The mansion stood proudly at the top of the hill, like an ancient fortress defying the sky, surrounded by a well-kept garden.
The soft light of Sunday morning filtered through the leaves, casting swaying shadows across the grass. The air was fresh, carrying the scent of dew and flowers.
That faint silhouette stood in the distance, a figure that felt so familiar, yet whose face I could never remember.
The girl from Enatur's dream...
"Ahh... this again... this feeling again, this feeling from that girl. The loneliness in her heart hurts so much."
Enatur's voice trembled. His hand clutched his chest as if trying to hold back something unseen.
There was a subtle pulse beneath his skin, as though his heart was struggling against the emptiness inside.
A sorrow born from the absence of something called a friend.
Though she smiled, the girl was crying behind that smile. Her gaze was dim, as bleak as the gray sky of her world.
"I feel like I've already known that girl for a very long time."
Her lips curved downward, trembling as if she were about to cry, yet she forced himself to stay strong.
"I can almost see her face."
"She's looking at me."
"Wait... wait!" Enatur shouted, reaching out his hand, trying to grasp her.
"Are you the one who's been connected to me for nine years?"
She vanished the moment Enatur stepped closer. A white light swallowed her whole.
In that instant, it felt as if the ground collapsed inside his chest, an unnameable sense of loss.
---
"Wait!" Enatur shouted, but his voice was swallowed by echoes.
His breath came in ragged gasps, his energy drained from the dream that had haunted him for nine long years.
"My chest... it hurts so much. I can feel the pain she's been hiding all these years."
He stared at the ceiling as cold sweat slid down his temples.
"Good morning, Master," Rein greeted.
"Morning, Rein!"
Sunlight streamed through the window, scattering across the walls of his vast library-like room.
Bookshelves lined every wall, filled with tomes and scrolls.
Enatur stood from his bed, stretching his arms. Rein floated beside him.
"Hooaaamm..." He yawned deeply, walking out of the room.
A maid entered to tidy his bed.
"Is it time for my 'nightly call' to the young maids?"
"Unfortunately, there were no young maids. They were all married with children. There was no way Enatur would become an NTR protagonist."
He strolled down the corridor toward the bathroom, his steps lazy, still half-asleep.
The bathroom was located at the far end, just before the changing room.
[A sign on the door read: Occupied.]
He opened the bathroom door, and time seemed to stop. A girl stood there wearing only underwear, her chest barely covered by a towel.
Her shoulder-length blonde hair glimmered faintly, and her golden eyes widened. They locked eyes, frozen in place.
She was Marissa Himelmes, Enatur's childhood friend.
"Marissa, are you going to scream 'Kyaa! Enatur no ecchi!' or something?" Enatur said shamelessly.
Marissa's face flushed red, not with embarrassment, but with anger. A vein popped at her temple.
"Close the door, you idiot!" Marissa yelled furiously.
Her fist shot forward, packed with spiritual energy.
"Wha—!"
Enatur was sent flying backward, crashing into the corridor wall so hard that it cracked.
Instant K.O.
His vision spun.
"Ma-master?!" Rein panicked, floating frantically near him.
"Thank the gods of rom-coms for this classic cliché... 'in the wrong place, at the wrong time!'"
Enatur mumbled half-conscious.
---
In the lounge, the soft aroma of coffee filled the air. The bar counter stood near the back.
As usual, Enatur took control of the coffee machine, preparing drinks for everyone. He already knew their preferences by heart.
The beautiful woman sitting before him was Earth, his second sister.
Her long wavy brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, her golden-brown eyes blinking playfully at him.
"Good morning, our beloved free barista," Earth teased, baring her teeth with a grin.
"Good morning, my eternally glamorous sister," Enatur replied with a smile.
Earth sat on a barstool, watching him as he finished preparing her latte.
He handed her a cup, the aroma rising warmly.
"Ahh~!" Earth moaned, her voice sultry. "As always, your coffee is divine. How about marrying me instead?... Hahaha!"
"I'm ready to give up my virginity!" Enatur raised his thumb with mock pride.
They both burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Let's go to a love hotel!" they said in unison.
Her laughter made her beauty shine even more.
