* * *
Raizen suddenly opened his eyes.
For a winter morning, unusually bright sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains.
Was it that light that woke him?
The boy stared at the window as if to confirm before letting out a long sigh.
He covered his mouth and smiled faintly.
An unsettling feeling lingered, but he couldn’t remember the dream.
A ray of light seemed to reach him, as though carrying some meaning.
That his birthday morning could be this peaceful felt miraculous—though he didn’t particularly like using such expressions.
For Raizen, birthdays had always been a reminder of his cursed existence.
They were nothing more, nothing less.
For years, he had been plagued by the same terrifying nightmare on every birthday.
In those dreams, Raizen always killed someone.
He still didn’t know who the victim was, but he was certain it was always the same person.
In other words, Raizen had been dreaming the exact same nightmare every year on his birthday.
Repeating this dream without ever speaking of it to anyone, the boy came to an unspoken realization.
He must have been cursed for killing that person… or whatever it was.
‘But today…’
It was different.
He’d had a dream, but at least it wasn’t that cursed dream.
He hadn’t expected this much, so he couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.
‘Sean Noir Kreveta.’
Raizen thought of his adorable, if mischievous, younger brother.
A boy who seemed to adore him but always avoided sharing a bed.
Perhaps feeling guilty about that, Sean would often give him small gifts afterward.
Surprisingly, Sean’s gifts were quite practical: pressed-flower bookmarks, a pen case, and so on.
The bookmarks, in particular, were handed over one by one each day, leaving Raizen wondering what he was up to at first.
‘He even checked if I still kept them every time he came to my room.’
As soon as he stepped into the room, he scanned his surroundings with alert eyes, like a herbivore that had fallen into a field of predators.
Raizen moved away from the bed and walked to his desk.
On it lay a bookmark, a gift from Sean.
When he picked it up gently, he felt a strange warmth spread from his fingertips, just like the feeling he got when he held Sean’s hand.
“I never planned to throw these things away anyway.”
What could Sean possibly think of him?
Raizen believed he had treated him well enough, yet sometimes it felt as if Sean could see right through the carefully concealed emotions he worked so hard to hide.
Of course, that feeling would vanish when he saw Sean’s carefree, foolish smile.
“If it were something from someone else, I’d have just tossed it aside.”
But Sean possessed divine power.
He likely wasn’t even aware of it, but the items touched by his hands might have absorbed traces of that power.
The warmth Raizen felt from the bookmark upon receiving it confirmed his suspicion.
“Maybe I should teach him how to imbue objects with divine power.”
In history, saints often created relics for future generations.
Intangible forces like mana, elemental power, and aura could be embedded into objects or weapons.
Divine power probably wasn’t much different.
“That way… I wouldn’t need to hold his hand anymore.”
There’d be no need to sleep beside him either.
It would save him from dealing with unnecessary hassle.
“…”
For some reason, though, the thought didn’t sit well with him.
Placing the bookmark back on the desk, Raizen muttered quietly to himself.
“Direct contact is the most effective way, after all.”
And so, the boy concluded that the effort was worth the trouble.
As he gazed at the bookmark, a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
“What kind of ridiculous stunt will he pull this time?”
From what Raizen had overheard, Sean was busy preparing a gift for his birthday.
He’d find out soon enough what it was, though he didn’t expect much.
Knowing Sean, it wouldn’t be anything extravagant.
The fact that he’d been visiting the marketplace more often than usual was somewhat unexpected, though.
“Let’s see what he comes up with.”
It wasn’t anticipation—just plain curiosity.
Definitely not anticipation.
The normally quiet atmosphere of the ducal household was lively for once.
Raizen hadn’t realized these people could laugh so freely, even over trivial things.
It felt like he’d stepped into someone else’s home.
“To be so beloved…”
A faint trace of envy surfaced, but he brushed it aside.
Raizen himself was probably oblivious to it, and that was that.
Perhaps this unawareness was part of the curse that plagued him.
