The first light of dawn slipped through the curtains, bathing the room in a warm golden glow.
Outside, birds chirped peacefully, announcing the arrival of a new morning.
Bereshith slowly opened his eyes.
"...Morning already..."
He blinked a few times before remembering everything that had happened during the night—the nightmare, the battle against the Smiling Man, Sandman, and Princess Inoha's rescue.
Then he felt something.
A gentle weight resting against his arm.
He lowered his gaze.
Princess Inoha was still fast asleep beside him, peacefully breathing as though the burden she had carried for months had finally disappeared.
A faint smile appeared on Bereshith's face.
"I'm glad..."
"...you can finally sleep peacefully."
Carefully, he tried to move away without waking her.
Just as he lifted himself—
"Mmmhhh..."
A soft sleepy murmur escaped Princess Inoha's lips.
Her eyelashes fluttered.
Slowly...
Her blue eyes opened.
For several seconds, she simply stared blankly ahead.
Then...
Her eyes met Bereshith's.
"Good morning, Princess~," Bereshith greeted with his usual gentle smile.
Princess Inoha blinked once.
Twice.
Then her eyes widened.
"Wha—"
"Kya—!"
Before the scream could escape, Bereshith immediately placed a hand over her mouth.
"Please, calm down, Your Highness."
His voice remained calm and respectful.
"I know you're wondering why we're together and why we're in the same room, but... please let me remind you of one important thing."
He glanced around the room.
"This is my room, Your Highness."
Princess Inoha froze.
Her eyes hurriedly scanned the surroundings.
The furniture.
The wardrobe.
The wooden desk.
None of it belonged to the guest chamber she had been assigned.
"..."
She slowly realized he was telling the truth.
Bereshith gently continued.
"Will you promise not to scream if I remove my hand?"
Princess Inoha looked at him for a moment before giving a small nod.
Seeing her agreement, Bereshith carefully removed his hand and stepped back to give her space.
Princess Inoha immediately grabbed the nearby blanket and wrapped it tightly around herself.
She stared cautiously at Bereshith.
"W-Why am I here?!"
Her royal dignity quickly returned.
"Talk..."
"...or I'll have you executed!"
Bereshith tilted his head in confusion.
Don't tell me...
She doesn't remember?
He let out a small sigh before bowing respectfully.
"Your Highness."
"You may not remember..."
"...but you sleepwalked into my room last night without announcing yourself."
"...!"
Princess Inoha's expression froze.
Then her face slowly changed.
"...I..."
She lowered her head.
"...Did I sleepwalk again?"
She quietly murmured to herself.
"...Not again..."
She closed her eyes in embarrassment before timidly looking back at Bereshith.
"...Did I do anything strange?"
Bereshith smiled awkwardly.
"Nothing serious."
"You kept knocking on my door."
"When I opened it, you almost fell face-first onto the floor."
"So I caught you."
"I carried you inside and let you rest on the bed."
Princess Inoha listened quietly.
Bereshith scratched the back of his head before laughing sheepishly.
"Hehehe..."
"But then..."
"You suddenly grabbed me."
"My face ended up buried against you, and no matter how hard I tried..."
"...I couldn't get away."
He chuckled again.
"Honestly, Your Highness..."
"Your grip is surprisingly strong."
Princess Inoha's entire face turned bright red.
She slowly covered it with both hands.
"I..."
"I really did that...?"
Bereshith nodded innocently.
"Yes."
"And then..."
Princess Inoha immediately looked up.
"And then what?!"
Her voice became frantic.
She looked as though she were bracing herself for an even more embarrassing answer.
Bereshith's smile softened.
"...You started crying."
"You cried?"
He nodded.
"You kept saying many things."
"You sounded like you were trying to save someone."
He paused for a brief moment.
"That was why..."
"...I entered your dream."
"...!"
Princess Inoha's pupils shrank.
Fragments of the previous night flooded back into her mind.
The endless darkness.
The blood.
The cries for help.
The Smiling Man.
Sandman.
Bereshith standing before the nightmare.
Her breathing became uneven.
"...Don't tell me..."
She slowly looked at him.
"...Everything that happened..."
"...was real?"
