POV: Kael Lanpar
My gaze was fixed entirely on my grandfather's face. He was calmly chewing a piece of steak held on his fork, showing not a trace of remorse for what had happened.
His eyes carried a serenity that confused me. The metallic clatter of cutlery from the others at the table echoed in my ears as I brought a trembling hand to my face.
Slowly, I touched the bandage wrapped around my head. The faint contact was enough to bring back, with a mix of fear and sorrow, the moment I had lost control.
"Kael, your food's getting cold," my grandfather said, still chewing. "You need to eat to recover."
Even though my stomach growled in protest, I pushed the plate away and forced myself to stand.
"Honestly… I'm not hungry," I muttered, scratching my head. "I'll go to my room and sleep."
As I turned to leave, all I heard was his weary sigh. He said nothing. He simply let me go.
"What's wrong with him?" I barely heard Airis ask as I walked away.
Outside the dining hall, I leaned against the quartz wall of the corridor and slowly slid down until I was sitting on the floor.
The weight of worry gnawed at me from within. All I could think about was the danger I had become.
Two weeks had passed since that day. My physical wounds had healed, but the memory of almost killing my sister—and my own grandfather—without a single trace of emotion, hurt far worse than any scar.
I tilted my head back, resting it against the wall, and stared blankly at the crystal lamp hanging from the ceiling.
Its many fragments reflected my face… until, between glimmers, I saw my grandfather's as well.
"Mind if I sit with you?" he asked, his tone firm yet gentle.
I didn't answer. I just lowered my head, silently letting him know I didn't mind. I was so lost in thought that I barely noticed when he arrived.
"It's hard living with a curse," he said without preamble.
He sat down beside me with some effort, resting his hands on the floor until his shoulder touched mine.
I could hear his slow, steady breathing— the only sound in that quiet corridor.
"I regret so many things, Kael…" he whispered, pausing before continuing. "I've made so many mistakes in my life that I no longer know who I really am."
I turned my head slightly. In his tired eyes shone something that had long been extinguished.
For some reason, I saw myself reflected in him. His words reminded me of my previous life… of the mistakes that had turned me into someone else.
"I hate this," I said, resting my head on his shoulder. "I'm scared that I won't be able to do anything."
He rested his head gently over mine, then raised his hands, forming a circle with his fingers.
"Of everything I've done, what I regret most… is growing distant from your mother," he said, his voice barely holding together.
A faint light glowed in his palm. In the dense air, that crystal glow took shape— a small figure appeared, floating before us.
He held it tenderly and brought it closer to the circle he had traced.
"Your mother probably never told you this," he continued, lifting his gaze to meet mine. "I know there are things better left forgotten… but some memories become inescapable reflections."
His words planted in me a seed of doubt and confusion. I couldn't look away from his eyes; within them lingered an ancient sadness, the weariness of someone who had lost everything.
"You're not the first person to experience a corrupted awakening," he said, his voice trembling.
He swallowed hard, his hands shaking. I had never seen him like that before.
"Before you became the first case in our family…" he began, but his voice broke. The rest of his words dissolved into silent tears.
"There was another one before," he said between sobs. "That one… was your grandmother."
Through his words, I could feel the images taking shape. Every pause, every detail, carried his pain with a rawness that crushed my chest.
My mind refused to accept what I was hearing, yet his tears didn't lie. I was forced to face a truth I never imagined my family carried—a sin that even I might not have been able to endure.
"To see your mother, even at her purest age, holding the dagger she used to end her own mother's life… it was something I couldn't bear." His voice swept over me like a cold wind.
I had lived through countless horrors in my previous life—unspeakable things. The mere act of remembering them made me uneasy, as if they still lingered inside me, refusing to fade away.
I took a slow breath, gathering the little strength I had left to ask the question that haunted me.
"She… lost control, didn't she?" I stammered, my voice trembling.
The silence that followed was enough to confirm it. His face said everything.
For an instant, I saw myself in my mother's place—at that decisive moment that would forever change her life. Reality seemed to fracture between past and present, as if trying to show me that what happened wasn't just an outburst.
In that vision, I saw the power of the corrupted awakening completely consume my grandmother's body and soul.
I understood why my mother, even as the middle sister, had made the final decision—to save the others.
"She saved them," I murmured without thinking.
Back in the present, I watched my grandfather slowly rise to his feet. He wiped his tears away with trembling hands.