If one were to look at it cynically, the excitement among the household wasn’t truly about Raizen’s birthday.
It was more about the birthday of the heir to the duchy.
Most of the servants didn’t even have the opportunity to interact with Raizen directly.
Since the incident when he was ten, Raizen had avoided keeping people close.
The duchy was vast, and the number of staff even greater, so even those who worked there rarely saw or interacted with him.
It was nearly impossible to form an opinion or feelings about him as an individual.
“Ultimately, it’s rooted in the reverence and gratitude that the people born and raised in this territory feel toward the duchy.”
At least, that’s what the Raizen depicted in the Raizen: Bonus Chapter.
And honestly… I couldn’t entirely disagree.
“Shall we dress you in something a bit more elegant for the birthday party today?”
Mila’s cheerful voice interrupted my thoughts.
It was almost evening, nearing the start of Raizen’s birthday party.
I turned to glance out the window before nodding.
“Sure!”
At least… Raizen’s mood this morning hadn’t seemed too bad.
“All the hand-holding and thoughtful gifts I’ve been showering him with better pay off now.”
But what if they didn’t? Anxiety crept up my throat, and I swallowed hard.
“Young master?”
Mila called out again, noticing my unease.
I quickly ran over to her as she began to skillfully help me into my outfit.
“Honestly, I wanted to bite my tongue and die when I first had to do this…”
But by now, I’d grown used to it.
If I zoned out, it was tolerable enough.
“By the way, young master, did you wrap the gift properly?”
Why did that innocent question feel like a sneak attack? My pride felt bruised.
“Uh… um… probably?”
Even Mila didn’t know what exactly I’d prepared for Raizen’s gift.
She must have been curious since I’d repeatedly gone to the marketplace, claiming I needed to change the gift.
In the end, I’d wrapped it myself to avoid any leaks.
“Raizen was staring holes into me during breakfast earlier.”
Maybe it’s because he’s still young, I thought.
Today was his fourteenth birthday.
Remembering that Raizen was just a sixth grader until yesterday left me with mixed feelings.
Mila’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
“Young master?”
Stop smiling when you call me; it’s terrifying.
“Yes?”
“If it’s not too much trouble, may I check the gift wrapping?”
“…Fine.”
Sighing, I walked to the bed and retrieved the gift box hidden beneath it.
Covered in expensive but clumsily applied wrapping paper, it wasn’t exactly pretty.
I handed the box to Mila with both hands, sheepishly.
“Mila… help me.”
No matter how many times my body changed, my clumsy hands never improved.
Raizen Pantheon’s birthday party began shortly before dinner.
The sequence was simple: a party first, followed by the evening meal.
The guest list was modest, including family, representatives of vassal houses, and a few senior staff, such as the butler and head maid.
Raizen’s nanny, who disappeared when he was ten, was replaced by the head maid.
It was tradition in the Pantheon Duchy to celebrate birthdays privately with family until the heir’s official coming-of-age ceremony.
There were reasons for this.
The family historically valued its heirs and sought to protect them.
They also avoided letting young heirs become arrogant before fully understanding the weight of their responsibilities.
And finally, they wanted the heir to emerge at their coming-of-age ceremony as a symbol of the duchy’s strength and continuity.
That didn’t mean Raizen was without gifts.
From the Emperor to nobles of every rank, he received a mountain of presents, enough to fill an entire room.
The door opened. Raizen, the birthday boy, appeared in the doorway, his gaze indifferent despite being the center of attention.
“Many have come to celebrate your birthday, my lord!”
The butler spoke with pride.
His snowy hair, slicked back neatly, was a testament to his years of service, which began in the duke’s youth.
He had been by Raizen’s side since the day he was born.
“…Indeed. I’m delighted.”
“I’m exhausted.”
Hiding his true feelings, Raizen answered.
For a fleeting moment, he felt an urge to undo the top button of his shirt but resisted with practiced ease.
“Shall we go? They must be waiting.”
“Ah, forgive me. Yes, let’s proceed.”
The door clicked shut as they left.
* * *
