Morning sunlight slowly entered the room as birds chirped quietly outside the estate windows.
A peaceful atmosphere filled the surroundings.
Then suddenly, Kael Draven abruptly opened his eyes, his breathing becoming rough instantly.
The first thing he felt was softness beneath him—a bed, not the cold battlefield or blood-soaked mud.
Kael's pupils trembled slightly as he immediately sat upright while looking around the room.
He saw familiar walls and familiar furniture; it was his room inside the Draven estate. For several moments, Kael simply stared blankly.
"What...?" His hand slowly touched his own chest—there was no wound, no sword piercing his abdomen, and no pain, only silence.
Kael's breathing became unstable.
"Didn't I die...?" His mind became chaotic as he initially thought perhaps these were simply memories before death.
But everything felt too real: the cold morning air, the softness of the blanket, and even the smell inside the room.
Then suddenly, slap. Kael forcefully struck his own cheek, the sound echoing loudly as red finger marks immediately appeared on his skin. Pain—real pain.
Kael froze, and then slowly, his eyes widened.
"...I returned?" Without hesitation, Kael rushed out of the room, his footsteps echoing quickly through the hallways of the estate with only one thought in his mind: his family.
The dining hall doors suddenly opened loudly. Inside, his family sat peacefully around the breakfast table.
Baron Aldric Draven calmly drank tea while reading documents, Seraphina Draven quietly spoke with the servants, Leon Draven lazily ate breakfast, and Elena Draven happily smiled while eating sweets.
Alive—all of them were alive. Kael stopped moving completely. For a moment, he could not speak as the battlefield memories from yesterday endlessly flashed inside his mind: their deaths, their blood, and their final moments.
Yet now, they sat before him completely alive, warm, and safe.
Kael's vision slowly became blurry as tears quietly flowed down his face, but strangely, he smiled—not a sad smile, but a relieved smile.
The entire dining hall became silent. Elena blinked in confusion and asked,
"Big brother?" Leon frowned slightly, adding,
"What happened to you?" Even Aldric lowered his documents while looking toward Kael seriously, and Seraphina immediately stood up worriedly, asking,
"Kael... did something happen?" Kael slowly wiped the tears from his face, then quietly nodded.
"...A nightmare," he replied, his voice sounding calm, but his trembling eyes saying otherwise.
Seraphina's expression softened immediately as she gently touched his head and whispered,
"It's alright now". Kael silently looked at her—she was truly alive. Aldric calmly spoke afterward,
"You look terrible,"
then looked toward a nearby maid and ordered, "Prepare a bath for him".
"Yes, my lord," the maid immediately bowed,
and Kael quietly followed her afterward. Even while walking through the estate, he still occasionally glanced around silently at every familiar wall, every servant, and every peaceful sound;
all of it felt precious now.
Warm steam filled the bath chamber where Kael quickly washed himself before changing into clean clothes.
Within five minutes, he immediately returned to the dining hall, sitting quietly beside Elena this time.
Breakfast continued peacefully, but Kael barely spoke, only silently eating while occasionally glancing toward his family.
Simply seeing them alive already made him happy enough.
Leon eventually looked toward him suspiciously and noted, "You're strangely quiet today".
Kael calmly drank some water before answering, "...It's nothing".
But deep inside, Kael silently made a promise: this time, no matter what happened, he would protect them, even if he had to destroy everything standing in his way.