## (Rudeus Greyrat) - (Point of View)
By the time we reached Roa, night was already falling.
The distance from Buena Village to Roa takes approximately one day by carriage—six or seven hours of travel.
Roa, the fortified capital of Fedoa, is indeed the largest city in the province, and it shows immediately. The first thing visible on the horizon are its seven or eight meter high walls surrounding the entire capital, giving off a sense of security and power.
"Impressive," I murmured, pressing my face against the carriage window.
"It's just a border city," Daiki commented beside me. "Though its defenses are solid."
Ghislaine, from the opposite seat, grunted approvingly.
We approached the gates, where a continuous flow of people and carriages could be observed. Once through, the city revealed itself in all its glory: a great number of street vendor stalls lining the entire road, and at the end of all that bustle, inns and stables.
"Brother," I spoke in Japanese, knowing Ghislaine wouldn't understand. "How are you feeling?"
Daiki didn't respond immediately. I watched his eyes methodically scan the city—probably cataloging escape routes, defensive points, potential threats.
*Typical of him.*
"Nervous," he finally admitted. "But also... curious."
"Curious?"
"First big city in a long time. First time this far from home."
I gave him a gentle elbow.
"We'll be fine. We have each other, remember?"
"I know."
I observed some people carrying enormous bundles, sitting in a small plaza as if waiting for something.
"Ghislaine, what are those people doing?"
Ghislaine looked at me, visibly irritated.
"...Little one."
"Do you think I'm stupid? How would I not know what they're doing?"
"Ah, it's not that," I hurried to explain. "The thing is, I don't know, that's why I wanted you to tell me."
"Ah, forgive me then," her attitude changed immediately. "That's the waiting area for public carriages. They're used to travel from city to city, but you have to pay the driver."
She proceeded to point out the various establishments: weapons dealer, a brothel—
*Did you just tell a seven-year-old where to find a brothel?*
—and in the distance, the merchants' guild.
We turned the corner and the atmosphere changed. We left behind the stalls for travelers and adventurers, entering the zone of established shops. There weren't as many alleyways anymore, but rather wide main streets.
"Defensive structure," Daiki murmured. "Main streets are defensible, civilians evacuated to the center in case of attack."
"How do you know that?"
"Basic fortification logic. This city was built with war in mind."
Ghislaine looked at him with something resembling surprise.
"Correct. This city was the last line of defense four hundred years ago."
The deeper we went, the more luxurious the carriages and shops appeared. And right in the center, the largest building of all.
"That is the Lord's residence," Ghislaine explained.
"More than a residence, it looks like a palace," I commented.
Daiki remained silent, but I noticed his fingers drumming against his thigh. A nervous tic he'd developed recently.
"Brother," I spoke quietly in Japanese. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. Just... processing."
"Processing what?"
"That we're going to live here. For five years." He paused. "Far from everyone."
I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Together."
"Together," he repeated.
The carriage finally stopped in front of the palace gates.
"Showtime," I murmured.
---
Upon entering the palace, we were led to a reception room. The butler indicated some sofas.
*First interview of my life. I have to handle this carefully.*
"Please, have a seat," said the butler.
I obeyed immediately. Daiki did the same, but with a perfect posture I recognized from some book on etiquette he must have read recently.
*When did he study that?*
Ghislaine, without a word, headed to a corner and leaned against the wall, surveying the room.
"The young lord will attend to you shortly. I ask that you wait here."
The butler served me a liquid resembling red tea in a clearly luxurious cup, also served Daiki, and positioned himself by the entrance.
I tried the tea. It was good. I looked at Daiki, who drank with measured movements.
*He definitely studied etiquette in secret.*
"WHERE IS?!"
A powerful, angry voice thundered through the house, accompanied by booming footsteps.
"In this room?"
The door flew open with a bang. A robust man in his fifties burst in. Dark brown hair with some gray. In good physical shape. And... red eyes.
I heard a small sound of surprise from my brother beside me.
I placed my cup on the table and stood, bowing ninety degrees.
"Pleased to meet you, my name is Rudeus Greyrat."
