With a start, I jolted awake, finding myself on my bed in my room, the room that was mine as Faye, the daughter of the head of the Wei? family, and no one else.

  The details of the dream were fading fast, and I realized I had once again been haunted by that dream, which had been consistently and increasingly plaguing me for the past few years. I reached into my chest to feel my heart pounding against it.

  As always upon waking, I pondered why I continued to dream of that. I didn't need to wonder for long; a cursory glance around my room provided me with an answer.

  I heaved out a long sigh and, with my pajama’s sleeve, wiped my face, muttering to myself, "Another reason to get out of this place," before throwing off my bed sheet and advancing to the closed curtain. With a yank, I opened it, allowing the sunlight to flood into the room.

  Covering my eyes with my hand to give them time to adjust to the light, I looked at my hands, which were now not those of a simple sorcerer but those of a Hexcaster. It had been two days since I made that decision. While it was undeniable that the choice I made two days ago had changed me, it didn't bring about any obvious change, or at least, I didn't feel like anything had changed very noticeably about me.

  To tell the truth, after making that irrevocable decision until level 25, I had regrets. Not over choosing Hexcaster as my special class, given what I was given in exchange, I couldn't regret that. What I regretted instead was the timing I took to choose that class. Because, looking back, I might have been a little too excited about whether or not I should go "Hexcaster". I failed to consider that perhaps it would have been smarter to wait until at least Justaff and the others were gone to make that irrevocable decision.

  But what's done is done, and there was no undoing it, at least for now. The only thing that could be done is work around it. For now what I did to work around it is barely come out of my room these past few days, not that required any kind of effort from me, partly because of how isolationist I usually am, and with how little I already wanted to go out with how lively the chateau was with the duke’s incoming departure for the imperial capital.

  With the "Old man" and his appraisal gone, I'd finally begun to exert true control over how I'm leveling up. In the past three years, I was able to level up freely as I wished to. Actually, it was more like since I didn't have the old man's appraisal in my ways, I could finally involve myself in a little game of deceit. By hiding my true experience gains from our training to Justaff and Father, by pretending I didn't get much, a little less experience than I truly did, and reporting fake acquired experience, I was, in the space of three years, able to make them believe I was a level behind than my actual level.

  That's not a lot, but hey, that's still something.

  While pragmatically, one mere level isn't something worth so much effort hiding, it's true. But it was because it wasn't worth that much that I did it. Should I ever get caught when they'll have me use an appraisal stone or have someone wielding [Appraisal] use it on me, I doubt there's going to be any consequence to it. After all, I could always use the card of "it was a prank," or something like that.

  Anyway, that is to say that with how I was hiding my level, I had no particular worry about being found out. But here, with this new class which is, I doubt, anywhere close to what they envisioned for me, I doubted they'd take it well.

  Right now, I felt I'd put myself in a situation that highly reminded me of their reaction back then when I took sorcerer instead of mage as a core class. Though I was still confident I could talk my way out of being found out as a Hexcaster, I didn't feel like going through that hassle, so better safe than sorry, I decided to isolate myself. But that was a temporary solution, or at the very least, it was one that had a limit, and that limit was today.

  Turning toward my room's door, I walked up to a small table on which a bell rested. I reached for it and rang it once. Almost immediately, the door opened, revealing Marina, the servant. She greeted me with a reverent bow.

  "Good morning, My Lady."

  Good-natured as I was, I replied with a smile, "good morning, Marina." it was a smile which seemed to momentarily shake the girl, though she quickly regained her composure.

  "Is there something I can do for you, my Lady?" Marina asked hesitantly.

  "The usual, get my bath ready," I instructed.

  "Right away, my Lady," she responded, turning to head towards the bathroom. Just as she was about to leave, I stopped her.

  "I'll be having breakfast with everyone today," I added.

  Marina looked stunned for a moment, clearly taken aback by my unexpected request..

  For several reasons, including the fact that I wasn't born from my dear father's main and only wife and yet was a little more favored than my other siblings, and due to a request voiced by none other than myself, I was exempt from the usual breakfast, lunch, or dining at the same table as the big family. I was free from all that extra stuff. When I wanted food, I usually had it in my room, whenever and if I wanted.

  "Understood, my La—" Marina began to reply.

  I interrupted her, asserting, "So, I would like your help to dress up appropriately."

  ***

  "What do you think of this one?" I asked, contemplating my reflection in the full-length mirror.

  "It suits you well, my Lady," Marina replied, her voice half genuine.

  "You think..." I trailed off, eyeing the blue dress that draped over my form.

  We were rifling through my wardrobes, searching for the right dress for the day. Yes, a dress, something the formerly manly man I once was never imagined he would voluntarily wear. But having lived several lifetimes, all of which as a woman, I had grown past those initial reservations. Plus, today was a special occasion, and I felt I ought to make an effort.

  Marina had laid out a selection of dresses, and we had been running through them. The blue dress I was currently trying on supposedly complimented my skin tone beautifully, or so I remembered hearing once on TV.

  usually, my attire is limited to pajamas at night and knight training outfits by day. But I do know enough to recognize when something looks great, and frankly I didn't look half bad in this dress. My only complaint was that, while it looked fantastic, it was a bit too colorful for my taste.

