The miracle that had unfolded within the Royal Palace spread throughout the capital like wildfire.
A dying child...
Restored in an instant.
A girl surrounded by radiant wings.
A light no magician could explain.
To many, it was a divine miracle.
To others, it was merely another mystery beyond human understanding.
Yet for those closest to Bereshith...
The miracle was only the beginning.
Although Bereshith's body had been completely healed, he never opened his eyes.
Every physician reached the same conclusion.
"There are no wounds."
"The poison has completely vanished."
"His organs are functioning normally."
"His heartbeat is healthy."
"There is nothing physically wrong with him."
Every healer.
Every alchemist.
Every archmage.
Every divine priest.
All reached the same answer.
Yet none could explain why...
Bereshith remained asleep.
It was as though his body lived...
But something essential...
Was missing.
The first day after the miracle brought overwhelming relief.
When the King announced that Bereshith had survived, the heavy burden upon everyone's hearts finally eased.
Lucas broke into tears.
Ascirick silently thanked God beneath his breath.
Cyte smiled for the first time since the attack.
Cyse quietly leaned against the wall and sighed with relief.
Levanah clasped Bereshith's hand without speaking.
Lexy stood nearby, arms folded, pretending she was unaffected while secretly wiping away tears.
Princess Inoha smiled through trembling lips.
Princess Alesh thanked Heaven repeatedly.
One after another...
They entered Bereshith's room.
They spoke to him.
They laughed.
They shared stories.
They waited for him to wake.
But...
Morning became evening.
Evening became another morning.
Nothing changed.
Days became weeks.
Weeks became months.
The smiles slowly disappeared.
Hope gradually gave way to uncertainty.
No matter what they tried...
Bereshith never responded.
His chest rose and fell peacefully.
His heartbeat remained steady.
His complexion was healthy.
He simply...
Never awakened.
Some whispered he had fallen under an unknown curse.
Others insisted his soul wandered elsewhere.
Yet every examination reached the same conclusion.
There was no curse.
No poison.
No illness.
Nothing.
Only an endless slumber.
The uncertainty slowly consumed everyone.
Life, however...
Refused to stop.
Months passed.
Cyte.
Cyse.
Lexy.
Levanah.
Princess Inoha.
Princess Alesh.
Each entered Sol Academy alongside countless young nobles from across the continent.
On the day classes began...
Each wore a smile.
Each introduced themselves politely.
Each attended lectures with diligence.
Yet every evening...
Without fail...
They returned to the Royal Palace.
None accepted permanent rooms within the academy dormitories.
Instead, they traveled back each day.
Every afternoon.
Every night.
Every holiday.
Every free hour.
They gathered beside Bereshith's bed.
Cyte proudly reported his swordsmanship lessons.
Cyse complained about difficult magical theories before secretly boasting about his achievements.
Lexy spoke of training and sparring.
Levanah quietly shared stories from class.
Princess Alesh happily described every new friend she had made.
Princess Inoha...
Simply remained beside him.
Speaking softly as though he were listening.
None of them cared whether he answered.
Seeing him alive...
Was enough.
Meanwhile...
Lord Ascirick and Lucas faced another difficult decision.
One evening, inside the palace corridor, Lucas bowed respectfully.
"Father."
"Please allow me to remain here."
"I will protect Bereshith until he wakes."
Ascirick remained silent.
Then slowly shook his head.
"You cannot."
"You are now the acting head of this household."
Lucas clenched his fists.
"But Father—"
"No."
Ascirick's voice carried quiet authority.
"The family still needs someone."
Lucas lowered his head.
"...Then..."
"Become Lord once more."
"At least until Bereshith returns."
Silence filled the hallway.
Finally...
Ascirick nodded.
"...Very well."
"But under one condition."
Lucas looked up.
"You will report to the main house every single day."
"No excuses."
Lucas smiled faintly.
"I understand."
Months continued passing.
Eventually...
News reached Yareach.
She learned the truth about her brother.
At first...
Lucas refused her request.
"No."
"You are still too young."
Each day she asked.
Each day he refused.
One week.
Two weeks.
Three weeks.
Until...
Lucas finally surrendered.
With the approval of His Majesty and Prince Rayryn...
A royal magician personally escorted Yareach to the capital through teleportation magic.
Yet the King's generosity did not stop there.
Upon Lucas's request...
Maria.
Eva.
Mia.
Peter.
And the rest of the household...
Were also invited to reside within the palace.
Only Lord Ascirick remained behind, governing the family territory.
