At the breakfast table, Caius and Aunt Ellara enjoyed their morning meal.
Both carried the surname Astroweld, one of the noble houses of the empire, ranked at the level of Count.
Their family wasn't at the very top, but it wasn't weak either; it held moderate power and influence.
Five years ago, a horrifying tragedy had struck this house.
Caius' parents—the head of the household and his wife—had died here, in this very mansion, along with the servants and everyone present that night.
All were found dead under strange and gruesome circumstances:
disfigured bodies, severed limbs, eviscerated corpses…
Yet, there were no signs of a battle or resistance.
Caius, only thirteen at the time, was the first to witness the massacre with his own eyes.
He never forgot that scene.
Strangely, the head of the family had been strong, as had his wife and the guards.
Yet no evidence was ever found pointing to what had happened,
no witnesses,
and suspicion spread everywhere:
some claimed a high-ranked monster had committed the crime,
while others accused the family itself, suggesting an internal purge.
Investigations dragged on, targeting every suspect, most notably the younger brother of the family head—Caius' uncle—
who was known to resent his elder brother.
But all inquiries ended in vain,
and the imperial family officially closed the case.
However, Ellara refused to let her brother's and his wife's deaths fade into darkness.
Through persistent effort and careful investigation, she discovered that the imperial family knew more than they revealed.
Yet she also understood that probing further could end with her behind bars.
Perhaps she would have risked it…
if there hadn't been someone tethering her to this world.
If there hadn't been Caius.
After his parents' death, she took responsibility for his care.
She gave him everything,
loving him as if he were her only child, despite never having had one of her own.
She tried to take him to live with her after the tragedy,
but he firmly refused to leave the house—his home, filled with all his memories.
Though living in a mansion where such a catastrophe had occurred made her uneasy,
she found no other choice.
Caius had an unusual attachment to this place.
He could not move on or sever ties with the past.
Many times, she found him sitting in his parents' room,
the very room where he had seen their bodies hanging on the wall.
He would sit in silence,
with a distant gaze lost somewhere no one could reach,
and a faint smile…
the smile of someone drowning in memories, no matter how painful.
The first time Ellara saw him like that,
fear gripped her—
she feared his mind had quietly begun to collapse.
But gradually, she stayed patient and helped him regain himself.
She would sit with him for hours in silence,
holding him without words…
and slowly, but steadily, she helped him distance himself from that bloody past.
Caius stopped entering that room.
And the smile slowly returned to his face.
But…
one part remained.
A part stuck in that night,
as if his heart refused to reconcile with reality, no matter how much time passed.
Five years had passed…
and the boy who had lived under the shadow of that tragedy had been replaced by the young man now sitting before Ellara.
He had grown taller than her, and his childish features had transformed into a sculpted, calm face, radiating silent handsomeness that revealed nothing.
The moment she looked at him across the breakfast table, a deep pride touched her heart.
The clattering of utensils gradually softened, and Ellara wiped her mouth with a napkin:
"Soon, the academy registration will begin… Have you decided which one you want to join?"
Caius leaned back in his chair, and Ellara studied his thoughtful expression as he replied:
"I've thought about it… I want to join the Central Academy."
He paused for a moment, then added in his usual cool tone:
"That is… if I pass the entrance exam."
His words planted a hint of disappointment in Ellara's chest.
The Central Academy was the second-best institution for training Awakened Ones, after the temple at the top.
Its students were ambitious, possessing both ability and drive to pursue their goals.
But Ellara didn't want mere ambition…
She wanted Caius to be bold enough to try, even if failure awaited him at the door.
His talent might be average,
and his ability, awakened at an early age, was not yet suited for combat or service to a group,
yet he had never stopped.
At fifteen, he began his training—a little later than his peers—
but when he wielded a sword, he swung it until the skin on his hands peeled and muscles tore.
When the instructors threw him to the ground, he rose as if nothing had happened.
And when not training… he immersed himself in books and theoretical knowledge.
Ellara understood why…
Caius wanted power.
He wanted to know who destroyed his life—and he wanted revenge.
And in the end, only a fool abandons vengeance against the one who stole his light.
But life doesn't always reward effort.
After three years of pushing his body in training, he was still stuck at the First Rank—the middle stage.
For his age, it was good.
But… that was all. Just good.
And that was why… he had recently begun to doubt himself.
As a quiet silence fell over the table, Ellara looked at him once more.
She noticed a small glimmer hidden deep within his eyes… it was neither excitement nor fear.
She spoke softly, but with a firmness he knew well:
"Caius… are you sure you don't want to try joining the temple?"
Caius blinked slightly, as if the question had struck a sensitive chord.
He sighed and replied without hesitation:
"I'm sorry, Aunt… I know you want the best for me, but there's no point in that attempt."
His words were calm, without a trace of defeat… as if he had long accepted that reality doesn't spare dreams.
Ellara exhaled slowly, then gave a smile she tried to make as warm as possible:
"It's fine… do what you think is right. Just remember… I'm always here to support you."
Something stirred in his chest—a mixed feeling of gratitude and guilt.
His aunt was all he had left, and he knew it well.
He gave her a faint smile and rose from his seat:
"Thank you, Aunt. Now, if you'll excuse me… it's time for training."
But she suddenly said:
"You can't train today."
He stopped mid-step, then turned to her, raising an eyebrow:
"And why can't I train today?"
Ellara hid a small laugh he couldn't understand:
"Because you need to prepare to receive the guest who will arrive any moment."
'…Great. More annoyance.'
He thought irritably as he ran a hand through his hair.
Being the heir of the Astroweld family left him caught between social duties he disliked,
and responsibilities he could not refuse.
And though Ellara handled most of the family affairs,
his presence was still required as a representation of the family's future.
He muttered in clear annoyance:
"Fine… who is this annoying—uh, I mean, guest?"
Ellara gave him a faintly teasing look:
"Don't give me that face. He's not someone you usually get annoyed by."
He stayed silent, waiting for clarification.
Finally, she said:
"He is the Duke Sephrax's son… and your close friend, Eliot."
A heavy silence fell for a few seconds.
It wasn't a shocked silence… just someone reevaluating their entire day.
Then he said, annoyed beyond concealment:
"…That's more annoying than I expected."