"That was really you?"
"I thought..."
"...I thought it was only a dream..."
Tears gathered in her eyes.
Bereshith answered with his usual humble smile.
"Yeah."
"It was all real."
"But it wasn't because of me."
He gently pointed upward.
"God helped me enter your dream."
"If it weren't for Him..."
"I wouldn't have been able to help you."
He laughed quietly.
"So honestly..."
"I didn't do much."
However, Princess Inoha didn't hear a single word after "Yeah… It was all real."
The rest of Bereshith's modest explanation dissolved into the background like distant wind. Something deep inside her chest cracked open—relief, gratitude, and a warmth she had never allowed herself to feel flooded through her all at once.
Without thinking, without caring about dignity, status, or consequences, she launched herself forward.
"Bereshith…!"
Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as she buried her face against his shoulder. The blanket slipped down, forgotten.
"Thank you so much…! Thank you… thank you so much!" she whispered again and again, her voice trembling with raw emotion. Tears slipped down her cheeks, soaking into his shirt.
She pulled back just enough to look at him. Her hands rose, gently cupping his cheeks as if he might disappear at any moment. For the first time, there was no dream, no illusion, no nightmare separating them.
Then she kissed him.
It wasn't a dream this time.
Her lips pressed against his with desperate sincerity—warm, soft, and full of feelings she could no longer hold back.
Bereshith's eyes shot wide open. His entire body went rigid, every muscle locking up in pure shock. For a split second, his mind went completely blank.
"Y-Your Highness—!"
He finally reacted, placing his hands on her shoulders and gently but firmly shoving her back. His face was burning crimson.
But Princess Inoha refused to let go.
Her arms stayed locked around his neck. Before he could say another word, she leaned in again, kissing him more insistently this time. Her grip was surprisingly strong, just like the night before. She wasn't going to let him slip away—not now, not after everything he had done for her.
The kiss deepened. Bereshith's resistance faltered for a heartbeat, caught between duty, shock, and something far more dangerous stirring in his chest.
Creak.
The door swung open without a single knock.
"Brother! Wake up! Breakfast is ready!!!" Yareach's bright, energetic voice echoed through the room like a cheerful explosion.
Right behind her, Levanah and Lexy stepped in gracefully, carrying trays laden with food.
"Pardon the intrusion~" they said in near-perfect unison.
Time froze.
Yareach's joyful expression shattered into wide-eyed disbelief. The tray in her hands tilted precariously.
Levanah's calm, elegant mask cracked completely, her mouth falling slightly open. Lexy stood stone-still, eyes bulging as her brain desperately tried to process the scene before her.
There, in the middle of Bereshith's simple bed, was the Royal Princess—hair slightly disheveled, cheeks flushed, arms wrapped tightly around Bereshith's neck—kissing him passionately.
And Bereshith, looking like a man who had just witnessed the end of the world, was trapped in her embrace.
A heavy, suffocating silence blanketed the room.
No one moved. No one breathed.
The only sound was the faint clatter of a fork slowly sliding off Yareach's tray and hitting the floor.
Princess Inoha...
...was inside Bereshith's bedroom.
Alone.
The three of them stood motionless for several seconds, unable to process what they were seeing.
It wasn't merely because a princess was inside his room.
It was because...
If anyone misunderstood this situation, Bereshith's life could be over.
Levanah's face immediately paled.
Lexy's eyes widened.
Without exchanging a single word, the two girls acted.
"Bereshith!"
"Your Highness!"
Levanah rushed toward Princess Inoha while Lexy sprinted toward Bereshith.
Levanah gently—but firmly—grabbed the princess by both shoulders and pulled her several steps away.
At the same time, Lexy wrapped her arm around Bereshith's neck from behind, locking him in a tight headlock before dragging him backward.
"Ghk—L-Lexy!"
Bereshith could barely breathe.
The two girls glared at the pair.
Then, as though they had rehearsed it beforehand, they shouted in perfect unison,
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!"
Bereshith opened his mouth to explain.
"..."
Nothing came out.
Lexy's headlock was too tight.
Meanwhile...
Princess Inoha stared at Levanah in complete confusion.
