(A/N: Thanks to a certain reader, @sluttymargaret, you guys get the chapter around 20 days earlier! Thank them for their selflessness, because without their message my laziness would have prevailed!)

He leaned my head against the backboard of the bed and pushed his nose into my forehead. "Young Master... please don't try to test my patience."

"I was so worried... that you had left. That you had finally left me."

He soon fell silent. The only sound left in the room was the sound of rain pattering on the veranda's stone floor.

As the silence continued, I could feel my tolerance drop to the ground. No. Huh?! NO! I would rather have him reprimand me and report me to my parents than have him say this! This action, these words, his expression... they were akin to Eliad in the otome game talking to Aileen.

I was shocked. Mortified, one might say. It was exceedingly difficult for me to control myself from slapping him in the face and indignantly shrieking like a pigeon on its lunch break.

This was dangerous. The otome game clearly said that Remis had died. He had disappeared from the story long ago. I needed to disappear, or else plot correction might come. And how would that be possible if some capture target—one that lives in the same house that I do—becomes more interested in me than he does in the actual HEROINE?

My head turned blank. The past few days, my thoughts were almost completely preoccupied with trying to prevent revealing my early awakening, attempting to stop two crazy capture targets from getting nearer, and trying to get some good night sleep without that big-cocked Cyrus from trying anything that my brain's circuit had long since been fried. So, as someone with their head blank did, I thought of perhaps the worst idea to do: pretend to fall asleep due to excess weariness.

Actually, perhaps it wasn't the worst idea, because by doing so I was able to avoid the "talk" with my mother about what really happened during that day. I was also able to simultaneously avoid whatever shit Eliad was doing at the moment. What's more, it wasn't completely unrealistic of me to fall asleep, since we had stayed in this questionable position on the bed for more than ten minutes.

I dropped dead silent and began to take even, deep breaths with my eyes gently closed.

"Young Master?" Eliad inquired tenderly. Too tender for my liking. His hot, humid breath brushed against my supple nape. I twitched. My darkened vision made me especially sensitive to contact.

Soon, he withdrew, ever so slowly, as if he was reluctant to leave our closeness. I could feel something caressing my cheek. It was so gentle, as if it was touching a treasure. No, he's not touching a treasure. I never thought that, nope, that's not right. Slowly, the touch withdrew. I let out a breath I didn't know I held and rejoiced my successful plan for avoidance.

But then something wet and soft grazed my cheek. It lingered, longer and longer, until I could feel a breath of air tickle my eyelashes as it finally pulled away.

...

Eh?

Ehh?

Unconsciously, I opened my eyes and looked around. My flustered shifting had gone completely unnoticed by Eliad, who was focused on untying the knot to let down the soft velvet curtains.

Huh?

Eliad quickly covered his lips with both of his big hands and skittered away like an infatuated maiden who confessed to her long-term crush.

What just happened?

----

The pouring rain had stopped and soon, morning came.

But with morning came social interaction, which meant talking, which meant eating breakfast with Mother, which meant doom.

I grabbed the sheets with my claws and yowled. "No, I won't go!" Two maids pulled me out of the comfort of the warm and ever-so-inviting bed. The silent yet determined glint in their eyes, like a bird ready for its first flight, conveyed one thing.

That they had probably received direct permission from the Head Maid to drag me to the dining hall.

All maids in the estate were saved from their poor lifestyles and hired personally by Mother. They all had a great desire to please their mistress, who could throw cash wherever she went. That desire had long since trumped their respect for me, their Young Master.

They received direct permission from the Head Maid to drag me to the dining hall, with whatever means necessary. They received the possibility of compliments and praises by presenting me to their beloved mistress. In this state, no matter what I said, they would ignore and throw me right to the feet of my mother.

I was doomed, right from the start. There was no salvation.

But I wriggled and cried for mercy nonetheless. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the sleepy owl jerk out of its slumber and alertly looked around. It's awake! I thought back to the previous night, after Eliad left. After debating with Aileen, she agreed to give me a birdcage and agreed to argue for keeping the snow owl on my behalf. The mystery of the collared snow owl tugged at my mind. My grip on the bed sheets loosened as I became distracted by the bird's awakening from its unconscious state. And just like that, I was hoisted up and carried over the shoulder to the dining hall.

My struggles were indeed fruitless. I weeped inwardly, with my mind on a permanent loop of Death Flag, Death Flag, Death Flag.

----

"Remis."

"...Mother."

I clutched the underside of the table nervously. Mother's beady eyes, akin to a lion on the prowl, drilled harshly into my skull as I looked down. I took the initiative to speak, in hopes of steering the conversation. "Mother, I was actually awake during the assassination."

Her smile grew wider, exposing two sharp, white canines that seemed this close to biting my neck off. I gulped. "Why were you there, Remis?" Her eyes bent into the shapes of a bright crescent moon. Her shining ruby red eyes pierced into my skull. I hastily looked down into my lap, clenching my fists to relieve my tension.

A drop of cold sweat rolled down my back making me shiver as I tried to dodge her direct question. "I- I was scared at night and so I went to Aileen's room to snuggle. She was so comfy, and so I..." I trailed off and scratched my eyebrow and looked to the side. I felt guilty for some reason.

My mother just gazed at my awkward display with amused and slightly irate eyes. She held her hand out and, in the dead silent room, snapped her finger. A maid scurried over, carrying an old-looking scroll in her hand. Sealed by beautiful silver-gold wax, my eyes followed the emblem neatly imprinted on it. Two phoenix outlined the center of the design, with the initials O. R. in ornate cursive letters. It must be from a mage... oh no.

