At the end of the piers, a luxurious carriage awaited Leo. In the past, he hadn’t fully grasped his status in the family, despite such glaring details.

Luxurious carriages, spacious enough to feature a small drink bar and equipped with comfortable seats suitable for sleeping, were a rare commodity reserved for those of high status. His ignorance had caused him a great deal of suffering. But what could he have done? Back then, he was but a bullied and weak eighteen-year-old kid.

With memories flashing before his eyes, Leo absentmindedly stepped into the carriage and sank into the soft, cushioned seats. Following him, Ellyse entered the carriage and took a seat opposite him, her gaze lowered as she tried to avoid eye contact.

The situation felt utterly bizarre. Her worldview and reality had been completely upended. The boy in a suit opposite her wasn’t cosplaying. The horse-driven carriage was real, as were the ships and the men from her memories. Everything pointed her mind in a specific direction.

Ellyse looked at her hand. It was smaller than what she was used to seeing, with bruises and calluses. The skin was dry and rough. No matter how much she stared, she knew it wasn’t hers.

There is no afterlife. I simply reincarnated into someone else’s body.

Ellyse had calmed down after her initial shock and was forcing herself to widen her perspective and understand the situation.

For someone who died, reincarnated, and is now placed in a weird situation, I am surprisingly calm. Neither am I panicking nor am I worried about what would happen next.

Sigh… is it because I’ve died once and my brain’s relaxed, thinking I could simply start a new life again after dying?

Ellyse knitted her brows.

No. These are some dangerous thoughts. I should avoid thinking about them.

Death is no joke. There is no telling if I would reincarnate again like this. The current situation is quite abnormal anyway.

I have to try my best to survive and stay safe from scary people like the creepy men from the memories.

After steeling her resolve to survive, Ellyse took a deep breath and looked up.

Leo watched her actions from the opposite seat.

Her emotions must've stabilized to some extent. I should let her know a few things about this world.

"You..." Leo began, startling Ellyse.

“Yes?” she responded, trying her best to stay composed.

‘There’s no need to panic. I've done nothing wrong, so there shouldn't be any problems,’ She thought while staring at Leo’s indifferent eyes.

“...how are you feeling?”

Ellyse felt a wave of relief wash over her. The boy's question indicated he meant no malice or had any ulterior motives. For now, she was safe.

“I’m fine.”

“Good to know,” Leo said calmly, crossing his legs and staring right into Ellyse’s black eyes, his gaze turning fierce.

“There are a few things you should be aware of. First and foremost, I know you are not this frail girl internally.”

“!!!!”

Ellyse's eyes widened in shock, and she reflexively jumped to her feet as a profound sense of crisis washed over her.

With a single stride, Leo closed the gap between them, pushing Ellyse back onto the seat. He covered her mouth with one hand, gripped her shoulder with the other, and pressed his shin against her legs, keeping her firmly in place.

“Mmhfff! Mmhfff! Mmhfff!”

Ellyse struggled and thrashed, attempting to break free from Leo's grasp while emitting muffled screams.

Leo's current physique was superior to his past life’s, but it remained weak and untrained. He struggled slightly to restrain the girl. Fortunately, she was frail and malnourished, granting him the upper hand.

Tears welled up in Ellyse's eyes as despair engulfed her. No matter how hard she fought to resist and flee, she found herself unable to break free. She felt utterly powerless and helpless.

After half a minute of intense resistance, Ellyse found herself drained of all energy. She gave up trying to resist as tears streamed down her pale face.

Leo sighed and said, “I am not trying to harm you, young lady. Listen to me first. Your behavior, you, you are surprisingly calm for someone who had just died. I was watching from the beginning and checked you after everyone was gone. You were definitely dead. It was a bit of a shock for me as well when I saw you come back to life.”

Ellyse's remaining resistance faded away as she listened to Leo speak. His words resonated with her, and she recognized the grave mistake she had made.

“You don’t have to worry about possessing this girl’s body. You may not know it, but the value of life in this world of a mortal commoner like you is worth less than a pound of bread. No one would suspect you unless you gave it away like you just did after my question.”

Ellyse grew completely calm and ceased crying upon hearing that. Rationality returned to her, and thoughts of escape vanished.

Leo slowly loosened his hold on her and continued, “You will be killed again if you do anything suspicious. Stick close to me from here onwards and don’t say or do anything unless I ask you to. You’ll be walking behind me as my servant, a maid, so try to act like one.”

