"Even in calm waters, the dragon does not sleep — it waits beneath the surface." — Ancient Chinese Proverb

"He who conquers his own heart is greater than one who conquers a thousand men." — Bhagavad Gita

The morning sun broke gently across the Aetherwind estate, its rays filtering through the tall glass windows like threads of golden silk. The entire mansion shimmered with the quiet warmth of dawn — a rare moment of peace for someone like Leo Aetherwind.

He had always been an early riser. For a man who walked the boundary between destiny and defiance, sleep was merely a short truce with exhaustion.

Leo moved through his room with graceful composure, his steps silent, his face calm. The silver hue of his eyes reflected the morning light like still water — clear, deep, unreadable.

He had just finished dressing in his academy uniform when his communicator vibrated slightly. On the screen appeared the soft yet elegant face of his mother, Lady Aetherwind — a woman whose beauty was matched only by the cold sharpness of her mind.

"Leo," she began, her tone affectionate yet commanding, "I'll be away for a few days. There are matters in the northern branch that require my attention."

Leo smiled faintly, a rare warmth flickering across his lips. "You don't have to worry, Mother. I'm not a child anymore. I can take care of myself."

His voice carried a steady calm, but there was a subtle gentleness in his eyes.

Lady Aetherwind looked at him through the screen and chuckled softly. "You always say that. But a mother never stops worrying, no matter how strong her son becomes."

He sighed lightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll be fine."

Before she could add anything, the call ended, and Leo's expression returned to its usual serenity. Yet, there was a hint of helpless fondness in his smile.

He turned away, only to notice a familiar sight — Selena standing by the doorway, her face glowing with expectation. Her sapphire-blue eyes sparkled with mischief and affection as she approached him like a cat seeking attention.

"Leo~," she said in a singsong tone as she walked closer, "You talked so sweetly with your mother, but when it comes to me, you're always cold."

Leo blinked, unmoved, but his lips curved slightly.

Before he could speak, Selena boldly hugged his arm, pressing herself against him as she pouted, her soft cheeks puffed up adorably. "You never pay attention to me. I also wish to stay by your side forever, you know?"

Her tone was light, but her eyes carried a faint trace of longing.

Leo looked down at her, his expression unreadable. For a long second, he said nothing, letting the silence stretch between them.

Then, in his calm and teasing tone, he finally replied, "You can't stay with me."

Selena froze for a moment, her eyes widening slightly.

His words struck her like a quiet thunder — sharp yet controlled. A trace of sadness flickered across her face as her grip on his arm weakened slightly.

But then Leo continued, his next words falling like gentle rain after a storm. "You can't stay with me… because you're my maid. You have to live below me, not beside me."

The words were spoken softly, but they carried that domineering undertone unique to Leo.

Selena blinked, confusion giving way to realization, and then — to joy.

Her eyes shimmered as she quickly hugged his arm tighter, her lips forming a radiant smile. "So that means you won't throw me away?"

Leo looked at her for a second, his calm eyes glinting faintly with amusement.

Instead of answering with words, he leaned slightly closer — so close that she could feel his breath on her skin. And then, without warning, he pressed his lips gently against hers.

It was a brief, almost ethereal kiss — light, smooth, and fleeting.

For a second, Selena froze completely. Her mind went blank, her heartbeat stopped, and then — it thundered in her chest like a drum.

Her face flushed crimson. Her lips trembled slightly as she blinked rapidly, unable to believe what had just happened.

Leo straightened casually as if nothing had occurred, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead.

Selena's entire body stiffened for a heartbeat before she spun on her heel and bolted down the hall, her face bright red like a ripe apple.

Leo watched her flee, the corner of his lips lifting ever so slightly in amusement. "So easy to fluster…" he murmured quietly, almost affectionately.

The sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating his calm face — the face of a man who carried both mystery and control in every breath.

Moments later, he was already making his way toward the academy, walking at his usual unhurried pace.

The streets were lively, filled with students and morning chatter. Yet, Leo's presence remained like still water amidst the chaos — untouched, undisturbed, sovereign.

When he arrived at the academy gates, the air buzzed faintly with whispers. He ignored them all as usual, stepping into the classroom with his calm, unreadable expression.

His gaze swept the room once, automatically locating two familiar figures — Selena and Lu Xio.

Selena, as always, was radiant. Her posture was elegant, her hair tied neatly, her eyes full of calm confidence.

Lu Xio, on the other hand, was trying — and failing — to talk to her again. His eager, slightly awkward smile never left his face as he stood beside her, attempting conversation after conversation.

Selena, however, clearly had no patience left. Her arms were crossed, her face expressionless as she glanced at him coldly.

