Chapter 40 - A Peaceful Day Filled with Care (Part 2)
After leaving my room, Amy and Astrid headed toward the kitchen.
As soon as they arrived, Amy looked at the head chef.
"Gray is still sleeping."
"Please keep lunch warm."
"Don’t prepare it until he wakes up."
Since the Matriarch was usually occupied with work during lunchtime, Amy was effectively in charge whenever Mother wasn’t present.
The head chef bowed respectfully.
"As you wish, Young Lady."
Amy smiled.
"Thank you."
With that settled, she returned to Astrid’s side.
"So?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"I’m going to have some grape juice."
Astrid thought for a moment before smiling.
"Hmm..."
"I think I’ll have some grape wine."
Amy laughed.
"Then you’ll have to get it yourself."
"Gray and I usually prepare our own drinks before training."
"It’s become one of our little routines."
Astrid chuckled softly.
"You two really do have a lot of little routines together."
Amy nodded proudly.
"Of course."
"He’s my little brother."
Then the two women sat down together.
A maid quietly served Astrid a glass of grape wine while Amy poured herself a glass of chilled grape juice.
The atmosphere remained peaceful.
During that time, Amy told Astrid everything that had happened while she had been away.
Gray’s awakening.
His training.
The skills he had created.
Even his habit of constantly experimenting with magic.
Astrid listened attentively.
Occasionally asking questions.
Occasionally smiling in amusement.
Every new story seemed to confirm the same thing.
Gray wasn’t simply talented.
He genuinely loved learning.
⸻
Nearly an hour later...
I slowly opened my eyes.
"...Mm..."
For a moment, I simply stared at the ceiling.
"...My room?"
I blinked several times before my memories gradually returned.
Right...
After training...
I had been waiting for Amy to finish.
Then...
I fell asleep.
Looking down at the blanket covering me, I smiled helplessly.
"Astrid carried me here..."
I slowly sat up.
Only then did I notice I was still wearing my sweaty training clothes.
"...I definitely need a shower."
Without wasting any time, I headed into the bathroom.
Warm water washed away the sweat and exhaustion that had accumulated during training.
By the time I finished, I felt completely refreshed.
After changing into a clean set of casual clothes, I stretched comfortably.
"Much better."
Almost immediately...
My stomach growled loudly.
"...I’m starving."
I laughed awkwardly before leaving my room.
As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I spotted one of the maids.
She immediately bowed politely.
"Good afternoon, Young Master."
"Good afternoon."
I smiled.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Where’s Amy?"
The maid answered immediately.
"Young Lady is in her room."
"She hasn’t eaten lunch yet."
"She said she wanted to wait until you woke up."
I couldn’t help smiling.
"She waited for me..."
Sometimes...
My sister really spoiled me.
"Thank you."
"My pleasure, Young Master."
I headed straight toward Amy’s room.
A moment later...
Knock.
"Come in."
I opened the door.
Amy looked up from the book she had been reading.
The moment she saw me, a mischievous smile appeared.
"Oh?"
"Sleeping Prince finally woke up?"
She closed the book with a grin.
"Did you meet a beautiful princess in your dreams?"
I rolled my eyes.
"What princess?"
"I was just sleeping."
She giggled.
"I don’t know..."
"You looked pretty comfortable."
I sighed dramatically.
"And sorry for making you wait."
I rubbed the back of my head awkwardly.
"Let’s go eat."
"I’m starving."
Amy stood up.
"It’s alright."
"I wasn’t very hungry after drinking juice with Astrid."
She stretched lazily before smiling.
"But now..."
"I’m hungry too."
Today she was wearing a simple light-blue dress.
There were no expensive jewels.
No elaborate decorations.
Just simple elegance.
Yet somehow...
That simplicity only made her beauty stand out even more.
I honestly doubted there was anything she couldn’t look beautiful wearing.
She noticed me staring.
"What?"
"...Nothing."
I immediately looked away.
