Father then instructed the butler, Hans, to lead us to our respective rooms.
Hans gave a respectful nod and guided us forward. We ascended the grand staircase, its beauty captivating even on a second glance. No matter how many times I looked, new details revealed themselves, intricate carvings, subtle designs which is easily missed at first sight.
Eventually, we reached our rooms. As I stepped inside mine, I took a brief moment to take it all in before letting out a quiet breath.
I slumped onto the bed, letting my body sink into its softness.
Soon after, Cecilia approached and began tending to me, gently massaging away the soreness from the long journey.
For the first time since arriving in the capital, I allowed myself to relax.
After being gently massaged by Cecilia, I decided to take some rest. Before long, my thoughts drifted and my mind wandered into a hazy, dreamlike world.
…
I walked through a fog-covered land.
Shapes formed and faded around me—trees, ancient ruins, and figures whose faces were hidden beneath the mist. Yet none of it felt unfamiliar. If anything it felt strangely comforting. I continued wandering, as if I belonged there, seemingly enjoying myself. Then a voice ranged through me.
A soft, beautiful female voice echoed from somewhere far away yet it felt close enough to reach me. It was calling out to me.
"Young Master… it's time for dinner."
The moment the words reached me, the fog thickened. The ground beneath my feet began to crumble, breaking apart as though being swallowed by an endless void. Everything around me started collapsing into nothingness.
And just like that I woke up.
I opened my eyes and found myself staring at Cecilia like a startled child pulled out of a dream.
She noticed immediately.
"Young Master, are you alright?" she asked hurriedly, stepping closer with concern evident in her voice.
For a moment, I remained silent, still shaken by the lingering fragments of the dream.
"…Just a strange nightmare," I said finally, calming her and myself.
Hearing that, Cecilia let out a small breath of relief. Her tense expression softened as she straightened herself, reassured that it was nothing more than a dream.
I glanced at Cecilia, still slightly dazed.
"What time is it…?" I asked. "You mentioned dinner…"
Cecilia gave a small, respectful bow before answering.
"It is already past seven, Young Master," she replied gently. "You had fallen asleep from exhaustion after the journey. I did not wish to disturb your slumber."
Her voice was calm, almost apologetic, as if she had been carefully watching over me the entire time.
Hearing that, I let out a quiet breath.
So I really was that tired…
All that information… and those strange phenomena must have taken a toll on this young body.
With that thought, Rio slowly rose from the bed. He washed his face, letting the cool water clear the remnants of sleep, before making his way toward the dining hall of the elegant mansion.
As he walked through the corridors, his eyes naturally wandered.
The intricate designs carved into the walls never failed to capture his attention. Even after seeing them multiple times, there was always something new, some subtle detail that revealed itself only upon closer inspection.
With his heightened senses, he could hear and perceive more than most.
Servants moved efficiently throughout the mansion, each carrying out their duties with practiced precision. Their coordination was seamless, as if they had been working together for years.
It intrigued him.
This level of discipline… it's almost like a well-trained unit.
Guided by Cecilia, Rio eventually arrived at the dining hall and took his place beside his family.
The atmosphere was calm. Occasional small talk echoed softly across the room. Mother's gentle laughter filled the air from time to time, blending with the faint clinking of cutlery. It was a quiet yet warm in its own way.
After dinner, Mother turned her attention toward me, her expression filled with gentle concern.
"Are you alright, dear?" she asked softly. "You seemed to have slept the entire day."
Her words drew my attention.
"Yes, Mother," I replied calmly. "It seems the exhaustion got the better of me."
Still concerned, Mother leaned slightly closer.
"If anything is troubling you, you can always come to us, alright?" she said gently. The warmth and worry in her voice were unmistakable.
"Of course, Mother," I replied with a soft smile.
It seemed to ease her mind, if only a little.
My gaze shifted toward Allen. He had already left for his room, likely worn out from the day's events.
Did he go out to play…?
The thought lingered quietly, but I didn't dwell on it. Instead, I followed Cecilia as she guided me back to my room.
Along the way, I paused near a window. Outside, a beautiful sight unfolded before me.
A vast garden stretched into the night, filled with flowers blooming in quiet elegance. Under the moonlight, they shimmered like scattered stars upon the earth. Fireflies danced gently among them, their soft glow weaving through the petals like living sparks.
It felt almost surreal. As if the night itself had came to the land.
For a few moments, I simply stood there, lost in the beauty of the scene.
Then realization struck. I had fallen behind. I quickly turned and hurried after Cecilia, who had stopped a short distance ahead. She waited patiently, a gentle smile resting on her face as if she had expected this all along.
After returning to my room, I slumped onto the bed, letting my body sink into its softness.
Cecilia quietly stepped closer and pulled the blanket over me, tucking it in with gentle care to keep me warm.
Despite lying down early, sleep refused to come as I have slept the whole day. My mind wouldn't rest, thoughts churned endlessly, refusing to settle.
With a quiet sigh, I opened my eyes.
I can't sleep like this…
After a moment of hesitation, I made a decision. I would take a stroll in the garden I had seen earlier.
I quietly pulled the blanket aside and slipped out of bed. Careful not to make a sound, I stepped into the hallway.
With my innate ability, Void Sense,my presence grew faint. My footsteps lightened, fading into near silence as if even the air itself forgot my presence
.
Before long, I reached the entrance to the garden. Though… not without getting lost a couple of times along the way. Still, I eventually found it.And when I did, I paused.
The entrance felt like a threshold, as if stepping through it would take me into an entirely different world.
Moonlight poured in from beyond, shimmering softly across the garden. Yet, strangely it stopped just short of where I stood.
As if the light itself refused to reach me.
As my stamina dropped to nearly half, I quietly deactivated Void Sense. The faint distortion around me dissolved, and my presence returned, slowly settling back into the world.
Hoping for a peaceful stroll, I stepped forward into the moonlit garden. The grass beneath my boots felt unexpectedly soft, as if it yielded gently with each step. Moonlight poured down from above, draping over me and casting an ethereal glow across my skin.
The bushes swayed lightly. Flowers bloomed in quiet elegance. The soft songs of night birds echoed through the still air. Everything felt almost surreal.
The fatigue from using my ability gradually faded, replaced by a quiet sense of wonder.
Drawn in by curiosity, I moved deeper into the garden, my eyes wandering across the countless varieties of flowers.
Some resembled those I knew from my previous world.
A flower akin to a rose shimmered with a deep crimson hue, its glow faintly coloring the air around it. Its beauty carried a subtle luster, as if touched by the shine of moon itself.
Nearby, a dandelion stood far larger than any I had ever seen—both from Earth and even from our own estate. Its soft, luminous seeds seemed to merge with the moonlight itself, reflecting a gentle radiance.
All around me, countless flowers bloomed, each displaying its own unique elegance. Together, they turned the garden into something almost dreamlike.
As the calm of the garden settled over me, my thoughts gradually began to quiet.
One by one, the scattered fragments in my mind faded, until only a single thought remained.
The dream I had seen earlier.
What was that dream about…? It was calm… until Cecilia called me.
He tried to recall more. But the moment the fog had thickened, everything after that became unclear. No matter how hard he searched his memory, nothing came.
It was as if a portion of the dream had been deliberately erased.
Yet, a faint feeling lingered. A quiet certain insight that something within that dream had been important.
It wasn't just intuition. It was that sharpened sense of awareness he had developed due to his innate ability in this new life, something that had guided him more than once during his childhood. And now,it was telling him the same thing.