"Yeah, this is just our usual joke."
Someone peeked from the side of the counter. Yunia, Hera, and Marissa were lining up for their coffee, eyes sparkling like hungry kittens.
Of course, Enatur had already prepared theirs. He greeted them with a smile.
"Please sit down, lovely ladies."
"Good morning, everyone!" Rein greeted cheerfully.
"Oh, so this is that AI technology?" Aunt Hera said, clearly impressed.
"My name is Rein. Nice to meet you."
Hera had long mocha-colored hair tied into a top bun. Her turquoise eyes gleamed softly. Her face was beautiful, exuding a charming milf aura.
Po-chan carried the cups to them.
"Please. Enjoy." read the message displayed on his chest monitor.
"The robot is so cute," Marissa said, clearly enamored with Po-chan.
But her expression darkened when she turned to Enatur. "Auntie, Enatur peeked at me while I was bathing," Marissa said, pointing at him.
Enatur flinched in panic. "Huh? I was half-asleep! I didn't see the sign!"
Yunia smiled, her face shadowed ominously. "Get ready for a long lecture, Enatur-chan!"
His body trembled, his face turning pale.
"Good morning!" Carl greeted. His body was covered in sweat; he had just finished his morning run.
Carl Dragsword, fifthteen, Enatur's childhood friend. His golden hair glowed faintly under the light, and his brown eyes looked warm.
"Morning!" everyone replied.
Enatur handed him a cup of coffee. "Ah, thank you, Enatur," Carl said with an easy, genuine laugh.
"You're so diligent with your training," Enatur said in an annoyed tone.
Carl grinned. "You should join me for a morning run sometime."
"I refuse. You wake up way too early!" Enatur puffed his cheeks.
"Hahaha." Carl laughed heartily.
"I'm going to bring coffee to the sister who loves locking herself away!"
Everyone sighed as Enatur left the room.
"Yunia, is there still no solution for him?" Hera asked with a heavy tone.
"If only I could find a true alchemist, Enatur could be saved," Yunia replied, her voice filled with despair.
"What about Karen Van Dammon, Yunia?" Hera asked. "She's the only alchemist capable of that. I can help talk to her."
Yunia stared straight ahead. "I've been negotiating with her for a long time, but she said she doesn't know how to purify a Soul Core."
"Her cousin, Chloe Van Dammon, was the one who knew how."
Hera gasped. "Chloe? But she's dead, isn't she?"
Yunia nodded slowly. "That's why I've been stuck searching for an alchemist."
"Karen must be lying!" Hera said sharply.
"No, she was telling the truth," Yunia answered quietly.
Earth swirled her glass slowly, the aroma of coffee wafting in the air. "The real question is, does Enatur even have the will to fight that curse?"
She sighed, her tone cold. "From what I've seen, he has no ambition to take any initiative. He's simply resigned! His studies were nothing more than his escape."
Carl gritted his teeth. "What Earth said is true. He doesn't have any motivation."
The whole room fell silent, awkward, heavy, and gloomy.
Only the sound of the ticking clock filled the space between them.
---
The late afternoon sky was painted orange, spreading its gentle charm across the city.
The warm air brushed against his skin like the soft touch of twilight. The golden glow poured over the buildings, reflecting the living silhouettes of the world.
Anfield, the Capital of Liverpool Federation. The city's architecture was dominated by sharp and pure geometric shapes, its reflective glass surfaces mirroring the neon sky.
From afar, Enatur could hear the hum of airborne engines blending with the faint hum of magic spells that sustained the city.
Artificial floating islands built upon the foundation of magic and technology. A world where the symphony of advanced science and high-tier sorcery formed the pulse of civilization.
Enatur sat atop Shadow as they returned from a walk around the shopping district.
His hand gently brushed Shadow's fur, which quivered with magical energy.
"The cityscape of this world is truly magnificent!" Rein said, her voice bright with joy.
Her tone echoed in the air like crystal chimes.
I smiled softly. "Hahaha... you'll soon have your new body!" His tone was light, yet behind his smile lay both pity and hope.
"Hm, I can't wait anymore!" Rein replied.
Enatur heard shouts from the training hall beside the mansion. The sound of strikes and voices carried through the air, stirring vague, painful memories of childhood.
