Wait, My Overpowered Skill is Just… Love?!

The Aetheria estate was in chaos. Servants bustled about, hanging banners of white and gold, setting up elaborate floral arrangements, and preparing an extravagant feast fit for royalty. Today was my tenth birthday, and apparently, that meant turning the mansion into a festival ground.

I stood in front of my full-length mirror, staring at my reflection with a mix of resignation and horror.

Long, pink hair was tied neatly into a delicate bun, leaving soft strands to frame my face. My big blue eyes practically sparkled under the sunlight, making me look far too innocent for my own good. My cheeks were round and chubby, giving me a soft, doll-like appearance that made me want to scream.

And the dress—oh, the dress.

A pristine white gown embroidered with silver threads, decorated with tiny pearls along the sleeves. It was elegant, regal... and far too frilly for my tastes.

I hate this. I hate this so much.

I wasn't supposed to look like this! In my past life, I had been a completely average high school boy. I used to wear comfortable hoodies and jeans. Now? I looked like a fragile noble lady straight out of a fairytale.

My fingers twitched at the urge to undo my hairstyle, but I hesitated. If I so much as messed up a single strand, my mother would cry.

And if my mother cried? The entire mansion would enter crisis mode.

A knock at the door interrupted my self-pity.

"Lady Cecilia," a maid called softly. "Your mother is waiting for you in the ballroom."

I sighed, resigning myself to my fate. "I'm coming."

---

The grand ballroom was packed with nobles, their elegant chatter filling the air as they sipped on fine wine and dined on extravagant dishes. The hall itself had been transformed into a breathtaking display of wealth—chandeliers dripped with crystals, golden drapes adorned the walls, and a massive ice sculpture of a phoenix sat at the center of the feast table.

My mother and father stood beside me, beaming with pride as they introduced me to every noble that approached.

"Look how much she has grown," one lady gushed.

"Truly a beauty," another lord nodded approvingly.

"The jewel of House Aetheria," someone whispered.

I kept my perfect noble smile in place, but inside, I was screaming.

Stop complimenting me! I don't want to be cute!

The worst part? Every time someone praised me, my mother glowed with joy.

"My Cecilia is truly the most precious child in the kingdom," she sighed, wiping a tear of happiness.

Father nodded firmly. "She is perfection itself."

I wanted to die.

---

Just as the festivities were in full swing, the grand doors of the ballroom swung open.

The room fell silent.

A woman stepped inside, her presence instantly commanding attention.

She was tall and imposing, her raven-black hair tied into a loose ponytail, with long bangs covering one of her piercing violet eyes. A faint scar ran down her left cheek, a testament to her battles. She wore a dark, militaristic outfit, a long sword strapped to her back.

She looked like a seasoned warrior, someone who had seen war and emerged stronger.

This was Selene von Aetheria.

My adopted older sister.

Her gaze locked onto me.

My heart skipped a beat.

...Wait.

Why did I react like that?

Selene strode forward, her boots clicking against the polished marble floor. She reached into her coat, pulling out a small, wooden box and holding it out to me.

"A gift," she said, her voice calm and measured. "For my little sister."

I hesitated before reaching for it.

Our hands brushed.

And then—

---

A Sudden Shock

A jolt of electricity shot through me, sharp and sudden, like a pulse of energy surging from my fingertips to my chest. My breath hitched. My vision blurred.

Selene stiffened, her body going rigid.

A strange wave of emotion flooded through me. It was warm yet overwhelming, an indescribable connection forming between us in an instant.

It wasn't just admiration.

It wasn't just awe.

It was something deeper. Something I didn't want to acknowledge.

I staggered backward, my fingers trembling.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is freewebnøvel.coɱ.

Selene's violet eye widened slightly, as if she had felt it too.

And then—

A golden screen flashed before my eyes.

---

[System Notice]

[Soulmate Detected: Selene von Aetheria – The Distant Blade]

Affection Meter: 10/100

Description:

A warrior forged in solitude, Selene von Aetheria walks a path of steel and duty, never allowing herself the luxury of weakness. From the moment she took up the sword, she swore to forsake attachments, believing love to be a burden that warriors cannot afford.

Bound by discipline and hardened by battle, she keeps others at arm's length, her heart locked behind an unbreakable wall. To her, power is protection, and emotions are a vulnerability she refuses to indulge. Even as she stands beside those she calls allies, there is always a distance—an emptiness that no one has dared to cross.

But deep within, buried beneath the cold exterior and rigid self-control, a longing lingers—a silent yearning for something more, for a bond strong enough to break the chains she has placed upon herself.

