The morning after her failed training session, Natalia woke with her muscles stiff and aching. Kailangang masanay ang katawan na ito sa sakit, she thought, brushing off the discomfort. She had endured worse in her past life. She wouldn't let physical weakness stop her now.
She rose from bed, her violet eyes gleaming with determination.
---
In the dining hall, the same cold atmosphere greeted her. Alaric and Lucian sat quietly, their expressions indifferent, while Damon lounged in his seat, his legs casually crossed. Magnus Delacroix remained unreadable as always, silently sipping his morning tea.
Natalia slid into her seat, keeping her head high despite the weight of their judgment. Lucian gave her a lazy smile, clearly amused by her persistence.
"Still playing at being strong, little sister?" Lucian drawled.
Natalia returned his smile, cold and sharp. "Better than playing at being perfect."
Damon let out a low chuckle, clearly entertained by the exchange, while Alaric shot both of them a warning glance. Magnus set his cup down with a deliberate clink, silencing the room instantly.
“The Delacroix name is not a game,” Magnus said, his voice low and commanding. “If you cannot carry it with pride, then don’t carry it at all.”
Natalia held his gaze without flinching. “Then I’ll make sure no one ever questions my worth.”
Magnus raised a brow, but said nothing more, dismissing her with a glance.
---
After breakfast, Natalia headed outside, determined to train harder. She knew she didn’t have magic, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be strong in other ways. In her past life, she had mastered hand-to-hand combat, and now she needed to make this fragile body capable of the same.
“Hindi pwedeng puro training lang,” she muttered to herself. "I need information, too."
She had to learn how magic worked in this world if she wanted to survive. The library would be a good place to start, but before she could turn back toward the estate, she felt someone approach.
“Natalia.”
She turned to find Damon leaning against a tree, arms crossed and a rare smirk on his lips. "Gusto mong tulungan kita?"
Natalia raised an eyebrow. "Why would you help me?"
Damon shrugged, but there was a glimmer of sincerity in his green eyes. “Because we’re siblings. At gusto kong makita kung talagang seryoso ka sa mga pinagsasabi mo kanina.”
Natalia studied him for a moment, searching for any sign of deceit. But Damon seemed genuine—unexpected, but not unwelcome.
"Fine," she said. "Train with me."
Damon grinned, and for the first time since she woke up in this new body, Natalia felt a flicker of something familiar: camaraderie.
---
The next few hours were exhausting. Damon was relentless, pushing her until her limbs felt like jelly. But Natalia didn’t complain. She gritted her teeth and kept going, every swing of her sword becoming smoother, every step lighter.
"Not bad," Damon remarked, watching as Natalia wiped the sweat from her brow. "You learn fast."
“Of course I do,” Natalia said with a small smirk. "I don’t plan on staying weak."
Damon’s grin widened. “I like this version of you.”
Natalia rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips. Maybe I’m not entirely alone after all.
---
Later that day, Natalia found herself back in the library, determined to understand magic better. She poured over books about elemental control, enchantments, and spellcasting, hoping to find any loophole or workaround for her lack of magic.
"Magic comes from the soul," one book explained. "It manifests in those whose spirits resonate with the elements of the world."
Natalia frowned. So, it’s all about resonance? If the original Natalia never awakened magic, does that mean I have no chance either?
Her frustration grew as she read further. Every book emphasized the importance of natural talent and innate ability. It seemed hopeless.
"Maybe this is why they gave up on her," she whispered bitterly, slamming a book shut. "They thought she was useless."
But Natalia wasn’t one to give up easily. If magic comes from the soul, maybe I just need to force it awake.
---
The opportunity to test her theory came sooner than expected.
That night, the Delacroix estate was unusually quiet. Natalia sat by the window in her room, staring out at the dark sky, her thoughts racing.
Suddenly, a strange noise echoed from the hall. Natalia tensed, instincts from her past life kicking in immediately.
That was no ordinary sound.
She slipped out of her room and followed the noise down the corridor. As she rounded a corner, she saw them—two shadowy figures sneaking through the estate. They moved with purpose, clearly searching for something—or someone.
Her heart raced, but she forced herself to stay calm. This is it. My first real test in this world.
Without hesitation, Natalia grabbed the nearest weapon she could find—a decorative dagger mounted on the wall—and stalked after the intruders.
---
The two men reached the eastern wing of the estate, where her brothers’ rooms were located. Natalia’s grip tightened on the dagger as she followed them silently. When they stopped in front of Damon’s door, something inside her snapped.
"Not on my watch," she whispered fiercely.
Before the intruders could react, Natalia sprang into action. She slashed at the first man’s arm, drawing a deep gash. He cried out, clutching his wound, while the other man lunged at her.
Natalia dodged, her movements clumsy but fueled by adrenaline. She stabbed the second man in the leg, forcing him to his knees.
"Who sent you?" she demanded, pressing the blade against the first man’s throat.
The man sneered, blood dripping from his arm. "You’ll regret this, girl."
"Wrong answer," Natalia hissed, applying more pressure. "Sino ang nag-utos sa inyo?"
Before the man could respond, Damon’s door swung open. He stood there, eyes wide with surprise, taking in the scene before him.
"Natalia?" he asked, disbelief coloring his voice.
"Don’t just stand there," Natalia snapped, panting slightly from the effort. "Help me."
Damon grinned, clearly impressed. "Looks like you’re not as useless as they thought."
With Damon’s help, they subdued the intruders and called the guards to take them away. As they stood in the dim hallway, Natalia wiped the blood off the dagger and looked up at her brother.
"I told you," she said, a smirk playing on her lips. "I’m not staying weak."
Damon chuckled, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Let’s see how long you can keep this up, little sister."
Natalia’s smirk widened. I’ll keep it up. And when the time comes, they’ll all see just how dangerous I can be.