The three of them walked toward the hall.
The training hall stood strong beside the mansion, like a private battlefield. Its floor was neatly polished, yet covered with scratches left by tens of thousands of clashes over the past eight years. Those marks felt like old scars upon Enatur's own heart.
Yunia was training with Carl and Marissa. Their movements were fast, sharp, full of vigor, making Enatur's chest tighten.
He clenched his fists. A heavy ache bloomed inside as he watched them. There was a bitterness in his throat, a jealousy he despised but couldn't erase.
"I used to stand there too, side by side with them, not just watching."
The whisper was faint, swallowed by the echoes of wood striking wood and the heavy breaths of young warriors.
The thud of their bodies hitting the floor resounded through the hall.
"You're still too hasty," Yunia said, taking a deep breath.
Her gentle voice flowed like a calm river of wisdom, yet in Enatur's ears, it sounded like a distance he could never reach again.
"Hahaha... your journey is still long. Remember, it's not only strength or energy that matters, but the calmness of mind. An opponent cannot always be defeated through stubbornness. Use your mind, find the opening," said Yunia.
"Auntie really doesn't have any openings at all." Carl sighed deeply, his face dripping with sweat.
"And we've already worked together as best we could," added Marissa, her face full of determination despite her exhaustion.
"You're both doing well. Keep at it. Auntie believes that one day, you'll be able to match me."
Yunia smiled warmly.
They answered together, their voices strong, "Yes!"
That sound echoed, resonating in Enatur's heart like an echo from a past that refused to fade.
Yunia took a breath. "Alright, then take a break for a bit!"
Enatur and Shadow walked into the hall. His steps felt heavy, yet he tried to hide the tremor in his voice.
"So you were all here!"
The moment his voice rang out, his mother, Carl, and Marissa turned toward him. Their gazes made the air feel thinner.
"Ah, Enatur... still alive?" Marissa teased.
"No, I'm a zombie here to eat you all!" His tone was light, though a faint sting pulsed in his chest behind the laughter.
Yunia, Carl, and Marissa welcomed them with gentle smiles, warm, like before, before the distance began to grow between them.
For an hour they talked, casual conversation filled with laughter.
After that, Enatur, Rein, and Shadow sat quietly in the corner, watching the others train with wooden weapons.
His eyes traced every motion, every breath, every swing. The sweat, the rhythm, the sound of wood colliding, it all felt so vividly alive.
"Carl and Marissa have gone so far ahead of me. I'm so jealous of them."
The whisper sounded like a confession meant only for himself.
"If I hadn't been cursed with the Soul Core, I'd be training with them right now."
"But if that hadn't happened, I would've died a minute after I was born into this world. I realize now that this curse is a double-edged sword."
Silence hung heavy over his thoughts. In his chest, that blade still rested, not killing him, but never ceasing to hurt.
Enatur had stopped training at eight years old because he had shown no progress. At that time, he skipped grades straight into university, majoring in science, then medicine the following next year.
But no pride ever came from those achievements, only solitude wrapped in accomplishment.
"In the end, my focus on studies was nothing more than a form of escape."
Tap!
The sound snapped him from his thoughts. Shadow suddenly patted his shoulder. Sitting beside him, the white beast wrapped one front leg around him. The warmth was simple but enough to keep him from breaking.
Yet Enatur's gaze stayed fixed on Carl and Marissa, still swinging their wooden blades.
"Don't look away, partner. Watch, observe, learn, and store it in your mind." Shadow smiled at him.
"That will be your knowledge. Remember, I'll always be by your side," he continued.
My heart felt calmer now, thanks to Shadow...
There was a rare peace within him, like an old wound given a new breath.
The sun sank lower; the orange sky slowly darkened.
The chirping of crickets began, marking the end of another long day.
---
That night, Enatur slept soundly in his room. Soft shadows danced along the walls, illuminated by moonlight filtering through the thin curtains.
The footsteps of a woman moved quietly, stealthily. The heartbeat of the night seemed to match her rhythm.
The door to Enatur's room opened gently. She stepped inside, walking slowly toward him.
She was carrying Enatur somewhere...