[House of Fire — Germany]
In the Herana family's park, young Anna played with a small fire spirit, her laughter mingling with the spirit's flickering glow.
Her older brother, Ash von Herana, watched her from a distance — not out of boredom, but out of duty. His eyes never strayed too far, ready to protect her if the flames grew unruly.
At a nearby parlor table, Flanne von Herana sat gracefully, her crimson hair swaying softly in the breeze as she sipped her morning tea. She looked almost identical to her eldest daughter, Elana, save for the faint maturity in her gaze.
"So, Ash," Flanne began, setting her cup down with a gentle clink, "I heard you met Leonardo Auditore — the bounty hunter who saved Anna. What did you think of him?"
Ash continued sharpening his blade, the rhythmic sound of steel against whetstone filling the silence. His eyes flicked toward Anna before a small smile crossed his lips.
"He was… interesting," Ash said at last. "At first glance, he seems cold and calculating, but that's only a disguise. In truth, he's nothing like that."
Flanne raised an eyebrow. "A disguise?"
"You know about my Judgement Eye, Mother," Ash replied calmly. "It lets me see through falsehood and illusion — the color of someone's aura reveals their truth. And Leonardo Auditore doesn't have the aura of a cold man. His aura burns like the flame of a joker… bright, erratic, full of humor."
Flanne's expression softened. "How perceptive of you. Your father's training must be paying off."
Ash's smile faded slightly at that. His hand brushed against his right eye — faintly scarred, the mark of his inheritance.
He remembered the pain vividly: the ritual that required burning one's own eyes with the Immortal Flame, a trial meant to grant the bearer sight beyond deceit.
It was a curse and a gift — the fire that burned away lies.
Flanne rose from her seat and approached Anna, a soft smile touching her lips as she took out a handkerchief.
She stopped the little girl mid-play, crouching down to wipe the smudges of mud from her face.
"You really resemble your sister when she was younger," Flanne said gently.
"…Really?!" Anna's eyes sparkled with delight, her smile as bright as the spirit's flame beside her.
"Yes," Flanne replied, tucking a stray lock of hair behind Anna's ear. "And one day, you'll be just as beautiful as she is."
Flanne von Herana was the very image of warmth — a mother who placed her children's safety above all else.
But even as she smiled, a faint shadow lingered behind her eyes.
No matter how much she loved her daughters, she couldn't ignore the regret that weighed in her heart whenever she thought of Elana.
Her eldest had changed over the years — adopting their father's pride, his strength, and his distant demeanor. Yet Flanne knew better than anyone that behind that proud front, Elana was still just a girl — one who should've been laughing, chasing her own dreams, not burdened with the weight of the Herana family's legacy.
Flanne sighed softly, turning her gaze toward the horizon where the morning light kissed the edges of the estate.
"I hope your sister's having fun in Italy," she murmured, her voice tender. "It's always been one of her favorite places."
Anna tilted her head, not fully understanding, but smiled anyway. "She will, Mama. I just know she will."
Flanne smiled back — though deep down, she wasn't sure if she was reassuring her daughter… or herself.
◇◇◇
[Elana's POV]
"I hate that girl."
The words slipped out before I could stop them, quiet but sharp enough to sting the air around me.
Across the café terrace, Han Seora laughed brightly among the other cadets, her smile almost blinding under the warm Roman sunlight.
The girl chosen by the stars — a commoner, a nobody without lineage or title — and yet somehow, the world bent around her.
My resentment wasn't born from envy.
It was born from injustice.
How could someone like her, untouched by the weight of expectation, surpass me — a daughter of the Herana family, forged from birth through discipline, flame, and suffering?
She wasn't human.
She was favored — chosen by the narrative itself.
And I hated her because of that.
"Lady Elana, why are you glaring at that commoner so intently?" one of the noble girls asked, her voice somewhere between awe and fear.
I glanced at her lazily. Everything about her screamed opulence — her uniform tailored from enchanted fabrics, jewelry glowing with minor enchantments, hair styled to perfection.
And yet, next to Seora — wearing nothing but the standard academy uniform — she seemed plain. Forgettable.
That was the most infuriating part.
Even with all our resources, our centuries of lineage, Seora surpassed nearly every noble in the academy.
Everyone… even me.
The nobles' chatter shifted suddenly.
"Girls, look! Isn't he hot?" one of them squealed, flashing her phone.
The rest leaned in, gasping, giggling, drowning in shallow admiration.
I didn't bother looking. Instead, I stirred my espresso, watching the sugar cube dissolve slowly into the dark swirl beneath the spoon.
"…What's so special about having a lover, anyway?" I muttered.
Love was just another word people used to mask their selfish desires.
Men, women — it didn't matter.
They all approached me with the same intent: to possess what they couldn't reach.
But no matter how carefully they smiled, no matter what sweet words they used, my eyes always saw through them.
That was the nature of my gift — or my curse.
The Judgement Flame burned through falsehood, exposing the color of one's truth.
Even Han Seora wasn't immune. Beneath that cheerful glow, there was admiration — subtle but there.
I could see it, no matter how faint.
But there was one person I couldn't see through.
One anomaly.
"…What was his name again?" I murmured, tapping my spoon against the cup.
◇
◇
◇
Meanwhile, just a few streets away —
"Achoo!"
Kylen let out a loud sneeze, startling the waiter carrying a tray behind him.
He rubbed his nose awkwardly. "That wasn't very polite of me. Sorry about that. Go on, keep eating."
Across from him, Ekaterina looked up from her plate, a faint dusting of cocoa on her lips.
Her expression didn't change; she simply blinked once, elegant as ever, then said softly, "Bless you."
And then, as if nothing happened, she went right back to devouring her tenth slice of chocolate cake.
Kylen stared at her for a moment, half in disbelief, half in amusement.
He leaned back in his chair, whispering under his breath:
"Is someone talking about me behind my back?"
◇
"Lady Elana, shall we visit the Colosseum?" one of the noble girls asked, excitement bright in her voice as she held out her phone. "They say a new gladiator battle will be starting this year."
On the screen was an article:
___
Built under Emperor Vespasian and completed by his son Titus, the Flavian Amphitheatre — known today as the Colosseum — once hosted brutal gladiatorial duels, beast hunts, and public spectacles.
For centuries, it stood as both a monument of Rome's glory and its cruelty.
Now, in the modern age, the government has revived the ancient tradition — a new, safer form of gladiatorial combat where mana, skill, and honor replace bloodshed.
___
I set down my espresso, the spoon still clinking softly against the cup.
"A new gladiator battle, huh?" I murmured, glancing out the café window toward the distant ruins framed by the Roman skyline. "That's… interesting."
Then I stood, brushing the faint crumbs from my skirt.
"Very well," I said standing up from my chair.
"We shall visit the Colosseum."
To Be continued...