Chapter 81: Chapter 81 – My Family

I was pacing along the stone path that wound through the estate gardens, trying to clear my mind. The breeze was soft, and the late afternoon sun painted the hedges in warm gold—but none of it touched me. I didn’t feel any of it. My thoughts were elsewhere.

On him.

Luca von Valentine. My second brother.

The second son of House Valentine. The softest among us. Always distant, always murmuring about visions, hearing things no one else did, living in a world that none of us could truly reach. He was timid, fragile in ways neither I nor Vincent—our older brother—could understand. That boy always had his head in the clouds, dreaming strange dreams. I was always worried for him.

When he said he wanted to go to Arcadia Academy… I was against it. I told him so outright. But our parents… they believed it would be good for him. “Let him see the world,” they said. “Let him make friends. If he can be happy, we’ll be happy too.”

But why didn’t they understand?

Vincent’s already at the Academy. But he’s… difficult. Cold. Not in a cruel way, just distant, awkward. He cares for Luca in his own way—I know that—but he never says the right words, never shows it. I knew I couldn’t rely on him to look out for Luca, not really.

And so Luca left. Alone.

I still remember the day he boarded the carriage. I didn’t even come out to see him off. I was angry at him. I never called him after that, waiting for him to call me instead.

But he never did.

Not even once.

Vincent—who barely talks to anyone—checked in sometimes. But Luca? Nothing. It hurt. I thought maybe he was too busy, or maybe… he just didn’t care.

Then the news started trickling in. One thing after another.

They said he got into Class A. Class A! I was shocked. Then there were whispers about a legendary weapon, something on par with Vincent’s Silver-Winged Wyvern blade. I even overheard Father telling Mother in a low voice that Luca had been involved in some major incident involving a dungeon malfunction.

And then, today…

Today, everything spiraled.

I was walking past the outer gate, near the western slope of the estate. Just a simple walk, to distract myself. That’s when I heard it—two passing guards whispering in hushed, frantic voices behind the wall.

“Beastridge Mountain… students involved…”

“Something about a corrupted dragon.”

“Devil cult symbols. Hundreds dead. Maybe more.”

I froze.

My legs buckled under me, my chest tightened. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The words kept spinning in my head—dragon, cult, casualties. My vision blurred.

I ran.

I don’t even remember how I got back inside. My slippers were soaked, my dress caught on thorns, but I didn’t care. I burst into the drawing room with tears in my eyes, my voice cracking.

“Mom… brother… they said…”

Mother looked up sharply. Her face was pale but calm, like someone who’d already cried all the tears she had. She didn’t speak. She just stood and hugged me tightly.

“Both of your brothers are safe,” she whispered into my hair. “They’re safe, Lisa. Don’t cry.”

I didn’t even realize I was sobbing until I felt the wetness on her shoulder.

I held her tighter, the weight in my chest finally breaking. All my anger, all my silence—none of it mattered anymore. I just wanted to hear his voice.

“Call him,” I begged. “Please, call him, Mom.”

She nodded and activated the communication crystal on the table. A moment passed, the magic pulsing with light, and then the image flickered into view.

And there he was.

Luca.

He looked so tired. His face was pale, his eyes sunken with exhaustion. But he was alive. Alive.

I couldn’t stop myself.

“HOW ARE YOU, BROTHEERR?!”

“ARE YOU OKAY?!”

“ARE YOU BACK AT THE ACADEMY YET?!”

He blinked slowly, clearly dazed, staring at the glowing crystal like he’d forgotten how it worked.

“…Wha—”

“ANSWER MEEEEE!” I cried again, voice cracking as fresh tears welled up. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?!”

****

The moment the communication crystal lit up, Luca blinked.

For a second, he just stared.

A girl around his age was on the other side, her eyes puffy, face still streaked with the remains of tears. She looked worried. No—more than worried. Terrified. And standing beside her was a beautiful woman in her mid-forties, her elegant features drawn with exhaustion, her once carefully arranged hair now loose and falling across her shoulders. She, too, looked like she hadn’t slept properly in days.

Family.

His family.

For a second, he couldn’t even move.

