That night, the Noctis residence was far livelier than usual.
Crystal lamps hung from the ceiling of the grand hall, casting golden light across the room. Soft music played, accompanying the laughter of nobles chatting—graceful, or at least trying to appear so.
At the far end of the hall stood a pair who were the center of all the evening's formalities.
Count Alaric Noctis, tall and imposing, his sharp gaze tempered by the warmth of a family head. Beside him, Seraphina Noctis, elegant in a dark, sophisticated gown, her smile subtle yet enough to calm the surrounding atmosphere.
They welcomed guests flawlessly—measured smiles, polite words, an aura of authority that needed no effort.
The reason was simple.
Today was Luna Noctis's twelfth birthday.
As the daughter of the Count and a talented mana user, she was the focus of attention. Guests arrived not just to celebrate, but to forge connections.
And amidst it all—
Zen Noctis… barely seemed important.
In a corner, a boy dressed in simple noble attire stood in front of the buffet.
"Hmm…"
His hands moved quickly.
Grab the roast meat.
Add some sauce.
A bit of bread.
Oh, this one looks good too.
His plate slowly became a small mountain.
"…perfect."
He nodded in satisfaction.
Meanwhile, across the room, nobles busied themselves with discussions of politics, power, and the future of their houses—
Zen, however, was focused… on choosing desserts.
No one noticed him.
And that… was perfect.
He sat at an empty chair, eating quietly, enjoying the moment without disturbance.
"…delicious."
First bite.
"…this one too."
Second bite.
Life felt peaceful.
Yet—
"Zen."
A voice called him.
Calm. Deep. Authoritative.
Zen slowly lifted his face.
Standing there was a man with a tall frame, neat hair, and an aura distinct from most others in the hall.
Kyle Noctis.
The eldest of the Noctis siblings.
And now a royal knight, master of Knight Aura.
"…oh, brother," Zen murmured softly.
Kyle stepped closer, his gaze falling on Zen's plate.
"Seems like you're enjoying the party."
"Not bad," Zen replied shortly. "The food doesn't disappoint."
Kyle paused for a moment. Then a thin smile appeared.
"As always."
Zen studied his brother briefly.
Knight Aura, huh.
In this world, sword users' powers were divided into paths. One was Sword Aura—focusing on technique and energy flow through the weapon.
Knight Aura…
"…too complicated to explain."
Zen took another piece of meat.
Besides, it didn't matter.
If he wanted, Zen could craft his own version of aura. Or not.
It depended on his mood.
Kyle exhaled lightly and straightened up.
"I'll go see Luna."
"Please."
Without waiting, Kyle walked away.
His movement straight. Firm. Flawless.
Truly like a knight.
Zen observed him for a moment.
"…yeah, he fits the role."
The Noctis family needed an heir like that.
Someone strong, respected, and… normal.
Not like himself.
Zen returned to his food.
Priorities.
But—
"Luna."
Kyle's voice echoed from across the hall.
Zen glanced.
There stood Luna, surrounded by girls of her age from noble families.
Seeing Kyle, her face immediately lit up.
"Brother!"
Kyle smiled warmly.
A smile different from before.
He took out a small box, opening it slowly.
Inside, a bracelet shimmered softly.
"Happy birthday," he said. "This is a protective artifact. It will activate automatically if you are in danger."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
"…artifact?"
"That's… expensive, isn't it?"
Whispers rippled among the guests.
Luna accepted the bracelet carefully.
"Thank you, brother…"
Her eyes sparkled.
Kyle placed it gently on her wrist.
Perfect.
Like a scene from a story.
And—
"KYAAAAAA!!"
Screams erupted from all directions.
The noble girls.
Even a few adult women covered their mouths, cheeks flushed.
"Look at that…!"
"A true knight…!"
"So gentle…!"
"If only I received that…!"
The hall turned into a sea of admiration.
Zen watched the spectacle.
Silent.
Then picked up a glass, sipping slowly.
"…so noisy."
He glanced back at Kyle, now surrounded by praise from all directions.
Light. Popularity. Charisma.
All things a protagonist should possess.
"…yeah."
Zen took the next slice of cake.
