She circled me.
"Lord of Shadows? Hellooo? Hello? Heeeeelo?"
'It doesn't seem like she knows I am a regressor who returned to the past.'
'I should keep it a secret.'
I ignored her and focused on my parents.
"Lyra, let's go home. The doctors gave the permission for discharge," my father said.
Mom smiled tiredly. "Finally. I miss our bed."
After the paperwork was done, we left the hospital.
The ride home was quiet.
My father kept glancing at mom, making sure she was comfortable. She held me close.
When we arrived, my chest tightened.
The villa stood in front of me.
White stone walls. Wide windows that let sunlight pour inside. A long driveway lined with cherry blossom trees.
"It's a beautiful dwelling," Yuna said, her voice full of awe.
She flew ahead and darted into the house, looking around with childlike excitement.
Servants came out to greet us.
They bowed to my parents, congratulated them, and asked about mom's health.
Their eyes landed on me, and many of them smiled.
I looked around.
This place was home. My home.
It was exactly as I remembered. But this time, it was alive again. The warmth that filled it was real.
In my last life, everything had fallen apart.
After my father's death, the villa had grown silent. Mom had sunk into despair. The house became a hollow shell.
And then the relatives came.
They pretended to "help," but all they did was strip everything away. They sold what they could, pocketed the money, and left us powerless.
I remembered those days clearly.
Not this time.
I would not let them take what my parents built. I would protect this house.
This time, I would protect what was mine.
I clenched my tiny hands.
'I need to get stronger. That's the only way to stop it.'
But strength required training. That was the problem.
During the day, my parents watched me closely. I could only act like a normal baby who cried, laughed, and slept.
That left the night.
Usually, they let me sleep in another room so my mother could rest properly. That was the only chance I had to try.
But my new body betrayed me.
No matter how much I tried, sleep always won. My eyelids would grow heavy, and I'd be gone.
It took weeks before I managed to resist. I finally stayed awake past midnight.
That night, Yuna fluttered around me with bright eyes.
"Lord of Shadows! Finally, you have managed to stay awake at night. Now we can begin training. I'll explain the System to you today."
Her wings flapped quickly as she spoke with excitement.
"The System records your stats in real time, tracks your growth, and, most importantly, it is the gateway to class evolution."
She circled above me, her voice almost too fast to follow.
"If you meet certain conditions, you can evolve into stronger classes.
"For example, if you master a Normal Class to its peak, or if you complete hidden achievements, or even if you grasp unique insights, the System will respond."
Her red eyes glowed faintly.
"It might trigger a rare or hidden class awakening."
I stayed quiet, listening.
She landed on the edge of my crib and leaned close, smiling proudly.
"And you, Lord of Shadows, already hold one of the rarest treasures. With the right training, you will surpass even the gods who once fought for it."
Her words hung in the dark room.
I glanced at the door.
My parents were asleep down the hall, unaware of the strange visitor hovering beside me.
I looked back at Yuna.
For days I had ignored her, but it was clear now. We were stuck together for the foreseeable future.
That meant she would see everything I did.
So I needed to show her that I could see and hear her.
'If she's a guide sent by the System, then she must know about Hidden Evolved Classes and rare artifacts. I can use that for my benefit.'
"Lord of Shadows, did you understand today's lesson?" Yuna asked.
I nodded slowly.
"...!"
Her eyes widened.
"Lord of Shadows, can you understand me? Did you finally gain sentience?"
I nodded again.
Her tiny wings fluttered in excitement.
"Excellent! This is news worth celebrating!"
She spun around in the air happily, laughing to herself. She didn't stop for a few minutes.
When she calmed down, she clasped her hands together. "Since this is the first day we can actually communicate, we should start with your training officially, Lord of Shadows."
She bowed in midair with a little spin.
"I am Yuna, the Fallen Angel sent by the System to guide you."
I tilted my head.
"Ah, you must be wondering why the System sent me, right?"
I gave another nod.
Her smile grew brighter.
"It's because of the Supreme Treasure you possess, [Shadow].
"All the past users of that treasure were killed before they had a chance to grow.
"Normally the System would never send a guide. Anyone who wants to master shadows must do it with their own strength."
She pointed at me with a tiny finger.
"But this time, the new Lord of Shadows is a newborn. So the System decided to make an exception."
I watched her quietly.
'All inheritors of [Shadow] were killed before they could grow properly, huh.'
My lips curved slightly.
I was one of them.
In my last life, I had found [Shadow], but I died before I could use it well. And somehow, I had woken up in the past.
Yuna flew closer.
"Lord of Shadows, now let's begin. Please, say 'status' in your mind. That will let you see your records."
I did as she said. A familiar screen appeared in front of me.
…
Name: ₩oo#!!32
Rank 0
.
Species: Draconic-Blooded Human [Rank 1]
.
Stats:
Strength: 0
Dexterity: 0
Endurance: 0
Intelligence: 99
Spirit: 0
.
Class: Shadow
Class Skill: Shadow Summon Level 1
…
I focused on the skill.
Class Skill: Shadow Summon Level 1
Description: Allows user to summon their own shadow. The summoned shadow's size and traits depend on the shadow's stats. Its duration and range are determined by the user's Spirit stat.
"Your first Class skill should be Shadow Summon. Please try it now. You might feel some discomfort, but it will not be much."
I drew in a small breath and concentrated.
'Shadow Summon, come out.'