Morning light poured softly through the curtains, painting golden streaks across the quiet room. Dust motes drifted lazily in the air, and the world outside was calm — too calm for someone who once ruled the heavens.
Kelvin Reinhart opened his eyes.
"…Fifteen years," he murmured, his voice barely louder than a breath. "It's been fifteen years since I became… human."
He sat up, the bedsheet sliding off his shoulders. His hair — black as the void between stars — fell messily around his face, catching a faint glint from the light. Those crimson eyes, once feared by gods, now reflected nothing but quiet thought.
After defeating them all… after ending that endless war… I thought I'd vanish into oblivion. Yet here I am, breathing, eating, living like any mortal.The gods are gone, and my strength… sealed. I can't even feel a trace of divine essence anymore.
He flexed his fingers — no aura, no tremor in space, nothing but the fragile pulse of a human heartbeat. For a moment, the emptiness felt heavier than any blade he'd ever carried.
Just as he was lost in thought, a gentle, melodic voice echoed from downstairs.
"Kelvin~! Are you awake, dear?"
He blinked, the corners of his lips twitching slightly.That voice… even gods would stop fighting if they heard it.
Before he could reply, the door opened — and sunlight followed her in.
"Good morning, my handsome boy!"
Maria Reinhart stood by the doorway, wearing a white robe embroidered with golden threads that shimmered faintly with healing magic. Her long, blonde hair fell like a river of light, and her eyes glowed softly — the unmistakable mark of a saint. The people called her the Holy Saint, the greatest healer of the continent.
But to Kelvin… she was simply Mother.
He couldn't help but smile faintly. "Yes, yes… I'm awake, Mother."
Maria giggled, walking over with her arms spread wide. Before Kelvin could dodge, she wrapped him in a warm embrace.
"Ah~ you've grown taller again. My little boy is becoming so handsome!"
"Mother," Kelvin sighed, though his tone was soft. "You do this every morning."
"And I'll keep doing it," she said cheerfully, ruffling his hair. "Now, hurry up and get ready. Your father and Lucy are waiting for you in the dining room."
"Understood," Kelvin said. "I'll be down in a minute."
Maria gave him one last squeeze before leaving the room, her gentle footsteps fading down the hall. The moment the door closed, Kelvin exhaled quietly.
The Holy Saint… my mother. A being whose presence could purify curses, who could heal entire cities if she wished. And yet, she smiles at me like I'm her entire world.Strange. I once crushed empires with a gesture, but this… this warmth feels heavier than any battlefield.
He stood, walked toward the mirror, and stared at his reflection.A pale face framed by black hair. Eyes that glowed a subtle crimson — eyes that, if he lost control, could make even archmages tremble.
"Red eyes… still the same," he whispered. "No matter how much I change, I'll never look ordinary."
He buttoned his shirt, straightened his collar, and took one last look at himself. The young man in the mirror was neither god nor demon — just a quiet boy trying to live among humans.
He smiled faintly. "Let's play mortal for another day."
The aroma of fresh bread and roasted meat greeted him as he entered the dining hall.The Reinhart home wasn't lavish, but every corner radiated warmth — wooden beams, family portraits, sunlight reflecting off the polished table.
At the head of the table sat Raon Reinhart, a man built like a fortress. His hair was deep brown, streaked with silver, and his sharp eyes glowed faintly blue — a sign of his immense mana. He was one of the few warriors on the continent to reach the 10-Star Rank, a living legend in his own right.
"Ah, there you are, Kelvin," Raon said with a hearty smile. "Don't just stand there — sit beside your sister. Breakfast's getting cold."
"Yes, Father." Kelvin nodded, taking the seat beside a small figure quietly eating her bread.
Lucy Reinhart.Eight years old, golden-haired like her mother but with eyes as blue as the morning sky. She didn't look up when Kelvin sat down. In fact, she never did.
"Good morning, Lucy," Kelvin greeted softly.
No response.
She just kept eating, eyes fixed on her plate.
Kelvin blinked once, twice. The silence stretched uncomfortably long.Raon laughed heartily. "Still shy, huh? Give her time, son. She'll open up soon."
"Yes… maybe," Kelvin murmured. But deep down, something tugged at him.
She's never spoken to me. Not once. It's as if she's afraid. But why?Have I… done something to her without realizing it?
Maria entered the room with a tray of fruit and juice. "Alright, everyone! Let's eat before it cools down."
Kelvin smiled faintly as he watched them. His mother's laughter, his father's booming voice, his sister's quiet presence — everything felt so peaceful.Too peaceful.
This world is kind… softer than the one I knew. But sometimes, it feels unreal. Like I'm living inside a dream I might wake from at any moment.
Raon raised his cup. "To family."
Maria chuckled. "To family."
Lucy hesitated, then slowly raised hers too. "To… family," she whispered.
Kelvin followed, clinking his glass gently. "To family."
