I groaned as I woke up, feeling so damn unmotivated. Maybe it was trauma from what my sister did to me, but all I could hope for was that my brother wouldn't be too eccentric. Last night, my sister had dropped a bomb on me—she was hosting a party, and some nobles were going to attend. As ladies had to stay active in social circles, such parties were common, even necessary.
"Hah, if only the nobles didn't waste money on crap like this," I muttered with a sigh.
"Nope. You might not know this since you were once a commoner, but stuff like this happens all the time," Erelya said, her voice sharp as ever.
"How do you know?" I asked, curious.
"Did you think nobility existed only in the Dravenhart Empire? Even in the demon realm, I was a noble," she replied.
"Oh, so that's why you're such an annoying bitch," I thought, glancing at her with teary eyes—somehow forgiving her. For all the crap she'd put me through, it wasn't really her fault.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I don't know what you're thinking, but it better be good," she added, smirking.
"At least I don't have to be part of the event," I said, relieved.
"But you're a commoner turned noble. Do you think there won't be any curiosity about you?" she said, like she already knew what was coming.
"Well, if they cause any trouble, I've got a killer mom who still thinks I'm a kid," I chuckled.
"Yeah, they'd definitely be fucked," she laughed along with me. "But honestly, your mom is scary. I'm a demon, so she's nothing to me, but—"
Before she could finish, I was already heading toward the training court.
"Good morning, young master," said Rowan.
"Oh. Good morning," I replied.
"Where have you been all this time?" I asked, noticing he'd been missing for a while.
"I was sent on some errands by the head butler," he said casually.
"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you to avoid the ballroom—your sister's orders," he warned.
"Yeah, I know. You don't have to tell me twice," I replied, already guessing what disaster awaited in there.
"I have to finish these errands," he said, walking away.
When I finally reached the training room, I felt less pressure than before. The exercises seemed manageable—at least at first.
"Huh, these are all advanced training materials. No way I can handle this," I muttered, taken aback.
"Nope, it's not," Erelya said, hovering beside me with a note.
"Sorry dear, your dad noticed you were breezing through the training and decided to crank it up a notch," we read aloud.
"...Signed, your mom," Erelya added before bursting into laughter.
"Oh god. No way I'm doing this," I muttered under my breath.
"Your dad figured you'd say that, so I was assigned to watch over your training," Rowan appeared out of nowhere.
"When did you get here?" I asked, startled.
"That's not the point. I was requested to keep an eye on you," Rowan said firmly.
The next two hours felt like pure torture. The moment I strapped on that armor, I knew I was screwed. It looked light—almost like a second skin—but the second I lifted it, it crushed down on me like a mountain. The weight was unreal, like dragging a boulder around, but I had no choice. I could feel the magic woven into the metal, humming softly, making it heavier than any ordinary armor.
My limbs screamed in protest with every movement. Each step felt like slogging through mud, every swing of my sword slowed by the brutal weight. Sweat poured down my face, stinging my eyes and soaking through my clothes. My muscles burned, trembling under the strain, begging me to stop. I gasped for breath like I'd been underwater too long, the air in the hall thin and heavy.
"Ugh. Don't you have a spell to lighten this shit?" I begged Erelya, voice rough and ragged.
She hovered beside me, her usual smirk twisted into something sharper. "Of course I do. Wouldn't even take much to cast it. But you're weak, and I need you to get stronger."
I blinked, stunned. What a fancy way to say 'no.' Great.
Rowan stood nearby, arms crossed, that unreadable expression carved into his face. No matter how much I begged—or how badly my body screamed—he wasn't going to let me quit.
The clang of metal echoed through the hall as I forced myself through the drills. Each block, each strike, felt like lifting the weight of the world. My arms shook violently. My breath came in harsh, ragged gasps, chest tightening as exhaustion clawed at me.
Two hours felt like a lifetime.
Afterward, I staggered toward my room to wash up. At the end of the hall, I spotted a group of girls. Dressed extravagantly, caked in perfume and makeup—definitely nobles. I tried to turn back, but of course, fate decided to be a bitch.
They spotted me.
My heart skipped. I bolted down a side corridor, slipping into my mother's study and slamming the door quietly behind me. Erelya, thankfully, cloaked us both in a concealment spell, rendering us invisible.
But… the study was empty. No safe haven here.
The sound of clicking heels echoed closer. They were hunting me like bloodhounds.
"These ladies are relentless," I whispered. "Why the hell are they even after me? I'm not that special."
"They seem to think you are," Erelya muttered. "Wait… is it because your parents aren't home that they're being this audacious?"
"I was thinking the same thing," I said, stunned anyone would act like this in someone else's house.
"Where's that brat?" one of them sneered just outside. "How dare a mere commoner wander freely in a noble's estate?"
Their laughter rang out, sharp and cruel. It was meant to belittle me. But instead, it just pissed me off.
I stepped out from hiding, fists clenched and pulse racing.
No plan. Just raw, boiling anger.
"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing here?" I snapped.
The leader of the group turned with an amused smile. "Oh? And what's the homeless commoner boy going to do about it?"
I hesitated. I couldn't do much—not yet. But I glanced at Erelya…
And froze.
She looked furious.
Her eyes were alight with a dark glow I'd never seen before—pupils sharp, her aura distorting the very air. Mana crackled around her like stormfire.
"Everything was going fine…" she whispered, voice colder than ice. "But of course, a bunch of brain-dead bitches had to show up and forget their place."
The girls couldn't see us—yet—but the pressure in the room had shifted. The air turned thick and hot, like standing near an open furnace.
For a moment, I actually feared what Erelya might do. A demon is still a demon. And she looked ready to end someone.
Honestly? I didn't blame her. These girls were annoying as hell.
But if she lost control here, there wouldn't be a lecture. There would be a war.
Just then, a new voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"What's going on here?" my sister asked, her tone flat and icy.
I exhaled sharply. Saved.
Maybe.