— Big brother, look! Aurora brought me a sword! — Alice exclaimed with pride as she dashed toward Raphael, brandishing a small wooden sword.
— Jealous, aren't you? — she grinned, holding it out for him to see.
Raphael took the sword in his hands, running his fingers over the smooth, polished surface.
— Wow... — he whispered, genuinely impressed.
The sword was remarkable. Made from ironwood—a tree known for its durability and rarity—it was a masterpiece in its own right. The hilt was intricately engraved with delicate floral designs that extended from the base to the guard, where a lily was carved in the center, a symbol that would later become an integral part of Alice's heraldry.
This wasn't just a toy; it was a foreshadowing of Alice's future greatness. Anyone who saw the flag bearing this lily would feel a sense of awe.
"Aurora already knew what Alice would become, even back then," Raphael thought, his mind drifting back to his past life.
He realized that his older sister had cared for Alice far more than he ever did. The revelation left Raphael with a bitter feeling of his own insignificance.
— Yeah, it's a beautiful sword, Alice, — he finally said. — Make sure to take good care of it and don't break it.
He gently ruffled her hair.
— Ow! I know, I know! — Alice grumbled, swatting at his hand as she tried to squirm away.
Aurora watched the scene unfold, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
— By the way, Raphael, I brought you a gift as well, remember? — Aurora reminded him.
— Oh, right... — Raphael replied, awkwardly releasing Alice as his mind raced.
Aurora leaned down to rummage through a bag she had placed near Alice's bed.
"She must've carried so much stuff in here just to surprise us," Raphael thought as he waited.
After a few moments, she pulled out something that shimmered under the light. The slender, elegant object gleamed with a silver glow, as if absorbing the moonlight. Raphael froze.
It was the Necklace of Pure Intent—the very artifact that had stayed with him through his past life. He had found it on his bed when he was six years old and had never taken it off since.
This necklace had saved him in countless dangerous situations, helping him maintain clarity of mind, shielding him from mental attacks, and suppressing fear and doubt. But back then, he had no idea it was a gift from Aurora. He had mistakenly assumed it was a birthday present from Kazimir.
Now, everything clicked into place. His mind cleared, as though he had been living in a fog all this time.
Aurora—the sister he had always seen as distant and cold—had cared about him all along. She might not have been able to give him the necklace personally, fearing unwanted attention from the family, but her intentions were clear. She had always been there, protecting him silently. All those moments when he thought she was indifferent…
Raphael took the necklace with trembling hands, feeling the familiar warmth spread through his body. But this time, the warmth wasn't just from the artifact—it came from the realization that he hadn't been as alone in the family as he had once believed.
All his past bitterness, anger, and resentment toward the family were crumbling away in the face of this simple gesture.
"Really?" Raphael thought bitterly, feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes, disgusted with himself.
He had always seen Aurora as just another enemy, another figure in the family who didn't care about him. But now, he understood just how wrong he had been.
— This… is a gift for you, — Aurora said softly, interrupting his thoughts. — I found it during one of my first missions after my Enlightenment. No one in the family knows about it. I hope it helps you as much as it helped me when I first started my journey as a knight.
Raphael struggled to keep his emotions in check. He wanted to say so much, but the words were stuck in his throat.
"So, you've been there for me all along…"
— Thank you, sister… — he finally managed to whisper, his eyes fixed on the necklace. — Thank you…
Shame washed over him.
How many times had he looked at Aurora with coldness, convinced that she was just like the rest of the family? How many times had he blamed her for being indifferent, for seeing him as nothing more than another obstacle, another contender for the family's attention and resources? All those thoughts now seemed foolish and unbearable.
Aurora had always been there, watching over him, caring for him in ways he had never noticed. The gift she had given him was only a small part of the care she had shown, and yet he… he had never understood.
Now, he couldn't even bring himself to look her in the eyes. Her calmness and sincerity weighed on him so heavily that it felt like his heart might burst from guilt.
"Idiot…" he cursed himself, a bitter taste rising in his throat.
Raphael lowered his gaze to the necklace. Its weight felt even heavier than before. This wasn't just an artifact anymore; it was a symbol of something far greater.
— Big brother, are you gonna cry? — Alice suddenly chimed in, teasing him with a playful grin.
He exhaled and, after a moment of composing himself, glanced at her.
— If you keep teasing me, I won't bring you any more candy, — Raphael smirked in response.
— Hey, that's not fair! Okay, okay, I'm sorry! — Alice exclaimed, blinking her eyes in exaggerated innocence.
— Haha! That's right, you better apologize! — Raphael teased back, his smile easing the tension in the room.
Aurora watched them with a gentle smile, feeling warmth swell in her chest. It had been a long time since she allowed herself to experience moments this pure and simple.