The man snorted forcefully, unsatisfied.
"Hmph, he doesn't even know how to perform a proper greeting!"
*Shit.*
"Great Lord," the butler intervened. "Rudeus-dono is leaving Buena Village for the first time, and due to his age, he is not yet familiar with certain aspects of noble etiquette. I beg you to excuse this slight lack of education."
"Silence."
The butler fell silent immediately.
The great lord observed me angrily, as if my mere existence offended him.
"Hmph, Paul doesn't even educate his son in the basics!"
"As I understand it, because Father hated the rigid rules of that nature, he thought it convenient not to teach them to me."
"I see you're just like him—the first thing out of your mouth is an excuse!"
"Does Father always go around making excuses?"
"What do you think? Each and every time he opened his mouth, it was to make an excuse. If he wet the bed, he'd make something up; if he got into a fight with someone, he'd give an excuse; if he didn't put effort into his studies, that wasn't his fault either."
*He's absolutely right...*
"If you're going to study something, at least learn etiquette! Until now you haven't put in the effort, and that's why you've ended up like this!"
What he said wasn't wrong. Until now I'd only studied magic and swordsmanship. I'd never considered other areas.
"You're right. This error was caused by my own hands, and I apologize enormously for it."
I bowed my head sincerely.
The great lord stomped on the floor.
"It seems this time you didn't make excuses and tried to present yourself in the most formal way you know! For this reason, I accept your stay in our manor!"
And then, like a passing storm, he turned and began to leave.
But he stopped.
Because Daiki had risen to his feet.
My brother executed a perfect salute. Right hand to left chest, exact inclination of twenty degrees, impeccable posture.
"Sauros Boreas Greyrat-sama." His voice sounded formal but firm. "I am Daiki Greyrat, Rudeus's older brother. It is an honor to meet our father's family."
Sauros turned completely, looking at Daiki with wide eyes. Not with the fury he'd directed at me. With something different.
"You..." His voice sounded softer. "Where did you learn that greeting?"
"From a book on noble etiquette that I found," Daiki responded calmly. "I considered it appropriate to study before presenting myself to the extended family."
"You studied... of your own volition?"
"Of course. Representing the Greyrat family appropriately, is a responsibility I take seriously."
Sauros took a step forward, studying Daiki intensely. And then I saw it. The exact moment he noticed the eyes.
"Your eyes," Sauros murmured. "They're..."
"Red. Like yours, Sauros-sama." Daiki didn't waver. "When I was born, they caused... confusion. Neither my father nor my mother have this color."
"Atavism," Sauros said, almost reverently. "The Boreas eyes. They haven't manifested in generations."
He extended a hand, almost touching Daiki's face, but stopping just before.
"And your hair. Black as night. I have no explanation for that, but..." A smile appeared on his face. "It makes you look noble. Elegant."
He turned to the butler.
"Thomas! This is a true Greyrat! Look at how he presents himself! Look at his bearing!"
Then he returned his attention to Daiki.
"How old are you, boy?"
"Seven, Sauros-sama."
"Seven?" Sauros let out a laugh. "At seven years old, I was still wiping my snot on the curtains! And you already have better posture than half the nobles I know!"
He clapped Daiki's shoulder forcefully. I saw how my brother tensed slightly, not accustomed to rough physical contact, but he maintained his composure.
"Good! You're both accepted! Although you—" he pointed at Daiki "—clearly need to teach your younger brother how to behave properly!"
"With all respect, Sauros-sama," Daiki inclined his head. "Rudeus is a genius in magic. He reached Saint level in water magic at five years old. His talents lie in areas different from social etiquette."
*My brother is... defending me?*
"Saint? At five years old?" Sauros looked at me with new consideration. "Is that true, boy?"
"Y-yes, sir."
"Hmm." Sauros crossed his arms. "Then each one has their strengths. Good. That is acceptable."
He turned halfway toward the door.
"Thomas! Prepare appropriate rooms for my great-nephews! And make sure they have everything they need!"
And he left as he arrived: with thunder and authority.
When the door closed, I turned to Daiki.
"When the hell did you study etiquette?"