The warmth of the moment wrapped around him like sunlight. But deep inside, in the part of his soul that once commanded divine armies, something stirred — a whisper beneath his calm exterior.
Fifteen years of peace… but how long can a god pretend to be human?
As they ate, Kelvin's gaze drifted to the open window. Far beyond the mountains, a strange light shimmered faintly in the distant sky — a distortion only he could sense.
It pulsed once. Twice.
And in that brief instant, a faint echo reached his mind.A voice, ancient and broken, calling from beyond time.
"...Kelv… in…"
He froze, the fork in his hand trembling slightly.
"Kelvin?" Maria's gentle voice snapped him back. "Are you alright, dear?"
He blinked, forcing a smile. "Ah… yes. Just lost in thought."
Raon laughed. "Daydreaming again? Maybe you're thinking about that Academy entrance exam next week, eh?"
Kelvin nodded, hiding the flicker of unease in his crimson eyes.
The Arcane Blade Academy…Maybe that's where I'll start finding answers.
He didn't know it yet — but the echo he heard was not his imagination.Something had awakened, far beyond the mortal realm.And soon, the world would remember the name Kelvin Reinhart — the fallen god who once ended heaven itself.
Kelvin sat silently, slicing through a piece of warm bread while his father sipped tea and his mother chatted lightly about errands for the day. Lucy sat opposite him, her small fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.
It was such a simple scene — ordinary, human, beautiful in its own way.
And yet… Kelvin felt that faint pressure again. A sense that something beneath this peace was waiting to shift.
Raon Reinhart set his cup down with a deep exhale. His calm yet powerful presence seemed to fill the air itself. "Ah, that reminds me, Kelvin," he said, a rare seriousness in his tone.
Kelvin glanced up. "Something on your mind, Father?"
Raon smiled faintly, though there was weight behind his eyes. "Yes. Something important, actually."
Kelvin tilted his head slightly, reaching for his glass of water. "Important?"
"Yes," Raon said, folding his hands together. "I've been thinking… I want you to enroll in the Arcane Blade Academy."
The words hung in the air.
Kelvin froze halfway through a sip, water brushing his lips. For a split second, he almost laughed.
Arcane Blade Academy… huh. So Father thought of it first. I was planning to ask him myself after breakfast.
He lowered the glass slowly. "You want me to enter the Academy?"
Before Raon could reply, a sharp voice cut across the table.
"W–Wait! That's ridiculous!"
Everyone turned. Lucy had stood from her chair, her little hands clenched into fists. Her blue eyes burned with emotion — a mixture of confusion, anger, and something else Kelvin couldn't quite name.
"Lucy," Maria said softly, "what's wrong?"
Lucy bit her lip. "Why would he go to the Academy? He's… he's weak! He doesn't know any magic! Everyone will laugh at him!"
Her words struck Kelvin like a quiet blade. He blinked, but his calm expression didn't break. Inside, though, something deep and faintly cold stirred in his chest.
Raon frowned slightly. "Lucy."
But Lucy didn't stop. "He's always just reading those old books in the library! He doesn't train with the knights, he doesn't even practice mana control! Why would you send him to Arcane Blade Academy of all places?"
Maria's smile faded. The air in the room thickened.
"Lucy," she said softly, "are you saying you dislike your brother because he's weak?"
Lucy hesitated — her lips trembled, but then her emotions broke loose like a dam.
"Yes!" she cried. "I hate him! All my friends have older brothers who can use magic or fight monsters! But my brother just reads! He never wins tournaments, he never casts spells, he never does anything amazing!"
Her small voice cracked as tears welled in her eyes. "I… I don't want people laughing at me because my brother is useless!"
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Kelvin didn't move. He simply watched the tears roll down her cheeks — the pain, the childish frustration, and the misunderstanding that twisted her young heart.
So that's what it is… not hatred. Just disappointment. The pride of a child.
But still… it hurt.
Even after lifetimes of war and loneliness, even after enduring the silence of gods and the betrayal of angels, this simple sting — from a little sister's words — pierced him deeper than any divine blade.
Lucy's chair scraped against the floor as she turned and ran out of the dining room, sobbing. The sound of the door slamming echoed faintly down the hall.
Maria didn't move to stop her. Neither did Raon. Both parents watched the doorway in quiet understanding.
"She'll come back," Raon said softly. "Give her time."
Maria sighed, folding her hands over her lap. "She's young. She doesn't understand the weight of her words yet."
Then both of them turned to Kelvin.
He sat there silently, his hands resting loosely on the table. The glass of water in front of him trembled slightly, the surface rippling — not from any visible movement, but from a faint, hidden pulse of mana deep within him.
Raon's voice was calm. "Kelvin. I know that must've hurt."
Kelvin blinked once, slowly. Then he smiled — not a forced one, but faint and genuine, though his eyes carried a glint of something older than fifteen years.
