《A Curse Upon the World》


 Prologue [#]

    Prologue [#]


    <hr>


    If you don''t seek trouble, it will find you.


    <hr>


    In a dark room, quiet as the stillness of the night, a laptop screen glowed dimly, illuminating the features of the boy whose fingers danced across the keyboard.


    The boy''s focused expression never left the screen as he typed furiously.


    Emlyn hadn''t done much, but in the end, everything played to his advantage.


    Although he lost his job and sleeping place at the antique shop, what he gained in return was of higher value.


    He now had a supporter, the resources to become stronger, and most importantly, a foothold in the capital.


    Soon, he would be there¡ªin Sabel, the Academy of New Mages.


    Emlyn was excited, even euphoric, but he still had a whole year to go.


    He had no intention of wasting the opportunity.


    Closing his eyes, Emlyn looked at the silver moon in the dark sky. Slowly, a small smile crept across his lips.


    ''I deserve this,''


    he murmured to himself before heading to the grand bed in his new room.


    [End of Volume One]


    The boy looked at his computer screen calmly, rereading what he had written multiple times before nodding quietly to himself.


    ''This is good.''


    The boy saved what he had written so far and then opened the webpage to the site where he published his works.


    He wasted no time and went straight to the author''s dashboard to publish the last chapter of the first volume of his novel "Forever Unfinished."


    The boy took a moment to think of a suitable title for the chapter.


    But soon it became clear to him, and he began writing it down.


    Chapter 88 - A New Life.


    The title was a reflection of the transformation in the main character Emlyn''s life.


    Even the boy felt the title was fitting. He liked to call this feeling the writer''s intuition, so he didn''t hesitate to publish the chapter under that title.


    Once again, he reviewed the chapter, but from the perspective of a reader on the platform.


    And once again, he nodded to himself in satisfaction.


    ''This is good.''


    .


    .


    .


    With the boy closing his laptop, he took his phone. It was late at night, past three in the morning.


    But before going to sleep, he spent some time on social media to catch up on the latest news from his favorite content creators.


    But the news that everyone was talking about was regarding the volcanic eruption in Iceland.


    A natural disaster had forced millions to take refuge outside their homes.


    There were many aerial videos of the disaster circulating, but the boy just quickly skipped past them.


    Generally, he felt numb and didn''t want to empathize with anyone.


    He knew it was wrong, but that was the nature of his world.


    After some time of mindless scrolling, the boy put his phone aside and finally went to sleep, at last.


    .


    .


    .


    The boy opened his eyes wide, resisting the urge to close them again.


    ''A dream.''


    He kept staring at the ceiling of his room for an indefinite period, lost in thought.


    SIGH


    With a lazy sigh, the boy reached out to grab his phone from under his pillow to check the time.


    It was nine-thirty in the morning, his typical wake-up time that refused to change even if he slept late.


    The second thing the boy checked on his phone was the status of his novel.


    Forever Unfinished


    - Total Views: 10,120


    - Average Views: 115


    - Followers: 14


    - Likes: 6


    - Ratings: 5


    - Reviews: 1


    "A review? And a new rating? "


    The boy looked at his phone screen with excitement evident on his face.


    He nervously tapped on the section dedicated to ratings and reviews. As soon as the page loaded, the familiar screen appeared before the boy.


    His eyes, which had been filled with excitement moments before, widened in surprise.


    "What? Why?"


    he muttered as he looked in disbelief at his phone screen.


    What was displayed on the screen were the number of ratings. There were five in total, just one more than yesterday.


    But what shocked the boy was that the new rating, unlike the four previous ones that were five stars, was only two and a half stars.


    "This can''t be."


    The boy felt his heart racing in his chest, generally because he felt wronged and targeted.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    In his anger, he pressed on the rating, but nothing happened.


    The platform where the boy published his novel did not allow the author to see who rated his works.


    So, he was unable to get an explanation for such a low rating.


    "This will hurt the future of the story. New readers will feel hesitant to read when they see the low rating."


    "What am I supposed to do?"


    The boy thought of a solution, but nothing came to mind. The only thing he thought of was deleting the novel and republishing it.


    But he felt hesitant.


    He felt as if he would be betraying those who read his novel and the four who rated it five stars.


    SIGH


    The boy sighed in frustration and helplessness.


    Just as he was about to exit the browser, he remembered the one review he received.


    He had been so busy thinking about the negative rating that he forgot about the review.


    "But what if the review itself is from the person who gave the rating?"


    This was a significant possibility the boy did not deny, and it would greatly harm the future of his story.


    "If that''s the case, I have no other choice but to delete the novel and republish it."


    He scrolled down to the bottom of the page where the single review was located.


    Ironically, the review itself had a two-and-a-half-star rating.


    "At least I get an explanation."


    Despite the calmness of his words, the boy''s heart was aching intensely from within.


    <hr>


    ASHEN OF ASHE


    reviewed on 06/10/2026 03:55:01 AM


    First Review / Do You Have What is Needed Mr Author?


    Reviewed at Chapter 88 - New Life


    Do You Have What is Needed Mr Author?


    You see Mr Author, to write is to provide a new perspective. in any other case, I''ll praise you for it. but not with this.


    I appreciate you so far, but you still very very lacking... you''re laking the thing i most need now Mr Author.


    I wished you were the one, but you''re not?.. maybe,.. maybe? Emlyn can do, but i myself failed... but no, i can''t trust any one other than myself.


    sorry to you Mr Author, we won''t see each other again.


    good luck with your laking writing,..


    Overall Score : 2.5


    <hr>


    "There''s not much explanation."


    The boy laughed darkly as he read the meaningless review, if it even held any meaning.


    The boy expected that Ashen of Ashe''s review would somehow justify the low rating.


    But all he got was a vague review, perhaps unrelated to the story, except for mentioning the main character''s name once.


    This review seemed personal and targeted.


    "But who could it be? No one knows about my writing the novel."


    The boy reread the review, hoping to find a hidden meaning he hadn''t noticed the first time.


    But the review remained as vague as it came... except for one thing.


    "This person read until the last chapter, so why does their review say otherwise?"


    Lost in his thoughts, the boy didn''t notice the door to his room opening.


    "Walid, breakfast is ready, get up, stop being so lazy."


    The figure standing at the door spoke, pulling Walid out of his thoughts.


    He looked up from his phone towards the figure at his room door.


    "Good morning, mom."


    Walid''s mother nodded and left the door open.


    Walid turned his gaze back to his phone screen.


    SIGH


    With a helpless sigh, he exited the browser.


    He could delete the review, but the rating would remain. That was somehow worse than leaving the random review.


    "Should I really just delete the novel and republish it?"


    Unbeknownst to him, his face held a deep scowl.


    ''This would be the third time I rewrite this novel.''


    "I am tired."


    Walid put his phone aside and stared at the ceiling of his room with a vacant expression for a while.


    He felt he was just wasting his time.


    It had been his dream to become a writer, to be able to share his own language and be praised for it.


    But it was also what had taken away his smile and most of his expressions.


    "It''s been five years now..."


    SIGH


    Walid sighed to push away his frustration.


    He covered his face with his hands to push away the scowl and regain his composure.


    His hands were very cold, but he didn''t move them away.


    He felt it suited him.


    Soon, Walid returned to his usual cool demeanor.


    "No matter what it takes."


    He reassured himself, renewing his determination.


    ''I am too far in now to turn back. I just have to move forward.''


    .


    .


    .


    With this thought, Walid got up from his bed and headed to the kitchen, where the sounds that disrupted the morning silence came from.


    His mother was already there, gave him a warm look, and returned to what she was doing.


    "What did you bring?"


    Walid asked after looking at the bag on the table.


    "The usual... and some fresh vegetables for our lunch and your siblings."


    Walid tilted his head in confusion.


    "But you always bring vegetables in the afternoon."


    "I am tired, and I am old. I can''t go and come back like this anymore."


    His mother said in a dismissive tone, not taking her focus off the pot on the stove.


    Walid felt guilt pierce his heart in a way he never thought possible. It wasn''t that he didn''t see the signs; he just ignored them or commented on them lovingly as he always did.


    He looked at his beloved mother, whom he couldn''t understand no matter how hard he tried.


    "Mom, why have you never asked me to go out and look for a job? All my friends'' mothers are not as lenient as you. Why are you different?"


    Trying to hide his guilt, Walid asked the question he couldn''t help but ask.


    His mother looked at him with a dismissive smile, as if his words themselves were foolish in meaning.


    "You''re talking as if you''re thirty years old, you''re still young, barely twenty-four. And I''m not lenient; I just don''t want to stand between you and this vague dream of yours. Be careful, if you''re just fooling me and wasting your time playing on that phone, I won''t talk to you again."


    For the first time, Walid''s expression changed to a genuine smile.


    "I wouldn''t dare, and I''m not wasting my time."


    ''Or at least that''s what I like to think.''


    Nevertheless, five years have passed, and what has changed?


    .


    .


    .


    Unusually, Walid decided not to write anything for the day and took a day off.


    This decision came after he decided against deleting his novel and republishing it.


    One negative review did not fully determine the quality of his writing when there were four others who thought otherwise.


    With that, Walid spent his day playing video games on his laptop, a hobby he had almost forgotten since the day he decided to chase his dream of being a writer.


    Time passed quickly, and when Walid checked his phone, it was already nine at night.


    "Why not take a walk for a bit."


    With that in mind, he informed his mother that he was going out.


    His mother gave him some money to get some supplies from the supermarket.


    Something Walid was used to, so he didn''t mind.


    He changed into something more suitable for going out and left the house.


    The weather was cold as usual, the cold breeze seeping through the thin fabric of his clothes.


    Walid shivered but didn''t mind the feeling.


    Somehow, the cold made him feel comfortable and calm.


    One of the reasons he loved night walks.


    The streets were empty, much to his liking.


    Only occasional passing cars.


    After a few minutes, the neighborhood supermarket was within sight.


    Walid crossed the street toward it, not sparing a second glance at the group of teenagers with their decorated cars and rowdy behavior in the parking lot in front of the supermarket.


    But life wasn''t perfect.


    Being alone, and his shy, almost aloof demeanor caught the attention of the group of teenagers.


    So they decided to cut off his path.


    "What do we have here, haven''t seen you around before... Hey Mark, do you know who this skinny little kitten is?"


    "Come on Ethan, don''t call him that, he might scratch you with his little claws haha..."


    "Come on guys, leave the man alone, look at his face..."


    The laughter and insults continued for a while, but Walid''s calm and cold demeanor soon put an end to the show. The one called Ethan got to the point.


    "You see, little man, we need some money. Jackie here wants to go to college or whatever, and we''re raising donations for him because we''re good friends... So be the nice guy we want you to be and donate everything you have."


    "Yeah, yeah, I have a dream, and I need money for cigarett... I mean notebooks."


    The group laughed again, but they were discreetly forming a circle around Walid to trap him.


    They didn''t expect him to willingly give them the money, so they were ready for violence, thinking he was an easy target.


    And in some way, he was.


    Walid took out all his belongings, his phone, his earbuds, and all the money his mother gave him.


    It wasn''t that he was afraid of the group of teenagers, but Walid valued his life.


    He wouldn''t fight a group of drunk teenagers just for material belongings he could replace.


    Who knew what they would do in their intoxication and recklessness?


    So he handed his belongings to the teenager Ethan who stepped forward to claim them.


    The teenager inspected them and opened a path for him to leave the circle.


    Walid left without looking back.


    He no longer had a reason to enter the supermarket without money.


    So he just left.


    .


    .


    .


    "I don''t like this. This isn''t how things should go."


    Said the teenager named Mark as he sat back on his red car.


    "Don''t be a coward. We usually don''t get a phone. Even though it''s cheap, we can resell it for a decent price."


    "There''s still something wrong with that guy. What if he reports us. We have his phone now, it would be easy for him to get us in trouble."


    The group tensed at the realization, and everyone started coming up with random theories about Walid, who had already left their sight.


    "Calm down, guys."


    Yelled the teenager who first blocked Walid''s path.


    "Even though I think that fool is just a coward, Mark is the smart of us, he might be right... I think we should do something."


    "Like what"


    "That''s the question!.. Why not teach him a little lesson, plant some fear in him. And just to be safe, guys, we''ll return his phone ¨C our way."


    The group started laughing hysterically.


    No one understood what was in their leader Ethan''s mind, but they loved his words.


    And as he explained his plan, their laughter turned into something closer to madness.


    With the group of teenagers regaining their relative composure, they got into their cars and followed Walid, tracing his path.


    Not even three minutes passed before they spotted him walking alone in the quiet of night.


    As Ethan was about to honk the car horn, following his friends'' example to scare Walid, the phone he took from him started ringing.


    Ethan looked at the phone, surprised to see that the caller was under the name "Mom."


    Something deep stirred inside Ethan, making him not honk in time.


    "WATCH OUT!!!"


    As he lifted his head, his car hit Walid directly, sending him flying a few meters ahead.


    Even though Ethan slammed on the brakes, it was already too late.


    The group of teenagers'' cars stopped around the fallen Walid.


    They all got out to look at his motionless body, except for Ethan.


    He just stayed in his car, his eyes staring at Walid''s body, which was slowly starting to bleed.


    With a trembling hand, Ethan lifted the phone in his hand.


    It was still ringing.


    The same name displayed prominently.


    It soon dawned on him.


    Ethan''s expression turned to one of horror as he looked at the name on the phone.


    A small tear made its way down his cheek.


    "Mom, I''m sorry!"

 Deon V. Eirenios [#]

    Deon V. Eirenios [#]


    <hr>


    Those who were destined to succeed will succeed; those who weren''t, won''t.


    <hr>


    Deon V. Eirenios [1]


    Walid''s eyes suddenly opened, as the sharp, persistent pain caused his head to jerk back. His whole body trembled, as he became fully awake, no trace of drowsiness in his mind.


    ''I... am alive!''


    But the pain in his head continued, preventing him from getting up from his bed.


    ''Where?..''


    The first thing Walid saw was a distant white marble ceiling with a chandelier that illuminated the surrounding area with a faint white light.


    ''A hospital?!''


    That was his first thought, but he quickly dismissed it as he took a good look at his surroundings.


    The room was astonishingly spacious, with two entire walls serving only as shelves for a vast collection of carefully arranged books.


    On the third wall, there were closed glass windows with red curtains adorned with intricate patterns.


    Each window was more than twice Walid''s height, something that left his mouth agape.


    On the fourth wall, opposite the large bed he was lying on, there was a fireplace large enough to heat an entire house, though it was currently unlit.


    On either side of the fireplace, two long swords were hung, reflecting the little light that penetrated the closed curtains.


    The swords looked astonishingly real.


    ''Where the hell am I?!''


    By now, it was clear to Walid that he wasn''t in a hospital.


    In fact, it seemed more like the bedroom of someone incredibly wealthy, just 100 years back.


    "I need to get out of here..."


    "Ugh..!"


    As Walid tried to get up from his bed, his already aching head only hurt more, forcing him to hold it between his hands.


    "Why... does it hurt so much?!"


    ''Of course, it would hurt; I got run over by a group of reckless kids... damn them!''


    Remembering the events, Walid couldn''t help but curse in anger.


    ''Avoid trouble I thought!''


    Walid released his head from his hands as soon as he felt better.


    "At least, I''m alive."


    The image of his mother and siblings appeared in his mind, and he couldn''t help but smile.


    "I''m alive!"


    ''Now, I just need to understand where I am?''


    Because the place was definitely not a hospital.


    .


    .


    .


    Walid tried to get up from the bed, knowing that the previous sharp pain in his head¡ªthough not completely gone¡ªwas now manageable.


    But the second his feet touched the carpeted floor, a light knocking sound came from the door of the room on the far side of the bed, to the right of the fireplace.


    Walid looked at the door with hope in his eyes.


    "Finally..."


    "Baby Brother, can I come in?"


    The melodic voice reached Walid''s ears, and he quickly got up to open the door, thinking it was his sister.


    He reached the door handle, twisted it, and opened the door wide, a broad smile spreading across his face.


    But the smile didn''t last long.


    It disappeared the moment Walid took a look at the ''strange'' girl standing in front of him.


    He took a few steps back in horror.


    With each passing second, his face lost all its expressions and paled at an alarming rate.


    The strange girl noticed his condition and approached him with a worried expression.


    "Baby Brother, are you... okay?"


    Somehow, her expression carried some hidden pity.


    Walid''s eyes began to move violently, refusing to settle as the girl spoke.


    He was in denial.


    And he had every right to be.


    He continued to retreat until his back, now drenched in sweat, faced the room''s wall.


    There was no more room for him to escape.


    "Baby Brother, you''re scaring me!"


    The strange girl shouted at him, who was pressed against the wall in what seemed like uncontrollable fear.


    "Why are you acting like this?"


    She asked with another desperate cry.


    But Walid didn''t answer.


    He was still in denial.


    The thought that crossed his mind was so ridiculous that he didn''t dare to ask.


    But he had to ask, he had to be wrong, he was just in some strange role-playing hospital.


    That could be something! A very expensive way to treat patients.


    It must be!


    Walid took a deep breath as he looked at the strange girl in front of him, who was cautiously approaching him.


    "Your name?"


    He asked, in a somewhat desperate voice.


    The girl stopped, her gray obsidian eyes filled with great concern as she looked at him.


    "Baby Brother, it''s me, what''s happening to you?.."


    "Say your name... please!"


    Walid asked again, the desperation deepening in his tone.


    "It''s... it''s... V! It''s me, Viera!"


    Walid pressed on his shirt where his heart was supposed to be as he waited for the strange girl to mutter her full name.


    "Vierenna V. Eirenios!"


    The second Walid heard the name, his head began to throb violently, bringing unbearable pain.


    This time, he didn''t try to endure it.


    He just let it take his consciousness away¡ª perhaps for good!


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Deon V. Eirenios [2]


    For the second time in one day,


    Walid''s eyes suddenly opened, as the sharp, persistent pain caused his head to jerk back.


    His whole body trembled, as he became fully awake, no trace of drowsiness in his mind.


    "A dream... just a dream!"


    But the pain in his head continued, preventing him from..?


    ''Where?..''


    Which, ironically enough, was the carpeted floor¡ªnot the bed.


    A feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu touched Walid¡¯s senses, so he tried to move his head, which felt stuck between something.


    As he looked to the side...


    The first thing Walid saw was the figure of a young girl with her alien beauty.


    Her gray obsidian eyes and long strands of white hair caressed her sad facial expressions.


    Walid tried to lift his head from her lap, but her hands firmly held his head, refusing to let go.


    It left him in an awkward position.


    "You are awake, thank your soul!"


    Vierenna commented, looking at Walid, who stared at her with an expressionless face while repeating the word ''dream'' like a broken record.


    "A dream? What are you talking about?.."


    Finally, she let go of Walid''s head when he ceased his struggles.


    But Walid didn¡¯t make any effort to get up, which prompted Vierenna to call him again, gently caressing his cheek with her pale, delicate hand.


    "Baby Brother?!.."


    As Walid snapped out of his zone-out state, he lifted his head from Vierenna''s lap, but he didn¡¯t look her in the eyes.


    He just bowed his head down in despair and disbelief.


    There was no room for denial now.


    Nonetheless, his stomach churned in rejection.


    "I just had a strange dream."


    That was all Walid said to Vierenna in a barely audible voice.


    She seemed to understand something Walid himself struggled to grasp.


    "I know what father said, but I don¡¯t think he meant it. Even if he did, you don¡¯t have to worry because I¡¯m here."


    She said in a reassuring tone. The texture of her voice somehow calmed his thoughts enough to regain some composure.


    "Thank you..."


    Walid said, his voice still faint, as he couldn¡¯t muster the strength to speak loudly.


    "I¡¯m sorry for snapping at you before... I¡¯m really sorry."


    Walid apologized for something he didn¡¯t understand, but it was a logical thing to do until he figured out his current situation.


    Vierenna shook her head with a heart-warming smile on her face.


    "It''s okay... I understand, and you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. You¡¯ll be just fine."Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    She stood up from the carpeted floor and held Walid¡¯s hands to pull him up.


    "I¡¯ve taken waking you up every morning as a routine since mother¡¯s passing. You can imagine my shock when you started asking for my name out of thin air."


    "But with yesterday''s events, and father snapping at you... well..."


    She bowed her head slightly while still holding Walid¡¯s hands.


    "But I stood up to him, it¡¯s not his right to yell at you for something you were born with."


    She said with a proud expression, her gray obsidian eyes locked with his.


    Walid remained silent the whole time.


    He didn¡¯t want to say anything that might reveal he wasn¡¯t the person she thought he was.


    So, he just absent-mindedly nodded to all of Vierenna¡¯s words.


    Vierenna seemed to notice his behavior, so she released his hands and took a step back.


    "You¡¯re still in your night clothes, and... breakfast is ready. I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs."


    She made her way to the door, as sad expression evident on her face.


    Walid didn¡¯t say anything, he just watched her bowed back as she walked steadily toward the rooms exit, which was left wide open.