My mother gazed at the scroll lazily. Her hand gently caressed the parchment before trailing down to the wax seal. Her eyes glowed, flashing brilliantly to an icy blue for just half a second. Her finger placed gently on the seal lifted. The wax fell in little pieces and chunks, frozen to complete fragility. "Hehehe... why don't we read what the Head Mage sent us together, hmm?"

My pupils shrunk. The corners of her lips lifted as she began to read smugly.

----

Nar,

I have written this letter to review the samples that you have sent me. Yeah, there was evidence of magic at play when the assassin was slaughtered.

The traces of mana found from the singes of fire have been traced back to the dude you married and your lineage. I can't identify which of your offspring has used magic. It seems to be mixed between the girl and the boy. That means that either of your children has already mastered the technique of Siphoned Power Binding.

I have confirmed that the assassin targeting the girl was killed through conventional means, however, was trapped in a high ring of fire beforehand caused by magic. I have come to the conclusion that your son or daughter has already awakened, perhaps quite some time ago considering their experience in casting spells.

Your daughter is seven while your son is five. The young prodigy hiding in one of them is fascinating. At a later time, I expect you to return my favor of analysis by setting up a meeting time for me to meet them.

Your friend, Oberon Rel, Head Mage of the Tower

----

I grabbed the edge of my seat in despair.

The Head Mage of the Magic Tower, Oberon. In the game, he was known for being wicked, childish, and devilish. He wouldn't just hand out favors willy-nilly. So just how did Mother get him to analyze a simple crime scene?! No, wait, that's not important. The worst thing is... that he wanted to meet both Aileen and I because one of us awakened early. He's included me in his 'interest'.

Oberon was supposed to meet Aileen much later in the game, when she had awakened and was fighting a high-ranked monster alone in the forest. He would watch her technique and become infatuated by her unique use of magic. After digging into her past, he found that she had awakened at the exceedingly young age of ten and became more intrigued.

At the 'young age of ten'. That was already considered prodigal. If he finds out that I had awakened at the age of five... what will happen?

I have been hiding my awakening. That was the last part of my plan that was still standing, even after all of the trials and tribulations I went through, and now it was going to be knocked down. And now, if it's found that I truly do have magic at such a young age, another love interest is going to show interest in me!

"Now Remis," Mother started. She dangled the open scroll right in front of me. I paled and opened my mouth, but not a word was uttered. "Do you have anything to say to me?"

Such a direct question... I sweat dropped and smiled awkwardly, saying the only thing I could. "Wow Mommy, I didn't know that Aileen was so talented! She actually unlocked her mana heart at the age of seven!" I blurted out an innocent response, showing two tiger teeth to finish the deal.

At my response, her face inexplicably softened. I let out a quiet breath in victory as she approached me and patted my head comfortingly. "You know, Remi," her bell-like laugh resounded across the room, "you haven't called me Mommy for a long time."

My eyebrow twitched. What did I do... this doesn't sound good...

"Ahhh, it's worrisome to know that my son can't lie." She looked at me dead in the eye and said, "Well, spit it out. How long have you been hiding your fire magic?"

----

A small blaze of white flame danced vivaciously on my palm. The mana jerking and jumping to and fro seemed to want to escape my body and join the white fire. I frowned and firmly tensed my wrist to staunch their efforts. The white flame weakened and ebbed. I panted slightly, biting my lips, putting on a pathetic display. "That... that's all I can do."

My mother raised her high-arched brows and revealed a small smirk. The servants' eyes all drilled into my palm, where the fire once was, with their jaws dropped in utter shock. Their usual formal and subservient disposition seemed to fly out the window and was replaced with a very invested audience. Their wide eyes that didn't seem to fit on their face anymore slowly turned to my mother, who was quietly tapping her manicured finger onto the wooden table.

"Remi, my dear," she chuckled and lackadaisically laid her head on her palm, "you do know who I am, right?"

...? What does she mean? I cocked my head to the side. There wasn't anything about Mother in the game... is there something I missed? "Erm... the Countess of Xenith?" I guessed.

She laughed, showing a full and vibrant smile as brilliant as the full moon. Oh, so that's where Aileen got her smile. I mused, my eyes transfixed on her expression. Her tinkling laughter reminded me of snow peaks reflecting the brilliant morning sun.

"I'm the Ice Mage of the East."

The declaration of my mother came like a bolt from the blue. It took a moment for the words to register in my mind. I reeled and gawked at my cackling mother with the same shock the servants pointed towards me. "Your father is, of course, significantly weaker than me—honestly, I don't even know why I married that brat in the first place—but even so, I know that your magic isn't as pathetic as that."

She looked to the side and muttered, "If it was, I'd send you to the tundra and beat your father's genes out of you..." Eh, excuse me? What did you say?

She tittered and reverted back to her original expression. "But anyway—" Eh? Don't brush it off? Mother? "—if you won't show me your power, I'll do it for you."

She seized my hand and stomach. Her warm touch from before was as icy as a lake caught in winter's grasp now, penetrating my body and creeping its way closer and closer to my mana heart. I felt something akin to a small needle pierce my mana pool and two icy hands pry the hole larger and larger until there was a gaping trench beneath me. Then the hands withdrew, the feeling of frigidity faded. The large opening poured a vast amount of mana, emptying almost all of it at once, leaving only a few small jugs worth.

I could feel a blinding light escape from my irises, my vision turning white, and mana flooding my body like a tidal wave ravaging my essence. A fleeting feeling of a light-winged dryad raged through my soul, carrying the massive amounts of power dripping from my pool.

Then my vision turned clear. A large griffon, made of brilliant blue flames, fluttered right in front of my eyes, until finally breaking in a burst of light.

"There it is." My mother announced. "'That's all I can do', hmm, Remi?"