I had only met Vincent since coming to this world. And even that had been a mix of cold stares and unintended tension. I had prepared for fights, challenges, monsters—but not for something like this. Not for this warmth. This familiarity. This weight of genuine care.

He swallowed.

How was I supposed to respond to something like this?

The woman—his mother—spoke first, her voice soft and tired.

“How are you doing, son?”

Both of them looked even more worried now, eyes lingering on the bandages wrapped around his face and chest, the bruises still faintly visible despite the healing.

Luca’s lips parted, voice unsure.

“Don’t worry, Mom… and—L-Lisa.”

He hesitated on the name. Her name was Lisa, right? Thankfully, he was right, because her voice cracked as she stepped closer to the projection.

“How can we not worry when you look like this?” Lisa said, her voice trembling. “You—” she bit her lip, “You weren’t even replying…”

Luca tried to give them a tired smile. “I’m really okay now. Just a bit banged up.”

But before he could say more, a calm, slightly deeper voice joined in the call from another angle.

“Don’t worry, you two. I just heard the news.” The tone was measured, but pride shimmered beneath it. “Luca was the one who delivered the final strike. He played a major role throughout the battle.”

Both mother and daughter froze.

They blinked.

Then blinked again.

“…You’re joking, right?” Lisa said, almost disbelieving.

“Yeah,” his mother added, eyes wide. “You must’ve heard wrong. Luca… did what?”

The face of the man came into view. Broad shoulders, sharp gaze. There was no doubt—it was Luca’s father. He looked directly at Luca, his gaze solemn.

“This news hasn’t spread yet. But in two or three days, it will. Be careful, son. Too much attention draws all kinds of eyes—many not kind.”

Luca blinked. The information was still settling in his mind. How had the news spread already?

“I understand… Father.”

His father gave a brief nod. “Hmm. Rest for now. Take care.”

And with that, the call ended.

The crystal dimmed. The room fell silent once more.

Luca slowly placed the communication crystal on the desk, his fingers lingering against its smooth surface for a moment longer than needed.

He let out a long, slow breath, as if only now realizing how much tension he’d been carrying. The voices of his family echoed faintly in his ears. For the first time in a long time… I felt connected to something beyond this academy, beyond the battlefield.

And yet… It made everything heavier.

Dragging his battered body toward the bed, he collapsed face-first into the mattress.

Family… huh?

Sleep took him before the thought even finished forming.

The first ray of morning sunlight slipped through the window, brushing gently across Luca’s face.

He stirred, eyes fluttering open with a soft groan. Every muscle ached, the exhaustion from the past few days still weighing on his body like iron chains. Despite the healing, fatigue clung to his bones.

Ugh… what time is it again?

He rubbed his eyes and sat up slowly, mind still foggy.

As he got ready—slowly pulling on his uniform jacket, adjusting his still-stiff posture—his thoughts wandered back to what the professors had announced.

Right… today we’re supposed to gather in the orientation hall instead of following the usual academy schedule.

He slung his bag across his shoulder and took a deep breath before stepping out of his dorm.

A tired voice chirped from somewhere near his ear.

“Where are you going, Luca?”

He blinked and glanced at his shoulder.

A small Kunpeng—barely the size of a sparrow in this form—rested lazily on his shoulder, its brilliant blue-and-silver wings glowing faintly in the early morning light. It blinked one eye open, staring at him with clear irritation… and equal drowsiness.

Luca gave a lopsided smile. “Orientation hall.”

The little Kunpeng gave a long, exaggerated yawn, fluffing its wings. “Ugh… that sounds like a you-problem. Wake me up when there’s food or danger.”

Before Luca could reply, the mythical beast tucked its head under its wing and promptly dozed off again,disappearing back to its space.

“…Lucky bird,” Luca muttered, exhaling a sigh as he walked through the academy’s quiet morning corridors.

The sun had just started painting the sky in hues of gold and peach, the dew on the training fields sparkling faintly like scattered stars. The breeze was cool and carried with it the faint scent of ink and parchment—undeniably Arcadia.

And just like that, Luca arrived at the orientation hall.

“After mid-sem exams we will be attending the ball in the empire’s capital in memory and honor of our deceased warriors.”

After hearing this all the sleep in Luca’s eyes disappeared.

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