I sighed and shook my head. "Sentimental? You know your brother better than that. I'm cold. Heartless. A true master of emotional suppression. How could I ever be sentimental?"
Lior chuckled, then nodded along mock-seriously. "Yeah, absolutely. My brother—so cool, so dark and mysterious. Always nonchalant. Like a brooding anti-hero from one of those trashy romance novels."
His lips twitched. He was trying so hard not to burst out laughing.
In response, I raised my right arm and clenched it into a fist.
Immediately, fiery red tetrahedral patterns flared around it—elemental shapes glowing with heat and threat.
Lior froze, eyes widening. He quickly raised both hands in surrender. "I'm sorry! Okay? Sorry! No need to roast me over something so trivial. Damn."
Then he paused. A mischievous glint sparked in his eyes. He curled his right hand into a fist and smacked it into the open palm of his left hand.
With a triumphant "Aha!" expression, he pointed at me. "I get it now. I know what you're doing."
I raised a brow, amused. "Oh really? Then by all means, share your enlightenment with me, dearest brother."
He nodded eagerly, then grinned. "You're trying to get into character. The brooding, intimidating, no-nonsense professor. That's why you're being all sulky and gloomy. Honestly, you're nailing the role."
Silence.
The air thickened with awkwardness. So much so that Puffy had to step in and woof to cut the tension.
I decided it was best to leave Lior in his delusions and simply walked ahead.
Behind me, I heard him sigh in relief and wipe the imaginary sweat from his brow before following me.
We made our way through the corridor, open windows casting slanted morning light along the marbled path. Puffy padded alongside us, tail wagging, his claws tapping rhythmically on the floor.
Eventually, we arrived at the dining hall.
A large twelve-seater table dominated the space. At its head sat a familiar couple—my parents.
My father, Baron Phile Ashcroft, sat tall in the main chair, his features sharp, with jet-black hair and calm brown eyes. Beside him sat my mother, Marceyln Ashcroft, poised and elegant, with matching black hair and deep, unreadable black eyes.
When they saw us enter, smiles quietly bloomed on both their faces.
I took my usual seat—at the far end of the table, away from them. Lior slid into the chair beside me without a word.
Puffy made a beeline to his corner. One of the servants arrived promptly, placing his favorite bowl in front of him with practiced precision.
Only after my father gave a nod did the servants begin serving the meal.
For the first few minutes, no one said anything.
Just like always.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner every mealtime had passed in this kind of silence over the years. A quiet routine we all followed without question.
But this time, something gnawed at me.
A heavy weight. A dawning realization.
I had neglected them.
From the moment I arrived in this world, these two had done everything in their power to give me a peaceful life. To make me feel safe and fulfilled.
And yet… I had never reciprocated.
Especially not to her.
My mother—
Marceyln had tried to be close to me, truly. But I had pushed her away. Since the age of four, I hadn't let her touch me—not even once.
She didn't understand why. How could she?
She didn't know about my past life.
She didn't deserve the coldness I gave her.
She didn't deserve to suffer for a trauma that didn't even belong to her.
I might have… no, I must have caused her a lot of pain.
And now, with the likelihood of being away for years, who knew how long, really. I didn't want to leave things as they were.
This time, I wanted our parting to be different. Healthy, cheerful and maybe joyous, even.
My eyes flicked around the room, searching, desperately, for something to break the silence. Something to open the door I had kept shut for far too long.
Then my gaze landed on it.
A silver-gold necklace nestled gently against my mother's neck.
I remembered that necklace.
I'd given it to her just a few days ago, right after I received my first advance payment. It wasn't extravagant, but it was expensive enough that it cost me nearly everything I had.
I had feared the worst that she might throw it away. Say she didn't want anything that came from me, she had every right to do so. That she still resented me too much to accept something so personal.
But she didn't. She wore it.
And there it was. Around her neck.
A subtle smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
She liked it. She didn't reject it.
And it looked good on her, too.
I took a bite of shrimp, chewing slowly. Then, after clearing my throat with a soft cough, I finally spoke.
"Mom… that necklace," I said, voice more hesitant than I expected. "It looks really good on you. It suits you."
She blinked, taken off guard, and nearly choked on her food. But she quickly composed herself, dabbing her lips with a napkin before smiling softly.
Her fingers brushed the necklace lightly, letting it catch the morning light.
"Yes," she said, her voice warm. "It's very beautiful. Thank you for the gift, Riven. You really didn't have to… your mother doesn't need such expensive things."
Of course she liked it.
She was just being modest. The way she touched it, the light in her eyes, the subtle pride in her smile—it all contradicted her words.
Maybe it wasn't just the necklace that made her happy. Maybe it was the fact that I had given it to her. That I had thought of her. That, for once, I had acknowledged her.
Especially since I hadn't bought anything for Father or Lior.
I'd planned to, but the money hadn't allowed it. The academy's advance was only thirty percent of my monthly salary.
This necklace had cost me everything. But it was worth it.
