Leo wanted to ask about his family. About his siblings. About why everyone seemed to think he'd done something terrible.
But he held back.
He couldn't exactly tell her that he had no idea who any of these people were. Not when she'd already started wondering whether he'd really lost his memory.
For now, it was better to keep quiet and learn whatever he could.
"The House of Graythorn governs the east," Silvia explained. "The House of Cinderfall governs the north. The House of Hawthorne governs the west. While House Dravenor rules the south."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"And at the very heart of the kingdom lies House D'Averne, the Imperial Family."
Leo quietly repeated the names in his head.
Graythorn. Cinderfall. Hawthorne. Dravenor. And finally D'Averne.
"Now, tell me. Which house do you think we're allied with?"
Leo blinked.
What kind of question is that?
He'd been in this world for what felt like five minutes, and she was already quizzing him on its politics.
He didn't have the slightest clue.
Come on, think. Just say something.
His mind drifted back to his school days. Whenever a teacher gave them a multiple-choice question he couldn't answer, he'd sometimes pick the second option.
His reasoning had been simple enough. Maybe the teacher had deliberately put the correct answer second, knowing most students would go for the first.
Was it a stupid way to answer questions?
Absolutely.
Had it worked sometimes?
Well, that was good enough for him.
"The House of Cinderfall?"
Silvia looked surprised.
"Oh! That's right. But how did you figure that out?"
Leo kept his face straight, even as he felt a little panic rising inside him.
"Honestly? I just guessed. You mentioned Cinderfall second, so I went with it."
Silvia let out a soft laugh.
"That's quite a lucky guess. Perhaps losing your memory has made you a little smarter."
Leo managed a small smile.
Lucky? Yeah, let's call it that.
He'd nearly given himself away over a question he knew absolutely nothing about.
I need to be more careful.
He leaned back slightly, trying to look as though nothing had happened.
All right, Leo. Just keep your mouth shut, listen, and try not to screw this up.
He'd barely been here five minutes and he'd already almost given himself away. That thought stuck with him. He made a quiet promise: from now on, watch your words.
So when Silvia's earlier remark hung between them, he forced himself to respond without overthinking it.
"Do you think so?"
The moment the words left his mouth, something tugged at the back of his mind. His brows drew together. A flicker of unease passed through him.
He paused. Then asked, softer this time, "From what you're saying... are you trying to tell me I wasn't exactly the sharpest person before all this?"
Silvia blinked. Caught off guard.
For a moment, she seemed at a loss for words. Like she hadn't expected that kind of question from him.
But she recovered quickly. A warm smile spread across her face.
"Of course you're not dumb. You were just a little playful and carefree as a child. Besides, it's perfectly normal for someone your age to want to have fun."
Leonal wasn't buying it. Not for a second.
Her words were sweet enough. But he could tell she was holding something back. She didn't want her son hearing about his own ugly past. Or maybe she just couldn't bring herself to speak ill of him.
Either way, her answer only made him more suspicious.
The original Leo had probably been a spoiled, arrogant prick. Threw his weight around. Used his fancy title of Young Master to get whatever he wanted.
And the person who'd helped turn him into that? Standing right in front of him. Smiling like she hadn't just dodged the question.
He opened his mouth to press further.
Silvia spoke first.
"Let's put that aside for now. We should get back to the topic."
Leonal caught the shift immediately. She had no intention of discussing his past behaviour. Or, more accurately, she was deliberately avoiding it.
Two possibilities came to mind.
Either she felt guilty about how she'd raised him. Or she simply didn't think he was worth the effort of explaining himself to.
He dismissed the second one quickly.
The worry in her eyes was hard to miss. So was the way she kept reaching out to him. Trying to make sure he was comfortable. Whatever else she might be hiding, her concern seemed genuine.
So. Guilt it is.
Silvia cleared her throat. Her tone brightened.
"As I was saying, the Graythorn Family ranks second among the Five Great Houses. We stand just beneath the Imperial Family in terms of influence."
A faint glimmer of pride appeared in her eyes as she spoke.
She didn't need to say it outright. Her expression made it clear how much the family's standing meant to her.
