Location- Southern Region, Southern Capital, Southern Royal Palace, Guest Palace
Throughout her upbringing, Aria was constantly told that her bloodline was second only to Anna's in terms of purity and distinction. Yet, upon observing her cousins and peers with similarly distinguished bloodlines, she couldn't help but feel that the enhancements they gained from their lineage were not all that different from her own. It begged the question: if her bloodline was truly the purest of them all, shouldn't it grant her greater abilities and advantages than her relatives?
The question of whether her bloodline fell short in some way wasn't Aria's greatest worry, as she was already at the forefront of her generation with the abilities she possessed. Her success wasn't solely attributed to her pure bloodline, but rather because of her tireless work ethic and tenacious disposition.
Despite being born into the prestigious Art family with the Royal Bloodline, Aria learned from a young age that she wasn't inherently exceptional and had to earn her place through hard work and perseverance.
Regardless of her achievements, Aria felt a constant weight on her shoulders to uphold the reputation of the Art Family and their Royal Bloodline.
Society had unrealistic expectations of those born with the Royal Bloodline, assuming they would excel in all areas just as their renowned ancestors did anything short they would be considered to be tarnishing the Royal Bloodline's legacy.
Falling short of perfection was simply not an option and any perceived failure reflected not only on the individual but the entire family. So, If Aria failed to live up to society's expectations of her then the Art Family would be blamed for degrading the Royal Bloodline with their blood.
Given the unattainable expectations set by society, Aria had no option but to be relentlessly diligent and hardworking to meet their ludicrous standards. While her pure bloodline was undoubtedly a factor in her success, it was her tireless efforts that propelled her forward. Without her unwavering determination and hard work, her pure bloodline alone would not have been sufficient to satisfy society's insatiable demands.
Aria's life was incredibly hectic, as she achieved the rank of Card Lord at the remarkably young age of seventeen. She was so busy that she never had the opportunity to ponder whether her pure bloodline was lacking in any way. It wasn't until her clients, whom she was tasked with protecting, pointed out the potential deficiencies in her bloodline that Aria began to question its completeness.
"Master Wyatt, what are you trying to say?" Aria asked the boy with caution as she did not want to jump to any rash assumptions as she was aware that her Royal Bloodline, whether she wished it or not, was a more significant part of her identity than even the esteemed Art family she was born and raised in. So, if there was any problem with the Royal Bloodline within her then figures will be pointed at the Art family, blaming them for degrading the Royal Bloodline.
The Art family was one of the oldest allies of the Southern Royal family, they took pride in her loyalty to the Southern Royal family and for them to be blamed for degrading the Royal Bloodline would be their worst nightmare.
'Sir, young miss's body is not strong enough to display the full potential of the Royal bloodline regardless of its purity.'
'No, that day will never come. My daughter will make sure of it by making up for what her physique lacks by working a hundred times harder than others. Right, Aria?'
'Yes, Father.'
In a sudden epiphany, Aria recollected that she and her family had always been aware of the fact that her physical constitution was not robust enough to showcase the complete potential of the Royal Bloodline. As a result, they had opted to keep it under wraps, apprehensive of societal repercussions. Now, Aria couldn't help but ponder why she felt inferior and the urge to keep pace with her peers when it was evident that she had surpassed them. It wasn't a matter of surpassing them in terms of realm or strength but in terms of the bloodline itself.
"Before I get to that, I need you to answer a few personal questions," I asked deciding first to verify my judgment before I made any claims.
"Sure, go ahead," Aria agreed because she felt the boy knew something she did not. Considering his performance so far Aria was willing to believe him.
"Feel free to stop me when you feel uncomfortable answering my questions," I declared before asking, "Aria, you have any siblings?"
"No, I am the only one," Aria answered
"Did your parents ever try to have another baby after you?" I asked but then seeing the reluctance on Aria's face I added, "I assure you it is related to what I am going to say about your bloodline."
Aria replied, "Yes, they did. Unfortunately, luck was not on their side." However, she didn't disclose the entire truth that she was privy to - that her mother had suffered a total of six miscarriages, five before Aria's birth and one after. It was after the last one that Aria's parents decided to put an end to their attempts as they couldn't bear the agony of going through another miscarriage.
"I understand," I murmured, my fingers nimbly using my mental strength to conduct a thorough search on Aria's mother on the Grimoire Network, with a particular focus on her pregnancies.
Being the offspring of Minister Lorn and Field Marshal Heatsend, Aria's mother was a prominent figure in the southern province, and it didn't take much effort for me to track down her personal details, which Aria had not divulged. Further, I delved into the network to do some research about the Art family, and then armed with that knowledge, I had a complete understanding of Aria's predicament before I apprised her of it.