Lucien arched a brow, his smile growing thinner.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

Aries regarded him in silence for a moment before the corners of his lips lifted ever so slightly.

"Oh, my."

His voice remained calm, almost courteous.

"I wasn't aware someone as important as you would spare me a glance."

Lucien's expression stiffened.

The words were polite.

The implication was anything but.

"So I really am worthy of your attention."

"You—"

Before Lucien could continue, the man standing quietly beside him stepped forward.

"Now, now, Lord Lucien."

His smile was gentle, practiced.

"I'm sure His Grace wouldn't appreciate being kept waiting."

His eyes briefly shifted toward Aries.

"We still have business with the Duke."

"Shall we?"

Lucien clicked his tongue.

For a brief moment, his glare lingered on Aries before he turned away.

"This isn't over."

The man inclined his head politely toward Aries before following after him.

Unlike Lucien, however, his gaze carried neither contempt nor mockery.

Only curiosity.

Their footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Silence returned to the corridor.

"Business with Father..."

Aries murmured quietly.

Lotte, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, cautiously stepped beside him.

"Lord Aries..."

He raised a hand, signaling that she needn't worry.

"I'm fine."

It wasn't the confrontation that occupied his thoughts.

It was the family itself.

According to the memories Lotte had shared, House Lelouche had three sons.

The eldest had awakened as a Dominant Alpha.

Lucien, the youngest, possessed the rare trait of a Dominant Omega.

Both secondary genders were highly valued among the nobility, making them desirable heirs regardless of birth order.

Lucien, in particular, enjoyed another advantage.

His mother was the current Duchess of House Lelouche.

She came from one of the kingdom's most influential noble families—a house whose political influence rivaled even that of the Duke himself.

Aries...

And the eldest son...

Had not been nearly as fortunate.

Their father had been a recessive male Omega from a modest noble family in the countryside.

The marriage, judging by the fragments of memory left behind, had been one of political convenience rather than affection.

He had died shortly after Aries’s first birthday.

There were no clear memories of him.

Only faint impressions.

A warm hand.

A gentle smile.

Nothing more.

Aries exhaled quietly.

The more he learned about this family...

The more troublesome it became.

His temples throbbed.

Too many unfamiliar memories surfaced whenever he tried to piece together the past.

Too many unanswered questions.

For now...

There was little he could do.

He returned to his room.

.

.

.

Three days passed.

Life within the ducal estate settled into a quiet routine.

Every morning, Aries forced his weakened body to walk a little farther than the day before.

By afternoon, he spent hours reading whatever books Lotte could gather from the estate's library.

At night, he organized the fragments of memory that continued to emerge without warning.

The process was slow.

Tedious.

Occasionally painful.

Still....

It was progress.

Aside from Lotte, he rarely spoke to anyone.

The servants kept their distance.

The nobles pretended he didn't exist.

His family showed no interest in visiting.

To Aries, the silence was almost refreshing.

Peace was far easier to manage than unnecessary conversation.

This morning, however, was different.

Today, the attending physician was scheduled to examine him.

Not long after breakfast, a knock echoed through the room.

"Enter."

The elderly physician stepped inside, carrying a leather satchel worn from years of use.

The moment his eyes landed on Aries, he froze.

Surprise flickered across his face.

It was understandable.

Only days earlier, his patient had awakened from a month-long coma.

Now, he was standing by the window as though nothing had happened.

The physician quickly recovered his composure.

"My lord."

He bowed politely before approaching.

"May I examine you?”

Aries gave a slight nod.

The examination began immediately.

Pulse.

Breathing.

Eye movement.

Reflexes.

Muscle strength.

The physician worked carefully, though Aries noticed more than a few unnecessary steps.

Old habits, perhaps.

Or simple caution.

When the examination ended, the physician stepped back.

A look of genuine astonishment crossed his face.

"You are recovering remarkably well, Lord Aries."

"It is... beyond what I expected."

Aries studied him instead of answering.

His hands.

His posture.

The calluses on his fingertips.

The faint scent of dried herbs clinging to his sleeves.

His observations came naturally.

They always had.

Finally, Aries spoke.

"May I ask you something?"

"Of course, my lord."

"What is considered normal practice in this kingdom?"

The physician blinked.

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"For a patient who has remained unconscious for nearly a month..."

A brief pause.

"...is visiting only twice a week considered sufficient?"

The physician's expression changed ever so slightly.

It lasted only an instant.

Long enough for Aries to notice.

"I..."

The old man hesitated.

"My visits were arranged according to the wishes of the household."

"I see."

Aries’s voice remained calm.

"So the decision wasn't yours."

The physician lowered his eyes.

"...No."

Silence settled between them.

"I apologize if my care appeared insufficient."

Aries regarded him quietly.

"It wasn't insufficient."

"It simply wasn't decided by a physician."

For the first time, the old man's composure faltered.

He opened his mouth to speak...

Then quietly closed it again.

Aires had already found the answer he wanted.

The physician let out a quiet sigh before offering a respectful bow.

“I understand your concern, Lord Aries.”

“There are circumstances beyond my authority.”

Aries held his gaze for a moment.

“I imagined as much.”

His voice remained even.

“If your treatment had truly reflected your own judgment, I would have questioned your qualifications.”

The physician looked up in surprise.

