The morning breeze gently flowed through the tall window of the Lucien family's study, carrying the scent of wet earth and dew. The sky outside was still pale, but the sunlight slowly began to chase away the remnants of the long, cold night.
Lady Ossana Lucien sat silently in her oakwood work chair. It had been two months since her stepson—Rey Lucien—had vanished without a word. And this morning, for the first time, her heart felt slightly at ease.
"…He's back, Madam."
The voice came from Subardian, the head butler who had served the Lucien family since Rey's father was still alive. The old man stood upright, though his brown hair had begun to gray and fatigue lined his eyes.
Ossana turned slowly. "Are you sure?"
Subardian nodded gently. "Found by the morning patrol on the eastern edge of the forest. He appeared healthy, albeit a bit dirty. No serious injuries, and… looked calmer than before."
Silence fell for a moment. Ossana slowly closed her eyes, as if all the worry she had buried for so long finally began to dissolve with her exhale.
"Did he say anything?"
"He claimed… he went to train himself. Closed training."
"Training, huh…" A faint smile appeared on Ossana's face. "At least he's finally doing something useful with this time."
"He also brought… an object." Subardian looked a bit hesitant before continuing. "A round, metallic artifact. It floats. And… speaks. He said it's a magical compass he found in a dungeon."
Ossana went quiet. "A talking artifact?" Her brow furrowed.
Another silence settled over the room. Ossana looked out the window. The morning fog had started to fade, and the sky looked a bit brighter than usual.
—-
Warm steam slowly filled the room. The herbal aroma from floating mint leaves and dried roots refreshed the air.
I leaned back comfortably in a stone bathtub. The water was pleasantly warm—it felt good to soak again.
"Apolo," I murmured, resting my head on the edge of the tub. "You know… we nearly made a fatal mistake yesterday."
I opened one eye. "In other words, you forgot."
<…Yes.>
I sighed long and slow, holding back a half-sarcastic laugh.
"If Genesis had been seen too… You realize, right? The only thing more suspicious than a talking artifact is a human-sized alien with a spiked tail and metal scales that glow in the sunlight."
I pushed my wet hair back and exhaled.
"Lucky. Otherwise, I'd be the main character of a folk tale—'The half-dog creature who brought a noble boy out of the forest'."
I chuckled softly. "Come to think of it, the 'talking compass artifact' excuse was a bit... too creative."
But it worked. When the soldiers found me—dirty, exhausted, emerging from the eastern forest with a floating talking orb—they believed it instantly. Hopefully word of the artifact wouldn't spread too fast and cause a stir.
"Good thing they were escorting merchants to the eastern city. Otherwise, I'd still be wandering in the forest."
I submerged part of my face in the warm water and took a deep breath. Even if this wasn't my body… even if this world was strange and unfamiliar… some of Rey Lucien's memories lingered. And honestly… I was starting to get used to it.
Slowly, I closed my eyes and sent a transmission to Gaia.
"Gaia."
[Online. Hello, Creator. Was your journey pleasant?]
"Yeah, pleasant enough. But why haven't you appeared lately? No transmissions. No updates."
[Oh~ Did you miss me, Creator?]
[Relax. I've just been gardening inside Stargazer.]
I held my breath for a moment, slightly worried.
"Gardening? You're not trying to release my other children, are you?"
I called them my "children," even though they were technically my alien pets. Some of them were vicious and hard to control, but… they had always accompanied me in my journey through The Singularity.
[Of course not, Creator. I'm preparing a cultivation system in the biosphere area. Since your body is now human, I figured you'd need organic food—plants, fruits. To make it feel more like your old world.]
I furrowed my brow. That explanation… made sense. Still, the thought of one of my "children" rampaging through a noble's city was enough to send a chill down my spine.
I slowly stood up from the bathtub and got dressed. Strangely, even though the outfit looked fussy—layered fabric, vest, high collar—it felt comfortable. Maybe the body had grown used to it, or maybe the materials were just good.
Suddenly, a knock came at the door.
Tok! Tok!
"Young Master, breakfast is ready." A girl's voice. Soft, but… familiar.
I walked to the door and opened it without much thought. But as soon as the door opened, I froze.
A young girl stood before me—brown hair shining under the morning light, golden-brown eyes, and a face that could easily be called beautiful by this world's standards. On Earth, she could've been an international-level cosplayer with that perfect maid costume and professional demeanor.
She…
Fragments of Rey Lucien's memories surfaced. This girl—Bernicia. One of the Lucien family's maids… and also a victim who Rey had nearly violated in the past.
As soon as our eyes met, she looked away. Her gaze hid subtle dislike. Her face remained calm, but her body tensed slightly.
