After finally sending Grisha home , I slumped onto my bed, staring at the old family photo in my hands.
There he was again—that unfamiliar face.
I had spent what felt like hours staring at the picture, flipping it around, holding it up to the light, and even squinting at it as if that would suddenly unlock some hidden memory. But no matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn't place the guy.
The only thing I could figure out?
He looks ridiculously similar to someone from the game. And not just any random extra, no—this guy looked like one of the strongest, most overpowered characters in the entire story.
A chill ran down my spine.
"But that makes no sense," I muttered to myself. "How could I not remember someone this important? He's in a family photo, which means I knew him. So why do I have zero memory of him?"
The answer was frustratingly simple:
I didn't become Moris Secht until I was already twelve. Everything before that? A complete blank.
So, whoever this mystery guy was, he existed in the years before my reincarnation—when this body was still just a normal kid with his own memories and experiences.
Which means if I want answers, I need to ask someone who actually remembers him.
---
Later That Evening
A few hours passed, and finally, my parents and Amanda returned home.
Now, normally, when my parents come back, I do my best to avoid them—Mom is strict, and my father, is way too affectionate for my liking. But this time, I had a mission.
That said, I couldn't just waltz up to them and ask, "Hey, who's this random guy in our family photo?" That would sound suspicious as hell.
So instead, I took a detour.
Straight to my sister's room.
Knocking once, I pushed open the door. Amanda was sprawled on her bed, reading one of her trashy romance novels. She barely looked up.
"What do you want?" she asked lazily.
I held up the photo. "Hey, Amanda, do you happen to know who this guy is?"
She took one look at it and let out a long sigh. "So, you really forgot him, huh?"
I blinked. "Huh?"
Amanda sat up, giving me a weird look. "I mean, I knew it was possible, but still… Not even faint memories? That's kinda crazy."
"Wait, wait—what are you talking about?" I asked, my pulse quickening.
She crossed her arms. "Don't you remember anything about our big brother?"
My stomach dropped. "Our big brother?" I repeated.
Amanda gave me a deadpan look. "Yes, Moris. We have—or, well, had—a big brother. His name is Kevin. He left when you were about four or five."
I felt like the ground beneath me had disappeared.
I have a big brother.
I have a big brother I don't remember.
I have a big brother I don't remember who looks exactly like one of the strongest characters from the game.
This was huge.
"W-Wait, hold on, hold on," I stammered. "We have an older brother, and he just—what? Left?"
Amanda rolled her eyes. "More like ran away. He wanted to be an adventurer, but Mom didn't want him to pursue such a dangerous path. They fought about it all the time, and when he turned eleven, he just… left."
I stared at her. "And no one went after him?"
She shrugged. "I mean, of course, they tried. Mom even sent people to track him down, but he kept slipping away. After a while, I guess they just gave up."
Something wasn't adding up. If my mom Olivia was as strict and powerful as I knew her to be, she wouldn't just let her eldest son disappear into the world without a trace.
But before I could press Amanda further, she hit me with something even worse.
"Oh, and he tried to kill you once," she added nonchalantly.
"…What."
Amanda nodded. "Yeah, I don't remember all the details, but I do remember that much. You were really little, and I guess something happened that made him snap. He attacked you, and Mom had to step in and stop him."
I felt a cold sweat creeping down my back. "And you're saying I just… forgot all of this?"
"It's more like our parents made you forgot," Amanda said, choosing her words carefully. "After what happened, Mom and Dad decided to never mention him again. They got rid of all his pictures, never spoke his name, and basically pretended he didn't exist. And, well, I guess it worked—because here you are, completely clueless."
I sat there in stunned silence.
This was insane.
A lost brother.
A secret the entire family had been covering up.
And an assassination attempt on my past self?!
Most importantly…
The guy in the photo—the brother I didn't even remember—looked almost identical to one of the strongest characters from the game.
Which meant there was a high chance that he—Kevin Secht—was deeply connected to the main plot.
I turned toward the wall, muttering under my breath, "Just as suspected, guys… Kevin is a major player in the story."
"Moris, who the hell are you talking to?"
I turned back to Amanda, scowling. "Never mind."
She gave me a weird look but didn't push further.
I stood up, gripping the photo tighter.
"Where are you going?" Amanda asked.
"To think," I muttered, stepping out of the room. "And maybe to scream into a pillow for a while."
Amanda snorted. "Good luck with that."
I left without another word.
Because for the first time since I woke up in this world, I had a real lead—one that could completely change everything I thought I knew.
And I had a feeling I wasn't going to like where it led.
---
Character Note (Moris/Adam):
Hey, it's me—your resident background character. Or, well, maybe not-so-background anymore. Turns out, I have an older brother. An older brother who tried to kill me. An older brother who conveniently vanished right before I regained consciousness in this body. Oh, and did I mention? He might also be one of the strongest characters in the game. Yeah. Just another normal day in my totally-not-complicated life. Someone, please send help.