Five years had passed since Aelric's reincarnation into the Valefort family. Though his body was that of a child, his mind sharp, matured, and analytical had long adjusted to this new life. He wasn't just adapting; he was thriving. His relationship with his family had grown naturally, but it was with Akane that a unique, unshakable bond had formed.
Akane, four years older, had taken to doting on him like it was her life's mission. From helping him comb his unruly dark hair to dragging him around the estate by the hand to show off her latest spellwork, she treated Aelric like a precious treasure. He let her most of the time. Other times, he'd playfully shrug her off, grumbling about personal space or how clingy she was. But he never really pushed her away. He didn't want to.
That morning, after a rigorous bout of basic mana channeling under his father's watch, Aelric had retreated into the estate's massive library. The air was thick with the scent of parchment and ink, and sunlight streamed through towering windows, illuminating dust motes that floated lazily through the air. He wore what he always did fitted black jeans, a dark charcoal shirt with rolled sleeves, a jacket with silver trim for flair, and fingerless gloves that, frankly, he thought looked cool. No noble robes. No stiff collars.
Climbing one of the sliding ladders with practiced ease, he scanned the rows of aged tomes and old scrolls.
"Partner," he said in his mind, addressing the voice that had been with him since the day of his rebirth.
"Yes, Aelric?" came the soft, feminine reply from the Ultimate Guide.
"I want to find something new today. Something I haven't seen before. A technique, a theory, anything."
"Understood. Scanning for subjects related to intermediate skill progression and unique racial abilities within current range... There's an unindexed section toward the back, top shelf. Shall I highlight it?"
"Yeah," Aelric murmured aloud, eyes glinting.
His eyes lit up with that familiar cosmic shimmer for a brief moment, and he reached out with telekinesis, fingers barely twitching as his mana thread extended upward toward a worn leather binder crammed deep between other folders. It slid out of its place, floating gently into his open hand.
The cover had no title, just an old crest burned faintly into its surface. Curious, he descended the ladder and dropped into a soft armchair beneath a reading lamp. As he cracked the binder open, several yellowed documents spilled out.
Among them… a legal parchment.
He leaned forward, emerald eyes scanning the text. And there it was.
Adoption Certificate: Akane Valefort.
He blinked.
"…What?" he muttered under his breath.
He read it again. The dates matched. The names were right. There was no mistaking it. Akane… wasn't born a Valefort?
His thoughts processed the revelation quickly, but not without weight. Partner, silently watching, responded.
"That appears to be a family record," she said calmly. "The authenticity is high. No forgery detected."
"Yeah, I can see that," he replied, voice low. "So she's adopted...?"
The door creaked open behind him.
"Aelric!" came Akane's cheerful voice. "I knew you'd be hiding in the library. You're always here when you're bored—" Her tone halted abruptly when she noticed the parchment in his hands.
Aelric looked up, his eyes meeting hers.
She stepped closer slowly, peering down at the document. "What… is that?"
Aelric didn't answer right away. He simply stared at her. And in that silence, something shifted in Akane's expression. Her brow furrowed, confusion melting into unease.
Lucian and Seraphina appeared in the doorway a moment later, their footsteps soft against the polished wood. They had clearly followed the trail of their children's voices and the abrupt silence that followed.
Akane turned to them suddenly, voice faltering. "Mom… Dad… why does this say I was adopted?"
Her voice was quiet, brittle.
Lucian's lips pressed into a tight line. Seraphina's eyes softened.
Seraphina walked slowly into the room, her voice calm but firm. "Akane, we were going to tell you when you were older… when you could understand fully."
Akane stared at her. "So it's true?"
Lucian nodded. "Yes."
Akane stood frozen for a moment, like the world had just shifted beneath her feet.
"I'm… not really your daughter?"
Aelric stood then, walking across the room. Calm as ever, hands in his jacket pockets, but there was weight behind his gaze.
He stopped in front of her and flicked her forehead gently. "Don't be stupid."
Akane blinked, startled.
"You are my sister," Aelric said simply. "I don't care what any document says. That doesn't change anything."
Akane's eyes began to shimmer. "But if I'm not—"
He cut her off. "You're Akane. You've always been my annoying, overprotective, clingy sister. And you still are. End of story."
She stared at him for another heartbeat. Then, with no warning, she lunged forward, grabbing him in a tight hug.
"You idiot… you better not treat me differently now."
Aelric let out a long-suffering sigh, though there was the faintest smile tugging at his lips. "Idiot. Like I ever would."
Seraphina reached out and ran a hand through Akane's hair. "We didn't want to hide it from you forever. You're our daughter, no matter what blood says. You always will be."
Lucian added in his usual stoic tone, "You are Valefort. Always have been."
Akane nodded against Aelric's shoulder, but her grip didn't loosen. Her heart had cracked for a moment but now, it felt even fuller.
Later that evening, Aelric sat outside on the east balcony, watching the sky fade into a canvas of stars. Akane sat beside him, her head resting lightly on his shoulder. They said nothing, but it wasn't an empty silence. It was comfortable. Real.
"You okay?" he asked eventually.
"I am now," she murmured. "Thanks to you."
He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he glanced down at his gloved hands, flexing his fingers. That warmth… it was new. Strange. But not unwelcome.
Partner's voice stirred in his mind.
"You handled that well."
He chuckled softly. "You're keeping score now?"
"Only noting growth."
Aelric leaned back, eyes on the stars. "She's family. That's all that matters."
Partner was quiet.
And for the first time in a long time, Aelric didn't feel like he had to be strong or strategic or ahead of the curve.
He just had to be her brother.
From that day on, Akane's attachment to Aelric deepened even further. She no longer saw herself as separate from him in any way. In her eyes, Aelric was her little brother no matter what. And she would do anything to protect him.
Their bond, unbreakable before, had now become something far more profound.