CHAPTER 226: CHAPTER 226: LIL’ BRO

"I’ve known Victor for quite a while now—even before all this." Aurhea’s voice was light, sugar-sweet. "His sister and I were very close, you see. Almost inseparable."

She lifted her spoon, leisurely licking the edge of her yogurt with a flick of mischief.

"In fact, I inherited the Student Council presidency from Adrienne."

She met my gaze head-on, her eyes searching mine—not for connection, but calculation. Gauging my reaction.

"You what?" I blinked.

Deadpan. Flat. There were no words at first. Just that creeping, bitter sensation of the floor shifting under me. Then—

"You think I’d believe that?!"

My voice came out harder than expected, sharper. Across from me, Ceres went still. She didn’t move a muscle, didn’t even blink. If I didn’t know her better, I’d swear she’d frozen.

But I did know her. Or thought I did.

And i knew it was hard to guess what she might be thinking. It was hard to read her.

Her head tilted slowly toward me. That same strange angle. Measured. Studying.

"You have a sister?" she asked, tone unreadable.

"Wha—?"

"So you don’t?" she pressed, cutting me off before I could blink out a response. Her voice was quieter now, but not soft. Focused. Like the question mattered more than it should’ve.

I withheld a sigh and leaned forward, resting my chin against my propped arm.

"I do," I said simply.

Adrienne’s face flickered through my mind, uninvited—a soft, bittersweet silhouette burned into memory.

I never hid the fact i had a sister . And not just any sister.

Adrienne had been the Academy’s golden star—the kind of model student that left permanent echoes in every hall she walked through.

Still, for most people, it was hard to connect us. Understandable. We’d walked vastly different paths.

Adrienne was the prodigy. The first heir of a branch family who not only survived the Bloodline Ritual, but defeated every other contender—including those from the Main Family. It had never happened before. No one expected her to win. But she didn’t just win. She dominated.

That victory was the beginning of her rise—unstoppable, brilliant, terrifyingly focused.

And me? I was her little brother. Cute, quiet. Supportive. Her biggest fan.

Adrienne had always been the one under the spotlight, and truthfully, I was grateful for it. While she carried the weight of expectation, I was left to roam freely in the background. No pressure. No target on my back. Just... freedom.

Being born after Adrienne was the best luck I could’ve asked for.

I never showed the kind of raw brilliance she did—not back home, not in the Academy—and yet, I was never treated unfairly for it. If anything, I had it easy. Ridiculously easy.

And I liked it that way.

With all the hopes and expectations pinned on Adrienne—as the heir of a branch family expected to rise above even the Main Household—the pressure on her had been immense.

So immense, in fact, that eventually she was pulled into the main household itself, to undergo more... refined training.

Me? I was pampered.

Dotingly so.

If Adrienne was the rising star, I was the cherished little mascot—the adorable sidekick, her personal cheerleader. And I wore that role like a crown.

At least... until I entered the Academy.

Adrienne, being four years older, had already left her mark long before I even stepped through Aegis’ gates. She entered at sixteen. Shone like a supernova. Dominated her cohort and rose quickly to become Student Council President.

Impressive, right?

Well... maybe on the surface.

I won’t lie—it was impressive. But it wasn’t surprising. Not if you knew Adrienne.

She never really spoke to me about how heavy it all was—the pressure, the responsibilities, the scrutiny—but I could see it. Adrienne never acted without intention. She didn’t just have ambition.

She had structure.

Becoming Student Council President was never the goal—it was a calculated step. One among many.

In Aegis, graduates already leave with a certain level of prestige in the world of the Awakened. But those who graduate at the top of their class? With titles like Student President?

Those ones are groomed to become power players. Quietly influential. Unofficial royalty.

Their influence doesn’t stop at graduation—it grows.

And Adrienne knew that.

It was a pretty big deal.

And as for the ultimate goal behind Adrienne’s grand design... I honestly had no clue.

Maybe—like the whispered hopes of our branch family—it’s to upend the current hierarchy of the Solvaine household.

Maybe she wants to become the next Matriarch. Or something even higher. Something more dangerous.

Or maybe it’s something else entirely.

I don’t know.

I never asked. And she never said.

But one thing was always clear—Adrienne knew what she was doing. Wherever she went, she stood out. Purposefully. Strategically.

Unlike me.

Yes... then there’s me.

The no-talent bastard. The bottom-ranked cadet. The walking contradiction to my dazzling, perfect sister.

It was hard to believe we were even related—hell, I had trouble believing it sometimes.

Not that I ever tried to hide it or lie about her. It just never came up. Most people didn’t even know who my sister really was.

Some didn’t even realize I was a noble.

And sometimes... even I don’t feel like one.

Huh. I guess I’ve just had other things to worry about—bigger things. Things beyond the latest power plays or climbing the household ladder.

