"Brother? Are you awake again?"
Arthur turned toward the sound and saw a seventeen-year-old girl stepping into his room.
She was tall, about 1.63 meters. Her black hair was neatly tied into a ponytail, and her face was strikingly beautiful, framed by a pair of mesmerizing blue eyes.
She wore a simple black T-shirt and hot pants that barely covered her thighs, revealing long, graceful, white legs.
A smile appeared on Arthur's face as he greeted her softly, "Yes, I woke up again, Selena."
Her name was Selena Morgan. She was his younger sister and the only family he had in the world. If there was anyone truly important to him, it was her.
Selena smiled faintly and walked to his left side. "Was it that nightmare again?"
She set the groceries down on the nightstand.
Arthur gave a wry smile and nodded slowly. "Yes, you're right. The dream came back, and I'm too scared to sleep again."
Selena was quiet for a moment, then sighed softly. She leaned over and hugged Arthur affectionately.
"It's okay, brother. I know your trauma is heavy, but I'm sure you'll be able to move past it sooner or later."
Arthur felt the soft touch of her chest. He didn't react in any particular way; he simply enjoyed the embrace and gave a small nod.
"Thank you… and I'm sorry for troubling you every day."
Although monsters had destroyed the world a hundred years ago, humanity had managed to rise again. Education became crucial in shaping a young generation capable of protecting planet Earth.
At seventeen, Selena should have been enjoying her youth—having fun and excelling at school.
Unfortunately, because of him, she couldn't. Selena had to care for him every day, and as her older brother, Arthur felt deeply guilty.
"What are you talking about, brother?" Selena puffed out her cheeks in mild frustration. "I do this because I want to. You don't have to worry about burdening me. After all, you're my only sibling, and I can't afford to lose you."
She loosened her embrace and gently caressed Arthur's pale, handsome face.
Arthur felt his chest tighten, and the urge to cry welled up inside him. Yet he couldn't show her his weakness.
Quickly, he changed the subject. "By the way, what did you bring? Is it food from home?"
Selena smiled and nodded. "Yes, food from home. It's not freshly cooked—just leftovers from dinner. I was going to give it to you tomorrow morning, but somehow I had a feeling you'd wake up early. And I was right. I feel relieved."
Arthur couldn't help but smile. "Maybe it's our spiritual connection. Okay, please get the food ready. I'm pretty hungry."
Selena nodded and immediately set about preparing it. She hadn't just brought food—she also carried other supplies, like towels and fresh clothes. Since tomorrow was Monday, she had prepared everything Arthur would need for the week ahead.
Once everything was ready, Selena handed him a blue food box.
"Oh! Two pieces of fried chicken with curry sauce? You really know what I like! Thank you, dear sister!"
Arthur took a spoon and ate heartily. His sister's cooking was delicious, and he never tired of it.
Selena smiled at his enthusiastic expression, then pulled up a chair and sat beside him.
Her gaze drifted to the news on television, and her eyebrows slowly knitted together.
"Another attack, huh? They really never get tired of killing humans like us," she murmured softly.
Hearing this, Arthur immediately stopped eating. He looked at his sister's angry, sorrowful, and troubled expression, unable to hide his concern for her well-being.
"By the way, how's school? Is everything going well?"
His sister attended Eldrion Academy, one of the three most prestigious academies in the Elysium Dominion.
The Elysium Dominion itself was one of the four pillars of the world. After the destruction of former superpowers such as America, Russia, Japan, and South Korea, humanity reorganized into four major powers: the Elysium Dominion, the Chronos Eternity Federation, the Arcane Theocracy, and the Imperium of Celestial.
They lived in a city within the Elysium Dominion, and Eldrion Academy trained students who wished to awaken their powers and become Eclipses.
Of course, not everyone could awaken their powers. That was why the academy's education system was extremely rigorous.
Students spent two full years studying, covering both general knowledge and specialized subjects related to becoming an Eclipse.
Once they turned eighteen, students would enter a special area to awaken their powers. Those who succeeded would be placed in the Awakening class, while those who failed would remain in the regular class.
As it happened, Selena would turn eighteen in a month, and soon she would begin her awakening.
While her brother talked about school, Selena's expression briefly darkened. But the moment passed, and she quickly returned to her usual smile.
"Everything's fine, brother. I'm an outstanding student, and the scholarship that supports me is more than enough. In a month, I hope to awaken my powers and become an Eclipse. Only then will I be able to protect you," she said, raising her right arm as if to show off nonexistent muscles.
Arthur smiled. "I hope you can do it. Don't worry, I'll support you."
He rubbed her head affectionately. But behind his smile, he couldn't stop thinking about the shadow of gloom that had crossed her face earlier.
Arthur continued eating while chatting with her. After half an hour, Selena rose and tidied up the food box.
"Well then, I'll be going now, brother. At ten o'clock, I have to go to the academy to handle some important documents for my upcoming awakening," she said.
"All right, and thank you. I hope you succeed. I always pray for your safety and success."
Selena smiled sweetly. "Thank you, brother. See you later."
"See you later," Arthur replied.
Selena turned and left the room. Silence immediately filled the space, broken only by the reporter's voice on television, still covering the afternoon's attack.
The smile on Arthur's face disappeared. He clenched his right fist and slammed it against the nightstand beside the bed.
"Damn it!" he gritted through clenched teeth. "She's probably being harassed by that bastard again, and I… I'm such trash… a useless brother…"