Adam awoke to the gentle voices of Alyssa and Alynna, their small faces close to his, playfully tapping his cheek. "Wake up, big brother!" they chorused. His father, now Albert Damien, and mother, Helena Damien, came in, ready for breakfast.
"Adam seems lazy, sleeps a lot," Alynna snarked, pinching his cheek. Alyssa, ever the protective one, swatted her hand away.
"Don't hurt him! We just got a big brother!"
"So sweet, my little sister," Adam chuckled, tickling them until they giggled and ran off. Alynna's playful shout, "Adam's a monster!" echoed through the small house.
Adam rubbed his temples, the residual fatigue from yesterday's intense magic practice weighing on him. He took a deep breath, and with a familiar surge of mana, cleared his headache.
"Wash your face before eating, Adam," Albert said, a nostalgic smile on his face, mirroring the words his own father had spoken so many times.
Helena squeezed his cheek, wiping away imaginary sleep and ruffling his hair. "Why do you sleep so messy?" she chided, pushing him gently towards the toilet, just like old times.
"I know, Mom," Adam replied, the familiarity a balm to his soul.
In the small bathroom, Adam stared at his reflection. How long had it been? The years of neglect and abandonment flashed before his eyes. Tears welled up. "I finally found them," he whispered, touching the mirror. "My parents. My new twin sisters. I'm going to protect them."
Then, Emily's voice, a beacon of hope from his past, echoed in his mind. "One day you will see a future of happiness. When that day comes, I want to be there with you to share that happiness with you."
She had smiled brightly, a ray of light in his darkest hours. "Wait for me, Emily," he vowed. "I will come for you."
He splashed cold water on his face, then joined his family at the table. They ate a humble breakfast of bread and soup, but the joy in the room was palpable. Alyssa and Alynna chattered excitedly about skipping school for shopping.
Adam listened as his parents recounted their new lives, their meeting in this world, their shared sense of destiny. Even after reincarnation, fate had brought them back together. Seeing their enduring connection ignited a fresh surge of motivation in Adam to find Emily.
"Emily," Adam began, explaining to his parents, "she was my childhood friend. She was there for me when I was... lost. She encouraged me to keep living." The words struck a chord with Albert and Helena, who knew Emily's past condition due to their friendship with her parents.
"Adam, do you know about Emily's condition?" Albert asked, his voice gentle.
"Sadly, yes," Adam replied, his gaze distant. "At the time, I didn't realize. I thought she abandoned me, like everyone else. It was only after I was reincarnated that I understood." The flashbacks became clearer now, showing Emily, battling cancer, constantly urging him to live for her sake, never revealing her own suffering. Adam broke down. "I regret my actions. Emily loved me more than herself, and I was too dumb to notice."
"Don't blame yourself," Helena interrupted, her voice soothing. "You were young, you couldn't have known. Please don't blame yourself for something you didn't understand."
"Emily exists in this world," Adam continued, looking from one parent to the other. "I can see the red mana string, even now. It's still connected to her."
Albert and Helena exchanged a look, then turned to Adam. "If that's true, son, you need to find her," Albert encouraged. "But please, don't get your hopes up too much if things don't work out. Women in this age marry young, and children here mature faster than in our old world. It's common for parents to push their daughters into marriage, especially to nobles."
"It doesn't matter what the outcome is," Adam stated with fierce determination. "I will forever be indebted to her, and I will protect and cherish her no matter what."
"Yes, son," Albert said, a proud smile on his face. "That's how you should be mentally prepared. We both will support your decision."
Adam sincerely thanked them, tears in his eyes, for giving him back his happiness and the chance to find the love he thought he'd lost forever. His parents, seeing the strong, independent son before them, trusted his decision implicitly. They were immensely proud.