Returning home, it was already dusk. The blood-red sunset hung low in the sky, castingLeoric's shadow long on the ground. The streets were somewhat deserted; tomorrow was Greengrass Festival, and everyone must be at home preparing for the celebrations.

  Leovena waited for him at the doorway.

  Today, instead of her usual shirt and pants, she wore a pink dress and her favorite bear-themed sandals. Her long hair was held up with a blue butterfly hairpin, revealing a spider-shaped earring on her right earlobe—a giftLeoric had given her last time.

  Their family was never wealthy, and withLeoric attending the Wizardry School and taking all their savings, Leovena, a young girl, had to maintain the household alone. Although Spiritshade City was a place with a high material standard and good welfare benefits, the hardships were evident. Their financial situation was far from satisfactory.

  Now fifteen, at the age where girls love to look pretty, Leovena had almost never bought herself any new clothes or accessories. Most of what she wore were her mother's old clothes, as Leovena and her mother were similarly sized. This pink dress was the only new piece of clothing she had, bought insistently byLeoric last time.

  Leaning against the doorway, she looked atLeoric and smiled, like a wife waiting for her husband to return from work.

  "Elder sister,"Leoric said softly.

  "You're back," Leovena smiled, looking very happy, and pulled him into the house.

  The graduation exam from the Wizardry School was a big deal, and the news had spread throughout Spiritshade City. Leovena had already known the results.Leoric had mentioned to Leovena before that he wanted to get the first place in the graduation exam and enter the Arcanist School. However, Leovena didn't seem disappointed at all; perhaps,Leoric graduating as the second-best was already beyond her initial expectations.

  Among the graduates, the top one went to the Arcanist School for further studies; among the rest, those with excellent grades joined the government, while those with slightly lower grades were recruited into the military. This was the rule of the Wizardry School in Spiritshade City for years. Spiritshade City valued strength and wouldn't waste elite talent. Tomorrow was Greengrass Festival, a city-wide celebration, and there would probably be nothing much to do. After tomorrow, government officials would likely visitLeoric to inform him of his assignment.

  From now on,Leoric and Leovena, no, the Lannisters, could also join the aristocracy, enjoy various privileges, and become part of the upper class, no longer just two small merchants.

  It must be said that even in Spiritshade City's two-thousand-year history, such precedents were rare. High tuition fees, strict elimination standards, and the weakness ofcommoner's child in family traditions and basic education combined to make it difficult forcommoner's child to succeed through this path.

  Yet,Leoric was not satisfied.

  In the past,Leoric's dreams were not particularly ambitious; he just wanted to become a wizard, gain power and status, return to the Material Realm, and not be imprisoned in Spiritshade City for his entire life—eventually accompanied by many beautiful women. Now he was an official wizard with good grades, and Spiritshade City had returned to the Material Realm. Unless something unexpected happened, achieving these wishes would not be difficult.

  But five years of study at the Wizardry School had broadened his horizons and deepened his understanding of the world and magic, no longer the newly arrived traveler he once was. Human desires always grow silently.

  When reading martial arts novels before, like "Legends of the Condor Heroes" by Jin Yong, there was a particular scene he remembered vividly. Guo Jing went to Peach Blossom Island and met Zhou Botong, who said that practicing martial arts was the greatest joy in the world, full of endless delight. People were foolish, some loving to read and become officials, some loving gold and jade, and some loving beautiful women, but how could the joy of these compare to even a fraction of practicing martial arts? Therefore, all those who practiced martial arts, whenever they had the chance to learn deeper skills, would eagerly seek them out and compete desperately.

  When he read this scene before, he didn't quite agree. He thought practicing martial arts was indeed fun but couldn't compare to money and beautiful women. However, now, although he wasn't proficient in martial arts, he had glimpsed the door to magical skills and found them truly mysterious and endless as he learned more.

  "If I could enter the Arcanist School... how wonderful that would be."

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  Although he knew the fact was unchangeable, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

  Leovena noticed his low spirits and didn't say much, just accompanied him. "Oh, by the way," Leovena said, suddenly remembering, "I almost forgot. Before you came back, an official came and said that the day after tomorrow morning, they will help us move to the Diamond District, so we should pack up in advance."

  The Diamond District was the aristocratic residential area in Spiritshade City. Now thatLeoric was an official wizard, his social status had risen sharply, and it was no longer suitable for him to live in this civilian area. It had to be said that the efficiency of the Spiritshade City government was high; the notification had arrived beforeLeoric even returned home.

  "Hmm,"Leoric responded somewhat absentmindedly.

  At night, asLeoric was preparing to go to his own bed, Leovena suddenly said, "Leoric."

  "Yeah?"