When he continued talking, she scolded him sharply, her tone as biting as winter frost.

Leo didn't intervene. He simply observed the scene with mild disinterest, taking his seat as if nothing in the world concerned him.

He noticed one thing though — Roxanne was absent. A quick glance at his phone confirmed what Butler Wang had informed him earlier: Roxanne had gone with her family to visit a shrine outside the city for a few days.

"A shrine visit, huh?" Leo thought. Perhaps fate gives them all a break before chaos returns.

His attention was drawn away as he received another message. This time, it was from his shadow force — a covert network of agents loyal to him, trained to operate beneath the world's notice.

The message was brief:

[Target: Alex Whitefield has locked himself in his residence. No external contact. Emotional state unstable.]

Leo's lips twitched slightly, and a faint smile appeared. "So the monkey has caged himself," he murmured softly, his tone carrying that faint trace of sarcasm that only he could make sound elegant.

He leaned back in his chair, thinking quietly to himself. Perhaps his destiny value has finally begun to drop. And with that, fate sends another protagonist to balance the scale.

He chuckled under his breath. "Balance, huh? What a ridiculous concept."

Still, he made no further comment. To Leo, Alex's downfall was simply another turn of the wheel — the fading of one hero's flame before the next one lit.

The rest of the class went by in silence, his mind drifting elsewhere.

As soon as the bell rang, Leo rose and adjusted his coat slightly. He barely made it a few steps before Selena appeared before him once again, her bright eyes sparkling with happiness as she immediately clung to his arm.

"Leo~ let's go home!" she said cheerfully.

Leo didn't protest. He let her hold his arm, his expression calm and neutral as always. He had long accepted that resisting Selena's clinginess was like resisting the tide.

They began to walk down the corridor together, attracting several envious and astonished glances from the other students.

But then Leo's sharp eyes caught sight of something unusual.

Across the courtyard, Lu Xio was talking enthusiastically to a large, chubby guy with a loud voice and exaggerated gestures.

The two of them seemed close — perhaps new friends, perhaps allies in some yet-to-unfold tale.

Leo's eyes narrowed slightly, curiosity flickering across his expression. He discreetly raised his phone and captured the fat guy's image before sending it to his shadow force with a single instruction:

"Find out everything about him."

The message was delivered instantly.

Without another glance, Leo continued walking away, Selena still clinging happily to his arm as they left the academy grounds together.

"In stillness, the wise observe what others overlook." — Confucian saying.

Leo's eyes gleamed faintly. Beneath the calm of his expression, his mind was already setting the next chessboard.

The late afternoon sun filtered through the open windows of the mansion, painting streaks of gold across the marble floor.

Leo sat silently in his study, leaning back against his chair, lost in the stillness that followed the day's minor chaos.

The warm light softened his expression, but the thoughts swirling behind those calm eyes remained sharp as blades hidden beneath silk.

Moments ago, Butler Wang had bowed and withdrawn, leaving Leo alone with his own musings.

> "Young master, we discovered another important thing about Lu Xio," Butler Wang had said earlier, his tone cautious and steady. "His sister, Lu Ruolan, took a heavy loan from local loan sharks to support her brother's cultivation.

She's new to this town, and her bakery is barely surviving. The debt collectors have already begun causing trouble."

The words echoed faintly in Leo's mind like ripples over a tranquil lake.

He sighed quietly. "So, the thread continues. What a perfect reflection of a typical protagonist's tragic backstory — a selfless sister drowning in debt while her foolish brother chases empty dreams."

A faint, cold smile tugged at his lips. "What a world," he murmured, eyes gleaming faintly in the fading sunlight. "He gets a gentle, responsible elder sister, yet he burdens her without realizing the cost.

Only someone marked by the heavens as a protagonist could be blessed even in ignorance."

He leaned back and closed his eyes. "If he weren't a protagonist, fate itself would have discarded him long ago."

> "When Heaven wishes to destroy someone, it first blinds them with arrogance." — Ancient Chinese Proverb

Leo chuckled lightly at the thought, tapping his finger against the armrest rhythmically. "Blind arrogance, indeed. These so-called chosen ones… always stepping into fortune while others pay the price."

Outside, the faint clinking of porcelain and muffled laughter drifted through the corridor. Selena and Ann were in the kitchen again, preparing the afternoon tea and snacks.

Their voices—soft, cheerful, and innocent—brought an unusual warmth to the otherwise cold mansion.

Leo, ever composed, stood up and walked toward the parlor. He didn't rush, his steps echoing lightly against the polished floor as if the entire world waited for his movement.

When he entered, Selena turned around first, her face bright and glowing like the first sunlight after rain.

She held a tray of freshly baked cookies, golden brown and still steaming. Ann followed, holding a delicate teapot and two cups, her hands slightly trembling in nervous excitement.

