Chapter 3

Blink.

'Hm? Someone's here again?'

"Young master, the Lord is looking for your presence."

Shiori immediately sat up upon hearing the maid's monotone voice.

"...I see."

Wow. I really don't want to go.

Shiori couldn't help but wonder what kind of disaster awaited him in that dining hall.

'Seems like the whole family is there...'

"Hey, right now... never mind."

Shiori was curious, but there was no rush. He’d figure it out later.

Plop*

He gestured for his servants to bring him clothes and prepare his bath.

He observed the servants standing in front of his room’s entrance. Some were well-groomed and seemed professional, yet their poker faces made them difficult to approach. These were probably his mother’s servants. They looked too refined to be Adrelo’s usual attendants. His mother likely had her staff keeping an eye on Adrelo after the recent incident. She probably thought he was just causing a commotion to get attention.

'Let’s just get this over with.'

***

Shiori walked over to the large mirror by the wall, studying his reflection. He still couldn’t get used to the face staring back at him—the sharp features, the dark, brooding eyes, the high cheekbones that gave him an almost aristocratic look.

He looked like someone with power, someone who should command respect. But it was all a facade. Underneath, he was still just a confused teenager trying to make sense of the mess he had found himself in.

"Well," he muttered to his reflection,

“Let’s hope I can survive this dinner without making it worse.”

With that, he left the room and made his way toward the dining hall, his steps slow and deliberate as he tried to prepare himself for the inevitable awkwardness that awaited him.

***

At the dining hall entrance, Adrelo hesitated before opening the door. He cleared his mind, relaxed his composure, and signaled for the servants to open it.

Creak

Inside, the Diere family sat around the large dining table, piled high with luxurious food and desserts. They were already eating without him, and his siblings chatted happily until the door opened, revealing Adrelo.

The family fell silent the moment they saw him.

Adrelo bowed and greeted them.

Unsure of the etiquette. He thought it'd be rude to not greet them.

His back still ached from lying on that soft, comfortable mattress. It was so cozy, he felt like he could have slept forever. Adrelo was used to a life where he worked hard, despite being spoiled as a child. His father, a famous pianist, had high expectations. Though he was spoiled, he was still raised with the understanding that he couldn’t be a burden to society.

‘Wish I’d learned to play the piano better. Sigh.’

Shiori could play the piano beautifully, being the son of a talented pianist. But compared to his older brother, who had a real passion for it, Shiori was only average at best.

He didn’t share the same drive for it, even though his parents wanted him to. Shiori found the sound of the piano—especially his father’s compositions—undeniably beautiful, but his heart wasn’t fully invested in it.

As Shiori mused over the regrets of his previous life, he didn’t notice his family staring at him. His siblings were openly eyeing him as he ate, not hiding their curiosity.

The air was thick with tension, and as Shiori made his way to his seat, he couldn’t shake the feeling that everyone was watching him closely, analyzing his every move.

"Adrelo," his mother’s voice broke the silence, cool and distant,

"How are you feeling now?"

'Did she just asked me how I was doing now? That's surprising'

Shiori sat down, trying to channel the distant, emotionless tone that Adrelo would have used.

"I’m fine. Just tired."

There was a brief moment of silence before his father finally looked up, his gaze cold and calculating.

“I see, rest well and avoid causing deliberate troubles again.”

Shiori nodded, trying not to flinch under his father’s gaze.

"Of course, Father."

The eldest sibling, in particular, seemed to notice something different about Adrelo’s behavior today. The others just stared, completely baffled

His siblings were seated at the table as well, but none of them said anything. The youngest, a boy who appeared to be in his early teens, glanced at Shiori with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. The middle child, who seemed to have inherited none of the curse, as Shiori had gathered from earlier conversations, looked at him with disinterest, as if he were nothing more than an insignificant part of the room.

Shiori couldn’t help but notice how everything in this family felt disconnected. The lack of warmth, the cold formality of their interactions, and the undercurrent of tension that seemed to swirl around the table like an invisible storm.

'This is... miserable'

Shiori thought, his mind racing. 'How did Adrelo live like this for so long? How could he bear it?'

