Norton found himself a bit mesmerized, realizing for the first time just how stunning his sister had become, breathtakingly so. The unique aura of a blossoming young woman left him speechless.

"Norton, what are you staring at?" Juana noticed her usually sharp-witted brother suddenly looking dumbstruck and burst into laughter. Her laughter was contagious, and Norton, trying to speak, nearly bit his own tongue, which only made Juana laugh harder.

This reversal of roles—where Juana was now the one teasing him—left Norton feeling embarrassed. He was used to poking fun at his "silly" sister, not the other way around. Seeing Norton blush with embarrassment brought Juana immense joy, perhaps the happiest she’d been in years.

"Enough, stop laughing already!" Norton finally yelled, unable to take any more of her teasing. Juana, having had her fill of amusement, gradually calmed down, though she still watched him with a teasing smile.

"I have something to tell you," Juana said. "You know, I’m fourteen this year."

Norton nodded, indicating he was aware.

"You see, most vampires bear certain responsibilities to Sylvannia after turning fourteen. Only by achieving some merit can they officially gain citizenship at the coming-of-age ceremony at sixteen."

Norton continued nodding, sensing where this conversation might be headed.

"Besides that," Juana continued, "I’ve hit a bottleneck with my studies and advancement. My strength grows very slowly now. While I can handle intermediate magic proficiently, advanced magic is beyond my grasp—I’m not going to be like the lunatics of the Nihlakochi family and pay some 'price.' I need to find another way."

"And?" Norton prompted.

"So, I’ve decided to leave for a while, head to the southern border near the Border Princes, and serve in the military for a time," Juana explained, her demeanor calm and composed.

“...Is that so? When will you be back?” Norton had largely anticipated this announcement once she began speaking, so he remained relatively composed.

"I don’t know. I might never return," Juana said, her tone dropping into a more somber note.

"Never?!" Norton’s voice jumped an octave. Juana laughed again, and it dawned on him that his sister was teasing him once more.

"It’s just a possibility—of course, there are dangers in the army. But don’t worry, the chances are slim. I’m not to be underestimated. Neither orc nor human bandit poses much of a threat to me."

Juana attempted to reassure Norton after teasing him.

"And when do you leave?" Norton asked.

"Tomorrow," Juana answered.

"…So that’s why you wanted to spend today with me?" Norton finally understood why his sister was dragging him around so frantically today.

"Yeah."

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Juana appeared somewhat saddened as she continued, "Even though we’ll eventually see each other again, we’ll be apart for quite a while—I don’t want that.

I want to stay with you, even if you complain about me, or say Mom is biased, or call me silly—just being together is enough.

But I can’t! I can’t, Norton! I must keep progressing too. You’re so talented, and even at such a young age, you’ve achieved so much. What am I supposed to do?! Can’t you slow down a bit and wait for me?!

But if you weren’t like this, you wouldn’t be worthy of being the Count of the von Carstein family. So, I also must become someone who is worthy of you, do you understand?! Norton, I’ve liked you since we first met, Norton! You’re mine, and no one else can take you away!"

Juana became increasingly animated as she spoke, gripping Norton’s shoulders tightly, staring intently at him as if she might devour him.

Norton realized then that the women in his family were all a bit touched. Not only did his mother have a knack for unnerving people with her intense gaze, but his sister Juana did too.

Norton felt a twinge of fear during Juana's passionate outburst, prompting him to try and calm her down: "Alright! Sister, calm down!"

Hearing this, Juana paused and reluctantly released her grip on Norton’s shoulders.

"Sorry, I got a little emotional," Juana said, looking at Norton’s slightly pale face, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Thinking about being apart from you for a long time pains me."

"I feel the same, sister," Norton admitted, relieved and genuinely a bit saddened. Despite Juana’s headstrong and sometimes troublesome nature—even showing signs akin to madness now—she was still his sister, someone who had been with him every day for eight years.

"…"

For some reason, Juana seemed disappointed when Norton responded this way. Perhaps it was because she had essentially confessed—or rather, explicitly declared her feelings—and Norton hadn’t reacted in kind, leaving her feeling let down.

However, Juana reasoned that this was likely due to Norton’s age, assuming he hadn’t understood the implications of her words.

"Maybe I was too hasty. After all, Norton is only eight," Juana thought to herself. Normally, she wouldn’t make such a blunder. But with her imminent departure, she was understandably anxious. Fearing unforeseen changes during her absence, she thought it best to take the initiative.

She had first coerced her cousin into assisting her, then spent the entire day with Norton, dragging him around. Finally, she expressed her feelings by the scenic and tranquil lakeside. It was rare for the usually carefree Juana to act with such deliberation. Unfortunately, she overlooked Norton’s age, believing her efforts were futile—or so she thought.

What she didn't realize was that beneath Norton’s youthful exterior lay the mind of an adult. With her fervent declarations and repeated "I like you," it was hard for Norton to not grasp her meaning.

The problem was, Norton didn’t know how to respond. From his cousin Erik’s midday comment to Juana’s confession, Norton felt as if he were dreaming. In his past life, he had gone straight from an artificial factory to dying on the battlefield, spending all his time in the military, where even the mosquitoes were male. It was a miracle he hadn’t developed some strange habits, let alone fall in love.

In this life, despite his advantageous background, abilities, and looks, his age meant no one had ever confessed to him. In both past and current lives, this was the first confession he had received, the first taste of love.

It left him dizzy, unsure of how to respond.

Fortunately, his young age meant he could answer later.

For the remainder of the day, Norton and Juana skipped classes, opting to play by the lake. After they’d had their fill, they took a carriage into town, where Norton regaled Juana with the previous day’s tavern incident, recounting how he had ordered hot milk and intimidated scores of mercenaries with ease, gesturing animatedly to amuse her.

After storytelling, neither wanted to go home, so they returned to the academy, climbing to the top of the tower for a view. When Juana declared it wasn’t high enough, Norton lifted her with a levitation spell, floating them up above the clouds.

That evening, back on the tower roof under the blue moon Tonya, they cuddled together, gazing at the moon. Norton spoke of becoming Duke of Sylvannia and conquering the Old World, to which Juana said if he were to be Duke, then she would be Duchess, not settling for less. Norton laughed, saying she could indeed be Duchess. They continued talking and talking until they drifted off to sleep...