Leoric tossed and turned in a melancholic haze, his restlessness extending deep into the night. Seven long years of contemplation had yielded naught; what difference could one sleepless night possibly make? The only consequence was that he overslept, awakening far later than his usual time.

When he finally stirred, his head felt as heavy as a stone, and the faint touch of fever lingered. Gazing out the window, he saw that the artificial sun of Spiritshade City had transitioned from its crimson dawn to a mid-morning blaze, likely around the tenth hour.

Clambering out of bed, Leoric shuffled into the living room, where he found his sister Leovena engrossed in sorting through the spell components they had gathered the previous day. Peas awaited grinding into powder, saffron needed drying, licorice roots required slicing, and the captured spiders had to be kept alive in bottles, essential for casting Spider Climb spells – the spider must be swallowed whole, still wriggling.

The unfortunate shadow ring snake had been gutted, its tongue carefully wrapped in paper, and its skin meticulously peeled away. The meat was set aside in the kitchen, destined for a soup later.

Leoric's family ran a spell component shop, reminiscent of an ancient Chinese pharmacy, with all manner of peculiar ingredients that demanded meticulous organization within tiny drawers. Customers would arrive to purchase them by the ounce or pound – for this world knew no units like jin or liang. Leoric and Leovena often assisted their parents with this tedious task.

Leoric didn't begrudge the work, despite its monotony. After all, if he aspired to become a wizard, familiarizing himself with these materials early on could only be beneficial. However, the repetition over time had dimmed his initial enthusiasm.

"Up already?" Leovena greeted him without averting her gaze from her task. "Breakfast is on the table."

"Where are Mom and Dad?" Leoric asked, curiosity piqued.

"They went out shopping," Leovena replied. "It's their tenth wedding anniversary."

Leoric observed Leovena's radiant countenance and felt perplexed. "Why are you so delighted about their anniversary?"

"I just am," she said simply.

Leoric shrugged, unable to contest her sentiment. Girls seemed to place immense significance on such milestones. In his former life, his second girlfriend had ended their relationship because he couldn't recall the exact date they first met, claiming it proved he didn't value their relationship. Though Leoric believed he did care, he had no choice but to let her go when she insisted.

Banishing these irrelevant thoughts, Leoric turned his attention to breakfast. Dining alone could be tedious, but life required some joy – if not naturally occurring, then one must create it.

As he sipped his milk, Leoric watched his sister, finding solace in this simple pleasure amidst his otherwise mundane existence.

(Version One: Leovena and Leoric were twins, with Leovena emerging first, thus claiming the title of elder sibling. Despite her tender age, her beauty was undeniable, and all agreed she would blossom into a stunningly attractive woman.)

(Version Two: Leovena and Leoric were not blood-related. According to their mother, Leoric was originally her sister's child, orphaned shortly after birth when his biological parents perished. Their mother took him in as her own. Since both were born on the same morning, it was impossible to determine who was older, but Leoric, having arrived later in the household, was considered the younger sibling. During those early days, Leoric had been newly reincarnated and barely aware of his surroundings. He had no memories of his biological parents and thus regarded his adoptive parents as his true family. By their mother's account, Leoric and Leovena were technically cousins, but...)

"Sister, are you certain we're not twins?" Leoric inquired.

"Are you feeling unwell?" she responded.

"No, I'm serious. We were born on the same morning, right? And don't you think we resemble each other?"

"Many people share birthdays; does that make them twins?" Leovena continued her work without looking up. "And regarding our resemblance, aren't you embarrassed?"

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"Embarrassed? Why should I be?"

"You're a boy, yet you look like a girl. Isn't that embarrassing?"

"I don't look like a girl!"

"I'm a girl, correct?"

"Yes."

"And we look alike, right?"

"Well... yes."

"So, you resemble me – a girl. Therefore, you look like a girl."

Her flawless logic left Leoric speechless. Even if he wished to argue, he could find no retort.

Truthfully, Leoric and Leovena did bear a striking resemblance, leading many to assume they were twins. It wasn't that Leoric appeared feminine, but rather that Leovena embodied a unique blend of beauty and strength.

Leovena was indeed exquisitely beautiful, even at her young age, and everyone foretold that she would mature into a breathtakingly gorgeous woman. Leoric wholeheartedly agreed. But beauty took many forms – coquettish, petite, cute, gentle – and Leovena combined gentleness with a subtle aura of vigor.