"Master Leo," Selena said with a sweet smile, "we made your favorite cookies today!"

Her enthusiasm filled the room instantly. Ann stood beside her, shyly lowering her gaze.

Leo glanced at both, his lips curling into a faint, teasing smile. "Oh?" he asked, his voice calm and melodic. "My cute little maids working together, hmm?"

He shifted his attention toward Ann, whose cheeks immediately flushed pink.

"Oh, my adorable Ann," Leo said playfully, resting his chin on his hand, "you even made cute cookies. So thoughtful of you."

Ann nearly fumbled the tray, her face turning red as rose petals. "M-Master… it's nothing, really…"

Selena pouted immediately, stepping closer and puffing her cheeks. "Even I made some desserts! Why aren't you praising me, huh? I worked hard too!"

Leo chuckled softly, his amusement genuine this time. Her reactions reminded him of a small, spoiled cat that craved attention only from her master.

He reached out and gently flicked her forehead. "You talk too much, Selena," he said with a smirk.

Selena held her forehead dramatically but then smiled again, radiant and content.

> "The heart that knows laughter even amidst sorrow is a heart that conquers fate." — Ancient Indian Saying

In that moment, Leo felt a strange sense of peace. Despite the chaos waiting outside, despite the battles that fate had yet to unveil, this moment—simple, quiet, filled with warmth—was oddly grounding.

Ann shyly poured tea for him, the faint aroma of jasmine spreading through the air. Selena sat beside Leo without invitation, leaning slightly closer than necessary, her soft laughter echoing like wind chimes.

Leo took a slow sip, his gaze distant but his presence commanding.

Selena kept talking endlessly, recounting silly stories from class, teasing remarks from other students, and even her own thoughts about Lu Xio.

But Leo said little. He preferred to listen in silence, observing every tone and gesture, as though each word carried a hidden truth.

Inwardly, however, his thoughts were still sharp and analytical.

Lu Xio's sister is drowning in debt… he's the kind who'll soon awaken a sense of responsibility through pain and rage. The system of destiny always compensates the protagonist through loss.

He set down the teacup, a faint glimmer of calculation in his gaze.

When she suffers enough, he'll grow stronger. The script is predictable. But…

He smiled faintly, the edge of his lips curving upward like a shadowed crescent moon.

I won't let that happen. This time, I will control the script.

> "Those who understand the pattern of Heaven can rewrite it." — Old Daoist Saying

"Fate may be written, but destiny belongs to those who dare." — Bhagavad Gita-inspired reflection

Leo took another sip of tea, the bitter taste grounding him back in reality. Selena's laughter echoed again, pulling his mind away from darker thoughts.

She leaned toward him, her eyes glimmering mischievously. "Master Leo, did I tell you what happened to that Lu Xio today? He kept bothering me again, trying to show off!"

Leo raised an eyebrow, feigning mild interest.

"I told him," she said proudly, placing her hands on her hips, "'If you think smiling that crooked smile will make me like you, dream on!'"

She imitated Lu Xio's expression, making Leo nearly laugh.

Her imitation was so exaggerated and accurate that even his composed self found it difficult to hold back. He shook his head slowly, smirking. "That was quite the performance," he murmured, hiding his amusement.

Selena grinned in triumph. "See? Even you almost laughed!"

Ann covered her mouth and giggled quietly, her eyes full of admiration for the cheerful maid who dared to act so freely in front of their cold, distant young master.

---

The peacefulness of the moment stretched on, wrapping the mansion in an atmosphere of delicate harmony.

But deep in Leo's eyes, there was always that unspoken weight—the awareness of fate's pattern weaving endlessly around him.

As he looked at Selena and Ann laughing together, he thought briefly, In this world of shifting destinies, even peace is temporary.

Yet, even knowing that, he allowed himself a faint smile.

> "The calm sea hides the storm beneath; the wise man smiles before the battle begins." — Ancient Proverb

He stood up, his shadow stretching long behind him as the last rays of light faded through the curtains.

Selena noticed and asked softly, "Master, are you going somewhere?"

Leo looked at her, his gaze unreadable but gentle. "No," he said after a pause, "I'm exactly where I should be."

And with that, he turned toward the window, gazing at the orange sky that signaled the end of the day.

Selena leaned her head against his arm once more, closing her eyes in contentment. Ann sat quietly nearby, her shy smile soft and full of admiration.

For a fleeting instant, the mansion felt like a home—peaceful, full of light and warmth.

But Leo knew better.

Peace is nothing but the silence before the storm.

And somewhere beyond that golden horizon, new threads of destiny were already beginning to move.

---

End of Chapter

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