The morning sun streamed through the window, gently coaxing Piers awake.
He stirred, stretching with a slow, luxurious motion before letting out a yawn — the kind that only comes from a truly deep, unbroken sleep.
For once, he felt rested. Really rested. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this good.
Blinking himself into focus, he found a sight that tugged a smile from him.
His parents were right there, exactly as when he'd fallen asleep. Mom — elegant even in dreams — rested to his left, her breathing slow and even.
Dad… as always sprawled halfway off the bed again, defying the laws of physics.
A wave of warmth washed over him. I'm lucky, he thought. To have them. To have Styx. The airheaded goddess was right… I have to move forward, live in the present, and protect what I have now.
His gaze lingered on his mother. In sleep, her violet-black hair framed her serene features, the small beauty mark at her mouth lending her an almost regal beauty.
Then mischief bloomed.
Okay… let's tickle her awake, raid the kitchen, and then— experiments! His grin sharpened.
He leaned in, fingers hovering over her ear.
"Mama," he whispered, tickling gently, "wake up, wake up! I want something to eat!"
She stirred, murmuring half-asleep, "Oh, my boy… you got up? I was so worried…" Her voice was dreamy, far away.
Piers hesitated, awkwardly pulling back.
Yeah… maybe not the best wake-up plan.
His smirk returned. Let's see what Styx is up to instead.
He glanced down at himself — night shorts, soft t-shirt. Eh, cute enough.
With a quiet sigh and one last glance at his parents, he slipped out of the room.
Mana Hand. Too short to reach the doorknob? No problem.
A flick of thought — the handle turned on its own, the door swinging open.
Piers padded down the stairs toward Styx's room and pushed the door open… empty.
Weird.
Where'd she go? No way she went to the base alone while I was out.
A small pang of worry twisted in his gut.
The gate outside creaked — then Styx strode in, sword at her hip, training gear dusted with dirt.
She lit up the moment she saw him.
"Piers! You're awake!"
Her smile was bright and full of energy.
Then she paused — eyes swept over his outfit.
The soft shirt. The short pajamas.
Her grin softened into a coo.
"Awww, you look adorable!"
Before Piers could react, she launched forward and scooped him into a tight hug — sweaty cheek rubbing aggressively against his face.
Okay.
Personal space? Gone. And ew. Sweat.
He wriggled slightly, clearly annoyed, but she held on until…
Bump.
Her head bore a small lump — his subtle pushback not-so-subtle after all.
"Neesan," he asked, dryly with exasperation, "where were you so early in the morning?"
Styx puffed out her chest, striking a mock-heroic pose.
"Training!" she declared proudly. "So I can become strong and help you!"
Piers blinked.
That… warmed him a little more than he expected.
Even if she was a menace, she meant it.
But then—
Styx suddenly felt a mental snap — a memory hit her like lightning.
She grabbed Piers' hand, glanced around furtively, and dragged him into a corner.
Her voice dropped to a trembling whisper.
"Mom found out about your power"
WHAM!
A jolt of raw fear slammed through Piers.
W-w-what?! What did she see?!
"W-wait… that means—"
Styx, completely missing his inner meltdown, went on:
"Your dummy. Mom found out about that and scolded me all day!"
There was a brief pause.
He exhaled, tension draining from his body.
Oh… just the dummy. I thought…
The knot in his chest loosened.
Just then, a shadow fell over them — cool, silent, unmistakable
Xylia.
Arms crossed, brow creased in mild annoyance.
"What are you two whispering about in a corner?"
Both of them jolted like startled kittens.
"Mama," Piers began, stepping forward, his voice still shaky, "I… I was just about to tell you about my magic."
Xylia's eyes narrowed for a moment — a brief, silent stare — then…
A sigh escaped, as she knelt and pulled them both into her arms — one on each side, their warmth pressed close to her heart.
The sternness she'd carried melted away, replaced by something raw and fiercely maternal.
"No more secrets," she whispered, her voice hushed and trembling slightly.
"You're still just children... my children." She gently stroked their hair, holding them as if afraid they'd slip away.