Leo released her and calmly took a seat across from her.

“This archipelago is the territory of those red-haired men you just saw. They are everywhere like hyenas and will not hesitate to tear you down. The man with the large build that was chasing you initially, he’s going to be present where we are heading. That red-haired muscular man and the one who killed you will be there as well.”

Ellyse's body trembled as a chill ran down her spine. She had never experienced such intense dread before in her life, not even during the times she was bullied.

‘What sort of world have I entered?’

Unaware of her thoughts, Leo sighed and said, “Please cooperate with me and you’ll be fine. In case you’re wondering why I am helping you, it’s because I want you as my ally.”

Leo could have provided further explanation, but he opted not to. Sometimes, saying less proved more beneficial. Given the girl's current state of mind, even if he elaborated on why he was harmless and why she should be with him, she wouldn't comprehend. It was preferable for her to experience everything gradually and then reach her own conclusion.

With the calmness she had displayed so far after reincarnating, it gave Leo some confidence in knowing she would make the right choice. However, if she proved foolish enough to oppose him, he reluctantly acknowledged he would have to eliminate her, which would be troublesome.

This was going to be a gamble, but it was something worth risking.

Left to herself, Ellyse's head throbbed as thousands of thoughts flooded her mind one after another. Who was this guy? What did he mean by ally? Where were they heading? What will happen when her enemies see her? What will they do? Will she be killed again?

Excessive worry caused her to clutch her head. She was under tremendous stress, on a scale much larger than she had ever experienced before. She didn’t respond to Leo’s proposal and tried to sort her thoughts out.

The carriage headed towards the center of the island, making its way to the base of an active volcano. Rows of buildings lined the slope of the volcano, connected by stone stairs instead of pavements or roads. People could be seen moving about, appearing as tiny as ants when viewed from the base.

The carriage halted in front of a rectangular building topped with a massive dome. It boasted only one large entry gate, shaped in an oval arch. Expensive marble replaced the cobblestone pavements from the entry point of the gate.

Leo stepped down from the carriage, and Ellyse followed suit. She endured extreme anxiety as thoughts of encountering the killers of this body haunted her mind.

Staring at the entrance of the building and noticing numerous red-haired youths entering along with various servants, Leo spoke without turning back, “Stick close to me and do not disobey any command I give you. If you don't, the consequences will be dire and I won't be able to save you.”

“Remember…” Leo turned his face to the side. “Your life is worth nothing as of this moment. Move with caution.”

Leo started walking towards the entrance without asking Ellyse to follow him. He had already stressed the importance of sticking close to her. If she chose not to do so even now, there wasn't much more he could do to help her.

Gulping nervously, Ellyse hurried to Leo's side and matched his pace as they walked towards the entrance.

Upon entering the building, Leo found himself in a large hall adorned with bright golden and white chandeliers, and colorfully tinted windows. The hall was filled with numerous tables and chairs. Leo casually took a seat in a corner, hoping nobody would bother him.

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As minutes passed, the hall filled with a sea of red as teenagers aged 16-18 from the Ignis family gathered together. The round tables around Leo became occupied, leaving him unable to hide from the gazes of these people, not that he had intended to do so in the first place.

“Oh? Who do we have here…”

A familiar voice echoed in Leo's ears. Ignoring the boy, Leo focused on sipping the tea that had been served to him a while ago. Beside him, Ellyse trembled upon hearing the voice directed towards Leo. She lowered her head and stared at the tea in her hand, avoiding any interaction with whoever was trying to bother them.

“Eh? Young Master Viren, you know this outsider?”

A red-haired boy with a sycophantic expression on his face approached Viren as they walked towards Leo.

“Hahaha, how could I not know of him? He's Uncle Patrick’s son.”

“Eh? The Patriarch candidate Sir Patrick?” The bootlicker asked with an exaggerated shocked gasp, showing off his top-tier bootlicking skills.

“Yes, that's correct.”

“How is that possible?” A girl around Viren asked. “Uncle Patrick has one of the purest bloodlines, how come he has a son with no purity?”

“Shhhh… we must not talk about that,” said Viren while putting a finger on his lips. His voice wasn't hushed; it carried across the entire hall.

