Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start

The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of a single enchanted lantern casting elongated shadows against the dark mahogany walls. The silence was thick, almost suffocating, as three figures sat within the vast chamber, their expressions unreadable.

Alex sat with his arms resting on the armrests of an intricately carved wooden chair, his posture relaxed but his mind anything but. His mother, Vanessa Drakathor, sat directly across from him, her piercing blue-violet eyes locked onto his own with an intensity that was difficult to meet.

[You won't be able to avoid it today.] Sophie's voice rang in his head, causing him to take a deep breath.

'I know,' he replied inwardly, fully aware of what was going to happen.

He glanced at Alenia, who sat beside Vanessa. Unlike Vanessa's sharp, almost overwhelming presence, Alenia's aura was softer, her deep emerald eyes holding a warmth that made her a source of comfort rather than intimidation.

But well, she was just like that. From as long as he could remember, there had never been a time when he had seen Alenia look at him with any negative emotion.

However, Alex noticed something more. Today, even Alenia had a pensive look on her face, her hands clasped loosely on her lap as she waited for the conversation to begin.

Alex finally broke the silence.

"What is it that you wanted to talk about, Mother?" He asked, his voice steady but guarded.

Vanessa remained silent for a moment longer, her gaze scrutinizing, weighing something unspoken. Then, with a slow exhale, she leaned forward slightly.

"Where have you been for the past week?"

The question was straightforward, yet it carried an undertone that Alex immediately recognized—one that meant Vanessa already had an idea of the answer or, at the very least, pieces of it.

He was sure she didn't know where he was, but he didn't doubt that she knew he wasn't in Originveil City.

Alex was sure that Vanessa and Alenia had already searched every corner of the city for clues about him.

However, Alex didn't respond right away. His fingers tapped lightly against the wooden armrest, his expression unreadable. He had to appear hesitant.

The silence stretched, and Vanessa's frown deepened.

"Answer with the truth, Alex," she said firmly. "I have ignored many things until now. I've turned a blind eye when I should have questioned. But you..."

She exhaled sharply. "Every time I see you, I get the feeling that you are planning something, preparing for something."@@novelbin@@

Images flashed past her head. All of them were related to Alex.

The first was the Lucious incident, or the awakening massacre. He had a neutral expression when he told her what he planned to do and how it would profit him.

Yes, from his reasoning, she understood that it was the best possible approach, but that wasn't something a child could think of no matter how much of a genius he was.

But she let it go.

After that, she observed and observed. On several occasions, she thought that maybe Alex wanted the empire, but he seemed uninterested in politics at the same time.

For Vanessa, it was getting harder to understand what her own son was trying to do.

So, she added, her voice was unwavering, laced with an emotion that wasn't often present when she spoke. "I don't want any more mysteries surrounding my own son."

Alex's jaw tightened slightly, his gaze lowering for a brief moment before returning to meet hers.

Vanessa continued, her voice carrying the weight of something long unspoken. "I have always kept an eye on you, Alex. Not to control you, not to spy on you—but because I am your mother. And no matter how careful you are, no matter how much you try to hide things, I see them."

She paused as she found him staring at her with wide eyes. "...I know of the things you've been doing—the ones only a handful of people are aware of. I just never confronted you about them."

'Hm, looks like she caught on to the things I let intentionally slip by,' Alex hummed inwardly while still maintaining a serious expression on the outside.

Neither Vanessa nor Alenia knew that all the information they could find a clue about was what Alex had fed them.

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It was then that Alenia, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "Vanessa has been patient, Alex." Her voice was soft, but she seemed worried—worried that Alex might try to avoid the topic yet again.

So she tried to convince him. "She didn't question you when you started moving in ways that matched her son yet felt different. She didn't question the unnatural instincts, the knowledge you shouldn't have had, or the way you always seem to be a step ahead of everyone."

She paused, her emerald eyes searching his face. "But we can't ignore it anymore. Not when it's this obvious."

The fact that they couldn't find Alex for the last two weeks meant that Alex had the power to hide himself from people of their caliber—something that couldn't be ignored.

'It would be dangerous for him,' Vanessa and Alenia thought.

They knew how dangerous it could be if someone other than them were to realize this.

A hunt for Alex might begin, and at that time, it would be hard to protect Alex, even for them.

A power or artifact that could hide one from the perception of people of Vanessa's caliber couldn't be normal.

Alex let out a slow breath, leaning back into his chair.

It wasn't that he didn't know what they were worried about. He had long deduced that there were more people of Vanessa's caliber than he could guess, and his actions could catch a few of their eyes.

Alex knew that things could get dangerous, but that didn't mean he would stop what he was doing.

He was never a coward.

He stared at both of his mothers, and as he found worry in their eyes, he realized how worried they would've been when they couldn't locate him.

They had allowed him his secrets for long. But now, they were demanding to know everything. They had the right to do so.

But Alex remained calm, as he had always planned to tell them eventually. He was just stalling for as long as he could since he wasn't sure how they would react.

Alex closed his eyes briefly before opening them again, his resolve hardening. His voice was calm and measured. "I will answer your question."

His words made Vanessa and Alenia grow serious, their gaze locked into his.

Alex wasn't going to lie—they could tell that.

"The answer to all of your questions is that..." He leaned forward, his expression mirroring theirs. "I have memories of my previous life."

Silence.

For the first time in a long while, Vanessa Drakathor's expression shattered.

Her normally unshakable composure slipped as her eyes widened slightly, a rare moment of genuine shock and surprise crossing her features.

Even Alenia, who was usually composed, inhaled sharply.

Memories of a previous life.

For the first time, the mysteries surrounding Alex had a single, undeniable explanation.

And yet, that answer only opened a thousand more questions.