"I don't ever want to be kept in the dark like that again," she whispered, her arms pulling them in tighter. "Promise me, both of you — no more secrets. Not from me."
She paused, breath shuddering. "
"I know I got angry…" I always do it when I'm scared. Sometimes I don't know how else to handle it. But it's because…" Her voice cracked, trembling with unspoken fear.
"The thought of you getting hurt — and I wasn't there to save you — terrifies me. If anything happened to you… I'd never forgive myself."
Her hug tightened around them, as if holding them close could shield them from everything.
The silence that followed was thick and aching. No more words were needed.
Piers looked down, guilt twisting in his chest.
Styx leaned in, burying her face in Xylia's side, her throat tight with emotion.
Xylia blinked rapidly, brushing away the dampness at her eyes. Her lips trembled for a heartbeat longer, the shadow of fear still clinging there — then, slowly, her expression began to change.
The tension eased from her brow, her breathing steadied, and warmth seeped back into her gaze.
Still holding them close, she shifted her attention toward Piers… her hand rising to gently brush his hair back. Her thumb lingered just above his temple, as if to reassure herself he was truly there.
"Alright… my shining boy," she murmured, voice soft but steadier now,
"I want you to know — to wield that kind of skill, with such finesse, at your age… you truly are a prodigy. And I couldn't be prouder."
Styx butted in instantly.
"And me, Mama? What about me?"
Xylia turned to her, smoothing a strand of hair from her daughter's face.
"My strong-willed girl… your unnatural strength is also a gift." She grinned, a playful glint in her eyes. "Though maybe… fewer bone-crushing hugs for your brother, hmm?"
Styx pouted, narrowing her eyes in mock offense.
Piers snorted softly. Xylia chuckled, warm and knowing.
Then—
Grrrrrgle.
A loud rumble echoed across the room.
"I'm… really hungry," Styx announced without a shred of shame.
Xylia's smile softened even further.
"Well then, let's not waste any time — we need to get some food into those growing bodies."
Her eyes glowed with motherly warmth, she turned and headed toward the kitchen. The earlier tension melted completely into the comfort of shared hunger and love.
Just then, Rigas shuffled in, yawning and scratching his back, hair sticking out in every direction. His eyelids were still heavy with sleep.
"What happened?" he mumbled. "Did I miss something?"
Xylia shot him a sideways glance, a teasing glint in her eye.
"Yes, honey. Your brain's always a little slow on the uptake."
Rigas smirked.
"And yet… you love this slow brain of mine."
A faint blush crept into her cheeks.
"Hey — kids are watching."
Piers and Styx exchanged a look… and promptly burst into soft laughter.
Piers was soaking in the moment.
The warmth of breakfast chatter, the faint smell of fresh bread, and the gentle rhythm of his family's voices wrapped around him like a blanket he never wanted to leave.
Yeah… I could live in this forever.
And then—
BAM!
Mutou's voice thundered in his head like a war drum.
"Young Master! We have a situation! Emergency!"
The warmth shattered instantly, replaced by a jolt of adrenaline.
Piers's eyes snapped wide. His heart did an awkward, rabbit-like skip.
Crap, crap, crap! What now?!
He froze for a breath, brain spinning faster than a hamster on performance enhancers.
Think. Can't sprint out—that's suspicious. Smile? Too weird. Fake sickness? Plausible… but questions… Need to move. Now.
He inhaled sharply.
Play it cool. Except— nope— no time!
What came out of his mouth was too loud, too sharp:
"Mama, emergency! I've gotta go—don't worry, I'll be back!"
Before anyone could react, he was already halfway across the room. One step, two—then a blur toward the washroom, moving with panic-powered speed.
Xylia and Styx stared after him.
Xylia tilted her head, lips pursed in mild concern. "Oh dear, an emergency?… Maybe the night stew was a bit too spicy. I'll have to adjust the recipe."
Styx, still chewing, simply tilted in confusion.
Rigas leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing just slightly—like a man who'd made plenty of suspicious exits himself.
