"?"
"Oh my god!"
"Is this some kind of prank?"
"…What?"
"My light brain must be broken. I'll replace it."
The moment the notification appeared, confusion spread instantly.
Every single person who saw the message frowned.
Then—almost without exception—they all came to the same conclusion.
There must be something wrong with the device.
No one took it seriously.
Not even Valentina.
The instant she saw the old man nodding with that disturbingly satisfied smile, she turned around and walked away without a shred of hesitation.
She had known it.
That so-called gene-matching system was just as unreliable as its owner.
Behind her, the old man watched her disappearing figure, then lowered his gaze to the six other personal files in his hands.
For the first time, his smile faded.
"…Interesting," he muttered softly.
The moment Valentina stepped into the house, she sensed it.
Everyone was there.
Father. Mother. Elena.
All seated neatly on the sofa, expressions tense.
Valentina turned instinctively toward the stairs.
She didn't make it past the first step.
Bang—!
A document was slammed onto the table.
"Get over here!" Father barked angrily. "Is this how I raised you? You don't even greet your parents when you come home?!"
Valentina paused.
Slowly, she turned around.
She didn't bother hiding her indifference.
In the original owner's memories, these people had once represented warmth, protection, and family.
But she understood now.
That warmth existed only on the condition that she was useful.
Once she lost her value, she was no different from a stray animal outside the gate.
Such naked, unapologetic humanity.
Elena stood up from the sofa, dressed delicately in a pale pink dress, her voice soft and cautious.
"Sister… Mom and Dad have already arranged everything for you. After you graduate, you'll be assigned directly to the Northern Territory."
She paused, glancing nervously at their parents.
"They heard you filled out Southern Territory instead. They're very angry."
She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Sister, just apologize. Change your preference. Don't make them angry."
"Hmph."
A cold laugh escaped Valentina's lips.
Apologize?
Father suddenly stood up, fury burning in his eyes.
"Valentina! What kind of attitude is that?!"
She lifted her gaze.
Her eyes were calm.
Too calm.
Like a still ocean—no waves, no warmth, no fear.
Father froze for a brief moment.
This wasn't the look of a guilty daughter.
This was the look of someone who no longer cared.
"What kind of attitude do you want from me?" Valentina asked quietly.
The room fell silent.
Father clenched his fists, anger flaring again.
"I've already instructed your teacher to change your assignment to the Northern Territory!" he shouted. "Whether you like it or not—you're going!"
He turned sharply. "Elena, give her the documents."
Elena picked up the file and handed it over hesitantly. "Sister…"
Valentina glanced down.
Marcus Holt.
Northern Territory General.
For some reason, the name struck something deep in her mind.
Familiar.
Dangerously familiar.
She took the documents without a word and walked upstairs.
No argument.
No protest.
The bedroom door closed softly behind her.
She placed the documents on the desk, loosened the first button of her shirt—and froze.
Marcus Holt.
One of the six gene matches.
Her expression darkened.
Could coincidence really exist to this extent?
She already knew the family had the power to force her assignment. Her file was likely already being transferred.
The question wasn't if she was going.
It was—
Where did she truly belong?
Valentina entered the bathroom and filled the tub with hot water. Steam rose slowly, fogging the mirrors.
She submerged herself completely.
Closed her eyes.
And tried—again—to summon her spirit body.
Nothing.
Only that same thick, formless fog blocking her mind.
Just as she was about to give up—
Click.
Something cracked.
A region of her mental world shattered open.
In an instant, a massive shadow rose within the mist.
Ancient.
Colossal.
Its presence alone carried overwhelming pressure.
Whispers echoed—countless, chaotic, maddening.
At that exact moment—
Across the Empire—
Spirit bodies trembled.
Some powerful ones collapsed to the ground, shaking violently.
Weaker ones lost control entirely, plunging into their owners' mental landscapes in panic.
Only the humans themselves showed confusion—unable to understand why their spirit bodies were suddenly reacting in terror.
Then—
It vanished.
As if it had never existed.
Only mist remained.
Valentina gasped, sitting upright in the tub.
Her heart pounded violently.
That wasn't an illusion.
Before she could process further, something new appeared within the mist.
A map.
A golden vine extended across it—starting from the upper left corner, traveling downward, and stopping at a single point.
Valentina's breath caught.
She jumped out of the tub, wrapped herself in a robe, and rushed to her desk.
She opened a book.
The Empire map.
Every detail matched perfectly.
Her eyes locked onto the marked location.
She circled it heavily with her pen.
Northern Territory.
Her gaze drifted to the documents beside her.
So it was inevitable.
Decision made, she exhaled slowly and tossed Marcus Holt's file into the trash.
She had never relied on anyone else.
A fiancé?
Laughable.
She would uncover the truth of her body herself.
Early the next morning, voices echoed downstairs.
Overly polite.
Deliberately ingratiating.
Mixed with unfamiliar tones.
Valentina yawned as she walked down, intending to grab breakfast.
Then she saw him.
Adrian Shaw.
Sitting in the center of the sofa.
Beside him sat an elegant woman—his mother.
Both families were present.
Only one topic made sense.
Marriage.
The atmosphere stiffened as Valentina appeared.
She waved casually. "Just getting food. Carry on."
Without waiting for a response, she entered the kitchen.
Cold leftovers.
She didn't mind.
A glass of milk. A slice of bread.
Then she jumped out the kitchen window.
Polite.
Efficient.
Not disturbing their "important discussion."
As she finished the last bite, footsteps approached.
She looked up.
Adrian Shaw stood there, dressed immaculately, aristocratic as ever.
"Valentina."
She raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong, Young Master Shaw?"
He hesitated.
Something about her felt… different.
She no longer looked at him with timid devotion.
No joy.
No possessiveness.
No jealousy.
Even when she saw him discussing marriage with her sister, she retreated calmly.
It unsettled him.
"My parents asked me to come today," he said.
Not his choice.
"Mm." Valentina replied indifferently.
She tilted her head slightly.
"And?"