My brother was the most eligible bachelor and the most notorious playboy in the kingdom. He was the handsome and charming son of the grand duke, the brother to the saint, and the strongest mage in history, leaving a trail of broken hearts wherever he went.

As a young man of nineteen, he had moved out of our mansion and into a tower in the Royal Institute for Magic Research after graduating the academy. The place was like a university or laboratory from my past life, an open community where the best mages learned, taught students, and conducted research. Despite the name, it wasn’t very associated with the royal family, and was funded through various sources, House Avington being a great contributor.

Damian was technically a student there working towards his Fifth Class credentials, the equivalent of a PhD, having earned his other degrees earlier. However, he was also one of their top researchers, and spent most of his time locked and experimenting in his tower with Kyle, who had become his assistant.

“We’re here, my lady.”

My carriage pulled up in front of a new restaurant for high society. Damian and I saw each other as often as we could, writing letters to each other daily, and today we were having lunch together. In the worst case scenario, it could be the last time we spend in peace for a while.

My personal knight, Mikhail, who had announced to me our arrival, opened the carriage door. Normally, he would escort me, but before he could extend a hand, Damian glided in from the sky, stepping on air and landing softly in front of me. He smiled and hugged me.

“Aww, my adorable little sister. You get prettier every time I see you.”

“Of course I do. Nice entrance, by the way. Shall we?”

He let go of me and offered an arm. I took it, and we strode inside, where we were seated next to a window overlooking a beautiful canal. We erupted into conversation, like always.

“How are Mother and Father? Say hello to them for me, won’t you?”

“They’re good, and I will. What about you? Which new unlucky girl are you courting?”

“I’m insulted! No one, if you must know. Kyle and I are close to a big discovery, but I do have a line waiting for when I’m done.”

Alas, such was fate. Damian was workaholic enough to just happen to be single when he would meet Catherine right after his big discovery. I sighed.

“I doubt any of them is as good as Delilah.”

“That’s too bad, then.”

Damian wasn’t interested in talking about Delilah, and that had been the problem. A few years ago, she had convinced her mother to discuss a possible betrothal with Father, only to be firmly rejected by Damian, who had said he was uninterested in an engagement of any kind.

Being the perfect lady, Delilah took it well on the outside. However, she avoided him like her life depended on it, and was absolutely cold to him whenever they met, outside of required politeness. He didn’t think much of it and treated her with his usual flattery, which I thought only wounded her more, her pride and heart.

I could see why so many fell in love with my brother. Like me, no matter what angle one looked at, he was the definition of beauty. Pale blonde hair carelessly yet elegant falling in front of his face, and those enchanting purple eyes. His personality, flirtatious but endearing and utterly bewitching, and cutely workaholic. I was proud of him, and to be his sister.

“You know, I don’t care how many girls you have. As long as you’re loyal to me, right?”

“My dear, dear, Val. How are you still questioning that?”

“Oh, maybe because I hear about a new girl being heartbroken by you every week?”

He laughed, an enticing sound, as expected of the womanizer second male lead. As I had made him do over and over again, he promised to me.

“I swear that you are the only one I love, and the only one I will ever love. You are everything to me, and I’ll die before I lose you. I want to stay with you and keep you mine forever. Mine, and mine alone, though I know it’s not possible.”

A shiver went down my back. This was my way of measuring Damian’s mental state, so to speak. I had thought him moving out was a good way to slow his madness, but this clearly proved me wrong. His violet eyes shone with a dangerous light.

I bit my lip. There had been practically no advancements on a cure for him. All I could do was change the subject.

“I love you too. Tell me about your discovery.”

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Fortunately, there was one thing Damian cared about almost as much as me, his work. The topics shifted, and we had a very enjoyable meal.

As the lunch hour approached the end, after stretching it out for as long as possible, it was time to part. I had one last thing to do, the actual purpose of this lunch. The unfortunate reminder that our lives were about to change.

“Damian, are you going to the debutante tomorrow? And the debutante balls?”

“Certainly! It’s a wonderful opportunity to get to know the new young ladies of society.”

He shot me a cocky grin and I giggled. I put on my sweetest smile and took his hand.

“You said you'll do anything for me, right? Can you not go?”

“What? Why?”

“I get jealous with you surrounded by all those girls. Some of this year’s debutantes are unscrupulous, and they’ll disrupt your research too. I don’t want them anywhere near you!”

