The soft, rhythmical breathing of a child was the only sound piercing the quiet of the Moon Viewing Villa.
Fray sat at the edge of the oversized bed, the harsh, cold aura of the Battle Goddess completely melting away into the dim, amber lamplight. Her heavy, gold-plated armor was gone, replaced by a simple black nightgown that pooled around her legs. Gently, almost hesitantly, she stretched out her hand, her slender fingers trailing through Leon's soft, silver hair.
He looked so peaceful when he slept. So utterly innocent. No one looking at this cherubic, cute face would ever guess that beneath the baby fat lay the mind of a tactical genius, a peak apprentice mage who could manipulate the legendary shadow element and slice ironwood trees in half with a mere whisper of "Cleave".
As her thumb caressed his cheek, Fray's mind drifted back into the shadows of the past, the familiar bitterness rising in her throat.
Four years ago, the main hall of the Darkmoon manor had erupted in joyous celebration over the birth of the twins. Two miracles born with the legendary Eye of Darkmoon. Yet, before the echo of their first cries could even fade, the ancestors and her parents had made their cold, calculated decree: Lucian would be the celebrated heir, the boy brought into the light, while Leon was to be erased from history, hidden away in a guarded mansion like a shameful secret until his fifteenth year.
"Officially, only one boy was born today: Lucian Darkmoon." Her father Orion's serious, uncompromising voice still echoed in her memory.
Fray scowled in the dark, her hand pausing briefly in Leon's hair. She had always found her parents' and the elders' handling of the situation incredibly biased, a frustrating display of political cowardice disguised as a "protective measure". They feared the jealousy of the Kingdom of Magonia; they feared the other four guardian families. To protect the clan's standing, they chose to split a mother's womb and burden a single infant with isolation. They showered Lucian with public adoration, titles, and resources, while treating Leon's existence as a dangerous liability that had to be locked behind barriers and secrecy.
And for what? To protect a child who didn't even need their version of protection.
A soft, prideful smile replaced her scowl as she compared the twins in her mind. Lucian was developing well under the clan's traditional tutelage, yes, but he was exactly what one would expect from a pampered noble prodigy—loud, prideful, and comfortably moving at a normal pace. He was a child playing within the boundaries set by others.
But Leon? Leon was an anomaly that defied the laws of Celestrion itself. While Lucian was learning basic etiquette, Leon had started practicing the moment he could walk, entirely breaking through two whole realms before the age of four. He didn't just inherit the family bloodline; he mastered ancient techniques, successfully tricked artifact spirits, outsmarted transgressive traitors, and even refined his own ocular abilities into the Lunar Harmony Vision. He was lightyears ahead of Lucian, completely leaving his brother and every other peer in the dust.
The clan thought they were hiding a weak link, but in reality, they were trying to cage a dragon.
"They have no idea what you're truly capable of, little brat," Fray whispered softly, her eyes softening as Leon mumbled something in his sleep, shifting slightly closer to her touch.
She realized then that Senior Nyxarion had been entirely right. Leon didn't need to be sheltered from the world; the world needed to be prepared for him. Her parents' grand, biased restrictions were nothing more than a minor roadblock for a child destined to rewrite the history of Magonia.
Sighing gently, Fray pulled her hand back from his silver locks. She stood up from the bed, the soft fabric of her gown rustling quietly. Reaching down, she pulled the thick, silken blanket up over Leon's shoulders, tucking him in securely to shield him from the midnight chill.
She walked over to the room's expansive window, looking out toward the horizon where the distant shadows of her military duties called. The vacation was over. The Battle Goddess had to return to her millions of soldiers, but she was leaving knowing her nephew was growing stronger by the day.
Turning her back to the bed, Fray cast her eyes toward the darkest corner of the room.
"Karen," Fray commanded, her voice dropping into a low, authoritative whisper that carried the absolute weight of a Battle Mage Emperor.
The shadows rippled instantly, and Lady Karen materialized from the darkness, her purple eyes gleaming with absolute focus as she knelt in respect.
"Lady Fray," Karen responded smoothly.
"I am leaving the mansion before dawn," Fray stated coldly, her noble aura locking onto the assassin. "The security of this place is entirely in your hands now. The Red Moon Pavilion is sniffing around, and some fools in our own clan still want to stretch their hands toward him. If a single hair on his head is harmed while I am gone, space magic won't be enough to hide you from my fury."
Karen felt a familiar chill run down her spine, but her gaze remained unwavering. "With my life, Senior Fray. No one will touch the young master."
"Good."
Without another word, Fray turned and slipped through the balcony doors, vanishing into the midnight wind in a silent flash of speed. Karen remained still for a moment, letting the oppressive pressure of the War Goddess dissipate from the room. Then, pulling her mask back over her face, she dissolved backward into the shadows, shifting her position to watch over the sleeping genius from the darkness.