When Yareach finally entered the royal chamber...
She froze.
There...
Upon the elegant bed...
Lay her brother.
Peaceful.
Healthy.
Breathing.
Yet completely still.
She slowly approached.
"...Brother?"
No answer.
She gently touched his hand.
It was warm.
Alive.
But empty of any response.
Her expression slowly broke.
The cheerful little girl who once clung to her brother's sleeve...
Disappeared that day.
Something inside her quietly matured.
From that moment onward...
She resolved to become strong.
Strong enough to greet him with a smile...
When he finally awakened.
Each morning...
Maria continued teaching Yareach.
Reading.
Writing.
History.
Etiquette.
Magic theory.
Every lesson ended the same way.
Yareach hurried back to Bereshith's room.
She eagerly told him everything.
"Brother..."
"I learned three new letters today."
"Brother..."
"Teacher Maria praised my handwriting."
"Brother..."
"I finally memorized the royal map."
Every achievement...
Every tiny happiness...
She shared only with him.
Even though...
He never replied.
Still...
She smiled.
Every day.
For him.
Seven months passed.
That night...
Only moonlight illuminated the quiet chamber.
Yareach sat beside Bereshith's bed as she always did.
She held his unmoving hand between both of hers.
Her usual smile...
Finally disappeared.
"...Brother..."
Her voice trembled.
"I..."
"I don't know what to do anymore."
Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.
"I keep praying..."
"Everyone tells me..."
"'God is with us.'"
"'Have faith.'"
She lowered her head.
Her shoulders shook uncontrollably.
"But..."
"Why..."
"Why doesn't God answer me?"
Her tears fell onto Bereshith's hand.
"I need you..."
"I need you, Brother..."
"You promised..."
"You promised you would never leave me..."
Her sobs echoed softly through the silent chamber.
"Please..."
"Wake up..."
"I don't want to be brave anymore..."
"I just want my brother back..."
The room remained silent.
Only the sound of a little sister crying beside the brother she loved...
Filled the long night.
That night...
After crying until she could no longer shed another tear...
Yareach eventually fell asleep.
Still holding her brother's hand.
Her small head rested gently against Bereshith's unmoving arm, while the candle beside the bed slowly burned lower.
The chamber was silent.
Only the gentle rhythm of Bereshith's breathing and the quiet chirping of crickets outside accompanied the night.
Yet...
Far beyond the mortal world...
Beyond the stars...
Beyond time itself...
Bereshith awakened.
He slowly opened his eyes.
"...Where... am I?"
There was no ground beneath his feet.
Only endless clouds stretching farther than sight itself.
Before him stood an immense gate.
Its towering doors shimmered like pure gold.
The fence surrounding it appeared woven from clouds themselves, gleaming softly beneath an eternal light.
Without understanding why...
Bereshith stepped forward.
The golden gates slowly opened by themselves.
Not with thunder.
Not with force.
But with a peaceful majesty that filled every corner of existence.
As Bereshith crossed the threshold...
A radiant being descended before him.
Its entire form was made of living light.
Its six brilliant wings covered its body.
Its face could not be seen.
When it spoke...
Countless voices echoed together as one.
A language unlike anything Bereshith had ever heard flowed from the being.
Beautiful.
Powerful.
Holy.
Yet...
He understood nothing.
Bereshith lowered his head apologetically.
"I... I'm sorry..."
"I cannot understand..."
The radiant being remained silent.
Instead...
It gently extended one hand.
The heavens trembled.
A sound unlike thunder echoed throughout the sky.
A chariot descended from above.
It blazed with living fire.
Its wheels were covered by countless eyes that never blinked.
Its body stretched like a mountain across the heavens.
Thousands upon thousands of wings surrounded it, each feather shining brighter than the sun.
The air itself bowed before its presence.
The radiant being simply gestured toward it.
Inviting Bereshith aboard.
Though overwhelmed...
Bereshith stepped onto the heavenly chariot.
The moment both feet touched its surface...
The chariot moved.
It soared above the clouds.
Above stars.
Above creation itself.
Bereshith gazed around in silent amazement.
Everywhere he looked...
Countless heavenly beings filled the skies.
Some possessed nothing except endless wings covered in eyes.
Others resembled vast living rings revolving endlessly around one another, every surface filled with thousands upon thousands of watching eyes.
Others burned like pillars of living fire, their forms resembling mighty men while their faces bore different likenesses—one like a lion, one like a man, one like a ram.
