Since that fateful day, 10 years had passed. The lord, now fully accustomed to his new name—Lorien—sat comfortably in a cushioned chair within the manor's modest library. The room was small, with a single large window that allowed the golden light of the morning sun to pour in, casting warm rays across the shelves of worn books and simple furnishings.

He wasn't reading, though.

In fact, his eyes were closed, his breathing steady and rhythmic.

Ahhh...

A deep exhale escaped him, and a most pleasant smile spread across his face. The gentle heat of the sun seemed to melt away any lingering tension in his body, leaving him utterly at ease.

The people, the manor, and his mother—everything about his new life felt like a pure gift. After uncountable ages trapped in that forsaken darkness, it felt indescribably good to be free.

Now, Lorien was simply a child of a fallen noble family.

His father, the head of the house, had died in battle during a military campaign against an enemy nation. According to the stories, it was an honorable death, one that earned his mother a sizable reward from the king.

While it wasn't quite enough to fully restore the manor to its former state, it was sufficient for them to maintain the modest life of the nobility.

To be fair, Lorien didn't mind.

In his past life, at the height of his power, his treasury had probably been worth as much as an entire city-state. Living a bit more humbly in this life wasn't such a terrible thing. If anything, it felt refreshing.

After a long stretch of simply dozing, soaking in the sun's warmth, a soft knock broke the quiet of the library.

Lorien's eyes opened lazily, and he glanced toward the door. Standing there, with her arms crossed and a faint smirk playing on her lips, was Adressa. One of only four servants who had remained loyal to the Velmont family after his father's death.

She leaned casually against the doorframe, her expression teetering between amused and authoritative.

"Well, good morning, my lord," she teased. Though the title was spoken with the proper respect, there was always a playful undertone to her words.

Lorien groaned inwardly.

This damned woman... always catching me off guard.

Before he could try any form of counter, she already moved on.

"Breakfast is ready. The miss is waiting for you," she said, her voice dripping with a smug sort of warmth.

His eyebrow twitched involuntarily. Though Lorien didn't care much about formalities, Adressa always made a point of using them.

Yet her tone with him was always far more casual. It was, as always, her little way of messing wirth him.

"Is that so?" he replied, voice calm but his eyes narrowing slightly as he stared at her.

"Yes, it truly is," she said, meeting his gaze without a hint of hesitation, her smirk unfaltering.

For a moment, their eyes locked, a silent challenge flickering between them, as if the air itself had thickened with unspoken tension. Lorien sighed, the weight of it settling on him, before he slowly rose from his cloudlike seat. He could almost feel the quiet triumph in her eyes.

"Let's go to Mom, then," he said, giving in. A slight, yet undeniably victorious smile formed on Adressa's face in return.

There was no point in fighting her. She'd just dig her claws in even further, he thought, shaking his head.

The two of them walked down the quiet hallways, Adressa trailing a step behind him, her presence as sharp as ever. The corridors were bare, stripped of anything resembling luxury. His mother had sold nearly every piece of furniture or decoration that wasn't absolutely essential.

Chuckling to himself, Lorien shook his head again. Mom sure is practical.

Glancing up at him, Adressa raised a curious eyebrow. It wasn't often she saw him looking this positive while in her company.

"What's making you so ecstatic, young master?" she asked quizzically, her sharp eyes narrowing as if sniffing out a secret.

"Nothing much," he replied, shrugging lightly. "Just being thankful for my mother selling everything valuable for us."

For a moment, Adressa's teasing demeanor softened. A warm, genuine smile formed on her face, her gaze drifting to the door they were approaching.

"That's a good trait to have, young master," she said softly, her voice carrying a rare note of approval.

Though her words had been warm, Adressa's approval was rare and conditional. She only softened like this when Lorien spoke about his mother. When it came to himself, however, her tone turned sharp, her critiques relentless.

Why, you may ask? The answer was simple. She admired Mrs. Velmont like no other. To Adressa, the lady of the house was a figure of strength and grace, someone who had shaped her life in ways no one else had.

Before working for the Velmonts, she had been little more than a homeless child. It was Mrs. Velmont and her late husband who had taken her in, hiring her despite her circumstances, and giving her not just shelter but purpose. That was why Adressa had sworn her loyalty to the remnants of the Velmont name, vowing to see the family survive—even thrive—despite their decline.

But therein lay the problem: Lorien.

As much as she respected him as the future head of the family, his laid-back nature grated on her nerves. He was supposed to take over the Velmont legacy at the age of sixteen, which meant his education in politics, governance, and the arts of nobility was a top priority. Yet Lorien treated it all with such dismissiveness, always slacking off or finding excuses to avoid his lessons.

For Adressa, this was unacceptable.

She and the other remaining servants had made it their mission to rebuild the family from its shattered pieces, and that meant ensuring Lorien was ready to lead. Yet, no matter how hard they tried, he refused to take anything seriously.

It frustrated her to no end. She understood he was still a child, and she wanted the best for him, but there was one thing that set her temper ablaze more than anything else.

His intelligence.

For a boy of his age, Lorien's demeanor was unnervingly perfect. The way he spoke, the confidence in his voice, the calm authority he projected when dealing with other nobles—all of it was far beyond what one would expect from a child.

Why is he limiting himself so much? she often asked herself, the thought gnawing at her during quiet moments.

Even now, she had found him in the library, dozing in the middle of the day, completely unbothered by the world around him.

Sighing deeply, Adressa stepped ahead of him, her gaze fixed on the oak door in front of her. It was the entrance to the dining room, where Mrs. Velmont was waiting for them. Not just him—them. A faint smile tugged at her lips at the thought of how Mrs. Velmont treated her servant and her son with equal care and respect.

A very remarkable woman indeed, she thought, a flicker of admiration passing through her mind.

Behind her, Lorien's curious voice interrupted her thoughts. "Is something wrong?"

She flinched slightly at the sound, startled out of her reverie. Clearing her throat and shaking off the distraction, she replied quickly, "No, nothing. Let's head in."

Before he could question her further, she pushed the door open. The smell of warm, freshly prepared food greeted them instantly, the aroma wafting through the air and wrapping them in its inviting embrace. Inside, the dining table was already set with neatly arranged plates, utensils, and a variety of dishes.

Seated at the long wooden table were his mother and the three other servants. They seemed to be in the middle of a discussion, their voices soft but serious, until they noticed the two entering.

Barts, ever composed, gave Lorien a small, respectful nod. Adrena and Alissa both smiled warmly in greeting, while his mother's eyes lit up with a welcoming look as she turned to face them.

Lorien responded with a casual smile, acknowledging each of them as he made his way toward his usual seat, positioned to the right of his mother's central one.

Adressa sighed under her breath, shaking her head slightly. Normally, Mrs. Velmont would have had to order him to take his seat first. However, she just didn't have the energy to comment on his behavior right now. Instead, she simply crossed the room and took her own seat beside Adrena and Alissa.

For now, the Velmont family's quiet unity held strong, even if it was only a faint echo of their former glory. Within these walls, that fragile bond was enough, and Lorien couldn't help but treasure it.