Sasaki woke to the sound of his alarm blaring beside his bed.
With a groan, he sat up and stared out the frost-covered window.
"...Mom and Dad always said the whole world shook the day Shigura and I were born."
He smiled to himself.
"I thought they were joking."
Me too.
Sasaki got out of bed, took a shower, brushed his teeth, and smiled at himself in the mirror.
Once he returned to his room, he raised his hand.
"Fireball."
A small ball of smoke appeared in his palm.
Then—
Puff.
The spell exploded directly in his face.
Sasaki stared blankly through the smoke.
"...That failed terribly."
He wiped the soot from his face.
"I guess my Essence is still trash."
Not everyone was born with Essence.
Some awakened Systems instead.
Others followed the path of Cultivation.
Sasaki had Essence.
It was just that his Essence had a mind of its own.
Literally.
Shame on whoever messed with it.
"I slowly learned how to control magic. Essence? Not so much."
He sighed.
"Mana control is still iffy. But at least I'm able to use space magic with Essence."
Sasaki looked at his reflection.
"At the age of four, I first awakened my Essence."
His expression became slightly more serious.
"I created a black hole that caused my left eye to turn white."
He blinked.
"Somehow, I didn't even go blind."
Sasaki shrugged.
"I live in the countryside, even though I'm royalty. I live here with my older sister and my older brother."
He smiled.
"Even though our kingdom is huge."
A small white-haired boy ran across the room, smiling from ear to ear.
He stopped in front of a silver-haired boy sitting in a rocking chair, calmly reading a book.
"Hey, Shigura!"
Shigura slowly lowered his book.
"What?"
"Let's fight to see who's stronger!"
Sasaki asked eagerly.
Shigura sighed.
"Alright. Just don't get hurt."
Sasaki was destroyed.
Completely.
He lay sprawled across the floor, exhausted.
It was expected.
Shigura had far more strength behind his attacks.
After the fight, Shigura made some tea for his exhausted brother.
Sasaki sat up and took the cup.
"My brother's Essence is amazing."
He stared at Shigura.
"Even though he can only control a small amount, he makes it look so magical."
He took a sip.
"Essence is pretty weird compared to the System."
Sasaki frowned.
"But still..."
He looked down at himself.
"I got overpowered so quickly. It's crazy how we're twins, yet the difference in our strength is so huge."
Shigura smiled.
"Maybe you just got unlucky."
He took another sip of his own tea.
"Maybe next time you'll win."
Sasaki looked at him suspiciously.
"You really think so?"
"I do."
Sasaki smiled.
"I wonder when Sister is going to come back."
He leaned back.
"We barely see her. And whenever we do, she either sleeps or brings us snacks."
Sasaki breaks.
"I don't think Mom or Dad ever told us Sister's name, right?"
Shigura shook his head.
"I tried asking."
He looked away.
"But they always said it was disrespectful to call your elders by their actual name."
"Oh."
Sasaki thought for a moment.
"I heard she's a really strong sorcerer."
Shigura nodded.
"Apparently, she can control all types of magic."
Sasaki's eyes lit up.
"I want cool magic like Sister too!"
"I believe you can."
Shigura smiled.
"So keep trying."
Sasaki smiled back.
"Let's head to bed."
Shigura stood up.
"It's getting pretty late. We don't want Sister scolding us."
"Right."
Sasaki finished his tea.
"Let's go."
The sun disappeared beyond the horizon.
Night settled over the countryside.
And eventually, Sister came home.
She quietly entered the boys' room.
Sasaki was already asleep.
She walked toward the bunk beds.
She leaned down and gently kissed Sasaki's forehead.
Then she floated toward the upper bunk and kissed Shigura on the cheek.
Before leaving, she whispered softly,
"I love you."
A faint glow surrounded the two boys.
A protection spell.
Then she quietly left the room.
The next morning, Sasaki woke from what seemed to be a peaceful sleep.
He sat up and rubbed his eyes.
Then—
A bright light suddenly engulfed his body.
"Wha—!?"
His body lifted off the ground.
He floated for a moment before suddenly dropping.
Thud!
"Ow!"
Sasaki grabbed his head.
"What the hell was that!?"
The sound of his fall immediately woke Sister.
She rushed into the room.
"Sasaki!"
She quickly helped him to his feet.
But something was wrong.
Sasaki suddenly struggled to breathe.
His chest tightened.
"S-Sister..."
A blinding light began forming around him.
The windows shattered.
Furniture was thrown across the room.
The entire cabin began shaking.
Sister's expression changed.
She immediately raised her hand.
"Sealing."
A magical seal appeared around Sasaki.
But it wasn't enough.
The light continued growing.
"Sasaki!"
A massive explosion erupted.
Sasaki was thrown deep into the forest.
His body crashed through branches before finally hitting the ground.
His Essence was completely depleted.
He could barely move.
"...Where..."
Nothing looked familiar.
Sasaki forced himself to stand.
He dragged his exhausted body through the forest.
One step.
Then another.
Eventually, he reached the cabin.
And everything went black.
Sasaki woke to the sound of crackling fire.
Something warm was supporting his head.
He slowly opened his eyes.
For a brief moment, he saw a silver-haired girl looking down at him.
Sasaki blinked.
The image disappeared.
Instead, he saw his older sister.
His head rested comfortably on her lap.
She gently ran her fingers through his hair.
"Are you okay, Sasaki?"
Her voice was soft and soothing.
"You look pale."
"Sister..."
Sasaki stared up at her.
An elf with long silver hair.
He looked around.
"Where's Shigura?"
"He's in his room."
She smiled.
"He's asleep."
Sasaki relaxed.
"Hey, Sis."
"Yes, Saki?"
Sasaki hesitated.
"What's your name?"
She giggled softly.
"It's a secret."
She smiled and gently pecked his nose.
Sasaki blinked.
"A secret?"
"Mhm."
He thought for a moment.
Then he looked up at her.
"Sister..."
"Yes?"
"Will you be with me and Shigura forever?"
Her smile softened.
"Of course."
She gently rubbed his cheeks.
"I could never imagine a life without you two."
Sasaki smiled.
His sister continued gently stroking his hair.
His eyes slowly closed.
He felt safe.
Warm.
Loved.
He had no idea that everything was about to change.
He had no idea that the life he knew...
Was already beginning to slip away.