    Remembering his situation, Walid called out to the girl before she exited the door, his dead tone refusing to change.


    "Can you wait for me by the door?.."


    Vierenna turned to look at Walid and then nodded with a smile.


    He couldn¡¯t call her ''sister'' either, his heart didn¡¯t allow him to do so.


    "Until I change and we go together."


    The reason for Walid''s strange request was because he still didn¡¯t know where he was.


    Although he had solved a bit of the mystery he found himself in, there were still many unknowns left for him.


    The simplest, ironically enough, was the ''downstairs'' Vierenna mentioned.


    Vierenna nodded again and left, closing the door behind her.


    She didn¡¯t forget to flash a smile in his direction before closing the door completely.


    Walid stood still in his previous spot, his eyes still fixed on the closed door.


    He looked around the room, searching for a place to change clothes, if there even was one.


    Thanks to the room''s organization, it was easy for him to spot the gap in the shape of a door with a red curtain covering it.


    With trembling steps, Walid moved towards the gap.


    His goal was clear.


    If what was behind the curtain was a changing room, there should be a mirror inside.


    Walid tried to hold on to the thin thread of hope he had, but he knew already that the end of the thread had been cut a long time ago, or led to nothing at best.


    But either way, he still wanted to see for himself.


    With that in mind, He pulled the red curtain aside and entered the changing room.


    Walid didn''t pay much attention to the room itself as his eyes were drawn to the full-body mirror on the far side of the changing room.


    To his relief, the mirror wasn¡¯t facing him.


    But soon, that relief was destined to be shattered.


    With trembling steps and a heavy heart, Walid took his first steps towards the mirror.


    Each step closer to the mirror pushed his hope and mind further away from the reality he didn¡¯t want to face.


    Upon reaching it, the indifference he had built to protect himself shattered like thin glass on the side of the street.


    Walid didn¡¯t have the strength to collapse to the ground or to remain standing, but somehow, his legs kept his balance despite his minimal control over his body.


    ''This can¡¯t be!..''


    ''This can¡¯t be true!..''


    ''It shouldn¡¯t be!..''


    Walid¡¯s thoughts were chaotic, but it didn¡¯t prevent him from recognizing the reflection in the mirror before him.


    Dark, messy black hair reaching the shoulders like moving shadows threatening defiance and chaos.


    Wide violet eyes with intricate patterns on their spherical surface like fragments of twilight enveloped in sickly light.


    Pale, sickly white skin, like an untouched canvas reflecting light with cold elegance.


    And other details of a character supposed to exist only as words on paper.


    Walid just stared at the reflection, unwilling to mentally acknowledge the reflection that wasn¡¯t his.


    But his ears heard the words he didn¡¯t want to speak.


    "Deon V. Eirenios."


    And it was him speaking, even though he didn¡¯t know it and didn¡¯t acknowledge it.


    Despite that, what choice did he have?


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Deon V. Eirenios [3]


    For what felt like an eternity, Walid was still staring at the reflection.


    Although he tried to push his mind to reject what his eyes were seeing, his mind had more sense than he did.


    ''How can this be possible?.. This makes no sense?..:


    But the truth was once again in front of him.


    ''This character design?.. It''s Deon from my "Forever Unfinished"!''


    Although the character Deon wouldn''t appear until the second volume¡ªwhich Walid hadn¡¯t written yet¡ªhis character outline was there as the first main antagonist that the protagonist Emlyn would face in his first year at the academy.


    So, Walid only had an idea of Deon and a preliminary sketch of him.


    But what made him certain that the reflection in the mirror was Deon was the presence of the sister character Vierenna.


    Vierenna is a character of firm importance in the story, so Walid was familiar with her the moment he saw her.


    Everything about her was the way Walid had written, or would have written at least.


    From her appearance, way of speaking, expressions, care for her Brother, and every little detail...


    Finally, Walid''s feet lost balance, causing him to step back a few steps. The shock still evident on his pale face.


    "What happened in the world?.."


    ''Did I really die from that group of...''


    ''Car accident???''


    ''But no... Noo!.''


    ''Reincarnation?.. That can''t be.. right?''


    ''Why?!''


    Walid lost control of his thoughts as they came out in disjointed fragments of questions and memories trying to make sense of what his eyes were witnessing.


    ''Is this how everything I worked for will end?''


    He remembered himself, his small family, his dream, his diligence, his failures, and his perseverance in trying to build something that mattered to him.


    Walid remembered again his mother and her support for him throughout the five years since he first voiced his dream and his intention to pursue it.


    Beyond that, Walid didn¡¯t have many memories, and he didn¡¯t need more than that.


    Just his dream and his mutual love with his family were enough.


    He wasn¡¯t perfect, but he sought it like any other human.


    And now, all of that was gone.


    "Did I really die?"


    Walid asked the reflection in front of him, but the reflection of Deon¡¯s character.. was just a reflection of what Walid himself was doing.


    But somehow, Walid saw an answer in the reflection.


    ''So this is how it ends.''


    ''This is the end. No dream, no family, no nothing.''


    Walid closed his eyes and sat on the red-carpeted floor.


    Although he still had more questions, he didn¡¯t bother trying to answer them.


    He was tired.


    For a long time now, he had been tired.


    But at that time, he couldn¡¯t give up, why?.. the most important person in his life relied on him and trusted him and his dream.


    But now,


    he had nothing left.


    There was no need for him anymore to feel that deep despair accompanying high expectations.


    He was truly alone now.


    He could give up now.


    Those who were destined to succeed will succeed; those who weren''t, won''t.


    Walid belonged to the latter. No matter how desperately he tried, he couldn¡¯t succeed. The only thing he got was despair.


    And now, he could easily rid himself of his despair...


    He just had to give in to it and stop once and for all.


    But...


    Could Walid, who thrived in moments of despair and fed on them to grow, give up now, at this point?


    Walid, who had everything he needed, would have said no, a hard no.


    But... again!


    What is the answer of Walid who lost everything?


    "Baby Brother?.."


    A faint nostalgic voice entered Walid''s ears. He knew to whom it belonged, but he did nothing to answer.


    He remained in his place, looking as desperate as he came.


    "Oh, Deon!.."


    Vierenna entered Deon''s changing room, knelt beside him, and hugged him tightly.


    Walid didn¡¯t resist her hug or even move. He looked like a lifeless corpse as the same question kept echoing in the back of his head.


    ''What is the answer of Walid who lost everything?''


    Vierenna began to pat Walid''s head as she spoke.


    "Just because you''re a Cursed Magician, it doesn''t make you talentless or not my Brother. Father''s reaction was... bad, but you know how he''s become since mother¡¯s passing."


    "You didn¡¯t get what you dreamed of, but you got something. Something of your own, and you should appreciate who you are, Baby Brother."


    "You may feel hopeless and abandoned now, but you should look at the opportunities you can create with your own hands. Trust that I will always support you... If the family really abandons you, I will be the first to step out the door, by your side..."


    Vierenna brushed her silky white hair back nervously. She paused for a moment, searching for the right words to say, but nothing came to mind.


    "I''m bad at this..."


    "You''re good enough."


    Walid said, then pushed himself out of Vierenna¡¯s embrace to sit upright.


    He looked at the innocent girl before him.


    "Thank you, I... I knew the answer, it was always with me. I''m just.. too tired... to think, or to do anything, really."


    Vierenna extended her hand to pat Walid''s head. She smiled, but her smile was clearly fake.


    "I know you''re not that weak. You will do great things. I can see it."


    "You just think that. The truth is, I am so weak that I can¡¯t give up."


    The girl tilted her head to the side, confused.


    "That, makes no sense. But it suits you, you don¡¯t make no sense yourself."


    Walid didn¡¯t say anything in response to the girl''s accusation, but he pondered the truth in it.


    He really didn¡¯t make any sense. Neither himself nor his situation.


    But that¡¯s a mystery that would be left unanswered... for now.


    Noah stood up from his seated position and this time extended his hand to Vierenna to help her up.


    The girl took his hand with a smile and relied on him to bear her weight.


    Walid was up to the task; and as the girl stood beside him, Walid tasked her with the duty of choosing his clothes.


    "Since you¡¯re here, you can choose my clothes as a token of thanks."


    Vierenna opened her mouth like a fish out of water.


    Seeing the scene before him, Walid felt he made a mistake.


    But quickly and steadily, a terrifying smile formed on her face, glowing with a strange light.


    Walid began to regret his decision upon witnessing the smile, but it was too late for him to back out now.


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Deon V. Eirenios [4]


    Walid took the pieces of black clothing that Vierenna had chosen for him to wear and began putting them on, piece by piece.


    His movements were precise for someone whose focus was entirely elsewhere.


    ''I know very little about Deon.''


    Although Deon''s character was supposed to be the first main antagonist the main character - Emlyn - would face, this did not mean that Walid''s writing of him was in the finest details.


    In fact, in his novel "Forever Unfinished," Walid had not yet written a story or attributes for the character Deon, just a name and a face. One of the reasons he recognized him in the mirror, albeit faintly.


    This means that Walid was and still is unfamiliar with the person who was in his body. Whether his personality, way of thinking, upbringing environment, nothing really.


    And this ignorance spread even to the place Walid thought he was in now.


    The capital of the Macezar Empire - Zeleshyre.


    Walid reached this conclusion easily.


    True, he wasn¡¯t very familiar with Deon, but the opposite was true for Vierenna as she was an important character in his novel''s events.


    Walid knew a lot about her, but not everything.


    And those small details are what show the difference.


    One of Walid''s current self - asigned tasks was uncovering those small details.


    He simply did not know the things he didn¡¯t know.


    Although he knew little, he couldn¡¯t allow himself to be reckless. Being reckless is just a well deserved tragedy.


    One thing Walid was sure of was that the timeframe accompanying his entry into Deon''s body was after the events of the first volume of his novel.


    Why do you say?..


    Because Deon and the main character are the same age. Also Vierenna mentioned something about Deon becoming a curse magician now.


    This can only mean that the body¡¯s owner had already undergone the awakening ceremony.


    ''I had only written the first volume, which takes place in the western borders of the Macezar Empire, I was planning to have a one-year time skip and move directly to the second volume set in the imperial capital, Zeleshyre.''


    ''I am likely somewhere in that year between the events of the first and second volumes.''


    SIGH


    Walid sighed as he looked at his fully dressed reflection.


    ''I''ll ask Vierenna at the breakfast table and verify for myself.''


    With that in mind, Walid gathered his final thoughts and proceeded to leave the changing room to the expanse of his new room, where he was met by Vierenna¡¯s eager gaze.


    .


    .


    .


    "You didn''t comb your hair!"


    Vierenna stood up hurriedly, her previous smile disappearing into something of expected disappointment.


    Under her stern gaze, Walid combed his hair to the sides with his hands and tried to lighten the mood with a smile, but what came out was just a fake imitation without any characteristics of any kind of smile.


    Vierenna¡¯s body shuddered slightly at the terrifying smile, but she controlled herself and sighed in helplessness.


    SIGH


    "Come here."


    She gestured to Walid with her hand, her gaze, and body language appearing commanding, not to be refused.


    Walid, nervously and anxiously, walked towards her standing place beside the bed.


    He didn¡¯t break eye contact when he stood in front of her.


    In a swift, smooth motion, Vierenna placed both hands on Walid¡¯s shoulders and forcibly sat him down on the bed.


    "If you resist, you¡¯ll bear the consequences."


    Her voice, despite its softness, carried an undeniable coldness. It made the base of his spine shiver.


    ''Did I do something wrong?!''


    But contrary to his dark thoughts, Vierenna climbed onto the bed to sit behind his back. She began combing his hair with her delicate fingers.


    Her movements were like a gentle breeze passing through the strands of his messy black hair. Her touch eased the tension in the veins of his head with gentle care.


    Walid found himself completely relaxed under her tender mercy. He closed his eyes and relaxed his muscles.


    "Thank you, I needed this."


    He said in a faint, warm voice.


    "Anytime, for my Baby Brother."


    In the midst of the silence and relative comfort of the moment, Walid found his thoughts drifting again to dark places.


    Not needing this now, he decided to ask about one of his safe curiosities.


    "Why Baby Brother?"


    From the first word exchanged between Walid and Vierenna, she had only called him by his name once - well, the body¡¯s name. She continued to use ''Baby Brother.''


    "Oh, this is a first. I guess the days of pretending to ignore it didn¡¯t yield the desired result heheh..."


    She laughed cheerfully.


    "For me, I found it very cute. Every time I call you Baby Brother, you make that face, and every time you try to hide it from me with all your might..."


    She pinched his cheek.


    "To answer your question, I call you Baby Brother because it''s cute, and you made it so. So suffer the consequences, Baby Brother."


    Walid didn¡¯t understand much of Vierenna¡¯s words, but he knew her words were directed at her Brother Deon, not him. But he continued to ask anyway.


    "Can¡¯t you call me by my name like a normal person... or like a normal sister?"


    "This is the breaking point, huh... Let me think.. hmm..."


    Vierenna hummed to herself, her finger movements slowed.


    Before Walid could point that out, she gripped his scalp tightly and pushed her face over his shoulder from behind to meet his gaze, her eyes burning with a strange light.


    "No... and never to the end of time. You are my Baby Brother, and no one will change that, not even you."


    She said intensely as if her words were unchangeable.


    But Walid knew better.


    ''The truth will.''


    She let go of her grip on his scalp, and made a startled motion.


    "Oh no... I messed up your hair."


    Suddenly, she pulled his hair back to meet her gaze from below, her angry expression towering over him.


    "If you hadn¡¯t distracted me with your questions, I wouldn¡¯t have messed it up. It''s your fault."


    ''What a strange girl.''


    As she began to let go of his hair, she grabbed it again tightly and pulled it back until he fell into her lap.


    "And what did you mean by ''like a normal sister?'' "


    She said the last word in imitation of his voice, with some exaggerated body language.


    From her gaze down on him, Walid knew she wouldn¡¯t let him go without an answer, so he made one up, already regretting speaking in the first place.


    "I meant, that you are special. No disagreement there."


    The smile Walid expected didn¡¯t come. Instead, her grip tightened, and his head sank deeper into her lap.


    ''What kind of situation is this?''


    "Elaborate."


    She said, unconvinced.


    Walid, against his better judgment, suppressed his pride and began to fill the strange girl, who he was sitting on her lap in an awkward position.


    "You are considerate, kind, and..and.. the other obvious things."


    That was all he could think of. He wasn¡¯t about to say the things he knew about her crazy personality from his prints of her in his novel.


    Vierenna shook her head, her gaze growing angrier and colder.


    Walid felt the chill creeping along his spine, and from the sheer terror he felt, he began to speak nonstop, his eyes closed and his body trembling.


    "Emotional, patient, brave, stylish, elegant, strong, agile, friendly, cultured, wise, intelligent, kind, playful, tender, beautiful, radiant, delicate..."


    Walid''s words were halted by the hand that closed his mouth.


    He opened his eyes and found Vierenna smiling at him with an embarrassed and gentle smile...


    "It wasn¡¯t hard, was it. It''s liberating to be honest and say what''s in your heart from time to time, Baby Brother."


    But all Walid felt was terror.


    ''Crazy!''


    Walid helped himself sit back up to his previous position when he was free from her grasp.


    "We should head for breakfast."


    He said and tried to get up to escape her.


    But his efforts were in vain, despite her loosening her grip on his head, he was still under her mercy.


    She pulled him back as she hugged his head, a playful smile decorating her expression as if all his intentions were known to her.


    "Where to, Baby Brother. We still haven¡¯t fixed what needs to be fixed, or.. perhaps,.. you didn¡¯t mean what you said about me just now?"


    She tightened her grip around his head and pulled him closer to her. Her smile deepened as if challenging him to say otherwise.


    "....."


    Walid remained silent.


    She nodded at that as if her expectation could never be anything more than just¡­ expectation.


    Walid felt helpless under her gaze, he felt like a doll to the girl,..


    A doll with very little freedom.

 The Answer of Someone Who Lost Everything [#]

    The Answer of Someone Who Lost Everything [#]


    <hr>


    The smart ones don''t wait.


    to the attempt and beyond comfort.


    <hr>


    The Answer of Someone Who Lost Everything [1]


    At a wide breakfast table, two figures sat side by side, eating their food in silence.


    The first figure, a girl with shiny white hair under the morning sun and gray obsidian eyes, only ate a variety of vegetable bread and drank red tea from her cup decorated with intricate silver patterns.


    From time to time, the girl would cast a curious sideways glance at the person next to her.


    There, sat a boy with neatly combed raven-black hair to the sides, shoulder-length, and dull violet eyes.


    Despite the variety of food, the boy only ate fruit and washed it down with fresh orange juice.


    The longer Vierenna watched her brother Deon, the more her curiosity turned to worry.


    Her brother had been in this state since that day three months ago.


    The awakening ritual...


    A sign of hope and change in every person''s life.


    But this sign of hope was the reason her little brother was lost.


    Since that day, he had not been the same...


    Or at least her memory of him...


    Deon, three months ago, was always trying to pick fights with her out of his excitement for his own awakening.


    Vierenna didn¡¯t want to encourage his actions, but what were her other options given that he would never accept refusal.


    So from time to time, she would spar with him and teach him some sword tricks.


    Being the second-born of House Eirenios, it was expected that he would gain talent in both the sword and elemental magic.


    And that did happen,.. partially.


    But not in the expected or usual way things went.


    Every noble house in the Macizar Empire extracts and retains the dead mana of the main bloodline members of the house after their death.


    That dead mana is re-injected into the younger generation members during their awakening rituals to ensure a prosperous future for their houses.


    Vierenna, in her awakening ritual, was injected with the dead mana of her great-grandfather, her mother''s bloodline.


    As usual, she received high talent in both the sword and elemental magic, along with an extreme talent, which was seen as latent talent.


    As for Deon, he was also supposed to receive the dead mana of their great-grandfather from their father''s side.


    But,.. that didn¡¯t happen.


    Mainly due to their mother''s intervention in defiance of tradition.


    She said, her son would receive no mana other than hers!


    No one understood her words at the time.


    But soon they learned, that it was her way of announcing her chronic illness...


    Mana decay...


    A severe condition¡ªif calling it an illness was appropriate, where an individual''s mana rebels against its owner and consumes all the progress the owner has made until nothing remains but an empty corpse, neither fully dead nor fully alive.


    So mainly, what mother¡ªViktoria de Avila was asking for, was death for the sake of her son Deon.


    Deon, at her own request, remained ignorant of everything happening to his own mother.


    And the worst part was, that all the main family members blamed him for Viktoria''s death.


    During that time, he didn¡¯t understand the hatred and disdain he received from the moment of the mother''s announcement. Especially from his own father.


    ''And I did the same,.. for a while.''


    Vierenna was and would always be ashamed of how she treated her Baby Brother.


    She also blamed him for her mother''s decision, but watching him from afar in his sorrow and loneliness, she felt guilt eating her from the inside.


    But despite that, she couldn¡¯t approach him... for one reason!


    ...She felt jealousy.


    Why Deon and not me?


    Vierenna wasn¡¯t ashamed of that, she went and asked her mother on her deathbed, directly.


    The conversation she had with her mother at that time, she would never forget.


    As it changed her thinking completely.


    To say that her feelings of jealousy had disappeared would be a lie. But Vierenna understood why Deon and not her.


    And so, she began to approach him.


    In their entire family, Deon had only his mother and Vierenna. But that was destined to change, which was the way of life.


    Their mother died, and Deon became more hated.


    Some main family members even discussed bypassing Viktoria''s request under the pretext of preserving Tradition as were. Something they never dared in her life.


    But Vierenna stood up to them and reminded them of their prior agreement. She even threatened to report their disgraceful actions to the De Avila household.


    She stood up for her brother, and she was proud of that.


    Everything went as the mother requested, and Deon received his mother''s dead mana without his knowledge.


    Everyone expected he would gain primary talent in the sword, followed by talent in ice elemental magic, and a side extreme talent in illusion magic,.. just like his mother.


    But.. to everyone''s surprise!


    Deon received only one of his mother''s talents.


    Primary talent in the sword.


    And instead of ice elemental magic or rare illusion magic, Deon had a high affinity with curse magic as a primary extreme talent as well.


    From anyone else''s perspective, Deon should be seen as a sought-after talent anywhere.


    But in the eyes of the family members,.. he was a waste.


    And they made sure their voices were heard.


    A curse magician in no Eirenios, they said.


    With words like those, Deon was no longer his enthusiastic and proud self.


    And his hatred turned towards himself and his talents.


    Vierenna watched everything, but she wasn''t able to help.


    She knew the truth might help, but she also promised her mother to keep it a secret, and she didn¡¯t intend to break her promise.


    So all she could do was be there, beside her Baby brother.


    And for three months now, she remained helpless and unable to help.


    ...


    SIGH


    A faint sigh came from Vierenna''s side.


    She turned her head to find Deon staring out the window to the garden below, ignoring his food.