"During the last two weeks. Every night after training," he responded simply. "I knew we were coming to a noble mansion. Preparing appropriately seemed logical."
"And you didn't think to teach me?"
"I suggested it three times. You said you'd 'learn on the fly.'"
*Shit, he's right.*
"Although," Daiki looked at me directly, "I didn't expect the thing about the eyes."
"The Boreas eyes?"
"Atavism," he repeated Sauros's word. "My whole life I thought my eyes were... an anomaly. Something that made me different in a negative way."
"Brother..."
"But it turns out they're family heritage. Something that connects me to this family in a way neither you nor I expected."
There was something in his voice. Relief. Maybe even... happiness?
"That's good, isn't it?" I said softly. "Having an explanation."
"Yes. It's... good."
The butler cleared his throat discretely.
"If you'll permit me, young lords. Black hair, though unusual, is not unknown in the Boreas family. It's possible this is atavism from that line as well."
Daiki blinked.
"Really?"
"Although the records are ancient and unclear. But there is precedent."
I watched as something settled in my brother. That tension he always carried about being "different," about standing out in a negative way... was dissolving.
"Thank you," Daiki said to the butler. "For the information."
"You're welcome, young lord."
---
Moments later, another person entered through a side door.
"What's happening, Thomas? Why haven't you closed the door?"
It was a man of slender figure with bright tea-colored hair. Features similar to Paul—definitely family.
"How strange that Father was so happy. Do you know why?"
"Sir, I beg your pardon. The great lord has just met Rudeus-sama and Daiki-sama, and they seem to have made a good impression on him."
"A good impression? How unusual. Hmm?"
He headed to the opposite sofa and sat down.
*Proper introduction. Now.*
"Pleased to meet you, my name is Rudeus Greyrat."
I bowed my head seventy degrees.
Daiki, at my side, executed the perfect salute again.
"Daiki Greyrat. An honor, sir."
The man blinked, clearly surprised.
"Ah, and I am Philip Boreas Greyrat." He studied us with interest. "I must say, when nobles greet each other, they bring their right hand to their chest and lower their head slightly. Although—" he looked at Daiki "—it seems you already know that."
"I studied before coming," Daiki explained. "It seemed appropriate."
"At seven years old you worry about etiquette?" Philip smiled. "Impressive."
He watched my attempt to imitate the greeting.
"That's fine for now, Rudeus. Please, sit."
We obeyed.
Philip reclined, observing us with a calculating expression.
"So, what do you know about the situation?"
I responded with what Paul had told me in the letter: five years teaching in exchange for university tuition.
"That's all?"
"That's right."
"I see..."
Philip fell into thought.
"Do you like women?"
"I don't reach Father's level," I responded.
"I have no romantic interest currently," Daiki said with a neutral voice. "My focus is training."
"Really? Good, you're hired."
*That easy?*
Philip proceeded to explain about the previous tutors, about the difficulty of his daughter.
"Did the interest in women have anything to do with it?"
"Not at all. I was simply curious because Paul would do anything for an adorable girl."
*Don't lump me in with Paul...*
"If I'm being honest, I have no hope that you'll succeed. But you're Paul's sons, so I'd like you to try."
"I can't say anything for certain until I meet her."
I proceeded to explain my plan for a fake kidnapping.
Philip listened with growing interest.
"Interesting... Do you think it will work?"
"I believe it has more chances than forcing her."
Daiki, who had been silent, spoke:
"Although I should add that plan has risks."
"What risks?" Philip asked.
"If she discovers it was simulated, she'll lose all trust in us. Permanently," Daiki explained. "Additionally, exposing a noble girl to simulated danger could have political ramifications if other families find out."
Philip nodded slowly.
"You're right. You're more cautious than your brother."
"Someone has to be."
That drew a laugh from Philip.
"Good. Before deciding on plans, let me introduce you to my daughter."
He stood.
"Well, we won't get anywhere if we keep talking. You need to meet my daughter. Thomas, take them to her."
---
And so, I finally met her.
