Chapter 3
[Embercrown 6th (6/8), Year 1356 of the Arcane Calendar]
| 1:30 AM |
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[ Lunthaler manor hallway]
As I navigated the manor, each step feeling like a hunt for a treasure room buried in Kyzen's memories serving as the map, I approached a massive door to my right. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I knocked lightly before stepping into the dining hall. The sight that greeted me was one of suffocating opulence—a vast rectangular table carved from rare Darkwood, its surface gleaming under the glow of an enormous crystal chandelier. Portraits of stern-faced ancestors lined the walls, their painted eyes tracking my every move with unnerving scrutiny.
The grandeur was almost overwhelming, yet it grounded me in this unfamiliar life. Eight maids stood at perfect attention along the walls, their hands folded neatly before them. Calix, a caring and respectable man whose words Kyzen had always held close to his heart, lingered in my thoughts. But when I say "my heart," I mean his—the previous owner of this body. No matter how convincingly I played Kyzen, I wasn't him. I didn't share his emotions, and I wrestled with how to interact with these people without seeming like an imposter.
A sudden tug on both sides of my pants snapped me out of my reverie. Glancing down, I found Lisa and Luca—my nine-year-old twin siblings—gazing up with wide, innocent eyes. Lisa's face, framed by a cascade of vibrant red hair tied with a large black bow, caught my attention first. Her features were delicate yet spirited—large, expressive eyes that sparkled with mischief, a small upturned nose, and a wide, cheeky grin that revealed a hint of a missing tooth, all framed by those fiery locks that seemed to dance with energy.
Behind her, Luca's sharper, more angular face mirrored her vibrancy, his red hair slightly messier, falling in wild tufts over a pair of intense, narrow eyes that glinted with a playful challenge. His jawline hinted at the man he'd become, but that sly smirk—identical to Lisa's—kept him firmly in boyish territory.
"Brother!" Lisa's voice carried the particular whine only a nine-year-old could master. "You're late!" A laugh escaped before I could temper it. "And if I was napping the whole time?"
Lisa gasped with theatrical horror. "Then we'll wake you properly next time!"
"With ice water," Luca added, his smirk hinting at an ambush already planned. I ruffled their matching chestnut curls—though the image of their true red hair lingered in my mind from some buried memory— the gesture feeling more natural each time.
"Let's negotiate. No aquatic assaults if I promise to eat my greens today?" Lisa's face lit up, her small fingers wrapping around my wrist. "Come! Cook made honey cakes for after!"
The twins' energy was a whirlwind, pulling me into their orbit. Luca rolled his eyes. "Which you won't taste unless you finish your carrots." The normalcy of it stung. As Lisa groaned, I studied their faces—the freckle on Luca's left earlobe, the way Lisa's nose scrunched when she was displeased.
These details came from Kyzen's memories, but the warmth blooming in my chest? That was mine alone. "You fuss over her like a mother hen," I teased Luca.
The boy's ears turned scarlet. "She'd starve without me!" Lisa's lower lip trembled. "Brother, am I really that helpless?" Luca's bravado was shattered. "N-no! I mean your bread! You always drop the jam side down!"
Tsundere indeed, I thought, letting a slight chuckle escape as I watched Luca frantically pat Lisa's shoulder.
Their bickering felt like a lifeline, grounding me in this borrowed role. Before I could act, a familiar voice cut through the moment. "You're quite early today. I thought you'd arrive late." I turned to see Calix and Diana standing in the doorway. The very air seemed to be still at their entrance. Dressed in finely tailored garments, their bearing exuded the effortless grace of nobility. For a heartbeat, the room felt heavier, as if the weight of generations pressed down upon us all.
Then Diana moved, crossing the space between us in quick strides. Diana, with her cascading red hair woven into an elegant braid that shimmered like molten copper, possessed a face of striking beauty—high cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes glowing with a warm amber hue, and lips curved in a gentle, knowing smile, all framed by an ornate choker that spoke of her noble lineage.