    She looked through the window to see what was so interesting that it took her brother''s focus.


    But the garden was empty.


    "What is so interesting?"


    In her curiosity, she asked Deon with a slight frown. She wanted to know.


    Deon focused on her and answered indifferently.


    "Just, I don¡¯t know, the garden is beautiful, I guess."


    Vierenna opened her eyes in shock, looking at her brother as if he were a stranger. But inside, she was pleasantly surprised, she called that an improvement.


    As she prepared to say something, Deon spoke again, his gaze at her carrying caution and hidden fear.


    "Of course, you are beautiful yourself, but, the garden is a garden... and you are more beautiful..."


    Vierenna smiled a wicked smile.


    Deon''s current look at her was the result of forcing herself on him.


    In short explanation, Deon didn¡¯t want to see her either in his depression. And Vierenna''s solution was gentle violence¡ª as she liked to call it.


    And it worked, albeit with side effects.


    Vierenna''s smile widened, while Deon''s face paled.


    He began to push himself away from her slowly, but she grabbed his cheeks with her hand.


    She wouldn¡¯t make the mistake of pulling his hair again.


    "Is that how you think of your sister?.. if you love me just say you do."


    She pretended to think, while looking at Deon''s face as it gradually lost its color.


    "I will give you the honor of taking this lady for a walk in the garden. I would say I would look more beautiful under the sunlight on my beautiful skin."


    "....."


    Deon remained silent.


    "hmm... Do you perhaps? think otherwise."


    "....."


    Deon swallowed, but he remained silent.


    Vierenna was puzzled by her brother''s silence, as she was about to speak again.


    Deon pointed to her hand that held his face covering his mouth.


    "Oh, this is embarrassing..."


    She said, but her expression remained unchangeable ¡ª exaggerated smile.


    Slowly, Vierenna loosened her hand allowing Deon to take a deep breath. But she didn¡¯t let go of his cheeks that had turned red.


    "I¡ª agree.. what you said..!"


    "Oh... is that so. You think I would look beautiful only under the sunlight. Are you saying I don¡¯t look beautiful now?.. or you..."


    "You are beautiful at every moment and time, you are beautiful no matter what you do, just... it would be an honor for me to accompany you to the garden."


    Every word of his was followed by a deep breath as if he were dealing with a bomb about to explode.


    ''I guess I won¡¯t make it hard for him...''


    "If that¡¯s your opinion, good for you. But sharing it with your sister, I don¡¯t know about that?.. since you are so bossy today, I will entertain your fantasies."


    Vierenna said with a skeptical smile at Deon who looked at her with a complicated gaze.


    "What a good sister I am."


    With this thought, she let go of his cheeks and stood up from her place at the breakfast table.


    Deon remained seated with a blank look, but his trembling pupils put a smile upon a smile on Vierenna''s lips.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    The Answer of Someone Who Lost Everything [2]


    Against his better judgment, Walid was forced on a walk in the garden while he was still organizing his thoughts.


    But his thoughts came to a halt as he laid his eyes on the garden in sight.


    A charming scene of a wide garden paved with straight paths, adorned with pink flowers and carefully trimmed trees. A long water basin reflecting the clear sky, ending at the outer gate of the palace in the distance.


    In the rectangular space, there were gardeners tending to the garden, carrying various care tools, dressed in matching uniforms.


    During Walid''s walk through the garden, he couldn¡¯t ignore the sideways glances he kept receiving continuously from the various workers or passersby.


    ''So, Deon is hated?.. Typical!''


    "Just ignore them. they are just curious."


    Vierenna, who walked beside Walid, their hands intertwined, said from the side.


    "Let''s go to the back garden, it used to be your favorite place?"


    Without waiting for his approval, she began to pull him through the garden in an elegant manner trying to draw no attention on them.


    Walid, helpless before his supposed sister, began taking notes of every place they passed, storing the information in his mind in case he stayed for a while¡ªwhich seemed to (will) be the case.


    ''At least I''ll do something useful in the meantime.''


    After a short trip through the towering palace that stood in the middle of the garden, Walid and Vierenna arrived at what she called the back garden. But in Walid''s eyes, it was closer to a city park.


    Unlike the front garden, the back garden was empty and shaded by the massive palace. giving it a calming feel.


    After a brief pause, Vierenna began again to pull Walid deeper into the garden.


    Surprisingly, she became eerily silent, contrasting her lively and talkative nature.


    Walid was tense from the silence, but he maintained his own and followed her.


    Soon they arrived at a small shallow lake.


    Scattered across the small lake¡¯s space, colorful stones rested in the depths of the clear waters.


    Each stone didn¡¯t differ much in size from its neighbor beside it, but the same couldn¡¯t be said about the strange colorful symbols on each stone.


    Walid''s previous tension increased at the scene that was supposed to be pleasant, yet he couldn¡¯t prevent the deep sense of wrongness from creeping to the edge of his consciousness.


    The symbols were meaningless to him, but when looking at them as a whole, with the addition of the transparent lake, the arrangement of the stones, the colors of them, and the colors of the symbols on the stones. Walid couldn¡¯t ignore that something meaningful rested there.


    ''...what is it?!''


    Walid focused more on the scene, and the more he focused, the blurrier his vision became.


    Unknown to him, he had already fallen to his knees, his eyes wide open at the scene as if they were devouring all the light that entered through them.


    A faint sound stirred the strings of his hearing, but Walid ignored it. The scene in front of him took all his focus. No, his focus and consciousness were taken away from him towards the scene before him.


    Walid was losing himself in the scene, but he didn¡¯t notice.


    Once again, the resonant sound entered his ears, Walid tried to ignore it, but a sharp pain hit the side of his face, sending him sideways.


    Slap¡ª


    Walid''s consciousness returned as did his senses.


    A sharp pain spread across his right cheek. He covered it with his hand, while his eyes rested on Vierenna who stood over him with a worried expression.


    ''Did she, slap me?!''


    Walid looked at his position again, realizing the truth.


    ''Wait... why am I on my knees?!''


    He turned his gaze back to Vierenna to ask, but the worried look on her expression told him what he needed to know.


    ''I did something again?.. I lost my consciousness..?''


    Walid looked at the lake on the side. In parallel with his anticipation, he felt his consciousness slipping away.


    He quickly turned his head away. Cold sweat moved across his back.


    ''what''s this feeling?!''


    Before he could delve into his thoughts, Vierenna knelt on one knee, her worried expression calming down.


    She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again.


    Instead, she patted Walid''s head for a while before holding his hands and helping him stand again.


    ''Silence again?''


    Walid was tense from the silence, especially Vierenna''s silence, but he felt there was a deeper reason here.


    So again, he maintained his own, allowing her to pull him once more.


    But to his surprise, they didn¡¯t go far.


    Apparently, the small lake was the destination, or more specifically, the wooden bench facing it.


    "Mother, said to bring you here after your awakening ritual. But¡ª but you always refused. And to be fair, I didn¡¯t want to bring you here either."


    The bells in Walid''s head rang dangerously. He felt there was something deeper in the situation as a whole. So he was compelled to ask.


    "Why? Why didn¡¯t you want to bring me here? And was I here after my awakening?"


    He knew his questions might expose him, but his logical thinking was already out of reach. His raw emotions took the lead.


    Vierenna''s eyes widened, the feelings of injustice she felt were evident on her expression.


    "I didn¡¯t want to bring you because I cared about you, I know how much you cared about our mother. And it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t try to get you out of your room, it just so happened that it was today."


    "....."


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    Vierenna asked as she looked at Walid''s face, which couldn¡¯t hide his shock.


    ''Why today exactly?..''


    ''...a coincidence?..''


    ''Could it be? She said Deon refused to leave his room, it¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t try!''


    Despite Walid''s optimistic, or delusional thoughts. The part that remained logical in his mind said otherwise.


    ''It can¡¯t be a coincidence?''


    ''I am missing a lot of important information.''


    Walid looked at Vierenna, whose frown deepened.


    "I¡¯m sorry. For being... difficult.¡ª But, what did mother say to you?"


    SIGH


    Vierenna sighed in turn, her facial expressions relaxing.


    "You are indeed difficult, but these are the ups and downs of being a big Sis..."


    She sat on the wooden bench and gestured for Walid to do the same.


    "I am also sorry, for yelling at you."


    He did, but he sat in a sideways position not facing the lake.


    "Storytime!.."


    She clap her hand. enthusiasm returning to decorate her already beautiful features.


    "Mother asked me to take you from time to time to this lake. That¡¯s all."


    "Aeh¡ª!"


    A strange sound came out of Walid''s mouth.


    ''A very short story.''


    If one looked at his expression now, as Vierenna did, they would scream as she did.


    "What''re you doing with your face?! Fix it now! no, i don''t want this in my mind."


    Walid bowed his head and adjusted his posture.


    Vierenna, in turn, breathed a sigh of relief while she began to scold him.


    "Are you crazy, what did I do to you to punish me this way... one would say... hm.. hmm.. hmmm..."


    Walid knew she would never stop talking if he left her to speak, so he closed her mouth with his hand.


    He began to miss the eerie silence Vierenna had adopted the moment they entered the garden.


    Walid, knowing that his method of silencing wouldn¡¯t work for long, began to ask the questions he found illogical regarding her answers.


    "Why did she ask you to take me to the lake only after I awakened and not before? And why did she insist that you bring me and not that I go by myself?"


    Walid posed his two most important questions, letting his hand drop to allow the girl to speak.


    Vierenna looked at him seriously for a moment, before her expression turned to sorrow.


    "You already know that mother built this garden for us when we were children. So it makes sense she would want us to come here, together, to remember her."


    ''That answers the second question.''


    Vierenna''s silence continued for a moment before she continued.


    "Why after your awakening!.. I don¡¯t see why that¡¯s important. I myself think it¡¯s just a matter of good expression... you know, that you become an adult after your awakening ritual."


    That¡¯s a very good excuse... Walid would have believed it, but unfortunately for Vierenna, he didn¡¯t.


    It was painfully obvious she was trying to hide something. He would have pressed for the truth, but he stopped himself.


    If he did, it would certainly expose that he wasn¡¯t her brother Deon.


    So he settled on asking something else.


    "Did mother say anything else... about the lake?"


    Vierenna smiled widely and nodded vigorously.


    "She did indeed."


    Walid swallowed hard as he listened intently.


    "She said the lake would be mine in the light and yours in the dark."


    She began pointing to her white hair and his black.


    "Got it... light and dark."


    Walid nodded, but for a different reason than Vierenna¡¯s excited one beside him on the bench.


    ''What is supposed to be the hidden meaning?.. That I come here at night?''


    Despite the absurdity of the idea, Walid would try. Especially now after finding meaning for himself.


    Remembering his mental breakdown in the changing room, Walid felt a self-guilt...


    "Since you are now in my lake in the light, what will you pay to allow you to be in my domain?"


    Vierenna interrupted, which was probably for the best.


    Walid looked at her expression that made her seem comically superior, and he couldn''t help but smile.


    "I say it''s only fair that I have you at night. It would be a great honor."


    He needed to be sure, and he couldn''t do that without her help.


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    The Answer of Someone Who Lost Everything [3]


    In the distance, the setting sun slowly began to disappear behind the far-off mountains, casting a final disturbing red light before vanishing, allowing the night a chance to take over.


    Watching all of this was Walid, in his room inside the palace.


    A look of determination adorned his calm expression.


    ''It''s time!''


    Despite his thoughts, Walid didn¡¯t move from his standing place by the window.


    He had to ensure he wasn¡¯t just deceiving himself.


    With one last look at the reddening sky that was darkening slowly.


    Walid remembered the darkness of his thoughts this morning, his surrender or desire to surrender to his fatigue and the failure that haunted him like a vengeful ghost.


    The surrender at that moment felt as sweet as sleeping in a warm bed on a cold night.


    And yet, sleep didn¡¯t come that easily to him, not then and not before.


    His mind was busy with the question he posed to himself.


    ''What is the answer of Walid who lost everything?''


    He tried to pretend ignorance of the answer, but Vierenna gave him a small push that cleared his mind enough to regain some stability.


    As he told Vierenna at that time ¡ª though she didn¡¯t believe him ¡ª he knew the answer, it was with him and accompanied him even to this world that supposedly he created ink on paper.


    In theory, this answer was simple, clear, and straightforward.


    Restore everything he lost...


    Even if it meant restoring his previous despair.


    Yet, from a realistic perspective, how could Walid, a failed writer, a failed person, and a failure overall, do such a thing?


    It was blatantly obvious that he was just deceiving himself.


    Anything he might try to do would only lead to despair.


    Walid didn¡¯t have an answer to that.


    But, did he need one?


    ''How will I return to my world?''


    That was the question.


    ''How did I reach the world of my novel in the first place?''


    And that was the answer... or at least the direction.


    Walid''s answer was step by step. Only by learning could he uncover the mystery that veiled his vision.


    So first, Walid decided to discover how he arrived in this world. As for the why and what for? These questions didn¡¯t concern him for now, and he felt they would answer themselves. His existence was proof of that.


    But he was getting ahead of himself.


    Haste was a fast track to failure.


    He knew that from experience, and that¡¯s why he was able to control himself.


    The adrenaline that rushed to the top of his head slowly receded, leaving space for coherent thoughts to crystallize.


    ''First things first, I need as much information about the world and how it works.''


    Despite being the writer of this world, Walid knew very little about it.


    And his current location, Zeleshyre¡ªthe city capital of the Macizar Empire did not fall outside his circle of ignorance.


    Although the events of the planned second volume took place in the capital, they were only planned and not solid like the events of the first volume.


    ''The events of the first volume have ended by now if my date predictions are correct.''


    Despite the ignorance and uncertainty Walid had to deal with now, he was still glad that the events of the first volume had ended.


    If he had been summoned to the north¡ªthe cold land where the events of the first volume began, he would have been just a statue corpse by now.


    Walid''s body shivered slightly, and he regained his train of thought.


    ''First, I will learn about the Macizar Empire from the palace library, if there is one. Then I should ask Vierenna about my admission date to the Academy. In the first year of the main character Emlyn, she was in the second year, so she should know, right?''


    Of course, Walid had more questions and doubts, but if he stopped to think about each one, he would never start.


    So for now, he would try and start somewhere.


    Walid placed his hand on the reflection of the window in front of him, and with the little light remaining after the sunset. He looked at his reflection on the glass.


    Long dark hair, large violet eyes, and good facial features.


    Despite the blurriness of the reflection in the low light. The figure before him was handsome, if not charming.


    ''This shouldn¡¯t be that hard, should it?!''


    Walid would try to be this person, bear his name and burdens until he regained his own.


    Despite the ease of saying the words, Walid doubted his ability to apply them.


    But again, he would try.


    And that didn¡¯t excite him at all.


    ...


    Deon left his room and descended the spiral stairs to the first floor.


    His path was illuminated by white light, changing intensity depending on his movement.


    He didn¡¯t wander much due to his ignorance of the palace''s overall layout, but he knew where the servants were, and that was his destination.


    As he approached his destination, he could hear their words from a distance. They didn¡¯t even seem to try to lower their voices.


    "No, he looked pretty good for someone who hadn¡¯t left his room for ages. The lady takes good care of him."


    "And whose job is that supposed to comment on the matter."


    "I tried, okay!.. But every time... he just shuts the door and ignores me... I don¡¯t want to lose my place... I..."


    "You worry for nothing, his father doesn¡¯t care about him for some reason, he¡¯s not even here! I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll mind if you don¡¯t care for him... you said it yourself, you tried..."


    "I¡¯m still trying..."


    "You didn¡¯t go today. Why?"


    "The young lady said to prepare breakfast for both of them... and I can rest for the day."


    "You know you are his personal maid,.. but you can¡¯t just defy her... what a dilemma you are in... the young don¡¯t last long, they say."


    "Stop scaring her, what¡¯s wrong with you... don¡¯t tink his words seriously, he just enjoys scaring you... you¡¯ll be fine, just... the work you don¡¯t do, make it up with other work and come to me to record it in your name..."


    Having heard enough, Deon opened the large double doors, and stepped forward where a variety of servants sat.


    "My personal maid?"


    He asked from what he learned from the conversation he eavesdropped on.


    With that, he stepped back a few steps outside the room and waited until a girl with a nervous expression followed him.


    "What can I do for the master."


    Her small body was trembling under the black and white maid outfit she wore.


    Feeling pity for the young girl, Deon spoke the reason for requesting her services.


    "No need to be nervous, I want you to go and summon my sister. Tell her I will be in the back garden, and she is welcome to join me."


    And also because he didn¡¯t know where Vierenna¡¯s room was.


    The young maid raised her head to meet Deon''s eyes directly. Her large green eyes held a slight hint of astonishment.


    "Is that all I can do for the master?"


    Deon fell silent. He was surprised by the girl''s sudden enthusiasm, but he was more surprised by her appearance.


    Raven-black hair similar to his tied in a bun behind her small head. Light green eyes with yellow patterns merged smoothly to give an alluring look to her eyes. Pale white skin enhanced the sharpness and beauty of her other features. Her body, although leaning towards delicacy, carried a balance that seemed fitting for her alone.


    ''Is this really a maid?''


    Deon didn¡¯t care much for a person''s outer beauty as much as he did for what was inside their heads. But the girl in front of him was too beautiful to be just a maid.


    He would dismiss the situation as just the norms of this world. But as he took another corrective look at the rest of the servants who watched him from behind the open door, he realized that the girl was just an anomaly.


    Nonetheless, Deon didn¡¯t give the matter much thought.


    "For now, that¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll go ahead there."


    Without another look at the girl or the other servants, Deon made his way following his memory towards the back garden.


    Part of his mind hoped his intuition about the lake was just a meaningless hunch, but the other part hoped otherwise.


    The first part of his mind was afraid of what he might learn, and the other sought that knowledge.


    Only through knowledge, are puzzles solved.


    Deon''s thoughts continued to spin until he found himself facing a familiar wooden bench.


    The entire area around the lake was illuminated by white lights spread over the green ground, not allowing shadows to participate in the scene.


    Deon didn¡¯t look at the small lake that was facing the bench, apparently, the fearful part of his mind was still in control.


    But that wouldn¡¯t last long.


    He approached the wooden bench and sat facing the lake, his eyes closed, facing it as well.


    whoosh¡ª


    With a deep breath, Deon opened his eyes to the familiar scene.


    Colorful stones rested in the clear water depths, and on each stone, different colored symbols from stone to stone.


    At that moment, the familiar feeling of his consciousness slipping away returned.


    But contrary to what the feeling indicated, his consciousness didn¡¯t slip away.


    In fact, his consciousness expanded allowing a new sense to enter the scene along with his other senses.


    A sense that allowed him to see and hear what he couldn¡¯t this morning.


    Hello, you¡¯ve finally found your way here¡ª


    A familiar and unfamiliar female voice entered Deon''s consciousness directly, bypassing his hearing.


    Deon held his breath at the strange phenomenon and engaged all his senses to make sense of this strange but somehow comforting mode of communication.


    He waited to hear more, but the voice stopped at the welcoming message.


    "Is that all? Just..?"


    His thoughts halted at the sight of the change that began to occur on the surface of the small lake.


    "Words..?!"


    Indeed, words were forming above the lake''s surface in white, appearing from nowhere.


    Soon, a text formed vertically, facing Deon directly like a huge sheet, though the sheet was the lake and the ink was the clear white color on its surface.


    ''And my... my current name headed the text.''


    ¡ª?[Deon V. Eirenios]?¡ª


    //// Tier 1 Magician


    /// Duel Talent


    // Type : Extreme [curse]


    / Innate dormant ability


    Mana sense : The key to the world''s greatest mysteries.


    Cursed : You are cursed and your curse will bring about the end.


    // Type : Body [Swordsmanship]


    / Innate dormant ability


    Sword Sense : The sword is not a thing, but a process; sense it.


    Sword Attraction : The movement of the sword is an ignored perspective. you are just one possibility of its meaning.


    ¡ª?[Deon V. Eirenios]?¡ª


    As Deon read the text with complex emotions, the familiar and unfamiliar female voice spoke inside his mind again.


    Now, I will impart to you knowledge that will remain absolute¡ª

 Do You Remember Her Voice [#]

    Do You Remember Her Voice [#]


    <hr>


    Loss comes for all. In its wake, a simple voice can become the thing we wish for most.


    <hr>


    Do You Remember Her Voice [1]


    The cracks widen, mana condenses, and the shadows of the end draw near¡ª


    Demons rage, the world crumbles, and the beings behind the ice open their eyes to the world¡ª


    The cold breaks the chains of the void¡ª


    And the remnants shall witness and retreat¡ª


    The king will descend and take his due¡ª


    And the forgotten soul shall fail¡ª


    This is the curse that will bring about the end¡ª


    This is the curse of the world¡ª


    Before Deon could even analyze what appeared to be game-like statistics from his previous world, he was bombarded with what seemed to be a prophecy of the world''s end.