Seeing the fierce look in the young lady's eyes, the princess instinctively straightened herself and, almost unconsciously, knelt gracefully as etiquette dictated before someone she had offended.
"W-What did I do?"
Her voice was innocent.
"I was only thanking him for saving me..."
Levanah's composure finally snapped.
"I don't care what he did!"
She pointed an accusing finger toward the princess.
"What you did is the problem!"
Her voice grew louder.
"Not only were you alone in his room..."
She clenched her fists.
"...but you did that!"
The room fell silent.
Levanah's emotions finally overflowed.
She pointed straight at Bereshith.
"YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM!"
Everyone froze.
Levanah's breathing became uneven.
Then, without realizing what she was about to confess, she shouted,
"BECAUSE THAT GUY IS MINE!! NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE HIM!!"
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Bereshith's eyes became round.
"...Huh?"
Lexy slowly turned her head.
Princess Inoha blinked twice.
Even Sarah, who had just arrived outside the room, stood speechless.
Only Yareach tilted her head innocently before smiling brightly.
"Elder Sister Levanah..."
She clapped happily.
"So you love Elder Brother Bereshith too!"
"...!"
Time stopped.
Levanah's entire body froze.
She slowly looked around.
Every pair of eyes...
...was looking directly at her.
Her face turned bright crimson.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"E-Ehhhhhh?!"
Only then did she realize what she had shouted.
"W-Wait! T-That's not—I—I didn't mean—"
She failed to finish her sentence.
Covering her burning face with both hands, she let out a small squeak before spinning around.
"I-I'M LEAVING!!"
She fled from the room at full speed.
Her hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway.
"SisterLevanah!"
Yareach called after her, but the embarrassed girl had already disappeared around the corner.
Another silence followed.
Lexy sighed deeply.
"...That idiot."
She muttered it so quietly that only Bereshith heard.
Releasing the headlock, she brushed imaginary dust from her sleeves before turning toward Princess Inoha.
Her expression had become calm once more.
"Your Highness."
She bowed politely.
"We're heading to breakfast."
"I suggest you return to your own room and prepare yourself as well."
Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed the back of Bereshith's shirt.
"Come on."
"H-Hey! At least let me expla—"
"No."
She dragged him toward the doorway.
Yareach hurried after them.
Before leaving, Lexy stopped for just a moment.
She glanced back at Princess Inoha.
There was no smile on her face.
"Your Highness..."
"If you come to this room again without permission..."
"...prepare yourself for my wrath."
With that, she slid the door shut.
Click.
Silence returned to the room.
Princess Inoha remained kneeling beside the bed.
She blinked several times, still trying to understand everything that had happened.
"...What... was that?"
She placed a finger against her lips thoughtfully.
"They both..."
"...claimed they loved him?"
A puzzled expression appeared on her face.
"...Or..."
"...were they saying that he belongs to them?"
The confused princess could only stare at the closed door, completely unable to understand the strange, chaotic family she had just encountered.
The corridor leading to the dining hall was unusually quiet.
Lexy walked in front, her expression unreadable as she continued dragging Bereshith by the collar of his sleeping shirt.
Bereshith could only let out a defeated sigh.
"Lexy... everyone is going to misunderstand."
"They already will," she replied flatly.
Yareach skipped behind them while Sarah followed at a dignified pace, pretending she had not witnessed the earlier commotion outside Bereshith's room.
"..."
The grand doors of the dining hall opened.
Immediately, every pair of eyes turned toward the newcomers.
Former Lord Ascirick.
Lord Lucas.
Maria.
Eva.
Mia.
Prince Rayryn.
Princess Alesh.
Ms. Maliks.
Even the servants paused for a moment.
Only two people were absent.
Levanah...
...and Princess Inoha.
Lexy finally released Bereshith's shirt before stepping forward.
She placed a hand over her chest and bowed politely.
"My apologies, everyone, for arriving late... especially to Your Highnesses and Ms. Maliks."
Prince Rayryn simply smiled and lifted a hand.
"It is quite alright."
He glanced toward the still-empty seat beside to Princess Alesh.
"Princess Inoha has yet to arrive as well. No harm has been done."
Princess Alesh merely crossed her arms and looked away with a small "Hmph."
