The room smelled of warm parchment, fresh flowers, and faint magic.
Eron Valemere, just four years old, sat upright in a velvet chair far too grand for someone his size. His posture was flawless, his hands folded neatly in his lap. Most children his age fidgeted, yawned, or asked annoying questions.
But not him.
His mind wasn't like other children. It hadn't been since birth.
[Skill Mastered: Advanced Etiquette Lv. MAX]
Passive Gained: +10 Charisma with Nobility
Another notification flickered in the corner of his vision. He ignored it. He'd grown used to the golden sigils that danced across his eyes since infancy. The Fate System didn't rest, not even during naps.
Today, however, he wasn't thinking about skills.
He was thinking about her.
The door creaked open.
"Your new personal maid has arrived, young master," said Head Maid Sarla, bowing.
The girl entered silently.
Black hair that shimmered in the sunlight. A delicate frame. Wide, almond-shaped brown eyes that froze Eron mid-thought.
She was young—maybe ten or eleven. Dressed in a crisp, plain maid uniform. Nervous. Her fingers trembled as she curtsied, her eyes never quite meeting his.
"My name is Neha… I will serve you from today," she said, voice soft.
His heart skipped.
It wasn't just the resemblance.
It was exact. She looks like Meera.
For a long moment, the room was quiet. Even Sarla's stiff posture shifted slightly as the tension lingered.
Then came the familiar golden flicker.
[Mirror Bond Reactivated]Subject: Neha ValesStatus: Nervous, Curious, UnawareEmotional Link: 75% Hidden Affection
New Passive Unlocked: Soul Reading (Lv. 1)
Minor perception of emotional states
Triggers only when near bonded individuals
Mini-Quest:"Speak a kind sentence to Neha. Ease her heart."Reward: +1 Affection | Unlock: Minor Trust Boost
Eron exhaled silently.
He was not that man anymore. Not Adarsh, the betrayed fool.
But his system—his curse and his gift—wouldn't let him run from the past. This girl was part of his fate now.
He stood up slowly and walked to her. He had to crane his neck slightly to look up at her. Still, the calm command in his presence felt unnatural for a child.
"Neha," he said, voice clear. "I don't like when people look at the floor while talking to me."
She flinched.
"But…" he continued, his tone softer, "your eyes are pretty. I'd rather see them."
She blinked, stunned.
Then, slowly, she smiled. "T-Thank you, my lord."
[Mini-Quest Complete]+1 Affection with NehaEmotional Link: 76%Passive Updated: Trust Sparked
Neha now believes: "The young master is strange… but kind."
Sarla smiled faintly from the corner.
"You have an odd way with people, young master."
Eron didn't reply. He simply returned to his chair, thoughts tangled.
That smile Neha gave him—gentle, unsure, and untainted—was not the same as the one Meera had used to manipulate him. It was real.
For the first time in this new life, he felt something… uncertain.
Not hatred.Not ambition.But a possibility.
The garden was small but well-kept. Marble statues watched over a circular table under a silk canopy. The sky was clear—soft blue, brushed with gold as the afternoon sun dipped lower.
There were five chairs around the table.
Eron sat at the head, dressed in a tailored navy coat with silver embroidery. He hated parties, but this one wasn't grand. Just the way he preferred.
To his left was Neha, awkwardly straight-backed, still nervous but with a blush whenever she looked his way.
To his right sat Butler Grahn, the old man who'd taught him sword etiquette and never smiled—but who brought a wooden training sword wrapped in gold ribbon as a gift.
Across him was Sarla, the stern head maid who'd quietly raised him as if he were her own blood.
And next to her sat Aria, a six-year-old noble girl with fiery red pigtails, daughter of a neighboring count. She wasn't invited—she simply showed up with a gift and announced she was "the future Duchess."
"Happy birthday, Eron!" Aria beamed, holding up a wooden box with a self-made enchanted feather pen.
"Thank you," he said politely. "You broke into the estate again?"
"Duh."
[New Relationship Entry: Aria Fenholde – Childhood Rival?]Affection: 31% | Rivalry: 60%
As tea was served and cakes cut, Eron looked around.
Five chairs.
Five souls.
He may have been reborn from pain and betrayal… but in this moment, surrounded by quiet chaos and warmth, he felt something dangerous.
Hope.
And the System whispered:
[Milestone Achieved: First Bonds Formed]Rewards Unlocked:• Skill – "Group Emotion Reading (Lv. 1)"• Title – "Bonded Noble Child"
Future Unlocked:"Your fate is no longer yours alone."
Eron sat back, the ghost of a smirk touching his lips.
He had power, he had a plan—and now…He had people worth protecting.
Or manipulating.Time would tell.