    ¡®One step at a time...!¡¯


    And yet, there were no steps to take.


    Sure, the interface provided an expanded view of his abilities, but it didn¡¯t answer his questions. How did he end up in the world of his novel? Why? And for what purpose?


    Even the ominous words of the prophecy taught him very little, none of which related to what he truly cared about.


    If the world was going to end, that was the least of Deon''s concerns. All he cared about was returning to his world, if it were possible.


    One thing that bothered him, however, was the voice that welcomed him and recited the prophecy.


    The voice felt familiar yet strange.


    ¡®Whose voice is that? And why do I feel this way?¡¯


    Deon placed his hand on his chest, feeling the erratic beats of his heart refusing to calm. His breathing was steady, but his heart was not. Slowly but surely, his heartbeat returned to its regular rhythm. Yet Deon redirected his focus to the white letters on the lake¡¯s surface.


    ¡®There must be something, a puzzle I can solve?¡¯


    He reread his statistics multiple times, recalling the prophecy that refused to fade from his memory¡ªa strange occurrence.


    Indeed, there was a similarity he had overlooked. The interface and the prophecy shared one thing in common:


    "You are cursed, and your curse will bring about the end."¡ªfrom the interface.


    "This is the curse that will bring about the end¡ª"¡ªfrom the voice in his mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m cursed, and my curse will bring about the end? This is the curse of the world?¡ª... This doesn¡¯t help at all. If I¡¯m the harbinger of the end, why am I here? Am I supposed to destroy the world? Save it? Or just watch? Damn it, what am I supposed to do?¡±


    Unknowingly, Deon had risen from his seat, glaring intensely and shouting at the calm lake. But no response came from its depths¡ªonly the words that continued to float indifferently on its surface.


    ¡®I need more information.¡¯


    And yet, he gained nothing. Every lead he had didn¡¯t seem like it would connect anytime soon.


    SIGH


    With a defeated sigh, Deon sat back down on the wooden bench, closing his eyes in exhaustion and despair.


    ¡®Don¡¯t let impatience push you astray.¡¯


    He reminded himself aloud with the words he used to repeat whenever he felt powerless and defeated in his previous life as a failed writer.


    Calmly and steadily, his mind became quieter and cooler. Deon acknowledged the significance of the place, but for now, it seemed it wouldn¡¯t offer him much help¡ªaside from the interface, which was a nice addition.


    With that thought, Deon stood up again from the bench hurriedly, looking at the lake that had returned to its former stillness. Only the serene waters and colorful stones remained.


    ¡®No, I have a lead!¡¯


    He did have one, and that lead was the reason he came to this place at this exact time in the first place.


    ¡®Deon¡¯s mother?! She created this place, according to Vierenna... I need to know more about her; it might help unravel some of the mysteries¡­¡¯


    Choosing that exact moment, Vierenna¡¯s voice emerged from the bushes around the lake.


    ¡°I never thought my baby brother knew anything about manners. Plus one point for inviting me... and minus twenty-five for not waiting for me. And I¡¯m the one who thought of you and brought you this... I keep being the good sister, and you¡­¡±


    She stepped out of the bushes, looking at him with disappointment that would¡¯ve been convincing if not for the wide smile she struggled to suppress, unsuccessfully.


    Deon looked at her casual attire, her loose hair, and what she was attempting to hide behind her back.


    ¡°Were you sleeping?¡±


    ¡°What... no? Why would you think that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re bad at lying. And you¡¯re looking everywhere but at me¡ªthe classic sign of a bad liar.¡±


    She puffed out her cheeks, and before she could start rambling again, Deon interrupted her.


    ¡°Sorry for waking you. I know it¡¯s late.¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    She opened her mouth to say something but stayed silent.


    Shaking her head, she walked past Deon and sat comfortably on the wooden bench, still hiding the object behind her back.


    ¡°What are you hiding?¡±


    Deon asked to start the conversation.


    ¡°You first. Why did you call me?¡±


    Vierenna replied with a confident smile, as if everything was under her control.


    Deon sat beside her, feigning indifference and curiosity at the same time.


    ¡°Well, I just wanted to ask you about something.¡±


    She gestured for him to continue, making an effort to hide what was behind her back. Deon did so, his words betraying the tension visible in his expression.


    ¡°About... Sabel, the academy...?¡±


    ¡°You want to enroll?¡±


    She cut him off hastily, her eyes wide with shock.


    Deon nodded silently, trying to maintain a composed fa?ade. Though he didn¡¯t need to try too hard¡ªhe was already nervous about what he would ask her next.


    ¡°Oh, thank your soul... I don¡¯t have to force you.¡±


    Vierenna placed a hand on her chest, letting out a relieved sigh after another.


    ¡°Wait, what do you mean by ''force me''?¡±


    Deon¡¯s curiosity was piqued.


    ¡°Did I say that? No, I didn¡¯t. I said ''convince you.'' ¡±


    Vierenna answered with an innocent look, avoiding his eyes.


    Before Deon could refute her, she quickly continued.


    ¡°The thing is, you¡¯re already on the list for the new season. So, you don¡¯t need to thank me.¡±


    Deon had plenty of questions, but somehow, the girl in front of him always found a way to make him forget them.


    ¡°Here, this is for you¡ªa gift.¡±


    She handed him what she had been hiding all along¡ªa rectangular wooden box. Its gray wood was unlike anything Deon had ever seen in his life.


    ¡°Go on, open it!¡±


    She ordered with a voice trembling with unrestrained excitement.


    Deon had been planning to ask her about his enrollment in the academy to get a clearer timeline of his arrival in this world, but her enthusiasm stopped him.


    ¡°Since I¡¯m already part of the first-year batch for the new season, I¡¯ll find out soon enough... Vierenna herself will tell me without me having to ask.¡±


    He had also intended to ask her about his mother and hers, but guilt crept in at the thought of bringing up such a topic while looking at her beautiful smile.


    ¡®But I have to.¡¯


    Deon looked between the box and the girl. She kept nodding at him to open it, her smile growing wider.


    Reluctantly, Deon agreed and opened the box he held in his hands.


    <hr>


    ???


    ???The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ???


    <hr>


    Do You Remember Her Voice [2]


    Inside the box was a dark purple book without any writing on its surface, only strange symbols and aesthetic patterns. There was also a small blue cube, about the size of an adult''s palm. The cube was smooth on all six sides with sharp edges.


    Deon looked at Vierenna, curiosity evident in his violet eyes.


    She simply smiled at him and gestured for him to pick up the cube.


    Deon obliged.


    The cube was lightweight, ruling out the possibility of it being metal. However, its exterior didn¡¯t suggest it was wood either.


    Strange.


    Vierenna moved closer to Deon, placing her hands over the cube, enclosing it within his.


    ¡°This is a beginner¡¯s cube, as you can see from its blue color. It will help you unlock your mana and guide you to reach the threshold of the first tier.¡±


    ¡°What? Isn¡¯t it the Awakening Ritual that awakens mages?¡±


    At least, that¡¯s what Deon had gathered from his research.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Vierenna explained, ¡°but the Awakening Ritual only awakens the ability to manipulate mana and latent talents. The human body still needs to adapt to the new change, which is a challenge in itself... Of course, individuals can learn slowly, but merely accessing mana and attempting to manipulate it is difficult on its own. The cubes are tools to ease this process by introducing the body to mana. Their role is to create behavioral patterns that make it easier for the body to follow mana¡ªat least at the first tier.¡±


    Despite Vierenna¡¯s thorough explanation, Deon¡¯s thoughtful expression prompted her to elaborate further.


    ¡°The blue cube will help your body become familiar with the new found mana. But it¡¯s limited to the first tier. Why? Because an individual¡¯s mana manipulation starts simple and becomes deeper and more complex in each tier. So, the first cube will guide you to the threshold of the first tier, and when you advance to the second, your mana manipulation will only grow more focused and profound. Again, you could figure things out on your own and progress without external help, but the process itself is long and arduous. That¡¯s why cubes exist¡ªto facilitate progression within each stage.¡±


    Deon looked at the cube in his hands in a new light.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t this just a form of cheating?¡¯


    As if she could read Deon¡¯s thoughts precisely, Vierenna said with a hint of disappointment,


    ¡°Well, at the academy, every student is given one. But nobles are already familiar with them, which is why they¡¯re always at the top of their classes. It¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    She said it casually, but Deon thought otherwise, making sure his thoughts were heard.


    ¡°It is a big deal alright. I¡¯ve already wasted enough time; I won¡¯t waste any more.¡±


    Vierenna smiled at his words, her expression one of someone who had finally found solace.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back,¡¯


    she whispered softly, too quietly for Deon to hear.


    ¡°How do I use the cube?¡±


    Deon asked, his curiosity and excitement getting the better of him.


    ¡°You need to maintain physical contact with the cube¡ªpreferably with both hands¡ªand try to establish a connection with it. This initial connection is the hardest part because it¡¯s how you link the cube to your mana signature. From there, the cube will help you explore and guide your mana... Once you¡¯re connected to the cube, no one else can use it unless you intentionally sever the connection.¡±


    Deon nodded in understanding and closed his eyes, preparing to begin.


    ¡°Why the rush? You haven¡¯t even looked at all your gifts yet,¡±


    Vierenna teased, snatching the cube from his hands.


    Deon glared at her in protest but quickly remembered the box placed carefully beside him on the bench.


    ¡®The purple book...!¡¯


    He pulled it out of the gray box and held it in his hands, examining its intricate patterns with curious eyes.


    ¡°As you might expect, it¡¯s a beginner¡¯s spellbook,¡±


    Vierenna commented from the side.


    ¡°Curse spells.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened. He couldn¡¯t take his gaze off the girl sitting close to him, a serene smile gracing her face.


    His shock stemmed from understanding how rare and valuable even a single curse spell was, let alone an entire book of them.


    Once again, Vierenna, adept at deciphering his thoughts, chuckled softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. There are only three beginner-level spells in the book. It¡¯ll be some time before you can even think about trying to learn them. Until then, I might find other spells if you put effort into these.¡±


    Deon remained silent under Vierenna¡¯s radiant smile. He knew well that everything she did was directed toward her brother, Deon¡ªnot him. Yet, he couldn¡¯t help but feel moved.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, his voice quiet but full of heartfelt gratitude.


    Vierenna smiled shyly and looked away.


    She took a deep breath and turned back to Deon.


    ¡°Put the book aside for now. You should start with the cube first. As I said, time is not on your side.¡±


    Her tone was commanding and left no room for refusal.


    Deon obeyed her words. But before attempting to establish a connection with the cube as she had instructed earlier, he instead asked her about their mother.


    ¡°Do you remember her voice?¡±


    For some strange reason, he felt she wouldn¡¯t mind talking about it now.


    And he was right.


    She looked at him with initial confusion before catching his gaze on the small lake.


    ¡°Oh, Mother! Yes, I remember her voice. How could I forget?¡±


    She looked at him with curiosity and asked in return,


    ¡°Do you remember her voice?¡±


    Deon closed his eyes for a moment before answering.


    ¡°I want to say I do, and I do in a way. But I only remember it as a distant echo... I remember the face and all the other details, but the voice is the one thing I never want to forget.¡±


    He answered, though they weren¡¯t necessarily talking about the same person. (Everyone loses someone dear at some point in life, and the day will come when they want to remember and hear their voice again.)


    ¡°Oh, baby brother,¡±


    Vierenna began, gently patting Deon¡¯s head, her expression one of pity and affection.


    ¡°Mother was¡ªand still is¡ªa special person. We both loved her as she loved us back. If you want to hear her voice, it¡¯s good you told me. There¡¯s a Memory Record with Father... I¡¯ll bring it for my baby brother.¡±


    Vierenna¡¯s last words were spoken with slight hesitation, indicating that retrieving this ¡°Memory Record¡± wasn¡¯t as simple as she made it seem.


    Deon owed her more than he could ever repay, so he didn¡¯t want his debt to deepen further.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I said I still remember. This lake has already given me enough.¡±


    That was, in a way, true, despite all the confusion it had only added to his situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just for you. I want to mock your memories as a child. Isn¡¯t that my right as your big sis?¡±


    This left Deon with no room for argument.


    So once again, all he could do was say,


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Do You Remember Her Voice [3]


    The blue cube rested in Deon''s hands as he sat on the wooden bench facing the small lake.


    Though his posture was slouched, his intense gaze never wavered from the cube in his hand.


    ¡®Vierenna said the first step is to establish a connection with the cube, but what kind of connection? Mental? Physical? Or something else entirely?¡¯


    Deon decided to close his eyes and focus his senses on the cube without overthinking it.


    But that wasn¡¯t as easy as it sounded¡ªhis mind refused to quiet down.


    ¡®The cube needs to link to my mana signature, and Vierenna said it''s best to maintain physical contact with it. But how can I do that without involving my mind? Even holding it involves engaging my senses...!¡¯


    Deon''s thoughts paused at this realization.


    Indeed, the mind drives the body, and the senses mediate the relationship between them.


    Therefore, mana must be nothing more than a new sense.


    And all Deon had to do was explore this new sense.


    ¡®The hardest part of the process is always the starting point, but at least I have something to begin with.¡¯


    Deon steadied his breathing and cleared his mind of excessive thoughts.


    This time, he didn¡¯t struggle much with his thoughts because he had already found a focal point.


    Deon¡¯s hands, which had been gripping the cube tightly, relaxed. His tense expression softened, and his breathing became steady and rhythmic.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Deon entered a state of sensory stillness. The connection between his mind and body dulled, almost fading entirely.


    From the sidelines, Vierenna watched with a shocked expression. She knew Deon wasn¡¯t in danger but hadn¡¯t expected him to enter the exploration phase so quickly.


    ¡°How is he doing this so effortlessly...?¡±


    Unbeknownst to her, she had stopped breathing while observing his progress.


    Inside Deon¡¯s mind, the realm of his thoughts had shrunk to a single white point. From that point, something new emerged.


    ¡®A heartbeat?¡¯


    A rhythm pulsed irregularly at the back of his mind. It wasn¡¯t the steady beat of his circulatory system, but something entirely different, something beyond words.


    ¡®A new heartbeat?¡¯


    But no matter how much Deon tried to pinpoint its source, his senses failed him every time.


    ¡®My senses? Why can¡¯t I feel them?¡¯


    He tried to panic, but the instinctive bodily reaction to fear never came. Thus, Deon panicked without truly panicking.


    ¡®What...?¡¯


    The erratic heartbeat continued, indifferent to his emotions.


    Once again, all Deon could do in this situation was focus on the heartbeat.


    But despite his efforts, the precise focus that typically comes with natural sensory direction eluded him.


    The heartbeat continued its unpredictable rhythm¡ªsometimes loud, sometimes soft, and occasionally utterly silent.


    Deon repeatedly reminded himself of what he was doing before finding himself in this state.


    ¡®The new sense...! What if the heartbeat is the new sense?¡¯


    Yet, nothing happened.


    ¡®What if I¡¯m already sensing mana, but I just don¡¯t know how to interact with it?¡¯


    The heartbeat continued in the background.


    ¡®Wait, Vierenna said exploring things on my own would be difficult. What if that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m doing?¡¯


    And indeed, that¡¯s what he was doing.


    ¡®The cube! I need to reach it somehow!¡¯


    But Deon had already lost connection with his body. How could he do that?


    ¡®The cube is supposed to help introduce my body to mana. But what if hearing this heartbeat is my direct interaction with mana without¡­¡¯


    Deon felt, somehow, that he was on the right track. He didn¡¯t understand this feeling, but he didn¡¯t plan to ignore it.


    ¡®I need to stop hearing this heartbeat!¡¯


    At that moment, the heartbeat ceased, as if responding to his command. Slowly, Deon¡¯s senses began to return, albeit faintly.


    The first thing he did was connect with the cube, a process that felt instinctive somehow.


    Vierenna, still watching from the side, had barely recovered from her initial shock when she was stunned again.


    ¡®How can this be possible?!¡¯


    The cube in Deon¡¯s hands began to emit a soft blue glow, a stark contrast to its dark color.


    The glow lasted for three seconds before fading.


    Complex patterns started forming on every surface of the cube, converging at multiple points. With each passing second, the patterns grew more intricate.


    Although the cube retained its shape as a simple cube, the newly etched patterns imbued it with an aura of mystery and newfound power.


    Soon, the patterns stopped forming, marking the completion of the cube¡¯s new aesthetic.


    The patterns, initially glowing faint blue, turned black as they stabilized, signaling that the cube had ceased drawing mana from Deon once it linked to his mana signature.


    Deon opened his eyes to the familiar scene of the small lake.


    He took a deep breath and looked around to reorient himself.


    Vierenna was still beside him, staring with her gray obsidian eyes as though trying to pierce through his skull.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m back. Only you have such looks.¡±


    He said without embarrassment.


    ¡°My gaze is perfectly normal, and you see it that way.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t say otherwise.¡±


    ¡°So! What happened?¡±


    ¡®What happened, indeed!¡¯


    Deon had his theories about why he had heard the heartbeat and lost all his other senses.


    Mana Sense.


    One of his four innate abilities.


    Mana Sense: The key to the world¡¯s greatest mysteries.


    Though the description was as vague as the ability itself, Deon was almost certain of his suspicion¡ªno, his conclusion.


    Even the description referred to it as an innate and latent ability.


    Deon felt he wouldn¡¯t need the cube to hear the strange heartbeat again, but how would he control it?


    That? He didn¡¯t know.


    ¡®I also have Sword Sense, and the Sword Attraction. the latter is described even more ambiguously than any other ability I have. I wonder if the three are related... No, I¡¯m getting ahead of myself.¡¯


    Deon refocused on Vierenna, whose curiosity threatened to set the entire garden ablaze.


    ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t know what to do with the cube or how to feel it. But remembering your explanation led me to a logical conclusion that helped my mind focus and calm down. From there, I felt all five of my senses fade... I don¡¯t know how to explain what happened next, but somehow, I managed to establish a connection with the cube. It¡¯s hard to describe.¡±


    Vierenna nodded at his words. She had felt the same when forming her initial connection with the cube.


    ¡®But not this quickly... Less than five minutes! This¡­¡¯


    ¡°Thanks to your explanation, I was able to do it.¡±


    Deon¡¯s words were sincere. Without her guidance, he would have been left in the dark. She had been his greatest help, and it hadn¡¯t even been a full day since he arrived in this world.


    ¡°How do you feel now? Your connection with the cube?¡±


    Deon held the cube up to his face, examining it with curiosity.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a puzzle I need to solve, but the puzzle is... me... maybe?¡±


    Vierenna gave him a wide smile and began patting his head firmly, ignoring his resistance.


    ¡°My baby brother is right¡ªit¡¯s indeed a puzzle you must solve.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re... ruining my hair!... The hair you styled... yourself... Stop it!¡±


    Deon tried to resist, but how could he against her superior strength? Her authority as the older sister gave her the upper hand.


    ¡°And I¡¯m a great sister and a great teacher! Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Deon managed to escape her grip, pushing himself to the edge of the bench.


    ¡°You are, absolutely, just stop!¡±


    She looked displeased by his retreat but didn¡¯t act further as Deon spoke again seriously.


    ¡°What now? I mean, after the cube.¡±


    ¡°After the cube, more work with the cube. The cube will help your body familiarize itself with mana, and only when you reach the point where you can manipulate mana at will can you begin learning your first spell. Though I¡¯d advise against rushing to learn spells.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because the more familiar your body is with mana, the faster you¡¯ll learn spells. If you choose to learn a spell while only having minimal control over mana within your body, it will take a long time to learn. Even casting it won¡¯t be easy with shallow control.¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    Deon fell silent.


    Vierenna¡¯s explanation was logical from an objective perspective. Though there were rare instances where rushing yielded the desired result, rushing was usually a fast track to failure.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Deon said, his calm expression reflecting his sharpened determination.


    Seeing his resolute expression, Vierenna smiled warmly.


    ¡°You¡¯ll accomplish great things, baby brother.¡±


    She said from the side.


    Deon nodded at her continued support.


    ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°Now, we both need to rest. I¡¯ve already gone past my bedtime. Let¡¯s head back. Tomorrow, your training begins.¡±


    She rose from her seat, and Deon followed beside her toward the mansion.


    ¡°So you¡¯re admitting you were asleep earlier.¡±


    Vierenna glanced at Deon¡¯s face, which held a smile that said, ¡®I knew it.¡¯


    She smiled in turn, and without a word, punched him lightly in the elbow.


    Then she continued walking as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°That hurt!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±

 Mana Sense [#]

    Mana Sense [#]


    <hr>


    To improve oneself is always worth it, but rarely pleasant. The sharpest blades are often forged in the hottest fires.


    <hr>


    Mana Sense [1]


    Deon returned to his room, dimly lit by a soft yellow glow emanating from the four corners.


    Despite his blank expression, his thoughts were still stuck on his first interaction with mana.


    From the perspective of someone from a modern, capitalist, neoliberal world, the concept of magic¡ªan inexplicable power beyond physical understanding¡ªwas strange and terrifying in its general sense.


