Family, ability, wealth and power.


    Why does that all matter? People always want to know if you have a complete family, whether you have a great ability that they would be interested in.


    And power.


    If you do not have power, no one will notice you. No one will respect you. No one will glance your way again once they find out that you are nobody.


    Is that a standard?Is it a requirement every human should have? It is idiotic.


    ''Why did you leave Summa Octo?''


    Hmm, why did I leave...I wonder. It has been many years since I escaped that place. I never once looked back at the past and the reason why I decided to leave.


    Looking back, maybe I was tired of them. Bahiensis and all of them...are—no I should not involve the innocent. There are some Araneans who are naturally kind, but Bahiensis and those who are loyal to him are worse than trash. All of them are influenced by his thirst for power.


    Even going to the point where he sacrificed everything…


    ''That is a pity. Summa Octo will not be Summa Octo if they are only seven.''


    I cannot help but let out a snort. Summa Octo is the Eight highest Araneans. Of course, they would not be complete if there were only seven…


    But even so, they would not care less even if I disappeared.


    Summa Octo is the family that every Araneans respect. But for me, they were not close to being called ''family'', I just consider ourselves as a group of eight people.


    That was all there was to it.


    ~~~~~~~~~~


    "Mother! Mother!" I tried to call my mother, but I could not hear her voice responding to me.


    I went inside the shelter where the Summa Octo resides and saw mother resting on the mat with two servants fanning. Looks like Father was not with her today.


    There she is, doing nothing yet she did not even respond when I was calling her. "There you are, mother!" I called, trying to be as cheerful as I could.


    I could see the annoyance in her face as she heard my voice again, "You are so loud, can you not see I am resting?" she said.


    Phoneutria Boliviensis, the wife of the leader of Aranea Clan. My mother.


    That was the attitude that I grew up with. I have never once seen her be kind and gentle with me, her own daughter. She never defied father, and always followed his every wish. But all people fear her as well, as much as they fear Phoneutria Bahiensis.


    I grew up with this uncaring side of hers, it was as if I was not her child. But I paid no heed since I was used to it.


    "Is father not here?" I asked.


    Mother shook his head as she wore an emotionless expression on her face. "No, all leaders of the clan within the Animali tribe are in a meeting."


    A meeting? I wonder what the meeting is about. It has been a long time since the clans had a meeting.


    But it was great that my father was not here, this way I would not be scared and nervous.


    "Mother, I am here to get your permission." I said, hoping that she would not get mad and let me do what I wish.


    She raised her brow upon hearing my words, "Permission for what?"


    My hands gripped the hems of my dress, I was nervous. I could feel that she would be mad, but I wanted to try and see my luck. Just for a day. "I-I want to ask for your permission...to play with the children in Lynx—


    She stood up from her lying position and slammed her hand, "What are you talking about? You cannot play with them!"


    "B-but mother…"


    "No! Playing with the lynxes? Ha!" she exclaimed with a snort, finding it ridiculous.


    I do not understand why my clan hates the Lyncas Clan. We are all from the same tribe, shouldn''t the clans help each other and treat each other like families?


    I do not understand why there should be competition from inside the same tribe.


    "You will not play with others and just stay here. It is good that I am the one you asked, if you asked your father instead, he will punish you for trying to get near Lyncas!"


    "Just one day, mother! Just this day!" I begged, I promised I would play with them only for one day, but judging from my mother''s expression, I should not expect anything.


    "No. Do not ask again, you know what my answer will be." she said.


    But today…


    Today is my birthday, mother.


    Just for this day, I wanted to do what I wanted. I wanted to tell her that but I know she would not even care if it is the day of my birth.


    "Mother, why not let her go today?"


    "That is right, she said only for today."


    Phoneutria Keyserlingi and Phoneutria Nigriventer. The two of them are my brother, out of all my brothers only these two pay attention to me.


    I smiled at them, thankful for helping me but I could only wear a bitter smile because I know that my mother will not change her mind.


    Before my mother could answer, my other brothers chimed in, "You two should not disobey mother, you know." Phoneutria Eickstedtae said.


    "You guys are saving that little brat again. Look at her, instead of doing something helpful, she wants to play outside!" Phoneutria Pertyi said and laughed.


    If Keyserlingi and Nigriventer are someone who I am close with and help me, these two are the opposite. They never once saw me as their sibling, because I am just a girl not worthy in the family.


    Phoneutria Reidyi just sat down and stayed silent, minding his own business. Out of all five sons of Phoneutria Bahiensis and Phoneutria Boliviensis, Reidyi is neutral. He never took any side and just waited for an order that he could do.


    The expression in mother''s face remained the same, "No matter how many times you asked permission to—


    "Permission for what?"


    I felt like my blood was drained from my body as I turned pale. This deep voice that I am scared of. I cannot bring myself to move.


    I turned around and saw Phoneutria Bahiensis standing behind me, who had just entered. "Fa-father..."


    Boliviensis stood up and approached father, "Bahiensis, it is nothing. I already—"


    "Answer me."


    Mother stayed silent, not wanting to tell father what I asked her. Two of my brothers, Keyserlingi and Nigriventer, also stayed silent because it would put me in trouble.


    "Father, can you believe it? This little child of yours wanted to play with the lynxes in the Lyncas Clan!" Phoneutria Pertyi exclaimed with a smirk.


    All of them turned to him in surprise, and I remained in my spot, lowering my head. "Is it true?" Father asked and I noticed every emphasis on his words.


    What is the point of asking me? There were no chances for me to lie. All my brothers are here and they knew that it was true.


    My whole body was shaking, yes, I was scared.


    My whole life, all I feared was this man in front me. The leader of the Aranea Clan. My father.


    Phoneutria Bahiensis.


    "Ye-yes..."


    "I cannot hear you."


    "Yes..."


    "Louder!"


    I flinched when he raised his voice, I could not keep my body from trembling and tears kept coming out of my eyes in fear, "Yes! Ye—"


    My feet could not touch the ground as I was in the air. I could not breathe, Bahiensis lifted me up with his big hands wrapped around my neck.


    His grip was tight and I cried, there was no more air for me to breathe. I glanced at my mother and brothers from the corner of my eyes, Mother, brother, help me!


    I can''t breathe! Help me!


    My hands made their way to the hands that grabbed my neck. I tried to remove my father''s hand, but he was too strong. My nails were scratching his hand, begging him to remove it.


    I…I am going to die!


    He removed his hand, not even bothering to put me down first before removing it. I dropped to the floor with my hand on my neck, gasping for more air.


    I felt as if my tears were drained from my eyes. I laid down on the ground as I had no more energy to move.


    I could see the expression on my brothers'' faces. Pertyi looked like he enjoyed the show and Eickstedtae with Reidyi remained blank. The worried expression on Keyserlingi and Nigriventer''s face could not be hidden as they looked at me on the ground. Although they wanted to help me, they could not do so while my father was still there.


    Bahiensis walked towards where my mother was resting before and sat down. "Take her to the punishment circle." he ordered, looking at Keyserlingi and Nigriventer.


    Punishment circle, huh? I should be crying right now. But I am too tired to do so.


    My brothers carried me, and I could see the guilty look on their faces. But I never once had gotten mad at them. I understood that they could not do anything, and it was fine.


    As I was dragged out of the Summa Octo''s lair, I could not even see the expression that my mother had on her face. She never even did anything while I was being strangled by her husband, my own father.


    Yes, this was what I was always used to.


    I am Phoneutria Fera.


    Today....I just turned 11.