The soft amber glow of the evening sun spilled through the tall windows of Eris's chamber, casting long fingers of golden light across polished floorboards and ancient shelves lined with dust-laced tomes. The room, though vast, felt small beneath the hush of twilight. Shadows swayed gently on the stone walls—silent ghosts born of curtains stirred by the breeze, dancing as if unwilling to let go of the day.
A faint wind drifted through the slightly ajar window, carrying the sweet scent of spring lilacs from the garden below. It wrapped around the stillness like a whisper, brushing past faded drapes and forgotten corners, trying to bring life into a place that had long since stopped breathing.
Eris sat cross-legged on the cold wooden floor, his back slightly hunched, the dying sunlight casting a gentle outline around his small frame, and in his hands rested a book, old, frayed, and softened by time. A sword manual. The kind that once held promise and fire. Its pages were curled at the edges, ink smudged where fingers had traced and retraced long-forgotten stances. He flipped through it without focus, the rustling parchment the only sound in the room.
But his gaze… it drifted far beyond the words. Beyond the paper. Beyond the present.
His eyes, usually distant, were dulled even further by something more challenging to name. Not just fatigue or boredom, but a quiet kind of grief. The kind that doesn't scream, but hums in your bones. A silent ache that lives between heartbeats.
Silence wrapped around him like an old, worn-out cloak—too thin to keep out the cold, too familiar to cast aside. In this forgotten wing of the Mist Palace, solitude was not a passing shadow. It was a companion. A keeper. A weight.
There were no voices here. No warmth. No footsteps echoing in the hallways. Just the boy, the book, and the hush of a life that seemed to wait for something that never came.
On days like this, it was easy to imagine he didn't exist at all.
Knock knock.
The sound was soft, hesitant, like someone afraid to disturb the silence.
Eris blinked and looked toward the door. "...Come in."
The heavy oak creaked open, and in stepped Maria, his maid. She looked young for her age. Her presence was a rare constant in his world.
She entered with the quiet grace of someone born into order—each step light, each movement flowing like a well-rehearsed ritual. The silver tray in her hands didn't rattle or shift; she carried it as if it were part of her, balanced with a precision honed through years of silent service. Even her posture spoke of discipline—chin slightly lifted, back straight, not a single motion wasted.
Her expression, as always, was carved from calm. Cool, composed, almost too perfect—like a porcelain mask worn for so long it had become part of her skin. But her eyes… they told another story.
There was a flicker there. Small, barely noticeable. The kind of warmth you'd miss if you weren't looking, and like the last ember in a hearth long gone cold, soft, fragile, clinging to life more out of memory than heat. It wasn't enough to light the room. But it was there. Real. Quietly alive.
In that gaze lingered something unsaid—concern, perhaps, or guilt, or simply a wish that things could be different. Something that softened the edges of her formality, like sunlight catching the edge of frost.
She didn't speak at first. She didn't need to. Because in that one moment, in the space between her stillness and his silence, she saw him. And that alone made the cold feel just a little less sharp.
"Young Master… dinner is ready," she said, pausing for a beat before adding more softly, "And… congratulations. Today is your tenth birthday."
Eris's brows furrowed.
"My... birthday?" he echoed.
Maria nodded, setting the tray down on the nearby table. It wasn't just dinner. Covered with a silver dome, the tray hid something else—something she now lifted with both hands.
Beneath it sat a small, round cake. It was decorated with whipped cream and strawberries neatly arranged in a circle. A flickering candle stood in the center, slightly tilted, as if uncertain it belonged there.
The kitchen staff made it. I helped too," Maria said softly, her voice carrying a tinge of shyness. "It's nothing grand, but... I hope you will like it."
Her words lingered in the air like fragile glass, trembling in the quiet. Eris took a slow step forward, his eyes fixed on the cake sitting gently on the table—small, uneven, a little awkward in shape... but warm. Human.
To anyone else, it might have seemed modest. But to him, it felt alien, like staring at an artifact from a life he had never known.
The original Eris… he never expected anything like this, he thought. Not a gift. Not even a "Happy Birthday." Not even a passing glance. He was always alone. Always forgotten. His birth had never been something worth remembering.