  "Can you sleep with me tonight?" his sister asked, "I feel cold alone."

  In the past,Leoric would have eagerly agreed, but today, with his low spirits, he couldn't muster much enthusiasm. However, since Leovena had asked, he couldn't refuse. He nodded, took off his pajamas, and got into bed.

  Leovena was wearing pajamas, and it was unfortunately the time of the month for girls.Leoric didn't intend to take off her pajamas, just hugging her from behind, her back against his chest, her head resting on his arm. It had been a long time since he had hugged his sister like this; it had been five years. Her skin was still as smooth as silk, emitting a faint milky scent, but... she had indeed grown up.

  The body in his arms was fully mature. His hands moved gently, feeling the curves beneath, and just hugging her gave him a warm and satisfying feeling.

  For most of the past six months, he had hugged Freya more often. Although she was also a beautiful woman, the feeling was entirely different. Freya was much smaller and particularly restless when sleeping, like a child. WhenLeoric was with her, he felt like a big brother; but with Leovena, he felt much more relaxed, like a child.

  Leovena took off her earring and carefully put it away beside the pillow.

  "Why don't you wear it, elder sister?"Leoric asked curiously. The earring was a quasi-magical item he had crafted at school. Although it didn't have much power, it could keep Leovena's body warm at all times. Leovena had always had a slightly lower body temperature than average, and her skin was always cold, making it difficult for her to sleep warmly at night.

  "It's nothing," she said with a smile, "If I wear it, I won't feel your warmth."

  Leoric didn't say anything, hugging Leovena tightly, so tightly that she felt somewhat breathless. But his sister didn't speak, just silently enduring.

  "Sorry, elder sister,"Leoric whispered.

  "Why are you sorry?" Leovena smiled, turning over to face her younger brother, "You did well,Leoric, far exceeding my expectations. Father and Mother would definitely be proud of you."

  "You're a proud person, always have been," his sister continued, "Although you may seem casual, you're actually very arrogant. You don't care about things you don't like, no matter how well others do them; but if it's something you love, something you value, you want to do it better than anyone else."

  Leoric didn't speak, burying his face in Leovena's chest.

  "At first, you wanted to be a wizard because you wanted to rise above the crowd, because we wanted to avenge our parents," Leovena gently strokedLeoric's hair and whispered, "At that time, I didn't sense how much you loved wizardry or magic. But later, it gradually became different,Leoric. Haven't you noticed? When you came home at the end of each month, you started by talking about school events, but later, you increasingly talked about magic, sharing your insights, your progress, and your understanding. Every time you talked about these things, your eyes lit up, and you were full of energy. That vibrant, spirited look made me envy you... and even a bit jealous."

  "Elder sister…"

  "It's nothing," Leovena smiled, "Seeing my younger brother so high-spirited, I'll always feel a bit envy. To have something you truly love, something beautiful and interesting, to immerse yourself in it, is a very happy thing. Not everyone can have this happiness."

  "What about elder sister's happiness？”

  Deep down, there's always a faint thought lingering, but I've been avoiding it. I pursued my own dreams, entered the wizard school, took all my savings, and left my ten-year-old sister to live alone. What if... what if it was my sister, not me, who had become a wizard back then?

  Leovena is so smart; she would have excelled as a wizard too, right? Or maybe, a girl as outstanding as her would shine no matter what she does, given the chance.

  But because of me, she's stuck being a small merchant, working every day, running the shop, doing these mundane chores day in and day out to make ends meet, waiting for her younger brother to come home at the end of each month.

  Did I steal my sister's dream? Leovena, what do you really want?

  "I'm happy right now," Leovena whispered. "I know what you're thinking,Leoric, but those thoughts don't exist. I'm a simple girl who just wants a simple life. You and I are different. You have dreams, ambitions. You wouldn't settle for being ordinary, living an unremarkable life. You're destined to become a hero admired by all. But I'm different,Leoric. I'm content to be by your side, watching you in high spirits, seeing your radiance, watching you from afar on that tall stage, receiving applause from milLeorics. I'm content to wait for you at the door on sunset evenings when you come home."

  "That's all I dream of."

  "Sister..."

  "If I could come in first, that would be great," Leovena said, "but it's not the end of the world if I don't. Things in this world never go exactly as we wish. As long as we've tried our best, we can face tomorrow with a smile."

  No regrets after putting in the effort; face failure with a smile. Tomorrow is a new beginning.

  "Mm-hmm,"Leoric murmured half-asleep.

  Though Leovena's words seemed oddly... unlike something a sister would say to her brother. ButLeoric didn't notice any of that. His face buried deep in Leovena's chest, enveloped by her warm, sweet scent, sleepiness gradually overtook him.

  "Sleep tight, dear."

  "Mhm."