When Luke returned home, he took a long, hot shower to unwind. Afterward, he sprawled out in his room, savoring the rare quiet moments with nothing pressing on his mind.
Graduation was only eight days away, and with the Star Warrior exam scheduled just two days after that, he had to train hard to push his body to the limit. For now, though, he could finally relax.
Lying on his bed, he felt the comforting pull of sleep. His body, still that of a normal person, wasn't conditioned to endure intense training without feeling the strain. Before he knew it, his eyes grew heavy, and sleep swept him away.
****
"Mh~"
Luke didn't know how long he had slept, but something heavy was pressing on his chest. In a drowsy haze, he cracked his eyes open and was surprised to find a head of messy black hair sprawled across him.
A girl was lying on his chest, fast asleep.
"Leila?!" he muttered, trying to prop himself up without disturbing her too much.
His sister gave a sleepy grunt, nuzzling her face against him. "Mmm... Warm pillow…" she mumbled, hugging him tighter.
"Leila, I'm not a pillow," he whispered, rolling his eyes but smiling.
His sister, the same age as him—they were twins—had the same striking blue eyes and black hair that fell in soft waves over her shoulders, a mirror of his own features.
Unlike him, though, Leila had a certain boldness, a way of saying whatever was on her mind without a second thought.
She was also smart and driven, always at the top of her class. It was no surprise to him that she was awarded a scholarship to one of the best colleges in the city.
Despite her academic success, Leila still managed to be a caring and loving sister, always there for him when he needed her.
Leila's eyes fluttered open slightly, and she let out an exaggerated yawn. "You're warm enough to be one," she murmured before settling back down to sleep.
"Leila," he whispered, attempting to gently nudge her awake.
"Come on, if Mom catches you sleeping in my room again, she's going to flip."
She mumbled something incoherent, barely lifting her head before flopping back down with a sigh.
"Five more minutes, Luke... You're comfy," she murmured, her grip tightening slightly.
Luke sighed, but let her be.
"Alright, just five more, but you're impossible, you know that?"
She grinned lazily, her eyes still closed. "You say that, but you secretly love it," she teased, her voice heavy with sleep.
"Besides, I heard you trained hard today. I figured you needed the extra comfort."
"From where did… ah~ Mom."
His mom probably already told her about everything.
Luke chuckled softly, his initial surprise fading into fondness. "I'd call it more of a nuisance than comfort. You're lucky I'm too tired to care."
She finally cracked an eye open, giving him a playful look. "Nuisance, huh? Then maybe I'll just leave—"
"Oh no, no, don't get up now," he interrupted, laughing. "I've already committed to my fate."
She laughed softly, resting her head back on his chest. "See? You do love it," she whispered, a hint of warmth in her voice.
Luke let himself relax, staring at the ceiling and feeling a rare sense of peace.
He wouldn't refuse a beauty sleeping on him, would he?
Yes, even if it was his sister. But before anyone judges him, they must consider the circumstances of this world.
After all, in this world, relationships carried different cultural norms than those he remembered from Earth.
The strict taboos and traditional structures had faded as humanity evolved; incest wasn't as frowned upon as it once was.
After humans started cultivating Cosmic Energy, their bodies evolved; even if someone were to impregnate his sister, it wouldn't result in any genetic abnormalities.
Noble families even encouraged marriages within their own bloodline to keep their rare abilities strong and pure.
Leila was a gorgeous woman, undeniably taking after their mother. Her beauty was striking but not intimidating, with a unique charm that made people instantly feel at ease.
Her long, flowing black hair framed her face in soft waves, emphasizing her delicate features, while her large, expressive blue eyes sparkled with a mixture of sweetness and playfulness.
Leila presence was both comforting and intriguing; her playful nature was balanced by a maturity he admired.
As he watched her sleep, Luke couldn't help but sigh, brushing a stray strand of Leila's hair away from her face.
Their mother was usually at work, leaving him and Leila to rely on each other more often than not.
They'd always shared a unique closeness, and over time, Leila had developed a bit of a brother complex—or "brocon," as he liked to joke.
Luke sometimes wondered if she would lose control and jump on him. Even if incest wasn't frowned upon in their society, not everyone could just go and do it.
Like in old times, a commoner daring to marry his sister would have everyone raising their eyebrows, some even outright scoffing.
"What a disgrace," they'd whisper behind his back.
But if an emperor were to take his sister as a wife, no one would dare speak out. They'd nod in approval, calling it a strategic alliance—a union of power, or even a smart move to strengthen the bloodline.
The rules changed when status came into play.
Until now, nothing had changed; maybe that was one of the reasons Leila had yet to jump on him and remove his clothes.
Even at this moment, Luke could feel Leila taking a sniff, but he pretended not to notice. He didn't have any bad ideas about his sister; the only woman who could move his heart was Elara.
As he was lost in thought, Luke felt a bolt of shock run through him.
"Oh, fuck!!" he exclaimed, sitting up abruptly, his heart racing.
Leila jerked awake, her sleepy eyes widening in confusion. "What? What happened?" she blurted, instinctively clutching his arm.