The silence stretched. Maria stood patiently, fingers nervously clasped in front of her apron, but he said nothing.
His heart beat softly—too softly—and yet, something ached beneath his ribs. I don't know why… maybe it's because I now share this body. Perhaps these are his emotions leaking into me. But…
His throat tightened.
I do feel happy right now.
He didn't smile. He couldn't—not yet. But his eyes, usually dulled with detachment, shimmered faintly, as if touched by a long-lost warmth. For the first time in years—maybe ever—someone had remembered his existence.
And it hurt… in a good way.
For a few seconds, he didn't say anything. He just stared.
Maria fidgeted. "Is… is it alright?"
He glanced at her, his voice softer than usual. "No one's ever celebrated it before."
Maria's turned. "Well, now someone has."
Eris sat down across from the cake, unsure of what to do. The candle flame danced between them. His fingers hovered awkwardly near it, ready to blow it out.
But before he could—
Knock knock.
A firmer knock this time.
Maria turned toward the door, surprised. "Who would…?"
The door creaked open again, and in stepped a young man in a black uniform—crisp, perfectly buttoned, with a silver lining and the house crest on his chest. It was Sir Kaelith, a High-ranking knight who usually served under the Family Head.
He bowed lightly. "Young Master."
Maria straightened up. "Sir Kaelith…?"
Kaelith looked mildly out of breath, his tone hurried but respectful. "Forgive me for the Sudden interruption, Young Master Eris."
Eris stood, confused. "What is it?"
Kaelith allowed a slight smile to crack his otherwise calm demeanor. "Lady Selene… has come to visit."
A sharp pause filled the room.
Eris's eyes widened. Maria nearly dropped the napkin she was folding.
"Lady Selene…?" Eris repeated, stunned.
Selena von Vale—the First Daughter of Grand Duke Vale. The eldest among thirteen siblings. A 9th Grade Swordswoman. She was like a sculpture brought to life—carved from steel and silver light, her every movement woven with elegance, her presence as sharp and undeniable as a drawn blade. Grace and strength weren't things she wore—they were simply part of her, stitched into her bones like destiny.
And yet, for all her brilliance… she had turned away.
Despite her unmatched talent and her unshakable right to the Patriarch, she stepped down. Walked away from the title of First Crestbearer, not out of defeat, but by choice. She left the Dirty Game of blood and ambition known as the Succession War.
Some called her a coward for it.
But I never believed that.
To me… she was a mystery. Not cold, not weak—just unreadable, like moonlight on still water. You couldn't tell how deep it ran or what truths hid beneath the surface. All I knew was this: she had chosen a different path.
The sister, Selena, had never involved herself in the affairs of the younger siblings. Her gaze never lingered on us, her footsteps never crossed our paths. It would be more accurate to call us strangers than family.
In my previous life… I had only ever seen her from a distance. A ghost in the corridors. A legend in the whispers. A sister by blood, but never by presence.
The original Eris had never spoken to her once. That's how vast the distance between them truly was.
and yet… Sister Selena had decided to come to the Mist Palace.
Unannounced. Uninvited. Without a word, the sheer fact of her presence was enough to send quiet ripples through the air. She was not the type to visit without a purpose. Not the kind to waste time on sentiment. So why now?
Did something happen to the family? Something serious enough to bring the Moonlight Blade herself here…?
Or worse—
Has she discovered that I've been using the secret passage hidden beneath the Mist Palace?
A cold sensation crawled up Eris's spine. He kept his expression still, but his thoughts churned beneath the surface like a storm waiting to break.
The great doors of the main hall opened with a quiet groan, letting in the final traces of the dying sunset. Through them stepped a vision that commanded the silence of the entire room.
Selene Vale.
Statuesque, regal—she moved like an echo of moonlight wrapped in steel. Her platinum silver-white hair flowed down to her waist in soft waves, the upper portion braided into a crescent knot that gleamed like a crest of quiet power. Each step she took was graceful, deliberate, and impossibly light, like a dancer whose feet never quite touched the earth.
