The Vessel Demon frowned, staring down at the table.
He kept repeating the names in his head, weighing them one by one.
His brows slowly knit together as he struggled to choose.
For someone who had never been allowed to have a name at all, the choice felt heavier than he expected.
Before he could speak again...
A loud step echoed behind them.
"Heh."
A familiar, rough voice cut in.
"A new family name, huh."
Everyone turned.
Valtor had appeared near the table, arms crossed, a wide grin on his face.
His presence alone made the air feel louder.
Valtor looked the Vessel Demon up and down, not with cruelty, but blunt honesty.
"You were weak," he said plainly. "Born weak. Treated weak."
The Vessel Demon stiffened but didn't look away.
Valtor continued, voice firm. "But you're here to become strong. If that's the case, you need a family name that doesn't sound soft."
He jabbed a thumb toward his own chest.
"How about a name starting with V," he said. "Like mine."
