Elara sat by the window in her room, resting her head on her palm as she stared out into the garden. The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting long, gentle shadows on the ground. The quiet stillness of the early morning gave her a sense of peace, but her mind was a storm of thoughts.
She had started her training, little by little, but something was missing. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to push harder, to go faster, to be better. But despite the exhaustion and the sweat, she still felt incomplete. She wasn't sure what else she could do to make up for lost time. She needed more.
Her mind wandered back to the day she had discovered the cold, lifeless body of a victim in an amusement park in her past life. The memories of that night haunted her. The case had been unsolved for so long, and she had failed to catch the killer in time. This time, she wouldn't make the same mistake. She had to grow stronger, faster.
Her thoughts drifted until she heard the soft knock at the door. It was a faint sound, almost drowned out by the rush of her inner thoughts.
"Enter," she called, surprised at how soft her voice sounded in the quiet room.
The door creaked open slowly, and there stood Arthur, her older brother. His presence, always steady and grounded, was like a familiar anchor in the chaos of her thoughts. His warm gaze met hers, and there was something in his eyes—something protective—that made her heart skip a beat.
"I saw it," Arthur said, his voice calm and unwavering.
Elara blinked, slightly disoriented. "Elder brother?" she responded, not sure what he meant.
He nodded toward the window, where the garden was just visible. "The little training setup you made out there. You knew Mom and Dad wouldn't find it, didn't you?"
Her heart skipped a beat. She hadn't meant for anyone to find out. She had set up the makeshift training ground in the back of the garden, just out of sight. It was her secret, her place to focus and push herself without anyone telling her to stop. She hadn't expected anyone to notice.
Before she could say anything, Arthur continued, his words cutting through her thoughts like a knife.
"I'll train you," he said, the resolve in his voice unmistakable. "You want to train, right? Well, we'll do it together. For the next five days before I leave for my assignment, we'll jog together every morning. And once I leave, I'll assign someone to train you—someone who knows military strategy. I'll make sure you get the best, little princess."
Elara's heart swelled in her chest, and a lump formed in her throat. She had been working so hard on her own, but this—this felt like something more. His support, his offer to help her—she had never expected it. It took everything in her to hold back the tears that threatened to spill.
In her previous life, Elara had treated Arthur poorly. She had been jealous, cold, and bitter toward him, all because their father had favored him more. She had pushed him away and even mocked him at times, yet here he was, standing in front of her, offering to help her achieve the impossible.
"Thank you, elder brother," she whispered, her voice shaky.
Before she even realized what she was doing, she jumped up and threw herself into his arms, holding him tightly. The flood of emotions she had been suppressing for so long broke free in that one moment. Arthur was startled at first, but he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.
"Hey, hey," Arthur chuckled softly, though there was a slight edge of concern in his voice. "You're snorting on my shirt."
Elara pulled away, wiping her eyes quickly. "I'm not snorting," she said, her voice half-laughing, half-sob. "I just… I just didn't expect this. I didn't expect you to be so kind to me after everything I've done."
Arthur smirked, his expression warm. "You're my sister. Nothing will ever change that." He ruffled her hair affectionately. "Come on, you're sniffling all over me. Let's get to work."
Elara glared at him through her tears, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "You're impossible," she muttered, but a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
Arthur just laughed, pulling her into another hug. "You've got a lot to make up for, little princess. But I'll help you every step of the way."
Elara felt a weight lift off her chest as the sincerity of his words sank in. In her past life, she had missed so many opportunities to be close to him, to appreciate him. She had been foolish, blinded by her jealousy. But now, she would make things right. She would prove herself to him, to herself, and to everyone who believed in her.
"Let's do this, Arthur," Elara said, her voice filled with determination. "I won't let you down."
Arthur smiled at her, his eyes shining with pride. "I know you won't, little princess. Let's make your dream come .
After their moment, Arthur stood up and offered his hand to Elara with a grin. "Dinner?" he asked, his voice light.
Elara raised an eyebrow, smirking. "I thought you'd never ask," she teased, taking his hand as they left her room together. They walked side by side down the hall, a comfortable silence settling between them.
"By the way," Arthur said with a sly smile, "don't think you're off the hook. I'm still going to make you work for it."
Elara rolled her eyes, bumping her shoulder into his playfully. "I'm starting to think you only invited me for dinner to keep an eye on me."
"Maybe," Arthur replied with a smirk, "but you've got a long way to go before I can let you off easy."
They laughed together, and for the first time in a long while, Elara felt like she truly had a family again. The two of them continued bantering as they reached the dining room, where their parents were already waiting.
Her mother's eyes softened when she saw the two siblings in such high spirits, while her father smiled warmly. The atmosphere in the room had changed—there was a sense of ease, of unity, and of quiet joy that Elara hadn't realized she'd been missing until now.
"Well, look at you two," their father remarked with a chuckle, "seems like someone's finally rubbed off on the other."
Elara exchanged a quick, playful glance with Arthur before taking her seat. "Guess you're right, Dad," she said with a grin, "who knew I'd be the one to end up training him?"
Arthur shot her a mock glare but said nothing as he sat beside her.
Their mother clapped her hands together, clearly pleased. "I'm just happy to see the two of you getting along so well. Let's make the most of this time together."
And for the first time, Elara truly felt like she was home.