"No," he said quietly. "It's fine."
Maria frowned. "It's not fine, dear."
"It is," Kelvin said, shaking his head. "She's right. I'm weak."
Raon started to speak, but Kelvin continued, his tone steady and soft.
"I can't use magic properly. I've never trained with swords. I'm nothing like the other children my age. But…"
He looked down at his hand — slender, human, fragile. Yet within it lay the faint whisper of something immeasurable.
"That's exactly why I need to get stronger."
Raon leaned back in his chair, a proud smile spreading across his face. "Well said, my son."
Kelvin lifted his gaze. His red eyes caught the light — glowing faintly, like embers beneath ash.
"I'll enter Arcane Blade Academy," he said firmly. "And I'll become someone Lucy can be proud of."
Maria's lips curved into a warm smile, tears shimmering faintly at the corners of her eyes. She stood and walked over to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"My sweet boy," she whispered. "You've truly grown."
Raon rose too, laughing softly. "Looks like our son's finally decided to chase his path."
And then, without warning, both of them pulled him into a hug.
Kelvin blinked, slightly startled. "Eh—?"
Maria chuckled. "It's alright, dear. Let us have this moment."
Raon's deep voice rumbled beside her. "You're our son, Kelvin. We'll support you, no matter what you choose."
Kelvin's arms hung awkwardly for a moment, but then… he slowly raised them, returning the embrace.
It was warm. Softer than he expected. And for the first time in years, he allowed himself to relax.
So this is what it means to be loved as a human.Maybe… reincarnation isn't such a curse after all.
Maria stepped back, brushing his hair lightly. "But promise me, Kelvin — no matter how strong you become, never lose your kindness. Power means nothing without heart."
He nodded. "I understand, Mother."
Raon grinned. "Good. Then tomorrow, I'll take you to the training yard. Time to wake up that body of yours."
Kelvin's mouth twitched slightly. "You sound excited about this."
Raon laughed. "Of course! It's every father's dream to see his son hold a blade with pride."
Maria rolled her eyes. "Just don't break him before he even starts his first class."
Raon raised his hands defensively. "I'll be gentle! Probably."
The family's laughter — genuine, soft, real — filled the dining room again. The earlier tension seemed to melt away, replaced by something warm and bright.
Kelvin glanced toward the door Lucy had run through. He could still hear faint sniffles from the corridor.
She's still nearby. She didn't go far.That's good… maybe I'll talk to her later.
He stood quietly and moved to the window. Beyond the Reinhart estate stretched rolling hills, forests, and the faint outline of the distant city of Ardent.And far, far beyond that — rising into the sky like a glittering monument — was the massive structure that dominated the horizon.
The Arcane Blade Academy.
Its spires shone faintly with magic, shimmering like a second sun above the land. To most, it was a symbol of hope and progress — where heroes were born and legends forged.
To Kelvin… it felt like destiny.
Arcane Blade Academy… a place for the gifted, the ambitious, the strong.If this world has any clue about the power that once ruled it, I'll find it there.
Raon stepped beside him, following his gaze. "Beautiful, isn't it? That's where I met your mother, you know."
Maria smiled from behind them. "He was terrible at magic back then. Always blew things up."
Raon scratched the back of his head, laughing. "Hey, it worked out in the end, didn't it?"
Kelvin chuckled quietly. "Seems history might repeat itself."
Raon raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"I mean," Kelvin said with a faint smile, "a weak boy trying to survive in a world of magic. Sounds familiar."
Raon grinned. "Then I expect great things from you, son."
Kelvin nodded slowly, his expression softening. "I'll do my best."
For Lucy. For this family. And for the world that took me in.But above all… to remember who I once was.
As he turned away from the window, a strange shimmer flickered faintly in his crimson eyes — a glint of the divine power sleeping deep within his mortal shell.
The gods may have fallen, but the echo of one still lived.And soon, that echo would rise again.
That evening, as the sun dipped below the hills, Kelvin sat by his window, the quiet hum of night settling over the land.He held a small book in his hand — the same one he read every day. But this time, he wasn't just reading.
He was remembering.
War. Light. Blood. Silence.
Flashes of an ancient battlefield danced behind his eyes — gods crying out, the heavens burning, and a single figure standing alone amidst the ruin. Himself.
It's been fifteen years… I've lived quietly long enough.If the Academy is my first step back into strength… then I'll take it without hesitation.
He closed the book gently, looking out at the stars.
"I'll become stronger," he whispered. "Not for the gods. Not for vengeance."
His eyes glowed softly, crimson under the moonlight.
"I'll become strong… for her."
He wasn't sure if he meant Lucy, Maria, or someone long forgotten. Maybe all of them.But the determination in his voice carried through the night, reaching the unseen heavens.
And somewhere, beyond the veil of this peaceful world…something ancient stirred.