While everyone else is busy fighting for a crown in the present, someone has to worry about the incoming doom and destruction waiting for us all in the future.

Sigh.

It’s been a silent, heavy road. A lonely one, if I’m being honest.

I walk a lonely road...

The only one that I’ve ever known—

"Ahem!"

Right. Maybe I’m getting carried away.

Let’s get back on track.

I leaned back coolly, keeping my expression neutral, deliberately ignoring Ceres’ blank stare from the side. My voice stayed calm, fingers tapping lazily against the table as I stared straight at Aurhea.

"You can’t seriously expect me to believe that. Big sis never mentioned you."

Internally, my thoughts spiraled.

Wasn’t she the one who came here to interrogate me?

Now she’s bringing up Adrienne—what? As a psychological tactic?

Is she trying to throw me off balance? Test for a reaction?

Whatever it was, it was working. I was thrown.

I forced myself to rein in my impulses. Be careful. Watch her moves. Read between the lines.

Trying to guess Aurhea’s angle was turning into a headache. But whatever card she thought she had, it wouldn’t mean much without solid evidence.

I glanced sideways.

At least I still have my alibi.

And then Aurhea’s expression changed.

Melted, actually—like ice cream under the sun. That icy elegance twisted into something else entirely. A smile. Silly? Yeah, that was the word.

"Ohh. ’Big sis’, huh? That what you call her?"

"...Wha—" I gaped.

She leaned in, eyes gleaming.

"Say it. Come on, Vic. Call me that too. Big sis."

Huh?

What the hell?

I blinked.

Is this girl actually insane?

No. She definitely was.

—Thwaam!

"Why would I do that?!" I slammed the table, already half-rising from my seat. My head throbbed like it had been struck with a hammer. Too much. Too damn much.

Aurhea didn’t flinch. She just pouted like a spoiled brat.

"Aw, c’mon, Vic! Don’t be so petty. Just say it!"

"Like hell I will!" I snapped. "Control yourself, Miss President! We’re in public—people are watching!"

"No! Not President! Big. Sis. Say it, Vic. Seriously, what’s the harm?!"

"No. Seriously. Stop. Calling. Me. That."

My head jerked toward Ceres beside me.

"Help me, Ceres. Are you seriously going to let this keep— What are you doing?!"

I froze mid-outburst.

Ceres was carefully picking carrots and peas from her salad. Her expression was tight with disgust, fingers trembling as she isolated each offensive vegetable like they were toxic waste. She was laser-focused, completely absorbed in her strange crusade.

"C’mon, Vic...!" Aurhea whined, drawing my attention back.

Ceres was sorting her food.

Aurhea was demanding to be called Big Sis.

Everyone was staring.

Judging. Whispering. Watching.

My blood pressure spiked.

I’m going to lose my mind. No—seriously—what the hell is going on?!

"Hmph. Fine!"

Aurhea finally gave in — reluctantly, of course. She crossed her arms with a dramatic pout and slumped back into her seat, exhaling through her nose like an indignant cat.

Thank God.

By that point, I was drained. It felt like my soul was actively trying to evacuate my body.

Exhaustion wrapped itself around me like a shroud. My vision blurred, my pulse slowed. I needed to sit. No—I needed this to end. Fast.

I exhaled sharply, dragging a hand over my face.

"...Look, Miss President—"

"Rhea."

I stopped.

"...What?"

She was gazing at me—calm now, soft somehow. Her arms were still folded, one leg crossed over the other, golden hair catching the sunlight like it belonged in a painting.

And then came that smile.

Gentle. Familiar. Too familiar.

"Not President or anything," she said. "Call me Rhea. That’s what your sister used to call me."

Silence fell like a stone.

I just stared, stunned. Words failed me for a long, suspended moment. Eventually, I drew a breath and eased myself back into my seat, slower this time.

"...Why?"

It left me as a whisper. A barely formed question.

But she heard.

And she smiled—warm and real. There was no teasing in it now. Just something sincere, almost... sibling-like. Strange, but oddly comforting.

"You may not know me, Victor," she said gently, "but I know more about you than you think."

She paused, then gave a light laugh—more a giggle than anything else.

"Your sister, Adrienne... you were all she ever talked about."

It struck me in a place I wasn’t ready for. Something tightened in my chest.

Aurhea rose from her seat slowly, like she wasn’t just standing—but stepping into a truth she’d waited a long time to say. The light hit her like a spotlight, golden and reverent.

"You were the only thing that could get her talking for hours."

She stood tall, graceful, glowing.

"I’m sorry. Let me introduce myself properly this time."

Her voice was soft but unwavering.

"I’m Aurhea Aurel. Your sister called me Rhea, and I want you to do the same. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to finally see you. But..."

She tilted her head, that teasing curl returning to her lips.

"...It’s good to finally meet you, Lil’ bro."