Her Aura struck before her words did—a still, refined pressure that sent shivers down the spine. It wasn't oppressive. No, it was worse—it was serene. The quiet you feel before a divine blade is drawn. Measured. Dignified. Unassailable.
Eris stood frozen as she approached, unsure whether to bow, salute, or breathe.
"…Sister Selena," he murmured, unconsciously slipping into the childhood nickname he had whispered to himself on lonely nights.
Her expression, initially unreadable, softened into a gentle smile. "You've grown a lot, little one."
Eris flushed. "If I'd known you were coming, I would've dressed more appropriately…"
Selene chuckled softly and reached out his Head, patting it with surprising tenderness. "What a cute thing to say. Must a Sister make a formal announcement to visit her younger baby brother?"
His eyes widened, stunned. His mind raced. Baby brother?
She noticed the subtle tension in his posture and tilted her head ever so slightly. "You look… a little stiff. Are you feeling unwell?"
He hesitated, then replied honestly. "It's not that. I guess… I'm just a little nervous."
"Nervous?" she echoed, voice calm, curious.
He nodded, eyes downcast. "This is the first time one of my siblings has come to my birthday. And… the first time I've seen you up close. I think I'm on edge, and I'm not even sure why."
Selene paused.
Her frosted silver eyes flickered with thought, distant and layered. On edge… Of course you would…
That cold, silent voice echoed in the back of Eris's mind, laced with a bitterness he couldn't quite place.
It's the Vale family tradition, after all—siblings watching each other, not out of love, but suspicion, and stealing from one another and trampling each other underfoot—a bloodline built on rivalry and quiet warfare disguised as honor.
"Does Eris think I am here to keep him in Check?
After a long silence, she said quietly, "Yes. It seems I was lacking in consideration."
Eris blinked. "Pardon?"
She looked at him with gentler eyes now. "Little one, I'd like to speak with you in private. May I ask the knights and your maid to leave for a while?"
Eris tensed at the request. Private? Sister Selena wants to talk to me alone? Why? But her tone hadn't shifted—there was no hidden blade in it. Just sincerity. A request, not a command.
"…Alright, Sister," he said, slowly. "Even though I don't know what this is about… it doesn't feel like a bad thing."
With a wave of her hand, the knights stationed at the edges of the room and Maria gave respectful bows before exiting, the heavy door closing behind them with a soft thud.
Now, only the two remained.
Selene didn't waste time. She turned to face him fully, her expression still composed, but her voice lowered, gentler, more vulnerable.
"Eris… the reason I suddenly came to visit you today is because I have something to say."
He tilted his head slightly. "What would that be?"
She lowered herself onto one of the elegant chairs in the room and exhaled. "I want to apologize."
"…Apologize?"
She met his eyes directly. "For the trouble you faced in Vexlor. I knew… I knew some of our siblings were mistreating you. And I turned a blind eye to it."
Eris's breath caught.
Selene continued, "I thought it wasn't my place. That stepping in would only make things worse. But… in doing so, I abandoned you. I allowed you to suffer. And I don't blame you if you still look at me with suspicion. "
She bowed her head—just slightly, but to Eris, it felt like the stars had shifted.
The First Crestbearer… the mighty Selene Vale… is bowing to me?
"I… I don't know what to say."
She said, lifting her gaze again. "Just know I mean no harm. I am your sister, not your enemy, so please accept my Apology ."
"…It's okay," Eris finally said. "You don't have to worry about it."
A small smile tugged at her lips. "Thank you."
Then, as if shifting gears, her tone turned serious again.
"Now, the other reason I came.Because of your recent change, Eris. The fact that you suddenly awakened your Aura… and defeated the twin swords without formal training…
It means one thing...
You've drawn attention.
Not just from retainers or minor nobles, but from them. The other siblings.
The moment you step outside the Mist Palace…
The moment you take even one step into the light—
They'll be watching.
All of the other siblings will be keeping a Close watch on you.
Eris felt a chill run through him.
For the first time in his life… he wasn't invisible anymore.
End Of The Chapter...