* * *
The result Raizen wanted came quickly.
Sean was pulled forward just as the boy intended.
It was inevitable.
No matter how well he was fed at the duke’s house, Sean was still on the thin side, while Raizen had trained in swordsmanship for years and possessed innate strength.
Sean’s eyes widened in surprise as he stared at Raizen.
“…Hyung?”
At that moment, Raizen felt heat rush to his face.
He realized just how childish his actions had been.
But he was Raizen, after all.
The boy quickly smoothed his expression and pretended to check Sean over.
“You’re not hurt, right? Sorry. I must’ve startled you.”
He didn’t explain the reason.
Instead, he simply apologized and acted gentle.
Because there was no way he could actually say, “I did it because I didn’t like that you seemed distracted.”
He wasn’t particularly fond of using his looks to his advantage, but right now, he had no other choice.
He knew that Sean would sometimes stare at his face as if entranced.
“Ah…”
Sean let out a small sound, his pupils trembling before slowly settling.
Raizen furrowed his brows.
‘What’s with him?’
Even after experiencing a major accident, losing all his memories, and waking up, Sean had remained bright and carefree.
Shouldn’t he have looked like this right after being rescued?
Seeing Sean act out of order only confused Raizen more.
In the end, he couldn’t help but ask.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Raizen had never cared for others’ wounds or emotions, locked away in the curse and the pain it brought.
But he didn’t want to just let this go.
Sean, who had been looking down, slowly lifted his gaze.
His clear blue eyes met Raizen’s, and suddenly, Raizen’s heart sank with a heavy thud.
‘What the hell is this?’
It was a feeling he had never experienced before.
Come to think of it, he had never looked anyone in the eyes from such a close distance before, either.
As he stared, Sean’s lips slowly parted.
Feeling strangely anxious, Raizen forced himself to speak in a calm voice.
“It’s okay, Sei. Just say whatever you need to.”
“…Sei.”
The moment Raizen finished speaking, Sean muttered softly, blinking.
Then, he lowered his gaze again and gave a faint smile.
It was a strange expression, something between sadness and self-mockery.
“Sei?”
“It’s nothing, hyung! I just… I think I had a weird dream.”
“A weird dream?”
“But, hyung, is your pocket watch still okay?”
It was obvious he was changing the subject on purpose.
Raizen wanted to press for an answer, but strangely, he couldn’t bring himself to.
Sean’s reaction had unsettled him that much.
‘If I push any further, I don’t know how he’ll react.’
Sean wasn’t someone whose responses could be easily predicted.
If he carelessly provoked him now, he might lose the trust he had worked so hard to build.
So Raizen decided to go along with it and pulled the pocket watch from his coat.
“I was just about to bring it up. I think it’s losing energy from being carried around every day.”
That was the absolute truth.
He never let it out of his sight, even keeping it by his bedside in case the dark mass reappeared.
‘I really should just sleep next to him.’
The most effective way to transfer holy energy was through physical contact.
Raizen knew this better than anyone.
Lately, he had even started feeling his own energy replenishing just by being near Sean.
‘But… it’s too soon.’
Sean had always been reluctant to sleep beside him.
To be honest, Raizen suspected that the reason Sean crafted a holy relic as a birthday gift was to avoid sharing a bed.
Besides, Raizen had already turned fourteen, and Sean would soon be thirteen.
They were no longer at an age where they could be called mere children.
At fourteen, one underwent the manifestation ceremony, a time of rapid physical change.
The extent varied from person to person, but those who would manifest as Alphas grew taller or developed broader frames, while Omegas’ pelvises widened, among other changes.
Secondary sex characteristics also began to develop.
That was why, in the empire, fourteen was considered almost an adult.
Even if Sean changed his mind and allowed them to sleep together, the adults would not look kindly upon it.
‘Unless we were engaged.’
Raizen suddenly wondered—if the Marquis Kreveta and his wife were still alive, if Raizen manifested as an Alpha and Sean as an Omega—would they have been bound not as brothers, but as betrothed?
‘…Well, I’ll never know.’
Still watching Sean, Raizen tilted his lips into a faint smile.
