Back at the mansion, the entire place hummed with quiet movement. Servants hurried through the halls, hanging bright "Happy Birthday" banners across railings and doorways, pressing colorful stickers along the walls. A massive layered cake rolled carefully toward the main hall on a polished silver cart, each tier decorated with delicate sugar flowers and softly glowing candles.
Fresh arrangements filled every corner, their scent drifting through the air, while faint music floated from somewhere deeper inside the house as the staff prepared for the evening celebration.
Night had already settled in. In a quiet side room, Sumi sat between Azrea and Memei. Both women worked gently through her long white hair, smoothing it strand by strand, tying thin silver ribbons into place with careful hands.
"Sumi, I'm so proud of you," Memei said softly.
"Mama?" Sumi's voice came out small.
Memei kept brushing, her touch light and steady.
"You shouldn't hide your magic aptitude. Having two is already a miracle. The last person who awakened two magic aptitudes lived a hundred years ago. They were the ones who pushed this world so far ahead in magic. People treated them almost like the hero who was alive back then."
Sumi gave a small nod, a faint smile forming. After a moment, she turned her head slightly toward Azrea.
"Mama Azrea… I'm sure Azrean will be fine. I believe that."
Azrea nodded, but her voice carried a quiet weight.
"I know… he just needs time. Having all the aptitudes… it sounds like a blessing, but it can ruin a life just as easily."
Memei's hands slowed for a second before she spoke again, her tone more serious now.
"When Invanne created her pocket dimension at such a young age, the kingdom tried to take her away to turn her into a weapon. It was our husbands who stopped that. And if they ever find out someone has all the magic aptitudes… they will never let him go."
The room fell silent. Sumi didn't say anything for a few seconds. Then she stood up slowly.
"I'll go talk to him."
Both Azrea and Memei looked at her, then nodded. Sumi turned and rushed out of the room, her white hair swaying behind her as she disappeared into the hallway.
Sumi walked quickly down the hallway and stopped in front of Azrean's door. She didn't bother knocking. Her hand pushed it open in one sharp motion.
"Yo, Azrean, what are you doing?"
She stepped inside—and froze. Azrean sat on the floor beside his bed, his back resting against the frame. A silver glass was held between both hands, fingers wrapped tight around it. Slowly, he lifted his head and looked at her.
Sumi blinked, then walked over and dropped down beside him.
"Is that alcohol?!"
Azrean glanced at the glass, then back at her.
"Huh? No. It's mango juice..."
She let out a quiet breath and leaned back against the bed.
"Oh… good. I thought you were drinking something weird."
He set the glass down beside him, the faint clink echoing in the quiet room. Then he shifted, pulling himself up to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Sumi… your blood type was O back on Earth, wasn't it?"
She turned toward him, surprised.
"Yeah… you figured it out too." She paused, then narrowed her eyes slightly. "Wait… don't tell me—you had all blood types back then?"
Azrean blinked, confused, then shook his head.
"Huh? What? No, I only had one."
Sumi gave a small smile. "Right… then how…"
Azrean didn't answer right away. He looked down at the floor and stayed quiet for a long moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was low.
"The thing is… my mom back on Earth… used to be a sex worker."
The words landed heavy. Sumi froze completely, eyes wide. Azrean's hands began to shake. Sweat formed along his temples, sliding down his face. His breathing turned uneven and shallow. Suddenly it felt like a pair of hands were choking his neck. Suddenly a woman's voice echoed in his mind—filled with rage and pain.
"Who's mistake are you!" "Go away! Get lost!"
His eyes trembled. Slowly, he lifted his hands to his neck, fingers pressing against his skin as if he could tear the feeling away.
Then suddenly Sumi moved without hesitation, wrapping her arms tightly around him from behind. Her embrace was firm and steady, pulling him back from that spiral. His eyes snapped open, breath catching. Slowly, his hands dropped from his throat, and he reached back, gripping her arms.
She pressed her cheek against his back, close enough that her voice brushed softly against his ear.
"Do you really think that's the reason?"
There was a faint smile in her voice.
"There's no way. Azrean… why would someone else's past decide who you are?"
Her arms tightened just a little as she continued to speak.
"Maybe… you were blessed by Goddess Latila because you deserve it. Because you're an amazing person."
Azrean couldn't say anything. He just stayed there in her arms with a blank mind. Sumi nodded against his back and kept going, her voice gentle.
"Yes, Azrean. You are amazing. Ever since I met you, all I've had is happiness."
"I was also afraid… afraid of the person I was in the past. But it was you who made me new. I was afraid of strict parents, but you taught me that being strict doesn't mean they don't love you."
"It was the love that made them strict."
She buried her face slightly into his back.
"Don't think of yourself like that, Azrean. I've learned that we don't know anything about this world at all. Because it's not the same as we thought"
"We're just familiar with the things we were shown, not with the things we haven't seen ourselves. There's so much more we haven't even touched."
Her voice dropped to a quiet whisper.
"That's why… I want to see it."
"This world… with you, Azrean."
Azrean slowly lowered his head. A wide smile spread across his face. He tightened his grip on her hands.
"Thank you…" His voice came out soft.
"For staying with me."