"I regret not being able to look her in the eyes after that," he said, his voice steadier now. "I abandoned her right when she needed me most."
I sighed and followed his lead, standing up. My hand tightened around my bandaged arm, trying to stop the trembling.
For a few moments, we simply looked at each other in silence. In our eyes there was a shared pain—quiet, but completely understood.
My grandfather ruffled my hair with a forced smile, one that barely held together.
"I don't want the same thing to happen again," he said, withdrawing his hand. "I won't lose another person I love."
Then, with a sigh that sounded more like surrender than relief, he added,
"Well… that's all in the past now. Go, enjoy the day. We'll continue your training tomorrow."
Without another word, he left. I watched him walk away until he vanished behind the door to his office.
A metallic click told me he had locked it. Moments later, I could hear his muffled crying on the other side.
I turned away, walking through my own doubts along the red carpeted hallway.
And then I understood. I finally grasped my mother's attitude—why she had begged my father to start my training when I was barely four years old. She didn't want her world to taint mine.
When I stepped through the main doors, the day welcomed me with its warmth. The air—scorching and fresh all at once—reminded me that I wasn't living in the past, but in a present that seemed… better.
People walked peacefully, enjoying the sunlight and the serene air, as if peace were something real. A peace that, even if false, was still worth admiring.
The songs of the crystal birds filled the air, weaving a harmony that felt almost like something out of a fairytale.
Here, we all lived in ignorance, never understanding the weight our ancestors carried. All their suffering had become the source of the happiness we now enjoyed.
"Good morning," I greeted an old man who passed by.
"Good morning, young prince," he replied with a kind smile.
I made my way through the bustling crowd at the center of the plaza, listening to the shouts of the merchants and catching, just inches away, the fresh scent of fruit from their stands.
"Good morning, young man! Looking for something today?" a vendor called out. "Special prices! Don't miss your chance!"
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a few Bronze Yenis. Without hesitation, I bought a fruit whose name sounded as exotic as its color—the Crimson Dragon Fruit.
"Thank you for your purchase, young prince," the man said kindly. "Have a wonderful day."
"Likewise," I replied, taking another bite of the fruit.
I walked for a while through the clan grounds—watching, comparing, remembering. I couldn't help it. Almost everything reminded me of my past. My grandfather's words still echoed in my mind, whispering that I should make the most of what I had.
I rested my hands on a rough stone and sat down, letting my gaze drift toward the horizon. It was still daylight, and aside from the birds and a few wandering animals, I was completely alone.
I was looking at the echo of a home I had lost… and in another world, had found again—at the cost of losing everything in the previous one.
"Damn freak! Why don't you just get lost already?!" shouted a boy in the distance, catching my attention.
"Looks like there's a fight," I murmured, glancing toward the forest behind me. "Three kids… and it seems they're bothering someone I know."
I'm not one to get involved in trouble, especially during my moments of reflection, but…
I narrowed my eyes to get a better look.
The wind played with a bright red mane, and I didn't need to see more—it was Airis. And she was furious.
I crouched down, picked up a few small stones from the ground, and slipped them into my pocket.
"I told you to get lost, damn—Ow!" one of the boys yelled, clutching his cheek.
"If you don't want another one, you'd better back off," I warned as I slid down the hill, landing beside Airis.
"I didn't need your help," she grumbled, clearly annoyed. "I could've handled them myself. They're weak."
"I don't doubt it," I replied with sarcasm. "But who said fighting is the best way to solve your problems?"
It was annoying to get caught up in a childish fight that had nothing to do with me. But even if I didn't consider myself a hero—not by a long shot—I couldn't let Airis accidentally kill them.
Now that I think about it… I could —No. What the hell am I thinking? Using them as training subjects would be a terrible idea.Although… if things got out of hand, I'd just immobilize them.
"And who are you supposed to be?" one of them asked, defiant. "Don't you know kids like you who try to play the hero always end up badly?"
He was the oldest—maybe a year or two older than me. Judging by his aura and the magical particles around him, he could probably already manipulate an element.
He didn't intimidate me, but he was a risk. One that could make Airis lose control.
Without answering, I stepped toward them, letting my astral magic manifest on its own.
I couldn't control it, so I had to trust it would act on instinct. I walked slowly, carefully, locking eyes with them… with the lethal calm of a predator. Just like my grandfather did.
"Hahaha… you really think you scare us? You think you can—" The boy froze. "W-what… what's happening? I can't move! My feet!"