Without hesitation, she pulled me into a tight embrace, her familiar floral scent enveloping me, and a slight flush crept up my cheeks in Kyzen's body, though to my relief, it didn't react in any awkward way. "Did you eat breakfast properly? Anna told me everything," she chided, pulling back just enough to cup my face in her hands, her thumbs brushing lightly beneath my eyes. "Are you ill? Should I call the physician?"
The concern in her voice eased the tension in my chest, and inwardly, I felt a wave of relaxation, thinking Kyzen has a great mom too, a warmth spreading through my heart that felt entirely my own.
"Exhausted, that's all," I managed, mustering a shaky smile. "Yes, Mom, I had Charles bring breakfast to my room. I'm holding up fine now." Calix's piercing stare bore into me from over Diana's shoulder, his black eyes—deep as midnight pools and glinting with a shrewd intensity, seeming to peel back my every layer. His face, a weathered mirror of mine in Kyzen's form with its high cheekbones and chiseled jaw, carried the weight of years ruling the barony, softened only by the silver streaks threading his dark hair, a testament to his seasoned nobility and striking resemblance to his younger self in me.
Did that keen gaze hint at suspicion? Before I could spiral, a distraction erupted—"Papa!" Luca yanked at his father's sleeve. "Lisa cried because I called her hopeless!"
"Mamaaa," Lisa wailed, burying her tear-streaked face in Diana's skirts.
"Luca's being a brute!" The tension splintered like fragile crystal. With a fluid motion, Calix hoisted Luca into his arms, his stern facade melting into a grin.
"Then you'd better make amends properly, eh?" Diana's laughter rang out as she dabbed Lisa's tears with her sleeve. "Oh, my little tempest." Around them, the maids stifled giggles behind their hands. The chandelier's glow danced over the silver in Calix's hair and the laugh lines crinkling Diana's eyes, painting a picture of a family—while I stood as a fraud amid their warmth.
Yet as Lisa tugged me toward the table, as Diana planted a tender kiss on my temple, as Calix's usual severity softened into a rare, paternal glow—I ached for my own parents. I resolved to frame Calix and Diana as cherished relatives—uncle and aunt—and the twins as my siblings still, though that shift couldn't happen overnight.
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As we settled at the dining table, maid servants began laying out the feast, the array of silverware so daunting it might've stumped a royal, but I'd brace for it. Over breakfast, I'd drilled myself in the basics of etiquette with spoon, knife, and fork, ready to fake my way through, with Kyzen's muscle memories as a cheat skill helping me.
For now, I steered clear of the more intricate dishes demanding specialized utensils. It is better to play it cautious and seem reserved than risk unmasking my ignorance. My gaze darted briefly to Calix and Diana as I tapped into Kyzen's memories, mentally diving into a hidden cache of insight.
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▶ __Father_and_Mother.txt__
Calix, now 48, carried the distinctive silver sheen of the Noctis bloodline, a mark of his noble lineage.
though his title of baron belied a far greater stature. Diana, hailing from a count house ranking above Calix's, had forged with him a formidable alliance, blending two prestigious families into a powerhouse of influence.
Yet Calix's true renown transcended nobility—he was the revered head of the Noctis family bloodline, a celebrated battle sorcerer whose veins pulsed with the legacy of the first Inheritor for Noctis, the God of Dreams. That we remained merely a baron's family stemmed from—
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"Kyzen? Kyzen!" "Kyzen." Calix's voice jolted me back, his black eyes narrowing with a mix of concern and impatience. I blinked, realizing I'd drifted completely off the conversational map. "Yes, Father?" I said, flashing an apologetic grin. "Sorry, I zoned out. Could you repeat that?"
He sighed, shaking his head. "I knew it. You're still exhausted—you should've stayed in your room to rest today." The disapproval in his voice was laced with a fatherly concern that tugged at me, though it wasn't mine to claim.
"I was saying you need to prepare to leave for Celestara Academy next Thursday."
I nodded, letting the words sink in like a stone dropped into a still pond—Celestara Academy, the most prestigious magic institution spanning all three kingdoms, a name that echoed with legend and dread.
