spend as much time studying as others. You pick up lessons quicker, almost effortlessly."

Aiden tilted his head thoughtfully, considering Julian’s words before nodding. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he replied, "I really did believe I was some kind of one-in-a-million genius back when I thought I was just human. It felt nice, thinking I had that kind of rare gift. But now, hearing this... I understand that it wasn’t exactly because of hard work or luck. It was because I’m a supernatural being. So thanks for bursting my bubble, Julian."

There was a trace of humor in his tone, though his eyes still held a glimmer of seriousness.

Julian’s smile grew warmer, carrying a hint of reassurance. "Don’t worry, your bubble hasn’t popped completely. You’re still a one-in-a-million genius, Aiden. That’s not going to change. In fact, you have the highest potential in this entire school. With your three high bloodlines, you’re beyond exceptional. And even if, later on, two of those bloodlines fade away, it won’t lessen who you are. That one remaining bloodline will become even more powerful, strong enough to keep you unmatched. So believe me when I say, you’re still rare, still one of a kind."

Aiden nodded again, but this time his expression softened with genuine appreciation. "That’s good to know," he said quietly, as if allowing the reassurance to settle into him. The corner of his lips curved up into a faint smile.

By now, their footsteps had carried them further down the corridor. The hum of voices and the faint clatter of cutlery told them they were nearing the cafeteria. The air was filled with the mingling aromas of lunch, a small reminder of the normal rhythm of student life despite the weight of their conversation.

Julian glanced at Aiden, a thought surfacing. "Earlier you mentioned calling your mother," he said carefully. "Did you ask her about everything? What did she say?"

They stepped through the wide entry into the dining hall, the sound around them swelling as groups of students sat together chatting and laughing. Aiden’s eyes flickered briefly across the room before he turned back to Julian. His voice lowered a little, almost cautious. "I’ll tell you later," he said. "After lunch."