Meanwhile, Ms. Maliks adjusted her glasses before speaking.
"That is acceptable..."
Her eyes drifted toward Bereshith.
"...Though there is something I am curious about."
She tilted her head.
"Why were you dragging Sir Bereshith?"
The entire room fell silent.
Lexy's shoulders stiffened.
"..."
Slowly...
she let go of Bereshith's shirt.
Bereshith immediately straightened his wrinkled clothes before bowing respectfully.
"My apologies for my tardiness. I was unable to prepare breakfast this morning."
He took a breath.
"But if I may explain, the reason is—"
Before he could even explain himself—
Bang!
The dining hall doors swung open once more.
"I apologize for arriving late."
Everyone turned.
Levanah calmly entered the room.
Her expression was perfectly composed.
Her posture graceful.
No one would have guessed she had sprinted through the manor only moments ago.
She walked past everyone...
...until she reached Bereshith.
Without warning—
Thud.
She casually shoved him sideways with her shoulder.
Not enough to hurt him.
Just enough to interrupt him.
Bereshith blinked.
Levanah turned toward him.
She wore a gentle smile.
To everyone else...
it looked warm and elegant.
To Bereshith...
it translated perfectly.
"Not. One. Word."
His shoulders immediately slumped.
"...Yes."
He quietly sat down.
From behind, Yareach watched the exchange before letting out a tiny sigh.
"Brother..."
She then looked toward Sarah.
"Sister Sarah, could you please guide Princess Inoha here?"
Sarah smiled softly.
"At once, Young Lady."
She bowed before leaving the hall.
Yareach then looked around the table.
"Everyone..."
"Let's have breakfast."
Her innocent smile eased the strange atmosphere slightly.
As everyone began taking their seats...
another strange thing happened.
Bereshith sat where he always did.
Before Yareach could take their usual places beside him...
Levanah calmly occupied the seat on his left.
At almost the exact same moment...
Lexy sat on his right.
"..."
Yareach blinked.
"M-My seat..."
Lexy smiled.
"Could you sit beside Lady Maria today?"
Levanah added with equal politeness,
"It would help us greatly."
Neither girl explained why.
Yareach looked toward Mia.
Mia simply shrugged and stood up from her sit and left.
"...Okay."
The two children obediently moved to the opposite side of the table, settling beside Maria and Eva instead.
Lucas watched the entire scene.
"..."
Ascirick slowly sipped his tea.
"..."
Maria and Eva quietly observed the kids, Lexy and Levanah.
"..."
Even Prince Rayryn raised an eyebrow.
The adults all shared the same thought.
What happened this morning?
No one asked.
A few moments later...
the doors opened once more.
Sarah entered first.
Following behind her...
was Princess Inoha.
Unlike the night before, she was dressed in elegant attire befitting the Fourth Princess of Cartha.
Her long brown hair had been neatly arranged.
Every step she took carried quiet grace.
She stopped before everyone and offered a respectful bow.
"My sincerest apologies for arriving late, everyone."
When she lifted her head...
her eyes immediately searched the room.
They found only one person.
Bereshith.
A warm, genuine smile bloomed across her face.
"Sir Bereshith..."
She bowed lightly toward him.
"Once again..."
"Thank you for everything."
Her voice was gentle.
Soft.
Filled with unmistakable gratitude.
The dining hall became silent.
Lucas blinked.
Maria looked between the two of them.
Eva tilted her head in confusion.
Prince Rayryn slowly looked at Princess Inoha.
Princess Alesh narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
Ms. Maliks quietly adjusted her glasses.
Ascirick hid a faint smile behind his teacup.
Cyte simply thought,
"Something definitely happened."
Meanwhile...
Levanah's spoon stopped moving.
Lexy's smile became noticeably thinner.
Bereshith himself looked completely bewildered.
"H-Huh?"
He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"It... wasn't anything worth thanking me for, Your Highness."
Princess Inoha only smiled brighter.
To everyone else...
it was merely gratitude.
But to two girls seated beside Bereshith...
it looked dangerously close to affection.
Neither Levanah nor Lexy said a word.
For now...
silence was all that kept the peace.