Amy narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"...You’re acting weird."
"I’m not."
"You definitely are."
She poked my forehead.
"Come on."
"Let’s eat before you faint from hunger."
I laughed.
"Lead the way, Sis."
Side by side...
The two of us walked toward the dining room.
⸻
Chapter 30 – A Peaceful Day Filled with Care (Part 4)
By the time Amy and I reached the dining room, the servants had already prepared everything.
The head chef personally greeted us with a respectful bow.
"Young Master."
"Young Lady."
"Your lunch is ready."
"Thank you."
Amy smiled warmly.
The servants quickly brought the dishes to the table.
Today’s lunch was simple but delicious.
Fresh bread.
Roasted chicken.
Vegetable soup.
A light salad.
And freshly squeezed fruit juice.
Exactly the kind of meal we usually enjoyed after training.
As expected...
I immediately began eating with enthusiasm.
Amy laughed softly.
"You really were starving."
I swallowed my food before answering.
"I trained all morning."
"I deserve this."
She giggled.
"I suppose you do."
For the next few minutes...
The dining room became quiet.
Only the sounds of eating could be heard.
Eventually...
Amy spoke first.
"So..."
"What’s your plan now that you’ve reached F-Rank?"
I thought for a moment before answering.
"Tonight, I’m going to ask Mother if I can enter a low-rank dungeon."
Amy wasn’t surprised.
"I thought you’d say that."
I nodded.
"I’ve built a decent foundation."
"But no matter how much I train here..."
"I won’t gain real combat experience."
"I need to fight actual monsters."
Amy rested her chin on one hand.
"That’s true."
"But don’t rush."
"Dungeons aren’t training grounds."
"They’re dangerous."
I smiled reassuringly.
"I know."
"I’ll only go if Mother allows it."
"And Astrid will probably come with me anyway."
Amy nodded in satisfaction.
"Good."
She smiled.
"Otherwise I’d have to drag you back myself."
I laughed.
"I believe you."
Our conversation gradually shifted toward training.
I explained some of the theories I had been thinking about regarding elemental combinations.
Amy listened carefully.
Occasionally asking questions.
Sometimes even offering suggestions based on her own experiences.
Neither of us realized how much time had passed.
Eventually...
Lunch came to an end.
Amy stood up first.
"I think I’ll continue practicing my mana control this afternoon."
She smiled at me.
"What about you?"
I stretched comfortably.
"I think I’ll actually rest."
She blinked.
"...You’re resting?"
I nodded seriously.
"Mother always says rest is part of training."
Amy stared at me for several seconds.
Then burst into laughter.
"I never thought I’d hear those words coming from you."
I puffed out my cheeks.
"I know how to rest."
"Sure you do."
She gently patted my head.
"See you at dinner."
"See you later, Sis."
After Amy left...
I remained sitting by myself.
The dining room gradually became quiet again.
Outside the nearby window...
Warm sunlight bathed the gardens.
A gentle breeze swayed the flowers.
Several maids chatted quietly while tending to the estate.
Everything felt...
Calm.
Peaceful.
Ordinary.
I slowly walked toward the window and looked outside.
Training.
Family.
Peace.
It was an ordinary day.
Yet somehow...
Those ordinary days had become the most precious thing in my life.
In my previous life...
I had never truly appreciated moments like these.
Now...
Having been given a second chance...
I finally understood their value.
I quietly clenched my fist.
No matter what the future held...
No matter how dangerous this world became...
I would protect these peaceful days.
I would protect Mother.
I would protect Amy.
I would become strong enough that no one could ever take this happiness away from us.
Not fate.
Not destiny.
Not anyone.
This life...
This family...
Was worth fighting for.
A small smile appeared on my face.
Then I turned away from the window and slowly walked back toward my room.
Tomorrow...
My training would continue.
By the time Amy and I reached the dining room, lunch was already prepared.
The servants greeted us respectfully before quietly placing the dishes on the table.
"Thank you."