With an acceptance rate of a brutal 5% and a grueling six-year course, it was a crucible where skill and raw talent reigned supreme, nobility be damned. Kyzen was already in his fourth year, meaning I'd be stumbling into a role he'd honed for years, saddled with expectations I hadn't earned.
There was no room for stumbles. Masking my inner panic, I straightened my posture and said, "Understood, Father. I shall begin my preparations at once."
I thought to myself, remembering the day it was Wednesday.
"Good. Zack will receive you there as usual."
Uncle Zack, Calix's youngest brother and only three years his junior, has settled in Zyvaris as a swordsman instructor after marrying a 1st-generation half-elf, fully aware of the challenges 1st-generation half-elves often faced from birth. Though human himself, he embraced the culture and lifestyle of Zyvaris alongside her, choosing to make it his home despite the odds. 1st generation hybrids, including half-elves, are likely to be born unhealthy, which is why most avoid marrying outside their species.
Clenching my hands, I realized Zack's wife's birth was no ordinary one—just thinking about it churned my stomach with a sickening dread, a darkness amplified by Kyzen's memories, which knew of her sad history.
He has a son, Liam, who is the same age as me, and we have always gotten along well as friends. Memories of Liam flickered through my mind, vivid and warm. As I sifted through Kyzen's memories, I recalled countless moments spent sparring on the training grounds, sneaking off to explore the city, and sharing stories late into the night. Even though these memories weren't truly mine, they felt real, as if I had lived them myself. Inwardly, these sweet recollections calmed me from the before thoughts, especially the sparring sessions where Liam usually won—his fighting style, in a word, unique, a relentless whirlwind that never held back.
"Your sister returns next week," Diana sighed. "That's unfortunate. You'll miss her this time."
An eerie yet soothing calm washed over me, settling my nerves in an unexpected way.
I nodded. "If she wants to see me, she'll probably just visit Celestara herself."
Diana chuckled. "That does sound like her.
Always running off somewhere, giving Calix endless headaches." Memories surfaced of Lena sneaking into the stables, climbing trees, and racing horses bareback. She was energetic, adventurous, and impossible to control.
"Well," Diana mused, "knowing her, she'll find a way to surprise you."
I shook my head with a small smile.
"That sounds about right." Calix sighed, setting down his fork. "Speaking of Lena, her fiancé, Gilbert, came to visit last week." Diana raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how did that go?"
Calix let out a dry chuckle. "The poor boy looked exhausted. He kept asking if Lena ever slows down. She dragged him on a three-day hunting trip without warning."
Inwardly, I couldn't help but think of her as a gorilla in a human body—oh right, she was my age as Oliver, wild and untamed just like Kyzen remembered, I mused, the thought both amusing and startling. I smirked.
"She's twenty-one now," Diana mused, shaking her head. "She should start acting more like a lady."
I scoffed. "Like that's ever going to happen."
"She won't change," Luca said firmly, his young voice steady as he crossed his arms, trying to project toughness for his family's sake. "She promised to teach me horse-riding when she's back—I'm counting on her." Deep down, I knew Luca's tough act masked a fierce love for his family—he just didn't want her to go, a warm smile tugging at my lips.
Diana sighed but smiled. "True. Though I do feel for Gilbert. That man has the patience of a saint."
Calix nodded. "He'll need it if he's going to marry into this family."
I chuckled. "Has Lena even agreed to the engagement properly? Or is she still pretending it's not happening?"
Diana laughed. "Oh, she's definitely pretending. Every time I bring it up, she changes the subject or suddenly remembers some urgent errand."
Lisa pouted. "Then she won't get married, right?"
I shook my head with a grin.
"Poor Gilbert." Diana shook her head with a fond smile. "Gilbert likes Lena a lot. I hope he succeeds in winning her over; he'd make a wonderful son-in-law, and his family is delightful too."
I leaned back, amused. "Well, if anyone can handle her, it's probably him."
Calix chuckled. "Let's just hope she realizes it before he gives up."
We laughed and shared the meal like any ordinary day, yet with each passing moment, I felt myself slipping into Kyzen's skin, less an actor playing his role and more the man himself.