Arrogant. That was the first thing I thought when I saw her. She was two years older than me, had sharp eyes, and her hair was wavy. It was also such a pure shade of crimson that it looked like someone had thrown a bucket of paint on her.
But it wasn't like I could simply run away. So instead, I greeted her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Rudeus Greyrat."
"Hmph!" She gave me a once-over and her nostrils flared, just like her grandfather's. She had her arms crossed firmly over her chest as she looked down at me. Both figuratively and literally, since she was taller than me. Her expression turned sour.
Then she looked at my brother, who was calm as always. As if he didn't see what was actually about to happen—or maybe he did. Knowing him, he was probably going to laugh about it later.
"And you... who are you? Did you get lost?" Eris said, not quite understanding.
I noticed her gaze fixed on my brother's hair. Probably the first time she'd seen such a dark color—one that seemed to absorb light. That was likely what threw her off: her father's and grandfather's hair were brown, but my brother's was absolutely jet black.
"Daiki Greyrat," was all he said.
I could see how Eris's face shifted from confusion to surprise, then to anger—just like her grandfather.
"What is this supposed to mean?! You're younger than me! And you're supposed to teach me?! Stop joking!"
I knew it—she had too much pride. But I couldn't just back down.
"I don't think age has anything to do with it," I said.
"What?! Do you have a problem with me?!" Her voice was so loud my ears rang.
"Miss, what I'm saying is that there are things I can do that you cannot."
The moment I said that, her hair seemed to light up, like a physical manifestation of her rage. It was terrifying.
*Aww, shit. Why do I have to be scared? Though if I'm being honest... my brother is scarier when he's angry.*
"You're pretty confident, huh! Who do you think I am!?"
I suppressed my fear and responded.
"You're my second cousin, correct?"
"Second...? What the hell is that?"
"It means my father is your father's cousin. In other words, you're the granddaughter of my great-uncle."
"What are you talking about?! I don't understand!"
*Maybe that wasn't the best way to put it? Maybe I should have just told her we were related.*
"You've heard of Paul, right?"
"Of course not!"
"Ah, I see." That was unexpected. Apparently, she didn't know who he was. Not that it mattered how we were related. It was more important to get her talking.
After all, when you started a video game, the best way to forge a relationship with an NPC was to talk to them repeatedly.
Just as I was thinking that, she swung her hand and slapped me.
"Eh...?" It was too sudden. She'd just hit me in the face.
"Why did you hit me?"
"Because you're acting way too presumptuous even though you're younger than me!"
"So that's it." My cheek was still hot where she'd struck me.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Daiki. Motionless. Watching. With that expression I knew all too well: cold analysis, decision already made not to intervene. He left me hanging on purpose.
*Bastard. This is a lesson, isn't it?*
"In that case, I have to return it."
"Hah?!"
I slapped her back. Weakly. Clumsily. But I did it.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Then Eris raised her fist. And so it began.
She mounted me, pinning my arms with her legs, and began to pummel me without mercy.
"Ow, owww, s-stop it, hey, w-what no, stop already."
In my desperation, I used wind magic, striking Eris's face directly.
Eris's expression changed from fury to absolute fury.
And I ran.
Eris chased me like a predator hunting prey. My screams echoed throughout the room, along with her hunter's roars.
Approximately twenty minutes of pursuit through the courtyard passed before she finally caught me. When she returned panting but with a satisfied expression, she found my brother exactly where she'd left him.
With the same relaxed posture. As if nothing had happened.
---
## (Daiki Greyrat) - (Point of View)
I watched her return, sweaty and satisfied. She had the expression of a predator after a successful hunt. Interesting. Violence calmed her down, yes... but only for a while. Long-term, that method wasn't going to sustain her.
Her gaze locked onto me. For an instant, something resembling confusion—perhaps even unease—crossed her face.
"You," she pointed an accusatory finger at me. "Why didn't you help your brother?"
"Because he made a tactical error," I responded with the same calm I'd maintained while she was away. "Initiating physical violence against a clearly superior opponent, without a plan for victory or an escape route, is a critical mistake. He needed to learn the consequence."
"What?! You let me beat him up just to teach him a lesson?!"
