Chapter 3 – The Day Before
Before Dannie could even reach her family's new home, familiar voices cut through the street.
Her old friends from Charmer had intercepted her.
"We heard you joined the army, leader! Congratulations!" Carlo said, his tone brimming with excitement.
"You're amazing, leader!" Ariah added, grinning from ear to ear.
"You've just made history," Chay chimed in, nodding proudly.
The rest joined in, their voices bubbling with nostalgia and pride.
"Where did you guys even hear that?" Dannie asked with a wry smile.
No matter how hard she tried to act tough, their eager faces softened her heart. A faint, unguarded smile tugged at her lips.
Her family had once been wealthy merchants, but the war had stripped them of nearly everything. Their father had no choice but to move them closer to the city center, where at least one property remained standing. Because of that, any rumor or news about the Silves always spread quickly throughout the city.
"Yeah… it's just how things should be," Dannie replied, masking her unease with a forced air of confidence.
She looked at them—her group of seven, once inseparable.
Ariah Alberts, petite, brown-skinned, sharp-tongued.
Chay Zelda, wiry, curly-haired, quick to laugh.
Amy Canzo, shy and gentle, though frightening when angered.
Rafael Canzo, her vain twin, always fussing over appearances.
Carlo Mitte, cunning but fiercely loyal.
And lastly, Eleskie, cheerful, stubborn, yet never quite fitting in.
Seeing them again, their faces full of pride, reminded Dannie just how much she had missed this bond.
"Well, I guess we'll still see each other around. It's not like tomorrow will keep us apart, haha." She forced a laugh, though it came out thinner than she intended.
Some of them exchanged worried glances, but they didn't press her. Dannie had always been hard to read.
"Oh, and here comes stinky Eleskie," Amy suddenly said with a pout. "She says she wants to enlist too."
"Thinks she's strong? Pfft. She's clumsier than I am," Ariah scoffed, rolling her eyes.
Eleskie's gaze narrowed, but she refused to let their teasing stick. "Y-yeah! What's wrong with joining? I can handle it! I'm not doing it for fun, okay? I just want to help our city! Anyway—goodbye, frog faces!" she shouted before bolting off, deliberately keeping her distance.
The girls hurled playful insults after her, still treating her as an outsider. Carlo and Rafael just shook their heads, chuckling at the childishness of it all.
The reunion was brief, but the warmth it left behind stayed with Dannie. She walked on, a small smile lingering—until she stepped into her new home.
The air shifted.
Their house was a five-story building. The first floor served as a reception area, the second floor as their living and training space. The third floor housed the dining hall and servants' quarters, the fourth was for the family bedrooms, while the fifth was reserved for their father's room, library, and storage.
Inside, her elder brother Dustin stood in the training area, his body moving with fluid precision. At twenty-two, he was tall, handsome, and carried their mother's features. His strikes were sharp, controlled—perfect.
But to Dannie, he was always distant.
She paused at the doorway, watching him. Despite sharing blood, closeness had never existed between them. She didn't know why—he never explained, and she never asked. The silence between them was a current that never broke.
Dustin suddenly stopped mid-strike. Slowly, he turned, his sharp gaze landing on her.
Dannie flinched, caught off guard.
"So… you've arrived already, Dannie," he said, his calm tone laced with subtle weight on her name.
She inhaled quietly, steadying herself before responding with a light smile.
"Yes."
Before Dustin could say more, a small voice rang out.
"Big sister! You're here!" Dexter, the youngest, rushed toward her with boundless energy. "Charito said you'd arrived, so I hurried to get ready!"
At only five years old, Dexter had never known their late mother, who had passed away two years prior.
Dannie knelt to catch him, her smile tender despite the weariness in her eyes.
"My sweet little brother, I'm all sweaty right now. Let me wash up first, okay? Then we'll go to your room. How was your day?"
Her youngest brother was the only one who could make her smile so easily, the only one she truly connected with. That was why she always spoke to him gently, as if his words mattered more than the world outside.
After heading up to her room, her personal attendant, Elly, followed. She was around twenty-five, strikingly beautiful despite her simple upbringing. Born to a poor family, she had chosen to serve the Silves both to provide for her needs and because she was fully qualified as a proper attendant.
Elly prepared Dannie's clothes after she took a quick bath.
"Miss Dannie," Elly said respectfully, "Master Silve has instructed us to prepare for dinner. All family members are expected to attend. As for the details, I have no further instructions."
Dannie sat before her mirror as Elly began brushing her hair.
"You mean to say Father is here? And also Dhrea and Damien?" Dannie asked, glancing at her reflection. Curiosity flickered in her voice. It had been two years since the entire family last shared a dinner together. For Dexter, this would be the very first time.
"Yes. Your eldest sister and your fourth brother are currently on their way to the mansion," Elly replied, smiling faintly as she combed Dannie's hair.
Countless thoughts raced through Dannie's mind. Surely, their father had some important news to share. Perhaps he simply missed them. Or maybe… there would be an announcement.
But beneath the anticipation, unease tugged at her. A dinner like this, after so long, could not simply be about family.
'Urgh, maybe I should stop overthinking. It's not even helping,' she told herself, forcing her restless thoughts into silence.
Yet no matter how hard she tried, the feeling of something looming refused to leave her chest.
As she walked toward the dining hall, she spotted her eldest sister, Dhrea Silve. She seemed taller, broader—her body hardened by war. Muscular arms, tanned skin, and sharp eyes that cut like blades made her every inch a soldier. Her shoulder-length hair swayed slightly as she strode forward, exuding strength.
How admirable, Dannie thought. Her sister carried every quality the army demanded.
Almost like Dustin, Dhrea was difficult to approach. She spoke little and only to those she respected.
Their eyes met, and both offered the barest nod—acknowledgment without warmth—before walking side by side toward the dining hall.
At the door, a servant bowed and pulled the heavy doors open. Dannie quickened her steps and slipped into the vacant seat beside Dexter. He smiled innocently at her, though she could feel the nervous tension in his tiny hands.
She glanced around. Everyone was present—except their father.
"Hello there, big sister Dannie…"
Her gaze shifted to her fourth brother, Damien. Unlike Dustin's cold arrogance or Dhrea's iron will, Damien was warmth itself. His raven hair gleamed under the chandelier, his white skin and dark eyes giving him a striking charm. Though just below Dustin in height, his cheerfulness filled the room with an energy that neither of his elder siblings carried.
"Well, it's nice seeing you again, my dear Damien." Dannie's smile softened at him.
"It's been a year, hasn't it? Haha!" Damien laughed loudly, as if to chase away the heaviness of the room.
Yes—Damien had spent the past year at a school for commerce. Their father wanted him certified to take over what little remained of their mother's business. For now, the family trade was managed by their father's confidant, while their father handled only the most crucial decisions.
But Dannie knew her father too well. Nothing he planned was ever simple.
Her gaze slid toward the head of the table, the chair waiting—empty, yet heavy with presence.
Her father wasn't here yet.
And when he finally came… she knew this gathering would not be about reunion.
It would be about revelation.
And revelations in the Silve family never came without a price.