Rather than anger, he found only calm blue eyes studying him.

“You examined me thoroughly.”

“You noticed details most physicians would overlook.”

Aries glanced toward the satchel resting beside the chair.

“You’ve practiced medicine for decades.”

“The stains on your cuffs are from dried medicinal herbs. Your fingertips bear calluses from grinding them by hand.”

The old man’s eyes widened.

“You favor your left leg whenever you stand still.”

“It isn’t severe enough to affect your work, but it becomes noticeable after long periods on your feet.”

A brief silence filled the room.

“…Remarkable.”

The physician smiled faintly.

“I’ve treated nobles for over thirty years.”

“You’re the first patient to examine me while I was examining him.”

Aries offered no reply.

To him, observation had always come before conversation.

It was simply habit.

The physician straightened his robes.

“Is there anything else you require, Lord Aries?”

“For now, no.”

Aries looked toward the window.

“If my condition changes, I’ll send for you.”

The physician nodded.

“I’ll take my leave.”

After another respectful bow, he quietly left the room.

The door closed behind him.

Silence returned.

Lotte, who had remained quietly beside the door, finally let out the breath she had been holding.

“…Lord Aries.”

“Hm?”

“Was it really alright to speak to him like that?”

Aries looked at her.

“I don’t believe I was discourteous.”

“No…”

She smiled awkwardly.

“You weren’t.”

“But you made the poor physician look as though he were the patient.”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Aries’s lips.

“Perhaps.”

Lotte blinked.

“…You smiled.”

“Did I?”

“It was only for a second.”

She looked oddly pleased.

“I think it suits you.”

Aries chose not to comment.

Instead, he reached for the book resting on the table and closed it.

“Lotte.”

“Yes?”

“What was your full name again?”

She froze.

“…My name?”

“Yes.”

For a brief moment, she looked genuinely hurt.

“It’s just Charlotte, my lord.”

Then she sighed with exaggerated disappointment.

“But you’ve always called me Lotte.”

“I see.”

Aries nodded thoughtfully.

“Lotte.”

Her expression brightened almost immediately.

“That’s better.”

A quiet silence settled over the room.

Then Aries spoke again.

“I want to leave the estate.”

The smile disappeared from Lotte’s face.

“…What?”

“I’ve seen enough of this room.”

“I’d like to see the town.”

“My lord…”

She rubbed her temples.

“You’ll need His Grace’s permission.”

“We’ll also need guards, attendants, and a proper carriage bearing the family’s crest.”

Aries shook his head.

“Anything that attracts less attention.”

“…Pardon?”

“A simple carriage will do.”

“I have no interest in announcing my arrival to the entire town.”

Lotte stared at him.

The previous Aries would have insisted on maintaining the dignity expected of a noble.

The man before her seemed to prefer the exact opposite.

After a long moment, she let out a resigned sigh.

“I’ll make the arrangements.”

Not long afterward, a modest carriage rolled through the estate gates.

It bore no noble crest.

No elaborate decorations.

Nothing distinguished it from the countless vehicles used by merchants and ordinary travelers.

Exactly as Aries had wanted.

The carriage rumbled along the countryside road.

A cool breeze drifted through the open window.

Aries rested one elbow against the frame and quietly watched the scenery pass.

Rolling fields stretched toward the horizon.

Wildflowers swayed gently beneath the morning sun.

Farmers worked in the distance while children chased one another through narrow dirt paths.

Peaceful.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen a landscape untouched by smoke.

In his previous life…

Hospitals.

Military camps.

Makeshift operating rooms.

Snow stained red.

The scent of blood lingering beneath antiseptic.

Compared to those memories, this world felt almost impossibly tranquil.

For the first time since opening his eyes in this unfamiliar body.

He found himself enjoying the silence.

The carriage continued onward.

Before long, the quiet countryside gave way to the bustle of a thriving town.

Stone roads replaced dirt paths.

Merchants lined the streets, calling out to passing customers.

Children darted between market stalls while travelers haggled over goods from distant regions.

The architecture resembled medieval Europe, yet traces of magic appeared everywhere he looked.

Crystal lamps floated above storefronts without chains or supports.

Runes glowed faintly along signboards.

Even the water flowing through a public fountain shimmered with a faint blue light.

Interesting.

Magic had woven itself into everyday life.

Not merely into warfare.

That alone made this world worth studying.

Then—

CRASH!

The carriage jolted violently.

Its sudden stop nearly threw Aries from his seat.

Lotte instinctively reached toward him.

“My lord!”

Despite her efforts, his shoulder struck the wooden frame before his forehead collided with the edge of the window.

A sharp sting spread across his brow.

He touched the spot.

His fingertips came away stained with blood.

“…Wonderful.”

His voice was perfectly flat.

“My already weakened body has somehow managed to injure itself again.”

Outside, raised voices erupted almost immediately.

Arguments.

Confusion.

Someone shouted for help.

The coachman hurriedly opened the carriage door.

“My lord!”

“A crowd has gathered.”

Aries stepped down onto the stone road.

People had formed a circle in the middle of the street.

No one seemed interested in the carriage.

Every pair of eyes was fixed on something beyond the crowd.

Or…

Someone.

Aries narrowed his crystal-blue eyes.

“What exactly is going on?”

 TO BE CONTINUED..