I twirled my fork absentmindedly on the silver plate, struggling to meet her gaze. But I forced myself to look her in the eye. To speak with honesty.
With a quiet smile, I said, "It's just… a small token of appreciation. From me to you. I know I've treated you terribly all these years. Whatever reasons I give won't change that. I can't ask for your forgiveness… I probably don't deserve it."
My voice softened.
"And yet… I still want to ask."
A thin sheen of tears welled in my eyes, but I held them back.
"Please… forgive me. Let's try again. Let's live like a normal family. Like a mother and son should."
Her hands trembled as she brought them to her face. Her eyes glistened, she didn't stop the tears.
Father quietly handed her a handkerchief. She accepted it and let out a shaky breath… then began to cry in earnest, the quiet, pent-up sobs of a mother who had waited far too long to hear her son's voice.
I turned my head toward Lior, curious about his reaction.
He wasn't smiling.
But there was something else in his expression… something deeper. Pride.
Like a long-awaited moment had finally arrived.
'Was that it? Is that what he meant earlier when he asked if I was being sentimental?'
If so, then…
My little brother had grown up more than I realized.
And as the elder brother, I couldn't help but feel a quiet pride of my own.
…
After breakfast, it was time.
I stood at the entrance of our home, our manor, with my suitcase in one hand, fully dressed in my formal black outfit. My father, Lior, and my mother stood beside me.
It was time to say goodbye.
Mother kept her distance. Her smile was polite, but her body language was uncertain, restrained. She was trying not to make it harder for me.
That restraint… it pained me.
But it was my fault.
I let go of my suitcase and stepped toward her. She looked startled. Her eyes widened as she instinctively took a step back.
I sighed inwardly, then… I hugged her.
For the first time in eighteen years.
Her soft floral scent enveloped me. Her warmth, gentle and unfamiliar, caught me off guard. It wasn't a memory. I had no recollection of this embrace—because I had never allowed it before.
From the corner of my eye, I saw my father discreetly brush his eyes.
I raised my right arm and gestured toward him. "Come here."
He smiled and stepped into the hug.
And then, predictably, Lior barreled in without waiting for an invitation.
"Hey! Not fair! You have a younger son too, you know! I'll be gone next year, at least act like you'll miss me too!"
We all laughed.
For several long minutes, we just stayed like that—together, as a family.
When we finally stepped apart, my mother wiped her eyes and said softly, "Riven, don't ever think I resented you. I never once held it against you. From the day you began to distance yourself… I was scared, confused, heartbroken. But none of that was directed at you. I blamed myself. I thought it was my own incompetence."
I gently shook my head. "It was never your fault. I… can't tell you the reason. Just yet. But someday I will. So, please wait for me… I swear one day, I will reveal everything."
Father placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Judging from your face, it's something serious. If you're not ready, we won't force you. But when the time comes… we'll be here to listen."
I nodded.
A burden I had carried for so long felt lighter. It wasn't gone but it was no longer crushing me.
With a breath of relief, I picked up my suitcase and turned toward the car parked nearby a silver-finish sedan waiting patiently in the morning sun.
Lior was already standing beside it.
'When did he sneak over there? Sneaky bastard!'
I opened the front door, set my suitcase inside, and was about to close it when Lior called out, "Your daily necessities, casual clothes, and your favorite books, they're all packed in the trunk. If I forgot anything, just write me a letter."
I blinked, then with a heavy sigh looked him in the eye. "Lior… take care of Mom and Dad, will you? They might not show it, but even if I was a scum of a son… they still care. They cried when I went off to the academy. And now I'm going for work, I'll barely be able to contact them. You'll be leaving next year too. So please… spend time with them while you can."
He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Yeah, yeah. Mr. Responsible. I was the one holding the family together all this time—wink!"
I raised my right hand again, curling it into a fist as fiery red tetrahedron shapes formed around it.
He instantly lifted his hands in mock surrender. "Alright! Chill, flame god!"
Then he smiled, his voice growing gentler.
"You might think you were a bad son. But Mom and Dad never saw you that way. You've always been… exceptional. Maybe not because of talent but because of how hard you worked. They never blamed you. They blamed themselves because they thought they weren't interesting enough for you."
He looked up at the sky with a soft, wry chuckle. "Ignore my rambling. Just go enjoy your new life."
Then, with a smirk, he added, "Oh, and by the way! I better get a sister-in-law soon. I need a partner in crime to annoy you."
I laughed under my breath. "Yeah, no. That's not happening. I'm very skeptical about love. I doubt I'll ever find someone I'd fall for."
He gave me a smug grin. "Sure, sure. That's what all my friends used to say. Every single one of them has a girlfriend now. Tsk!"
He clicked his tongue dramatically.
I smiled, shook my head, and didn't bother arguing. I opened the door, slid into the driver's seat, and turned the key.
The engine rumbled to life.
It was time to return back to the academy.
Not as a student.
But as a professor.