The room stayed quiet for a while.
Elena sat beside Lionel calmly while gently running her fingers through his silver hair.
Something she used to do when he was younger.
Lionel stayed silent.
Not because he disliked it.
Because he missed it.
Too much.
In his previous life…
this warmth disappeared long ago.
"You really did have a nightmare," Elena said softly.
Lionel looked down slightly.
"…Yeah."
A horrible one.
One where he failed everyone.
One where he watched his family die one by one while being too weak to stop it.
Elena smiled gently.
"You've been under pressure lately."
Lionel almost laughed hearing that.
Pressure?
If only she knew.
The future was basically a giant disaster waiting to happen.
Dungeons.
Wars.
The Demon King.
William becoming stronger every month like the world itself was feeding him steroids.
And somewhere in the future—
his mother dying from poison.
Lionel's eyes darkened slightly.
Not this time.
Never again.
Elena suddenly flicked his forehead lightly.
"Don't make scary faces."
Lionel blinked.
"…What?"
"You've been staring at the floor like you're planning murder."
The system immediately spoke.
[Technically he is.]
"…Shut up."
Elena tilted her head slightly.
"…Hm?"
"Not you."
[Wow.]
[Talking to voices already.]
[Regression side effects hitting fast.]
Lionel ignored the system completely.
Elena looked at him quietly for a moment.
Then softly asked:
"Did something happen?"
Lionel hesitated.
For a second—
he almost told her everything.
About the future.
About William.
About her death.
But he stopped himself.
Instead he simply asked quietly:
"…Mother."
"Yes?"
"If something dangerous happened in the future…"
Elena smiled softly.
"…Then we face it together."
Lionel froze slightly.
Damn.
That line hit harder than expected.
The system even became quiet briefly.
[…Okay that was kinda cold.]
A servant suddenly knocked outside.
"Your Majesty."
Elena looked toward the door.
"What is it?"
"The imperial family dinner is about to begin."
Lionel immediately sighed.
"…I changed my mind."
Elena laughed softly before standing up.
"No escaping."
Lionel clicked his tongue.
"…I hate noble events."
[You hate social interaction.]
"…Correct."
Lionel slowly stood up from the bed.
For a moment—
he simply stared at his mother quietly.
Alive.
Still alive.
In his previous life…
he didn't even get the chance to say goodbye properly.
The memory alone made his chest tighten.
Elena noticed immediately.
"You're thinking too much again."
Lionel clicked his tongue softly.
"…Can you blame me?"
"A little."
She smiled gently before fixing his collar.
The same way she used to when he was younger.
Lionel froze slightly.
Damn.
He really missed this.
The system suddenly spoke quietly.
[…Okay this family stuff lowkey hitting.]
"…You getting soft?"
[Don't ruin the moment dumbass.]
Elena stepped back slightly after fixing his clothes.
"There."
Lionel looked down briefly.
"…Thanks."
The empress blinked.
Probably because Lionel almost never thanked people directly.
Then she smiled again.
"You really are acting different today."
Lionel looked away immediately.
"…Maybe I matured."
[That one sentence alone almost gave me psychic damage.]
"…Shut the fuck up."
Elena tilted her head.
"You've been talking to yourself a lot lately."
"…I'm hilarious."
[True.]
Lionel ignored the system and walked beside his mother toward the dining hall.
The palace corridors were quiet tonight.
Moonlight shined through the massive imperial windows.
Knights bowed respectfully as the empress passed.
Lionel walked calmly beside her while silently thinking.
Three years.
That was how long he had before everything started falling apart.
Before wars started.
Before William began rising like some blessed main character chosen by the damn world itself.
And before his mother died.
Lionel's eyes darkened slightly.
Not this time.
This time—
he would protect everything.
Even if he had to become a monster to do it.
The system suddenly whistled.
[Yeah that mindset definitely villain-coded.]
Lionel smirked slightly.
Good.
Then the giant dining hall doors slowly opened.
And immediately—
"HAHAHAHA SHE THREW THE CHAIR AT YOU?!"
"IT WAS A TACTICAL RETREAT!"
Lionel closed his eyes slowly.
"…I forgot this family loud as hell."
[Welcome home.]
The imperial family was already gathered around the massive dining table.
At the center sat Emperor Aldric Ashbourne himself.
Golden hair.
Massive body.
Absolute monster aura.
Even while sitting casually—
he looked like the type of man that could punch a dragon unconscious.
Beside him sat two of his concubines calmly drinking tea while pretending not to listen to the chaos.
Prince Kael was already laughing like an idiot.
Princess Aurelia looked one second away from throwing another chair at him.
And Crown Prince Lucien sat there calmly like the only normal person in the room.
Honestly suspicious.
The emperor noticed Lionel immediately.
"…You're late."
Lionel sat down calmly.
"I was recovering mentally."
Kael instantly burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHA— from what?"
"From being related to you."
"Damn."
Even Fenrir looked impressed by that one.
The system immediately spoke.
[Clean hit.]
Kael pointed aggressively.
"You definitely changed overnight."
Lionel grabbed a glass calmly.
"Maybe I unlocked character development."
[Highly unlikely.]
"…I hate you."
[And yet you still talking to me.]
Before Lionel could answer—
a tiny blur suddenly jumped onto his back.
"BIG BROTHER!"
Lionel nearly got sent face first into the table.
"…AMELIA."
The youngest princess laughed happily while hanging onto him like a tiny demon.
"You smell less angry today."
The room became silent briefly.
Then Kael lost it completely.
"HAHAHAHA THAT'S CRAZY."
Aurelia nodded seriously.
"That's actually devastating."
Lionel stared blankly at the child on his back.
"…Why are you like this?"
"Mother says honesty important."
Empress Elena immediately looked away while hiding a smile.
Lionel sighed deeply.
This family genuinely exhausted him.
And somehow—
he missed it badly.
The system suddenly spoke quietly.
[You smiling again.]
Lionel instantly fixed his expression.
"…No I'm not."
[Brother fighting happiness like it owe him money.]
Before Lionel could respond—
a servant entered nervously.
"Your Majesty."
The emperor looked over calmly.
"What."
"The Academy has sent confirmation."
Several people immediately looked interested.
Silverwind Academy.
The strongest academy in the empire.
And the place where Lionel's previous life truly started falling apart.
The servant swallowed nervously.
"Prince Lionel Ashbourne has officially been accepted for this year's enrollment."
Silence.
Then Kael slowly grinned.
"…Oh this gonna be funny."
Lionel narrowed his eyes.
"Why do you sound excited."
Kael leaned back smirking.
"Because little brother…"
Lightning crackled around his body slightly.
"…Second years love bullying first years."
The system instantly screamed.
[OH SHIT.]
[ACADEMIC VIOLENCE ARC STARTING.]