I smiled at them.
A simple gesture...
But one I always made sure to do.
After all, they were people too.
Not tools.
Not decorations.
People who worked hard every day to support our family.
Once everything was ready, Amy and I sat down.
Today’s lunch was simple but delicious.
Fresh bread.
Roasted chicken.
Vegetable soup.
A light salad.
And fruit juice.
A normal meal.
A peaceful meal.
The kind of moment I wanted to protect.
As expected, I immediately started eating.
Amy watched me for a few seconds before laughing.
"You really were hungry."
I swallowed my food before answering.
"I trained all morning."
"My body needs energy."
She smiled.
"You’re always so serious about training."
I looked away slightly.
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No."
Amy shook her head.
"It’s not."
Then she smiled softly.
"It’s one of the things I like about you."
I paused for a moment.
Then quickly continued eating.
For some reason...
Compliments from Amy were still embarrassing.
After a while, our conversation naturally moved toward training.
"So..."
Amy rested her chin on her hand.
"What are you planning to do now that you’ve reached F-rank?"
I already knew she expected my answer.
"I want to enter a dungeon."
Amy wasn’t surprised.
"I thought so."
I nodded.
"I’ve trained enough inside the estate."
"I learned how to control my abilities."
"I improved my swordsmanship."
"But..."
I looked down at my hands.
"Training against dummies and practicing spells isn’t the same as fighting real enemies."
"I need actual combat experience."
Amy listened carefully.
Then she nodded.
"You’re right."
"But don’t become careless."
"Dungeons are not training grounds."
"Even low-rank monsters can be dangerous."
I smiled.
"I know."
"I won’t do anything without Mother’s permission."
"And Astrid will probably be watching anyway."
Amy sighed.
"That’s true."
"With how much Mother worries about you, I’m surprised she lets you walk outside at all."
I laughed.
"She trusts me."
"She just doesn’t trust my ability to stay out of trouble."
Amy immediately nodded.
"That sounds exactly like Mom."
We both laughed.
The conversation continued naturally.
I told Amy about some of the ideas I had for combining my affinities.
Especially my thoughts about Darkness and Space.
She listened seriously.
Unlike most people who would simply be amazed by my abilities, Amy actually tried to understand my ideas.
She asked questions.
Pointed out possible problems.
And sometimes gave suggestions based on her own experience with elemental control.
Talking with her was easy.
Natural.
Comfortable.
Before I realized it...
Lunch had already ended.
Amy stood up.
"I’ll continue practicing my mana control this afternoon."
She looked at me.
"What about you?"
I thought for a moment.
Then answered honestly.
"I think I’ll rest."
Amy froze.
"...You?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
She stared at me like she had heard something impossible.
Then she laughed.
"I never thought I would hear those words from you."
I immediately puffed out my cheeks.
"I know how to rest!"
"Sure you do."
She smiled and gently patted my head.
"See you at dinner, little brother."
"See you later, Sis."
After Amy left, I remained in the dining room for a while.
The mansion was quiet again.
The servants continued their work.
The sunlight entered through the windows.
The sound of birds came from outside.
Everything felt peaceful.
I slowly walked toward the window.
Looking at the gardens below, I couldn’t help smiling.
Training.
Family.
Peace.
It was just an ordinary day.
But somehow...
Those ordinary moments had become the most precious things in my life.
In my previous life...
I never truly understood the value of moments like this.
I always thought there would be more time.
More chances.
More days ahead.
But now...
After receiving a second chance at life...
I understood.
The small moments were the ones worth protecting.
I quietly clenched my fist.
No matter what the future held...
No matter how dangerous this world became...
I would protect this.
I would protect Mother.
I would protect Amy.
I would become strong enough that no one could take this happiness away from us.
Not fate.
Not destiny.
Not anyone.
This family...
This peaceful life...
Was worth fighting for.
A small smile appeared on my face.
Then I turned away from the window and returned to my room.
Tomorrow...
My training would continue.