For now, she watches from afar, uncertain and wary. Will you be the one to shatter the barriers around her heart, or will she remain forever out of reach?

---

I froze.

Selene stared at me.

I stared at the system.

My hands shook. My mind raced.

No.

No, no, no, NO.

My first soulmate.

The first step toward my inevitable doom.

I clenched my fists, shaking with rage.

And then, only one thought echoed in my head—

"WHYYYY?!!!"

---

Pov Change

The road to House Aetheria was long and uneventful.

Selene rode in silence, the rhythmic clatter of horse hooves filling the air as the carriage carried her toward the home she barely remembered.

She had not stepped foot in her family's estate for years. Not since she left for the Royal Academy, where she had spent every waking moment honing her swordsmanship, mastering tactics, and proving her worth.

And now, at nineteen years old, she was returning.

Not for herself.

Not out of sentiment.

But because it was her adopted sister's birthday.

She barely knew the girl. Cecilia von Aetheria. A child born after she had already left, raised in the warmth of a family she had never allowed herself to claim.

Her adopted father, Count Reinhardt, had written to her, urging her to visit. Her adopted mother, Countess Elara, had pleaded.

Selene was apathetic.

Birthdays, family reunions, the warmth of home—none of it mattered to her.

But she had no reason to refuse.

And so, she came.

---

The gates of House Aetheria stood tall, unchanged since the day she left.

As the carriage rolled into the estate, the mansion came into view—pristine white stone, golden banners fluttering in the breeze, the grand halls brimming with noble guests.

Servants hurried to greet her as she stepped out, their bows respectful, their movements precise. She returned their greetings with only a curt nod.

She had nothing to say to them.

Her mother was the first to greet her, a bright smile on her face as she embraced her tightly.

"Selene! You've grown even more beautiful," Elara said, stepping back to examine her with pride.

Selene did not react, did not let emotion show on her face. She had been trained for discipline, for control.

"Mother," she said simply.

Her father stood behind her mother, arms crossed, his sharp gaze analyzing her as one would a soldier. He nodded in approval. "You've grown strong."

"It is expected," Selene replied.

Reinhardt's lips curled upward in something close to a smile. "Good."

She could feel the eyes of the guests on her, whispering.

"That is the adopted daughter of House Aetheria?"

"She looks nothing like them, yet they raised her as their own."

"I hear she is a cold and ruthless fighter, completely emotionless."

She ignored them. Words meant nothing.

Her duty was done. She had returned. She had greeted her parents.

Now, she only needed to see the child.

Her "sister."

The girl she had never met.

And then, she could leave.

---

The ballroom was lavish, suffocatingly so.

Selene stepped inside, her presence immediately shifting the atmosphere. The laughter softened, the chatter stilled. She was used to this. The weight of her sword, the way she carried herself—she did not belong in rooms like these.

And then she saw her.

A small girl in a white dress, golden hair tied into a delicate bun, soft blue eyes shimmering beneath the chandelier lights. Her cheeks were round and rosy, her features delicate, almost unreal.

Too cute.

The thought struck Selene before she could process it.

She stared, her body going rigid, a strange feeling creeping up her spine.

She had prepared herself to feel nothing. To meet a stranger, to acknowledge the girl in name only.

But the moment she saw her, something in her chest tightened.

It was foreign. Uncomfortable.

This child—her sister—she looked...

Selene didn't know the word for it.

But she hated it.

She hated that she noticed.

That she cared, even for a second.

She erased the emotion before it could take root, shoving it down beneath the steel walls of her discipline.

Her face remained impassive, unreadable.

She approached, reaching into her coat and pulling out a small wooden box.

She had picked up a gift in the capital—a pendant forged from enchanted silver, crafted to protect its wearer from harm. A logical, practical gift.

She held it out. "A gift. For my little sister."

The girl hesitated before reaching out.

Their hands brushed.

And then—

A strange sensation shot through her.

It was like electricity, pulsing through her fingertips, coursing through her veins.

Her breath hitched, her body stiffened.

And for the first time in years, Selene felt something she couldn't control.

The little girl's expression shifted—shock, confusion, dread.

Selene's grip on the box tightened slightly.

Her heart was pounding.

Why?

What was this?

She didn't understand.

Didn't want to understand.

And so, she crushed the feeling down, burying it beneath cold logic.

She let go of the gift and pulled back, her face unreadable once more.

If Cecilia had noticed anything unusual, she did not say.

Good.

Selene turned away, saying nothing else.

Whatever had happened just now—

She refused to think about it.

---

A/N: Feel free to let me know what you think of how the stories are going and where it should go. I'm always eager to hear from you. Leave a powerstone or a comment to support me ;)