In fact, Leoric adored her deeply, more than anyone else.

Frankly, Leoric harbored a profound affection for his sister – an "older sister complex," so to speak. While some idolized their parents, others preferred younger or older romantic interests, Leoric firmly believed in the allure of an elder sister. Having been an only child in his past life, he had always yearned for a beautiful older sister. His favorite tales involved intricate sibling relationships.

If asked which plotline he despised most in novels, he would undoubtedly declare, "I hate those stories where siblings end up together after discovering they're not related." In short, Leoric was an unabashed "sister-lover."

Now, having been reborn, despite other aspects of his new life being less than ideal, having a beautiful older sister brought him immense joy – even if they weren't biologically related. Growing up together had forged a bond as strong as that of true siblings. Leoric, however, respected boundaries – he would never dream of acting on his feelings toward a seven-year-old girl, especially since he himself was also only seven.

He could wait until they were older, he thought mischievously.

Overall, Leoric and Leovena shared a harmonious relationship, their bond unwavering and supportive.

Living with the consciousness of an adult trapped in a child's body for seven years had been arduous. Leoric had to be cautious not to reveal anything out of place, lest he be deemed a freak and subjected to scrutiny. The only times he could relax were when he was alone with Leovena.

Leovena was a remarkable sister – kind, considerate, and intelligent, always wearing a sweet smile. She never lost her temper, no matter what Leoric did wrong. She was also the only one privy to Leoric's dream of becoming a wizard.

In Spiritshade City, aspiring to be a wizard was considered a noble pursuit. Leoric's ambition wasn't something to conceal; it was admirable. However, given his unusual background, he feared that revealing too much might lead to unforeseen consequences, perhaps even being used as a test subject by wizards. Furthermore, knowing their financial situation, he realized his parents couldn't afford to send him to wizard school.

But spending so much time with Leovena inevitably led to slips of the tongue.

"Do you want to be a wizard?" Leovena once asked.

"Yeah."

Since Leovena knew, there was no need to hide it. Every child dreamed of becoming a wizard.

"It's tough to become a wizard," Leovena remarked.

"I know, it's just a thought."

"But it's not impossible," she said. "Haven't you heard of the 'Decider'?"

Yes, the Decider.

The Decider was a legend known throughout Spiritshade City. It was said that somewhere within the city, a mysterious figure observed children and adolescents, identifying those with exceptional arcane talent. This person would secretly take them away for rigorous wizard training, bypassing the need for formal schooling and tuition fees.

No one knew the true identity of the Decider. Some speculated it was a high-ranking archmage, others thought it was one of the twelve princes of the city lord, or perhaps the deputy mayor, Lord Hojaana, or even the city lord himself, Telamont. Speculation was rife, but certainty eluded them.

For Leoric, however, it remained just a legend. He had never encountered anyone who had actually been chosen by the Decider. Even his parents couldn't confirm whether anyone in their family had ever been selected.

Even if he did possess extraordinary magical talent, relying on such a whimsical tale was unrealistic.

Leovena understood the slim chances of such hopes materializing and never mentioned it again. When Leoric inquired about her dreams, she merely smiled and said,“I just hope to live a happy life.”

“What does happiness mean to you?”Leoric pressed.

Leovena shook her head. “I don’t know yet. Maybe someday I’ll figure it out.”

Indeed, growing up in Spiritshade City, especially in a merchant family, it was wise not to expect too much from the future.

ButLeoric wasn’t ready to give up.

After a hearty breakfast,Leoric felt comfortably full and lay back on the sofa, watching Leovena work diligently. He wasn’t particularly industrious, especially with his parents out and the weather so pleasant. He planned to either nap or play outside, rather than help with chores.

But his beautiful sister was hardworking, as always.

“Saffron goes in drawer seventeen…”

“Agave in drawer thirty-one…”

She murmured softly, placing each item in its designated spot.Leoric lounged lazily, admiring the diligent little girl as she moved about, imagining how stunning she would be as an adult. The warm sunlight streamed through the window, bathing everything in a cozy glow.

Life seemed quite pleasant indeed.

Until someone rushed in, disrupting Leoric’s moment of peace.