Maxi found himself drifting in an endless black void. No stars. No floor. No sky. Just nothingness.
He ran. Ran as fast and far as he could, though there was no ground beneath his feet only willpower and desperation. It felt like an eternity, a never-ending sprint through oblivion.
Then he saw it.
A spotlight pierced the darkness like a sword, revealing an old, prestigious coffee table with a single book resting atop it. Familiar. Important.
Maxi surged forward, hope roaring in his chest.
But just as he neared the light, shadows emerged arms of night reaching out from the void. They grabbed at him, clawed at his limbs, dragged him back. One final hand clamped over his mouth, and all at once, the void consumed him whole.
He sank into it.
And then he woke up.
Maxi stretched with a sigh, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Worthless," he muttered. Still, deep down, he was glad he tried. Maybe one day, something would change. But not today.
He got up, bathed, and dressed in his usual outfit: a white button-up shirt, a brown waistcoat, and black pants. He slid his glasses onto his face, his vision sharpening with the click of the frame.
Just then, the door opened. A black-haired maid entered with her usual emotionless expression. Her voice was flat and cold.
"Sorry, young master. I didn't see you yesterday. Would you like new books?"
"Yes, please," Maxi replied, turning away with a soft sigh.
The maid nodded, closed the door, and vanished like a shadow.
Maxi lay on his bed, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling again. His thoughts wandered.
What now?
He remembered his words to Mōkō the night before. He still planned to speak with Sunwu today Techxin had mentioned him first, after all. If he could secure Sunwu's help, things would be so much easier. But if not... he'd have to rely on Mōkō or Dalles. Either way, he needed training.
A knock at the door.
"Come in."
Angelina stepped in. She looked the same as always, though her tail gave a subtle wag barely noticeable unless you were looking for it. As she moved to shut the door, the black-haired maid returned, stopping it with her foot. She placed a fresh stack of books on Maxi's bedside table, gave a quick curtsy, and exited silently.
Angelina stared at the door, then at Maxi, shaking her head with a tired smile.
"Good morning, young master Maxi."
"Hello, Angelina."
"Are we going to Tengen today?"
Maxi shook his head. "No. I need a new teacher. I'm done training with Techxin, so I'm heading to the main castle to speak with one of my siblings. I need to convince one of them to train me."
Angelina blinked, clearly surprised. But then her expression softened as she remembered their encounter with Mōkō.
"That sounds great," she said, though her voice wavered with concern. "But... are you sure you can handle them? Especially without your blessing awakened?"
Maxi scratched the back of his head, unsure. "Yeah... I know. But I have my passive blessing of Lust, right? That should help a little."
He paused, frowning to himself.
I really need to rename that. Lust sounds… wrong. Like there's more to it something deeper, hidden in my shattered memories. And I'm not sure I want to know what it is when I find the truth.
Angelina shrugged. "Whatever you say, young master."
"It's a work in progress," Maxi mumbled.
With that, Maxi and Angelina stepped out of the small castle, heading once again toward the looming gates of the main castle toward family, toward training, and toward both the unknown and known.