---
Before Steven reached home, he had already removed his disguise.
He entered the house.
He didn't find Mark in his room or in the living room. Steven assumed that Mark was inside the virtual reality, so he didn't search for him.
Steven went to his room, lay down on his bed, and took out a green earring shaped like a leaf.
'I need to get used to lowering my rank,' he thought.
'I should wear it all the time except during training or when I'm on missions.'
'I also need to look for a monster after the academy test so it can be my first shadow monster.'
'The academy starts three months after the test.'
He lay on his bed with a sleepy, lazy expression, thinking,
'There's so much to do, and it's exhausting.'
He yawned.
'I'm tired from the journey. I'll think later.'
He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
---
He woke up the next morning to find a blanket covering him, and the lights were off. He smiled gently and got out of bed.
He saw Mark trying to prepare breakfast.
Steven raised his eyebrows slightly, walked to the kitchen, took the utensils from Mark's hands, and said,
"I'll handle the rest."
Steven knew that Mark was a terrible cook because he had once allowed him to try cooking for him.
That day, for the first time, Steven actually vomited because of the food. After that, he never let Mark cook again.
Mark said,
"Good morning, brother. You're awake."
Mark didn't realize how bad his cooking was; he just wanted to make a meal for his tired brother.
Steven replied while continuing breakfast preparation,
"Yes."
Mark asked curiously,
"Did you manage to get the tool, brother? How is it?"
Steven had already told Mark the reason for going on this mission.
He answered,
"Yes, I got it. I had it made into an earring."
Mark was happy that his brother obtained what he wanted.
Steven finished preparing breakfast, and the two of them sat down to eat.
Mark asked curiously,
"Brother, why do you want to hide your rank?"
Steven replied, eating without interest,
"Because it's annoying."
Mark nodded, thinking,
'Yes, that's my brother.'
The loving family continued eating, and Steven started his training.
Mark went to his room to continue his work.
Mark had created a page to collect and sell information, and it had become slightly famous due to the accuracy and quality of its content.
Half a year passed.
Mark looked at his brother quietly eating and asked,
"Brother, are you ready for the academy test? It's in three days."
Steven said,
"Yes."
Mark's eyes ignited with excitement.
"Then, brother, there's something I want to do. It's really important."
Steven looked at him with curiosity,
"What is it?"
Mark said enthusiastically,
"I want to fix your hair."
Steven looked at him blankly,
"..."
Mark realized his mistake and quickly added,
"I mean I want to take you to a barber. We need to cut your hair."
Steven didn't refuse because it had been a while since he last cut his hair; he had been busy with training.
---
Mark laughed happily,
"Look, brother, you've become more handsome."
Steven had cut his hair, revealing his youthful facial features, fair skin, and beautiful green eyes.
Steven didn't know why Mark was so happy.
He knew his face was a little attractive but didn't care much; it wasn't important to him.
Steven didn't realize that his face wasn't just a little attractive—it was actually very beautiful and charming.
Mark boasted,
"Brother, you'll break all the girls' hearts at the academy."
Steven looked at Mark with disgust and coldly said,
"That won't happen."
Mark said with pity,
"My brother really doesn't know… sigh… your face is a waste on you."
Steven ignored Mark and continued walking through the open streets and passing by the shops.
Suddenly, something round and black rushed toward Steven.
Steven looked at the thing clinging to him.
"...."
"...."
Mark looked at Steven and asked with some suspicion,
"Brother, since when do cats like you?"
A black cat, round due to its fluffed-up fur, with beautiful honey-colored eyes, clung to Steven.
Steven reached out, picked up the cat by its neck, and held it while examining it.
Steven said after checking,
"It's a male."
He then placed it on the ground and said to Mark,
"Let's go."
Mark looked at the cat on the ground and said,
"Alright, brother."
Steven and Mark continued walking, and after a while, Mark looked back and said to Steven,
"The cat is following us."
Steven looked at the black cat with fluffed fur, then ignored it and continued walking with Mark until they reached home.
Steven opened the door.
The cat dashed inside the house.
Steven: "....."
Mark: "....."
Mark said,
"Brother, it seems to like you a lot. Can we take care of it?"
Steven looked at the small round cat with a pitiful face.
For some strange reason, he felt an affinity for the cat, though he didn't know why. He didn't dislike animals, and Mark seemed to like the cat.
Steven said calmly,
"It looks like a small round black hat, so its name is Byrne."
Mark: "...."
Mark looked at the cat with pity.
'Poor cat.'
'Well, it doesn't matter. It seems my brother allowed this cat to stay.'
The cat seemed to like the name, wagged its tail happily, and ran to Steven.
Steven avoided it and went to the training room he had modified to continue his training.
Mark looked up how to raise cats and went out to buy food for the cat.
Byrne stayed alone, then transformed into a boy with black hair like the cat's fur, honey-colored eyes, and cat ears on top of his head, with a tail at the bottom of his back.
Byrne's eyes turned red with sadness, and he muttered sadly with some joy,
"Finally, I found you, Steven. I searched for you for so long."
Then he smiled and said,
"You don't seem much different from your past life, even if you lost your memory."
"You even gave me the same name."
Byrne was very happy because he had found Steven, his savior and friend, though it seemed his friend didn't remember his past life.
Byrne returned to his cat form before Mark came back.
Byrne wanted to protect Steven and become stronger so he could withstand that cursed race.
Byrne showed a very serious expression, but the cat's face looked very cute.
Mark entered, saw the serious-cute expression on the cat's face, and laughed,
"Hahaha, our Byrne is so cute."
The cat looked at Mark fiercely and hissed angrily.
(*I'm not yours, you fool, and I'm not cute, I'm beautiful. Hmph.*)
It seemed Mark didn't understand what the little cat said.
"I brought you cat food."
Mark placed the food in a cat dish and set it in front of Byrne.
Byrne looked at Mark, then stepped forward and ate.
Mark gently added more food.
Byrne looked at the little boy in front of him suspiciously.
(*Is this the same crazy brat who only obeyed Steven in my past life?*)
Byrne backed away, still looking at Mark.
Mark wondered,
'What's wrong with this cat? It used to run to my brother obediently. Why is it so cautious with me?'
He then sadly thought,
'Am I disliked by cats?'
Then he went to his room, sad, to continue working on his page.
---