I nodded without drama.
My tranquility seemed to irritate her more than any direct provocation.
"You're a cold bastard!"
"Perhaps."
She took a step toward me, closing the distance.
"And you didn't call me 'Miss Eris' either!"
"I didn't."
"Then you also need to learn manners!"
She raised her hand to slap me. I caught her wrist before the blow even took shape—firm, but without applying unnecessary force.
Eris blinked, disconcerted by how easy it had been for me to stop her.
"What...?"
"Young Eris. Violence is not appropriate."
"Let me go!"
"If you promise to calm down."
"I'm not promising anything!"
She struck with her other hand in a lateral hook. I caught it just as quickly, just as cleanly. She was left with both wrists trapped in my hands, without me showing any effort whatsoever.
"Young Eris. Calm yourself."
"NO!"
She tried to kick my shin. I simply took a small step back. Her foot cut through empty air.
"Eris..."
"Shut up!"
She tried to sweep my legs with a clumsy, desperate movement. I jumped over it without releasing her wrists and landed in exactly the same spot, as if nothing had happened.
Her face ignited with frustration, red to her ears. Contrasting with her hair.
"STAY STILL!"
I decided that was enough. I released her.
Eris retreated half a step, breathing raggedly, clearly preparing another attack.
"Now you'll see!"
She launched herself at me with all her strength. I stepped to the side. Eris sailed past, nearly tripping on her own momentum. She spun quickly and tried again.
Another lateral step. Another failed attempt.
"Stop moving!"
"That would be contrary to my survival."
She growled and changed tactics. She started chasing me around the room, trying to corner me against walls or furniture. Every time she got close, I slipped to another side. When she tried to block my path, I'd already changed direction. And when she tried to anticipate my next move, she was always a second too late. Her attempts to hit me became increasingly desperate and uncoordinated.
"Stay... still... damn..."
She was panting now. I hadn't even accelerated my breathing.
Philip watched from his seat with an increasingly amused expression.
"ENOUGH!"
Eris stopped in the center of the room, chest heaving, several strands plastered to her forehead with sweat.
"Fight seriously!"
"I'm not fighting, Young Eris. I'm simply avoiding unnecessary violence."
That calm, right when she was exhausted from chasing me, seemed to be the last straw.
"AAAHHH!"
She threw herself at me with everything she had left. No technique, no strategy—just pure rage.
I decided to end this now.
When her fist came toward my face, I caught her wrist. This time I didn't stop there: I pulled gently on one while guiding the other.
And I turned with her, as if we were in a perfectly choreographed dance.
"What...?"
I made her spin once. Her confusion grew.
Twice.
She was beginning to sense something wasn't right.
On the third spin, I tangled my feet with hers on purpose. Her legs became trapped with mine.
And I released her at the exact instant.
Physics did the rest.
She fell sitting down—not painfully, but completely off-balance, tangled in her own limbs. She stayed there, looking at me with an expression of absolute shock.
Her mind was clearly short-circuiting, trying to understand how she'd ended up on the ground without me applying any real force.
I stood before her, looking at her with the same calm I'd maintained throughout the entire pursuit.
"Young Eris," I said again. "As I mentioned, violence is not appropriate."
"You... you..."
Eris couldn't even form coherent words. Probably no one had ever handled her like this before. Without brute force. Without returning her violence. Without even trying. For her, that had to be more humiliating than any normal defeat.
I turned to Philip, who was trying—without success—to hide his smile.
"Where will our rooms be?"
"Thomas will show you," he responded, with a tone of amusement he barely managed to disguise.
I looked at Eris one last time. She was still sitting on the floor, still trying to process what the hell had just happened.
"Have a good night, Young Eris."
And I walked out of the room at a leisurely pace, leaving her there, with her pride more wounded than if she'd been given an actual beating. Because she had discovered something terrible: that all her strength, all her fury, all her violence... hadn't been enough to even graze me.
And that was infinitely worse than losing a fight.
---
The rooms they assigned us were practically mirror images of each other, connected by a side door. Noble luxury in every corner: beds softer than I'd ever experienced, shelves full of expensive, well-maintained books, windows with hand-carved frames.