“I heard that a woman threw herself at Uncle Patrick, and taking pity, he took her in as a wife. She’s quite the seductress from what the rumors say, but the seductive body was incapable of producing even a single heir with the family’s bloodline. Her children don't even qualify to be in the branch families.”

“Damn…”

The people around Viren gasped upon hearing his words and cast vicious looks in Leo's direction.

Leo remained calm, continuing to sip his tea. He listened attentively to every word Viren spoke, though it stirred a simmering anger within him. Sensing that the timing wasn't right to react, he chose to remain silent.

“So does that mean that Sir Patrick has allowed this boy to be here as a form of pity for the woman?” A quick-witted boy beside Viren asked, adding fuel to the fire.

“That’s right,” Viren agreed without even thinking about what he was agreeing to.

“Wrong.”

A melodious and loud voice shook Viren and his lackeys.

As everyone turned around, they saw a petite red-haired girl in a white and red hanfu approaching them. Her sharp eyebrows conveyed her stern reaction, and combined with her bright red hair, it instilled fear in all the dark red-haired children around Viren.

“Young miss Yu!”

Someone quickly identified her and exclaimed.

“Shit, it’s really that young miss Yu!”

“She’s more beautiful than the rumors!”

“Such a doll-like cute face… ah… I’m melting…”

“Young miss Yu! Young miss Yu!

Fans of the girl called Yu flocked all around her trying to curry favor and earn some brownie points by bootlicking, giving tough competition to the bootlicker by Viren’s side.

Behind the girl called Yu, a dozen servants guarded her from the annoying red-haired pests flocking close to her. Leo's brows twitched at her arrival, yet he remained silent, seated quietly in place.

“You are totally wrong!” Yu repeated her words, this time with more firmness as she walked close to Viren.

A butler directed a red-haired boy to vacate his seat and positioned it behind Yu. She promptly sat down and crossed her legs.

“Do you think Uncle Patrick is someone who’s moved by pity? He’s a man that only cares about benefits. If that boy is here, then isn’t the answer obvious as to why that's the case?”

“Young miss Yu, forgive this ignorant one, but he truly does not understand your profound words,” replied a boy near Yu, even though he was capable of understanding what she was implying.

Yu scoffed and answered while staring into Viren’s eyes, “Given how lecherous Uncle Patrick’s character is, what do you think a woman that’s rumored to be seductive would’ve offered him? Isn’t the answer obvious? She obviously—“

BAM—!

“Ahhhhh!”

Viren screamed in pain as he fell to the floor.

The crowd gasped in shock, and Yu raised her eyebrows in surprise. As people moved aside, they noticed a green-haired boy standing behind the broken table near where Viren sat.

None of them could make out what had happened as they were busy focusing on Yu, Viren included.

“You! How dare you—“

Before Yu could speak or the bootlickers could react, Leo approached Viren and stepped on the piece of wood that had stabbed into his leg, causing him to howl in pain.

“Aaahhhhhhh—!”

The loud voice drew everyone in the hall toward him. Yu furrowed her brows as tension surged within her. She was ready to attack the green-haired bastard at any moment if he dared to come close to her.

“Elders!”

Contrary to everyone's expectations, Leo did not move. Instead, he shouted and called for the elders, leaving everyone involved bewildered.

“Elders! Elders! Elders!”

“Please come help me!”

Leo shouted again as if he was in great distress.

Hurried footsteps became louder with the passing seconds and soon, a few people wearing black-colored robes, exuding a powerful aura, gathered around Yu, Viren, and Leo.

“What’s happening?” An elder with a burly figure asked, looking around.

“Elder!” Leo quickly addressed with a sorrowful expression and puppy eyes. “Do you know, I was just trying to go to the washroom, but someone tried to block me with their leg. I tripped, then fell on the table, breaking it. Now, as I tried to get up and walk, these people here are blocking me again.”

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Aaaahhhhhh—!”

Viren howled again as Leo took a step back while pushing the wood further into his leg.

“Gehhh. Why’s he shouting like that? It’s hurting my ears…”

Leo rubbed his ear and said. His expression was as innocent as a three year old child’s.

The hall fell silent as everyone listened to the nonsense Leo had just spouted. He spoke with such ease, as if expecting everyone to buy into his story without question.

“Elders! Elders punish that bastard! He’s the one that hurt me!” From the ground, Viren shouted. “Isn’t fighting prohibited in the Awakening Hall? Take action, eldersss! Do me justice!”

