It had been twenty days since my training began. Twenty days since that ridiculous melodramatic disaster involving Seles.
And honestly I can't praise myself enough for how productive they had been.
I had grown stronger, sharper and more disciplined. The kind that didn't even need a few seconds to defeat the old me.
But more importantly, I have ascended.
Not spiritually, of course. Let's not be absurd.
I ascended from being a mere "big brother" to holding the prestigious and undisputed title of bestest big brother to Ru.
Not exactly an achievement you would etch onto a family crest but… it mattered, especially since even my dear older sister Lyra hadn't managed it yet.
In her defense, she had been stuck at the Academy for the past two years… or so she whined after I bragged about my promotion to bestest big brother.
But that wasn't even the best part.
No, the best part was that Lyra hadn't even known about my admission to Noxvalen until a few days ago. Father deliberately kept her in the dark because he didn't want her to worry about me.
She didn't appreciate the gesture.
When she finally found out, she called me seven times in a row, left a voice message full of threats and creatively censored profanity.
She even sent me a three-page document outlining "exactly how many ways" I was going to die.
I told her I would definitely frame it. She told me she would set the frame on fire.
Ah… sisterly love.
She just wanted to kill me before I got myself killed at Noxvalen.
Truly, the most caring sibling.
Between my grueling training sessions and lectures I didn't ask for, I was trying to spend a lot of time with Ru.
It was peaceful in a way I hadn't realized I missed. Or maybe never had to begin with.
After all, my time in this human empire was limited. Might as well spend it with the only person who made this place tolerable.
Ru still didn't know about my departure tomorrow.
Yes, the day was already here.
I was going to depart tomorrow to Noxvalen. To the demon realm where the main story was going to start.
As for my ex-fiancee Seles?
She vanished completely.
No one really knew where she had gone.
She did try to reach out at first. Every day, for nearly a week, she would appear at the estate with teary eyes asking for something called "Crimson's Tear".
What the hell was that even?
Okay, fine. I knew exactly what it was.
But in my defense, if you're going to steal something… it's a bit awkward when the victim keeps showing up on your doorstep crying about it.
So, I did what any responsible and morally upright ex-fiancé like me would do:
I ghosted her.
Didn't meet her even once.
Just watched from my window, sipping tea, with a smirk.
I mean… sorrow. Totally sorrow.
Her family did try to extort some money.
But after I showed them the recording of her, tearfully requesting the annulment, and me agreeing without any conditions, they shut up real fast.
Honestly, I deserved compensation. Emotional trauma is no joke.
So they even gave me a nerve-calming artifact. For the suffering, obviously.
A B-Rank one at that. So I forgave them.
This little act of benevolence should definitely do wonders for my karma.
Well none of that mattered at this moment.
Because, at the moment, I was being experimented on by my little sister.
We had just wrapped up a tea party with her stuffed toy council, when she decided I needed a "cool makeover."
Naturally, as the Bestest Big Brother, I did what any responsible sibling would do.
I said no. I mean I had my final training session with that sadistic bastard Razek in an hour.
Which might've been my first mistake
Because as it turns out, sisters can be very stubborn when they want something and are denied without a reason.
My trustworthy ally… my cloak had separated itself from me, watching my suffering as it floated dramatically behind Ru.
She had taken quite a liking to it.
And, traitorous as it was, it seemed to return her sentiment.
Sentient artifacts were rare enough that most people didn't even recognize one when they saw it.
Hell, ninety-nine percent didn't even know such a thing existed. Which made it easier.
Servants just thought I got some weird cloak kink to walk around everywhere with it.
Some sharp witted bastards like Razek did notice it.
But honestly I had zero interest in hiding. I mean what was even the use of doing that.
It wasn't like anyone could steal it.
Even if I dropped dead tomorrow, the damn thing would probably just mourn dramatically, then vanish out of existence until it chose a new wielder.
And besides, hiding it was a pain. The damn cloak never left me alone unless I was showering or on the toilet.
"It's done, big brotha~"
Just then, the sweet sound of my sister's voice snapped me out of bullshit mode.
My eyes immediately scanned the mirror she held in front of me like a proud high end stylist showing her masterpiece.
Where did she even learn from?
Probably the LinkNet. It was just a fancy word for the internet.
And staring back at me from the mirror…
… Was a handsome face in glitter.
My face sparkled. Literally sparkled. Pink glitter, silver shimmer and even some tiny stars that must've come from some cursed beauty kit.
My hair had been styled—if you could even call it that—with butterfly clips, neon bands and a suspicious amount of purple gel.
"Ta-da!" Ru smiled. "Now you're ready to fight evil with the power of friendship and sparkles."
My face twitched.
She definitely learned this from some show… didn't she?
"Thank you, Ru." I said as I got up from my chair. "I have a training session in half an hour. I'll go now."
I wanted to wipe out the monstrosity Ru had carved on my face immediately but looking at her eyes practically shining.
Yeah, no way I could crush that.
So I did the only logical thing.
"Aeon."
The moment I spoke her name, my loyal Chief of Security appeared in front of me.
She looked at me for a full moment before she bowed immediately. "Pff—Yes, Young Master."
Probably to control her laugh.
Her face was twitching. Her lips were trembling.
I narrowed my eyes. "Are you laughing at me?"
"Pff—No, Young Master. I… I could never…" Her voice cracked mid-sentence, struggling to hold back.
"Tsk… whatever. Just teleport me back to my room," I muttered.
She nodded before walking in front of me.
Aeon was one of the most composed people I knew… yet even she couldn't control her laughter. That alone showed the destruction Ru had caused on my face.
Tch… I knew I should have never agreed for a makeover.
My cloak was still fluttering dramatically behind Ru. I looked at it then quickly looked away.
Traitor.
I didn't say a word as Aeon teleported me out, leaving my cloak behind in Ru's room. I knew it would come back… but I didn't want to see it for now.
As soon as I arrived in my room, I dismissed Aeon after giving her a stern warning to never share what happened today.
She nodded and left, still fighting a losing battle with her expression.
Without wasting a second, I headed straight to the shower.
It was time to erase the masterpiece from my face.
__________
Author's Note:
Hey guys,
This chapter might feel a little different. I've been experimenting with a new writing style, just to see how it flows compared to my usual.
Would love to know what you think:
Do you prefer this style or my regular style from earlier chapters? Let me know your thoughts, it really helps.
Also, the beginning arc will be wrapped up in a chapter or two and then we'll be diving straight into the Academy arc — where the main story truly begins.
Thanks for sticking with me so far.
Keep those power stones, golden tickets and gifts flowing, it really helps and means a lot.