But then, a small flicker of understanding crossed his mind. Adrelo had never had a choice. He had been born into this family, into this life of isolation and neglect. And as much as Shiori didn’t want to admit it, he now understood why Adrelo had become the person he was. It was survival, pure and simple.

As dinner continued, the conversation was as strained and formal as ever. His mother and father spoke with each other in clipped tones, discussing matters of family business, while the siblings exchanged quiet words amongst themselves.

Shiori remained silent, choosing to observe more than engage. His mind was elsewhere, lost in the complexities of Adrelo’s family and what he might have to do to survive this twisted existence.

But one thing was clear, the road ahead would not be easy. Adrelo’s past, with all its pain and neglect, had shaped him into a person who had learned to hide his true feelings behind a mask of indifference. And now, Shiori was forced to wear that same mask if he hoped to navigate this treacherous world.

***

After finishing his meal, Adrelo quickly excused himself from the table and headed back to his room to think.

'That was exhausting...'

As he mumbled to himself, the door opened, and his butler stepped in.

"Young master, I am here to inform you that your return to the academy has been scheduled for next week, as ordered by the lord."

'Already?'

"...I see."

Adrelo thought about meeting the characters from the novel again and the potential interactions. He had likely already met the female lead, though their contact was minimal at this point. Eventually, she would show affection toward him, but Adrelo wasn’t interested anymore.

'For my own sanity, it's better to stay away from the characters and deal with my family. I could just smack them one by one... but then, I’d need to figure out my escape fund first.'

'Maybe Adrelo has money too... right?'

He couldn’t pull off any schemes if he was broke. The Marquis probably gave him an allowance, considering he was still his child. If not, he could always sell some of the expensive items in the mansion.

Adrelo realized just how wealthy the family was after observing the luxurious decor around the estate. They wouldn’t even notice if a few items went missing, right? They could easily replace them.

But the runaway plan would have to wait; the academy was more pressing. The butler left, and the maids began preparing snacks, leaving Adrelo alone to think.

'I really don’t want to go... I don’t even know what I’ll do there.'

The academy was filled with "intelligent bastards" according to the novel. It was a school for elites and talents. Not only did they specialize in magic, but they also trained students in various fields, including those with holy powers.

Although magic and holy powers were different, they shared some common ground in their pursuit of knowledge. Adrelo knew little about the reasons behind this mix of beliefs and magic, but he could tell the academy was meant to serve all these students, regardless of their background.

The royal family also attended the academy, not as mages, but as students with magical potential. After graduation, they could choose to pursue magic or use their knowledge in any field they desired. However, most students opted to become mages and join the prestigious Tower of Magic.

Adrelo wasn’t sure why he was going back, but he had to prepare himself. Magic? He was a normal human without powers—so what did it mean for him to have magic?

As a child, he’d dreamed of having supernatural powers to save the world, but that was just a childish fantasy. Now, he had no idea what to do.

'I don’t even know how to use magic...'

He tried to block out the thoughts of his incomplete memories of Adrelo. Adrelo had terrifying power, and that fact worried Shiori more than anything else.

First, he needed to figure out how to use magic so he wouldn’t embarrass himself when he returned to school next week.

***

A week passed.

The day before Adrelo’s return to the academy, he continued to ignore his family, lost in his thoughts. He just wanted to get it all over with and live a peaceful life in the countryside. Maybe even start a farm.

Tomorrow, he would head to the academy, a journey that would take a day. He had enough time to prepare, including notifying the headmaster of his return.

He packed his things with the help of his servants and had them prepare his uniforms. He hadn’t seen them yet, but he didn’t care. He just needed to focus on surviving at the academy and making connections.

'I need a friend or at least an acquaintance to help me recommend a good place to start farming...'

As he muttered to himself, the butler entered and informed him that the lord requested his presence.

Adrelo went to his father’s office, waiting silently for the call to enter.

The room was eerily quiet, the tension thick in the air. The secretary, sweating nervously, left the room as Adrelo entered. No one knew why the lord had called for him, especially since he had largely ignored Adrelo during his childhood. Some even speculated that the Marquis despised his own son.

Adrelo bowed and waited. He wasn’t sure why he was here, but he stood in silence until his father gave permission to straighten up.

The Marquis observed him coolly and then gave a terse command.

"You are to meet with your older sister tomorrow."

'...What?'