Mud. Well, that's what had appeared—the perfect blend of water and earth. A simple trap, but an effective one.
"What branch are you from?" I asked, more out of curiosity than interest. "You know that kind of behavior isn't well regarded within the clan."
"W-we're from the second branch," one of them answered—the one his friend had called Fermin.
"Don't tell him anything, Fermin! Are you stupid? He can use that to accuse us!" shouted the other, drenched in sweat.
To be honest, I had no intention of accusing them. I didn't even care that much. Especially now that the cowardly friend had already abandoned them.
I was so focused on the two of them that I didn't notice one had escaped… and Airis had gone after him.
I looked around, trying to trace the mana particles. Nothing. I sighed, resigned.
"And what's your name?" Fermin asked curiously.
"My name's Kael Lanpar," I replied, undoing the spell. "Nice to meet you both."
"Wait… you're the prince? Aren't you supposed to be in Luzarion?" the other stammered, clearly nervous. "I-I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I'm Hojel, from the Third Astral Branch."
I couldn't help but smile. First a small grin, then wider… until a laugh burst out of me uncontrollably.
"Listen—don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Just go home, and don't bother anyone again," I said, wiping the tears from my laughter.
Both of them nodded quickly. I turned around to start walking, looking for Airis along the way, but she was nowhere to be found… until I heard her screams.
I had learned not to trust anything or anyone in this world. I couldn't lower my guard. Even the safest places could turn into the center of chaos.
I felt a presence approaching the source of the scream—fast. It wasn't someone I knew, and judging by the flow of mana… their intentions were anything but good.
When I finally reached the origin of the sound, my steps froze completely.
In front of me stood three familiar figures. People who had been part of my life… people I thought I wouldn't see again for a very long time.
"Dad…? Mom?" I whispered. They heard me. "What are you doing here…? Mai, tell me this isn't a dream."
My sister shook her head.
I ran toward them, but stopped abruptly just before reaching them.
In my mother's arms was a small child—a baby—sleeping soundly, wrapped in soft white towels.
"Mom… who is she?" I asked, confused, caught in a storm of emotions.
"Son, come here," my father said before hugging me tightly. "You have no idea how much I missed you. It hurts so much not having been there for you… forgive me."
I returned his embrace, though I couldn't take my eyes off the baby.
"Is that… my sister?" I said with difficulty. "I have a new sister… and I didn't even know?"
My mother confirmed my suspicion with a gentle smile, bringing me closer to the baby with care. She was so small… so fragile…
"Her name is Alice," she said softly. "Your little sister. That's one of the reasons we hadn't come to visit you. Aside from the war… there was a little unforeseen event."
As I looked at her face, a memory took hold of me. A similar moment, in another life.
Me, as a child, seeing my sister for the first time. My mother playing with her, introducing her to me between laughs, saying her name was Alice, too.
I don't know if it was a coincidence, but just by looking at her, a deep pain pierced through my chest.
I had promised my sister, in my previous life, that I would protect her no matter what. That time… I ended up seeing her inside a coffin.
"Hey there, little one," I whispered, gently stroking her tiny head. "I'm your big brother, Kael."
I hadn't realized the screams came from the mansion's garden. Lost in my thoughts, I found myself standing there—before the most unexpected sight of all: my family, reunited once again.
The memories of how my mother had seemed more tired lately came back to me. I had never noticed she was pregnant.
It was strange, but understandable. Back then, I hardly paid attention to anything; the memories of my past life clouded everything I saw.
I turned to look at Airis, who was now making funny faces at the baby. I couldn't stop thinking about how bad things could have gone if they hadn't arrived. That presence I'd sensed… had vanished without a trace.
"What's wrong, little brother?" Mai asked, giving me a playful tap on the shoulder. "Still shocked by the news?"
"You already knew?" I asked, surprised.
"Of course!" she said with a teasing smile. "I already knew we had a new sister."
"What?! Why am I always the last one to know everything in this family?"
"Because you were the youngest… well, were," she said in a mocking tone. "But I think from now on, you'll be a bit more in the loop."
We shared a smile and walked together for a while, catching up on everything that had happened while we were apart.
That's when I saw my grandfather, lying under a tree. He watched us with sadness in his eyes, unable to approach.
A sharp ache ran through my chest.
Despite the fear that my corrupted awakening brings… I can't give up. Not now. I have another life to protect.