Leon sat in the garden, staring up at the sky. The stars twinkled like a thousand tiny lanterns, their glow both calming and mysterious. He had come out here in the hopes of clearing his mind, but instead, his thoughts kept drifting back to the strange incident with Atlas. The touch, the surge of energy—it all felt too real to dismiss.
He wondered what his family would say if they knew. In the world of Love in the Moonlight, his family was renowned for their extraordinary bloodline. Both his parents were gifted—his father, a powerful Esper who could manipulate sound, and his mother, a Guide with the rare ability to enhance other people's powers. The Montclairs were known throughout the kingdom as a "blessed family" because, out of five children, four had inherited abilities. Bjorn, the eldest, was a formidable Esper; two of his other siblings, now away studying, were also gifted. Leon had always been the odd one out—the only child in the family born without any known powers.
Or so everyone thought.
"Leon?" A gentle voice pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to see his mother approaching, her light brown hair fluttering slightly in the night breeze. Her turquoise eyes, so much like his own, sparkled with concern. Following close behind her was his father, a tall man with graying hair and a commanding presence. Even now, his gaze seemed to penetrate through any disguise or facade.
"Are you feeling all right?" his mother asked, kneeling down beside him. "You've been spending a lot of time out here lately."
Leon hesitated, glancing up at his father, who stood just a few steps behind, his arms crossed. The concern in his eyes was masked by his usual stern expression, but Leon could sense it nonetheless.
"Just thinking," Leon replied quietly, returning his gaze to the stars. "About Espers and Guides."
His father arched a brow. "What brought this on?"
"I was wondering… why some people are born with abilities and others aren't. If both parents are gifted, shouldn't their children be, too?" Leon's voice was steady, but inside, his heart raced. It was the first time he had ever brought up the subject so directly.
His mother smiled faintly. "It's not as simple as that, dear. Even if both parents possess abilities, there's no guarantee that their children will inherit them. It's like a lottery—pure chance. There are families where none of the children are gifted, and others where only one child shows any talent. Our family is considered lucky because four of you have abilities. That's a rare blessing."
His father nodded in agreement. "Having a Guide and three Espers among our children is nothing short of extraordinary. But being born without abilities doesn't make anyone lesser. You may not have powers, Leon, but you've always been cherished."
Leon's chest tightened at his father's words. In the original story, the Montclair family had indeed never treated him poorly because of his lack of abilities. If anything, they were overprotective due to his frail health. But now, with the knowledge of what had happened with Atlas, things felt different. For the first time, he might truly belong among them, as more than just the "sickly younger brother."
"I… I see," Leon murmured. He glanced between his parents, feeling a sudden urge to tell them the truth. It was on the tip of his tongue, but something held him back. He wasn't ready to share it—not yet. There was still too much he didn't understand.