Their brilliance was beyond imagination.
Each one continuously worshipped with voices that shook the heavens.
Yet none turned toward Bereshith.
All remained focused upon Someone infinitely greater.
At last...
The chariot came to a stop.
Silence fell.
Before Bereshith appeared a single Presence.
Yet...
He beheld three manifestations at once.
A Man clothed in indescribable white light.
A Dove surrounded by nine radiant circles of golden light.
A youthful Man whose countenance shone with gentle glory.
Though three appeared before him...
They spoke with one voice.
Perfectly united.
As though they were One.
"Bereshith..."
"My son."
The words echoed throughout heaven itself.
Bereshith wished to answer.
He wished to kneel.
He wished to cry.
Yet no voice came from his lips.
Only his eyes remained fixed upon the glorious Presence before him.
Then the Lord spoke again.
"I have called you here..."
"To give you a warning..."
"And My Word."
The Lord gently raised His hand.
The clouds beneath Bereshith vanished.
The heavens opened.
Below...
Bereshith saw countless souls.
Cities.
Kingdoms.
Entire nations.
He witnessed violence.
Pride.
Hatred.
Greed.
Wars without end.
Then...
Darkness.
An abyss beyond description.
A place filled with sorrow.
Despair.
Regret.
And ceaseless cries.
The sight caused Bereshith's entire body to tremble.
The Lord spoke.
"What you see..."
"...is neither the past..."
"...nor the present..."
"...nor the future."
"It is the destiny of those who reject Me."
"They shall stand before judgment."
"And there shall be weeping..."
"And gnashing of teeth..."
"Because they chose to walk apart from Me."
Bereshith's heart shook.
Not from fear alone...
But from overwhelming sorrow.
Again the Lord spoke.
"I desire that you proclaim My Word."
"I am the Lord your God."
"The One and Only God."
"I am the Way..."
"The Truth..."
"And the Life."
"No one comes to the 'ME' except through word of ME."
As those words echoed through eternity...
A brilliant light emerged from the Lord.
It entered Bereshith's chest.
His entire soul became surrounded by warmth unlike anything he had ever known.
Not burning.
Not consuming.
Only perfect peace.
At last...
Bereshith found his voice.
He immediately knelt.
"My Lord..."
"My God..."
"My Father..."
"How can I accomplish such a task?"
"I am only a child."
"So few believe."
"So few have faith."
"How can someone as small as I lead the world toward You?"
"Please..."
"Tell me what I must do."
The Lord smiled.
Then gently lifted Bereshith to his feet.
"My child..."
"It is enough..."
"That you believe."
"You shall face persecution."
"You shall be hated."
"You shall suffer."
"Many will reject you."
"Many will mock My Name."
"But do not fear."
"Those who remain faithful..."
"Those who endure..."
"Those who believe in Me..."
"Shall receive everlasting life."
"They shall know peace."
"And they shall dwell with Me forever."
The warmth in the Lord's voice drove away every fear within Bereshith's heart.
Then the Lord extended His hand.
A brilliant light surrounded Bereshith once more.
"Go."
"Proclaim My Word."
"And tell them..."
"Who I Am."
The light completely enveloped him.
Meanwhile at the same time...
Within the Royal Palace...
The night remained quiet.
Yareach had awakened briefly.
Unable to sleep again, she gently wiped her brother's face with a warm cloth as she had done every evening for months.
"...Brother..."
"You'll wake up someday..."
"...right?"
She smiled weakly despite the tears in her eyes.
Then...
A finger moved.
She froze.
"...Huh?"
The cloth slipped from her hands.
Another movement.
Bereshith's eyelids trembled.
Yareach's breathing stopped.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
His eyes opened.
They were clear.
Filled with life once again.
The first thing Bereshith saw...
Was his little sister.
His lips parted.
Only a single word escaped.
"...God."
Yareach stared in complete disbelief.
"...Brother...?"
Silence.
Then her eyes overflowed with tears.
"Brother...!"
She threw her arms around him, crying harder than she had in all the nine months before, as the silent chamber that had witnessed endless waiting was finally filled with the joyful sound of a little sister's tears.
However...
The night that Bereshith finally opened his eyes...
Was also the night Yareach had reached her limit.
For nine long months...
She had never left his side for very long.
She read to him.
She spoke to him.
She prayed for him.
She smiled for him.
Even when no answer ever came.
Yet every passing day slowly stole a little more of her hope.
A little more of her faith.
Until...
The impossible happened...
