The forest stretched endlessly beneath the glow of twin half-moons. Three carriages rolled along the uneven road, their wheels groaning against roots and stones.
In the middle carriage sat Leonard Shade: Leo, leaning back with a scowl.
'Damn, this is too bumpy.'
Still, he had his own carriage. For a "young master," that counted as luxury.
The convoy numbered eight knights, all sworn to protect their lord's bloodline. Each of them rode with quiet discipline, watchful eyes scanning the shadows. The forest had grown restless.
The blame was the Wyvern Riders. A sudden competition had gathered dozens of them, their colossal beasts cutting across the skies toward Akhal Dukedom.
Even a wyvern's shadow could scatter monsters into a frenzy, and the forest was boiling with their panic.
So here they were, forced to abandon the main road, sacrificing their sleep for a safer path.
Leo sighed, letting the motion of the carriage sway him. Tomorrow was no ordinary day. It was his sister's wedding.
And his chance to live.
He didn't know how this body had originally died in the novel, but if he wanted to survive, he needed to cling to her.
His sister wasn't just family, she was his lifeline. That much, he was certain of. At least until he formed his essence core.
His mind drifted to the past five months at the Church of Silver, under the goddess of Skies and Dreams.
Tradition dictated that every twelve-year-old spend half a year in worship, but nobles were given some leniency. When his sister's marriage was announced, he was pardoned early.
Before leaving, the priestess had said something that still gnawed at him.
"You are marked," she told him. "The goddess has awakened what sleeps within you."
His dormant innate ability had stirred on its own.
'First things first, ' he thought. 'Once I awaken it fully, I need to form my essence core.'
But what kind of ability had the goddess left me with?
The carriage jolted, then steadied as the path grew smoother. From the corner of his eye, a flicker of light pulled his attention.
"Jaren, stop the carriage," Leo ordered.
The wheels creaked to a halt. Leo stepped down, the chill of the mountain air brushing against his skin.
There it was. Below the ridge sprawled his home, Baron Shade's estate glistening under lanterns and bonfires.
The entire city was alive with color and laughter, celebrating their lord's wedding. Even at this hour, the streets shone brighter than the stars above.
His escorts dismounted, gazes softening as they, too, took in the sight. Each of them smiled.
Leo smiled as well—though for a different reason.
They saw a wedding. He saw his lifeline.
'From now on, I need to play the cute and helpless younger brother role'
"Let's go."
***
The rest of the journey passed without incident. Barely an hour later, Leo and his escorts stood before the Shade estate.
'Finally…'
"I need to sleep," Leo muttered under his breath as he trudged toward his chambers.
Tradition dictated that a young lord returning from a long stay at the Church should be welcomed formally by the estate's staff. But with the wedding preparations drowning the entire manor in chaos. So, no one came.
Leo didn't mind. He was just too exhausted.
He pushed open his door, already picturing himself face-first in bed.
That was when he heard it—an unknown yet familiar voice, smooth and teasing:
"Oh my, are you not even going to wash yourself?"
Leo froze. Every nerve in his body stiffened as he slowly turned. He didn't need to see her face to know who it was.
One arm rested beneath her chin, the other poised with effortless grace; seated with the quiet majesty of someone who owned the room, was none other than Rheia Shade.
Baroness of House Shade. His elder sister.
Her violet eyes were sharper and colder than steel, studied him without mercy, yet there was a faint warmth hidden beneath their edge. A predator's gaze, but one that claimed him as kin.
Rheia Shade, the "Aqua Serpent." A woman who had already shattered expectations by reaching Titan-rank at the age of twenty-three.
A prodigy feared on battlefields, whispered of in courts, destined to rise into the ranks of calamities.
And right now… she was smiling at him. A smile that looked tender at first glance, but made Leo's skin crawl with the reminder that her affection was every bit as dangerous as her wrath.
"Welcome home, little brother."
Unlike Leo's stark white hair, Rheia's was a soft wheat-gold, though both siblings shared the same striking violet eyes.
A calculated smile tugged at Leo's lips as he greeted,
"I am back, sist—"
But his words froze as his gaze fell upon her stomach.
"Sister… you are… pregnant? Since when?"
Rheia's eyes softened, her usual sharpness melting away as she rose with grace. She reached out and gently patted Leo's head.
"Leo, you haven't grown a single bit."
But Leo wasn't in the mood for small talk.
"Forget about me. When? Who?"
With quiet authority, Rheia guided him to sit on the bed and lowered herself beside him, her hands resting warmly on his shoulders.
"I discovered it not long after you left for the church. As for who…" her gaze flickered with rare tenderness, "…it is my future husband."
The affection in her voice was unmistakable—deep, unshakable love.
Leo exhaled slowly, his tone still insistent.
"How far—"
"Eight months," Rheia cut in, her hand resting protectively over her belly. "Just one more month, and a new member of our family will greet us."
She turned to him then, her hand brushing over his cheek before gently pulling his forehead to rest against hers. For a while, neither spoke—just sharing the quiet weight of the moment.
At last, Rheia broke the silence.
"Leo… at twelve, you've already become an uncle. I hope you'll be the best uncle this child could ever have."
She smiled softly, almost motherly, as she rose.
"Don't overthink tonight. Sleep. We'll talk after the wedding."
Her voice lingered in the air as she left the room.
"Rest well, my dearest brother."
For a long moment, Leo sat in silence. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his lips—a smile genuine in a way it had never been before.
"Fine… I'll do my best. I'll be the best."