A week had passed since his soul was torn from his world. A week in which Lusian felt trapped between fear and desperation, searching for answers that never came.
According to the servants, it was the year 714 of the kingdom… and he was only fifteen years old.
—Fifteen? —he murmured in front of the mirror.Perfect… back to adolescence.And in the most lethal world I've ever known.
His refined features and the lean musculature of a trained young warrior were an uncomfortable reminder: this wasn't his body. And yet… it felt strangely familiar.
While the servants bathed him, their hands moving over him with a familiarity he didn't possess, they cleaned the dried blood from a body he still didn't feel belonged to him.
Lusian stayed completely still, holding his breath.
Every muscle in his body tensed, but he forced himself not to move. He wasn't used to this. To closeness. To being exposed.
He swallowed, lowered his chin slightly, and pretended this was normal. That was the only thing keeping him together.
Because if they found out…
What would happen then? An execution? Something worse?
And if that lion outside decided he wasn't its master anymore…
The thought chilled his blood. Not even the warm water could fight the cold sinking into his bones.
—This guy really took his training seriously —he muttered dryly.
They dried him, wrapped him, and began dressing him when the door opened without warning.
Sophia Douglas de Mondring, mother of the man whose body Erwin now inhabited, entered with firm steps. Beside her walked a dark-furred lion, its claws echoing against the polished marble floor.
A blue light began to dance between the duchess's fingers, illuminating the room like a contained lightning strike.
—I will grant you partial authority over two of your beasts —she announced, approaching without concern for the situation—. Thunder, my level seventy-six electric steed, and Umber, my level seventy-one dark wolf.
She traced symbols over his arm, sealing the bond like someone signing a contract in fire.
—They will obey your orders within certain limits. Their loyalty remains mine. But if your life is in danger, they will intervene without hesitation, even if it costs them their lives.
—Partial authority… —Lusian repeated, frowning—. So they'll obey my orders…
With it came a strange mix of security and responsibility that he didn't know how to handle.
—Exactly —Sophia nodded— but only up to a point. If your life is at risk, they will act without hesitation, even if it costs them everything.
The golden-maned lion resting near the window exuded quiet pressure simply by being there.
Sophia smiled faintly, with a trace of sadness, as she introduced her third companion: Larriet, an A-class Delta lion, still distant and stubborn. According to every record and what Erwin remembered from the game, Sophia was an unparalleled beast tamer; controlling three magical creatures of that level was something few could even imagine. But to Erwin, it meant safety…
—This is Larriet, A-class —Sophia explained. The lion opened one eye, and the air around it seemed to grow heavier—. I can't grant you direct control over him, but he is trained to respond to your voice in extreme situations.
—Perfect —Lusian said with a nervous smile—. If that cat decides to attack me, I hope you have another spare body, Mother.
Sophia gave a soft laugh, though her eyes remained serious.
—Then you'd better learn how to earn his respect, my son.
When the last seal was completed, Lusian felt an invisible thread connect to his soul. It wasn't just magic—it was an ancient bond, a reminder that his new name and new life carried weight, responsibility, and danger.
For the first time, he understood he couldn't run away. He wasn't just trapped in a borrowed body… he was beginning to become part of a world that didn't forgive hesitation.
And as he looked at the reflection of his yellow eyes, a certainty formed between fear and irony: if he wanted to survive, he had to become Lusian Douglas de Mondring.
Erwin looked at the mark on his arm and, for the first time since waking up in Kuria, felt a warm thread of belonging run through him.
Umber, the dark wolf, approached him—large, silent, with sharp, calculating eyes. It sniffed his hand and, after a deep almost human sigh, sent an unexpected sense of calm through him.
—Each of these beasts has its own magical affinity —Sophia explained, stroking Larriet's golden mane—. That spiritual bond with an element defines their strength, their abilities, and how efficiently they use their energy. Thunder channels electricity with precision; Umber moves through shadows, using darkness like no other creature. They will remain by your side to protect you.
Erwin felt a chill run down his spine. They weren't just allies—they were guardians, and watchers. And without a doubt, Sophia… his mother here… would know everything he did through them.