The morning sun rose bright and golden, spilling across the Valen mansion like liquid fire. Birds sang in the gardens while light footsteps echoed along the marble corridor.
Today was my first day of school.
Normally, any ten-year-old would have been excited. But me? My stomach twisted into knots. I had faced assassins, underworld betrayals, and global boardroom wars as Aron Tuner—yet the thought of walking into a classroom as Bruce Valen made me nervous.
Elena helped fix my collar and smoothed my school blazer. "You'll do great," she said with a smile that could calm hurricanes. "Just be yourself."
Richard stood by the doorway, arms crossed. "Remember, Bruce," he said in his usual calm tone, "if anyone gives you trouble, walk away first. We handle things with grace in this family."
I nodded, though deep inside, I knew "grace" wasn't always effective against bullies.
Before I could respond, five sets of footsteps approached. My sisters appeared one by one, looking radiant and intimidating even in casual morning clothes.
"Big day, huh?" Luna grinned. "Don't worry, little brother. Most kids won't even think about touching you once they know who your sisters are."
"You should still be careful," Seren said quietly, tying her hair into a neat ponytail. "Kids can be crueller than adults when they see someone they think is weaker."
Eve smirked. "If anyone bullies you, I'll deal with them personally."
Aria chuckled. "Easy there, Eve. Let's not start another mysterious 'incident' on school property."
Clara placed a small lunchbox in my hands. "Eat this during break, okay? You need energy."
I smiled faintly. "Thank you, everyone. I'll be fine."
They exchanged glances, clearly not convinced.
Our family car dropped me off in front of Ravenshade Academy, one of the most prestigious schools in the city. The building looked like a cross between an ancient castle and a futuristic tower, filled with students wearing identical uniforms.
As I walked through the gates, whispers followed me immediately.
"Is that the Valen boy?"
"He's so small."
"Did you hear? He used to be crippled."
Their voices stung more than I wanted to admit. I kept walking, forcing a calm smile. If only they knew who I once was—if only they knew the empire that still obeyed my silent command. But to them, I was just a polite, quiet kid with a strange background.
Classes passed uneventfully until lunch break.
That's when it began.
I had just opened my lunchbox under a tree in the courtyard when a group of boys walked up. They were older—probably fourteen or fifteen—clearly confident in their size and numbers.
The tallest one smirked. "Hey, new kid. You're the 'special' one everyone's talking about, huh? The rich boy who can't even walk straight?"
I looked up calmly. "I can walk fine."
He kicked the stick that was lying nearby—purely decorative now. "Yeah? Let's see you prove it."
A smaller boy laughed. "Probably got into this school because of his fancy parents."
Their words stirred something inside me—the ghost of the orphan I once was. I remembered the pain, the hopelessness, and the same mocking voices from years ago. But I wasn't that weak boy anymore.
Still, I didn't fight back. Not yet.
Before I could respond, one of them shoved my shoulder, and my lunchbox fell to the ground. Food splattered across the grass.
"Oops," the bully sneered. "Guess even rich kids drop things."
I stared at the mess silently, feeling my patience stretch thinner by the second. My fingers twitched. The urge to show them who they were dealing with burned deep in my chest.
Then a familiar, fierce voice rang through the courtyard.
"Step. Away. From. Him."
The sound made the bullies freeze.
Standing at the edge of the courtyard were my five sisters, each one radiating a different kind of power.
Aria's steady glare could have frozen fire. Seren's cold blue eyes swept across the group like a knife's edge. Luna, with arms folded and a smirk playing on her lips, looked downright dangerous. Clara stood quietly, but her gaze burned hotter than the sun. Eve simply looked at them once—and that was enough to make their knees tremble.
The leader tried to speak. "W-We were just—"
"Just what?" Luna interrupted, stepping closer until her shadow covered him. "Picking on our brother?"
Aria's voice dropped low. "Didn't my mother teach you punks manners?"
The tallest boy gulped, backing away. "We didn't mean—"
Seren cut him off coldly. "Leave. Now. Before I forget, we're on school property."
That was enough. They tripped over themselves trying to escape. Within seconds, the courtyard was empty—except for my sisters.
Luna knelt to help me pick up the fallen food. "You're way too patient, baby brother. If it were me, they'd be crying already."
I gave a small laugh. "You didn't have to scare them so much."
Eve crossed her arms. "They deserved worse."
Aria sighed and placed a gentle hand on my head. "You handled it well, Bruce. Real strength isn't always about hitting back."
Her words echoed deeply in me. I thought of my past life—the constant battles, the endless cycles of revenge and control. Maybe she was right. Maybe in this life, I needed to learn another kind of strength.
After school ended, we walked home together. For anyone watching, we probably looked like a small army—five dazzling young women escorting one boy through the city streets.
At one point, Luna draped her arm around my shoulder and laughed. "You know, we should form a band of our own. The Valen Six. Sounds epic, right?"
"A band?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah," she said with a grin. "Not like a music band. More like a promise. Wherever one of us goes, the others follow."
Clara smiled softly. "That's actually sweet."
Seren nodded once. "I like it."
Eve tilted her head. "A band that breaks anyone who hurts him?"
Luna winked. "Exactly."
Aria shook her head but smiled. "Fine. As long as we don't make an actual logo and scare everyone in school."
We all laughed together under the fading sunlight, and for the first time since coming into this world, I felt completely at ease.
That night, as I lay in bed, their words echoed in my mind—The Valen Six.
Once, I commanded a brotherhood of killers and businessmen who followed me out of fear. Now, I belonged to a family bound by love and trust.
I closed my eyes, smiling softly.
If anyone ever tried to harm us again, they wouldn't just face me.
They would face all of us.
And under the moonlight that filtered through my window, I made a quiet vow:
This time, I would protect my band—not with crowns, nor gold, nor fear,
But with everything I had in two lives.