[[SHINE]]
"Who turned on the light?" Harukou blurted out as he woke up.
"Young Master, your mother is calling you" said a woman dressed as a maid.
"W-who are you?" Harukou asked, his voice unsteady.
"Young Master Kael, it is I, your maid, Sylvia" she replied with a cold expression.
"Kael? Young Master?" He stammered.
Sylvia let out a sigh. "Young Master, you should get up and stop this mischief you're trying to start."
Harukou clutched his head, his thoughts racing.
He glanced around the room. The walls were adorned with elegant tapestries, and a massive chandelier hung from the ceiling. The bed he had just woken up in was far too luxurious. Silk sheets, golden embroidery. This wasn't his room.
"Young Master," Sylvia pressed, her gaze unwavering. "Your mother is waiting."
Harukou swallowed hard. His mother? He barely remembered his real mother, let alone this mysterious woman. He had no choice but to play along for now.
"A-alright… Lead the way" he muttered, slipping out of bed.
Sylvia bowed slightly, then turned on her heel, guiding him toward the grand doors. Harukou took a deep breath.
As they stepped into the hallway, Harukou now called Kael was met with towering marble pillars, high-arched ceilings, and intricate golden sconces that illuminated the vast corridor. The scent of polished wood and faint lavender filled the air. The hallway stretched endlessly, lined with oil paintings of regal-looking figures, their gazes sharp and unwavering.
He hesitated before speaking. "Sylvia… where am I?" His voice wavered slightly. "And… who exactly am I?"
Sylvia glanced at him from the corner of her eye, her expression unreadable. "Young Master, if this is another one of your pranks, I must say it is getting quite elaborate."
Kael stiffened.
Sylvia sighed, as if indulging a child. "You are Kael Valor, the youngest son of the esteemed Valor Household. One of six siblings."
<...Six siblings?> His mind spun.
As they walked further, they passed a massive arched window. The view outside made Kael's breath catch. Beyond the estate's sprawling gardens, a medieval city stretched toward the horizon. Stone buildings with tiled roofs, a marketplace bustling with people in tunics and cloaks, and towering castle spires in the distance. Horses trotted along cobbled roads, and guards in armor patrolled the streets.
Kael's fingers clenched.
Sylvia watched his reaction carefully. "Young Master, whatever game you are playing, it is most unusual. But even so, it does not change reality. You are of noble blood, and your mother expects you to behave as such."
Kael barely heard her. His mind was too busy screaming one undeniable truth.
Kael's footsteps echoed against the polished marble floor as he followed Sylvia through the grand hallway. The deeper they walked into the manor, the heavier the realization sank in.
He wasn't just part of a noble family.
He was part of the Valor family, one of the most powerful households on the continent.
The whispers of passing servants only confirmed what kind of reputation the previous Kael had.
"Still causing trouble, I see."
"Completely useless with a sword, yet still acts like he owns the place."
"A disgrace to the Valor name."
Kael clenched his jaw. His past self, the real Kael, had burned every bridge possible with these people.
Great. I'm in a family full of warriors, and I'm the only failure.
Before he could dwell on it further, Sylvia stopped in front of an enormous set of carved wooden doors.
"We've arrived." she said, pushing them open.
The dining hall was just as overwhelming as everything else in this mansion. A long mahogany table stretched across the room, draped in pristine white cloth, lined with gleaming silverware and delicate porcelain plates. A massive chandelier cast a golden glow over the scene.
Seated at the table were his siblings.
Cassian, the eldest, exuded authority. His dark eyes barely glanced at Kael before returning to his meal.
Garrett, the second son, was more reserved, but his gaze was sharp with disapproval.
Kyle, the brother closest to Kael in age, leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Late again? What a shock."
Freya, the eldest sister, sighed as she delicately cut into her meal. "At least try to act like a noble, Kael."
Selene, the youngest sister, simply looked at him with a cold, unreadable expression.
Kael could feel the weight of their judgment crushing down on him. The previous Kael must have been insufferable for them to look at me like this.
At the far end of the table, his mother, Elysia Valor, sat with a serene smile. Unlike his siblings, she gestured toward an empty seat beside her. "Come now, dear. Sit and eat."
Kael hesitated for only a second before making his way toward her, ignoring Kyle's scoff as he passed. As soon as he sat, he risked a glance at the seat at the head of the table, it was..empty.
His mother must have noticed because she spoke, her voice smooth yet commanding.
"Your father is attending to matters at the royal palace. He will return later in the evening."
Kael's grip on his utensils tightened. So my father is absent. That's probably for the best… I don't think I'm ready to meet the head of this family yet.
As he took his bite, the tension in the room remained thick. He knew one thing for sure, he had inherited not just a powerful family, but also their expectations and scorn.
And if he wanted to survive in this world, he had a lot to fix.
To be continued...