The chill of dawn clung to Aeren's clothes as he returned from the Ghost Manor, slipping quietly through the gates of House Verdan. His expression was calm, his pace unhurried — just another early morning to anyone watching.
He followed his usual routine, heading toward Lady Isolde's chambers. Outside her door, he noticed Liora already waiting. Earlier than usual.
She glanced at him when he arrived and gave the small, polite nod she always did — the same quiet acknowledgment, no more, no less.
Moments later, the door opened. Lady Isolde appeared with a bright smile, the kind that seemed to light the corridor.
"Good morning," Aeren greeted, offering a small bow. Then, noticing the extra cheer in her expression, he asked,
"You seem happier than usual today, my lady. May I ask why?"
Isolde's smile widened. "Next week is my birthday. Today, after breakfast, we'll be going shopping — all of us."
"I see." Aeren met her gaze evenly. "If there's anything you need assistance with, my lady, just let me know. I'll gladly accept any work you have."
Beside him, Liora's lips twitched as if in agreement, though her voice came out awkward when she echoed, "Same here."
Isolde laughed softly. "I appreciate both of you."
With that, she turned toward the training grounds, and they followed. The morning passed as it usually did — drills, sparring, and endurance runs until the eleventh bell.
Later, Aeren and Liora waited outside the main gate, the early sun casting long shadows across the road.
A few seconds later, Isolde joined them. She gave a short nod but didn't move forward.
"Are we not going, my lady?" Aeren asked.
"Someone's coming," she replied.
He didn't press for details. Minutes passed before two figures appeared down the road — a boy and a girl walking side by side.
Aeren's gaze lingered on the girl, studying her posture, her watchful eyes. He was still observing when Isolde's voice suddenly rang out, bright and loud.
She raised her hand high, waving. "Hey, Renn! Over here!"
Aeren turned his gaze toward the boy whose name Isolde had called — Renn — and promptly dismissed him. His eyes shifted instead to the girl beside him.
He knew her.
Lira.
The same Lira who had vanished from the slums without a word, leaving him without even a goodbye.
While Renn spoke with Isolde, his tone light and confident —
"You look prettier than before," he told her. Then, glancing at Liora, added, "And you look good in your maid's outfit as well."
Both girls flushed at his words, their lips parting to thank him. But before they could, another voice cut in.
"Lira," Aeren said, his tone calm yet edged with something unspoken. "It's been a while."
The sound of his voice froze her. Then, without a word, she stepped behind Renn, hiding as if his presence itself was a threat.
The shift in the air was immediate. Everyone noticed. The brief, awkward silence was broken only by the crunch of gravel as Aeren took a step forward, intending to greet her properly.
He didn't get the chance.
A sudden blow struck his face, and he hit the ground hard.
Blinking against the sting, Aeren's gaze swept his surroundings. First, Isolde — her expression tight with disgust. Then Liora, her eyes carrying the same but sharper. The boy who had hit him — Renn — looked angry, his stance protective. And finally… Lira. She wasn't angry. She was afraid.
Aeren rose without complaint, brushing himself off. "My apologies, Lira," he said simply, before stepping back into his usual composed silence.
Renn glanced between them, unsettled by the scene. "Why are you scared?" he asked Lira.
"It's nothing," she replied quickly. "I… didn't sense him. His voice startled me."
But Renn kept looking at Aeren. There was something about him that didn't add up.
"You know him?" he asked again.
"…Yeah," Lira answered, her voice awkward. "Back in the slums… he helped me. He gave me and the others food. Every day."
Renn was silent for a moment, her words sinking in.
He had misjudged the man completely. Guilt prickled at the back of his mind as he looked at Aeren again.
Finally, he stepped forward. "I'm sorry," Renn said quietly.
Aeren met his eyes briefly — and said nothing.
Aeren stared at Renn. He neither accepted the apology nor rejected it — simply looked at him, expression unreadable.
Sensing the awkward air settling between them, Isolde clapped her hands lightly and said with forced brightness, "It's all just a misunderstanding." Her gaze lingered on Aeren as if prompting agreement.
Aeren met her eyes. "Yes. A misunderstanding."
Renn's guilt still clung to him. He knew time couldn't be reversed, but the thought of striking someone without reason left an uncomfortable weight in his chest.
His attention drifted to Lira. In this world, no one could sense mana without an artifact — except the strong, who could feel it through instinct. But Lira… she was different. She could sense anyone's mana, judge their nature — even tell whether they leaned toward good or evil.
And if she ever reached her potential, she could manipulate another's mana entirely. She wasn't at that level yet, but someday she might become someone the world feared.
Renn sighed inwardly. He had no desire to stand against her. He wanted her on his side — always.
A hand rested on his shoulder. Isolde's voice pulled him back. "What are you thinking about so deeply?"
Meanwhile, Lira's eyes swept over the group, reading the faint glows of their mana. All of them shone brightly — not as bright as Renn, but still visible to her.
All except Aeren.
She couldn't sense him at all. No presence, no glow. It was as if he wasn't even there. The emptiness unsettled her so much she wanted to run. But she stayed — because she trusted Renn.
"Let's go to the shopping district!" Isolde announced suddenly, her voice cutting through the tension.
Everyone looked her way. With a smile, she took Renn by the arm, and the group set off toward the market