Since the day I secured Uncle's promise to train me as much as possible, my life took a complete turn.

"Why the hell are you still sleeping, you little brat!?"

My mornings now began with Uncle—that old geezer—rousing me in the most violent manner possible.

"Agh! Ow, ow, ow!"

At the crack of dawn, the old man would yank me out of my peaceful slumber and haul me straight into the morning training routine.

"Five hundred swings before breakfast! And make sure you're reinforcing your body with Blood Flow Manipulation! Give it everything you've got!"

"This is inhuman... especially first thing in the morning."

The training ground was, of course, the backyard. Barely awake, my mind foggy, and my body sluggish from sleep, being forced to move in such a state felt utterly absurd. But this old man wouldn’t allow even the slightest compromise. Any slacking off was met with an unyielding fist and a barrage of insults.

"What’s with those limp swings? Do you even care? Huh!?"

"You damn old coot..."

By the time I finished the swings, I was drenched in sweat, caked in dirt, and surrounded by small puddles on the ground. Despite being the drill instructor of the Kingdom of Chronostaria’s knightly order—a role I assumed kept him incredibly busy—Uncle never missed a day to train me after I requested his help. Initially, I appreciated his dedication, but that gratitude vanished entirely by the third day of this torture.

Though I was grateful for the training, this old geezer’s methods were too harsh.

Worse, the relentless training sessions stripped away the "good boy" persona I had been working so hard to maintain.

As someone who lived by the motto “Live humbly and peacefully,” I’d done my best to keep my rougher tendencies in check. But this man tore away that facade with disheartening ease.

"Alright, after breakfast, it’s bookwork until noon. Then, resume your usual drills in the afternoon until I return. Don’t you dare slack off."

"As if I’d slack off, you stubborn old fart... Go do your job already."

"Hmph. Still got plenty of fight in you, I see. In that case, add another hundred swings to your afternoon routine."

"Ugh..."

This unintentional slip of my true tone was starting to bring some serious consequences. It became clear that I needed to fix this habit urgently.

Finally, Uncle left for work, and I collapsed onto the ground. Though I knew I should wipe the sweat off, change clothes, and eat breakfast, my body refused to cooperate. I was completely spent.

Yet, for all its brutality, the training was effective. After just three days, I could feel myself growing stronger. It was undeniable.

“Who knew that putting in effort could be so rewarding?”

That realization alone made the grueling work bearable.

Even so, there was one thing I couldn’t forgive:

"I’ll never get used to being punched awake every morning. Someday, I’ll get him back for this..."

I managed to join my family for breakfast on time. Afterward, I half-listened to my tutor, Miss Genia, drone on.

"As I was saying—"

"... Right."

Compared to morning training, these lessons were a breeze. Since I was relearning things I’d already studied, they weren’t particularly challenging. The only problem was how sleepy they made me. If I dared to nod off, word would surely reach Uncle, and my afternoon training would be even more hellish.

"Are you listening?"

"Of course!"

By sheer force of will, I fought off drowsiness and survived the lesson. A brief, precious break followed—a rare moment in this long day where I had nothing to do.

"Peace really is the best... There's no denying it."

While Uncle was busy training the knights at the castle, I recuperated in the backyard under Kanna’s watchful gaze. Just as I was relaxing, my younger sister Alice hesitantly approached.

"Um... Brother..."

"Hm? What’s wrong, Alice?"

She still seemed uneasy around me, so I smiled gently. That alone brightened her expression, and she asked shyly:

"Why are you working so hard at training? Before, you..."

"—didn’t do anything, right?"

"Y-yes..."

Her hesitant nod made me chuckle bitterly. Even at her young age, Alice had noticed. Many people had been eyeing me with similar curiosity lately.

Kanna, watching from a distance, also seemed intrigued. I carefully chose my words to answer Alice’s question, hoping it might ease some of the strange looks I’d been getting.

"I had a scary dream."

"A dream?"

"Yeah. In the dream, I died. But as I was dying, no one came to help me. I felt lonely, miserable, and so incredibly sad."

"..."

"I realized that if I kept living selfishly—hurting people like Kanna, and you, Alice—I’d end up dying alone, just like in that dream. That’s why I decided I needed to change."

"I see..."

The concepts might have been too heavy for someone her age, but Alice furrowed her brow in worry.

I had wronged her—and so many others. I’d caused pain, been selfish, and lived recklessly. It wasn’t until my death and subsequent rebirth that I realized the extent of my actions. Even now, apologizing felt meaningless.

"Even if it’s too late, I want to say this..."

The words spilled out despite my resolve to keep them inside.

"Alice, I’m so sorry for everything I’ve done to you."

"Huh?"

When I bowed deeply, Alice let out a startled gasp. Of course, she did. But once I started, I couldn’t stop.

"I don’t expect you to forgive me, and it’s fine if you don’t. But I needed to tell you this."

It was selfish, a one-sided apology. But saying it lifted a weight off my chest and freed me from some of the guilt.

"Brother, I forgive you!"

"Huh?"

This time, I was the one who made a foolish sound. Alice’s voice trembled with determination as she continued:

"Yes, you’ve done mean things to me. You’ve teased me, hidden my favorite doll, and made me cry... But I love the kind brother you’re becoming! So please don’t look so sad. I won’t let you be alone, like in that dream!"

"Alice..."

Her pure sincerity caught in my throat, making it hard to breathe. Could I really accept her kindness? Did I even deserve it?

Before I knew it, I pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you, Alice."

Her generosity overwhelmed me. This small, compassionate girl had forgiven someone as wretched as me.

"You're welcome!"

Her words were bright and full of hope. In that moment, I vowed to repay her kindness. For the first time, I felt like I had truly connected with her.