  "I don't like this one," I asserted. "Another one."

  "Right away, my Lady," she responded, going through my wardrobe.

  "Maybe something a bit less... vibrant?" I suggested, still studying my reflection. Marina nodded, a flicker of understanding in her eyes. She hurried back to the wardrobe and began shuffling through the garments, pushing aside hangers with practiced ease.

  "Perhaps this one will be more to your liking, my Lady," she said, pulling out a more subdued dress. It was a jet-black dress, not exactly "less vibrant" in its color, but far less vibrant than the previous one, embellished subtly with small, delicate embroidery that caught the light with a gentle sparkle rather than a glaring shine.

  I nodded.

  Helping me into the new dress, Marina worked the buttons with deft fingers. Once dressed, I turned to face the mirror again. The dress framed my figure modestly and offered a quiet elegance that seemed to match my true self much better than the previous choice. If I had to explain how I looked, I wouldn't know where to begin, but if pressed, I'd say that, with my black hair, I was a black veil short of a mourning daughter.

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  "Perfect," I muttered at my reflection.

  Marina beamed, visibly relieved that I was satisfied. "You look very dignified, my Lady. Your family will certainly notice."

  "Let’s go then," I said, feeling the weight of the day ahead. "And Marina," I paused at the door, turning back to her, and being the good-natured person that I am, said, "thank you for helping me. I don't do this often, so I really don't know anything."

  It took her a moment to register what I said, but once she did, she looked shaken by my words. After a brief moment, she replied, "Always at your service, my Lady."

  Leaving the full-length mirror behind, I walked toward a shadowed corner of my room where my wand and staff stood propped against the wall. As my hand extended towards them, an instinctive gesture born of countless similar mornings, I suddenly stopped.

  I let out a small sigh, my hand lingering in the air for a moment before dropping back to my side. I glanced at Marina, who very obviously noticed what happened, and proposed, "Shall we go, My lady?"

  I nodded.

  Marina opened the grand double doors for me, stepping aside with a slight bow. As I stepped through, my gaze landed on the guard stationed right outside my room. The moment he saw me, he snapped to attention, his hand coming up in a crisp salute.

  "My lady!"

  The man was the new guard assigned to me. With the increase in the number of guards in the castle, I suppose that's to be expected, but just because it was expected didn't mean it was appreciated. It was my first time interacting with him since he'd been assigned to me, having never left my room at all for the past few days. I responded with a nod and made my way to my next destination, but a few steps in, I came to a halt and turned toward the guard who, as per his duties, had begun following me.

  "My Lady?" He asked, worries in his voice, noticing my stare.

  "You, what’s your name again."

  "Rivald, my Lady, that's my name," the late twenty year old man said.

  As the guard, namely going as Rivald stood at attention, I met his gaze squarely, studying him for a moment.

  "Rivald," I began, "I remember Justaff said that you were a knight, but when introducing you, he didn't mention your level."

  The man's expression shifted ever so slightly, but he managed to maintain his composure. "Oh... I'm level 14," he replied evenly. "It is... it is an unparalleled honor for me to be your personal guard, my Lady."

  I nodded, taking in his response. "Is that so?"

  With a small smile, Rivald inclined his head. "Of course, my Lady. I've heard a lot about you, about how much of a genius you are, and about how you've dedicatedly trained as a Sorcerer from a young age, despite—"

  Perhaps realizing on his own that he'd said a little too much or noticing the glare with which Marina on the side stared at him, the man suddenly cut himself off and cleared his throat, his expression turning slightly sheepish. "I apologize, my Lady. I spoke out of turn."

  I raised an eyebrow, mildly amused by his sudden change in demeanor. I thought he was done, but no. He went on to add, seemingly aiming to reassure, "While my level might be a little low for your taste, my Lady, I assure you, my skill and abilities make me stand out."

  "I may not be as experienced as Sir Justaff, but I am confident that I am capable of fulfilling my duties as your personal guard."

  Showing nothing of my true thoughts, I said, "Good," offering him a small smile.

  It seemed like he was about to add something else when Marina cut in, "my Lady, if you ever feel like he's not enough to ensure your safety, feel free to request another guard. I will relay your demand, my Lady."

  I turned to her and gave her a nice smile, along with a nod. "Understood, but for now, I have faith in the skills and abilities of my guard," I asserted, casting a glance at the man, who bowed even lower at my words.

  With that, I resumed my stride, Rivals falling into step beside me as we made our way through the corridors of the chateau. Soon, I arrived at an open area in the castle that offered a second-floor view of our garden. In one corner of the room, people were standing with their backs against the wall. They were attendants, guards and servants, standing in a line, among which I saw two familiar figures. It was Justaff and Ane, who, with the frown they displayed, clearly weren't expecting my appearance.

