A week had passed since his soul had been ripped from his world. A week in which Lusian felt trapped between fear and despair, searching for answers that never came.
According to the servants, it was the year 714 of the kingdom… and he was barely fifteen.
"Fifteen?" he muttered to his reflection. Perfect… back to adolescence. And in the deadliest world I've ever known.
His refined features and young warrior's musculature were an uncomfortable reminder: this was not his body. And yet… it felt strangely familiar.
While the servants bathed and cleaned him, Lusian remained still, careful not to show discomfort. The warm water slid over flesh that didn't feel like his, while unfamiliar hands worked with the precision of someone who knew the body better than he did. He wasn't used to such closeness, much less to being naked in front of strangers—but he swallowed the shame like a bitter pill. Keeping his chin high was easier than accepting the flesh that now belonged to him.
"This guy really took training seriously," he muttered dryly.
They dried him, bandaged him, and began the ritual of dressing him when the door opened without warning. Sophia Douglas of Mondring—the woman this body called mother—entered with firm, measured steps. At her side strode a dark-furred lion, claws clicking against the polished marble floor.
A blue light danced between the duchess's fingers, crackling softly like lightning contained in her palm.
"I am granting you partial authority over two of your beasts," she announced, approaching without concern for the tension in the room. "Thunder, my level seventy-six electric steed, and Umber, my level seventy-one dark wolf."
She traced intricate symbols across his arm, sealing the bond as if signing a contract with fire.
Lusian frowned at the burning magic. "Partial authority… meaning they'll obey my orders, but their loyalty still belongs to you."
"Exactly," Sophia nodded. "But if your life is in danger, they will intervene without hesitation, even if it costs them their own."
The golden-maned lion rested near the window, a silent monarch commanding respect with every breath.
Sophia's smile carried a trace of sadness as she introduced his third companion: Larriet, an A-class Delta lion, still elusive and stubborn.
"This is Larriet, A-class," she explained. The lion opened a single eye, and the air around him seemed heavier, almost oppressive. "I cannot give you control over him, but he is trained to respond to your voice in extreme circumstances."
"Perfect," Lusian said with a nervous smile. "If that cat decides to attack me, I hope you have a spare body ready, Mother."
Sophia chuckled softly, though her eyes remained serious.
"Then you'd better learn to earn his respect, my son."
When she finished engraving the final seal, Lusian felt an invisible thread connect with his soul. It wasn't just magic—it was an ancestral bond of profound loyalty. He instinctively understood: these powerful guardians were now his pack, a family that would answer his call until the very end.
For the first time, he realized he couldn't run away. He was not just trapped in a borrowed body… he was beginning to become part of a world that did not forgive weakness.
And as he stared at the marks on his skin, a certainty formed between fear and irony: if he wanted to survive, he would have to become Lusian Douglas of Mondring.
Umber, the dark wolf, approached—massive, silent, eyes sharp and calculating. He sniffed Lusian's hand and, with a deep, almost human sigh, radiated a calm that was both unexpected and reassuring.
"Each of these beasts has its own magical affinity," Sophia explained, stroking Larriet's golden mane. "That spiritual bond with an element defines their strength, their abilities, and how efficiently they use their energy. Thunder channels electricity with precision; Umber moves through shadows, manipulates darkness like no other creature. They will remain by your side to protect you."
Erwin felt a chill run down his spine. They weren't just allies—they were guardians… and watchers. Without a doubt, Sophia—his mother—would know everything he did at every moment through them.