* * *
I had no idea how the day passed.
When I came to my senses, it was already night, and I was in my room. In my arms was the birthday gift Raizen had given me.
“Happy birthday, Sei.”
At that moment, Raizen smiled—so beautifully, like a flower in full bloom.
His pheromones lingered thick in the air, making me feel like I was being lured in by a red rose.
“Something about the mood was… different.”
I wasn’t sure exactly what it meant.
I placed the gift box on the table and let out a breath without realizing it.
Not long ago, I had concluded that there was a slight possibility that Raizen might actually like me.
After that, I thought all I had to do was handle things well on my end.
But the real problem appeared in the most unexpected way—I couldn’t look at Raizen properly anymore.
Every time I did, my heart pounded like it was malfunctioning.
Not that my heart hadn’t reacted to Raizen before—it had.
But this was different.
It didn’t just race; it felt like I was floating in midair, and my fingertips tingled so much I could barely stand it.
And suddenly, I started noticing just how much more solid his body had become.
I had been aware that he was getting stronger, but not this much.
If things continued like this, I really might end up confessing.
“That’s why I tried so hard to avoid him, but he still managed to find me.”
I had been in the cabin, channeling divine power into the divine beast’s egg when Raizen’s pheromones suddenly hit me, catching me completely off guard.
I thought, ‘No way’, and opened the door—only to find him standing right there.
“Did you really have to go this far just to find me?”
Of course, the moment he looked dejected about not even being able to hold my hand, I instinctively channeled more divine power.
It was almost a reflex.
But still, for someone who had managed just fine at the Royal Academy with sacred artifacts, it was strange that he suddenly needed to find me over something as trivial as holding hands.
Was holding hands really that important to him?
Or… was he looking for me for a reason even he wasn’t aware of, using that as an excuse?
Either way, it was odd.
So odd that I wondered how I hadn’t noticed before.
“Is this really just obsession?”
Then why was it that Raizen only smiled so easily in front of me?
Why did he meet my gaze so often, watch my reactions, and ask for my opinion without force, with careful consideration instead?
Maybe… Maybe I had been so caught up in my own feelings that I never truly saw him.
It made too much sense, and that was what scared me.
My rational mind kept trying to stop me— ‘No, this can’t be right. My life has never worked out in my favor before, so why would it now?’
“So, has the engagement for the young duke of Pantheon been decided?”
When my grandfather asked that, I thought, ‘Ah. Here it comes.’
I had been floating on air, but now I felt like I was plummeting straight into the ground.
I hadn’t actually fallen, but my head felt foggy, and my whole body ached.
“This is why I never let myself hope.”
Because when hope shatters, the pain is unbearable.
It had taken everything—every ounce of strength—to make it this far.
The thought of an engagement made my chest ache.
The moment I heard it, I wondered why I had forgotten something so obvious.
It should have been the first thing on my mind.
The conversation with my grandfather itself wasn’t difficult.
In the past, he had only been an intimidating presence.
But now that I knew he was my grandfather, I had let my guard down, just a little.
I told him about the Royal Academy, about visiting the real Valencia Club room, and even about seeing my parents’ photo.
Grandfather’s eyes grew red, and he murmured that he should have shown it to me much sooner—that he was sorry for being so late.
“So… have you organized your thoughts?” he asked.
“I know it’s a little early, but…”
It was a question about my future.
Something I had been subconsciously thinking about as well.
From the beginning, my goal had been to inherit the estate and disappear.
But realistically speaking, to inherit anything, I would have to return to being Sean Kreveta.
I didn’t necessarily have to reveal that Shane Pantheon was actually Sean Kreveta, but the fact that Sean was alive would have to be made public.
That part was fine.
The real issue was that I had no proper magic.
This body had originally been overflowing with magical power.
But after I took over, all of it had been converted into divine power.
The Kreveta family was one of the great magic lineages.
It was unthinkable for someone who couldn’t use magic to become the heir, no matter the bloodline.
“Technically, I could push through on blood ties alone, but would the vassal houses or branch families even accept me?”
The heir seat had been vacant for too long.
The power dynamics within the family must have shifted accordingly.
I wasn’t confident that I could overcome all of that and become the Marquis Kreveta.
More importantly, I didn’t even know why I should.
That part, at least, was clear to me.
So I told my grandfather honestly—I wasn’t confident, and I didn’t see why I should fight to continue the family’s legacy.
Grandfather gave a faint smile and nodded.
“Then, do you agree to reclaim your identity as Sean Kreveta? You won’t be able to live as Pantheon’s son or as Raizen’s younger brother anymore.”
Why did he ask me that, of all things?
It was a bit strange.
Still, if I wanted to inherit anything, I had to return to being Sean Kreveta.
Revealing my survival would invite resistance from multiple factions, but—
“For now… once I come of age, I want to return as Sean Kreveta.”
My conclusion was set.
Various problems immediately surfaced in my mind, but I didn’t want to think that far ahead just yet.
Besides, I needed to get out of the Pantheon family registry first—only then could I even consider becoming something with Raizen.
‘But then, the sudden talk about a fiancée completely blacked me out.’
Breaking a teacup, getting hurt while trying to pick up the shards—it was absolute chaos.
If it weren’t for Raizen, I wouldn’t have been able to regain my composure so quickly.
‘I didn’t leave it out on purpose. I just… needed certainty.’
‘Do you remember what I asked back at the cabin?’
The words about needing certainty.
And the request I had made in that cabin—to let me be the first to know once he decided where he would stay.
Those two things connected in my mind, forming a single meaning.
That he didn’t mention the engagement because he needed certainty.
Because he had to decide whether he would remain a Pantheon or become Sean Krevetta.
“Ugh…!”
Even thinking about it again, it sounded completely insane.
So, if I wasn’t misunderstanding, Raizen’s words meant—
‘He’s considering me… as his fiancée.’
Is he out of his mind?
No, seriously, he must be insane.
How can he drop such a bombshell so indirectly?
Was everything, even showing up at the cabin, all part of some grand plan?
Otherwise…
‘But it did feel different.’
Compared to when we spoke at the cabin, the atmosphere had changed significantly.
Back then, he seemed unsure of himself.
But earlier, that hesitation was gone—he looked absolutely certain.
‘…I don’t know.’
Just in case, I checked Raizen’s affection level.
It was still -2.
I’d be lying if I said that didn’t sting.
But even so, I was happier than ever, overflowing with anticipation.
If I had taken a moment to think rationally, I would have realized something was off.
That’s what expectations do—they turn people into reckless optimists.
Engagement.
I had gotten drunk on the simple fact that Raizen thought of me as his fiancée.
Maybe the relief that no one else would take that position had blinded me.
∗ ∗ ∗
At the farthest western edge of the land lay a village named Belman, a quiet fishing town near the sea.
It was a small place with few residents, most of whom worked in the fishing industry.
The seafood caught in Belman was transported to the heart of the Pantheon Duchy through a temporary portal at dawn.
The Duke had funded this portal with his own money, ensuring fresh seafood could be delivered while improving the livelihoods of Belman’s residents.
This morning was no different from any other.
Boats that had set sail before dawn returned to the harbor, their decks piled high with fish.
The sun began to rise, but most people were too busy transporting their catches to notice.
And then, someone saw a tentacle wrapped around their wrist.
It had suckers like an octopus or squid, but it was much longer and thicker.
In other words, it belonged to a monster—
“AAAAAAAH!!”
In an instant, peaceful Belman was filled with screams.
* * *