    But if that was what Deon needed to regain his life, he didn¡¯t mind delving into its complexities.


    He thought again about his skill, mana sense. Although it initially seemed useless and, at best, a hindrance, something about it made him feel otherwise.


    Deon felt the skill had helped him connect with the cube. It would have taken much longer without it. Still, he wasn¡¯t entirely sure.


    ¡®Could I benefit from it alongside using the cube?¡¯


    SIGH


    With a tired sigh, Deon headed toward the dressing area in his room. He felt drained of all his energy. And how could he not be, given that it hadn¡¯t even been a full day since his arrival in the world of his novel?


    ¡®This is the longest day I¡¯ve ever lived, and I don¡¯t think any other day will break this record!¡¯


    In one day, Deon had done what an ordinary person might do in an entire lifetime, if not more.


    He died, came back to life, experienced depression, overcame his depression, adopted a new persona, lived his first day as that person, learned magic¡ªat least as a beginner¡ªand finally returned to his room to rest.


    And that¡¯s not counting the smaller details which, when pieced together, could summarize the lives of some people.


    Although, most people don¡¯t come back to life after death. Still, it should count for something.


    If he included the day he spent in his previous world as Walid, the failed writer, Deon hadn¡¯t slept in over 36 hours.


    ¡®I need rest.¡¯


    That was undeniable.


    ¡®Mana Sense. The cube. Anything else can wait.¡¯


    He was truly exhausted, and it became evident when Deon admitted it to himself.


    Like a drunkard on a snowy night, Deon stripped off the clothes Vierenna had chosen for him and threw them onto the carpeted floor. His eyes opened and closed like a malfunctioning garage door.


    Only through sheer willpower was Deon able to put on the pajamas he had woken up in earlier, he made sure to place them somewhere he could remember to avoid mixing them up.


    With his eyes almost completely shut, Deon returned to the open space of his room, focusing solely on the bed.


    The moment he reached it, he collapsed forward onto it. His exhausted mind finally found the rest it desperately needed.


    ¡­


    Deon did not experience any dreams. His sleep was as heavy as the darkness of the night in an abandoned cave. He didn¡¯t even wake up when the small-built girl with green eyes and maid attire entered before sunrise.


    The girl, named Yven, was stunned by the way her master Deon slept on the massive bed.


    Deon was lying on his stomach, his head not even on the pillow, with one leg dangling off the edge of the bed.


    ¡®He must be really tired.¡¯


    It took her a moment to steady herself before stepping quietly toward the changing room. As soon as she entered, dim yellow lights lit up the room.


    She wasn¡¯t surprised by the clothes scattered on the floor; it had been like this for the past three months. Even though her master rarely left his room, it didn¡¯t reflect in the number of clothes he changed into from time to time.


    Not that Yven cared¡­ well, she did. It was her job, after all.


    She knelt on the carpeted floor, picking up the clothes and folding them with practiced precision. She glanced around the room and nodded to herself.


    She left with yesterday¡¯s worn clothes and placed them in the wooden basket beside the door. Then grabbed the basket and reached for the door handle, but her movement stopped.


    She thought again about her master.


    He didn¡¯t have any covers on, only his thin sleepwear.


    ¡®I should put something on him¡­¡¯


    Her movements froze dead. She gasped and stumbled backward, the back of her head hitting the thick wooden door.


    Hurt, Yven staggered forward again, dropping the basket she was holding and, in turn, collapsing onto the basket herself.


    Deon watched the entire scene unfold with indifferent eyes.


    He had woken up when the dim lights of the changing room lit up, but before he could fully rise from his bed, the maid¡ªwho was supposed to be his personal servant¡ªemerged from there and walked straight past him toward the exit.


    ¡®The rest was known.¡¯


    The girl lay sprawled on the ground with a terrified expression, like a criminal on an ancient execution platform. Her eyes began to well up with tears, but she held them back.


    She was waiting for Deon to say something, to yell at her, or anything, really.


    ¡®What¡­ what should I do?¡¯


    Meanwhile, Deon was waiting for her to get up so he could speak with her like a civilized person.


    ¡®Why doesn¡¯t she get up? Is she injured?¡¯


    And so, the awkward silence remained.


    Deon rose from his spot on the bed, his eyes never leaving the maid who hadn¡¯t made any effort to move, as if she had given up before even trying.


    Yven in turn was too scared to function properly.


    ¡®I¡¯m finished! This is the end for me!¡¯


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Deon asked as he approached the maid, feeling slightly concerned and slightly suspicious about the whole thing.


    Yven didn¡¯t answer. Her mind seemed incapable of processing anything. But when she noticed Deon¡¯s footsteps approaching her, she forced herself to get up.


    ¡®So, she¡¯s fine after all.¡¯


    That¡¯s what Deon thought until he saw the girl stumble again over the basket beneath her.


    Yven tripped once more, this time falling awkwardly to the side.


    huff-huff¡ª


    Deon chuckled lightly at the clumsy sight. He never thought he¡¯d start his day like this, and the sun hadn¡¯t even risen yet.


    Yven, embarrassed, gathered herself off the floor, her eyes betraying her as she began silently crying, her head lowered. She wasn¡¯t crying from pain; in truth, she didn¡¯t know why she was crying¡ªit just happened.


    Deon stepped closer to stand above her.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    he repeated, placing a hand on her trembling shoulder and extending the other to help her up.


    Yven hesitated for a moment before taking the offered hand¡ªwhat other choice did she have? She couldn¡¯t refuse it.


    She took his hand, and Deon indeed helped her stand, steadily this time.


    When he was sure she wouldn¡¯t fall again, he let go of her.


    But he noticed her tears, which she tried to hide by keeping her head down.


    ¡°Are you¡­ hurt?¡±


    he asked, sounding more concerned than angry, with a hint of guilt for laughing at her earlier.


    ¡®I¡¯m finished!¡¯


    Despite her thoughts, Yven knew she had to say something. Deon had already asked her three times if she was okay.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine, sir¡­ my lord¡­ ahh! I, uh¡­ I will be!¡±


    Deon looked at the nervous girl with pity. To his eyes, she was clearly distressed. Still, what right did he have to push her if she insisted she was fine?


    ¡®Time will tell, anyway.¡¯


    So, he simply stepped back, giving her a chance to breathe.


    Yven tensed with every movement Deon made. She was waiting for punishment, but her master seemed as calm as ever.


    She nervously watched him sit on the edge of the bed, looking at her.


    And she stared back, expecting something that wouldn¡¯t come.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to punish me¡­ sir?¡±


    Her heart couldn¡¯t handle the tension and pressure anymore, so she just asked. There wasn¡¯t anything she could¡¯ve done by now to avoid punishment.


    ¡®And I thought I¡¯d do a good job!¡¯


    Deon tilted his head slightly, clearly confused.


    ¡°Why would I punish you? Are you used to being punished? Have I punished you often?¡±


    The last question was asked meaningfully, as the girl seemed safe enough for him to ask an unusual question.


    Yven was stunned by the questions. But she still had to answer; after all, it was her master asking.


    ¡°I¡­ I made a mistake and deserve punishment. And the lord hasn¡¯t punished me before, thanks to his kindness.¡±


    Deon nodded, more to himself than to the maid.


    ¡°How many times have we met before, not counting yesterday or now?¡±


    He decided to ask something more serious. The girl seemed too scared to think about why he was asking.


    ¡°I¡ªI tried to introduce myself to the lord before. But the lord always ignored me¡­¡±


    Deon got his answer. While the previous Deon had been aware of the girl¡¯s presence, he hadn¡¯t known she was his personal made. Or perhaps he did but didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Were you surprised I knew you were my new personal servant?¡±


    Yven shivered slightly at Deon¡¯s interruption, but perhaps that was for the best.


    She had been too honest anyway.


    ¡®Why is he asking me all these questions? Won¡¯t he punish me?¡¯


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Still, Yven had no choice but to answer.


    ¡°How long have you been my personal servant?¡±


    ¡®Is he testing me?¡¯


    ¡°I started on the master¡¯s coming-of-age day.¡±


    Deon looked at the girl as if he expected a different answer, so in her fear, she began blurting out information.


    ¡°Every noble like the lord receives a personal servant after their awakening ritual, which occurs on their coming-of-age day. It¡¯s a sign of responsibility and independence, and at this age, lords have the freedom to make their own investments¡ª¡±


    The girl stopped rambling when she realized she was just spouting nonsense.


    Deon said nothing. He lowered his head in deep thought. He was slightly disappointed by the girl¡¯s sudden silence, but he had gathered most of the information he needed.


    ¡®Coming of age, in essence, was merely a form of relative freedom.¡¯


    Feeling pity for the girl, Deon decided to finally release her from his questions, which she probably saw as the punishment she¡¯d been asking for.


    ¡°You¡¯re not punished,¡±


    he announced without much thought.


    Yven¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She just stood there, her trembling eyes threatening to cry again for some reason.


    ¡®How did this girl get such a position? She¡¯s clearly inexperienced!¡¯


    Deon couldn¡¯t find the words to describe what he was witnessing.


    Isn¡¯t a personal servant supposed to be experienced? How am I the one comforting her!This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry again. You said you weren¡¯t injured¡­ I¡¯m not punishing you because you didn¡¯t make a major mistake that warrants punishment. Is that clear?¡±


    Yven was still clearly skeptical, but once again, all she could do was¡­


    ¡®Wait! What am I supposed to do?¡¯


    Understanding her thoughts clearly, Deon began giving her instructions for what she should already know.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you clean up the mess you made and move on to your other tasks?¡±


    Signs of embarrassment appeared on Yven¡¯s face, but what hadn¡¯t shown on her expressions by now?


    Embarrassed, she started carrying out her master¡¯s orders without much thought. That somehow helped her avoid making any mistakes, like a professional¡ªat last.


    She picked up the basket and walked quickly toward the door. Before leaving, Deon¡¯s voice called her again.


    ¡°How many hours of sleep do you need to feel rested?¡±


    He asked, an odd question. But before the girl could think of an answer, Deon spoke again.


    ¡°Never mind¡­ Anyway, if you can make me a coffee with milk at the breakfast table, that would be great.¡±


    Yven felt like someone pulled her out of deep water only to throw her back in, and then out again.


    So, with a head heavier than an abandoned marble slab, she simply bowed respectfully, saying the bare minimum.


    ¡°You can count on me.¡±


    With that, the maid left, closing the door behind her, leaving Deon to the silence of his room.


    ¡°Can I?¡±


    He whispered to the thin air.


    ¡®I forgot to ask her name!¡¯


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Mana Sense [2]


    After the embarrassed maid left, Deon refocused on himself.


    He had asked her how many hours of sleep an average person needed, but then dismissed the question, just to ensure she wouldn''t get any strange ideas.


    In truth, despite not sleeping much, Deon felt he had rested enough.


    He felt refreshed and energized.


    This wasn¡¯t logical for someone who hadn¡¯t slept in over 36 hours.


    ¡°Could it be because of the mana I interacted with?¡±


    The thought excited Deon, and he found himself hurrying toward the gray box sitting on one of the bookshelves.


    He swiftly opened it and pulled out the blue cube with intricate black patterns.


    Closing the box lid, he returned to the comfort of his bed with the cube.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡±


    Sitting cross-legged in the center of his bed in a meditative posture, the cube rested in his hands.


    Unlike the first time, Deon felt a unique connection with the cube. The sensation was strange but not uncomfortable.


    With a single thought, Deon''s senses began to dull. Soon, he found himself once again in the mysterious space where he had previously heard the sound of heartbeats¡ªexcept this time, it was silent, and his dulled senses still registered within his mind.


    But the significant change lay in the intricate three-dimensional patterns occupying much of his field of view. They weren¡¯t larger than a two-story house but were complexly interwoven, difficult for the eyes to follow and the mind to interpret.


    Deon¡¯s consciousness moved around the patterns, searching for a starting point.


    His connection with the blue cube instinctively guided him to what he needed to do to begin.


    As he had told Vierenna, the object before him was a puzzle¡ªand at the same time, it was himself.


    To progress through the first tier, he had to solve this puzzle.


    But first, he needed to find the starting point.


    Deon continued circling and observing the intricate, dormant patterns before him. Every time he thought he had found something that might lead to the start, he was wrong or too far from the truth.


    Unaware of how much time had passed, Deon decided to stop observing and start acting.


    ¡®If I don¡¯t try to begin somewhere, I¡¯ll never start!¡¯


    He reassured himself while choosing a thin thread from the massive, complex pattern.


    Reaching it with his mind¡ªor senses¡ªhe wasn¡¯t sure how, but somehow, he could naturally do so, considering he didn¡¯t have a physical form in this mysterious space.


    The faint thread lit up with a dim glow at the point Deon''s mind connected with it. From there, the white light traced the thread, illuminating it.


    Deon watched expectantly as the light reached the thread¡¯s first branching point, which split into only two directions¡ªone of the reasons Deon had chosen it.


    He commanded the light to follow the thread on the left, which led deeper into the patterns.


    But as the light began its journey along the new thread, it simply dissipated into nothingness. Soon, the patterns returned to their inert, static state.


    Deon wasn¡¯t discouraged or disappointed. He restarted from the same point on the same thread.


    This time, at the branching point, he chose the thread on the right, which followed a lower path along the massive pattern.


    But again, the light evaporated into nothingness, and the patterns reverted to their dormant state.


    ¡®This is going to take a long time!¡¯


    Despite everything, Deon continued his attempts. He still believed he could find the path if he tried harder.


    In Deon¡¯s room, time passed in relative quiet.


    But in his mind, each passing second only added to his frustration over his repeated failures.


    ¡®I''m doing something wrong! But what is it?¡¯


    His frustration began to cloud his thoughts.


    Deon had seen this coming for some time now, but he had no alternative.


    He couldn¡¯t stop now. He just had to push forward.


    ¡®But relying solely on trial and error is wrong in itself! I¡¯m missing something!¡¯


    Deon paused for a moment, staring at the massive, intricate pattern before him. It just sat there within his line of sight, its shapes unchanging.


    ¡®I need to try something new... but what?¡¯


    Deon had previously considered using his mana sense to speed up solving this puzzle, yet he hadn¡¯t even found the starting point.


    If he struggled at this stage, what would he do in the future?


    ¡®What do I have to lose, anyway? If nothing works, I¡¯ll consult Vierenna later.¡¯


    With that thought in mind, Deon willingly entered the sensory stagnation state he had experienced earlier in the backyard.


    Almost immediately, the sound of irregular heartbeats began resonating within his mind and all around him.


    ¡®I was right! I can access it now with a single thought.¡¯


    But something had changed.


    In the empty space, the intricate patterns were nowhere to be seen¡ªonly the irregular heartbeats of varying intensity.


    ¡®This is strange! I thought I was the one preventing the heartbeats from being heard in the space?¡¯


    ¡®Could it be that the space with the patterns and the space with the heartbeats are entirely different?¡¯


    ¡®No, that shouldn¡¯t be true. Both are extensions of the mind. They should be in the same place. But... maybe my subconscious is deliberately separating them?¡¯


    Deon was almost correct. When he used his mana sense, he unintentionally severed his connection with the cube partially due to the absence of his senses.


    When he connected to the cube, his instinctive focus on his five senses ignored the existence of his mana sense.


    In short, when Deon used his mana sense, he lost his other senses. And when he regained his other senses, his mana sense faded into the background.


    ¡®Should I try combining them?¡¯


    Deon felt hesitant but quickly replaced his doubt with determination.


    As long as he had an idea, he wouldn¡¯t ignore it.


    ¡®The appearance of the heartbeat is linked to my senses vanishing. When my regular senses return, the intricate patterns appear. But maybe I can try maintaining the heartbeats while keeping my five senses active?¡¯


    Deon went with the idea, though he had no idea how to execute it.


    With focus, he felt his connection to the cube dim to near nonexistence.


    ¡®Why did this happen? And why didn¡¯t I notice?¡¯


    It soon became clear.


    ¡®My five senses are what create the connection between me and the cube. I didn¡¯t lose the connection¡ªI just stopped feeling it!¡¯


    ¡®So, the patterns are still there. I just don¡¯t perceive them.¡¯


    Before Deon linked the cube to his mana signature, he used his five senses to establish the connection.


    Now, with his five senses ¡°offline¡± due to his mana sense, the relationship between the cube and his mana signature was what allowed him to sense the cube in the absence of his primary senses.


    Deon¡¯s plan was to reverse the process he had used to link the cube to his mana signature.


    But this time, he would use the relationship between his mana signature and the cube to reconnect his senses without losing his mana sense during the process.


    With his limited experience with the cube, Deon attempted to reconnect his five senses while focusing on the heartbeat that resonated relentlessly.


    He kept trying, but nothing changed for a while¡ªor so he thought.


    Unaligned with the background heartbeats, a faint second set of heartbeats reached Deon¡¯s awareness.


    At first, he mistook them for the beats resulting from his mana sense. But they were the calm, regular heartbeats of his physical body.


    ¡®Hearing!¡¯


    As his sense of hearing returned, Deon¡¯s other senses followed suit.


    The last was his vision.


    ¡®Hah!¡¯


    Deon gasped in surprise at the sight before him.


    As he expected, the massive, intricate patterns had returned, as if they had never disappeared.


    But they were different from when he first faced them with his five senses.


    ¡®I knew it! Mana sense goes deeper than it seems!¡¯


    Now, the thin threads forming the patterns glowed with a faint gray light. From time to time, dim sparks of light flickered in different points along the glowing gray threads.


    ¡®No, that¡¯s not right!¡¯


    From a broader perspective, the sparks didn¡¯t appear in different points along the threads¡ªthey moved across them at a speed the eye couldn¡¯t follow.


    In parallel with the irregular heartbeats resonating throughout the mysterious space, Deon felt his own heartbeat quicken with the excitement of his current experience.


    ¡®This is what¡ª what should be called cheating!¡¯


    Focusing on the intricate patterns, Deon could now clearly see the starting point, the path to follow, and even the endpoint¡ªall at once without feeling overwhelmed.


    It was as if his awareness had expanded to comprehend what the five senses shouldn¡¯t have been able to process.


    ¡®Is this mana sense?!¡¯


    He already knew the answer and was experiencing it firsthand.


    Suddenly, Deon recalled the description of the ability Mana Sense:


    "The key to the world greatest mysteries!"


    Although Deon was satisfied with the ability as it was, the feeling that his use of it was barely scratching the surface never left his mind.


    But Deon didn¡¯t let himself get carried away. For now, he had something to do.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll learn more when the situation demands it.¡¯


    He looked at the patterns, focusing specifically on the starting point.


    ¡®But for now, why not give this a try?¡¯


    Without waiting another second, Deon reached the starting point with his mind, and the thread began to light up.


    This time, the glow was a vibrant blue, signifying the correctness of Deon¡¯s chosen path.


    The blue light traveled along the thin thread, diving into the depths of the patterns. At every turn, Deon instinctively knew the correct path and followed it. Each time, his chosen direction proved to be right.


    And so, Deon officially began his magic training.


    All thanks to...


    Mana Sense.


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Mana Sense [3]


    The first rays of sunlight crept over the distant horizon, a gradient of gold and orange.


    The colors reflected on the face of the sleeping girl, waking her slowly as if the light were inviting her back to life.


    Vierenna opened her eyes¡ªher clear, ash-gray obsidian eyes reflected the newborn daylight. Her white hair, scattered across the pillow, resembled silk threads glowing silver under the soft sunlight.


    Gently, Vierenna extended her hands to prop herself up into a sitting position, stretching to shake off the remnants of sleep.


    But before her mind regained full clarity, a surge of raw mana registered in her senses. It came directly from the floor below her room.


    ¡®Deon''s room?!¡¯


    She had an idea of what was happening, but her body was already moving toward Deon''s room downstairs to confirm it with her own eyes and intervene if necessary.


    With every step she took closer to his room, her theory solidified.


    Although the mana was raw, it was under control.


    ¡®Could it be that he¡¯s reached the first step in this short time? It took me about four days!¡¯


    Vierenna opened Deon''s door and was surprised¡ªpleasantly surprised¡ªby what she saw.


    ¡°Look at this! My baby brother has learned how to use his legs on his own.¡±


    Of course, she spoke softly so as not to disturb him.


    Despite her teasing, her happy smile didn¡¯t betrayed her pride and joy.


    She closed the door and approached his cross-legged figure on the bed for a closer look.


    The blue cube rested in his hands, its black patterns slowly transforming into blue, forming intricate and varied pathways. However, the blue patterns were only just beginning to progress.


    ¡®He¡¯s just started! Impressive!¡¯


    Satisfied with the situation¡¯s stability and safety, Vierenna climbed onto the bed and lay on her stomach in front of Deon, who hadn¡¯t moved.


    She could skip her morning training for today.


    Lazily, Vierenna stretched her body and buried her face in the damp blanket.


    ¡®So soft!¡¯


    ...