"Let him be."
He put it in his mouth.
Sweet.
Perfect.
Yet—
"…too loud."
A soft voice.
Not loud.
Yet somehow—
clear.
Zen glanced briefly.
Across the hall, slightly away from the crowd—
a young man leaned casually against a pillar.
A glass of drink in hand.
Elegant white hair, neatly combed.
Calm eyes.
Aurelius Noctis.
"…munch munch"
Zen chewed slowly.
Aure didn't clap.
Didn't cheer.
He simply stood there—watching.
His gaze slowly moved.
From Kyle.
To Luna.
Evaluating.
Calm.
Then—
paused.
Towards Zen.
"…?"
Zen tilted his head slightly.
Seconds passed.
Their eyes met—
silent, wordless.
No readable emotion.
Then—
"…tch."
Very soft.
Almost inaudible.
Aure turned his gaze away as if it never happened.
He sipped his drink casually, returning to his stance—
an observer unwilling to get involved.
Meanwhile—
amidst the glimmering party and noble attention—
Aurelius wasn't the only one uninterested in the spotlight.
Another pair of eyes—
not on Kyle.
But—
on the corner of the room.
On a boy… busy eating.
A girl stood not far from there.
Deep red hair cascading neatly to her back.
Her pastel dress elegant but not ostentatious, soft to the eyes, befitting her noble status.
Her gaze… fixed on Zen.
"…strange."
She tilted her head slightly.
Something felt familiar.
Very familiar.
But… she couldn't recall clearly.
As if her memory was intentionally shrouded in mist.
Zen, still focused on the third layer of cake on his plate, lifted his eyes slightly.
Their eyes met.
"…caught."
The girl flinched slightly.
But instead of looking away, she walked closer.
Steps hesitant… yet determined.
Zen chewed slowly.
He knew this girl—the noble girl he had saved a few days ago.
"…trouble."
He could already guess.
Situations like this usually ended in conversation.
And conversation… meant stopping eating.
Not ideal.
The girl stopped before him.
"Excuse me…"
Her voice soft.
Zen lifted his face, glancing at her.
"…yes?"
"Sorry for the sudden approach," she continued, bowing slightly. "But… have we met before?"
Straight to the point.
Zen paused for a fraction of a second.
His instincts sharp.
"No."
Short answer. No pause.
No hesitation.
The girl blinked.
"…I see."
But her expression wasn't fully convinced.
Zen returned to his cake.
"…sharp instincts too."
He nodded slightly in thought.
Ordinary people usually retreated immediately after rejection.
But this girl—
remained standing.
"…then," she said again, this time with a small smile.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Noel Celestine."
She bowed lightly.
Graceful. Trained.
Clearly from a major noble family.
Zen looked at her briefly.
"…Zen."
Short.
Efficient.
Enough.
Noel paused slightly.
"…just Zen?"
"That's enough."
"…I see."
Awkward pause.
But—
before Noel could continue—
the hall doors swung open wide.
Footsteps echoed.
Steady. Heavy.
Several royal guards entered first, forming a corridor automatically.
And in the middle of them—
a blonde young man walked in.
Striking attire.
Elegant.
Adorned with the Lifreya royal insignia.
The aura he carried… was different.
Not just from power.
But status.
"…oh."
Zen glanced briefly.
"Prince."
Noel held her breath slightly.
Other nobles reacted immediately.
"Your Highness…"
"The prince… himself…?"
Whispers spread quickly.
The young man walked straight, without hesitation.
His target clear.
Luna.
"Happy birthday, Lady Luna."
Without ceremony, he took Luna's hand—
and kissed it elegantly.
Perfect gesture.
Perfect smile.
Everything… too perfect.
Luna seemed slightly surprised, yet responded politely.
"Thank you, Your Highness…"
Zen watched from afar.
"…Adrian von Lifreania."
The fifth prince of the kingdom.
Almost the same age as him.
Appearance? Check.
Etiquette? Check.
Popularity? No need to ask.
Yet—
"…this one's a problem."
Zen rested his chin on his hand.
He knew well.
Beneath that elegant demeanor—
his personality…
slightly off.
