Chapter 1: A smile in the shadow

In a world where magic is everything, power defines worth, and weakness is a sin. Only a handful of noble clans stand at the top—respected, feared, and untouchable. Among them, none cast a darker shadow than:

The Fujimoto Clan.

Feared across the land, they were born of ancient magic and raised with unyielding pride.

From this bloodline came two children.

The first was Shin Fujimoto, a prodigy in every sense. His magic was strong, his heart unreadable, and his silence louder than words. He was a ghost to some, a god to others.

And then, there was Sakura Fujimoto.

The youngest of the family. A ten-year-old girl with long midnight-black hair that always fell into her eyes, and a quiet voice that rarely rose above a whisper. She didn’t command power like her brother. She didn’t earn respect from her clan.

But she had something else.

A smile—small, soft, and stubborn. Even after being ignored, scolded, or hurt, that smile returned to her face like a habit she couldn’t shake.

Everyone saw her as the forgotten child of a great clan. But Sakura saw the world differently. Where others saw cruelty, she searched for meaning. Where others raised walls, she watched stars.

The world was cold, but she found warmth in the smallest things— The way wind brushed through trees. The way birds chirped at dawn. And most of all, in her brother’s quiet kindness.

Shin, cold and distant to the world, was warm only to her. He didn’t speak much, but when he did, he spoke gently to Sakura. He didn’t smile often—but when he looked at her, his gaze softened.

To everyone else, he was a weapon.

To her, he was a brother.

Even in a house full of silence, she found comfort in his presence.

Even in a cruel world, Sakura Fujimoto smiled.

Because sometimes… the smallest light shines brightest in the dark.

---

The Fujimoto estate stood atop a hill surrounded by blackened stone walls and ancient cherry blossom trees that hadn’t bloomed in decades. Inside the castle’s courtyard, the air was sharp, crackling with mana.

Shin stood motionless in the center of the field, his hand outstretched. Blue arcs of energy spiraled around him like a storm ready to strike.

“Again,” came a deep, cold voice from the balcony above.

Haruki Fujimoto, their father—stern, ruthless, and utterly unforgiving. He stood with arms crossed, watching every move like a hawk measuring worth.

Without a word, Shin moved. A slash of his hand, and light burst outward. The magical targets crumbled under his force.

“Good,” Haruki said. “Now double the range.”

“Yes, Father,” Shin replied flatly.

Nearby, behind the marble columns of the estate’s grand walkway, Sakura was practicing too—though unnoticed. She held her small training wand in trembling hands. Her brows furrowed as she whispered an incantation.

“Focus… come on…”

A flicker of light formed at the wand’s tip, but it quickly faded, leaving only smoke.

From the balcony, Haruki’s gaze shifted.

“You there,” he snapped.

Sakura froze.

“Is that your best? You're ten years old. Can’t even light a torch properly?”

“I-I’m trying—” she began.

“Trying? Do you think this clan respects effort? This isn’t some nursery for talentless children.”

Sakura flinched, lowering her wand.

“You dishonor the name Fujimoto,” he said coldly. Then, without another glance, Haruki turned and disappeared into the halls.

Sakura stood frozen. Her fingers curled tightly around the wand.

Then came the sound of footsteps.

Shin walked up beside her and gently took her hand.

“You're holding it too tightly,” he said. “Let the magic breathe. Don’t fight it.”

She looked up. “You… saw that?”

Shin nodded. “Always.”

A soft silence passed.

“I’m… not like you,” she whispered. “Not good enough.”

Shin looked straight ahead at the sky. “Then let’s get better together.”

A small smile broke across her face.

---

Later that evening…

The grand meeting hall in the heart of the estate was dimly lit, flames flickering in the sconces on the wall. Velvet carpets and golden tapestries lined the room. It was quiet—but heavy with tension.

Lord Haruki and his wife, Lady Reina Fujimoto, sat at the head of the long table. Around them were elders, uncles, aunts—all members of the high bloodline.

Shin stood outside the hall, not invited to this one. Sakura, meanwhile, was just passing by on her way to the kitchen, when she heard murmurs behind the door.

“…He’s already mastered third-tier spells,” one of the elders said. “At his age. Truly remarkable.”

“Shin will lead our clan to greatness,” another voice added. “He carries the old blood—pure and sharp.”

“And what of the girl?” someone scoffed.

There was a pause.

“She is weak,” said a cold voice. Sakura froze.

It was her mother’s.

“She bears our name but not our strength. Let her remain in the shadows. At least the boy will cleanse the shame.”

Sakura’s hands trembled as she pressed her back against the wall. The words cut deeper than any blade.

“She smiled even when I shouted at her,” Haruki’s voice said. “What kind of fool smiles in the face of failure?”

“An embarrassment,” someone spat.

The voices continued, blending into cruel laughter.

Sakura couldn’t take it anymore.

She turned and ran—quietly, quickly—until she reached her room. She shut the door behind her and collapsed on the bed, face buried in her pillow.

She didn’t cry. Not loudly. Just small, silent sobs.

She had tried so hard.

And they still saw her as nothing.

For the first time in days, her smile was gone.

---

That night, in her room, Sakura sat on her bed, staring at her hands under the pale moonlight.

She flexed her fingers slowly.

“Why can’t I be like him?” she whispered. “Why can’t I be strong?”

There was a soft knock.

She quickly wiped her eyes.

“Come in.”

The door creaked open. Shin stepped in, holding a small paper fox in his hand—folded neatly from a scroll.

He sat beside her and placed the fox on her lap.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“For today’s training. You summoned light.”

“…Only for a second.”

“Still counts.”

She smiled a little.

“I heard what they said,” she admitted.

“I know.”

“I’m tired of being looked down on.”

Shin was silent for a while.

Then he said, “You’re stronger than they think.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are,” he said, meeting her gaze. “You smile even when they hate you. You try even when no one watches. I’ve never done that.”

She stared at him, eyes shimmering.

“You don’t have to prove anything to them. Just become someone you’re proud of.”

“…Like you?”

“No,” he said quietly. “Like you.”

She looked down at the paper fox again. Her smile returned.

This time, it didn’t crack.

---