“Ah… it really is almost out of power.”
Muttering, Sean took the pocket watch and examined it.
The boy’s youthful features were starting to fade, replaced by something more mature.
Clutching the watch in both hands, he closed his eyes.
Sunlight filtered through the partially opened window, illuminating the boy.
A strange sight.
Sean’s hair was black due to the artifact he used, but now, it gleamed as if reflecting light.
No—this wasn’t just light.
Sean himself was glowing.
Like… a saint from legend.
‘Raizen.’
Was it an illusion?
It felt like Sean had just mouthed his name.
At that moment, an unfamiliar sensation swelled within Raizen’s chest.
It was incredibly warm, overwhelmingly comforting, yet it made his heart ache as if he might cry.
As if something that had long been empty inside him was finally, perfectly filled.
‘Maybe you…’
Raizen forgot to even blink as he stared at Sean.
∗ ∗ ∗
I forgot my name, my birthday, my exact age.
I forgot many other things too—like my biological parents’ names or the names of classmates whose faces I at least remembered.
I had a clear memory of events, but all the important labels had vanished.
It would be a lie to say it wasn’t confusing.
I was out of it for almost a full day.
But…
‘When I thought about it, it was simple.’
I lost the words, but I still had the memories.
Whether my past was real or not remained unclear.
So, there was no point wasting energy on useless speculation.
‘Overthinking won’t change anything.’
I wasn’t always like this.
I used to analyze every possible outcome, constantly burdened by worry.
My family’s situation was unpredictable, after all.
But then…
‘…Wait. When did I start thinking differently?’
I felt like there had been a defining moment, but I couldn’t recall it clearly.
What I did know was that, because of that moment, I had decided to focus only on what was in front of me.
That was why I had run away from home to live in the countryside.
Anyway, the conclusion was simple.
Focus on the problems right in front of me. For example…
“Oh, right, Sei. Did you know? Professor Sothes is said to be unmatched in history and theology.”
Like how Raizen randomly brought up Arthur Sothes’ area of expertise out of nowhere.
Starting from that day, I met with Raizen every day and held his hand.
On the surface, nothing seemed to have changed, but to me, something felt subtly different.
Every so often, he would just stare at me in silence.
‘He did it earlier, too.’
And today, out of nowhere, he suddenly said something completely random.
“Oh, really?”
Not knowing what he was getting at, I responded halfheartedly. He simply smiled.
“Just saying.”
He gave a knowing smile but didn’t elaborate further.
A textbook way of dropping a hint.
‘He’s been oddly quiet lately.’
It was obvious why Raizen was holding back.
He assumed I wouldn’t understand the meaning behind his words yet.
But he expected that one day, when I was older, I’d suddenly realize it.
Why did the duke and duchess assign Arthur Sothes to me, of all people?
And Arthur Sothes just so happens to specialize in history and theology?
Don’t tell me…
‘They brought me here just to see if I have divine power?! Was this their plan from the start?!’
That’s probably the reaction they were hoping for.
A very calculated way to sow discord.
Of course, I already knew the full picture, so I wouldn’t fall for any misunderstandings.
‘…Still, the more I think about it, the more it pisses me off.’
That little brat really had nothing better to do than try to drive a wedge between me, his parents, and his younger sibling?
Even if he didn’t like suddenly having to share their attention with a stranger, this was too much!
“Professor Sothes is amazing! If I ever have questions about divine power, can I ask him? Oh, don’t worry, I’ll make sure to keep it a secret, big bro!!”
As I flashed him an exaggeratedly bright smile, Raizen’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Then, ever so smoothly, he curved them into a smile.
“Sure. That much should be fine. But…”
His crimson eyes gleamed with a chilling light.
“You have to keep it a secret. Understood?”
“…”
“If Sei doesn’t keep this just between us… I might get really sad.”
A shiver ran down my spine. That was a warning.
‘Of course, he’s a future mastermind in the making…’
I forced a cheerful smile and answered, “Yeah! Don’t worry, big bro!”
He’s been oddly quiet lately.
‘Seriously, he’s not making this easy…’
* * *