"But you should also understand that every house has its own speciality. Take the Cinderfall Family, for example. Although they rank last among the Five Great Houses, their role in the kingdom's military and strategic affairs is far more important than their position might suggest."
But that's not what makes them special, is it?
"The Cinderfall Family is renowned for its gift of divination," Silvia explained. "Certain members can foresee possible events. Predict outcomes that might affect the kingdom. But that's not even the most interesting part."
She leaned forward slightly. Lowered her voice like she was about to share a secret.
"Among them, a select few practise a special branch of divination known as Astramancy. Through it, they can observe the alignments of celestial bodies. Interpret what those alignments reveal about a person's fate."
Leonal listened quietly. Tried to organise the information in his head.
Divination? Astramancy? Predicting people's futures?
He'd expected plenty of strange things after waking up in a world that looked like it had been ripped straight out of a historical drama. But hearing someone explain supernatural abilities so casually was still a lot to take in.
Until now, a small part of him had held onto the possibility that there was some reasonable explanation for everything. Maybe he was in an unfamiliar country. Maybe he'd suffered some kind of mental breakdown.
But divination?
He wasn't sure what to believe anymore.
So I'm really not on Earth, am I?
The thought settled heavily in his mind. He still had no idea where he was or how he'd ended up here. But the possibility that he'd somehow crossed into an entirely different world was getting harder to dismiss.
Before he could dwell on it any further, Silvia drew his attention back to her.
"Whenever you encounter someone who practises Astramancy, remember to activate the jade pendant around your neck."
Leonal glanced down. His fingers brushed against the half-moon-shaped pendant resting against his chest.
Its surface was smooth. Glass like. Almost polished to perfection.
On closer inspection, he noticed faint, vein-like patterns etched into it. Strange runes ran through the markings. Barely visible unless he looked closely.
Silvia placed a hand on his shoulder. Her expression turned serious.
"Remember this, Leonal. Never take it off. It protects you from all Fourth-Grade Anomalies. So make sure you wear it every day."
Her voice carried a mixture of concern and motherly authority. For a brief moment, Leonal found himself holding his breath beneath her steady gaze.
He nodded slowly. His fingers still curled around the pendant.
Fourth-Grade Anomalies...
He had no idea what those things were. Let alone how dangerous they might be. But if Silvia was this serious about the pendant, he had no intention of finding out what happened without it.
Right. Don't take off the mysterious necklace. Got it.
He filed the warning away with everything else he needed to remember. This world was full of things he didn't understand. The last thing he needed was to stumble into danger because he hadn't paid attention.
"There's no need to worry too much," Silvia added. Her expression softened. "Since we have a close alliance with the Cinderfall Family. So encounters with their diviners are hardly a concern. Besides, there are other groups you should be wary of. Some exiles have joined various cults. Use their abilities to harm innocent people."
Of course there are cults.
Leonal resisted the urge to sigh.
Before Silvia could elaborate, a shadowy figure appeared beside her without making a sound.
Leonal's eyes shifted towards the newcomer.
The figure leaned towards Silvia and whispered something into her ear. So quietly that he couldn't catch a single word.
Silvia listened without interrupting. Her expression changed only slightly.
He watched them for a moment. Tried to work out what was happening.
Another mysterious person who can appear out of nowhere. Wonderful.
Still, he decided not to ask. He'd already made enough mistakes for one day. No reason to invite more trouble by poking his nose into something that clearly wasn't meant for him.
Silvia straightened. Turned back towards him.
"Well, Mom has something urgent to take care of. But I'll come back soon. Until then, take care of yourself, all right? Don't do anything that might make your mother worry."
She reached out to brush his hair away from his forehead.
Leonal instinctively leaned back. Avoided her hand.
The movement was small. Almost unconscious. But Silvia noticed it.
Even so, she gently brushed his hair into place. Maintained the same warm smile.
"If you need anything, I've assigned a personal maid to look after you. She'll take care of your daily needs. And if you feel any pain or discomfort, make sure you tell her. She's also a trained physician. So you don't need to hesitate."
"All right," Leonal replied.
Silvia gave his shoulder a final, reassuring squeeze. Then headed towards the door.
"Rest well, Leonal. I'll be back soon."