To the rest of the world, Aurora was always the cold, calculating strategist. But here, with her younger brother and sister, she couldn't hide her true emotions. They were the only ones she truly cared for, the only ones she genuinely worried about.
Always.
***
Five years ago. The day Raphael was accepted into the Earhart family after the disappearance of his parents.
— Patriarch! Don't tell me you're planning to make this boy a full-fledged member of the family! — one of the elders exclaimed, her voice dripping with disapproval.
— Patriarch, I must agree with the elder, — Isabella chimed in, her tone firm.
— What's the problem? He's just as much an Earhart as any of the other children, — the patriarch responded calmly, not even bothering to lift his gaze to those speaking.
— But, Patriarch! He's the son of that woman and a traitor! How can we place him on the same level as your other children?
— Silence! — Alonzo's voice turned icy. — Do not dare call Theris a traitor in my presence!
— But he is a defector! — the elder pressed on, undeterred.
Isabella and the elders were adamant in their opposition to Alonzo's decision to make Raphael a legitimate member of the family. They pushed for him to be more of an elite knight—someone without the right to claim the title of Earhart's Guardian.
Meanwhile, in the next room, little Raphael lay in his crib, his big, curious eyes staring at the figures of Adrian, Liliana, and Aurora, who stood watching him.
Adrian sighed heavily, casting a sympathetic glance at the baby.
— I just hope Father doesn't let those vultures tear him apart…
— Hey, brother! Don't talk like that! Father would never make an Earhart a servant! — Liliana's confident tone reflected her unwavering belief, as if her words alone could dispel any doubts.
She was convinced that their father always upheld the family's honor. Even if he didn't care about this child, he wouldn't allow their family to be humiliated just to maintain appearances.
— Let's go, Liliana. We still have a lot to do, — Adrian said, turning toward the door.
— Fine, brother.
Liliana followed him but glanced back at her younger sister before leaving.
— Don't stay too long, Aurora.
— Yeah, I won't...
With that, they left, and Aurora was alone with the infant. She continued to stand there, watching him, feeling a whirlwind of emotions surge within her, emotions she didn't know how to handle.
Curiosity. Fear. A desire to protect… and something else she couldn't quite name.
This child hadn't chosen his fate. He was born into a world full of cruelty, with no idea of the trials that awaited him. He wasn't to blame for who his parents were or what had happened to them. Aurora knew that if the boy had been taken in by another family, he might have had a better chance. But she also understood that the Earharts would have found him, no matter where he was, and would have destroyed everything in their path.
She clenched her fists, feeling hatred start to simmer in her heart. Hatred for the boy's parents, who had abandoned him. Hatred for the elders, who sought to strip him of everything. And hatred for her own mother, who cared more about the family's reputation than anything else.
At that moment, Aurora realized that her love for her family, especially her mother, had died. All that remained was this tiny, defenseless child lying in his crib.
The world had become much more complex and darker for her. Suddenly, her life wasn't so simple or clear-cut anymore. She had taken on responsibilities she couldn't ignore.
Raphael reached out his little hand toward her, barely touching her fingers. That simple, innocent gesture struck her deeply.
Aurora felt a tear slide down her cheek. In that moment, she realized that more than anything in this world, she wanted to protect this small, innocent being.
This child, unaware of the world's cruelty, already had enemies who wanted to destroy him for their own selfish reasons.
She couldn't let that happen.
— What a cruel fate… — she whispered, gently clasping her baby brother's tiny hand.
***
These memories were etched into her mind forever.
It was in that moment that Aurora made a decision: she would protect Raphael at all costs, even if it meant going against the elders or her own mother. She swore to herself that she would never let anyone harm him.
From that day on, her life's purpose became centered around these two children—Raphael and Alice. Their happiness and their future were more important to her than anything else. For them, she would do whatever it took to become the patriarch and change the rules that were ruining the lives of those she loved.
And, for the punishment that Raphael's parents deserved for abandoning him.
"I will find you. And you will pay for what you've done..." she thought, clenching her fists, her dark thoughts interrupted by Raphael's voice.
— Sister, what are you sitting there for? — his words pulled her out of her brooding.
— Huh? — Aurora blinked, trying to shake off her thoughts and return to reality.
— Come join us, — Raphael smiled. — We need to teach Alice a lesson for teasing us!
— Nooo! — Alice wailed dramatically, realizing her playful mischief had put her in danger of some fun punishment.
Aurora couldn't help but smile. Everything she had fought for, everything she had sacrificed, was worth it. These moments, rare as they were, gave her the strength to keep going.
— Alright, I'm coming, — she said, her voice warmer than usual.
With those words, Aurora joined in their game.
The faces of the children were filled with joy, peace, and pure, unfiltered happiness.