"Excuse me," she said briefly, bowing politely—yet without warmth—before quickly walking away.
As if she had just seen something filthy.
I walked down the stairs calmly, passing through long hallways that were still unfamiliar even though this was now my home. Old portraits lined the walls—previous Lucien heads staring sharply as if judging every step I took.
In the dining room, the aroma of warm bread and steaming vegetable soup filled the air. The long dining table was neatly set with simple food. And at the far end sat a young man with neatly combed red hair.
Alric Lucien.
My stepbrother.
Same age as me—about seventeen or eighteen. His face was stiff, posture upright, and eyes sharp like blades—watchful, never relaxed. As I sat across from him, he put down his spoon and stared at me.
"So, you finally came back, Rey," he said flatly, but with weight. "Gone for two months without a word. At least you didn't die in the forest."
I paused, then replied with a faint smile. "Unfortunately, no. I'm too stubborn to die."
Alric snorted. "Stubborn, yes. But I hope not careless again. This family… already has enough problems without you adding to them."
I raised an eyebrow, leaning in slightly. "What kind of problems?"
He sighed and sipped his tea.
"Our finances are dying, Rey. Village taxes are down, this year's harvest was bad due to the weather. The southern mines are nearly empty. And trade with eastern merchants is getting worse because of our family's bad reputation…"
He stared directly at me.
"…which mostly came from your past behavior."
I fell silent. Well, I couldn't deny it. Even if it wasn't really me—just the old Rey Lucien—now the burden was mine.
"I understand," I said finally.
Alric squinted. Maybe he didn't believe me. Maybe he sensed something different about me now. But he said nothing more.
Silence fell again.
Eventually, Alric resumed his breakfast. And I took a piece of bread and dipped it into the soup.
—-
Sunlight streamed in through the large windows, illuminating the halls of the Lucien estate that were slowly coming back to life. After a somewhat awkward breakfast with Alric, I strolled down the corridor toward the back garden.
That's where I saw her.
A small girl sat on a wooden bench beneath a not-yet-bloomed cherry tree. Her faded pink hair was tied neatly to the side. Her legs dangled slowly from the bench, hugging a worn-out doll in her lap.
Alira Lucien.
My stepsister.
She turned when she heard my footsteps. Her gaze shifted—blank to wary.
I stopped about two meters from her, not wanting to scare her.
"Hello, Alira."
She didn't answer. Just lowered her head deeper into her arms.
I slowly pulled something from the inner pocket of my cloak. Quickly opened my Inventory menu and retrieved an item.
"This…" I crouched and gently placed it on the bench, a little far from her. "It's not poison. Just cotton candy."
She looked up slightly. Her eyes glanced at the treat, then at me—curious, yet confused. I gave a small smile.
"If you like it, I'll make more. But…" I put a finger to my lips, "…don't tell anyone, okay? Our secret."
Alira stared at me again. Then slowly, very slowly, she reached out and took the candy. She pinched a bit of the edge, tasted it—
Her eyes widened. Her pupils sparkled.
"…Sweet…"
I almost laughed at her expression.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "Sorry for not being a good big brother before."
She looked down. Then slowly got up from the bench. My heart skipped. But what she did… was walk up and hug my waist softly. Briefly. Then quickly stepped back.
"…But just one cotton candy, okay…? Tomorrow it has to be more."
I smiled.
"Of course. I'll make a whole bucket if you want."
Apolo commented through a private transmission.
I stifled a laugh. "Thankfully, this one's strawberry."
As Alira sat back down, happily eating the fluffy treat with a small smile on her face—
"But… Big Brother, I heard you found a talking artifact?" she asked while chewing, her eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"That's right." I slipped my hand into my coat pocket, where Apolo was hiding. "Here he is—Introducing, the Direction Artifact: Apolo."
I lifted Apolo up high, like I'd just unearthed an ancient treasure. The soft blue glow from his core reflected gently on Alira's face.
"Wahhh…" she whispered in awe, eyes sparkling. Still holding the cotton candy, but now fully focused on Apolo.
Earlier I had told Apolo not to float freely—too eye-catching. So this time, I pretended he was rarely active due to mana depletion—the easiest excuse in this world.
"C-can I touch him…?" Alira asked softly. Her gaze was that of a child seeing her dream toy.
"Of course. You can even ask him for directions." I smiled and handed her Apolo.
"Really?!"
With cheerful steps, Alira began walking back and forth, giggling while playing with Apolo.
And in that moment, at least for a while—she looked like a truly happy little girl.
I saw her smile, and for the first time… I felt like maybe I did belong here after all.