I heard Rudeus's door open and close, then his footsteps approaching the door connecting our rooms.
"Brother," his voice sounded tired. "Are you there?"
"Always."
He opened the door, revealing his bruised face. Eris's blows had left their mark, though nothing serious.
"It hurts," he admitted, murmuring a basic healing spell. The pain diminished... but not completely.
"Do you need help?"
"I'm fine. Just... beaten. Nothing permanent, though my pride is going to take longer to heal than my body."
"I warned you." It wasn't a reproach—just a fact.
"I know, I know. I was an idiot returning that slap. My adult brain should have known better, but my seven-year-old pride won the fight."
I approached, hesitating between intervening or letting him learn on his own. That balance was always complicated with Rudeus.
"I can heal you better. Without a spell. My magic is more efficient."
"I know, brother. But I want to do it myself..."
"As you wish."
I stayed there, waiting. I knew my brother well enough. Sooner or later he'd give in.
Finally, he sighed.
"Fine, fine. Go ahead. I'm not going to reject professional help when I've got it right here."
I placed my hand on his head carefully. An emerald green light glowed softly—more concentrated and pure than any healing he could produce. The pain disappeared completely in a matter of seconds, along with the fatigue and general discomfort.
"Thanks, brother. Seriously. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You're welcome. Try not to need it so often."
I returned to my room but left the door open. Constant availability without invading his personal space.
"Brother," he called before I got too far.
"Yes?"
"What do you think of her? Of Eris, I mean."
I stopped and considered the answer carefully.
"Temperamental. Violent. No evident emotional control." I paused briefly. "But not without potential. She's not stupid—she just lacks proper direction."
"Potential? You think so? Because from where I was standing, getting hit over and over, all I saw was a wild girl without any kind of filter between what she thinks and what she physically does."
"Her combat techniques are correct. Ghislaine trained her well in the fundamentals. The way she moved, her weight distribution, her positioning... it was all technically sound. She just needs mental and emotional discipline to accompany her physical training."
"And you think we can teach her that? You really think two seven-year-olds are going to manage to civilize that... that force of nature?"
"You can teach her magic and reading. You have patience for academics and know how to explain complex concepts simply," I said with my usual pragmatism. "I'll... see what I can do with her emotional control and physical discipline. I have some ideas, though I'm not completely sure of their viability."
Rudeus stared at the ornate ceiling.
"I hate you, Paul. Seriously. How dare he send us to a place like this without a proper warning? A letter saying 'the student is a bit energetic' doesn't even come close to what we just faced."
I let out a brief laugh—that strange sound I only made when something truly amused me.
"Although... compared to my previous life, this isn't so bad," Rudeus admitted after a moment. "I have work, a safe place to sleep, some money, family I care about. Paul set it up pretty well, considering the circumstances."
"Rudy?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay? Your breathing changed. Stress pattern."
"Just... thinking about my previous life. Inevitable comparisons, you know."
"Ah."
I understood. I also carried my own past, my own memories from another life. Trauma processed through methodical, controlled methods—my own.
"Do you think about yours too? About your previous life?"
"Sometimes. Less lately. The frequency has decreased."
"Why do you think that is?"
"Because this life is objectively better. More complete. More meaningful. I have family I care about and who return that feeling. I have a clear purpose. Achievable goals. In my previous life... I didn't have any of that."
"Even being here? Far from Mom, Dad, Aisha, Norn? In this absurd mansion with a violent noble who'll probably try to kill us tomorrow?"
"Even being here," I confirmed without hesitation. "Because I'm not alone. I have you, brother. And as long as I have you, I can handle any situation that arises."
Rudeus was silent for a moment.
I returned to my room but left the door open. Immediate availability without invading personal space.
"Brother," he called before I moved away.
"Yes?"
"What happened after I... you know, ran? With Eris."
I paused for an instant.
"She tried to hit me. Several times. Apparently, chasing you didn't calm her down."
"And? Don't tell me she hit you too."