    After nearly half an hour, the raw mana surrounding Deon began to recede, and slowly, he opened his eyes.


    Initially, he was startled by Vierenna¡¯s form, lying on her stomach in front of him and gazing at him with a bright smile.


    But he quickly recovered; he was starting to get used to her strange antics.


    ¡°Good morning, baby brother,¡±


    she greeted him as she adjusted her nightwear to cover herself while sitting upright across from him in the same position.


    ¡°Good morning to you too,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s truly impressive that you¡¯ve begun introducing your body to mana so quickly. I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    Vierenna''s words were genuine, and she expressed them with both her words and her demeanor.


    Deon was aware that his achievement with the cube was unusual, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself from appearing nonchalant.


    If he had the capability, Deon would exploit it without hesitation.


    ¡°How long did it take you? And what¡¯s the average time for a normal person to achieve what I did?¡±


    he asked, wanting to gauge his achievement compared to others.


    Vierenna seemed almost upset by his question.


    She responded with exaggerated frustration in her body language.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ so quickly, arrogance has gone to your head. Siblings shouldn¡¯t compare themselves¡­ And here I thought¡­ mm... mm... mmm¡­¡±


    Deon grabbed Vierenna and covered her mouth. She¡¯d never stop chattering if he let her.


    ¡°I just want to understand how I compare to others. I¡¯m calm and won¡¯t become arrogant this early,¡± he said.


    Though Vierenna playfully resisted his gentle hold, she didn¡¯t truly fight back. If this had been a real fight, he would¡¯ve turned to icy dust in mere moments. He knew how strong she was.


    When he released her mouth, she sat back slightly, looking at him with a mix of curiosity and bemusement.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re so bosing and domineering... If you keep this up, I might even stop calling you baby brother.¡±


    She tilted her head toward her chest, placing a hand over it.


    ¡°You even made my heart skip a beat. What will you do next?¡±


    Oh, no!¡¯


    But it was already too late...


    ¡®No, it¡¯s never too late¡­!¡¯


    Before she could say more, Deon grabbed her again and covered her mouth even tighter than before.


    This time, Vierenna was genuinely shocked. She didn¡¯t even pretend to resist. She simply stared at Deon¡¯s serious, worried expression as if silencing her was a national duty.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make it weird. Not like that!¡±


    ¡®Not like that?¡¯


    Vierenna was confused by Deon¡¯s words, but when she considered her position, her attire, and what she was about to say just to see her baby brother¡¯s embarrassed expression, she understood his point.


    ¡®Maybe¡­ I went a bit too far?¡¯


    She grabbed Deon¡¯s hands to signal him to release her, which he did upon noticing her calm gaze.


    Vierenna immediately observed her baby brother¡¯s expression relax. Still, she felt like something was missing.


    ¡®But what?¡¯


    She didn¡¯t have to think long to find the answer. Slowly and steadily, her smile widened as Deon¡¯s expression crumbled before her.


    ¡®No, I have to say something. This isn¡¯t me!¡¯


    Before Deon could reach her to silence her again, she managed to voice her thoughts.


    ¡°You¡¯re at that age already¡­ It¡¯s natural to feel strange when you touch¡ªmm... mm... mm¡­¡±


    :How refreshing!¡¯


    Although Vierenna didn¡¯t finish her comment, she felt accomplished.


    ¡®I¡¯ll let his mind fill in the gaps. But how far will his imagination go? I hope not too far¡­ Oh, no!¡¯


    She raised her hands to block the pillow that smacked directly into her face. The intent was clear¡ªsuffocation.


    ¡®Maybe his imagination is a little too active?!¡¯


    Vierenna managed to slip away from his grasp, darting off the bed.


    ¡°Calm down, baby brother¡­ As long as I call you baby brother, you haven¡¯t ascended to the rank you¡¯re thinking of in your mind right now.¡±


    Deon didn¡¯t respond. He simply watched her with disappointment from his seat on the bed.


    ¡®Why is he so disappointed? Did I overdo it?¡¯


    SIGH


    Vierenna sighed in defeat and returned to sit on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°It took me four days, with guidance from Mother. You did it in less than a day, which is an extraordinary and rare talent. For a normal noble with high talent, it might take about a month at least. As for commoners, it usually takes three to six months, which is one reason they¡¯re always behind in the academy.¡±


    This was Vierenna¡¯s way of reconciling with Deon and easing his anger toward her.


    It seemed to work.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that hard, was it?¡±


    Deon asked with a small smile.


    ¡®It, very much, was.¡¯


    Vierenna didn¡¯t say that. She didn¡¯t like it when Deon was angry at her, so she refrained from provoking him further. Maybe next time.


    ¡°I have a few more questions,¡± Deon said.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t ask your kind big sis, who will you ask?¡±


    He gave her an odd look but asked his questions anyway.


    ¡°This morning, I woke up unusually early. Normally, I¡¯d be too tired to even move at that time, but all I felt was energy and refreshment. Could that have something to do with the cube and my connection to it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that?¡±


    ¡°I can explain that to my baby brother. First, you don¡¯t connect with the cube; your mana signature does. And the cube, while impressive, isn¡¯t something that would make you feel as refreshed as you described. Mana does that.¡±


    ¡°This hasn¡¯t happened to you before because your body hadn¡¯t yet made any attempts to communicate with or use the mana awakened within you during your awakening ritual.¡±


    ¡°The cube is just like a book teaching you how to use mana. So when you linked it to your mana signature yesterday, you took the first step in introducing your body to mana.¡±


    ¡°Now your body recognizes and acknowledges the mana within it. One of mana¡¯s benefits is accelerated healing compared to normal people. That¡¯s why you feel energized and refreshed. Mana even enhances intelligence and memory as you progress. Body specialists experience significant improvement in all bodily functions.¡±


    Vierenna observed her brother¡¯s contemplative expression. Although all these basics would be explained at the academy, she enjoyed playing the role of teacher and was good at it.


    ¡°What is mana?¡±


    Vierenna was caught off guard by the unusual question.


    ¡®What is mana?¡¯


    She had never thought to ask such a question herself, simply accepting it as a natural part of her reality.


    Of course, the academy would cover this topic, and she could give Deon a summary of what she¡¯d learned in her first year. Still, Vierenna felt curious about why her brother would ask such a question.


    ¡°Mana is a persistent energy that spreads throughout the world. It has a tremendous capacity to adapt and change¡­ Why are you curious about such a topic? You¡¯re supposed to already know!¡±


    Once again, Deon¡¯s expression turned thoughtful. After a moment of silence, he answered her question.


    ¡°I just thought about it and felt that mana is unfair, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡®Unfair? True¡­ in a way! But how does someone even ask such a question? And why?¡¯


    Vierina''s curiosity grew, but she quickly dismissed it. Her brother had always asked the strangest questions, so what''s the different now?


    She got up from the bed and picked up the cube that had rolled off during their wrestling.


    The shape of the cube hadn''t changed much, only the blue patterns that had started to replace the black ones. Even so, her younger brother still had some time to go before making real progress.


    ¡°Good work for one session. You might finish about 75% of it before it''s time to go to the academy. I''m proud of you, little brother,¡±


    she said as she placed the cube back in his hands.


    ¡°I''m heading back to my room to change now. You should rest a bit until breakfast. Your body needs to replenish the mana you used during training.¡±


    Deon nodded, his gaze fixed on the blue lines on the cube as if seeing them for the first time.


    Vierina left him to his thoughts and headed toward the door.


    She opened it. yet before leaving, she called back to him.


    ¡°baby brother¡­¡±


    A wide, unsettling smile spread across her face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t have any devious thoughts, okay?¡±


    With that, she quickly left the room, closing the door behind her.


    Left alone in the room, Deon stared at the door, his expression blank.


    ¡®And here I thought I was capable of handling her.¡¯


    ¡®She''s a force of nature, a truly devious force.¡¯

 Memories Record [#]

    Memories Record [#]


    <hr>


    He who jumps into the void, owes no explanation to those who stand and watch.


    <hr>


    Memories Record [1]


    After Deon recovered from the mental damage caused by Vierenna, he decided to take her advice and rest for a while. He truly felt drained, not tired.


    What awaited him was a cup of coffee with milk, his favorite drink, for breakfast.


    ¡°Can I even trust that clumsy maid?¡±


    Nevertheless, Deon rested his head on the pillow, allowing himself to drift into a light sleep.


    ...


    The sun rose in all its glory, spreading its warm rays over the world.


    Deon had already woken up, feeling much better. He had changed from his sleepwear into casual black clothes from his wardrobe.


    Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he combed his hair with his fingers, mimicking Vierenna''s precise movements from the previous morning.


    Satisfied with the results, he left his room and headed directly to the room where he had his first meal in this world. Though he couldn''t recall the meal, as his mind at the time was still preoccupied with countless possibilities.


    He moved through the now-familiar spiral staircase and the similarly designed hallways, which blended ancient architectural designs with advanced magical devices, such as motion-sensitive lights that adjusted brightness based on the space.


    Deon knew a little about the various magical devices used daily in this world. He had to, as the main character Emlyn had worked in a magical device shop throughout the first volume.


    That didn''t change until the end of the volume, where luck favored him, elevating his chances as a commoner.


    ¡®The thing is, I¡¯m the one who made luck favor him more than anything else! But, who really knows?¡¯


    Deon arrived at the same room, where a massive redwood table adorned with intricate decorations reflecting the culture of this world stood.


    The morning sun streamed through the large glass windows, reflecting off the white marble floor and giving the room a majestic ambiance, as if it were more than just a dining room.


    Around the room, several servants cast glances at Deon as he made his way to the window overlooking the front garden. He didn¡¯t want to sit while the breakfast table was still being prepared.


    The servants exchanged what looked almost like shocked glances, as if unsure of what they were supposed to do.


    Still, each of them maintained enough composure to continue their work professionally.


    A certain figure flashed through Deon''s mind, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel pity for her.


    ¡°Good morning, young master.¡±


    Interrupting his contemplation of the garden, a middle-aged man with a trimmed beard and neatly combed brown hair approached. His attire was that of a servant, but it was also different¡ªshinier, as if its wearer didn¡¯t soil his hands often.


    ¡°The breakfast table will be ready shortly, if the young master¡­¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t in the room before?¡±


    Deon interrupted the man, pointing out the fact he had noticed.


    Deon had looked at every servant in the room upon entering, but this man hadn¡¯t been among them.


    He was surprised he could tell so casually and spoke without thinking.


    ¡®Does this have to do with mana? Did my memory improve as Vierenna said?¡¯


    The servant''s face twitched, but he responded with the same professionalism.


    ¡°The young master has sharp eyes. This humble servant indeed just arrived to greet his masters and deliver a message from the young lady.¡±


    ¡®Vierenna?¡¯


    "The young lady tasked me with informing you that she will not be joining you for breakfast today or later in the day. She strongly advises you not to neglect your training and will meet you in the palace''s back garden after sunset."


    Deon almost laughed at the servant¡¯s words. He found it impossible for Vierenna to leave such a professional message, given her unique personality.


    He also admired the servant''s ability to rephrase Vierenna''s words in their current form.


    ¡®Or maybe I¡¯m mistaken? Could she have actually delivered the message as the servant relayed it? Vierenna only acts freely around those she likes but formally with everyone else.¡¯


    "Very well. Do you know what she¡¯ll be doing in the meantime?"


    The servant bowed his head sorrowfully, giving the impression he had disappointed me.


    ¡®So professional!¡¯


    "This humble servant does not know. The young lady''s words were clear and direct."


    He kept his head bowed.


    ¡®Perhaps she¡¯s trying to obtain the memory record she said she would bring?¡¯


    Deon still felt some guilt toward Vierenna, but what could he do?


    He looked at the servant in front of him and addressed him.


    "Alright, I didn¡¯t expect you to know. You may leave now. Good work."


    The servant bowed deeply, placing a hand on his chest.


    "I am only doing my duty."


    As he was about to leave, Deon addressed him again.


    "Also, I¡¯d prefer to receive such messages through my personal maid. You did well regardless."


    The servant seemed saddened by my words, but he bowed respectfully again.


    "This humble servant understands."


    And he went on his way.


    Deon resumed his contemplation of the palace''s front garden, waiting for the breakfast table to be ready.


    ...


    Soon enough, Deon was seated at the breakfast table, alone except for his personal maid, who had kept her promise by preparing the coffee with milk.


    He had dismissed the rest of the servants from the room, following Vierenna¡¯s example from the previous morning.


    Yven stood across from her master, nervously watching him take his first sip of the hot drink she had prepared for the first time in her life.


    She was tense, almost scared of the reaction her master might have. Unknowingly, she gripped her skirt tightly.


    ¡®I can¡¯t fail this time too.¡¯


    She hadn¡¯t forgotten her disastrous mistakes earlier that morning, each of which could have been grounds for dismissal. Yet, her young master had only forgiven her.


    ¡®Everyone makes mistakes!¡¯


    That¡¯s what he had said.


    Yven pondered those words all morning but couldn¡¯t find them reasonable enough to justify forgiving her clumsy errors.


    ¡®A personal servant embodies professionalism; mistakes are unacceptable.¡¯


    That¡¯s what her mother had always said, having been the personal maid of Viktoria de Avila, Deon¡¯s mother and the first lady of the Eirenios Household.


    "How did you get this job?"


    Yven nearly jumped at her master¡¯s sudden question, having been so lost in her thoughts that she missed his reaction to the coffee with milk after tasting it.


    ¡®How did I get this job? As a personal maid? Did I do something wrong? Am I going to be dismissed?¡¯


    "Don¡¯t think too much. I¡¯m just curious, considering your relatively young age."


    Her master¡¯s calm voice came again, as if reassuring her that her thoughts were far from the truth.


    Nevertheless, she remained tense as she replied.


    "I received news of my appointment from my mother¡­ ah, from the first lady¡¯s personal maid¡­ and I started afterward."


    In truth, Yven herself didn¡¯t know why she had been given such a position. However, she suspected her mother had a hand in the first lady¡¯s unusual decision.


    "So my mother appointed you as my personal maid?"


    Deon asked with great curiosity, unable to hide his interest in the matter.


    "Yes, Master, I believe so."


    Yven¡¯s tension eased slightly as she noticed the current direction of the conversation, though she remained cautious.


    "Did she tell you anything?"


    Yven fell silent for a moment, not fully understanding the question.


    ¡®Did she tell me something? The first lady?¡¯


    As the daughter of the first lady¡¯s personal maid, Yven had interacted with her often. She recalled the first lady always being kind to her and teaching her many things, no matter how busy she was. But had she told her anything?


    "The first lady, before her unfortunate passing, requested to see me. This was after I was appointed by her personal maid. Her words were, ¡®Take care of my son.¡¯ I will do my utmost to fulfill her orders."


    Of course, at the time, her master hadn¡¯t yet awakened, so she hadn¡¯t officially started her duties until after his awakening ceremony. There was also more to the first lady¡¯s words.


    Her exact words had been, ¡®Take care of my son. I believe you¡¯ll do your job better than your mother.¡¯


    Yven couldn¡¯t say this; she would seem desperate, even though she truly was. Her mother¡¯s sudden death had left her alone in a world she knew little to nothing about.


    "Since they¡¯re my mother¡¯s orders, I¡¯ll rely on you."


    Deon said as he took another sip of the hot, delicious coffee with milk.


    Yven smiled brightly, and just as she was about to reaffirm her determination to fulfill her duties toward her master, he spoke first.


    "You¡¯ve done an almost perfect job with the coffee with milk."


    Yven¡¯s smile widened further, her green eyes gleaming with a golden light within them.


    Her master seemed captivated by her eyes as he added,


    "One thing: instead of adding honey after mixing the coffee and milk, add it just to the milk after frothing it. The sweetness is balanced as I like it. Great job."


    ¡®How does he know all this just from tasting it?¡¯


    Despite her curiosity, Yven didn¡¯t dwell too much on the matter. What occupied her thoughts was that she had finally done something right without embarrassing herself.


    Thus, she bowed at a ninety-degree angle, renewing her resolve to herself and her master from that moment onward.


    "Thank you for your praise, Master. I¡¯ll make sure to prepare it according to your instructions next time. Your orders are always my priority."


    She returned to her usual upright stance with steady composure as she waited for a response from her master, who looked at her with suspicion, almost discomfort.


    Her earlier enthusiasm nearly crumbled under her master¡¯s uneasy gaze.


    She deduced that something about her words had made him uncomfortable and was about to ask, but her master spoke first.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name and age?¡±


    ¡®He doesn¡¯t know? But he said he knew I was his personal maid!¡¯


    Despite her thoughts, Yven answered without allowing them to affect her outward expression.


    ¡°My name is Yven, and I¡¯m three months away from becoming an adult.¡±


    ¡®Not much left until I turn eighteen!¡¯


    Deon nodded at the uncommon name, murmuring it softly under his breath.


    ¡°You have a beautiful name; I like the sound of it.¡±


    Yven¡¯s smile lit up again.


    ¡°Thank you, sir. I like it too!¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡®Why did you say that, you idiot!¡¯


    The young maid smile turned to embarrassment. despite Yven¡¯s attempts to keep a neutral expression, the intense redness of her cheeks betrayed her outward appearance.


    Deon smiled at the amusing sight and said nothing for a while, simply watching the entertaining display.


    ¡®What an interesting girl.¡¯


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Memories Record [2]


    ¡°No need to feel embarrassed. There''s nothing wrong with liking your name. Many don''t, and it''s a blessing that you do,¡± Deon finally said, noticing that the young maid could no longer endure the tension she was trying to suppress.


    Her flushed expression and burning embarrassment were so intense that it almost created the illusion of smoke rising above her head¡ªor was it perhaps real?


    Deon''s words didn¡¯t seem to help Yven, so he shifted the topic to something that had intrigued him about the girl from the very first day.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed your work attire is quite different from the other maids. I thought it was because you were my personal maid, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.¡±


    Indeed, compared to the other maids in the palace, Yven¡¯s uniform was much more... provocative.


    The standard uniform for the maids was a longer dress that nearly touched the floor, with long, classic, and elegant sleeves. The outfit included a white apron with ornate edges that softened the black dress, creating a balanced yet practical look.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    In stark contrast, Yven¡¯s uniform embraced a design reflecting lightness and boldness¡ªa short black dress ending just above the knees, paired with a white apron adorned with soft ruffles. The apron was tied neatly at the waist with a carefully knotted ribbon, and a small black necktie rested around her exposed neck like an ornament completing the look.


    Even her black stockings, which covered her slender legs, seemed like they were added purely to harmonize the black-and-white color scheme.


    Yven''s expression returned to one of embarrassment at her master¡¯s observation. She was fully aware her attire was far more daring than the other maids¡ªand much less practical, especially with the high heels that made standing steadily a challenge. Yet, it was all she had, and she wasn¡¯t permitted to change it.


    ¡°My apologies, Master, but this is all I own,¡± she said, her voice low.


    That was all she could say; she couldn¡¯t burden her master with her grievances.


    ¡°This is all you own? Not what you were given? Explain,¡± Deon commanded firmly.


    Yven flinched at his authoritative tone. She clasped her hands together behind her back to stop herself from trembling and began explaining as she had been ordered.


    ¡°My uniform belongs to the De Avila Household... When I moved to House Eirenios as your personal maid, I submitted a request to the head butler for a new uniform that matched the standards of my current workplace... But... but I was told that what I had would suffice.¡±


    Deon¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he elegantly drank his orange juice, finishing the last of his breakfast.


    ¡°A hierarchy among the staff,¡± he muttered aloud without realizing it.


    Hearing this, Yven lowered her head, her body trembling slightly.


    ¡°Master, there are kind servants here. I¡ª¡±


    Deon interrupted her. His curiosity was piqued for multiple reasons.


    ¡°You''re being suppressed, why?¡±


    He could also learn more about the world through the underlying details of her answer.


    Yven¡¯s shoulders shook even more. She truly didn¡¯t want to talk about it, as it would only bring her more trouble. She didn¡¯t want to face more oppression within the palace than she already endured.


    At least now, she had a few people she could talk to.


    But under her master¡¯s command, she had no choice but to answer his curiosity.


    ¡°When any noble family member comes of age, it is tradition for one of the head butlers¡ªthe most experienced servant¡ªto become their personal attendant¡­¡±


    ¡°And your appointment as my personal maid is a challenge to tradition and a disruption of norms. More importantly, in the head butler''s eyes, you took what was supposed to be his opportunity.¡±


    Yven lowered her head as Deon finished her sentence for her, though she would never have said it so boldly herself.


    ¡°But, again, it was Mother who chose you as my personal maid. You shouldn¡¯t lower your head because of that¡ªnot to anyone. Do you understand?¡±


    Yven raised her head to meet Deon¡¯s calm, violet eyes. She did her best to suppress the tears threatening to spill as she nodded.


    ¡°Were you a maid at the De Avila Household?¡± Deon asked, steering the conversation back to what truly interested him.


    The mother of the body he now inhabited was Viktoria De Avila, and her personal maid had grown up in that household. She might know something.