After Yareach hugs her brother tightly, she pulled herself away from her brother, then...
She immediately stood away from the bed and rushed toward the door.
"DAD!!! EVERYONE!!!"
"WHERE ARE YOU?!!"
"HURRY!!!"
"BROTHER HAS FINALLY WOKEN UP!!!"
Her voice echoed throughout the quiet palace.
On the opposite side of the corridor...
Lucas, who had been resting against the wall outside the room, instantly opened his exhausted eyes.
For nine months...
Sleep had become a stranger.
Dark circles rested beneath his eyes.
His beard had grown slightly longer.
The cheerful man everyone once knew had become noticeably thinner.
The moment he heard Yareach's voice—
He ran. Destroy the door he resting.
Without hesitation.
Without caring about anything else.
He burst into the room.
There...
He saw Bereshith.
Awake.
Looking directly at him.
Bereshith smiled weakly and awkwardly.
"Oh... hey, Dad..."
"What's going on?"
Lucas never heard the rest.
He rushed forward. Where Yareach and Bereshith are.
Wrapped both Bereshith and Yareach inside his arms.
And held them as tightly as he could.
His entire body trembled.
"You idiot..."
"You absolute idiot..."
"Never..."
"Never ever jump into danger like that again!"
"I'm your father for a reason!"
"So let me protect you!"
His voice broke completely.
Unable to hold back any longer, Lucas cried openly.
For the first time in nine months...
The weight crushing his heart finally disappeared.
Bereshith simply blinked in confusion.
"...Dad..."
"...You're crying."
The commotion quickly spread throughout the palace.
The next to arrive were Maria and Eva.
Behind them came little Mia, rubbing her sleepy eyes while holding a stuffed doll.
The moment Mia saw Bereshith sitting upright—
"Big Brother!!"
She happily climbed onto the bed and hugged him.
Eva wiped away her tears with a smile.
Maria simply lowered her head.
"Welcome back, Bereshith."
"...We're glad you're home."
Only moments later...
Rapid footsteps echoed once more.
The door burst open again.
Levanah and Lexy rushed inside together.
Neither cared about appearances.
Neither cared who was watching.
Both immediately threw their arms around Bereshith.
Levanah buried her face against his shoulder.
"You..."
"...You idiot..."
"You made everyone worry..."
Her voice trembled.
Lexy, despite trying to remain composed, couldn't stop her own tears.
"You really are hopeless..."
"...Welcome back."
Cyte and Cyse entered shortly afterward.
Cyte's usual confident smile was nowhere to be found.
Instead...
He smiled warmly.
"I..."
"I'm really glad you came back."
Cyse crossed his arms.
His eyes were already wet.
He turned his head away.
"...you idiot."
"...Just don't disappear again."
Bereshith looked around in complete bewilderment.
"Seriously..."
"What happened while I was asleep?"
Before anyone could answer—
Another pair of footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Princess Inoha rushed inside.
The moment she saw Bereshith awake...
She completely forgot royal etiquette.
She ran straight toward him.
And embraced him tightly.
"Thank God..."
"Thank God you've come back..."
Her shoulders shook as tears streamed down her face.
"I thought..."
"...I thought I'd never see you again..."
Standing quietly behind her...
Princess Alesh approached more slowly.
She smiled shyly.
"I'm..."
"I'm truly glad you're alive."
"Thank you..."
"...for everything."
Bereshith smiled awkwardly.
"...Thank you?"
Finally...
The hallway became silent.
Two more figures entered.
Prince Rayryn.
And beside him...
The King himself.
The entire room instinctively stepped aside.
Bereshith immediately noticed the prince.
"Your Highness..."
Then his eyes shifted toward the older man.
He tilted his head curiously.
"...Your Majesty?"
Prince Rayryn raised one hand.
"Enough with the formalities."
His face softened into a genuine smile.
"I am truly glad you're alive, Sir Bereshith."
"Welcome back."
The King simply nodded with quiet approval.
"There will be time for questions later."
"For now..."
"Rest."
"You've earned it."
Everyone in the room smiled.
The atmosphere that had been buried beneath nine months of grief had finally begun to heal.
Only one person...
Still understood nothing.
Bereshith scratched his head.
He looked from face to face.
Then laughed awkwardly.
"No, seriously..."
"Can someone please tell me..."
"...what's going on?"
The room fell strangely silent.
Everyone exchanged glances.
No one knew how to tell him...
That while, to him, it had felt like only a single night...
Nine long months had passed.