At first, I doubted how being reincarnated into one of my failed novels could grant my last wish, but now I realize—it actually did.
Instead of becoming another low-life in Montana, I inherited the body of Mobix Seafrost, who is the heir of the Seafrost Duchedom. I have everything I wanted in my grasp: riches, protection, and much more.
As for having a love life, I have my Harem system, which will grant me that tenfold. However, I have planned not to play careless love with any of my Harem members.
Can my sister and Linda be included in my Harem?
My sister could make a Yandere, but Linda? Well, we shall see.
...
I leaned back against the wooden bedframe the moment my sister mentioned training. Given my shallow but steady breathing and aching body, does she want me to train?
My muscles are clearly screaming at me to rest.
Yet, Muna stood over me, arms crossed, eyes as sharp as a blade drawn in a duel.
"Sis," I muttered with a weak voice, but tried to keep my voice as clear as possible. "At least, give me a few more days to recover before you drag me into training. My body... It's not ready."
Muna's jaw tightened, but no word came from her. She looked over to the tray of meals on the small side table, and urged me to eat on.
"Have something to eat first," she encouraged, collecting the plastic spoon from the bowl to feed me soup.
She was always like this anyway — unyielding, relentless, as if the only thing she fed on was strength. Just as if becoming strong were a currency worth holding on to.
Having lost my appetite for any kind of meal, I refused the third round of soup she was about to serve me and asked a question instead.
"If you won't let me rest, then at least tell me what put me in this condition?" I sighed, "Or, don't I deserve to know?"
The request softened her stern gaze as she dropped the bowl of soup back on the small table. After hesitating for a while, she lowered herself onto the chair beside me. The silence grew heavy until she finally began to speak.
"It was Linda who found you," Muna said quietly. "That night, she came rushing to me in screams that you had poisoned yourself."
Mentioning this act of Linda, my shadow, made me almost chuckle, knowing exactly what had happened.
I had put my life in real danger for the sake of unlocking my Mana Core.
The truth was, if Muna knew Linda had acted on directions, she would be in trouble, not alone, when the entire Duchedom found out.
A fragment of memory slipped into my mind, and I wondered if making Muna do what she didn't want was going to cause enmity between us.
Nobody dared to unlock my Mana Core after the justifiable reason given by my father before he left.
"...your breath was shallow, your pulse almost gone. I... I panicked," Muna declared, clenching her fist as I continued to listen. "But, I saw it as an opportunity."
'An opportunity? So, she wouldn't hate me cause of that?'
"The only way to save you was to undo what father has done. The poison had engulfed not just your blood, but your mana," her tone was trembling now. She clenched her hands together, nails digging into her palms.
Then, as if acting on impulse, she turned towards me and gave me a tight hug. After which she loosened herself and held my shoulders tightly. Her eyes filled with emotional tears that refused to gush down.
"I broke the seal on your Mana Core, Mobix. Father locked it when you were still very little, a child. He swore it was for your safety. But I kept wondering, how is making you weak a way of saving you from the impending danger?"
Ignoring the pain from her grip, my eyes widened. The air in the room seemed to grow colder, more sterile.
Muna's voice cracked as the memories surfaced, and she let loose her grip on me and turned front.
"The night you were born, demons broke into our world. Father claimed that it had something to do with your birth and that you should not be allowed to wield your powers. That way, he vowed to protect us by making you unable to channel Mana all these years," she said, then added, "and that is also why he assigned you a shadow, Linda."
She turned to make direct eye contact with my eyes, then turned away, unable to look me in the eyes.
My thoughts, however, remained. 'Just how strong could I have become? How strong was my little sister, who is two years younger than I am, to be able to wield the power to unlock my Mana Core?'
The second answer was written in her power-driven intent to become stronger, but why?
"Nobody, across the four Duchedoms, cared to save the only heir of Seafrost. I couldn't sit and watch you slowly slip away from life. So, I had to break the rule and shoot my shot, and it worked."
She stopped, biting her lips, sorrow flashing in her eyes as she turned to me again. "Now that your Mana is free, you can become stronger."
'I will definitely, just wait and see.'
"We can then avenge the demons who took Mummy's life."
I remained silent, only able to soliloquize with my thoughts.
'If my father were that powerful, how could he let demons attack my mother?'
My life was bound to demons as it seemed, my mother's death was caused by these demons, and my father... he forsake us, betrayed his children.
Clenching my fist, I made an attempt to utter any word, but Muna was faster.
"That is why we must train," she said suddenly, her voice sharpening again. "We need to grow strong enough to enter the Academy. Only there will we gain access to stand against the demons."
She rose from the chair, her eyes glistening with sad emotions she tried to hide.
I reached out my trembling hands. "Little sis... wait. What is the Academy? Tell me—"
But, she shook her head even before I could complete my speech and turned away, her footsteps quick and unsteady as she left the room.
Silence settled again, broken only by my ragged breathing. I stared at the door long after Muna had gone, sorrow twisting within me.
'There was indeed the need to train and become stronger.'
In the corner of the dimly lit room, Linda had been quietly observing what transpired between my sister and me. She had not spoken once during the exchange, but I felt her presence lingering like an anchor to reality.
Now that we were left alone, I suppose this is the right time.
"Linda... come over here."