    ¡°No, Master. I was never a maid there.¡±


    Her answer caught Deon off guard.


    ¡°Then what was your position there? And why do you own a De Avila maid''s uniform if you were never a maid?¡±


    Under Deon¡¯s string of questions, Yven felt her master''s curiosity was unusually intense.


    ¡®Why does he want to know so much about me?¡¯


    ¡°I was studying to become the librarian of House De Avila... I received the maid¡¯s uniform when I learned I would be your personal maid.¡±


    ¡®She¡¯s educated! There¡¯s something odd about this girl¡¯s sudden change in status,¡¯ Deon thought.


    ¡°So, Mother was the one who altered your future plans?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no... It was by my choice. Lady Viktoria gave me an option, and I chose it. I wasn¡¯t forced into anything,¡± Yven answered quickly, not wanting her master to get the wrong idea. The truth was as she stated: she had chosen to become a personal maid rather than a librarian. The benefits of the former far outweighed the latter.


    ¡°So you and Mother were close! She gave you a choice instead of issuing a command. Was this because you¡¯re the daughter of her personal maid?¡±


    ¡°Lady Viktoria was always kind to me, and my mother, Yolna, encouraged me to pursue becoming a librarian, as it¡¯s a safe and low-pressure job,¡± Yven replied honestly.


    ¡°As for why Lady Viktoria gave me the choice, or why she would want someone as inexperienced as me as your personal maid... I don¡¯t know, and I beg your forgiveness for my ignorance.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t say it was likely that her mother might have had a hand in Lady Viktoria¡¯s decision.


    ¡®Although my mom wanted me to become a librarian. She would jump at the chance of me being a personal maid.¡¯


    Deon¡¯s curiosity about the girl skyrocketed. Her status made her close to Viktoria De Avila, the woman he sought information about due to a possible connection to his transition to this world.


    He wanted to ask more, to dig deeper, but Deon knew his limits. The maid was already suspicious of why his curiosity was so intense, and he didn¡¯t want to draw undue attention to his interest.


    ¡®At least she¡¯ll be near me as my maid. I can slowly extract knowledge from her,¡¯ he thought.


    For now, Deon decided to change the subject.


    ¡°Since it was your choice, I have no objections. I¡¯ll count on you to take care of me from now on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Master.¡±


    ¡°One more thing, regarding your work uniform: why would De Avila Household settle on such impractical attire? Does it have something to do with the over¡ªinterest of someone important in the household?¡±


    Yven¡¯s cheeks turned red with embarrassment. Deon wasn¡¯t wrong, but his assumptions were slightly off from the common truth.


    Indeed, her attire had brought her both embarrassment and attention, but Yven was also somewhat different from a typical maid.


    ¡°The differences in the uniforms for House De Avila¡¯s servants are due to the orders of one of the family heads¡ªthe fifth generation. She insisted that elegance and sophistication were symbols of the family, and this had to be reflected in everyone under their authority. A woman¡¯s elegance is her beauty, and a man¡¯s elegance is his precision.¡±


    ¡°As a result, apart from Magicians, the roles of men and women in the De Avila Household were distinct. Women occupied roles in service and care, while men took on roles requiring strength and endurance.¡±


    Deon nodded with interest. He wouldn¡¯t say he agreed with this fifth generation¡¯s policies, but waking up every morning surrounded by servants as beautiful as Yven sounded refreshing.


    Still, despite his preferences, Deon couldn¡¯t help but feel pity for the girl. It wasn¡¯t easy to face rejection for something beyond her control.


    ¡°I understand that. But if you wish to obtain a uniform like the other maids, you have the right to do so. You may use my name or my sister name as leverage if you¡¯re still being oppressed.¡±


    Yven¡¯s breath hitched for a moment, her green eyes widening. She felt a deep sense of gratitude toward her kind master.


    Using his name would solve many of her problems, but Yven felt it would be wrong.


    ¡®I won¡¯t do that, even if I face an impossible situation,¡¯ she resolved internally.


    Yven made her decision and smiled a dazzling smile that lit up her beautiful face.


    ¡°Thank you, master, for your kindness.¡±


    Deon nodded silently, wondering what had caused the sudden shift in her demeanor.


    But his curiosity vanished as she quickly returned to her usual nervous and overly active behavior.


    Deon simply shook his head as if she were beyond help. He wanted the girl to feel comfortable enough around him that he could ask her anything without her overthinking it. But that would take time¡ªhe couldn¡¯t force her to develop positive feelings for him.


    After all, to her, Deon was still her master.


    He rose from his seat at the large redwood table. He was very pleased with his breakfast, especially the milk coffee. Even more so, he was glad he could request it whenever he wanted without consequences.


    But for now, Deon had a duty to himself.


    ¡®It¡¯s time to return to the cube. I can¡¯t waste any free time,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°Yven, I¡¯m heading back to my room now. I don¡¯t want anyone disturbing me until sunset. You have permission to bring lunch at the appropriate time, and when sunset begins, remind me.¡±


    Before making his way to his room, Deon gave a few orders to Yven, who responded with as much professionalism as she could muster¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t much.


    ¡°I will fulfill the master¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°Also, no one is allowed to enter my room except for my sister and you. Keep that in mind.¡±


    With those final words, Deon made his way out of the dining hall, leaving Yven alone with her excited smile.


    ¡®This went better than I could have hoped. The young master is different from the rumors... better than the rumors.¡¯


    As if recalling something suddenly, her expression shifted.


    ¡°Oh no, the cleaning! The cleaning!...¡±


    Yven hurried off, her steps quick and slightly unsteady due to her high heels, intent on fulfilling her duties. Despite her nervous energy, a spark of determination gleamed in her green eyes.


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Memories Record [3]


    Deon spent most of his day alternating between training and resting. He couldn¡¯t push himself the entire day, as his mana reserves would run out eventually.


    During these rest periods, he examined the books on the shelves around the room. The subjects of the books were not focused on specific themes but varied greatly in content.


    There were books on the history of the Macezar Empire and other empires, from their rise to the current era. Books on the history of the Four Great Houses within the empire, including the history of the Eirenios household as one of these great houses and the significant figures who contributed to its prominence in the present age.


    Other books described the empire''s internal and external policies, as well as the politics of House Eirenios in particular¡ªits relationship with the imperial family and the other three great houses, its governance of its territories, and much more.


    Deon tried searching for the name Viktoria de Avila in the books discussing both House Eirenios and House de Avila but found nothing about her. The books themselves hadn¡¯t been updated in a while, and Viktoria had only recently passed away.


    Deon, however, was not one to give up easily. He shifted the direction of his search to his next step¡ªthe Academy.


    The place where he would be and learn for who knew how long. He needed to know as much as any other person in the world about the things he currently did not understand. He had to fill the gaps in his knowledge and would use his current time in the family estate to train and build his strength, as well as learn and expand his knowledge.


    At some point, Yven entered his room to deliver his lunch. She didn¡¯t interrupt his training and quietly placed the tray on the study desk.


    Deon appreciated her discretion; he really didn¡¯t need distractions right now. The young maid seemed to understand that well enough.


    Replenishing his energy with the awaited meal, Deon returned to his training. His progress with the threads forming the complex patterns was already swift, aided by his mana sense, and his pace only increased as he grew more familiar with the training process itself.


    Not to the point where the training became routine¡ªhe still struggled initially to create synergy between his mana sense and his five physical senses¡ªbut the process had definitely become faster now.


    Surprisingly, despite the repetitive nature of the training, Deon didn¡¯t feel bored. But neither did he find it enjoyable. This was something he needed to do and succeed at. If he allowed boredom, enjoyment, or any other emotions to take control, it would affect both his training and himself.


    Time passed quietly and steadily.


    Deon opened his eyes from his cross-legged position on the bed, holding the blue cube in his hands. The black patterns on its surfaces still dominated, but the blue patterns were steadily forming.


    He nodded to himself, allowing a calm smile to grace his expression.


    ¡°Yes, Yven?¡± Deon raised his head to meet Yven¡¯s gaze. She stood at the far side of the room, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.


    ¡°The sun has set, and I¡­ You had your eyes closed, so I didn¡¯t call for you!¡± she said with a hint of nervousness in her voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. Thank you for reminding me.¡±


    ¡®I need to head to the backyard. If Vierenna is waiting for me, I¡¯ll never hear the end of it¡­ I can¡¯t let that happen!¡¯


    Rising from the bed, Deon returned the cube to the gray box and placed the box back on one of the empty shelves where he stored it. From there, he went straight to the dressing room, entering without sparing another glance at Yven, who seemed like she wanted to say something.


    He quickly changed into something more formal and adjusted his overall appearance with the help of his reflection in the mirror.


    Satisfied, he stepped back into his room to find Yven tidying the sheets on the bed where he had been sitting moments before.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± he said in passing and left the room in a hurry. His destination¡ªthe small lake in the backyard.


    ¡­


    Following the now-familiar path, Deon soon stood before the small lake, where the familiar sound echoed as soon as his eyes landed on the colorful stones beneath the water¡¯s surface.


    Hello, you¡¯ve finally found your way here¡ª


    The surface of the lake began to change as the familiar words started forming. Deon ignored this, having memorized them by now, and focused instead on the single new addition to the surroundings.


    On the wooden bench sat a single, thick book at one end.


    Deon approached the bench to inspect the book.


    On the outside, the book was beautifully crafted, with a light blue cover adorned with intricate decorative patterns. In the center of the front cover, elegant words read¡ªMemories Record.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Vierenna? Why did she leave the book here alone?¡±


    He glanced around, expecting her to jump out at him from behind one of the surrounding bushes, but the bushes remained still, disturbed only by the occasional breeze.


    ¡°....¡±


    In the contagious stillness of the area, Deon picked up the book and sat on the bench.


    He ran his fingers over the hard cover of the book, then, with a deep sigh, opened it to the first page.


    What met his gaze was a small folded note resting on the first page.


    Deon felt an inexplicable tension as he unfolded the note. But as soon as he read it, he couldn¡¯t help but smile helplessly.


    The note was from none other than Vierenna, and it read:


    To my little brother, who harbors impure thoughts (Note: I¡¯m the only one who knows! And I won¡¯t tell anyone), I managed to get our memories record. But to gain something, you must lose something (in your case, the thing you want most¡ªwhich is me). But only for today, and maybe just until tomorrow morning (take the time without me by your side to train; it might help purify your thoughts, though I doubt it), I have things to prepare for. When I return, I¡¯ll give you the attention you crave. I might even entertain some of your fantasies. Don¡¯t get your hopes up¡ªI¡¯m just a little girl.


    ¡®V,¡¯ my baby brother¡¯s sis. ???


    ¡®What did I do to deserve this? I don¡¯t know whether I¡¯ve done something disturbingly wrong or distressingly right!¡¯


    When writing Vierenna¡¯s character, Deon had envisioned her as the playful one, the kind of person who lightens the mood with questionable remarks.


    He hadn¡¯t even gotten the chance to properly introduce her in the second volume, and here she was now, causing him damage.


    Even though he knew she meant no harm and simply enjoyed teasing him, Deon still felt uneasy.


    If he asked her to stop, she¡¯d do the opposite. If he gave her the cold shoulder, it would only hurt her.


    Despite her outward appearance, Vierenna was a very delicate person, especially with those she loved. And now, Deon felt he had no right to hurt her¡ªnot even in the smallest way.


    ¡®What a dilemma!¡¯


    Deon cleared his mind of his personal troubles and focused on the book in his lap.


    He was familiar with how the book functioned, recording images and sounds, as he had mentioned it in the first volume of his novel.


    But when he tried to open it, he hesitated for a moment.


    He felt like an intruder, prying into the memories of others just to satisfy his curiosity.


    Deon wasn¡¯t the type of person to do that, but if he was determined to return to his world, he would have to do this and worse.


    The guilt will stay.


    Deon reminded himself as he attempted to maintain the illusion of morals and values while he began flipping through the pages.


    ¡®Perhaps I deserve a little worse than what Vierenna puts me through?¡¯


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Memories Record [4]


    Despite the external appearance of the Memories Record book, it was, in reality, an artifact capable of storing still images and live ones with sound.


    In the first volume of Deon''s novel, this artifact, the Memories Record, was described along with how it could be browsed. Yet, holding it in his hands, he remained astonished.


    He felt a desire to praise himself for coming up with the concept, but at the same time, he couldn''t.


    Even though he had created the idea as ink on paper, Deon knew nothing about how such an artifact could actually be crafted.


    Even the idea itself was probably just borrowed from another source, like so many cases with modern fantasy novels.


    SIGH


    He sighed.


    Deon cleared his wandering thoughts, looked around at the calm of the lake and the surrounding bushes, then turned to his task with a serious expression.


    As he flipped to the second page, he was greeted by an image that filled the entire page.


    It was a family photo, with all four family members dressed formally, exuding wealth and noble status.


    Deon immediately recognized Vierenna, though in the image, she appeared to be about six years old. Her features were unmistakable. She held the hand of the man who was presumably her father¡ªshort black hair, light blue eyes, and a sharp, serious expression.


    Surprisingly, the man bore a striking resemblance to Deon¡¯s current appearance. After all, he was his father.


    Deon shifted his focus to himself¡ªthe younger version of himself in the photo. Unlike Vierenna, he looked very different. Apart from his wide violet eyes and raven black hair, the sharpness of Deon¡¯s current demeanor was entirely absent from the innocent expressions of the child with chubby cheeks.


    Young Deon held the hands of the woman, whose own hands rested gently on his small shoulders.


    Deon observed the woman who looked much like Vierenna in her present form. Shining white hair, eyes like gray obsidian, and sharp yet gentle features. Even the smile she wore was beautiful and captivating.


    ¡®So, that¡¯s her!¡¯


    Though she appeared as a reserved and kind woman, the air of authority mixed with a touch of wildness was unmistakable.


    ¡®So, she¡¯s the one who corrupted Vierenna?¡¯


    Deon stared at the photo for a few seconds before turning the page.


    It was a simple image. The animated ones were still deeper within the book.


    In the following few pages, Deon found only still images echoing the memories of the Eirenios family, depicting moments of pride, nostalgia, joy, and grandeur, marking the passage of time as they aged.


    Each page carried the spirit of the people frozen in the images¡ªa life they had lived, now left as mere memory and trace.


    The guilt returned to cloud Deon''s vision, yet it only made him see things more clearly. His resolve to return to his world and reunite with his family grew sharper.


    With every page he turned, the presence of Viktoria de Avila was prominent and constant, as if this Memories Record belonged to her alone, with the other individuals serving merely as supporting characters.


    There were others from the family, too, but their appearances were limited compared to the main figures.


    Deon continued flipping through the pages until he found what he had been searching for.


    An image of two small children playing by a small lake, with a beautiful woman seated on a wooden bench. Sunlight reflections added a golden shimmer to the water, and the children''s laughter seemed frozen in time.


    But unlike the previous still images, this one was marked with faint blue patterns, signifying it as a live image.


    Deon placed the tip of his finger on the picture, and the blue patterns began to shatter and fade, bringing the image to life.


    The scene felt strange, unlike playing a video on a phone. Yet, that oddness only made it feel more real and believable.


    Deon focused intently on the now animated image, determined not to miss anything.


    ---


    "Mommy! He¡¯s going to drown! Grab him, or I¡¯ll let go!"


    The first voice belonged to a young Vierenna, who was holding the collar of young Deon¡¯s clothes to stop him from dipping his head into the lake. Her expression was a mix of worry and anger.


    The woman on the bench brushed her long hair aside and lifted her gaze from the book in her hand.


    "V, you worry too much about your baby brother. He¡¯ll be fine. Let him live. If he wants to drown, that¡¯s his life to live and his decisions to make."


    Her voice was clear and calm, with a hint of amusement.


    "I¡¯m not going to drown," Deon retorted, ceasing his struggle against his sister''s grip.


    "You will, you idiot!"


    "Your baby sister is right. There¡¯s a big chance that my little D will drown. What would I do without you? But if it¡¯s your decision to drown, this poor momy won¡¯t stop you. She¡¯ll just cry a lot if her baby makes bad decisions. Bad decisions are very, very bad."


    Young Deon looked at her from his spot by the lake, his innocent violet eyes seemingly lost in deep thought.


    Slowly, he rose to his feet without saying a word.


    He turned to Vierenna, who was still holding onto him, and spoke.


    "V! You go."


    He spoke with a seriousness that made Viktoria laugh heartily under Vierenna¡¯s confused gaze.


    "I¡¯m not going. I don¡¯t want to dirty my dress, you filthy little big-headed boy."


    "You¡¯re scared."


    "I¡¯m not scared. I¡¯m smart."


    "You¡¯re scared."


    "I¡¯m not... Mom, tell him to shut up, I¡¯ll hit him!"


    Viktoria stifled her laughter, though her cheeks turned red from the effort.


    "Don¡¯t hit your baby brother. He¡¯s just... I don¡¯t even know what he¡¯s thinking!"


    "She¡¯s just scared. I was going to go, but I don¡¯t want to make a bad decision."


    Vierenna spun furiously toward Deon.


    "And why should I go? I¡¯m smart enough to know better, unlike you, you stupid big-headed boy."


    "V!"


    "What?! What?!"


    "You¡¯re scared."


    Vierenna¡¯s expression turned red with anger as she grabbed Deon by the head and threw him into the lake, falling in after him.


    "I. Am. Not. Scared!"


    Viktoria resumed laughing, her book falling to the ground as she clutched her stomach. She seemed unbothered that her children were now drenched in water.


    Vierenna made her way out of the lake, her eyes brimming with tears.


    She glared at Deon with hatred, but as soon as she noticed his condition, she began to scream.


    "Mommy! Deon¡¯s drowning!"


    She rushed back into the water toward Deon.


    "Don¡¯t worry, V. The lake is shallow; he can¡¯t... Oh no! Deon¡¯s drowning!"


    Viktoria rose from her bench with a speed the animated image couldn¡¯t capture. That was also where the recording ended.


    ---


    The image froze on the last frame it had stopped at, with the blue patterns reforming as if to seal the moment in time once again.


    Deon, in a silence that mirrored his surroundings, closed the book quietly and rested his hands on it.


    He had found what he was searching for. There was no point in looking any further.


    ¡®It was her voice.¡¯


    Indeed, Viktoria de Avila¡¯s voice from the Memories Record was the same as the greeting message Deon had received from the lake.


    Though this only confirmed his suspicions and turned them into truth, Deon still preferred facts. He could work better with facts than doubts.


    Now, he had a lead to follow to unravel the mystery of his arrival in this world.


    And Viktoria de Avila was directly connected to that mystery.

 Personal Knight [#]

    Personal Knight [#]


    <hr>


    I sought balance in life and believed I had found it, only to discover my path was flawed.


    How does one ever truly know the way?


    <hr>


    Personal Knight [1]


    Deon remained seated for a long time in the back garden. The calm of the night helped his thoughts crystallize and take form.


    Who is Viktoria De Avila, really?


    Other than being the mother of Deon and Vierenna, there were many mysteries surrounding her. The first thing Deon planned to do in the near future was to learn as much as he could about her.


    For now, he had his personal maid, Yven, who claimed to have been close to her. There was also Vierenna, but Deon was cautious about revealing anything to her.


    Although Deon hadn¡¯t put much effort into fully assuming the role of his predecessor, he didn¡¯t know much about him anyway. The former Deon had, in a way, made it easier for him to act with some personal freedom. Thanks to the fact that he had been depressed about his talent, everyone would simply assume that he had changed, "found himself," or something along those lines.


    Even so, Deon remained cautious about Vierenna, as she was the closest person to him. At the same time, he learned from her as much as he could without drawing attention to himself.


    The more Deon learned about his surroundings and the world around him, the higher he could push his investigation¡¯s horizons¡ªfor instance, searching with the de Avila. But for now, the idea was distant.


    He was weak, inexperienced, and unknowledgeable. Only by compensating for these deficiencies could he address his flaws.


    With a tired sigh, Deon rose from his seat, the Memories Record in his hands, and made his way toward the mansion with steady steps.


    ¡­


    The next day, Deon woke up very early, the darkness still blanketing the world.


    He felt no fatigue or lack of energy, thanks to the mana coursing through his body.


    Thus, all he could do was train¡ªnot that he needed anyone to tell him; this was the only reason he had awakened so early.


    He assumed a familiar position on his bed, the blue cube in his hands, and closed his eyes.


    Part of his consciousness drifted away as time took its natural course.


    At a certain point, the figure of a young girl with bright green eyes quietly entered the room.


    She was astonished, even a little shaken, as soon as she noticed the faint blue glow illuminating the bed.


    ¡®I wonder what it feels like...!¡¯


    But she quickly regained her composure, her fear of her master¡¯s reactions having lessened after their recent conversations. She now found him kind and reasonable.


    ¡®For a high-ranking noble, at least! It''s a bit strange, though.¡¯


    Compared to any ordinary noble, Deon appeared mild. He seemed calm and without any arrogance despite his name, which would strike fear into anyone. He appeared far too focused to take pride in anything but himself.