Hmph.
Something's definitely up with that kid.
Inside the washroom, Piers didn't hesitate.
One step, two—he was at the small window, shoving it open.
A breath.
He vaulted through, morning air slapping his face.
The instant his soles left the ground, he was air-walking, long urgent strides carrying him forward.
"Mutou! Talk to me! What happened?!"
Static crackled in his mind; Mutou's voice clipped with tension.
"Young Master, it's—"
He didn't finish.
Piers's speed shredded the distance, and the scene slammed into view—
—and his stomach dropped.
Lein and Liel lay sprawled on the ground, bodies trembling violently. Their skin pulsed with an unnatural inner light, veins glowing like molten cracks in stone. Their faces twisted in silent, agonized screams.
Nearby, Luci, Mutou, and Gyuunyuu circled in panic, helpless. Gyuunyuu hovered erratically, tiny hands clasped as if prayer alone might help.
The air carried the faint smell of cooked meat and smoke. Pots, knives, and half-prepared ingredients lay scattered. A slab of meat sat untouched on a cutting board, juices pooling darkly.
Piers's eyes flicked to it for half a heartbeat.
The meat? No… wrong track. Focus. Cause later.
His pulse hammered.
I don't have healing magic. I don't even know the basics… so how do I—?
That thought was a knife twisting in his gut.
Every second he stood there, they suffered.
And he didn't know how to save them.
And then,
A sudden shadow stretched across his back.
"So… this is where you've been slipping off to," a deep voice rumbled behind him.
Piers spun around.
Rigas stood there, broad as a wall, His eyes held a strange blend of concern and steel-bound resolve.
In an instant, the knight's stance shifted — blade half-raised, armor tensing, a low growl rising.
"Wait! Stop!" Piers barked, voice cracking. "It's my dad!"
Mutou froze. His glare softened; the tension drained out.
"…Oh." He lowered his weapon, posture loosening.
But the real crisis writhed on the floor.
Gyuunyuu's voice trembled.
"Master—hurry! Please—we have to do something!"
Luci's hands were clenched to her chest, tears glossing her eyes.
"Piers-sama… this isn't looking good at all…"
The sight of Lein and Liel glowing, writhing, suffering—something tore in him.
desperation punching through his words, as he turned to his father.
"Dad—please! Help me!"
Tears stung his eyes before he could stop them.
Rigas's gaze sharpened, voice grounding like steel.
"That's what I've been waiting to hear."
He dropped to his knees beside the fallen siblings, eyes flashing with a faint blue light as he examined them.
Without another word, he lifted his left hand — two crystalline shards of ice bloomed into existence, pulsed with a cold, steady light.
He placed one on each of their chests, the frost shimmering against their glowing skin.
Then he looked up, wearing that same confident smile he always had
"Listen, my boy. Reverse the mana flow from their bodies. Pull it into these crystals. You'll need to focus—harder than you ever have—but I know you can do it."
Piers swallowed, steadying his breath.
"Okay, Dad… I'll do it."
He closed his eyes, forcing every scattered thought into a single point of focus.
Mana surged at his call, flowing through him like molten threads of light.
He reached for the chaotic mana inside Lein and Liel—felt it writhing like serpents in a storm—
—and began the painstaking work of untangling it.
Slow. Steady. Like teasing apart a knotted thread without breaking it.
Back to the source… Come on…
Gradually, the current shifted.
The ice crystals on their chests, pure blue at first, flickered—
—yellow, then orange—
—then a furious, pulsing red.
The air itself seemed to tighten.
That much energy, compressed inside such fragile vessels…
"Too much," Rigas barked.
They were seconds from detonating.
Before anyone could react, his father moved—
One heartbeat on the ground—
The next, airborne—
Snatching both crystals.
And then—
A throw.
He hurled the crystals skyward.
Every gaze followed them, breath suspended.
Light erupted. The sky bloomed with a thousand colors, cascading across the clouds, painting the forest canopy in shimmering hues.
Piers stared, chest heaving.