“That’s right. Fighting is prohibited,” an elder with a lanky build said and walked towards Leo.

“Hm?” Leo tilted his head in confusion and took a step back, not letting the elder touch him. “Why are you coming close to me, elder? I know I look cute, but I am not into men.”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

“What?”

The elders, the bootlickers, the spectators, Yu, and even the lying-on-the-ground screaming Viren expressed their befuddlement.

The lanky build elder clenched his fist in anger. Nobody had ever dared to say such a thing to him before and this boy… he was openly disrespecting him!

“Elder, before you try to touch me or take action, do you mind telling me what I’ve done?”

Before they could take action, Leo spoke.

The lanky elder knitted his brows. “Boy, pretending to be innocent won’t make you innocent. You’ll be severely punished in the disciplinary hall for your audacity.”

“I am fine with it as long as it is proven that I’ve done something. First tell me, what wrong have I done?”

The elder frowned, along with the rest of the red-haired who had more or less the same reaction.

“Bastard, did you not stab Viren? Isn’t that enough proof?” Yu shouted on top of her lungs.

“Is that so?” Leo asked calmly. “Where’s the evidence of it?”

“Evidence? Is he, the one lying on the floor and screaming in pain, not enough evidence?” Yu stomped her foot on the ground, right beside Viren, scaring him, and pointed at him.

Leo shook his head at her words and calmly explained, “I can see he’s in pain and got stabbed by a piece of wood. But I don’t see how I was the one that did it. As you know, I was sitting in that corner and minding my own business, until you people created a commotion.”

“What the— what nonsense are you spouting, you piece of shit!?”

“Wow. Elders, do you see the tone young miss Yu is using? I’ve not said a single disrespectful thing or done anything, yet I am being told such harsh words. Is this justice? Is this how the disciplinary committee operates? Letting snobby brats say whatever they wish in a place like the sacred Awakening Hall?”

“Huh—“

“Young miss Yu, I hope you refrain from speaking profanities from here onwards.”

The bulky elder walked beside her and said, staring right into her eyes with his overbearing ones.

Yu gulped in nervousness and immediately shut up. The disciplinary committee was not something she could afford to go against. They were not theirs or anyone’s servants. They weren't beholden to anyone and had the authority to take whatever action they deemed necessary within the Awakening Hall and their operational areas.

The bulky elder then turned to look at the lanky one. “Elder, before you take action, I hope you provide that boy with the proof he’s asking.”

“That boy on the ground is screaming in pain, elder Kim. That should be enough proof,” argued the lanky one.

The bulky elder called Kim shook his head. “Neither you nor me saw the boy hit this one. Nobody else did as well in the hall. What if whatever he’s saying was true? We can’t punish a youngster of the main family like that without any basis or we’ll lose credibility.”

Elder Kim walked towards the lanky elder and placed his hand on his shoulder.

“Elder, you must know that we are meant to be impartial. I hope you don’t punish someone just by hearing words from someone else and not having any evidence.”

The grip on the lanky elder’s shoulder was firm, making him gulp a mouthful of saliva.

Now that he thought about it, there really was no proof of the boy hitting the table or Viren. Shit… he really was jumping to conclusions and was about to punish this boy. What if he had done it? What would’ve happened then?

The man shuddered at the thought. The disciplinary committee was not only strict with outsiders but also enforced strict standards on their own members. Each member's work was cross-checked by two random officials to ensure accuracy in judgments. If someone was found to have made a mistake, the consequences were severe.

“You lot, go back to your seats. And someone come heal this boy. We’ll investigate first and after finding appropriate evidence, severely punish the perpetrators.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

“That’s so nice to hear. Good luck on your job, elders. Now if you may, I really have to go to the washroom.”

Saying so, Leo stepped forwards, ‘accidentally’ stepping on the piece of wood stabbed in Viren’s legs.

“Aaahhhhhhhh—!”

“Oops, I didn’t see that.”

Leo's expression was so contrived that it was obvious he was feigning ignorance. However, there was no way for them to prove whether he had accidentally stepped on it or if it was intentional.

Shaking his head, Leo walked past Viren and appeared in front of Yu, his expression calm and neutral.

Leo shot her a glance, and was about to walk past her, when he stopped and looked at her and her servants.

“Ehhh? Elders, please come here and see this!”