Slightly.
…maybe.
"Finally, he's here too…" Noel murmured softly.
Zen glanced at her.
"You know him?"
"Not closely," Noel replied. "But… his reputation is well-known."
"Which reputation?"
Noel paused.
"…that one."
Zen nodded.
"Ah. That one."
They shared a moment of silence.
Understanding each other.
Meanwhile, in the hall—
Adrian still smiled, surrounded by noble attention.
The light reflected off his blond hair.
Truly like a main character.
Zen looked briefly.
Then—
back to his plate.
Zen Noctis stood in the corner—again. Chewing something.
"…the meat's a bit dry."
He examined his plate briefly, nodding slightly, as if seriously evaluating the buffet's quality.
But—
suddenly he paused.
"…ah."
He remembered something.
Luna.
Today was her birthday.
And as a brother who… at least tried to appear normal, he should give a gift.
Zen looked at his younger sister surrounded by guests. Her small smile still remained, though clearly a little overwhelmed by the attention.
"…gift, huh."
He lowered his head slightly.
Thinking.
Then—
his eyes narrowed slightly.
"Oh… yes."
An idea formed.
Simple.
Effective.
And—of course—cool.
Minutes later, Zen stood near the large window of the banquet hall, slightly pulling aside the curtain.
The night sky stretched wide outside.
"…this should be enough."
He raised one hand.
No magic circles. No chants.
Just a small, almost imperceptible gesture.
Particles in the air began to move.
Forming.
Merging.
BOOM!
The night sky suddenly exploded with light.
Red.
Blue.
Gold.
Colors spread like giant flowers blooming in the dark.
"…?!"
The entire hall fell silent.
Some nobles immediately turned to the window.
"What is that…?"
"Magical phenomenon?"
"So beautiful…!"
Voices of admiration spread among the amazed guests.
In the crowd, Luna opened her eyes wide.
"Uwaaah…!"
The fireworks reflected in her eyes, sparkling like living gems.
But then she began scanning the room—searching for someone.
And it didn't take long for her gaze to stop.
On the second floor, slightly apart from the crowd… Zen.
Luna waved eagerly.
Without hesitation.
Without error.
She knew.
In this world, there was only one person who could do something like this.
Her brother.
Zen Noctis.
A soft smile etched across his face.
A smile full of understanding… and a little pride.
From afar, Zen returned a slight nod.
"…good. Nice reaction."
His tone remained flat, as if it were ordinary.
Yet beneath it—
he seemed quite satisfied.
However—
BOOOM!! CRACKLE—SIZZLE!!
The next explosion sounded even bigger.
Brighter.
More… aggressive.
Zen blinked slowly.
BOOOOOOM!!
The sky seemed torn apart by light.
The vibration even reached the floor of the hall.
Glasses on the tables rattled.
Some guests began exchanging nervous glances.
Zen tilted his head, thinking for a moment.
"…The input is far stronger than last year."
BOOOOOM!!!
This time—
several chandeliers swayed violently.
"KYAAAH?!"
Screams began to rise.
"It's a magic attack!"
Zen froze.
"…ah."
Apparently—
this was not normal.
And at that exact moment—
click.
The bracelet on Luna's wrist suddenly glowed.
At first, softly… almost imperceptibly.
But in an instant, the flash intensified—hardening into a transparent layer that surrounded her.
A dome.
A protective barrier pulsing slowly, as if responding to something unseen.
"Eh…?"
Luna stared at her own hands, bewildered.
The light continued to pulse.
Faster.
Stronger.
Kyle, standing not far from her, immediately changed expression.
"…The artifact is active?"
His eyes narrowed sharply.
Suddenly, the aura of a knight radiated from him—solid, imposing.
"Everyone, fall back from Lady Luna!" he shouted firmly.
The guards moved at once.
Formations took shape.
The nobles panicked, retreating without direction.
Meanwhile, Prince Adrian also looked surprised. His bodyguards quickly formed a protective circle around him, hands already on their weapons.
The atmosphere changed in an instant.
From admiration… to alertness.
Amid the chaos—
shadows moved.
One.
Two.
Then… more.