  As Rivald and Marina joined the line where Justaff stood, I advanced to an area in the middle of the room where a long table was set for breakfast. I could see my family already gathered around the table. My "father," tall and imposing, sat at the head of the' table, once the "Old man"'s spot but now, after his passing, it belonged to his son. Sitting directly on his right was Cleon, my stepbrother, wedged between his father and his mother. At her left sat her first child and only daughter, my dear and beloved older sister, and sitting across the mother-son-daughter trio were my other half-siblings.

  I wouldn't go as far as to say that the table was lively, but with my arrival, I did break the established mood, causing the ongoing conversation to quiet down, and all eyes turned to me.

  "Faye?"

  "Good morning, Father," I said, approaching the man humming out a lullaby, then I, very much liked being a good and loving daughter, leaned in to land a peck on his cheek.

  "Good morning..." he managed to utter, clearly confused.

  The intensity of the stares increased, especially coming from the people at his left. But completely disregarding the stares, I moved to Cleon who was just at his side. I said nothing, just headpatted the little Wei?, who was about to turn eight this year, then moved to the person at his left, his mother, his father's main and only wife.

  Upon greeting her with "Good morning, Mother," I leaned in, as I did for her husband, for a peck that she, unless willing to make things very awkward, couldn't evade or refuse.

  Twice if not several times more confused than her husband, she quickly gathered herself and greeted, "Good morning." I felt like sliding in a little compliment about her looks, but ultimately felt like she wasn't worth the effort, so I moved to the girl at her left, tapping her shoulder as I said, "Sister," then finally looked at the girls seated across, "Sisters, good morning."

  For a moment, they all looked at each other as if seeking counsel on how to reply to that, before replying as one, "Good morning sister." The only one who didn't was my first older sister, who instead looked at me with an utterly confused expression.

  Completely ignoring it, I took the seat next to her, then proceeded to act as normally as possible, but that did not allow the mood to return to normal.

  The air was thick with a mix of curiosity and mild shock. In an attempt, perhaps, to dissipate that air, Father said, "Faye..."

  "Yes, father?"

  He seemed to be trying to find the right words but ultimately settled with, "This is rare to see you this early in the morning."

  "Indeed, Father, it usually is."

  "What brings about this pleasant surprise?"

  At that question, which felt a little too sarcastic and dry for my princessy heart, I pretended to think about the answer, then said, "Truth be told, Father, at first I thought I would just come out later like I usually do to bid my farewell. I would be a very bad daughter if I didn't when her parents are to make such a long journey, wouldn't I?"

  He nodded, manifesting a smile.

  "So I thought I would dress up prettily for once instead of my usual..." Mid-sentence, I inquisitively looked at everyone at the table, placing a large emphasis on the five girls seated across from me, then asked, "I look nice, don't I?"

  Upon being asked that question, the sisters simultaneously cast their gaze to our "father" for him to answer, but even when he did, since my gaze was set on them five, they were left with no other choice but to praise me.

  "It looks great on you, Sister."

  "This black gown... Suits you."

  "I agree."

  "It compliments your... lustrous black hair."

  From my seat, I watched in amusement as they came up with praise that very obviously didn't come from their heart.

  I considered turning to my left to hear my beloved eldest sister's opinion, but fearing that I wouldn't be able to repress the laughter I'm currently containing, I said, "Thanks for your kind praises, sisters. It means a lot to me." Turning my attention back to the man sitting at the head of the table, I continued, "Then to get to what I was explaining, as I changed into this dress, I thought I could come join everyone for breakfast. It's been quite some time since we've all had breakfast together, hasn't it?"

  "Yes, it certainly has. I believe the last time was 3 years ago when your Grandfather left us," he said seemingly reminiscing.

  Even in death, the old man remained the reason I shared lunch with this family. He was the one who usually summoned me, though it was a rare occasion as he seldom joined others for lunch. More often than not, he exiled himself either in his library or his bureau. Reflecting on it now, he was the main reason such behavior was easily accepted as normal for me. He was not only the one from whom I picked this behavior form, he was also the one who granted me, upon request, the permission to have my meals wherever and whenever I wished, much like he did.

  I took a serious and semi-nostalgic voice, "That was indeed the last time. Three years already huh… Sigh. I apologize everyone, I was just momentarily swept by nostalgia. I was saying, as I donned this dress, I thought about it, and I realized that focusing a little too much on my training, I might have disregarded something equally important," I threw yet another circular glance. "Family."

  My words, coated with honeyed sweetness, seemed to elicit a range of reactions; some, mostly "Father," touched, some still highly skeptical, others unsure how to respond.

  Focusing on those who didn't know how to respond, those seated across from me, my sisters, "As I've been reminded a few days ago," I said, looking to my sisters and casting a little glance at Justaff in the corner of the room, "the years and my training have estranged us. We are not children anymore; most of us are growing into adults, and I realize that means some of us will leave this home of ours to honor their duty as daughters of our Wei? family." I refrained from casting a glance to my left, sensing their gaze intensifying at my words, which they most likely interpreted in a way they didn't like.

  "So sisters, I would like to use this opportunity, where I wouldn't be having training, to weave again what used to link us. I want us to get along like we used to as children."