"She couldn't touch me. I evaded her until she tired. When she decided to go all out, I used momentum redirection. Water God Style technique. Paul taught it to me: using the opponent's force against themselves."
"You made her fall?"
"First I made her spin. Three times. Then I tangled her feet and released her. She fell sitting down, without hurting herself."
"That sounds humiliating..."
"That was the idea. Demonstrating control without violence."
"And did it work?"
"Hard to know. Her reaction tomorrow will be the indicator. Her initial attitude will define the long-term strategy."
"You think she'll try to get revenge?"
"It's likely. The unknown is whether it'll be impulsive or reflective."
"This is going to be a long five years."
"Probably," I admitted. "But routine turns challenges into background noise."
"Goodnight, brother. Try not to dream about violent nobles chasing you."
"Goodnight, Rudy."
---
I stayed awake for a few minutes, processing the day with my usual method.
Eris wasn't like the other children I'd observed. Violent, yes, but not lacking internal logic. Her pride was excessive, her temperament unstable, but she wasn't stupid. She was just... misaligned. Without adequate guidance.
And after today's incident, she was probably thinking about me. Not with pure hatred, but with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. Her expression had been clear: predominant bewilderment, emerging interest. Nothing of the immediate resentment you'd expect from an impulsive person without brakes.
Promising. Or potentially problematic.
I looked at the half-open door. Rudeus was on the other side. My younger brother in this life.
For him, I would make this work. And for myself too. Five years training under Ghislaine Dedoldia, King-level swordsman... an opportunity I didn't intend to waste. In a world full of beasts, wars, reckless adventurers, and unpredictable nobles, strength wasn't a luxury—it was insurance.
"Worth it," I whispered to the darkness.
All of this: the complications, the danger, the coexistence with an explosive redheaded girl... all of it was investment for the future.
I let my mind shut down with the efficiency that discipline had taught me. Sleep dragged me toward images of training, battles to come, and a wild girl who needed direction before she destroyed herself.
Or dragged us all down with her.
---
## (Eris Boreas Greyrat) - (Point of View)
The mansion was silent, but I wasn't.
I was still sitting on my bed, fists clenched and heart pounding as if I were still running after that brat.
*Daiki.*
That name kept repeating in my head like some strange spell.
I'd beaten his brother without any problems. That was normal. People always fell. Always got scared. Always did what I wanted.
But him...
I squeezed the blanket.
*What was that?*
I couldn't touch him.
Not. Even. Once.
I ran, jumped, kicked, screamed... nothing. It was like chasing air. Like he knew exactly what I was going to do before I even decided it myself. And the worst part... he didn't mock me. Didn't get scared. Didn't get angry. He just looked at me with those cold red eyes that seemed to say: *"I see all of you, and I know how you're going to fail."*
And when he caught my wrists...
I brought my hand to my chest without realizing it.
I could still feel the exact pressure—firm and calm. Not hard like Ghislaine, not nervous like the guards, not fearful like the tutors. Simply... control.
And then...
He made me spin.
*Spin.*
Like he was leading me in a dance I never agreed to.
And yes, I fell on my ass like an idiot.
Me! Eris Boreas Greyrat!
I jumped up and looked at myself in the mirror.
My face was still red, but not from anger.
Humiliation? Shame?
...Not quite.
It was something worse. Or better. I don't know.
Because I'm not angry.
That's what I can't understand.
Anyone else who made me look like that in front of Father would already be crying, or begging for forgiveness, or out of a job. But Daiki... no. With him, I don't want to hit just to hit. I don't want to scream. I don't want him to run like Rudeus did.
I want...
I want to understand how he did that.
I want to try again.
I want him to look at me again with that calm face, like nothing in the world could knock him off his center.
No one has ever looked at me like that. Not as a nuisance, not as a beast, not as a girl without manners.
He *saw* me.
Me.
I threw myself onto the bed, stomach tight and chest warm.
Tomorrow I'm going to find him.
I don't know if it's to hit him—even though I can't—to have him teach me, or for... something else.
But I'm going to find him.
Daiki.
Black hair.
Red eyes.
And damn it...
*Why can't I get him out of my head?*