Several figures dressed in dark clothes emerged from the crowd, their steps smooth, almost silent.
Too well-trained to be mere guests.
One of them dashed forward immediately.
The target was clear.
Not Luna.
But—
Prince Adrian.
"—!"
A guard hadn't even reacted before a thin blade slipped through his defense.
"ENEMY ATTACK!"
The shout echoed.
The hall, once chaotic… now truly became a battlefield.
On the second floor—
Zen observed everything.
Expressionless.
"…So someone is really taking advantage of this."
His eyes tracked the intruders' movements.
Fast.
Efficient.
Without hesitation.
He exhaled lightly.
Then—
he vanished.
No flash.
No sound.
One second he was standing there—
the next… gone.
An assassin shot between guards, blade aimed straight at the prince's neck.
But—
Cling.
A faint sound.
His movement halted.
Eyes wide.
His body… frozen.
As if the space around him locked every joint.
Behind him—
Zen stood.
Silent.
Trace-free.
His hand lifted slightly.
"Don't rush."
His voice was soft.
Cold.
In a small motion—
crack.
The assassin's body fell silently.
Unconscious.
Elsewhere in the hall—
two assassins moved together, trying to flank from different directions.
Their steps were nearly perfect.
But—
before reaching their target—
the space around them distorted.
As if folded.
And—
shff.
Both vanished from their original positions.
Reappeared… in a dark corner of the room.
Bodies hitting the floor in exactly the same positions.
Motionless.
Zen walked through the chaos.
Steps light.
No one noticed him.
Every time he passed—
a threat vanished.
No sound.
No trace.
As if they had never existed.
"The number… is quite large."
He paused briefly.
Eyes sweeping the room.
The royal knights began holding the line.
Kyle and Aure was already at the front, sword gleaming, each strike precise.
"Good."
Zen looked away.
"This one… i'll leave to them."
Behind one pillar—
a remaining assassin tried to retreat.
Breathing irregular.
Eyes shifting nervously.
"—Impossible…"
But—
he froze.
Zen was already in front of him.
Closer than expected.
"…you."
Zen's voice flat.
The assassin tried to move—
couldn't.
"Just a little."
Zen lifted his hand.
Particles in the air trembled faintly.
Invisible.
But—
penetrating.
Entering.
Piercing the target's consciousness.
Brief images flashed.
Fragments of memory.
Orders.
Symbols.
Flags he didn't recognize… yet felt familiar.
"…I see."
Zen lowered his hand.
His gaze sharpened.
"From outside."
Another kingdom.
And—
a bigger plan.
The assassin collapsed.
Unconscious.
Zen stood still for a moment.
Then turned toward the hall.
The battle still raged—
but now clearly more controlled.
The royal knights began taking over.
Kyle led calmly, each movement efficient.
And Aure keeping his eyes on Luna while protecting the barrier.
Meanwhile their parents doing their best to calm the nobles outside the estate.
"Enough."
Zen turned.
One step—
and he disappeared into the shadows again.
Seconds later—
he was back on the second floor.
Standing where he had been.
As if he had never left.
Below, the guards began securing the situation.
The nobles still panicked.
And in the midst of it all—
Luna still stood within her dome of light.
Safe.
Zen glanced at the sky outside the window.
"Seems like a war is really going to happen."
The night wind blew gently through a slightly open window, carrying the lingering smell of gunpowder from the fading fireworks above.
Zen turned to leave.
For him—
the night was enough.
But—
he was not alone.
Behind a large pillar on the second-floor balcony—
a pair of eyes watched.
Dark red hair neatly flowing.
A pastel dress trembling slightly with unsteady breath.
Noel Celestine.
She had been standing there all along.
Since—
before the chaos truly erupted.
And unintentionally—
she had seen everything.
Her mouth… slightly open.
Silent.
Motionless.
Only—
frozen.
"W-What…"
Her voice barely audible.
Fragment after fragment of the events replayed in her mind.
Shadows moving without sound.
People suddenly falling.
Space… folding.
And—
that figure.
Zen.
She swallowed slowly.
Eyes fixed on Zen's back.
But Zen just walking casually… as if nothing had happened.