At the present, I was proud to say that I was the only one capable of making Damian show that genuine smile, with a slight blush. Shamelessness ran in the family.

“You don’t have to worry about me, my darling sister. But I won’t go to a single one, if that’s what you want.”

“Yes! You’re the best!”

I gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, before saying our goodbyes. He promised to visit soon, and I held on to that as my carriage drove away.

It wasn’t a fool-proof plan, I knew. He would likely meet Catherine sooner or later, but at least this way I would only have to deal with one male lead, my fiance, at the debutante. Nathaniel wasn’t going either, given that I had taken away his reasons to attend in the novel, which were moral support for his childhood friend and telling the crown prince his suspicions that she was the saint.

Fate could be changed. I firmly believed in that, especially if said fate was a terrible romance novel. However, if somehow things didn’t go as I wanted, I was planning for the worst as well.

Damian and I had talked for a long time at the restaurant after we finished eating, so the food was basically digested when I got back to the mansion. I did a bit of work, then headed down to a courtyard at the back. It had been remodeled to be a custom training ground just for me, and for Damian’s more destructive magic practices, back when he still lived with us.

“Good afternoon, Lady Valentina.”

My knight instructor, Dame Kennedy, was waiting for me. She was a stern but kind-hearted woman, who had taught me how to wield a dagger, defend myself with nothing, and shoot a pistol with extreme precision. After an initial struggle, my feelings towards her ranged from absolute hatred to much appreciation, depending on the moment.

“Good afternoon, Dame Kennedy. Can I start?”

“Yes. You know the drill.”

Despite it being winter, I had changed into a light shirt and thin pants with my hair tied into a ponytail. The mansion had magic to regulate temperature even outdoors, but it was none too comfortable, until I began our routine, and it quickly ceased to be a problem.

Ten laps around the courtyard, which was by no means small. Then an intense stretch exercise, before the real show.

“Get ready, Sir Lovell.”

Mikhail picked up a dagger and stood opposite me. I had moved on from straw dummies to simulate an opponent that could fight back, though Mikhail had been instructed to use only basic techniques. We had slowly progressed, until I could take down the equivalent of an apprentice knight. I would be no match for him if he used all his training, of course, but I thought it was nevertheless impressive of me.

“There’s an opening on his left! Watch your back! Turn, now! Excellent! No, don’t let him catch his breath!”

It was always exhausting, and the dame made me keep moving until I was literally on the verge of collapse. Finally satisfied, she let me take a short break, and I took the chance to admire my knight. Sweat soaking through his shirt, combing his hand through his bright silver hair, he was ridiculously beautiful. It was part of what kept me going.

“That’s long enough! Back on your feet!”

My cursed instructor made us repeat several more rounds, and like many times before, I considered ordering her execution. At last, we moved on to the next part. Mikhail stood back to the side, providing moral support.

“Swarm!”

A gate opened on one side of the courtyard, and a mob of wild animals rushed out. I knew they were merely illusions made with magic to feel real, and I had long overcome the brief moment of freezing terror that could make someone lose their life.

I slashed at them, swerving and cutting at the endless ‘demons’. Dame Kennedy released more from the walls, and I kept going, adrenaline pushing through exhaustion. We tried to see if I could take on more each day, and I did, bit by bit.

“Well done.”

I collapsed onto the ground, panting. The last remnants of the illusion was fading away with the wind, and it was another step forward. No matter my devotion, I would be a good saint, even if it were just demon slaying.

I definitely liked the best part best. The dame arranged a few targets at one end of the courtyard, and we stood at the other. I took out my pistol.

Aim, shoot, repeat.

I hit almost all of them right in the center.

“Good job, as always.”

Shooting was my definite favourite when it came to fighting. Not only was I good at it, I loved the rush of power. Even practicing was fun, and seeing the pride on my teacher’s face.

After I finished my cooldown stretch, I gave Dame Kennedy a special farewell for today.

“Thank you for everything that you’ve taught me, again, and for making me stronger.”

Dame Kennedy chuckled and patted my shoulder.

“It’s my duty, my lady. Ah, I still remember the time you tried to come at me with your dagger, and you couldn’t have been more than nine! Makes me laugh every time. It’s great to see how far you’ve come.”

We exchanged smiles. Here was another person I sincerely respected and wished to protect and make proud, with the glory and power I would bring to House Avington.

One always had to be prepared for every situation. Even if I had to fight with my own fists to get to the throne, I would reach it.