Shadows of a second life

The days after the battle had brought a fragile peace to Willowbrook, but the shadow of the lord’s ultimatum loomed large. Elaric knew they couldn’t face this alone. He needed his son’s sharp mind.

That afternoon, he brought Elias to meet the village chief in the central hall. The chief’s face lit up with hope when he saw the boy who had become known as the hero of the village — the Rare-grade mage who had turned the tide of the bandit attack.

“Elias,” the chief said, bowing his head slightly in respect. “Thank you for coming. Your father tells me you might have ideas for our situation.”

Elaric stood beside his son, arms crossed. “Explain everything to him. Leave nothing out.”

The chief did. He spoke of the lord’s refusal to send aid during the bandit attack. The sudden cutoff of supplies. The rejected request for self-governance. The forty-five-day ultimatum to destroy the walls or face royal forces. The growing fear that starvation would come before any attack.

Elias listened carefully, his young face serious. When the chief finished, he spoke with surprising confidence.

“We should file a case in the royal court,” he said. “I would be glad to act as your lawyer.”

Both Elaric and the chief blinked in confusion.

“What is a… lawyer?” the chief asked.

Elias caught himself immediately. Right. This world doesn’t have that concept. In this kingdom, the king and his nobles determined what happened. There were no independent advocates, no formal legal representation — only petitions, favors, and royal decrees.

He smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I’ll figure it out. Just give me some time.”

After the meeting, Elias went straight to Elyra’s home. Her grandfather was out gathering herbs, so the two of them worked together on the chores — sweeping the floors, tending the small garden, and organizing the drying racks for medicinal plants.

As they worked, Elyra spoke softly about her heritage and then mentioned, “I’m going to take the entrance exam for the University of Magic. It’s in a few months. Will you join me?”

Elias shook his head. “No. I’m not interested in school right now.”

Elyra looked disappointed but didn’t push.

Suddenly, the sky opened up. Heavy rain poured down in sheets, thunder rumbling in the distance. They ran inside laughing, soaked to the skin. Elyra’s grandfather was still out, leaving the house empty except for them.

She took advantage of the situation like someone who had practiced this moment many times in her mind.

First, she “accidentally” brushed against him while reaching for a towel, pressing her body close. Then she changed into drier clothes in front of him, letting the fabric slip teasingly. She tried sitting extra close on the couch, resting her head on his shoulder, whispering how warm he felt. Her hand lingered on his thigh. She even tried kissing his cheek “as thanks.”

But Elias pulled away every time, his body tensing. The trauma from Aiko’s betrayal in his previous life was a mental barrier he couldn’t easily break. Being around her in such a manner made him freak out internally — memories of public humiliation, ignored messages, and the final cruel breakup flashed through his mind like lightning.

Elias’s internal monologue: Why is she doing this? Is this how it starts? The sweetness before the cruelty? I can’t… I can’t go through that again.

Elyra tried everything — lingering touches, soft compliments, even “accidentally” dropping something so she could bend over in front of him. But nothing worked. Elias remained distant, offering her tea instead, his voice polite but guarded.

After much trial and error, she finally gave up, sitting on the couch with her arms crossed. But that had definitely put a serious grudge in her heart. She was angry — genuinely angry — at him for rejecting her so consistently despite how close they had become. Her calm personality cracked for a moment as she glared at him, silver hair still damp from the rain.

Elias noticed but didn’t know how to fix it. The rain continued outside, mirroring the storm brewing between them.