"He… did it again," he breathed, awe shaking through his voice.
"Just like at jenora Church…"
When the light faded, so had the glow in Lein and Liel's bodies.
Their breathing steadied.
For a moment, silence.
Then—
Lein's eyes snapped open.
He shot upright like a sprung trap, grinning wildly.
"Whoa! I feel a thousand times lighter! I could fly!"
Piers exhaled, shoulders slumping in relief. The others followed suit.
Gyuunyuu instantly zipped into Lein's face, tiny hands on her hips.
"Lein! Stop jumping! You just woke up! You'll hurt yourself, you big oaf!"
Nearby, Liel stirred, eyelids fluttering open. Her gaze drifted upward to the tall blond figure beside her.
"…Piers-sama?" she murmured, still half-asleep.
Her eyes squinted. "...How did you get so tall…?"
Rigas grinned.
Liel froze—then went crimson.
She made a tiny squeak and immediately tried to sink into the ground.
But Luci swooped in and crushed her with a hug.
"Liel! You scared me half to death!"
"Eh? Why are you crying…?" Liel mumbled, still fuzzy.
Thog lumbered closer, leaning down with a big reassuring thumbs-up.
Mutou gave a small nod—stoic as always, but his expression gentler now.
Piers took in the scene, the knot in his chest finally loosening.
Rigas stepped beside him, ruffling his hair with a proud grin.
"That's my boy. I knew you could pull it off."
Piers couldn't help it—his lips curved into a genuine smile, one that reached all the way to his eyes.
Liel finally pulled back from Luci, cheeks still pink.
"Piers-sama… I—I never meant to worry you. Thank you… for coming to save me."
Piers waved it off.
"Don't worry about it, Liel. What matters most is that you're both okay."
Her blush deepened, but a shy smile followed.
Rigas cleared his throat, stepping closer with a dramatic whisper:
"Ahem… so…"
His eyes slid toward Piers, a teasing spark there.
"Now… What do we do about Xylia?"
"She's going to be shocked—maybe even a little pissed. Really pissed—when she finds out her not-even-two-year-old can use mana like that… and has a secret base."
His smirk said this is going to be entertaining.
Piers stared at him flatly — half confused, half annoyed.
Is he… seriously trying to blackmail me?
He sighed theatrically.
"Fine, Dad… you leave me no choice."
A thoughtful pause…
He lifted his face—eyes huge, shimmering, painfully innocent.
Charisma skill: Activated.
"Papa… would you really tell Mom about this… and my base…?"
Rigas recoiled like he'd been stabbed.
His smirk shattered instantly.
"No—wait, my boy…" His voice cracked into a frantic rush.
"She'll kill me if she finds out later! Please… stop this! Have mercy!"
Piers did not blink.
"But if I tell Mom before you do… then it won't be your problem, right?"
Around them, the peanut gallery leaned in.
Lein and Liel's ears twitched.
Luci bit back a grin.
Thog watched like a curious boulder.
Gyuunyuu spun with chaotic excitement.
Even Mutou's stoic flames brightened.
Rigas's face finally crumpled. Shoulders slumped. Head lowered.
"… Alright You win."
Soft laughter rippled around them.
But the moment passed quickly—Rigas straightened again, dignity slowly stitching itself back together.
"Alright, kids… let's make sure this never happened."
He barely finished when Mutou stepped forward, bowing deeply.
"My sincerest apologies for earlier. My duty is to protect the Young Master. In my haste, I failed to recognize your esteemed presence and acted with undue presumption. I humbly ask your forgiveness."
As he spoke, a wave of sheer presence rolled from Rigas—dense, ancient, suffocating in its weight.
Mutou stiffened, breath catching.
If this man were an enemy… not even his fastest strike would land.
Respect settled into his posture.
Rigas's aura softened.
"It's Rigas. And don't worry about formalities. I'm just glad my son has someone like you watching over him—someone he trusts. That's enough for me."
Mutou's flames flickering subtly, betraying the surprise beneath his stoic frame. Slowly, his posture straightened.
* * *