    Yven found that attractive; he reminded her of Lady Viktoria. Though they didn¡¯t resemble each other physically, their actions did.


    ¡®Maybe I should tell him that¡­ Just not the ¡®attractive¡¯ part!¡¯


    Yven placed the laundry basket beside the door, which she carefully closed, and tiptoed to the changing room.


    She was pleasantly surprised to find her master¡¯s clothes neatly placed in the designated area for used garments. Though this didn¡¯t make her task easier or harder, she preferred order over chaos.


    She picked up the used clothes and glanced around for anything else that needed organizing.


    Everything was in its place, so she left the room.


    This time, her eyes lingered on the bed where her master sat cross-legged. Thus, she wasn¡¯t surprised when she found him staring at her.


    Well¡­ she was a little surprised, but not as much as yesterday morning.


    Recalling that fateful day, Yven¡¯s cheeks turned red as she lowered her head to hide her face.


    ¡°Good morning, Yven,¡± her master¡¯s calm voice pulled her from her embarrassment.


    Taking a deep breath, she raised her head again.


    ¡°Good morning, sir. I apologize if I disturbed your training.¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. There are limits I cannot surpass, and I need rest from time to time.¡±


    Yven nodded, her earlier tension and embarrassment now gone.


    ¡®It¡¯s easy to talk to him.¡¯


    ¡°Is there anything the master would like me to do for him?¡±


    ¡°Besides coffee with milk, I¡¯m just curious why you come to clean at this time, and all you do is take care of the used clothes.¡±


    ¡®Mental note: coffee with milk¡ªhoney with milk after whisking.¡¯


    ¡°Well, sir, I¡¯m your personal maid, so I¡¯ll only take care of your specific needs and requests, like coffee with milk and your clothes. As for the room, for example, it¡¯s cleaned weekly by a full staff of servants. I can request cleaning if the master feels it needs it.¡±


    Deon nodded, his expression remaining calm.


    ¡°That explains your duties, but my question is: why this specific time?¡±


    ¡®What? Is he pretending not to know when he was the one who used to send me away before?¡¯


    Yven felt her heart clench with tension, and without realizing it, her expression shifted to a slight frown.


    ¡°The master didn¡¯t like anyone entering his room before... so¡ªso I use...¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Deon interrupted Yven mid-sentence. Along with her slight frown, which didn¡¯t escape his notice, Deon got his answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making your job difficult before. Ignoring you being my personal maid exposed you to bullying and exclusion, which only added to your troubles.¡±


    Yven¡¯s eyes quivered slightly, but she remained silent, her mind unable to process his words.


    ¡°I won¡¯t excuse myself or my actions with weak justifications, but I hope you can forgive me if you find it in your heart. Only then can we work together honestly. I want you to feel proud to be by my side, and I want my name to carry enough weight to protect you. So please, forgive me.¡±


    There was a simple reason why Deon chose to apologize to Yven now.


    Of course, she deserved the apology, but Deon¡¯s reason was deeper, though also simpler.


    He wanted to get closer to her.


    Close enough for her to speak to him freely outside the bounds of her duty as his maid.


    Only then would the young maid feel comfortable enough to talk to Deon about Viktoria and her time with her.


    Even though Deon doubted he¡¯d learn much, every piece of information could hold importance. And if it didn¡¯t, it would at least give him a direction to pursue.


    The shock Yven felt at that moment was hard to describe in words.


    She was just praising her master for being reasonable, but this went beyond the limits of reasonableness.


    Although Yven had indeed felt wronged by the way her master had treated her in the past, she had not hated him for it. Her impression of nobles had always been like that.


    She never expected, in her wildest dreams, to receive an apology¡ªa full apology, no less. And from whom? From the very person who was her master.


    ¡®Does he truly mean it?¡¯


    Yven¡¯s thoughts were chaotic, her mind unwilling to accept the fact that her master¡¯s apology was genuine. She suspected there was a hidden reason behind it, which was likely true from a logical perspective.


    ¡®Why would someone of such high nobility apologize to someone like me?¡¯


    But her heart said otherwise. Her master was the son of a woman who had treated Yven well, a woman she respected and loved. Yven wanted her master to be like his mother; it felt right and honorable as a tribute to Viktoria de Avila.


    So, Yven chose to listen to her heart, which had never failed her before.


    She smiled a gentle and radiant smile that captured all of Deon¡¯s attention.


    Placing her hand on her heart, she bowed slightly.


    ¡°I will do my best to be good enough to meet the master¡¯s high standards and will not cause him any embarrassment.¡±


    Deon, still caught in Yven¡¯s captivating smile, did not respond immediately. But he quickly regained himself and smiled in return.


    He rose from his spot on the bed and approached her, stopping right in front of her.


    ¡®He¡¯s tall!¡¯


    Yven thought as she raised her head high just to look into her master¡¯s violet eyes. His eyes were calm, like a still lake.


    ¡®Just like Lady Viktoria¡­¡¯


    She felt as if she had drowned in his gaze, not even noticing the hand he extended toward her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll rely on you.¡±


    Deon¡¯s words snapped Yven out of her daze. Her body trembled slightly as she bowed her head in embarrassment.


    She was about to take a few steps back, but noticing Deon¡¯s outstretched hand stopped her, one of her feet hovering slightly above the ground.


    Yven shifted her gaze between the hand and Deon¡¯s calm expression. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know what to do, but then she quickly clasped Deon¡¯s hand with both of hers. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡®I want to die!¡¯


    Yven thought as her face turned completely red.


    ¡°My¡­ sir¡­ I¡­ I¡¯ll return to work now...¡±


    She released his hand and hurried to the door of the room, not forgetting to pick up the empty basket.


    As soon as the girl left, Deon could no longer suppress the smile forming on his face.


    ¡°¡®I¡¯ll take care of you!¡¯ Hah, haha.¡±


    Looking down at the floor, he noticed the clothes Yven had dropped when she grabbed his hands.


    ¡®What a delightful girl.¡¯


    Deon knelt down, picked up the clothes, and headed toward the door.


    As he prepared to open it, he heard Yven¡¯s faint voice outside.


    ¡°I wanna die¡­ I wanna die¡­ I want to die...¡±


    ¡°Of all the things I could say, I say, ¡®I¡¯ll take care of you.¡¯ Noooo...¡±


    ¡°What is that even supposed to mean...¡±


    ¡°No¡­ What will the master think I meant by that...¡±


    ¡°I have to die; there¡¯s no other option...¡±


    Deon felt pity for the embarrassed girl and opened the door, at least to reassure her.


    But to his surprise, Yven fell backward, her head landing on the carpeted floor of the room.


    ¡®Was she leaning on the door?!¡¯


    She looked up at him from below, her eyes glistening with tears, and for the second day in a row, she didn¡¯t seem like she would get up anytime soon.


    Deon, holding his clothes in one hand, extended his free hand to help her up.


    She hesitated for a moment but took it.


    Once she regained her balance, Deon didn¡¯t give her any time to overthink before handing her what she had come for.


    ¡°You forgot these.¡±


    She took them in silence, and to his surprise, she held them up to her face, covering half of it and leaving only her eyes visible.


    ¡®What?¡¯


    Deon wanted to comment on what she was doing, but he stopped himself. She might actually kill herself.


    He waited for Yven to step back so he could close the door, but she just stood there, watching him silently as if waiting for something.


    SIGH


    Deon sighed to himself.


    ¡°You can leave now, and don¡¯t forget the coffee with milk.¡±


    Yven raised her head slightly from behind his clothes, her eyes filled with hope.


    ¡°I know you meant well with your words, and I appreciate that...¡±


    He placed his hand gently on her small head, ruffling her hair softly.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being yourself. In fact, it¡¯s endearing. I consider it a blessing to have a personal maid as kind as you, and funny from time to time. So you can leave now. Don¡¯t forget my coffee with milk.¡±


    Yven nodded, her face sinking back into Deon¡¯s clothes in what seemed to be embarrassment.


    She stepped back and hurried out of sight.


    Deon closed the door behind her, his calm expression returning to a smile.


    ¡®She¡¯s too sweet to die young.¡¯


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Personal Knight [2]


    The best parts of the day passed for Deon without the need to leave his room¡ªjust training, resting, and learning. Yven was a great help in this easy routine, as she took care of his basic needs like food.


    Deon had grown fond of the young girl, and his admiration only deepened when he tasted the improved version of coffee with Milk she had prepared. It was heavenly.


    Though Deon had never liked the idea of having a personal servant before¡ªsomething that went against the instincts he had developed in his previous world¡ªhe now had no complaints. Yven, despite being a bit clumsy, was extremely helpful.


    She might lack the experience of a seasoned servant, but Deon would still choose her over anyone else for simple reasons.


    She listens without overstepping his instructions.


    She only acts on what she deems appropriate, without prying into Deon''s personal affairs or exceeding his orders.


    She carries a sense of innocence¡ªa quality Deon appreciated.


    These were just the positives stemming from her personality, not to mention her connection to Viktoria de Avila and the knowledge she might possess.


    She was simply perfect in both heart and form.


    Deon¡¯s current break ended once he had replenished the mana he lost in his earlier training, and now he was ready to continue.


    He closed the book he was reading without marking his place¡ªmainly because he could now recall even the smallest details, such as page numbers or stopping points.


    Deon''s memory had grown incredibly sharp and capable of recalling past events with great clarity. He had even recovered some childhood memories that should have faded with time.


    He rose from his seat at the desk in his room and returned to the bed, where the blue cube rested. Its surface bore a mixture of intricate blue and black patterns, though the black still outweighed the blue. Deon''s progress, however, was steadily accelerating.


    Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he prepared to resume his training. He closed his eyes... but the peace he anticipated was disrupted by the sound of the door bursting open.


    ¡°Missed me, baby brother?¡±


    Deon opened his eyes again to find Vierenna approaching him with a wide smile.


    But something about her felt different.


    Ignoring her silly grin, she exuded the air of a true noble¡ªespecially with the outfit she wore.


    Vierenna was dressed in a refined yet practical ensemble. A crisp white blouse adorned with fine embroidery near the collar. A high-waisted navy skirt, cinched with a meticulously decorated belt. Transparent stockings with intricate patterns, adding a touch of elegance and allure.


    Draped over her shoulders was a dark blue cloak resembling a coat, its edges embroidered with faintly glowing symbols.


    She also carried a small bag featuring the emblem of the Eirenios Household, as Deon had learned in his recent studies.


    Deon suddenly grew curious about why his sister would dress like this and where she had been during the last day and most of today.


    Previously, he had assumed her absence was related to the Memories Record book, but that now seemed far from the truth.


    Deon set the cube aside when Vierenna sat on the bed across from him without even asking.


    ¡°So, how do I look?¡±


    ¡®Oh no!¡¯


    Deon wasn¡¯t going to compliment her appearance, just to avoid dealing with her wordplay and hidden meanings. But she saw through him and went straight to the question.


    ¡°You were born beautiful, so what¡¯s the difference now? You¡¯ll always be beautiful.¡±


    This was Deon¡¯s answer to the loaded question, hoping she would accept it without further complications.


    Vierenna rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.


    ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ve been mean to you before, and now you¡¯re cautious. But I don¡¯t like it when you¡¯re not honest.¡±


    ¡°In that case, you look as beautiful as moonlight piercing through the clouds.¡±


    Vierenna raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly in contemplation.


    Deon thought she was about to say something, but she fell silent as her gaze landed on the cube beside him.


    She moved a little closer to Deon and picked up the blue cube in her hands. Her expression shifted to a slight frown as she ran her finger across the blue patterns on its surface.


    Her eyes met Deon¡¯s, who watched her curiously.


    ¡°You surprise me, baby brother,¡± she said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move; let me examine you a bit.¡±


    She placed her fingers on Deon¡¯s chest. He remained silent, watching her with curiosity. He knew Vierenna wouldn¡¯t do anything to harm him.


    A faint white light emanated from her hand and entered Deon¡¯s body. He felt an addictive comfort that relaxed every muscle in his body.


    He almost fell backward, but Vierenna caught him with her free hand at his waist.


    A few seconds later, she withdrew her fingers, and Deon returned to his usual calm state, albeit with lingering embarrassment.


    ¡°Wow, I don¡¯t know what to say!¡±


    Deon tilted his head slightly, still silent.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s clear you¡¯re a genius for your achievement with the cube. But that¡¯s only dependent on mental state, understanding, and adaptability if you feel to add it. To progress this quickly, though¡ªthat¡¯s just cheating. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡±


    She was mere centimeters away from Deon¡¯s face, her gaze scrutinizing.


    Deon¡¯s eyes twitched slightly, more from embarrassment than tension.


    ¡°If you continue like this, you¡¯ll reach the minimum threshold for learning a beginner-level spell in about three days.¡±


    This was good news for Deon. Knowing his training was yielding results gave him a sense of accomplishment. Still, he didn¡¯t let it get to his head.


    Soon, he refocused on Vierenna, who continued to watch him with curiosity.


    ¡°So, are you here for the Memories Record?¡± Deon asked, trying to discern the reason for her absence.


    ¡°Did you feel lonely without me, baby brother? Well, I can¡¯t blame you for that, I suppose.¡±


    Deon¡¯s expression remained neutral. He wasn¡¯t going to give her what she wanted.


    ¡°You¡¯re no fun.¡±


    ¡°If it helps, I¡¯m happy to be boring.¡±


    Vierenna flashed a dazzling smile, quickly extending her hand toward Deon¡¯s face. He wasn¡¯t prepared and couldn¡¯t avoid her.


    ¡°Is this how you treat your wonderful sister? You need to learn a lesson.¡±


    Deon tried to resist, but Vierenna adjusted her position to restrain both his hands.


    Deon¡¯s expression sank, and in his helplessness, he stopped resisting.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, wonderful sis. I won¡¯t disrespect you again.¡±


    ¡®She¡¯s so hard to deal with.¡¯


    Vierenna beamed brightly, still holding him in her grip.


    ¡°Apology accepted, but I¡¯m still going to teach you a lesson. It¡¯s my duty as your elder sister.¡±


    She released his hands and began tugging at his cheeks. It wasn¡¯t as painful as it seemed, so Deon only put up minimal resistance. He certainly didn¡¯t want to ruin the good mood Vierenna seemed to be having. Who knew what she might do?


    After a few seconds, she let him go, and Deon exaggeratedly rubbed his cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯m satisfied now. See? That wasn¡¯t so hard.¡±


    When Deon didn¡¯t respond, So Vierenna finally decided to answer his earlier question.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m here for another reason.¡±


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Personal Knight [3]


    ¡°And of course, I''ll take the book back with me as well,¡±


    Vierenna said, attempting to sound indifferent.


    ¡°So, what is this other reason?¡±


    Deon asked, resting his hands on his cheeks, trying to clear his mind of what had transpired mere seconds ago.


    ¡°It''s time for a knight to be assigned to accompany you.¡±


    Deon knew a little about this matter and had somewhat anticipated it, but he had decided to refuse since having a personal knight wasn¡¯t mandatory.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that would be possible. I''m practically unknown, and time is limited. Besides, I prefer being as I am, so... I''ll pass. Even you don¡¯t have a personal knight.¡±


    The role of a personal knight was more cultural than protective, despite what the name suggested.


    Furthermore, the whole concept was both confusing and complicated.


    Firstly, the knight had to be the same age as their master. The knight was also required to swear loyalty to their master for a specific period, though this had recently been replaced by formal contracts.


    Additionally, the knight had to hold a noble title, making the arrangement even more difficult.


    In the current era, only the imperial family and the four great houses still bothered with such traditions.


    Deon had thought he wouldn¡¯t need to follow this path since Vierenna didn¡¯t have a personal knight in her first year. But now, she was saying otherwise.


    ¡°I know, and it¡¯s not as you think. Let me explain first.¡±


    Deon frowned slightly but allowed Vierenna to continue.


    She took a deep breath and began in a somewhat nervous tone.


    ¡°You''re right about everything you said. I also wouldn¡¯t have allowed any knight the elders might chose for you¡ªthat being an if. But this time, it''s a request. She''s a friend of mine who doesn¡¯t have the means to enter the academy, so she asked for my help¡­¡±


    Vierenna lowered her head, noticing Deon''s deepening frown. He remained silent for a moment, his thoughts unreadable.


    One of the privileges of having a personal knight was that they could access any place their master had the right to enter, including the academy.


    If the master enrolled in the academy, the knight would follow suit. It was easier for knights, as they were bound to their masters.


    ¡°So you want me to take someone who can¡¯t enter the academy on their own? Wouldn''t this reflect poorly on me if my knight lags behind?¡±


    This was the only logical conclusion Deon could draw. A knight was expected to be a noble, which alone made enrollment easier. But if they couldn¡¯t enter on their own, wasn¡¯t that simply a lack of talent?


    ¡°She isn¡¯t untalented! It''s just her unique circumstances that prevent her from enrolling. In fact, she''s one of the best talents I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡®A girl?¡¯


    Deon was still skeptical, but he also didn¡¯t plan on rejecting Vierenna¡¯s request. She had helped him immensely, and he still relied on her support. Refusing her now would leave a bad impression.


    ¡°Fine, but I have things to say.¡±


    Vierenna smiled and tried to approach him for a hug, but Deon placed his hand on her forehead to stop her, taking advantage of her request.


    ¡°Since this is purely formal, I want it to remain that way¡ªeven in the contract, if there will be one. Also, I don¡¯t want to end up taking care of this knight, nor do I expect them to take care of me. Got it? If that¡¯s fine with you, then I¡¯m okay with your request.¡±


    Vierenna stepped back, her cheeks puffed in mild disappointment. But Deon''s words brought a smile to her face, even if it was a slightly tense one.


    ¡°Are you okay with that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s fine. I was hoping you''d become friends with her, but if you don¡¯t want to, that¡¯s alright. You¡¯re cold even with your loving sister, so I guess I shouldn¡¯t expect much... And I doubt she¡¯d want you or anyone to take care of her, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡±


    Deon nodded.


    ¡°You said her unique circumstances prevented her from enrolling. What exactly are these circumstances?¡±


    To that, Vierenna smiled broadly.


    ¡°I''ll leave that for you to discover yourself.¡±


    ¡°Not ideal, but fine, I guess.¡±


    Silence lingered for a moment.


    Deon broke it first, standing to fetch a book from one of the shelves where he had hidden the Memories Record.


    He held it in his hands and handed it to Vierenna, who extended her arms to take it.


    ¡°So, when will I meet this knight?¡±


    Deon asked as he relinquished the book to Vierenna.


    ¡°In the next few days, I think,¡±


    she replied, brushing her hand across the book''s surface, her expression filled with deep emotion.


    She raised her head to meet Deon''s gaze as he remained standing.


    ¡°Did you take a look?¡±


    Deon nodded.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your favorite memory?¡±


    She asked with a smile, leaning forward to rise from the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯d say the one where you almost killed me,¡±


    Deon said, though it was the only memory he had seen, aside from the still images.


    Vierenna furrowed her brows in thought.


    ¡°Oh, that was on you. You kept pushing me.¡±


    ¡°No. I distinctly remember you were the one who pushed me. No, you outright threw me.¡±


    Deon didn¡¯t know why, but he felt compelled to tease her.


    ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe you. You only see what you want to see. I¡¯m not continuing this conversation.¡±


    She placed the book against her chest and crossed her arms over it. Without sparing him another glance, she walked toward the door.


    Deon smirked and moved to give her a slight shove.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to admit you were scared back then. We¡¯re adults now; you can own up to it.¡±


    Deon¡¯s tone dripped with mockery.


    Vierenna whipped her head around to face him, shouting,


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t scared! You can¡¯t just ask someone to do something so irrational. I was rational, unlike you back then.¡±


    ¡°Wow, still hiding behind rationality. You were scared. Just admit it¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine! But not as scared as you. Coward!¡±


    She said, her expression sulking.


    ¡®What is she talking about?¡¯


    Deon turned the words over in his mind. They held no meaning in the context of their conversation.


    ¡®Perhaps a memory I don¡¯t know about?¡¯


    Deon didn¡¯t know how to respond. Vierenna seemed angry at him over something beyond his knowledge.


    ¡®Something that happened between her and the original Deon?¡¯


    Deon began to regret letting his guard down around her.


    ¡®I was reckless.¡¯


    He remained silent, not wanting to worsen the situation. But his silence seemed only to fuel her anger. She almost looked... hurt?


    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m leaving now. Don¡¯t slack off in your training,¡±


    She said in a colder voice than usual as she left the room, gripping the book tightly.


    ¡®Why did I bring that up again?¡¯


    Vierenna ran her fingers through her hair, her expression tense.


    She took a deep breath and walked down one of the palace corridors, her previously good mood turning icy.


    But it wasn¡¯t because of Deon¡ªit was directed at herself.


    Deon, still puzzled, returned to sit on his bed, his expression grim.